Northern Daily Leader letters to the editor

This event was strongly supported by the Morgan brothers, Cody and Luke, Kelly Mackney and the Hazell family, Jack Penfold from the Tamworth Jockey Club, as well as President Keith Harris and his committee, Mike Rowland, and many other friends and people unknown to me. As a result of these funds and generous sponsorship, various items that I will need due to my changed lifestyle can be purchased. Gael and I will be eternally grateful for such a gesture and the support from the community. I look forward to getting back to Tamworth in the near future.

Robert (Bob) Drew, Tamworth

Tamworth Dramatic Society has brought a huge barrel of laughs to the Capitol Theatre with its current production of the hilarious British comedy Yes Prime Minister. This fast-paced sophisticated comedy has all the hallmarks of the political nightmares faced by a bumbling politician and his devious attendants. The laughs come thick and fast resulting from a huge range of potential disasters to be solved from climate change and national fiscal woes to the depraved sexual demands of a visiting foreign dignitary. Although very British this very funny play could well be set in Australia or anywhere: the problems are similar, just the timing and the personnel are different. This is one of the strongest TDS casts I have seen for years and the brilliant set is probably the best since The Mousetrap in 2012. Do yourself a favour and laugh yourself into political hysteria at Yes, Prime Minister, playing at the Capitol Theatre until Saturday, August 12.

Bill Gleeson, Tamworth

I would love to attend but am fearful of the 5G towers nearby, being close to the sheep who have all had their DNA changed by vaxing and think it is a conspiracy to get like minded people (and sovereign citizens) together to take us out all at one time.

It isn't the first time Barnaby has wanted a Shout!!

Graeme Harris, Calala

I tried to register for the Hancock Pastoral / Daily Telegraph rural summit in Tamworth only to find that because I was not a company (which I can only construe to mean a business) then I was not eligible to attend. My application for a ticket to the event being contingent of me completing the application form which was explicit in requiring a company name. I submitted the name Good Campany only to find that I did not receive any follow up email giving me tickets to the event.

Not only was I excluded as an individual living in Tamworth I also found that when tried to register to get a ticket to I was also required to agree to be sent marketing material by Newscorp. There was no option to decline this generous offer. There was a little proviso that said there was an option to opt out after receiving initial correspondence. That means after my name company and details were going to be sent to Newscorp so they could add the details to their databases. Echoes of data harvesting by Cambridge Analytical?

This is not acceptable on any level. This whole event needs to be called out for being the farce that it is. Fair dinkum how can The Daily Telegraph, a Sydney centric newspaper and a WA iron ore billionaire (subject to accusations of ripping off fellow family members and father's business partners) be seen to be the unbiased champions of rural Australia.

Graham Carter, Moore creek

Why the electors of New England continue to pay the generous salary of this self-self obsessed and highly divisive politician is beyond understanding.

The politician who had the audacity and insensitivity to state in 2019 that he was "battling" on a basic salary of $211,000, a year.

Over $4,000, a week. Fair dinkum.

Michael J Gamble, Belmont Vic

I refer to the story on the front page of Friday's Leader titled "we want a commitment" featuring the Members for Dubbo and Tamworth and Mayor of Tamworth. The two Nat MP's are ghosts of Christmases past because we could easily argue where was their commitments to the safe seat of Tamworth on a range of issues:

Where was Dugald and Kevin's commitment to the Gunnedah hospital and Goonoo Goonoo Road upgrades promised in 2019?

Where was their commitment to commencing Port Stephen's Cutting safety upgrade during their tenure?

Where is their commitment to protecting the Liverpool Plains, prime agricultural farmland and the aquifers below by cancelling PEL's 1 and 12? Party donor Santos Ltd says jump and Dugald and Kevin jumps.

Where was their commitment to rural residents to quarantine parts of our region from renewable energy incursions when Dugald and Kevin's government was drawing up the Renewable Energy Zone map during the pandemic?

