ROAD SAFETY REQUIRES MORE FUNDING IN NEW ENGLAND
I refer to the platitudes attributed to the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport while moaning poor mouth about the inadequate allocation of funds to the New England Highway and apparently blaming local road users for the much too high road toll (Leader, 6/12/16).
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The Hawke Keating ALP government committed to improving the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane.
That reported $10.7 BILLION work is now reaching completion, with a 70km stretch of four lane divided highway south from Port Macquarie.
This one section is more divided four lane road than occurs in the entire about 600 km length of the New England Highway.
So much for regional development!!
Perhaps the Minister on his return trip from the Tweed could travel down some of the deathways that we locals have to negotiate in all weathers.
Say a quick trip across from Casino to Kyogle to Tenterfield; then up the killer Bolivia Hill to count the crosses marking the location of too many deaths; going along the narrow two lane goat track from Armidale to Uralla during a morning peak hour may assist appreciation of the busiest section between Newcastle and Wallangarra; then down the Moonbi Hills, last upgraded by former MP Ian Sinclair in 1969 and claimed at his retirement in 1997 as his greatest achievement.
Not much was done between or since.
The $300 million announced by the NLP government is a very small spit in the very large bucket that has been too long ignored by conservative politicians, indeed, all Canberra and Sydney based politicians.
Consider, the present NSW LNP government proposal to renovate four football stadia in western Sydney at an expected cost of about $1.9 BILLION to be funded by selling off all regional public assets.
It is now time to upgrade the New England Highway to four divided lanes rather than concentrate on propping up the declining popularity of the National Party in coastal electorates.
Here in New England we remember the effectiveness of having OUR Independent Members of Parliament.
Jack Arnold
Armidale
What matters this Christmas - eradicating hunger and extreme poverty
The hustle and bustle of Christmas is approaching.
With all the busyness of organising a massive feast and spending too much money on presents, it is easy to lose sight of what is important on this day.
Getting to experience a life of good quality and positive relationships is usually the most important consideration in most people’s lives.
Yet for half of the world’s people, Christmas Day will be filled with hunger, struggle and misery.
With 3 billion people around the world still living in extreme poverty, on less than $2.50 a day and children accounting for half of the world’s poor, it would be great if we in Australia re-evaluated our priorities this Christmas.
Let’s re-evaluate whether making a $244 million cut from AusAid earlier this year was the right thing to do.
Let’s re-commit ourselves to the UN Millennial Declaration.
Let’s contribute our fair share towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goal 1, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.
Elisha McMurray
Reservoir Victoria
Support for a friend runs deep
Last week I caught up with a friend in Gunnedah and spent a couple of enjoyable hours revisiting the Koala Park just out of town, to discover for myself why the state government is so hell-bent on closing the facility.
I last visited Nancy & Col’s “Slice of Heaven” probably 35 years ago (with the Kids) and I still admire them for what they do, and what they established & maintained on a shoestring budget, through their love and dedication to animals.
Gunnedah is a great little town, which still manages to maintain a wonderful, friendly, village atmosphere, and last week lunch, with a couple of beers and a lot of chatter went down well.
I’m informed that Australian Zoos are the most “popular experience” enjoyed by adults and children.
Over a 12 month period Nancy and Col’s place attracts thousand of visitors, with actual the number close to the total population of the township.
Even with the Sydney population at 4.5 million, Taronga Zoo can’t boast such a participation level.
It’s general knowledge that the Koala Park survives with a strong volunteer labour support base and the sponsorship of money local business houses.
I suspect that it is this wonderful mix of cash support and in-kind support that the state government can't get its head around.
It just does not fit the government's interpretation of what a Zoo should be, according to the regulations.
Sure Nancy & Col probably don’t always dot the i’s and cross the t’s, but so what, their ‘system’ works and without the ‘system’ the Koala Park would not exist.
This autocratic state government has shown poor judgment in other matters.
The greyhound industry “back down”, when the Premier “got it wrong” and our local member “got it wrong”, comes to mind.
Perhaps the Next “NEXIT” is right ?
Rob Mckveen
North Tamworth