Time we accept the need for progress, get with the times like any progressive region and support investment and infrastructure projects that create employment and services much needed in our remote location.

A close look at the council’s report on Merimbula’s car parking reveals what locals know only too well. In the past 30 years, development in the town has added hundreds of extra cars to Merimbula’s traffic and, because of the lack of spaces in public car parks, those extra cars have been forced to park beside the kerb in public streets.

Kerb side parking leads to traffic congestion, increases the dangers for pedestrians and does not meet the needs of the disabled or mothers with young children. The report actually acknowledged that there is “a requirement for council to supply at least 501 spaces” in the Merimbula CBD.

So the real question is “Must the Council actually provide 501 spaces within public car parks or can it provide that car parking by way of on street car parking?”

The report says council has a choice. “Council can provide two types of public car parking; on street car parking and designated car parks.” It then counted the number of kerbside spaces in the CBD and came to the conclusion that there is no need to add to Merimbula’s public car parks because the town has not yet run out of on street parking even if “the parking is quite dispersed around the CBD”.

But council does not have a choice. Having acknowledged that there is “a requirement for council to supply at least 501 spaces” in the CBD and having accepted section 94 contributions for them, both section 94 and long-standing planning policies require council to use the car parking contributions solely for the purpose of building extra spaces within public car parks. The community needs to know when council will build them.

The euthanasia debate has reignited. This is not a discussion that has an obvious right or wrong outcome but one about the right of the individual to choose. The right of an individual to say that they have had enough and wish to have the option of ending their suffering at a time of their choosing, with dignity, peace and free of pain.

If you disagree with euthanasia, then do not exercise that option at your end of life. But do not assume you have the right to stop others exercising that option if they so choose. This is an arrogance that is not supportable for any reason.

And as to the argument that any legislation we introduce could/would be abused. If we were to avoid legislating where we thought the law might be broken, we would have very few laws. Canada has recently have been able to resolve this concern.

Most polls have shown the majority of Australians in favour of euthanasia. Under Prime Minister John Howard, Parliament in 1977 shamelessly voted down the Euthanasia Act of the Northern Territory, thus ignoring the will of the Territorians. We might ask Mike Kelly where he would place his “conscience vote” on this matter. Euthanasia is about the right of the individual to choose, not the right of others to dictate a choice.

To all the wonderful people at Tura Beach who donated to Daffodil Day Appeal, you will be pleased to know that with the help of our volunteers Barb, Pam, David, Shirley and Cathy we raised $1210.25. Thank you once again and see you next year.