DEAR News Of The Area, FOR more than 30 years, ratepayers in the Coffs Harbour LGA have contributed to an environmental levy to support community-led environmental work. The proposed budget for the next three years of the “Delivery Program” published on Friday 16/4/26, appears to redirect funds away from community environmental programs and towards projects […]
Letter to the Editor: Migration debate or discussion?
DEAR News Of The Area, DO we need a migration debate or do we need a migration discussion? Debate implies conflict and discussion, a learning exercise. Given that more than a third of our population is either born overseas or from parents who were born overseas and in total more than 95 percent of Australians […]
Letter to the Editor: Australia’s oil situation
DEAR News Of The Area, IN a letter published on 17 April, Lex Stewart opined on Australia’s fuel situation. Some of those statements should not go unquestioned, for example that we now refine only 20 percent of our production. The reasons for that are not explained in Mr Stewart’s letter, but here they are. Australia […]
Legal Hypothetical: Family law, capacity and death
HARRY and Wendy have been married for 10 years. When the relationship deteriorates, Wendy moves out of the jointly owned matrimonial home. There are no children to the relationship. Harry and Wendy continue to reside separately for 10 years, before Harry is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. He appoints his son Peter, from a previous relationship, […]
‘On the couch’ with Jasminda
DEAR Jasminda, I HAVE been going really well with my eating and exercise plan, but over Easter it went out the window. I’m feeling very guilty and disillusioned. Fiona W. Dear Fiona, This is completely relatable, and I’m sure many of our readers will be feeling post-Easter remorse. In a 24-hour period, I somehow managed […]
Fuel Economy
Letter to the Editor: Electric trucks are the future
DEAR News Of The Area, THE price of diesel fuel must be sounding alarm bells to heavy transport operators. How long will the price of diesel stay high, or more to the point how long will it take to return to the prices of a month ago – if ever? How pleasing it was to […]
Letter to the Editor: Even war heroes can be held to account
DEAR News Of The Area, AS ANZAC Day approaches, and as wars rage unabated in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, it is important to contemplate the sacrifices made by previous generations and what legacies we have inherited. Almost everyone who participated in WWII is now dead, weakening the direct link to that dark […]
Letter to the Editor: How to get rich from war
DEAR News Of The Area, IT’S worth noting that the US/Israel war on Iran is going to affect people differently. Setting aside the effects on the Iranian people, the main effect here in Australia is that the costs of energy and food are going to go up. For working and middle-class people this is going […]
Letter to the Editor: Just like you and me
DEAR News Of The Area, AS a manager in an insurance company, I was required to visit repairers doing repairs for us. I recall once sitting on a milk crate in the driveway of a panel shop in Western Sydney whilst a man called Allan brewed Türkiye coffee. The coffee was handed to me in […]
