In the early hours of November 12, I had to call the ambulance. My husband, Ernie, was having extreme difficulty breathing, and sweating profusely.

The paramedics worked on Ern for a good 20 minutes before they could transfer him.

At Batemans Bay Hospital, doctors and nurses were doing their best for Ern. It took four hours to get his breathing under control.

It is gut-wrenching to watch your loved one struggle for each breath, and see their look of fear.

The care shown to Ern by the doctors and nurses couldn’t be faulted.

He was taken by ambulance to Canberra, arriving at 1.30pm November 13.

Through all this, everyone at the hospital and ambulance paramedics were amazing, both to Ernie and myself. They are truly the backbone of our community.

I feel at times we take them for granted or don’t give them much thought to their work. 

I have had nothing but complete care and help from them all. I thank you from both of us.

The oyster industry is considered one of the most sustainable agricultural enterprises operating anywhere on earth. Without high levels of water quality, oysters are not safe for human consumption. 

If the oysters are healthy and suitable for human consumption, then the estuary is likely to be healthy as well. This has flow-on effects for sea grasses, fish and other bird wildlife such as waders and migratory birds.

In the Eurobodalla Shire, the rivers which are maintained to allow oyster harvesting sustain commercial and recreational fishing, clean rivers and estuaries for holiday makers. 

Farming oysters at the scale undertaken across the shire provides the economic driver to ensure our water ecosystems remain clean and unpolluted.

Investors, growers and marketers are all acutely aware of the role our industry plays in the economy of the region and in sustaining our ecosystems.

We are alarmed that the Eurobodalla Shire Council did not accept the concerns raised by submissions from the Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Water, Agriculture, Local Land Services, the Office of Environment and Heritage and the Rural Fire Service, regarding the Rural Lands Strategy.

These agencies see a surge in clearing and development arising from the strategy, with an unacceptable decrease in water quality from the resultant runoff, siltation and pollution.

The shire’s river systems are one of the most pristine oyster-growing regions in the world. 

The council acknowledged the significance of the industry to the local economy by supporting the development of a $2.3 million Oyster Hatchery at Moruya.

The changes proposed in the strategy threaten the viability of this hatchery. 

We call for the Minister of Planning to refuse the proposed planning changes and for the Eurobodalla Shire Council to review the issue.