Response on commercial fishing reforms
Regarding the letter from Minister for Primary Industries, Niall Blair, (Narooma News, March 15); the recent parliamentary inquiry unearthed a range of problems with the government’s commercial fishing reforms.
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Many witnesses, including those from the mid-north coast, testified to their own plight, as well as questioning the scientific and economic basis of the restructure. I encourage readers to judge for themselves by reading the transcripts of the inquiry at https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries.
For the minister to refer to the inquiry as support for his reforms is misleading. Labor wrote a dissenting report, which again called for a halt to the process until the government gets the basics right. We fear, if it continues, hundreds of small fishing businesses, co-ops, and businesses that service the industry, will be under threat.
The industry continues to be betrayed, with the industry group to be hand-picked by the minister and his department, rather than involving the direct involvement of the industry – as previously promised.
The National Party is treating the industry with disdain, and this should not be lost on coastal communities.
Mick Veitch MLC
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries
Seniors Week concert
What a wonderful day (at the Seniors Week concert).
Were you there? The oldies showed life is to be enjoyed. With the wonderful hard-working Shanna Provost, back-up by Andrew as Elvis, those in their 70s and 80s showed they still have twinkle toes.
Sincere thanks to Club Narooma for their huge contribution in caring for the seniors in our great community.
Shirley Dellamarta
Narooma
Relay for Life
In the rain and drizzle, Narooma hosted its very first Relay for Life for the Cancer Council at the weekend.
This signature fundraiser has been held in Batemans Bay and Moruya; this time it was Narooma’s turn.
I speak for all on the committee when I say that Narooma residents, family and friends have totally overwhelmed us with generous support, be it in-kind, gifts, sponsorship and donations.
We all came together in the rain, to fight cancer and it was an epic 24 hours and journey to get there. To all who helped make the event a success and supported us at many lead-up events such as our launch, pop-up stalls and our retro film night, thank you.
(Thanks to) the performers, (for) the food and the kids, some of whom completed almost 200 laps (60 kilometres!). What an incredible weekend of celebration, reflection and a show of support and inspiration, especially from our three wonderful ambassadors, Tralee Snape, Jess Bourke and Jon King.
Thanks to our special and generous community. We wish your hips and feet a speedy recovery.
Gilly Kearney
Relay Committee Chair on behalf of the 2017 Eurobodalla Relay for Life Committee
International Day of Forests
Tuesday, March 21, was the United Nations International Day for Forests.
What’s in it for us? For this region, more than any other in Australia, it matters. We are home to Australia’s first export wood-chip mill. Since 1970, it has chipped and exported about 40 million tonnes of trees. Ours is the only region in NSW where trees are felled solely for the purpose of being turned into wood-chips. Ours is the most intensive logging in the State, with over 90 percent of trees classified as “waste” and destined for wood-chipping.