Don’t blame the flying foxes
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It was with utter dismay that I read this week once again in our local papers this persistent reference to our local population of grey-headed flying-foxes and the threat they pose to horses.
There appears to be a determined effort to demonise this irreplaceable and threatened native animal, through the persistent assumptions that are being presented without reference to all the facts.
Has there ever been reference to horses as being dangerous carriers of the virus? It is only horses known to pass the virus onto humans. It is not known how the virus spreads and meanwhile there is little media attention given to the need for caution with horses.
“The virus has been passed directly from a cat to a horse. There has been no publicity for this. Guinea pigs, dogs and ferrets are also known reservoirs for the virus. They or some other animal that has not yet been tested could be an intermediary host, passing the virus to the horses from the same source.” (‘Flying-Foxes, Australian Night Foresters’- Vivien Jones, 2013)
“The recent finding of Hendra antibodies in a dog and evidence that cats can transmit the virus directly to horses supports the need for further research….Despite over 17 years of intensive investigation there is no evidence of any kind to show that flying-foxes directly transmit Hendra Virus to horses.” (‘Bats Working the Night Shift’- Greg Richards and Les Hall, 2012)
So can we please get things into perspective? It is highly likely that other animals are involved in infecting horses with Hendra Virus and perhaps we need to be readdressing the balance and to be warning people with horses to make sure to keep an eye out for roaming cats and people with dogs and urging anyone in the neighbourhood of the showground to keep their cats indoors.
Warran Addicott
Bega
Twilight Zone politics
The sheer incompetence of this comical Liberal government was once again highlighted on the ABC's Lateline (Mon 28/07). While discussing the requirement for unemployed persons to apply for 40 jobs per month, Emma Alberici asked the Minister for Employment Eric Abetz "where all these jobs might be?"
He replied: "Today there is a shortage of bricklayers in Melbourne".
While this may be good news for bricklayers, it would do little to solve the problem of someone recently retrenched from the public service or the IT industry.
The Minister went on to dismiss years of research by Melbourne University's Professor Jeff Borland on the “work for the dole” scheme while only able to offer “anecdotal” evidence on its efficacy.
Sadly it appears we are entering a “Twighlight Zone” of politics!
Kevin Callaghan
Narooma
More than words needed in Gaza
The conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza needs more than words from the UN.
I cannot understand Hamas, again and again they are putting the public of Gaza in harm’s way, they should know by now that it will end up in a disaster like always.
But the UN will regret in the end their half-hearted attempt to get this issue resolved for good.
Hamas would be much better off going the way Gandhi and Mandela took.
They could recognize that Israel has the right to exist, and vice versa under the same terms.
We do know that Israel is bullying the Palestinians, limiting what the public in Gaza and the West Bank can and cannot do.
I am talking about stopping a demonstration in Ramallah which is not their territory.
Changes in a peaceful mission on the side of the Palestinians will work in their favour at the end.
We the world are letting Israel get away with building one settlement after another in the West Bank. It is nothing else than an occupation.
Gaza is cut off at its border with Israel and Egypt from any trade, it has to be fair and free.
At other conflicts of the Middle East, the public can seek refuge in neighbouring countries, not Gaza.
America is at the moment not fair either. They tell Russia not to supply the eastern Ukrainians with weapons in their conflict. They do not lead by example with Israel, this is odd to say the least.
The UN has to see that this is too brutal to watch therefor they have to do more.
K. Krueger
Central Tilba
Mayor's say… Selling the Shire
I spent last weekend at the Country NSW Expo in Sydney helping to promote the benefits of living, working, investing and holidaying in Eurobodalla to an interested audience of show attendees.
Exhibiting at this show is one of Council’s economic development initiatives and an excellent way to meet and spend some time with people who are genuinely on the lookout for a way to move out of Sydney.
Research has found that people who might be thinking about relocating themselves or their business to a regional or coastal town need a fair amount of time to research and consider the options.
Chatting with some locals and deciding to take a holiday in a possible new location are some of the first steps in the relocation decision. This show was an opportunity to provide people with some great business resources and answer many questions about our area.
An interesting and surprising observation from my conversations is that people are keenly interested in being assured that a place has a genuine sense of community that they can become part of, and that for many this is a higher priority in choosing to relocate than the number of schools, hospitals, beautiful beaches and transport links or distance issues.
The opportunity to be part of the community through volunteering was also of interest and we were able to talk about how we do that in Eurobodalla.
Most people attending the show had already done their research and the River Cottage TV Show based in Tilba was a popular topic.
Many were seeking information on where they could cash up from selling their Sydney real estate and buy and work a small farm to live more sustainably as well as continuing to work their online businesses, consultancy practices, or relocate other types of small businesses.
Many of the people looking to move appeared to be in the life stages of young families and those whose children had left home.
