Sign of amalgamation
I am a ratepayer who lives on Holywell Road Guyra.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Over the last week or so council workers from the newly formed Armidale Regional Council were grading Lagoon Road.
I thought great, about time as our road Holywell Road is in a mess with corrugation all the way along it. In the past the Guyra Shire workers would grade both roads at the same time. This way it saved both time and money.
Image my surprise when I returned home, turned down our road to find the all the machinery had been packed up and moved on and our road had not even been touched. I couldn't believe it - why would you not do our road while all the machinery was still there.
Holywell Road gives access to five properties and it is only 750m long. .
So much for efficiency - both the cost and the time factor.
Can someone from the Armidale Regional Council explain to me why our road was not graded and when it will be.
The rate payers of Guyra were told that under amalgamation no one would be disadvantaged. It's just over three months and this it what we are already experiencing.
Thank you Adam Marshall, thank you Scott Macdonald, for all your support, NOT.
Paul Grills, Guyra
Money wasted on greyhounds
In January 2015, Greyhounds NSW went around to a trainer's properties to check kennels to clean up the industry.
Trainers of NSW spent $300 000 to fix up the industry and all of that money has now been wasted.
Mr Baird closed the industry down after the election was over because he was too frightened to announce it while the election was on.
This means another industry has gone out of Armidale and I have not seen any other industry come to Armidale and there is no industry in Armidale where young people can apply for jobs.
I ask this question to Mr Marshall.
Why haven't other industries come to Armidale because I don't think politicians are very interested in the bush?
There is nothing coming to Armidale.
I know there were some bad apples in the greyhound industry but it has all been cleaned up and now when the greyhound industry closes on July 15, 2017, there will be 23 000 people out of work.
Where are they going to find jobs?
The state government have to straighten their side of the industry.
The country tracks cannot race but the TAB tracks are racing which is discrimination.
Denis Nixon, Armidale
Bring it into the light
I wish to thank the Vickery family for sharing their story, and the Express for leading with it on their front page (Wednesday, July 20). Clare's thoughts were truly humbling, and I was reminded that swearing is only swearing if you do not mean it!
I was also reminded of the Mexican tradition of the Days of the Dead.
This tradition may have lately entered popular culuture through 'sugar skulls' and the most recent James Bond film, but the day is so much more.
The day sees life and death and life as a continuum and a celebration. I believe it to be far preferable to the Anglo-Saxon taboos and silence around death and bereavement.
As Clare Vickery said, "everyone is dying", so let us all bring dying into the light.
Brad Allen, Armidale
One dimensional view
The lens we choose to look through determines our perception of reality. Over the last few days, I have watched and listened to some people quickly judging and abandoning our Muslim community.
People, who choose to view the world through the frame of one lens, have only a one dimensional view of reality.
One dimensional people have little experience with the Muslim community and perpetuate racism based on media commentary which only represents one experience and focuses on the extreme.
If we look through a one dimensional lens we risk becoming the voices of contempt, judgement, and irrationality.
The challenge for me is to view the world through many lenses to acknowledge the diversity within our country.
If I look through the lens of the evil acts of the Lindt Café, of a police accountant murdered, of the recent incidents in France and Germany and the reality of I.S. – I see brutality and evil and denounce these acts with every fibre of my being.
If I look through the lens at our Border Protection I see a conflicting reality where we must ruthlessly scrutinise anyone who try to enter our country whilst keeping in mind those who need our refuge and support. If I look through the lens of the young Muslim people I see they feel judged and threatened, unsure whether they should venture outside their home because of the verbal abuse and racism of a small minority.
When I look through the lens of mainstream Australians I see the desire for peace and acceptance of all people.
When I look through the lens of mainstream Muslim community, I see decent people who value Australia and its values and we cannot label them with the experience of terrorists and pure evil.
I work across many communities and with many young Muslim kids. I have some of the best youth workers, some of whom are Muslim, and they work with all young people regardless of their backgrounds.
We must embrace our common humanity and as a united community, shout down the evil done around the world from extremists.