It is about time somebody stirred the “pot” with respect to major bridge construction in the Eurobodalla Shire.

In doing so Andrew Constance has highlighted the need for other improvement on the Princes highway in our shire.

Raising the need for major improvements over the Clyde at Bateman’s (Bay Post- March 4) has illuminated the dismal record of successive NSW and Federal Governments to improve Highway River crossings along the entire length of the Princes Highway.

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) forward planning over the next five years works does not include Bateman’s Bay as priority.

The Shoalhaven at Nowra is the only major bridge crossing listed. No mention has been made of replacement of the oldest major bridge on the South Coast at Narooma and it has been deleted from forward plans.

One senior RMS Officer has indicated that ”Pigs will Fly“ before another bridge is constructed at Bateman’s Bay or Narooma. Some 87 years since construction the Narooma Bridge is already some 25 years older than the bridge at Bateman’s Bay.

It is the only major bridge on the coast with a perilous rock wall “T” intersection at one end combined with an “S” bend and accompanying “oblique” intersection.

Never fear our mayor and Andrew has promised us a pedestrian underpass (Narooma News) and free snorkels to alleviate the dangers.

The young of the Bay and Narooma are unlikely to see further major local bridge construction in their lifetime.

Bridge crossings and approaches will need to be of incredible height and length to accommodate sea level rise areas predicted by the council climate change gurus.

Diversion well inland and by-passing most of the established coastal areas of the Eurobodalla shire will be necessary.  

Liberal, Labour and Green parties have created State Coastal Hazard Policies and as a result many thousands have been told to leave their homes and retreat.

“Pork barrelling” is attempting to turn half poles and wires into “pipe dreams” for the people of the Eurobodalla.

They are clouding all other issues and should “Be aware of the Ides of March”.

Peter Bernard

Dalmeny

Modest rate rise for better

I have been listening to all the negative feedback published in recent weeks with some dismay.

It is time that the debate on the SRV (Special Rate Variation) be focused on the positives and the realities of what our elected representatives have agreed upon.

The conversation is now at such a low level that it has become a sport to kick the council, the assumption being that they are bad managers of our money and worse that they are all incompetent.

It is particularly galling that some of the hysteria is being generated by blatant self-interest.

The facts are that Eurobodalla

- council rates are 20 per cent below the average when compared to peer Group 4 councils

- council has the fifth lowest residential and farmland rate of the Group 4 councils

- council rates are lower than our neighbouring councils

- council rates for the average residential rated property will increase cumulatively by $1.02 per week in year 1, $2.10 per week in year 2 and $3.26 per week in year 3

council employee per cent costs are below the average and median for Group 4 and the State.  

SRV will not apply to water, sewer and waste charges.

They look like reasonable numbers to me of a council living within its means. We have been receiving the benefits of a low cost rate structure for many years and will continue to be below our peer councils after the rate rise.

The SRV increase is justified allowing council to upgrade valuable infrastructure and continue to provide the excellent level of services to our community.

If you want to be part of a vibrant, inclusive community whose facilities meet your needs then the modest rate rise is the price to pay.

Mark Barraclough

Broulee

A shocking experience at Parliament House

Is there a need to reclaim our freedom and humanity in a fearful dehumanising world.

This is the question I woke with the morning after my shocking experience at Parliament House in Canberra last Tuesday.

For years we were encouraged to trust our men and women in blue.  They were the people you could reach out to if you were in some sort of trouble, difficulty or felt unsafe or threatened.

Now it feels as though they've been made an arm of the Armed Forces obliged to be totally obedient to their commander with little or no right to access their own conscience or common sense.

Three peaceful senior women, the eldest over 70, were quietly standing on a footpath with a poster we wanted our representatives to see as they drove into Parliament House.  The poster simply said – Choose Sun and Wind Natural Options.

Two officers came to deal with us - One of the officers was clasping an automatic rifle in his hands and standing threateningly close to us. He insisted we "move along." One of us asked "What are you going to do, shoot us?” The other officer reassured us that wasn't the case and treated us more humanely.

