Dear Editor,

I would like to clarify a few of the comments made by Mrs Farquharson in her letter to the editor.  

When the Theatre closed in 1974, the Yass Tribune reported that it was having financial difficulties. The owners at the time, Mr and Mrs Tate,  took umbrage and the following week the Trib recanted the story.

I had the privilege of interviewing Mrs Tate and according to her, the theatre was doing well. It was a number of other factors for the closure. Getting older, and with Mr Tate not being in good health,  the local lads, yes you know who you are, ripping the armrests out to make more room, and the quality of the movies at the time had taken their toll and the decision was made.  Mrs Tate even cited “A Clockwork Orange” as an example of a movie they didn’t want to screen.

Anyone who has come to our presentations about the theatre, and there have been many, know we didn’t buy the theatre as an investment but as a way for Yass to retain this magnificent building.  As one specialist in the field of old theatres has called the Liberty, “the last Grande Dame of Art Deco”.

It is also incorrect to say we have asked anyone to relieve us of the theatre. Contrary to that, we have offered the community, which includes council, a ten year interest free loan so the project could get up and run as well as all the information, contacts and resources we have accumulated along the way. We have also rejected offers from commercial interests to be able to maintain Yass ownership.

We still believe in the project, but feel others would have an easier time in completing it.

Denise Smith

Yass

An open letter to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce

Dear Mr Joyce,

Congratulations on your appointment as Leader of the Federal National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

Now, more than ever, we need a strong voice to stand up for regional Australia - and for our kids in particular.

You have previously been a strong supporter of the Gonski funding rollout, so I am calling on you to take that message to the heart of our Federal Government.

We know that rural and regional kids fall behind their metropolitan counterparts at school. We also know that the needs based Gonski funding model ensures significant additional fund will go to rural and regional schools to help counteract the disadvantage inherent in their location.

Your Nationals Education Minister in NSW, Adrian Piccoli, has been a tremendous supporter of the funding model and has brought his boss, Mike Baird, on board.

Now we need you to stand up for rural and regional Australia and to get our Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to rethink his broken promise to the students and parents of Australia.

Not only does the Gonski funding address the disadvantage our regional kids face but it will also lead to additional jobs in rural and regional communities.

In his resignation speech, former Nationals Leader Warren Truss reminded us he had come from a small regional school and wondered whether a kid like him could still aspire to be Deputy Prime Minister. The answer to that question is in your hands.

Our kids deserve the same chances in life as their city cousins - and education is the key to those chances. If the Nationals still claim truly to stand up for rural and regional Australia, they cannot fail our kids now.

Mr Joyce, congratulations again on your new position. Please use it for the benefit of rural and

regional Australia and insist your Government proceed with the full rollout of the Gonski funding model now.

Jason Vials

President of the Federation of Parents & Citizens Association of NSW