Community ………………4 to

South Coast Property Specialists (Carlene Franzen) Tips: Another Reason to Move to “The Regions” The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) has reported a gloomy picture for Sydneysiders Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 saying that home ownership is becoming a fading dream for many. The falling rate of home ownership is threatening to trigger a surge in demand for social housing with modelling indica ng this could cost NSW government (and therefore taxpayers) an addi onal $12.1 billion over the next four decades. This equates to an increase demand for social housing by 68,000 households by 2060. The SMH reports that “The NSW intergenera onal report, which forecasts how the state will change over the next 40 years, says the home ownership rate in NSW has now declined for each genera on since the Baby Boomers. More than 60 per cent of the early Boomer genera on (born between the mid-1940s and early 1950s) owned homes by the age of 25-34. But among those aged 25-34 years now, the rate of home ownership is 15 percentage points lower, at 45 per cent.” One of the biggest issues with home ownership is saving for a deposit the report found. “In 1995-96, a median income household took 6.6 years to save for a deposit on a typical home, including 0.7 years to pay stamp duty. By 2019-20, this had nearly doubled to 11.5 years, including 1.8 years to pay stamp duty, as house prices grew much faster than incomes”. On top of this, Corelogic reported that Sydney’s median house price jumped 3.5% last month, one of the biggest monthly gains since the late 1980s, to a record $1.186 million. So, the big challenge for the government is how do they create an economic environment where each genera on has similar prospects for owning their own home? Treasurer Dominic Perro et, who released the intergenera onal report on Monday, said “What this report shows very clearly is that the average age for a Millennial to get into the property market is much higher than it was for Boomers ... we owe it to our kids to make sure that they have the [same] opportunity to buy a home, and have access to housing, that we had.” AAAhhhhh……. It seems so much simpler living in the regions!!!

Gadfly 179 By Robert Macklin At last, one Australian government has had the courage to recognise cats as an existential threat to our native wildlife…and to do something about it. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 They have just released a 10-year plan to confine cats to their owners’ homes and set $1600 fines Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 for those who break the rules Under the plan all Canberra cats will have to be registered, fitted with microchips and ‘contained’ within the owners’ homes. The containment policy has been tested on seventeen suburbs and will be extended to the entire ACT from June next year. ACT Environment Minister, Rebecca Vassarotti said, ‘Every year, free-roaming but owned Canberra cats are estimated to prey on 61,000 native birds, 2000 native mammals, 30,000 native reptiles, and 6000 native frogs.’ The plan is also aimed at feral cats, with predator proof fences in the territory’s nature reserves and a determination to ‘control [them] where feasible”. Presumably, that involves trapping and euthanising them, but the Minister was too genteel to spell it out. Either way, it’s a welcome and remarkably brave decision given the powerful cat lobby across the country. But it’s only the first small step in what must become a national drive to contain – or better still, eliminate – the carnage to native wildlife perpetrated by this imported predator. It must surely be part of the part of the learning experience that so many of us finding as we grapple with the concept of an Australia of 65,000 years of history with a little 200 year blip of whitefella settlement on the end. No doubt we have brought a great deal to the table in that most recent element of the Australian story – especially the astonishing power of science to understand aspects of the world around us and the capacity to live a little longer and in greater comfort. But underpinning our ‘progress’ was a culture of unchecked exploitation of the land with little thought, much less respect, for the people who had tended and revered it as well the creatures with whom they interacted. We are now paying the price of our arrogance with fire and flood, drought and cyclonic winds that threaten the very advances that we brought to the great south land. Ironically, one of those existential hazards, the Coronavirus, gave us the time to think about the country in which we’ve been confined. And instead of splurging our savings on that mirage we call ‘overseas’, we’ve discovered some of the unexpected delights of Australia, from the dinosaurs of northwest Queensland to the giant forests of southwest Western Australia. And in between came the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The movement for Aboriginal reconciliation is much bigger than it first appears. In truth, it’s a journey of discovery that incorporates that Australia the First Nations bequeathed to us, albeit that we ripped it from their hands. What beckons is a coming of age for a nation that melds the wisdom of both black and white, that transforms us from a place of multicultural newcomers to Australians one and all. Incidentally, we already had a native cat before we imported the foreign predator. The spotted quoll flourished in its own evolutionary niche for thousands of years before we arrived. The ferals killed it. And when, quite recently, we tried to revivify the species, they killed it again. robert@robertmacklin.com

