The level of disquiet from the normally "Quiet Australians" is building. At a local level we have recently heard from one of our less popular councillors the parroting a previous Eurobodalla mayor who would observe that there were only ever the same people unhappy moaning and complaining about Council. By this observation he took it as endorsement that the silent, and happy, majority endorsed what Council was doing. From the number of quality, passionate, intelligent, well articulated presentations to Councillors over the last year alone, and by the increasing number of formal complaints by the community, raised against councilors and Council's senior staff it is evident that the "herd" as one councillor refers to the community as, are not happy. Currently there are two local petitions that are gaining momentum. Dalmeny: The "Stop the Council selling pristine native bushland in Dalmeny. This is community land!" petition is fast gaining momentum as well as gaining State and National attention. With 1900 signatures and climbing the Council is now coming under building pressure to take responsibility of their decision to sell Lot 2 DP1151341 that was zoned as residential over 30 years. 1900 signatures believe that community attitudes to land clearing and preserving nature have change a lot since then and further community consultation about this land should be conducted.
Tuross Head: The proposed subdivision adjacent to Coila Lake at Tuross Head, approved 30 years ago, is gaining considerable backlash with a mounting campaign that includes an active social media communication and petition
Community petition against development at Lake Coila adjacent to endangered saltmarsh.
The petition, in part, says "Part of the lake area immediately adjacent to the DA zone is a delicate saltmarsh ecosystem listed as an endangered ecological community under the NSW threatened species Act in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia and as a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) 14 Wetland. It is a most significant habitat, containing the endangered plant species Wilsonia Rotundifolia of which there are only a few known populations left in NSW. Coila is one of only four incredibly unique ecosystems (ICOLLS) in NSW."
The community were hoping for a September 4th 2021 local election so that they could approach new councillors and petition them to listen and act on the community's behalf in finding ways to require both of these developments to be relevant to 2021 and not the 1980's.
Then there is the Moruya Bypass Action Group Petition 2021
Transport for NSW recently announced their preferred 'Orange' route for the Moruya bypass and sought input from the community on this route. The Moruya Bypass Action Group are concerned about: • the process Transport for NSW used to select this preferred route • the impacts of this preferred route on prime agricultural land, private properties, local business, the environment and the character of Moruya. The Moruya Bypass Action Group believe this project is being rushed through based on inadequate and poorly timed community consultation. They also believe the community has been given insufficient information about all the route options and have had little time to consider whether the preferred Orange route is the best one for our town. The preferred Orange route is twice as long as shorter, more direct routes proposed by Transport for NSW. Moruya Bypass Action Group say it will impact many businesses in town and result in a more costly structure and : • directly impact many more properties, • have a greater visual effect on the Moruya River floodplain • be more environmentally damaging.
The group says "Consequently, we do not support the preferred Orange route and ask Minister Toole to direct Transport for NSW to review the preferred bypass route using a collaborative process which genuinely involves the local community to arrive at a shorter route that will have fewer impacts on the people, businesses and environment of Moruya."
You can sign that petition HERE
The New Eurobodalla Hospital
The Eurobodalla Health Service planning is reaching the CRITICAL point of the final Functional Design Brief. It determines the ultimate bed numbers and services for the new Eurobodalla regional hospital.
Proposed cuts to beds in new Eurobodalla hospital have been revealed before a single sod is turned. The proposed cuts revealed to beds in the maternity, pediatric and oncology wards in the new Eurobodalla Regional hospital will directly impact clinical services in the region
In 2017 the One New Eurobodalla hospital advocacy group drafted a petition to the Minister for Health Brad Hazzard and received more than 3000 signatures in three weeks.
Now they are working on a second petition in light of the original agreements and promises not being met.
You can email oneneweurobodallahospital@gmail.com for a copy or print out the petition HERE and circulate amongst your family, friends and work colleagues and drop off completed copies to the businesses as follows:
Batemans Bay - Stitches and Hair Industry
Moruya - Dr Michael Holland's surgery, Moruya Newsagent
Most pharmacies
From the above petitions and the mounting actions by the community at a Local, State and Federal level the comment from a cloth-eared dolt that he can't hear anyone complaining only goes to show how removed most of our so called civic leaders are from their community.