Where was their commitment to protecting our region's residents from largely juvenile miscreants by reviewing the Young Offenders Act,1997, more programs to deal with recidivism, 24 hour policing for Gunnedah and a new police station for Tamworth? Our local police suffer cramped working conditions similar to a can of King Oscar sardines, they need to be supported so they can deal with the violent lawlessness that is afflicting Tamworth, Gunnedah, Armidale and elsewhere. This matter is out of control and serious.

Where was their commitment to tertiary education by restoring the role of TAFE in delivering a myriad of affordable vocational courses to Tamworth and returning control to local staff taken away by their government in 2015?

Where was their commitment to restoring local control to a New England Health Service?

Where was Dugald and Kevin's commitment to water security for Tamworth and indeed Dubbo, both regions suffered serious water mismanagement at the hands of their own Government during the 2017-2020 drought and Kevin was Water Minister, why didn't he review the Peel Valley Water Sharing Plan and leave a legacy for the people of Tamworth that would genuinely secure Tamworth's water future? Impotent!?

I think both Dugald and Kevin should reflect on their own poor advocacy and lack of commitment to the Tamworth electorate during their 12 years in government before they start pointing fingers at a five month old government and Russell should steer clear of the ghosts from Christmases past to avoid being tarnished and ensure we get the things we need for this region from the new government his party colleagues couldn't deliver.

Mark Rodda, Tamworth

The Northern Daily Leader and other tabloids have a tendency to print the misfortunes of our population, occasionally there are articles that there is some 'good news'.

This is applicable to the globe. There doesn't seem to be any compassion towards humanity. The 'bad news' always has priority - can you explain this phenomenon?

As an octogenarian, I've seen many changes in our behaviour, our development and our ethical mien, which saddens me immensely as I have had the good fortune to enjoy our past welfare.

Admittedly there have been some tremendous innovations that are beneficial to society, technology, communication etc.

However, with the present government initiative to replace coal fire power to wind and solar will be their doom. The logic is ludicrous, ultra lunacy and to imply that the global power by the weather pattern would be sufficient to produce enough electricity to power industry and domestic usage is beyond comprehension.

Greg Daley, Limbri

I am concerned about a double dissolution election occurring due to this housing future fund matter. We need action and not political lolly gagging.

Francis Mion, Tamworth

In a world where media channels bombard us daily 'scandals, tragedy and problems' the widely advertised Barbie movie phenomenon seemed too good to be true. It's true however, and the movie is simply sensational on all levels delivering a powerful message of life's key values. With incredible cinematography viewers are immersed into a pink world forced to question its foundations. The result ensures a future every Barbie and Ken in the region and world wants and needs. This movie should be compulsory, but until it is, make sure you too experience a life changing pink phenomenon.

Mary Hollingworth, Glen Innes

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Hoping for the best, planning for the worst. It's a tragedy of the planning system that farmers are now having to prepare for protest actions simply because they haven't been listened to for over a decade, and that proponent led "community consultation" appears to be deaf to the community's genuine concerns around gas developments in our unique farming region of the Liverpool Plains.

I attended with other local farmers non-violent direct-action training and am now better prepared should Santos wish to pursue access to our family farms against our consent for survey works for the Hunter Gas Pipeline and will be there when trucks roll into Gunnedah for Santos gas exploration in the upcoming months.

Whilst we petition and meet with the new NSW Government about our long-held opposition to our farming region being opened up to new gas fields and remain optimistic common sense will overcome in world transitioning not to gas, but very clearly away from this energy form, we are preparing for potential worse case outcomes to reinforce our opposition to these developments.

I'm not sure the NSW Government with the clean energy transition pre-invested in and underway, want determined farmers showing the rest of the community "how it's done" in regards to rejecting these unwarranted risky gas field developments, with the planning for transmission lines for renewable energy zone in their early stages.

Peter Wills, Quirindi