The remark by Nancy Pelosi that Australia was a leader in the climate change battle was a shocker. But you have to understand that most Australians would struggle to know who Pelosi is or what she does. But the ALP can take comfort in the certainty that we unfortunates in the electorate of Hughes know who Craig Kelly is. We know that Morrison's tricky fiddling put this climate change denier, COVID hoax cure peddler and serial email dispatcher into our Federal Parliament. Nancy can't hide that one, but we, the voters of Hughes, can show Morrison what we think of his miserable captain's pick for the seat of Hughes in the last election by expressing no confidence in his next one. Trevor Somerville, Illawong
Cowards in politics
What is the attraction for Australians to elect cowards as leaders? With all bluster and hot air, a former PM would shirtfront the Russian President at their next meeting. He then hid in the crowd when the time came.
Now we have a PM that cancels a contract signed off on two years previous and worth 90billion plus, with a text. So absent is courage, morals or ethics. Now we hear that this same PM is considering going AWOL for the next meeting that the two leaders were to attend, a shame if this occurs or just the actions of someone who never apologises.
These actions are only made more pathetic by an Opposition that is so complicit in its silence. Warren Bell, Sutherland
Whose Castle?
The article on the new Wavelength development (September 24th) comments such as "best location in Cronulla" and "Cronulla is very much better for it" might be arguable.
What is not arguable is the unfairness of the State Collective Sale legislation that allows the wishes of up to 25 per cent of a Strata building's owners to be ignored and will enable them to be forced from their homes to satisfy the interests of any rapacious developer who thinks their profit is more important than the legitimate rights of the minority to determine their future.
The developer, in this case, happily refers to 'a number' of owners who "thought they had won the lottery." No mention of those owners (remember it could be up to 25%), old or young, who, against their will, are evicted from their homes and have to find somewhere else to live. They certainly can't, for the money they received for their unit in "the best location in Cronulla" (according to the developer), afford to buy the new unit now occupying their original location.
The grand old proposition that "One's home is one's castle," as so beautifully portrayed in the classic Australian film "The Castle," seems no longer to apply in NSW. name and address supplied
Opening of indoor pools
I felt my plea to Gladys lay on deaf ears for her consideration of opening indoor pools to the fully vaccinated. My son has lived 100 per cent of his life in lockdown and to have a few swimming lessons before summer could gift him amongst countless other children in our state a life-saving skill. If gym classes, pubs, restaurants and schools can open surely our babies can be offered the privilege of learning how to swim. Where does sense prevail here? Jane Scarsbrook, Engadine
Preserving the national park
Our local, national parks, especially The Royal, have become even more popular during "The Lock-downs". The downside to this is the damage that is being done by unsympathetic use.
On a recent walk around Garawarra Conservation Area, I was alarmed at the number of bike trails formed without authorisation, in addition to the ones that NPWS had signposted. As a result, insensitive parts of the area where mountain bikes are not supposed to be ridden, clear evidence of constructed jumps, erosion occurring on tracks, and small plants being destroyed.
In The Royal around Heathcote, unapproved bike tracks have increased in what has been declared a conservation zone.
I was walking with a friend in the Temptation Creek section near Gymea last week. We were forced to jump off the track several times as people on mountain bikes raced past at breakneck speed on tracks designated for walkers only or shared use. Some signs designating tracks for walkers only have been removed, presumably by cyclists.
As a cyclist myself, I am aware that some cyclists feel especially entitled and that others should get out of their way, be they, walkers or motorists. However, I fear that this attitude, not confined to exuberant youth, will result in serious injury and the NPWS does not have the staff to enforce safety in the parks. They need to decide whether national parks are conservation areas or racetracks. James Moule, Woronora Heights.
Shame about the dog poo
Such a shame the beautiful Forbes Reserve at Engadine is littered with dog poo bags that are filled and thrown into the bush when the owner and their dog walk out of sight. Local people keep the reserve and the creek as clean as possible, often picking up other peoples rubbish before it goes into the creek. We see goannas, lizards, wallabies, blue tongues, echnida, birds and many small animals in the area and need to keep it uncontaminated and pristine. Many people use this reserve, so we ask that you take your dog poo with you. Judith F, Engadine
Border closures
I'm starting to see a substantial similarity between the way our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and our State Premiers are handling the Covid crisis. Over 18 months ago, at the first sign of the Covid crisis, The Prime Minister ordered the closure of the Australian borders with only selected citizens allowed to return home. As a result, he recklessly abandoned tens of thousands of Australian citizens overseas and effectively locked them out of their own country. All the State Premiers followed his lead and have closed their borders during the spread of the epidemic. However, unlike the Prime Minister, some Premiers had given sufficient warning and encouraged residents to rush home before the lockdown commenced.
Recent events in Afghanistan has just shown how heartless Morrison is. While the Americans say "that no American will be left behind", Scott Morrison shows us that "out of sight is out of mind". The Prime Minister was slow in organising evacuation flights and refused to increase our humanitarian intake to accommodate the refugees. I hope people remember his callous attitude at the next election. Dennis Briggs, Cronulla
