Faith restored
My faith in the younger generation has been restored.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
I am a self-confessed old IT and mobile phone dummy. Recently I lost my complete contact list with a zillion numbers collected over many years.
So, I went to Telstra Bega where I had the great pleasure of being served by a fine young man called Blake Alcock. He is an outstanding professional but more importantly he is an outstanding person.
He patiently listened to my old fella ravings, and nothing was a problem. All with a smile and patience.
It's people like this young man who are making this world a much better place especially for us of the older generation. Thank you so much Blake.
Frank Pearce, Bega
Road toll shocking
Shocking to learn motorists in south-east NSW and eastern Victoria (where we live and travel) are twice as likely to die in car crashes than other Australians.
The peak motor club body, the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), reports 290 Australians died in car crashes in the federal electorates of Eden-Monaro, Gilmore, Indi and Gippsland between 2017 and 2021. That's equivalent to 9.08 deaths per 100,000 people, twice the national road toll death rate of 4.4 per 100,000.
Our Eden-Monaro electorate, with three nearby, accounted for 5.1% of national road deaths, despite being home to only 2.5% of Australia's population. Our cars have never been safer, road funding is at record levels (except for the Brown Mountain road) but our road death and trauma just goes up. Why?
Time for a wake-up call to ensure federal and state road funding is allocated to projects to improve road safety, rather than win votes.
Jon Gaul, Tura Beach, coordinator Fix The Brown campaign
Forever altered
I was shocked today when I drove past the historic court house in Pambula to discover that the building is being rendered. I understand the roof was replaced which is a necessary repair, but what reason is there for changing the brickwork?
Firstly I am concerned that the historic building is being altered forever without any consultation from the community; and secondly am concerned that our rates are being spent on this cultural vandalism, especially as local residents are suffering under exorbitant rate rises.
Shirley Heath, Pambula
Ongoing drama
Without naming names and casting aspersions, why can't our elected representatives ever manage the shire money effectively and without confusion?
Why don't they work as a team? Why can't they put together a budget and stick to it?
Do other "functioning" councils suffer these ongoing fiscal dramas on a monthly basis?
Ian Gordon, Wolumla
Lucky to have Advocates
We are so lucky to have the advocacy of the SJA in the Bega Valley around this contentious issue [of moveable dwellings]. Council needs to back down, swallow its high horse and allow these safe transitional housing units to be used.