Did we feel safe, respected, valued as aware, free, thinking, concerned Australians? No.  We felt as though we were in a foreign land - fear, dominance and menacing 'power over' being the operative energies.

Later we joined the queue passing through security into Parliament House.  We wandered quietly and were greeted by an official who asked if I had a pass.

He was explaining that no one was supposed to be upstairs till 9am when the others joined us along with an upset official insisting we had to come downstairs with him and sit on chairs opposite a group of security guards.

We moved over to the information desk diagonally opposite these guards.  The foyer was empty so they could easily see us.  But a huge officer came over insisting we sit on the chairs... He couldn't even look at us.  It was now 9am and people were flooding in.

It was an appalling couple of encounters intended to terrify us into obedience.

I'm aware of the unsafe, threatening world we're living in and Australia's part in helping create it.  However the fearful, reactive behaviour of our leaders and people under their command are helping bring it into our own land. The whole experience shocked us. We were aware of what we have lost and are losing as people and as a nation.  

The people's response after the tragedy that stopped Sydney showed 'another way'.  Though grieving they didn't buy into fear, recrimination or violence.  They drew on their humanity - compassion, truthfulness and courage.  It ignited a feeling of strength, goodness and nobility.

P. deLaney

North Narooma

Good Samaritans

I would like, through your paper, to express my deep gratitude to the carload of local indigenous people who flagged me down on the highway outside IGA yesterday. They pointed out that I had a flat tyre about to roll off its rim.

Eddie and his mate then proceeded to change the tyre for me. Although reasonably fit for my age, I was returning from a session of back treatment and changing a tyre was probably the last thing I needed to do right then. These guys wouldn't even let me buy them a beer for their trouble, so I hope someone reads this and can pass on my appreciation to them.

David Herd

Tanja

A foolish response on roads, bridge

I decided not to vote for Peter Hendy following his foolish response to NRMA’s damning assessment of the state of the Princes Highway south of Nowra.

I had no such issue with Andrew Constance until his announcement about duplicating the bridge at Batemans Bay. Andrew, there’s another bridge about 67 kilometres south of the Bay that has been put in the “too hard basket” for far too long.

I would suggest to you that safety every day is a more important consideration than having to sit in a queue of traffic for 10 or 15 minutes a handful of times a year.

The alignment of the northern approach to Narooma’s bridge is so poor that larger vehicles (log trucks, coaches, semis) need to use part of the oncoming lane to negotiate the turn.

That end of the bridge, together with the intersection with Centenary Drive, is a highly dangerous section of the highway, particularly heading northwards. I cringe every time I drive around that blind curve, wondering if there’s a queue of traffic stopped to turn right into Centenary Drive, and hoping the truck that’s right up my backside will be able to stop in time.

Road safety should take priority over the comfort of a few Canberrans.

Russell Howick

Kianga

Mayor's say… Back on board

This is my first and a much belated column for 2015 as I have been recovering from prostate cancer surgery since early January.

Last Friday week I heard the wonderful words from my specialist that my tests results were clear, and while I will be in the recovery phase for some time, I am keen to get back to work and do as much as I can.

I won’t go into the details as last week’s Bay Post and Narooma News had the whole story, but I take opportunity to thank Bay Post editor Kerrie O’Connor for the professional and sensitive way she interviewed me, and wrote the story.

Once I had the all clear I wanted to be quite open about my experience as a way of encouraging other men to have a prostate cancer check, and to share and talk openly about this important men’s health issue.

Twenty thousand men like me are diagnosed each year, and sadly three thousand three hundred men die in Australia each year. That's nearly ten men per day. So gents get tested!

So on with the job and I have had plenty of time to reflect on this and many other things happening in the big wide world while I’ve been recovering.

I am sure that readers who have been through a similar health scare and come out the other side smiling may understand the different perspective that it provides.

