Parting salvo
As I leave the Eurobodalla after 17 years residency, I share some enduring images.
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The marina is chock with sailboats. The Bay rarely witnesses any on its waters. I've often wondered why there isn't one taking tourists, indeed locals, out on our bay.
The council: all I've ever got for my (excessive) rates is angst, beginning at the top of council employees. Our elected representatives seem to be in thrall, to everyone's detriment .
Politically, I think we have done well with our state rep, but federally, throughout my time, we have had lazy politicians who think billboards serve as presence. All the way back to Gary Nairn and that forgettable woman from Gilmore who we never saw. That's the issue. About to be repeated by bat lady claiming all due to her.
I am 68. But the banning of live music by virtue of recent arrivals in a new aged care facility was so appalling for our youth. Whatever happened to existing rights, let alone majority considerations?
The contract parking police, the halving of stay times, the quadrupling of paid parking. Nothing fair anywhere there. We was conned!
When I first arrived, there wasn't a restaurant open after 8pm. That aspect has improved significantly.
Little has changed in my 17 years except a greater presence of Canberra people. We ought be recognised as the eastern suburbs of Canberra.
The sting in my story: Batemans Bay has become a backwater, stagnant (and that’s) why I am leaving. “Good riddance,” you may well say, which only confirms my deduction.
Whilst much good certainly is so, Batemans Bay overlooks much of benefit. Who to blame? Our federal members, Liberal and Labor. Not one has assisted Batemans Bay. I was not initially a fan of our mayor, now I think he a beacon of decency.
Rod Milliken
Maloneys Beach
An alternative site?
I have noticed an area on Bent Street, Batemans Bay, at the rear of the bridge club, which may or may not be Eurobodalla Shire Council property and may or may not be “surplus” to its requirements (I am not sure exactly what that term implies if the council acts on behalf of all of us).
If this land is available, it would seem to be an ideal place for a disabled children's facility, being central to town, on high, sunny ground, no parking problems, with no fear of flooding in wet weather, and away from drainage problems and the cold and damp in winter.
Maybe the group (Muddy Puddles) could then change its name to a more cheerful Sunny Days.
Just a thought.
Jenny Woodward
Catalina
Copper-haired on NBN
Noticeably absent from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s election campaign is the effectiveness of his copper fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) National Broadband Network.
Mr Turnbull’s competence as communications minister has been questioned. One critic, former NBN Co. CEO Mike Quigley, speaking recently at Melbourne University, said Malcolm Turnbull’s copper FTTN NBN “was a colossal mistake that will burden Australia”.
One would think optical fibre to the premises would be high on Mr Turnbull’s agenda as innovative and agile technology for the future. Gilmore MP Ann Sundmalis says we need a “sustainable budget and to live within our means”.
Australia is stuck with obsolete copper cables that are not fit for purpose, need present and future repair, cannot keep up with exponentially growing broadband needs and is “short sighted, expensive and backward looking”; wasting taxpayer’s money due to underestimating costs and deployment timing.
Safety issues have been raised, as flood waters inundated fibre to the node in some rural areas, leaving residents in danger and causing outages.
Mr Quigley says changes can be made to FTTN to bring it closer to the original optical FTTP. These will not be made by the Turnbull government. Put the Liberals last, because thats where they put you.
Maureen Searson
Catalina
Jury doubts
Re. Eurobodalla Shire Council’s plan for an advisory jury (Bay Post, June 22), methinks it's a good idea, as long as there is complete transparency and the jury is a broad selection of demographic and physiographics from all the shire.
I have doubts. From the Post’s article: “… invitations to join the jury will be dropped in randomly-selected letter boxes" … “Mr Walker said the jury was selected from land titles information".
Couple of contradictions; "will be" and "was". Then we have random selections vs selection from lands title Information. If I could find a bookie who'd take my bet, I could name five of this jury right now.
Tony Jaggers
Moruya
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