While the HSC is one indicator of academic achievement, it must be recognised that the results are not a complete measure of a person's overall ability or intellectual capacity and, while a good HSC result may allow a student expeditious entry to university, a poor result won't immediately exclude anyone either.

For those HSC students who do decide to pursue a university degree, I wish you every success with your studies and hope you are accepted into the course of your choice.

For those who choose employment or further training at TAFE, I hope that you are able to find what your need here in the Northern Tablelands so that your community can benefit from your commitment and ability.

There is now a much brighter future for young people in this region and we have a growing capacity to educate, train, employ and retain young people here at home.

Once again, to all HSC students, best of luck in your exams and may you find reward in the choices you make for your futures.

Adam Marshall,

Member for Northern Tablelands

A national disaster produces another photo op for the ever-eager LNP ("It's Dam Time", October 14).

At the risk of appearing to be a glass-half-empty observer, when I saw the front page of the NDL with its photo of a grinning line-up of LNP politicians announcing the Dungowan Dam proposal, I couldn't help thinking of the smile on the crocodile.

After all, who have had multiple terms in government to ensure water security but have instead overseen the disgraceful situation, in our wealthy country, of so many rural communities completely, COMPLETELY, running out of this basic resource? Who has not only watched farmers going to the wall in the most severe drought in memory but advised them to sell up if they can't cope? And who has described the drought as "a necessary evil"?

Now those same villains have the hide to stand in front of a camera, SMILING, to announce that they have finally condescended to use the community's money to relieve the situation some time in the future. How pathetic is that? Talk about looking forward through the rear-vision mirror.

And it's crucial to remember, it is only a proposal at this stage and there is still, as these shrewd pollies offered, "a lot of devil in the detail". It will pay to keep a sharp eye.

It was also interesting to see the Mayor join in the over-exuberant and, in my opinion, premature celebrations on behalf of the community and the Nationals. As for Mr Joyce ("Half-a-billion dollars for infrastructure") taking the opportunity to bounce off the dam announcement to list all the projects he says he's had a hand in, I can only state that it is easily overshadowed by the long record of the utter disasters he has been associated with.

Balance in political claims is essential to a healthy democracy.

Bert Candy,

Glenvale, Queensland