Letters to the editor

Why does council need to raise rates by 4.1 per cent when it is budgeting to run a surplus anyway?

In broad figures, a 4.1 per cent increase in the Murray River Council’s general rate income, would raise about $500,000.

So if the general rate was not raised at all, council would still have a $3.4m surplus in 2023-24.

Isn’t that reason for there to be no general rate in 2023-24?

Also, for an essentially non-for-profit body like Murray River Council, one may ask why a surplus is needed at all?

BUT there is more, Murray River councillors are now being asked to approve a special rate variation, that is, to put up rates in future by more than the rate cap set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

Why is necessary, given rates are permitted to rise by up to the rate cap anyway and, council already has a significant surplus?

What is Murray River Council not telling its residents/ratepayers? Are there more big spending plans (like the council’s failed ethanol plant venture) being hatched? For what other purpose could Murray River Council be building a surplus?

Fess up Murray River Council, it’s time to tell people what you really want so much money for, and why?

Ian Moon,

Moama

Life is short

We are living in an universe, whose vastness is boggling our mind. It contains countless celestial bodies, which are light years apart.

Our planet Earth is 4.543 billion years old, but only a few people live to be 100 years old.

We are playing only a small role in the great drama of life and don’t know what will happen in the future.

We come into life from the dark and leave it going back in it.

When we die our physical bodies perish, but our spirit keeps on living in following generations.

Jiri Kolenaty,

Rushworth

Too many roos on roads

I wish to make a comment about the increasing number of kangaroos on our local highways.

Last Friday morning driving south of Mathoura I came across two dead kangaroos, which obviously hadn’t been there too long.

This is a confronting sight and it’s obvious traffic has had to diverge around them.

For some time I have been advocating for a responsible kangaroo cull. Once again numbers have exploded and are a real danger to road users.

It is disconcerting to me that the NSW Government has not taken the matter seriously.

These kangaroos breed unchecked in national parks that front the highway.

There have been several recorded deaths directly contributed to kangaroo hits and I am hoping that a new NSW Government may spend the time and money to address the problem.

As a long-standing councillor, having to travel long distances, sometimes at night, it has become increasingly dangerous.

Through my local council I will endeavour to bring attention to the situation.

Thomas Weyrich,

Mathoura

Surely we can’t afford cost blow-outs

How many cost blow-outs can our nation afford?

In various areas we are exceeding estimated expenditure. In areas like aged care and disability I believe it can be justified, but in others, such as water management, it is heading towards a massive and unnecessary waste of taxpayer dollars.

This could especially occur with the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, with federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek insisting it be completed ‘in full and on time’, despite this being virtually impossible following three years of disruption through COVID-19 and floods.

This involves recovering massive volumes of water, despite the strong and growing view from scientists that it is not actually needed for the environment.

Which brings me back to the original question about cost blow-outs.

Originally, total implementation of the basin plan was estimated at $13 billion, much of which has been spent.

If Ms Plibersek gets her way and proceeds with water buybacks to achieve outdated targets, water market experts have estimated the cost at $20 billion.

Surely we will not go down this ridiculous path, just so the Albanese Government can appease environmental lobbyists.

Meredith Tasker,

Deniliquin

Full Gear program delivers results

Another eight novice riders graduated from the Tasmanian Full Gear program.

This generated very positive TV news coverage.

This is a fantastic program.

It was an initiative of the Glenorchy City Council near Hobart, Tasmania. It is now run in Launceston and, I’m told, Adelaide, South Australia.

Full Gear has the support of the Tasmanian Government and is funded, in part at least, by the Motor Accident Insurance Board.

Full Gear combines discussions, mentoring and track days with real rider training and help getting a motorcycle licence.

It reduces the ‘unrider’ problem and produces safer road riders. It should be run by councils where there is an unrider problem. Unriders are people who use motorcycles on-road illegally.

Victoria needs Full Gear programs.

They should be funded by the Transport Accident Commission.

There are tracks at Sandown, Calder, Broadford, Winton and Phillip Island.

There are experienced motorcyclists who would gladly volunteer to mentor new riders on weekends.

In one of the photos taken at the Baskerville track in 2022 you can see David Closs, in the grey and black riding gear, giving novice riders some pointers after a few laps.

These are training laps — there's no racing on these ride days.

Dave has been riding motorcycles for decades and is a past president of the Motorcycle Riders Association of Tasmania.

Damien Codognotto,

The Motorcycle Riders Association Australia spokesperson

Budget leaves regions vulnerable

The Albanese Government has allocated more than $100 million in the federal budget for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan review, as it is legislatively required to do.

This review needs to be conducted before any further water recovery is considered.

There are major flaws in the basin plan, including the fact that if we proceed as originally proposed well over a decade ago, we will end up with massive amounts of environmental water stored in dams, but unable to be delivered downstream without causing more floods.

We do not want a repeat of last year’s flooding devastation, but that is the risk from storing too much water, because when we get excessive rains the dams overflow.

Additionally, under the current basin plan we risk a significant reduction in food production, leading to higher prices at the supermarket.

It is important that the basin plan review is not conducted by the MDBA and those who developed it, as they are unlikely to take an objective view and acknowledge the many errors in its modelling.

Instead, we need independent minds who are prepared to genuinely consider the best ways to manage our scarce water resources in a manner that protects people, communities and the environment.

This will require a fresh approach.

In fact, the government needs a fresh approach to numerous aspects of regional Australia, having again shown in the budget that it has little understanding of how the national economy operates, its reliance on regional prosperity, and how increasing costs in regional Australia have a flow-on effect to cost of living in the cities.

An example is the six per cent increase in the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge, which will be a massive impost for our nation’s transport sector.

Doesn’t the treasurer realise that if it costs more to transport food supplies to Sydney’s supermarkets, the cost of that food will have to increase on the shelves, placing us under even more inflationary pressure.

There was nothing in the budget to provide optimism for regional communities, from the cuts to vital infrastructure projects to insufficient road funding and no action to address worker shortages.

While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may tell us that “no-one will be left behind”, it seems his ‘no-one’ refers only to those who live in capital cities.

Vicki Meyer,

Deniliquin

Recognising the champions of mental health

The wellbeing and mental health of Australians have been significantly impacted by the mounting pressures they have faced in recent years. It is crucial that we acknowledge and address the hardships our communities are enduring.

Amid these challenges, there is a dedicated army of individuals working tirelessly to improve mental wellbeing.

The Australian Mental Health Prize, established by UNSW Sydney, aims to honour those making ground-breaking contributions in advocacy, research and community service.

Nominations are now open, and we strongly encourage individuals from every corner of Australia to join us in paying tribute to the mental health heroes in their communities.

Whether it be a researcher shedding light on innovative treatments, an advocate fighting for policy change, or a community service provider making a tangible impact, their efforts deserve recognition.

To nominate someone for the Australian Mental Health Prize, please visit www.australianmentalhealthprize.org.au

Submissions close on July 17.

Let us unite as a nation to honour those making a profound difference in the lives of others.

Together, we can foster a society that values mental health and provides support to those in need.

Lucy Brogden and Allan Fels,

Australian Mental Health Prize Advisory Group co-chairs

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