Right now, I am simply and eternally grateful that I am standing up and able to look out my window, sit next to my wife and daughter, and drive through one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I am not worrying about pot holes being repaired quickly enough, or grass that may need mowing more often, or a picnic table that’s a bit tired.

I feel damn lucky to live in an area where our council can provide facilities and services on behalf of the community, and that it does this in the most cost effective manner possible.

I am grateful to live in a democracy. One where we can all vote locally every four years by electing councillors who share our vision for Eurobodalla.

I am hoping you will let us get on with the job you elected us for and that I can continue to work hard for my community to make Eurobodalla an even better place to live that it is now.

You elected nine councillors and we need to work together for the next 18 months, giving and taking where necessary to reach a compromise that will deliver outcomes for our community. I believe you elected me to make responsible and informed financial, legal, social and economic decisions on your behalf. This is what I have been doing and what I will continue to do for the duration of my term as Mayor.

I want to focus on our future and what we can achieve for future generations if we look ahead.

As a half glass full kind of guy I don’t want to be distracted by looking backwards at things we can’t change, or wasting time in endless negative conversations without solutions or outcomes.

I no longer want to waste time on arguments with people who refuse to acknowledge financial reality. The world isn’t flat, roads and bridges cost money to renew, and our community deserves decent sport and cultural facilities – so let’s get on with it.

Together we can make the Eurobodalla a better place to live; one community made up of different and extraordinary pieces of an incredible jigsaw.

Clr Lindsay Brown

Mayor of Eurobodalla Shire

Misinformation on poles and wires

For the coming State Election, the opposition has been circulating much misinformation, particularly in regard to the proposed leasing of 49 per cent of "poles and wires".

A scare campaign by the Labor/Unions/Greens alliance predicts dire consequences for electricity consumers should the poles be leased out. Their claims are not supported by facts and experiences elsewhere.

Mike Baird has provided a rock solid assurance that prices will not rise should the poles be leased, and has appointed the most respected Consumer Advocate, Professor Fels, to administer the process of oversight, with the power to veto any actions that put upward pressure on electricity prices.

In Victoria, which has more private equity in electricity services, prices are much below that prevailing in NSW.

Remember, the funds released from the proposed leasing are not going in to "Consolidated Revenue", but are specifically earmarked for much needed infrastructure projects. The community gains with new assets so made.

Essential Energy is to remain as a Government entity, and will not be sold off.

It is worth remembering that in the four years of Baird Government, inherited debt has been paid off to halve the "gift" of Labor. NSW has risen from eighth to number one in the Commonwealth, at the same time delivering on promises rather than the Labor style of promising but not delivering. New South Wales cannot afford to have Labor at the wheel again.

Frank O'Brien

Narooma

Member of the Liberal Party

Improving public health

Australia’s conservatives have never accepted the principle of Universal Health care.

Their agenda is to dilute Medicare to an extent that only the most vulnerable of us will eventually be given Government rebates.

The Abbott Government is continuing to advocate for a reduction in Medicare rebates to satisfy their political ideology which is to gradually dismantle Universal Health programs in Australia, while arguing that unless they do so Medicare services will become unstainable.

Then I ask the Federal Government the Federal Opposition and the minor parties “why don’t we invest more in Public Health by modestly increasing the Medicare rebate”?

Australians give generously to charities and to our local volunteers to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars each year to support their local hospitals as we all well aware that One’s Health is One’s greatest gift.

So why go down the cost cutting track? Patients already personably pay out thousands of dollars for procedures both in the Public and Private sectors as many of our Specialists, in particular, charge much more than either the Medicare rebate or the Private Insurance rebate schedules.

The system is already broke/n as many Doctors have opted out of our Public Health system for more money and better working conditions.

The few Specialists that continue to operate in Public Hospitals also have Private Hospitals arrangements.

It’s time that our politicians stood up and strongly advocate to improve Australia’s public health systems by putting a case to the Australian people to afford same.

They will gain the respect and trust of their constituents, not lose their votes!

Ray Sillett

Tuross Head