Netting is a word that implants the thought of substantial fish takes, on a regular basis. Nets don't discriminate between mature or immature species, size or undersize. They capture protected species, birds, turtles, seals, rays and dolphins. Nets are a very effective and deadly fishing method.

Why no consultation? As an active fishing cub, we would have welcomed the opportunity to be involved with the decision process leading up to this permit being granted.

We have witnessed many changes to the NSW Fishery over the years, with some very successful buy outs of commercial licences, re-invigorating those fisheries. Further success with Marine Parks has seen all fisheries improve dramatically. Recent changes removing Marine Parks and now netting being allowed in Wagonga Inlet and the Recreational Fishing Haven, Lake Mummaga, raise many doubts as to what strategy DPI is employing.

Mummaga Lake is one of 30 Recreational Fishing Havens in NSW, created with licence monies from recreational fishing. These havens were to provide better angling for recreational fishers. Netting is now allowed in Mummaga Lake.

DPI has recorded just under 400,000 kgs of finfish were commercially taken from four South Coast NSW Lakes, in nine years. No research was conducted by DPI on the fish biomass, the health of both waterways and the possible and probable effects of allowing netting.

Narooma/Dalmeny has a huge reliance on tourism for survival. A large part of the attraction is fishing both the rich offshore waters and the many local estuaries. We are very concerned that this permit has been approved and the "unknown" future for our local pristine waters.

Whether or not to delay council elections scheduled for September 2020 for a further full year is NOT a conundrum. It is not a complex matter. It is simple; it is not necessary to have a delay of 12 months.

Given we have in our locality, a federal by-election in July, there can be no official, nor administrative, nor medical , nor logistical reason, to not proceed with what was originally planned for local council elections later in September 2020 or soon thereafter.

If a by-election can be organised for July 4 and guidelines provided etc., then surely local council elections sometime in the next six months can also be put in place.

The bureaucratic mechanisms and logistics would have been well in place to have such local council elections in NSW, every four years as mandated.

COVID-19 for a time has impacted upon this well established plan. Now, however, given the multiplicity of NSW government approvals of permission of people-gathering and interaction, there seems no obvious obstacle to having the council elections sometime in 2020.

There will of course be modifications to take account of social distancing etc (as there must be) and encouragement of voting mechanisms that are already in place, such as postal voting etc. to smooth the process. So; seriously, why are not we simply getting on with our local NSW council elections this year, rather than in September 2021?

With the upcoming Eden-Monaro by-election, indication has been that major discussion will be to highlight the devastating bushfires - the damage, the recovery and recommendations for the future.

Dr Fiona Kotvojs, the Liberal Candidate, is the candidate best suited to represent the electorate where the bushfires were active in such a wide area. Dr Kotvojs, as a member of the Cobargo Rural Fire Brigade - an area badly hit by the bushfire - as well as having also experienced the close call to the devastation of her own property, has a first hand awareness of the disaster. Dr Kotvojs' intimate experience in this regard, along with her many other standout achievements and participation in charitable endeavours, confirm her as an outstanding candidate to represent the Electorate of Eden-Monaro in Federal Parliament.

Most people in our communities on the Far South Coast relied heavily on the ABC during the summer bushfires.

So when I hear that in less than two years' time, 2022, the total funding cuts to the ABC since 2014 will be over $783 million, I am horrified. It is a tragedy that since 2014 1000 people have lost their ABC jobs, so it's no wonder five regional local radio newsrooms have been closed down. How long before we lose ours?

ABC television is a station that produces trusted news and great Australian drama but is no longer able to cover local sport on TV.

The 14 candidates for the Eden-Monaro By election need to clearly state whether they will argue to restore funding to the ABC so our country has a properly funded public broadcasting system.

Local issues of housing security, energy security and food security are my priorities

That's where my vote will be directed

We have seen how badly the logged areas of our forests were affected by the recent fires. We have seen how badly the areas which had so-called hazard reduction burning were affected. Areas of untouched old forest and areas where indigenous cultural burning practices had been followed survived far better.

It is time to learn from the people who have cared for this land for thousands of years.