The Beagle Editor, Sir, I read with some interest the ar cle in the last Beagle Weekender (Vol 210) containing a statement by the "Moruya Bypass Ac on Group". I am concerned that the Ac on Group are presen ng in my opinion a very one sided case and to provide balance I would like to share my views. I must say that to a great extent I disagree with the views put forward in their statement namely: 1. The Ac on Group state that prior consulta on on the choice of a preferred corridor was not adequate. On the contrary, I felt that the prior consulta on was adequate. It obviously had to be held on line due to the then exis ng Covid Restric ons. As a person in their mid seven es I had no trouble with being kept informed and registering my views via the online process. It is fair to say that the black summer fires were personally hard going, par cularly as that for the most of the emergency I was on my own on our rural property, as my wife had evacuated the Grandchildren back to their parents just prior to New Years Eve and was subsequently unable to return due to the road closures. However, I certainly was not that trauma sed two to three months later as to not be aware of what else was going on in the shire. As for Covid, lets face our lock down in Moruya was pre y painless with the biggest drama being that my glasses kept steaming up when I wore a mask in Woolies. To me, this sounds like a case of "a er the horse has bolted".

2. The Ac on Group indicate that there was only one weeks no ce regarding the current consulta on process. Here again I received adequate no ce of the Community Mee ngs via the Internet, I think it was about three weeks in advance and I made a booking on line. No problems here. It was a shame though that our half hour mee ng was monopolised by three or four highly vocal individuals who consistently aired similar views to those stated in the Ac on Group's statement. The end result being that the spokesperson from the department could hardly finish his presenta on and that there was no me for rest of us to ask ques ons. 3. The Ac on Group suggest that the presenta on of the choice of route by the department was interpreted by many in the community as "a done deal". I would like to point out that the current document is tled "PREFERRED Strategic Bypass Corridor and welcomes public consulta on and comment. It also states that the next step is "Inves ga on and Refinement To Iden fy a Preferred Op on". This to me is hardly "a done deal". 4. The Ac on Group states that the department is asking the community to accept their choice of route without analysis and

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jus fica on of the reasons. My reading of the report (Sec on 5.6.1) is that a Value Management Workshop was held involving "Community Business Representa ves and Technical Specialists". The workshop evaluated the alterna ves Vol 16 September 15th 2017 and rated them giving reasons in sec on 5.6.2.

Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 The Ac on Group state that the reasons for the preferred Orange Route are not stated. It is suffice to say that the relevant paragraph of the report on page 78 begins "Op on Orange was the best performing corridor in the goals of safety" and then goes onto list other reasons for it's being the preferred corridor. 5. The Ac on Groups states that Transparency is lacking in the reasons for the preferred choice of corridor. Here again my reading of the report does give jus fica on for the choice of the preferred op on. 6. The Ac on Group ques ons the benefit to the community of the preferred corridor. This is an early part of the process and the documenta on from the department states that intersec ons, access ramps etc are yet to be decided.

