Letters: Readers put spotlight on Shoalhaven City Council

They were Millard's Cottage (currently used as Ulladulla's Fossil House), Ulladulla old cemetery (a small plot off the highway just south of Ulladulla Toyota and MacDonalds), and Rotary Park on the north shore of the harbour.

I was gobsmacked by such a selection in the context of two recent issues facing our part of The Shoalhave i.e. council announcing they are broke and wanting a 30 per cent increase in rates, and, a decision to defer indefinitely the Ulladulla Harbour upgrade project.

Blind Freddy could deal with the three development areas proposed in principle without the attendant cost and time planned by the council's bureaucratic process including the use of consultants.

Here's how:

1. Keep up the maintenance on Fossil House and surrounding gardens, toilets and adjacent playground as it well serves the locals and tourists alike. Cost - nothing extra!

2. Sell the small trapezoidal plot of land currently an old cemetery covered in weeds, to a commercial buyer with rear access only. Cost - zero! Proceeds to help the Harbour project.

3. Rotary Park already fulfilling a vital role for peaceful enjoyment by the community and one of few spots for tourists to stop, picnic and let the kids play. Also a great spot for public outdoor meetings. Cost - Maybe $1m upgrade to tables, gardens and security.

Now that's done, how about council re-instate immediately the harbour foreshores project using the GRANT that had already been allocated for this purpose.

Jemma Tribe, Independent candidate with Liberal "links" is standing for mayor of Shoalhaven.

Jemma has said she feels "frustrated " with the current council and believes the way forward is a focus on "roads, rates and rubbish".

While this may be popular with some, I would urge all mayoral and councillor candidates to take a more wholistic approach to our community.

Add a few more R's like recreation.

Our swimming pools, parks and leisure centres are managed and maintained by our council.

Shoalhaven Library, a wonderful resource to our community, with books, journals, papers, hosting talks from authors and other experts, providing assistance to people with questions regarding digital technology and more.

The Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre with a variety of theatre and music shows to suit everyone.

The beach lifeguards also come from council.

All of these entities employ local people.

Another R - relationships.

I do believe council has a role in promoting social cohesion.

These include supporting local community events, keeping local people informed of local issues, supporting local organisations such as U3A, CWA and others.

In a recent ABC Illawarra interview Gemma stated that her team "Team Tribe" came from different "political colours" but didn't say what those colours were.

At this same interview Gemma proposed selling off council land assets but did not say which land assets she would sell off.

I know the council has financial concerns but let's dispense with the old Liberal standbys of selling everything off.

I am sure many people do not realise just how this current council is operating now.

For those that do not know, this is a Green/Labor member-controlled council so accordingly Matthew Norris would be elected, unopposed, as they always have the majority, with the 6 + 1 group beating six councillors every time.

I wish him well because he needs the intestinal fortitude to unpack some of the dreadful decisions and right the wrongs made over the past three years. Not the least of which is the the failed Bioelektra Waste Management Project at West Nowra which was supported with $2 million from council.

The NSW child protection system is in crisis.

There are too many children in need and not enough staff to provide the support needed.

A disaster, as a failed experiment in offloading foster care to non-government organisations (NGOs).

The quality of services have plummeted and the costs to run them are spiralling out of control.

The Department of Community Services was responsible for the recruitment, training and supervision of foster carers in the community, this critically important function is now undertaken wholly by NGOs.

In NSW, about 500 children are cared for under "High Cost Emergency Arrangements" in facilities such as serviced apartments, hotels and caravan parks at enormous cost.

Children are supervised round the clock by "labour-hire workers", many of whom are inexperienced.

This has led to a situation where babies are looked after by "labour-hire staff" who often lack appropriate experience and oversight.

This is not the way we should be looking after our most vulnerable babies/children. It is vital the OOHC system is returned to government control with more staff and better pay.