Hendy shows disrespect to diggers
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Dear Editor,
ANZAC day is one for all Australian’s to remember our service men and women. Led by our political leaders and ex and present service personnel, we pay respect. We do so with dignity, the day should never be a day of political opportunism.
Mr Hendy’s attendance at Yass was exactly that.
Mr Hendy’s electorate of Eden-Monaro does not include Yass, which remains in the seat of Hume until the next election.
There are many places in Eden-Monaro that Mr Hendy could have been in for ANZAC Day - such as Queanbeyan, Cooma and Bega - so the question is why was he in Yass?
The only reason I can see for him to come to Yass – rather than somewhere actually in his electorate - is to campaign for the next election.
Ms Goward’s attendance was entirely appropriate as she is our current local member. She attended with dignity as she always does. Mr Hendy is simply a candidate trying to win votes.
As for Mike Kelly, as a decorated soldier, he, like all ex-service personnel, may attend a march and service wherever they choose. Personally, I have marched at more than ten different locations where I am on our sacred day. He is welcome to march with us every Anzac Day.
Peter Schofield Ex RAN LSETP
Disappointment in state government
Dear Editor,
As a resident of what was, until last week, the Harden Shire, I am still in shock at the State Government's decision to include Harden with Young and Boorowa to create the Hilltops Council.
From the start of the government's attempts to amalgamate councils across the state, Harden took a proactive approach and came up with a viable solution to amalgamate with Cootamundra Shire, a decision overwhelmingly agreed to by councillors, staff and ratepayers of both councils that also met the government's own Fit For The Future guidelines.
The councils of Young and Boorowa, however, decided to dismiss this position and include Harden in their submission against Harden's stated position. The prize would be $15 million to be spent if three councils were to be joined. This would be utilised for infrastructure backlog and changeover costs.
We listened attentively and responded respectfully in large numbers at two separate community meetings with government officials tasked with assessing our submission in the interests of appearing to be consultative.
In trying to work out the government's feeling on the issue, I watched an interview with Paul Toole, the Local Government Minister, and saw him three times avoid the question from the interviewer if there would be forced amalgamations before the interview was noticeably cut and restarted with the questions not being asked again.
During the interview, Mr Toole also referred to himself in the third person, a peculiar trait, I thought. As it has turned out, the peculiarity has continued throughout the amalgamation process culminating in Harden Council being forcibly amalgamated last week with Young and Boorowa.
Many other towns in NSW are facing the same fate, with some being spared, little rhyme or reason given; the original guidelines having served their purpose, now forgotten.
The minister has already stated that water infrastructure is one of the things high on the agenda along with tourism and horticulture. Boorowa has water issues; Young is the leading local centre for both tourism and horticulture.
Harden has no infrastructure backlog or large debt issues due in no small part to careful management, so no cause to be given any of the spoils. We also now have no name, no ranking staff representation, and no one to fight our cause with all our democratically elected councillors who fought valiantly in our defence unceremoniously sacked without warning. Also, no ward system to guarantee future fairness in representation.
I will state for the record, I was never previously affiliated to any political party. I now know who I will most certainly not be supporting. Thanks for clarifying that, Mike Baird, Paul Toole and Pru Goward. I look forward to expressing that position at the next State election.
Scott Collins,
Beechwood, Harden.
Country Roads Safety Campaign
Dear Editor,
Council’s newsletter ‘Valley Views’ #24 highlights the very important ‘Country Roads Safety Campaign’. Ironically, council has adopted (December 2015) a Policy on Truck and Transport Depots in Rural DA-POL-11 Areas which can permit heavy vehicles to travel on designated ‘light traffic’ roads which are not fit for purpose. Such traffic is prejudicial to safety on country roads.
In addition to compromising road safety, the establishment of ‘transport depots’ intrudes noise and industrial development into the very rural areas, which are valued by the majority of Valley residents. Well may the community ‘rumble’, truck-like, as described by Thomas McCoy, (Tribune 29 April).
Council’s policy can be seen to offer an advantage to a small, favoured minority to the disadvantage of the majority, whose interests are inadequately safeguarded by the provisions of the policy. Perhaps the ‘silent’ majority may bear this in mind at council elections on September 10.
Yours faithfully,
John Lovett
Glencoe Road, Murrumbateman