As for lane numbers, as it is I believe the current government's strategy for "four lanes on the Princes Highway from Bombaderry to the Victorian border, I think we can safely assume that it will be four lanes. Sure it will most likely feed back into a two lane highway when originally built. The members of the Ac on Group are of course welcome to their views as am I. I just feel we as the Moruya community should not move forward in this process with the mindset of "we were robbed". Peter Carter

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Reading—Le er to the Editor A sad day as the community say good bye to their Batemans Bay Community Centre

Dear Beagle Editor Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Today was a very sad day, as it was our last day of dancing at the Batemans Bay Community Centre. Apart Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 from four weeks over the summer holidays, we have been dancing every week at the Community Centre for the last 20 years. It had ideal facili es, a good dance floor, clean toilets, a kitchen and ample parking. And the staff in the office were always lovely. The council even came and photographed our dance class and used the photo in a brochure to promote exercise for the older members of the community. Now, thanks to the Mayor and her gang, we have been evicted. None of the other council venues are suitable, mainly because the flooring is not suitable The next me I hear the Mayor blea ng on the radio about “our wonderful community” I hope whoever is interviewing her will remind her that she and her fellow councillors have ripped the heart out of the community, by their ac ons. The Olympic sized pool is gone, the mini golf is gone. The children's playground in Clyde St West is now an accident wai ng to happen, as the new bus turnaround and the car park spaces are now too close to the play equipment. The leasing of the Community Centre and the evic on of all the community groups that used it must stand as their “finest hour”! That’s without men oning The Pav debacle, and the Araluen Road mess. I hope people will remember at the elec ons who is responsible for all of the above. Yours sincerely Heather Cox

Above: Mayor Liz Innes and Councillor Lindsay Brown at the Batemans Bay Community Centre on the 26th of August, Na onal Meals on Wheels Day to recognise the dedicated volunteer workforce who stepped up to help protect the health and wellbeing of vulnerable Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Li le did the volunteers of Meals on Wheels Batemans Bay know of Council's backroom intent to close their facility down. The smiles on the councilors faces above fail to reveal that Council was inves ga ng the poten al for leasing the community centre to a third party and that they had already been briefed on an EOI process.

Not in My Name: deep concern Government’s Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 ongoing deten on of the Biloela family

The Beagle editor We (Refugee Ac on Collec ve Eurobodalla) are wri ng to express our deep concern at our Government’s ongoing deten on of the Biloela family. We are most concerned at the plight of Priya, Nades and their two daughters Tharnicaa and Kopika As a regional community, we understand the close es that have been forged between the Biloela community and this much loved family. Danger to lives The medical evacua on of 3 year old Tharnicaa from Christmas island with a blood infec on and now a diagnosis of pneumonia, highlights the lifethreatening dangers of immigra on deten on. Immigra on deten on is unsafe and causes harm and trauma. It is not a place for a family. It is clearly not safe for the children to remain in deten on and the whole family needs to be released and allowed to return to their community in Biloela. No child is to be held in deten on. The family was ripped from their beds – and their home in Biloela - and have now been held for 1,194 days in deten on. This is in breach of the Government’s policy that no child is to be held in immigra on deten on. It is not safe for Tamil families to go home to Sri Lanka. Our support from Eurobodalla We offer our thoughts to the Biloela community who have loved and valued the family’s work, contribu ons and presence – and want to see the family returned to safety. We thank our local Eurobodalla community for your ac ons and support for young Tharnicaa. And for all your efforts to see her returned with her family to Biolela. Please also pass on your concerns to your local MP asking them to deliver a message to Minister Karen Andrews.

Fiona Phillips MP – member for Gilmore Phone: (02) 4423 1782 Email: fiona.phillips.mp@aph.gov.au h ps://www.fionaphillips.com.au/contact/ Kristy McBain MP – member for Eden-Monaro Telephone: (02) 6284 2442 Email: Kristy.McBain.MP@aph.gov.au h ps:// www.kristymcbain.com.au/contact/ signed: Allina Hughes Cath Bowdler Sharon MacDonald Sherryn Bellis Nina Shan fan Pearl Cavander Cole Dale Cole Allan Rees Robyne Stacey Robin Sco -Charlton Marn and Peter Cole Barb Lewis Wendy Rodgers Mark Ward Mirabel Fitzgerald Magella Blinksell & Refugee Ac on Collec ve Eurobodalla

