A perfect day walk with spectacular views. But it no longer attracts as many visitors because is no longer easy to reach. It now needs a 4WD vehicle AND a lengthy spell of clement weather.

Clyde Ridge Road is the main route, but the maintenance of this road is problematic. Only one kilometre is maintained by the council.

The rest is maintained by Forestry, but has barely been maintained at all since the bushfires.

Forestry maintains it when they are paid to do so, but it has now degraded to be regularly impassable. Visitors have gotten stuck and had their vehicles damaged in collisions negotiating the road. Not a good look for Shoalhaven as a tourist destination.

Representations to stakeholders - Local, State and Federal - have been unsuccessful. "No money", "Not our responsibility", "Perhaps in a few years".

Fortunately, the people who live here make it possible to still get to Pigeon House. They maintain these roads and bridges, using their own equipment, time, and money. Their council rates go to fixing other local Shoalhaven roads, but not their own.

It should not be necessary for locals to maintain tourist routes. Shoalhaven City Council should take responsibility of maintaining Clyde Ridge Road, to assist the recovery of tourism in the Shoalhaven, and for the safety of visitors. Help make this happen by signing the petition at https://me.getup.org.au/p/pigeonhouse

A recent spray by the Shoalhaven Deputy Mayor, Labor's Liza Butler, in regards to election promises in Gilmore "really".

At the last council elections the new council teams stated that they were for the people and that they would listen and represent the community - not a word said about going above the recommended rate rise which has just happened and the hypocrisy of the council to have a donation food drive for those doing it tough.

The new people's teams just made it harder for renters, as well as, ratepayers/more homeless. And as for blaming the rain, Shoalhaven roads have been like a mudguard for years just like the latest spray on top of the roads covering up the already damaged roads, another cheap job.

Mandating vehicle emission standards will be a sensible move for the Labor government to take. From the climate perspective, this will help accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles to enable the Labor government to meet its 2030 climate change goals.

The health benefits are significant too; higher levels of air pollution have been linked to increased heart and lung problems, and increased mortality.

Fewer petrol cars on our roads will reduce air pollution and improve health outcomes for the general population. Any policy that will not only help us achieve our climate goals, but also reduce the burden on our overloaded public health system is simply a win-win policy.