LETTER: Bellingen Council is setting an example

DEAR News Of The Area,

I RESPOND to Peter Dingle’s letter (Enough of the virtue-signalling, Bellingen Council, 24/7026, NOTA)  where he speaks against the proposed housing development at 1 Ferry Street, Urunga, and says that “the rights of minority and activist groups are being prioritised over traditional mainstream values”.

I think those of us who are baby boomers are now a minority group: the ones who bought our homes for three times our wages regardless of how well we were doing financially and who received free tertiary education.

Homes now cost on average 12 times annual wages. Wages have not risen in line with house prices and capital gains and negative gearing have turned what were once a traditional value of “a fair go” into investment options, not a place to have a secure roof over your head, to raise a family, regardless if you have a PHD, trade or have no professional qualifications.

Younger people are truly struggling to buy a home.

This proposal is a good pilot project allowing entry for people not on high wages as it gives them an IN to an affordable home.

I see Bellingen Shire Council (BSC) doing their job: fixing roads and bridges amongst other infrastructure and now giving the opportunity to allow another form of infrastructure to take place by allowing a competent community group who care about people priced out of the market to have their own home. And doing this in partnership with BSC.

BSC is setting an example that  I can see other councils emulating.

Sometimes new initiatives create fear but nothing ever changes unless people are willing to come up with new ideas, do the research and work together to make a significant difference.

Regards,

Dianne Jacobus,

Bellingen.