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room with a view. ‘Sheer joy' Graham Norton ‘U erly beau ful … filled with hope’ Joanna Cannon

‘A bear-hug of a book’ Rachel Joyce From the author of When God was a Rabbit and Tin Man, S ll Life is a big-hearted story of people brought together by love, war, art and the ghost of E.M. Forster. 1944, in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa, as bombs fall around them, two strangers meet and share an extraordinary evening. Ulysses Temper is a young Bri sh soldier, Evelyn Skinner is a sexagenarian art historian and possible spy. She has come to Italy to salvage pain ngs from the wreckage and relive memories of the me she encountered EM Forster and had her heart stolen by an Italian maid in a par cular Floren ne

Evelyn’s talk of truth and beauty plants a seed in Ulysses’ mind that will shape the trajectory of his life – and of those who love him – for the next four decades.

RAIN! - RAIN!! – RAIN!!! MUD and slush. SHIRE REPRESENTATIVE. - Mr. H. J. Bate has again been elected on the Execu ve of the Shires Associa on of N.S.W. He represents, on the execu ve, those Shires from the Victorian border to Baulkham Hills. ATTEMPTED BURGLARY. – A few nights ago an a empt was made to break into Mr. Jas. Lennard’s li le shop on the roadside at Turlinjah. The would-be thief tried to prize the window open with a paling, failing that he cut away all the pu y from the pane of glass, but was evidently disturbed in the act, as the glass was not removed. SERIOUS ACCIDENT. – On Monday last Mr. Mar n Flynn, of Deua River, met with a serious and alarming accident. It appears that he le his home with a dray and two horses for a load of corn, and when proceeding downhill about a mile and a half from his house, the leading horse, which was minus reins, took fright and bolted. Having no control over the infuriated animal, Mr. Flynn took the risk and a empted to jump out, but unfortunately just at that moment the cart capsized and rebounding, righted itself. The horses stopped almost immediately. Mr. Flynn was found by his sisters in a pool of blood. It is surmised that when capsizing the cart struck him on the side of the head, rendering him unconscious and almost severing his ear, as well as receiving severe bruises about the head and face. Dr. Quilter was quickly in a endance and inserted several s tches in the ear and dressed the wounds. The pa ent is now progressing sa sfactory. THE WEATHER. – More heavy rain has fallen since our last issue, and the whole district is now thoroughly soaked. The heaviest fall was on Tuesday night when 166 points were recorded, the total for the week being 240 points. AMPUTATION. – On Thursday Mr. Sinclair, of Bateman’s Bay, met with an accident at Perry’s mill through having his thumb severely lacerated by a circular saw. The pa ent was admi ed to the local Hospital, where Dr. Cutler found it necessary to amputate the injured member. PISCATORIAL. – Excellent catches are reported by our “rockhoppers” off the various points on our glorious sea shores. Mr. Weatherby recently captured a 12lb schnapper off Monaro Point, while another enthusiast landed a ten pounder. Beside these, the beach fishermen are catching plenty of black bream with sand worms. DIFFICULT TRAVELLING. – To give an idea of the bad state of the roads through the con nuous rains and heavy traffic of mber wagons, Mr. Weatherby’s mail car sank in the mud to the axles while on its way from Milton to Moruya on Thursday. The driver, Mr. Ar e Weatherby, had considerable difficulty in extrica ng the car, and in doing so the conveyance was damaged through the tyre rack being torn away and the loosening of the petrol tank. _______________ Her complaint: “Are you the editor of the paper?” asked the lady with the drab spats, calling. “I am,” replied the man with the poised pencil. “Well, I called to ask you if you wouldn’t get larger type. My name was in your paper five mes last week, and a neighbor of mine told me she never saw it. “

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Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. https:// www.mdhs.org.au