Some were early retirees but even these had an interest in continuing to work part time or contribute their skills by volunteering.
Our celebrity oyster growing farmers the Ralston brothers helped us out by offering passers by a taste of our amazing Batemans Bay oysters from the Australia’s Oyster Coast and we were delighted that this generated some excellent PR on national TV stations who were filming the event.
To top it off, we met a delightful oyster connoisseur from Brittany which is celebrated as one of the top oyster growing regions in France.
She has tasted oysters from all over the world and believes that our Australia’s Oyster Coast oysters are as good as those in her homeland.
Please let me know if there are any issues that Council can assist with. You can contact me at mayor@eurocoast.nsw.gov.au or phone 0418 279 215.
Clr Lindsay Brown, Mayor of Eurobodalla Shire
Self-praise doesn’t count
I read with intrigue, last week’s Mayoral column in the Narooma News. Our mayor gave us a glowing self-evaluation of his performance as a councillor and mayor over the last six years. He sounded marvellous but I wonder if his constituents all agree?
How would the rural community mark councils handling of the LEP.
Repeated submissions and meetings over several years meeting with stubborn resistance from the mayor, councillors and council staff.
Five years and still not complete when most shires took 12 months.
All this at enormous cost.
I think they would consider it a fail. The large number of people affected by the draconian Interim Sea Level Rise Policy may not be full of praise either.
Years of watching their homes devalue and hit with increased insurance and development costs which saw no benefit to anyone but required large funding from council. Another fail.
The many developers, both big and small, wanting to build in our shire and the numerous tradesman and retailers who rely on this income might not give a big tick of approval either.
With a great climate and no exposure to major natural disasters, Eurobodalla should be the cheapest and simplest place to build in Australia. Not so.
Must improve
The shires pensioners and retirees must have got excited when the Federal Budget was announced and our Mayor went on radio that morning spruiking that our older residents could not afford further costs as outlined in the budget. He was so concerned he and the general manager were off to Canberra to meet with the local member. Thousands of dollars when a 20 cent phone call would have done.
Next week on radio he announced a four per cent rate increase. Did pensioners receive a windfall that week? Now council funds are being poured into preparation of a special rate variation for next year of even larger increases to our rates. Pensioners must also wonder why the pensioner rebate stays the same for year after year.
Ranking – be more consistent
The business community, tired of ever increasing costs and regulations and rate increases need relief. The mayor answer for this is another seminar or conference that most of them can’t attend because they operate a business. Reducing overheads would be more helpful.
Result – needs to pay attention
The bulk of ratepayers feel council wastes money and does not respect public funds.
The mayor used his casting vote to pay $50,000 more for a general manager than was necessary.
In summary after reading our mayors brag sheet and looking at his performance from varying perspectives there does seem to be some discrepancy.
I’m giving him a ‘good effort’ meaning he tries hard but achieves little.
Bruce Rapkins
Kianga
In praise of pool
AFTER a month of over indulgence and not enough exercise whilst away on holidays, I was keen to get back to my aqua classes with Kerry Markham on Monday.
What a great surprise when I walked in to see the renovations at the pool AND to find that the entry price has gone down!
The pool was lovely and warm and the showers were hot. We are so lucky to have this facility in our town and be able to swim year around in comfort. Well done to those concerned - I guess that is council and YMCA - and thank you.
Kathie Thackray
Narooma
My letter on arrows unanswered
On 18 June this year, I sent the following letter to the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance:
Dear Mr Constance
I contacted your office recently regarding a kangaroo shot with an arrow, and received a sympathetic response advising that the animal had been taken into care.
While of course that was good to hear, the fate of one particular animal was not the point of my letter. I was questioning why it is legal for anyone at any time, in the 21st century, to have access to such a dangerous and barbaric weapon.
I have today attended a display of finalist entries the “Animals in the Wild” photographic competition in Narooma. The winners were chosen by the noted photographer Rex Dupain.
For the category, the image that best conveys the reality of the hunting, guns and killing culture in Australia, Mr Dupain chose as the winner a distressing image of a purple swamp hen with an arrow straight through its centre.
He advised that such an image was all too common a feature of entries in this category.
This underlines the point I was making: if people can get their hands on these weapons, there will be those that misuse them, and there are more of such people than we would like to think.
So I ask you again, and as a constituent I would appreciate a personal response, will you seek to have the use of such weapons banned absolutely?
Finally, and unfortunately, the swamp hen could not be captured. One can only imagine how its life finally ended.
Yours sincerely,
Louise Webb
I received an acknowledgement but as of August 4, I have had no response, despite a follow-up request sent on July 24.
I find it extremely disappointing that Mr Constance appears not only to be unprepared to take any action on this matter, but also that he seems equally unwilling to defend that position by responding to my letter.
I will keep this in mind at the upcoming state election, and I would urge others to do the same.
Louise Webb
Kianga