I ask what management was carried out in that park over the last 30 years. I suspect zero, I observed zero.

As a result the park and road sides are littered with dead trees, only a small proportion will survive. In a few years there will be enormous fuel loads as a result of regrowth combined with all this dead timber.

Just what do the National Parks intend to do to repair the damage resulting from years of mismanagement and that firestorm?

Doing nothing is not an option and will result in a similar fire in a few years.

Please tell us, the people who had to deal with that fire and are still having to deal with the dangers along the road how the NPWS intent to manage this park into the future.

There's no doubt that Australia dodged the coronavirus bullet. All of us except the people who died, of course, their families and friends. Not forgetting those who have lost their jobs or have been impacted by economic measures in other ways.

It could have been a lot worse and may still be as we come out of lockdown.

Some government leaders at various levels have been bickering and finger pointing, comparing statistics as if discussing livestock sales and gloating that their state or territory has done more tests than anyone else or that their borders and their constituents are more important than 'the others'.

Bear in mind the fact, that while we cheer that beauty salons are finally opening, or that we can drag the dusty caravan out of the backyard, there are still tens of thousands of people dying around the world.

Daily statistics from Brazil, India and the US and many others are sobering and terrifying. Terrifying enough to wipe a smirk off the face of any prime minister or foreign minister, one would think. But no, let's all gloat about scoring points over China and ignore the simple fact this is not over yet.

The decision of the council to donate $300 to ratepayers is no doubt a guileless action which will be much appreciated by many, especially perhaps by our wealthy non-resident property investors. For the rest of us who actually live here, the $17 million black hole it will leave in Council finances will mean even fewer services and less new infra-structure. For us forgotten folk in Little Forest, that is a frightening thought indeed.

I own a holiday house in the Shoalhaven and visit occasionally. I was not there during the fires and my holiday house has survived intact, yet I am now eligible to receive a one-off payment of $300.

I will opt of out of receiving this payment and I hope the majority of those who do not live in the Shoalhaven and who were not impacted by the fires do the same.

What a waste of money that would be better spent on targeted recovery projects to help those most impacted by the fires or to build community resilience to deal with future disasters, which are inevitable given the lack of action on climate change at the state, national and international level. Councillor Proudfoot and the other councillors who supported this motion are financially irresponsible and hopefully will be voted out of office at the next council elections.

One of the best council motions I've heard of for some time. Now we respectfully ask Wingecarribee Shire Council to follow this example - saves stress for PTSD war veterans, sensitive pets - dogs in particular; they have no say, so it's up to we humans to stand up for them. Let's grow up and get rid of fireworks forever.