It should not, however, be restricted to holiday periods and solely concern visitors. It is a compounding problem, with little emphasis on residents’ immediate needs. Planning by former and existing councillors, shire staff, federal and state MPs has been disappointing. Bridge construction early last century on the Princes Highway is hopelessly inadequate; in most cases downright dangerous and in many cases designed for horse and cart.

Former Federal MPs Mike Kelly and Gary Nairn both said it was a state responsibility. Bega MP Andrew Constance is too busy playing conductor and ticket collector with Sydney trains, trams, rapid transit systems and abandoned “Woollies” trolleys to discuss  a new Narooma bridge, Anzac Memorial Drive issues and a proposed second bridge at Batemans Bay. To appease the people of Narooma, the best Andrew and his mate, the Mayor, have done is construct an underpass.

The underpass under the 1931 vintage bridge will be severely compromised by sea level rise projections.

The council has approved a two-storey building on the banks of Wagonga inlet Marine Park which may be compromised by any future bridge and highway construction. This and previous planning approval and building of welfare housing may jeopardize highway construction .The highway corridor appears with diversion near Kianga Creek, across Kianga Drive and above the boardwalk with an oblique new path marked for diversion of the highway across the inlet into land earmarked for reclamation.

The Government must reveal its intentions in that area and elsewhere. An independently chaired public meeting should be held in Narooma.               

Independent candidates need to display themselves above the line for the voters in Senate elections.

Maybe there shouldn't be a system of voting above or below the line? There is an attempt to eliminate “undesirables”. The major players, "the so-called professional politicians", see in them an inconvenience.

At the beginning, I believed Ricky Muir, Jacqui Lambie and others had a questionable right to be in the Senate. I have changed my mind. I was pleasantly surprised as I got to know them better. They have every right to be there, regardless of how they got there. One does not always have to agree with them. They display more personal honesty than the professional politicians, who most of the time, have their heads under the cone of secrecy.

It is wrong to disregard people who don't feel comfortable in a political organisation; people who don't like to lose their freedom for party unity. Backbenchers appear muzzled by their parties. The passing of preferences is legal. It is up to us to inform ourselves. Do we want to silence minorities? A favourite is former lower house MP Tony Windsor, now trying to make a comeback.

If they get their way, future independents will be history. The mind of most independent individuals is as balanced as those of their colleagues. Since they have no majority behind them, they are always willing to negotiate.

American gun culture (ABC Four Corners 22/2/2016) clearly demonstrates that more guns in the community means more violence and a danger to children. Australians cannot afford to be complacent as long as our gun laws continue to be eroded, and gun ownership is promoted at public events such as Narooma’s HuntFest as being affordable accessible and desirable.