The attendance at both the Dawn Service and the Main Commemoration was outstanding and the enthusiastic support of our two bands, our excellent community choir and our readers of prayers and the names of diggers were all critical to the success of the commemoration.

Warrant Officer Phillip Robertson, our special guest from the RAN, and his wife, Angela, commented that it was one of the best Anzac commemorations they have attended.

The only glitch, and this is unfortunately a very big one, is the failure of the PA system to meet the needs of the huge crowd.

The system in use, which belongs to the Memorial Hall, had been found wanting and Mr. Marty Roberts lent the Council his much improved system.

We tried it out early in the morning and in an empty street the speakers were clearly audible on the opposite side of Balo Street.

Unfortunately, it appears that once the street was crowded, speakers could not be heard on the opposite side of Balo Street, or in the wings on either side of the Memorial Hall.

As to whether the problem is the large crowd absorbing the broadcast, or chatter, or some other cause is not apparent but must be investigated and I will be asking Moree Council to do everything in its power to ensure that in 2018 we do not have the same problem.

Those who made the effort to attend, but could not hear were bitterly disappointed and I fully sympathise with them.

For: Roger Butler OAM

Anzac Day Co-ordinator & M.C.

I am writing to you to commend all those who participated in both the Dawn service and Anzac Day march in Tamworth. 

However I feel the need to highlight that relatives wearing war medals must pin them on the right side of the chest.

When they are incorrectly warn on the left side, it will unintentionally cause offence to our wonderful war veterans.

Perhaps schools could check children prior to commencement of march next year. Right is right!

Katrina Fanker 

Tamworth

Bruce Watson tried to confuse us with science and theology in his letter of 15/4/17, his penultimate diatribe on same-sex marriage. What a lot of waffle.

His argument about diversity seems to say a heterosexual relationship is diverse because it is about, well, two people of different sex.

A homosexual relationship is, well, the opposite. Where we go from there I am not sure, but we go along a biblical path, from Genesis to Revelations.

From there we have same-sex activists removing people from their employment by browbeating employers to get rid of them. What?

Diversity is actually the stuff that the real world revolves around, Bruce, and all is good.

In the words of Dr Google, diversity means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences.

These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, and other ideologies.

In light of that, Bruce, can I ask you a question or three? As a Christian, do you think homosexuals are criminals? Should they be put to death or even just thrown in gaol? Do they have the same rights as heterosexuals?

How about you just face up to it. The world has done a few turns since the days of the Old Testament or even the 1950s.

Now, today there is another attack on homosexuals, this time on their adoption of the rainbow symbol, which Mr Watson seems to thinks only Christians have the right to use. What about the Aboriginal stories of the rainbow serpent, and the rainbow is often used as a symbol of peace.

As a symbol of peace and inclusiveness, the rainbow seems a good choice for the gay community to adopt. What is a good symbol for bigots? Storm clouds perhaps? But then, storms are often followed by a rainbow, a marvel of nature and a delight to all who see it, except maybe to Mr Watson.

If the Bible is full of stories of rainbows, it is also full of stories about love, Mr Watson.

I personally would like this to be the last letter I write on this subject.

Jan Morris 

West Tamworth 

Midwifery Group provides an amazing support and after support to pregnant mothers. I have had two babies through this program and found the support amazing.

I’m pregnant currently and am upset and amazed that such a fantastic community service is no longer available.

The program entailed being allocated a midwife for the duration of pregnancy that is your midwife and on call to you during the pregnancy, labour and after support not to mention the rapport you build with these ladies.

I only found this out today and I think the community will suffer.

Women will now have to attend clinics and be allocated whomever is on duty and you don’t have the rapport you build with the one midwife.

It’s really quite sad the Local Health System is removing such a great support service for pregnant mums with no notification or explanation why.

Colleen Bartlett 

Westdale