Council’s public hearing just ticking the box exercise
A group of concerned Central Coast residents attend a public hearing on March 30 regarding the reclassification of Community land to Operational land known as 73-75 Mann St, Gosford. The…
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Higher rates and fewer targets reached
Despite massive rate hikes, Central Coast Council has proposed further reductions in performance targets across a range of key services, including kilometres of road resurfacing and drainage, response times for…
Cashless banks a growing problem
Many have wondered if the banks are trying to go cashless. A major Australian bank has canned over-the-counter cash transactions in some branch locations, in a move towards a cashless…
Let down by council and other levels of government
I wish the people of the Central Coast region would stop referencing Central Coast Council in all forms, due to the fact that there are no councillors and only an…
Please don’t release balloons
I pulled this balloon (pictured) and pieces of a couple of others from the field on April 10. My sheep had already been chewing on them. For those who let…
Sale of land for $1 a joke
I refer to the article in the Coast Community News of March 9 about affordable rental housing at The Entrance. The Council has had to borrow large sums of money…
Nuclear subs won’t make us a truly independent player on world stage
I’m afraid that I have to disagree with Sonnie Hopkins on the subject of nuclear submarines (“The time is right for nuclear submarines”, CCN 385). There is a fundamental difference…
We need to have a Plan B for energy supply
An old adage for investment management is: Do not put all your eggs in one basket -diversification reduces risk. This applies equally in regards to the options available for replacement…
Specialised manufacture would be complicated
Sonnie Hopkins makes an arguable case that the manufacturing sector could make a bigger contribution to Australia’s economy than the basic support I suggested, in my letter of March 23,…
Apparent split in Council attitudes to land sales
After visiting the Central Coast Council display in Kibble Park and talking to employees several things were quite clear. There are two sides in Council and they do not agree…
The time is right for nuclear subs
Both Richard Pryke and Paul Corkeron pour scorn on Australia having nuclear-powered submarines (CCN 384). The former dismisses them as a threat to China while the latter implies the present…
Sub spend not so clever
Three nuclear-powered submarines is the best use those geniuses down in Canberra can come up with for $368B (yes, billion) of government spending? With those we’ll “threaten” (ha!) the world’s…
What use will nuclear subs be?
At a cost of $368B and (with) the first nuclear submarine to be delivered in the early 2040s, what use will they be when they do come into service in…
Not many strategies in Housing Strategy
Central Coast Council is to be congratulated on the presentation of the draft Strategic Housing Strategy for comment. This is the finest compilation of Central Coast data that I have…
Poor choice for Peninsula pre-poll site
At the last Federal election pre-poll voting was available at the deserted National Australia Bank branch in Blackwall Rd, Woy Woy. Woy Woy is like Rome; all roads lead there….
More accessibility needed at our parks
The poor old wheelchair users and people with disabilities don’t seem to be getting much of a look in. Many millions have been spent on upgrades to parks; Bouddi National…
Nuclear power too risky
I feel the need to respond to your correspondent (Time to re-appraise nuclear power, CCN382). The correspondent claims renewable sources of energy (solar and wind) “do not constitute a full…
Nuclear power costs prohibitive
It seems any mention of cheap, clean renewables gets the dander up some areas, whether they be advocates for more coal and gas burning or, over the past two Forums,…
Teaching kids about politics
Recently I watched a program on TV about Asian high school students being taught about politics. Each student was asked to take on the role of being a politician and…
Nuclear power not feasible
Charles Hemmings (CCN332) ignores the problem with nuclear power more fundamental than disposal of waste. It remains a fact that Australia has no nuclear power station, not one. Furthermore, there…