Due to the catastrophic fires at Tathra I'd would like to express my concern  about the BVSC plan for North Dolphin Cove. If a fire was to take hold in this area at present there would be no escape for the people residing in Dolphin Cove Drive if the fire swept around its perimeter. The beach area and access to road safety would be cut off if a strong wind was driving the flames. This could have occurred this time if the strong wind had persisted.

Unfortunately the council's plan is to decrease the existing safety open area and leave the combustible trees and foliage intact at the risk of the safety to the residents in this section of the community. There has been an active campaign by the North Tura Beach Residents Association to bring these matters to BVSC. At present this seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Perhaps the tragedy at Tathra will bring about a rethink on public safety regarding bushfires.

I applaud the RFS of NSW. Having moved to Millingandi in 2012 from the Blue Mountains, I was evacuated in that first year. Back in 2000 I returned home from working overseas for six weeks to find the bush sassafras gully at the back of my home burnt black, but my home still standing.

Also saved was my vehicle which had been moved to allow RFS access down my drive. Those same crew from Blue Mountains were here to help Tathra residents. That's why I am a VIP member of the RFS and SES. A big thank you also to Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Police.

Regarding the Fix it Now campaign, I agree with all that has been said.

I think the lack of upgrades on the Princes Hwy  is appalling, especially when you drive south of Eden to Melbourne and every few kilometres there are overtaking lanes on the well-marked, well-signed and well-maintained roads in comparison to NSW north of Eden. 

The lack of an alternate route from Eden to Shoalhaven leaves no option but to use the Princes Hwy. Parents and carers are regularly travelling to Shoalhaven, Dalmeny, Dapto etc to attend various school and other representative sports as individuals or team members. On occasion a parent might be transporting up to four or more children from different families. This is a huge responsibility in itself, but more so on such a dangerous highway. The statistics have proven this and sadly continue to do so.

Mick Brosnan is again helping out in disadvantaged communities in Port Moresby. Also there is Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who is speaking about the “many” people who are not refugees  who are being returned to their homes. Perhaps she means the rubble and debris that constitutes what remains of their homes in war-torn countries? And how many is “many”? 

Nobody speaks of the fact that only 80 are said to have gone to the US. Nobody mentions the continued rejection by this government of New Zealand’s standing offer to take 150 refugees. We rarely hear now of the lives of over 300 terrified and damaged prisoners on Manus Island nor of the fact there are still 178 children held  in detention, including those under residence determination. Bishop talks about them becoming part of the local Papuan community, but the Papuans don't want them. She is also continuing to talk of Cambodia, with its dreadful human rights record, which is even worse than PNG.

Haven't these poor, desperate people had enough punishment from our government? People whose only “crime” was to come to Australia in leaky boats?