Rate hike to hit hard
At a recent Shoalhaven City Council meeting, which seems to have flown under the radar, Greens councillors, as well as Labor's Annette Alldrick, voted again to up the exorbitant rates now totalling a some 30 per cent rise. This was never spoken about by these councillors-to-be at the last council election.
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This latest rise puts more people on the border of being homeless while this council gives ratepayers' money to private promotions but nothing from the same in return to help council infrastructure. So with the rate rises in the villages the storm drains are still overgrown, potholes are getting bigger, mothers are still pushing prams on the road and local council depots have a bigger workload with no extra staff on the ground.
So much for the 30 per cent. Where has the extra rate money gone and the promised council for the people?
W. Bourke, Sanctuary Point
Dams won't end drought
Dams don't bring rain so Deputy Premier John Barilaro's call to build more of them will not solve the climate and drought crisis gripping regional NSW.
We should, of course, do everything we can to help people in the bush get through this crisis. But these tragic events will keep happening more often unless we don't tackle the root cause.
What rural communities need is action on climate change. That means shutting coal power stations, ramping up renewables and planting more trees.
Sadly, the Liberal and National parties are making matters worse for those in the bush by boosting coal over renewables and legislating a massive increase in deforestation.
K. Smolski, NSW Nature Conservation Council
PM's words ring hollow
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a suicide prevention policy and shared a video of this announcement across social media channels. If you are all for supporting mental health, why did you not support same sex marriage, Mr Morrison?
Research from mental health group ReachOut showed that more than 40 per cent of LGBTI Australians seeking help for mental illness during the same sex marriage plebiscite were at a high risk of suicide. But Mr Morrison said, "It's okay to vote no."
According to Beyond Blue studies, LGBTI people have the poorest mental health of any group in Australia, and are more than twice as likely to experience a high level of psychological distress. Same sex attracted Australians attempt suicide at rates more than 14 times their straight peers. The elevated risk of suicidality among LGBTI people is not due to sex or gender identity in and of themselves, but rather due to discrimination and exclusion in society as key determinants of health.
J. Miles, Berry
Living with pain
Chronic pain that doesn't go away after the injury or illness has resolved and lasts at least three months is arguably Australia and the world's fastest growing medical condition and is a significant issue affecting Australians.
Living with ongoing pain can lead to feelings of hopelessness and can all too often lead to isolation, mental health issues and a declining ability to effectively manage pain - a heart-breaking cycle.
National Pain Week (July 22-28) is an initiative of Chronic Pain Australia, the voice of Australians living in chronic pain. It aims to destigmatise the experiences of people living with chronic pain and provide an outlet to share their stories and experiences with the wider community.
During National Pain Week, people living with chronic pain are encouraged to share their experiences and ideas on the chronicpainaustralia.org.au/forum or on social media using the hashtags #NPW2019, #nationalpainweek, #equalpartnersinhealthcare.