YOUR SAY: No hose, but we all can hold a pen and vote

One year ago, I wrote an open letter to Craig Kelly. It was tongue in cheek but with a serious message. It was a litany of many of Craig Kelly's disastrous contributions to our social and public health.

On the first day of this year, I wrote another open letter correcting Craig Kelly on his bizarre assertion that We Are Hughes was a "small number of noisy green activists." That letter pointed out that we are from across the political spectrum and are somewhat tired of polarising politics that serve as a handbrake on good policy.

Since that time, there were repeated calls for Craig Kelly to be censured and reined in by the Prime Minister for his misinformation on Covid treatments and the undermining of our health professionals. However, rather than rebuke Craig Kelly Scott Morrison made this now-famous statement. "He's not my doctor, and he's not yours, but he does a great job in Hughes."

Scott Morrison's words had nothing to do with reality and everything to do with the politics of keeping Craig Kelly placated lest he go to the crossbenches. Craig Kelly ultimately left the Liberal party of his own accord, ostensibly to be an independent without the bounds of party politics.

Craig Kelly has now taken to writing his own letters to the constituents of Hughes.

We've been informed of his intention to remain an independent MP in various open letters as "he was concerned about party politics". He highlighted that over his term of 11 years, there were "glaring examples" of how being considered a safe seat, we missed out on our "fair share of government spending." He cited the duplication of Heathcote Road and Sutherland hospital's lack of an MRI as examples. That is an extraordinary admission of lousy representation.

On Monday, Craig Kelly joined Clive Palmer's United Australia Party, abandoning his independent status that up to the week before he was promoting.

Across the country yesterday, people received an unsolicited text from Craig Kelly, the newly minted leader of the UAP. He told us not to trust the Liberal Party, The Labor Party or The Greens. Whilst people are reporting the text as spam; political parties are exempt from the provisions of the Spam Act.

We can expect many more targeted ads from Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer leading up to the election. He may have millions of Clive Palmer's money at his disposal, but We Are Hughes have a growing army of goodwill from across the political spectrum. Mr Morrison may not hold a hose, and no matter how much money Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly spend on a cost per vote basis, fortunately, we all hold a pen to vote at elections.

Linda Seymour

Regarding a reader letter featured in your Leader Sutherland Edition on Wednesday 18th August, Woronora Memorial Park would like to provide factually correct advice regarding the rights of interment holders and the transfer of rights.

The Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 and Crown Lands Act states that only a "living" Grantee can make changes to a monument or sign for further interments. This is why we ask families to transfer holding rights at the time of a burial or ash interment to ensure there is a living holder. If the transfer takes place at the time of a burial or ash interment, there is no fee.

This rule has been in place for several decades. In 2013, when the Act was revised, the provisions allowing the cemetery operator or any other person to make any changes to a memorial or to allow an interment removed. Therefore, it is very important for families to make sure that the holding rights for their loved one's burial or memorial positions are safe in the hands of a living holder. This ensures that the spot can be properly maintained and that family members can exercise their rights in the future.

The legislation requires us to request and record certain proofs of identity and inheritance when transferring a right. It can take some families some time to gather these documents, but once obtained and submitted, our processes to finalise a transfer are very quick and can usually be completed within 5-10 working days.

When a request for a transfer occurs at a time other than at the time of a burial or interment, a small fee is charged to cover the cost of administration. This fee has been approved by our regulator CCNSW.

Where families are requesting multiple transfers, we charge a single administrative fee.

We understand that Ms Hall's transfer has been approved, and the fees for this service have been waived.

Woronora Memorial Park

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries, NSW

I have just tried to do my walking laps of the Como bridge only to find that Council has closed it off on the Sutherland side. No prior warning or explanation was given.

Someone said it's to keep people from the George's River Council out. The NSW Government rules are that people in restricted LGAs can exercise within 5km of their home. Nowhere does it say they have to exercise solely within their LGA. That limitation is for work only.

How dare Sutherland Council presume to isolate its citizens in a way that is inconsistent with State Government advice! No one has caught Covid from exercising in the open air, let alone in as draughty a place as the Como bridge. This is all about misplaced power and control.

The bridge is an ideal exercise place for older people in lockdown like myself because it's flat, measurable (300m), well away from traffic, and extremely well ventilated with airflow following the river.

What can we do to get Council to remove the barrier?

Paula Douglas,

Como

Steven Baker, who rightly complains about Craig Kelly singing his own praises [Opinion 25/8], can take some comfort from the fact that it will always be a solo, a Cappella performance. Solo, because no one else would be singing them and a Cappella because no self-respecting musician would accompany him.

Trevor Somerville,

Illawong

Write to the editor craig.thomson@austcommunitymedia.com.au