OEH goes on to express disappointment that, given the extensive work of research and mapping and the verification of high environment value lands, it is disappointing that the strategy has not used the data to propose zones that will protect those high conservation values. It certainly seems like an awful waste of tax-payers money to ignore such advice.

Likewise, the Rural Fire Service appears to have concerns about the strategy, suggesting that it seeks an increase of subdivisions in areas that are “highly constrained” and may be identified as isolated rural locations. This essentially means that these proposed subdivisions are in heavily forested and steep terrain making the fighting of a fire far more problematic. The RFS also says that in order to comply with Asset Protection Zones and to provide access roads there will need to be a significant amount of vegetation modification works where dwellings are proposed. This obviously adds up to more land clearing. And this in a state that has recently watered down environmental protections of native vegetation.

Keith Dance, a member of the Rural Lands Strategy Working Committee, also raises the revealing question of who are the lucky beneficiaries of the proposal as it stands.

Another death of a refugee in Nauru marks the start of Refugee Week 2018.

Fariborz Karami was a calm, polite, well-mannered, popular, caring, quiet and loving man, who could no longer cope with the hell on Nauru and a lifetime of indefinite detention in a place with no hope for a future and no job prospects .

Fariborz was 10 when he was kidnapped and tortured for three months because he was Kurdish, a minority group. He suffered from that trauma and his family was persecuted. He fled from Iran with his mother Fazeleh, and his little then six-year-old brother, Ali. They fled to Australia seeking our protection.

We locked the family up, forced them onto an island of despair and made them live in a mouldy tent … we pretended they didn't exist. Doctors and staff reported to the "powers that be" here in Australia that the family needed help, especially Fariborz. 

In April, Fariborz' little brother Ali (then 11) publicly pleaded with Minister Peter Dutton to bring his mum to Australia. Fazela suffers from a severe, debilitating medical condition which cannot be treated in Nauru, which has also now caused her serious depression. Little Ali's impassioned pleaa, even with doctors support, fell on deaf ears. 

Fariborz continued to suffer inside, and friends and family could see him deteriorating before their very eyes.

On Friday, Fariborz succeeded in killing himself because of hopelessness. His family found him. 

He is "survived" by his mother Fazeleh, new wife Samira, and little brother Ali, as well as all his friends on Nauru who loved him. 

How can we stand by and let this happen? We could have saved Fariborz. Please save Ali and his mum, Fazela. This is too much for little Ali to bear and his mum will die too of they are not brought to Australia for treatment. Please.

Need support? Phone Lifeline 13 11 14

On a show of hands, there was overwhelming support to forward the following resolutions to Eurobodalla Shire Council for discussion at a future meeting:

Concerned community members attending the OTOS Public Meeting on 29 May 2018 resolve to:

1. Request Eurobodalla Shire Council to produce evidence of its right to demolish a swimming pool that has been gifted to the Batemans Bay community, including adherence to any covenants or caveats attached to that gift.

2. Request Eurobodalla Shire Council to reveal its vision for the “Gateway to the Eurobodalla” and how the removal of the 50-metre pool fits within this vision.

3. Request that the council revisits its Aquatic Strategy for the Eurobodalla Shire and submits it for open community discussion.

4. Request Eurobodalla Shire Council to produce evidence of its right to further disturb the ground at Mackay Park, including OEH approval.

5. Object to Eurobodalla Shire Council’s past and present neglect of its own Community Engagement Framework by excluding the concerns and needs of Batemans Bay pool stakeholders, including serious swimmers, club members, school children and athletes, in the planning for the proposed Mackay Park redevelopment.