I was deeply troubled after listening to Cr Tony Allen’s statement to the Bega Valley Shire Council meeting where he refused to publically apologise for improper conduct, lack of respect, care and diligence and harassment in his treatment of Muriel Campbell back in 2006.

It was Cr Allen who initiated defamation action against Sr Laurel Lloyd-Jones who wrote a letter on our behalf complaining about Cr Allen’s “overpowering and bullying attitude” in that incident.

The initial findings by Judge Colefax did support Cr Allen, but those findings were subject to an appeal in the Supreme Court and sent back to the District Court for retrial of two of the imputations.

The judgement in that final hearing found that Cr Allen did in fact “conduct himself inappropriately as Mayor in that he bullied a woman” and “intimidated a woman by acting in a bullying and overpowering manner…” and these judged facts were the bases I used for my Code of Conduct complaint against him.

Cr Allen’s claim in his statement that “Judge Colefax’s findings were challenged in the High Court of Australia and that appeal was dismissed, literally in a matter of minutes” is totally wrong.

Leave was not granted for the appeal – the appeal certainly wasn’t dismissed.

The claim by Cr Allen in his statement that the report of the independent reviewer into my Code of Conduct complaint is flawed due to her “refusal to interview the two witnesses who were present when the phone call was made” is actually ludicrous.

Those witnesses were extensively cross examined in Cr Allen’s defamation hearings and a final judgement was given by Judge Gibson so it wasn’t the role of the reviewer to re-examine those witnesses or question the judgements of the NSW District Court.

The subsequent claim by Cr Allen that “the integrity of those two people has now been challenged by this flawed report” is even crazier. 

The report made no mention of “those two people” let alone challenged their integrity. 

It was actually the evidence of “those two people” to the courts in Cr Allen’s defamation action that could possibly be seen as challenging their integrity.

And I reiterate to your readers my response to Cr Allen’s statement – Shame! Shame!

Seán Burke

Central Tilba

Councillors fail

Eurobodalla Shire Councillors, with the exception of Councillors Harding, Brice and Thomson have failed to carry out the views of the majority of voters on the matter of a festival of hunting, with sale of guns, in a public building in central Narooma.

Instead of engaging with the local community on this divisive issue councillors have chosen to pursue their own agenda and that of a powerful hunting lobby.

Shame councillors shame!

Susan Cruttenden,

Dalmeny

Nulla for Nardy update

Thank you again to all the generous people that donated to the Nulla for Nardy Cycle in 2014.

Soil, mulch and plantings are now underway at Nardy House - some bank planting already completed with plants donated to the fundraiser.

Gail Drury

Tathra Bermagui Road

Congratulations Andrew

Through you, I should like to congratulate Andrew Constance on being re-elected as the Member for Bega as well as on his new portfolio as the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

Andrew's dedication to serving his community with humility has earned him a resounding win and a well-earned fourth term.

No matter whether the task be large or small, Andrew lives and works by his motto: commitment, passion and results. His good work has touched many lives the breadth and length of our electorate.

Many of us know of his work to establish Nardy House in the electorate, when the Minister for Disability Services, but how many are aware of his pivotal role in establishing the National Disability Insurance Scheme without seeking any recognition or kudos for the role he played?

As NSW Treasurer, Andrew turned the State's finances around by making NSW number one in the land, from number eight.

Thus, is it any wonder that Premier Mike Baird has elected Andrew Constance to spearhead and manage the new portfolio of Transport and Infrastructure, a $20 billion platform on which the Coalition ran, and a challenge Minister Constance, given his proven record, would relish to deliver across NSW.

We are very fortunate in the rural/regional seat of Bega to have a Member of the calibre of Minister Constance whose caring and unselfish work-ethic makes our democratic right to vote so worthwhile.

Once again, Congratulations and keep up the Good Work, Andrew.

Maggie Havu

Liberal campaign manager

Narooma

Bipartisan approach needed

Numbers like "a billion" roll off the tongue pretty easily, yet do we fully comprehend them?

A billion is a thousand million, and a billion dollars a month goes out on interest payments on the massive debt incurred by the Rudd/Gillard/Swan trio. What do we see for these ongoing payments?  Nothing, nothing tangible, just a book entry.

A billion dollars would pay for a couple of fine hospitals, fully equipped, or scores of schools, vast and extensive upgrades of highways and roads. Many more worthy projects come to mind that could utilise these lost funds.

Defenders of Labor's extravagance will claim the spending "got us over the GFC". But did it?

Did Australia have a fair dinkum Financial Crisis? I don't think so, our well regulated banks and financial institutions were sound and solid. We had no toxic loan portfolios as did those in USA. Australia was in the minerals boom!

Prior to the GFC, Australia was one of the very few economies with a surplus. China and India kept on buying from us at good prices. No GFC for them.

Labor inherited this solid surplus which it promptly blew on giveaways, the insulation batts and school halls for all, and other extravagances. It borrowed nonstop to run up the massive debt burden we now have. Labor in the Senate, with support from some cross-benchers, continues to block any attempts by the Coalition government to remedy this massive problem.

It is interesting to note that New Zealand has no significant debt. It had no minerals boom, and the city of Christchurch was hit with the terrible earthquake with high loss of life and massive destruction. New Zealand also had a conservative government to guide it through those troubled times. Coincidence?

Here in Australia, a bipartisan approach is required to take remedial steps to reduce this mountain of debt.

I hope a constructive approach can be achieved in the forthcoming budget.

Frank O'Brien

Narooma

Member of the Liberal Party