6th September 2012 - The Bush Telegraph Weekly

8
BUSH TELE LETTERS
Dear BT,
Andrew Tuft (TBTW23/8) asks if the
long queue along Berowra Waters
Road is normal.
I can travel to Gordon on a Sunday
in the time it takes me to travel
from the Cross Roads in Berowra
Heights to the Pacific Highway
in the morning. Sports carnivals
at the oval on The Gully Road
create a nightmare for drivers trying
to exit Berowra, so what will it be
like when we have to evacuate in
times of catastrophe, such as a
major bush fire? The time it would
take for all vehicles to exit Berowra
could leave many of us vulnerable.
The suburb has been allowed to get
too big.
During the bushfire emergencies
in Berowra since I came to live
here 40 years ago, on two of these
occasions I have witnessed long
periods of zero water pressure,
presumably when the tankers
have been drawing water from
the reservoir, leaving no water for
our hoses to put out spot fires.
However, our water reservoir in
Berowra Waters Road has not been
increased in size in that time.
In the coming elections we need
representatives who will stand up
for our safety and preservation.
We need councillors who will put
our safety first.
Lorraine Samuel, received online
Dear BT,
With the elections just days away
& local newspapers offering free
space to candidates to list their
credentials, many prospective
candidates could not be bothered
to inform us of their policies
and agenda.
What’s the bet that some of these
candidates are working the system
by ‘donating’ their votes to a
candidate? Why should we vote for
a candidate that we know nothing
about?
J. Lambeth, Mt Colah
Dear BT,
I am writing to complain about the
intrusion into my family life, by one
of the candidates on Tuesday 29
August 2012, who seemingly was
able to by-pass the “do not call
register” and tout, unsolicited, for
my vote on my phone.
I and many others to whom I have
spoken resented this intrusion,
as we do not need to be told who
to vote for. Also, I am concerned
as to who pays for this type of
politicking - I hope it is solely the
candidate and not the residents and
ratepayers of Hornsby.
In fact the result of this intrusion will
be that I will not vote for you and I
will encourage everyone else who
has been a victim of this nonsense
to NOT vote for you either.
Name withheld, Mt Kuring-gai
Dear BT,
The carefully researched letter from
Dr M Reed (TBTW 9/8/2012) is a
wake-up message to all voters who
remain horrified at the loss of the
CWA building and the part of the
public park it occupied.
I’ve yet to hear from anyone who
believes it had anything to do with
neglecting the Hornsby Pool until
long after it became dangerous, or
delaying building a new pool. Now
we learn it was just the start of
worse to come.
It is so easy to assume that every
election candidate asking for your
vote is motivated by concern for the
best interests of all voters and their
families, especially if you believe
the advertisements left in your
letter-box without asking if anything
in them is true. Would you vote
for a total stranger with a familiar
name?
Do you like the way the council has
used the money you were obliged
to pay, if you invested your savings
in a home unit? There were very
good reasons for section 94 before
it was changed. Do you agree that
the councillors you voted for should
now sell the open space you paid
for?
You can see for yourself where
some of your money went: Look at
the park it paid for at the NE corner
of Burdett Street and Salisbury
Road.
Does it look as if your council has
cared for it with the money you
provided?
Then take another look at the rest
of the Dr M Reed letter.
Before you cast your vote on 8 th
September, you still have time
to pause and ask yourself a few
questions about everyone who
is standing for re-election as a
member of the council which has
made decisions for you in the past
four years.
Did you, for example, vote for a
candidate who promised you four
years ago, that the Berowra Pool
would be built by now? Or that your
council would honour its duty to
respect the long-held tradition to
keep Hornsby Park and the CWA
building safe?
Are you able to ask your candidate
a few questions, face-to-face?
You vote doesn’t end with your first
choice. Any preference you mark
can become your vote.
After the 8 th September, (YES, next
week!) it will be too late to start
asking questions!
Gordon E Limburg, Mount
Kuring-gai
Dear BT,
Hornsby Council has spent nearly
$2 million in upgrades to parks,
playgrounds, ovals and reserves
during this financial year. One third
of this amount was spent on an
upgrade for 1 oval alone, at rural
Galston. It’s time for change.
Dianne Mills, received online
Dear BT,
Spring-time is Red Cross Wills
for Life time and Red Cross is
conducting Community Wills
Events.
Red Cross and local solicitors have
teamed up to help people prepare
or update simple Wills in dozens of
local halls and community centres.
We are also giving everyone the
opportunity to make or update their
Will through the Internet.
To find out more about Wills for
Life phone 1800 649 685 or email
bequests@redcross.org.au
For detailed information on Wills
Days in your area you can also go
online to redcross.org.au/howwecan-help.aspx
Ian Williamson, National Bequest
Manager, Australian Red Cross
Dear BT,
Just when you thought the level of
public discourse in Australia could
not get any lower, suddenly we
have our very own local version of
the kind of vitriol and misinformation
that has so characterised the
Federal Opposition over the past
two years.
I refer to a local government
election pamphlet given to me
last Saturday in relation to “Steve
Russell and the Liberal Team”
which alleges, among other things,
under the heading ‘Cutting Council
Waste’, that Labor Councillors
wasted your rates on $26.1 million
The
Blackwattle Ball
7pm Saturday 15th September 2012
Featuring
Viktoria Bolonina - The Voice
Mike Dalton - Channel 9
Ben Bennett - The Voice
Jeremy Yong & Jagger - Australia’s Got Talent
Tickets $75 includes
3 course meal & Drinks
for the Hornsby Quarry which
Council’s own valuer valued at
$2.3 million and $6.3 million for an
equestrian centre used by less than
500 residents.
Firstly, Hornsby Council was forced
into the acquisition of the former
CSR owned quarry by a Court
decision, NOT by any vote of its
councillors. The court decision
imposed a valuation determined
by the NSW Valuer General at the
time and the eventual liability of the
Council (and the Shire generally)
to pay this amount arose out of
contractual obligations entered into
decades ago.
Secondly, there has only been one
(1) Labor Councillor, Bruce Mills,
on Hornsby Council for this last
term (2008 to the present) who has
been both steadfast and vociferous
in his opposition to the Galston
equestrian centre as were his Labor
predecessors on the Council from
2004 to 2008, Councillors Janelle
McIntosh, Mark Lyons and the late
Jan Dekker. This is a matter of
public record and has also been
well reported by local media in
recent years.
Justin Holmwood, Asquith
All monies raised on the night will go towards the
Studio ARTES Northside Inc and The Salvation Army Homeless Programs
in the Hornsby Shire and Hornsby Hospital.
A project of the Rotary Club of Waitara www.waitararotary.org
book online www.hornsbyrsl.com.au
or phone: 9477 7777 from 15th of July 2011
The Blackwattle Ball advert is proudly sponsored by The Bush Tele Weekly
The Bush Telegraph Weekly – Thursday 6 September 2012