DEAR News Of The Area, THE Liberal/National Government has now detained refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru, in PNG and in various places of detention in Australia for just on nine years. There have been some fourteen deaths of detainees mostly by suicide, in Nauru and New Guinea over these years and

  DEAR News Of The Area, AT this time of elections and war it is worth contemplating the role of leadership, or the lack thereof, and the exercise of power. A common feature of leadership is the belief that one is indispensable, particularly if the leader has been in the position for any

  DEAR News Of The Area, IN the regular articles featured in this space about growing vegetables I would like to add a vegetable that is relatively easy to grow and does well from Autumn to Spring. It's kohlrabi. For those unfamiliar with kohlrabi it's a peculiar looking vegetable and has been described as

  DEAR News Of The Area, I HAVE previously written to the paper suggesting it was apparent the community would be betrayed by the NSW Government’s manoeuvring in relation to the Jetty Foreshores. With the release of the Draft Master Plan it is now completely evident that this has happened. In a joint press

  DEAR News Of The Area, THE recent allocation of funds for the protection of koalas is welcomed. But, Australia has one of the highest numbers of endangered native animals in the world. Significant action must be taken, if we are to protect our unique animals and allow them to thrive. That is why I

  DEAR News Of The Area, THE most significant change by far envisaged by the plan is the proposal to permit construction of residential accommodation. Yet this significant part of the plan does not rate a mention until about page 28 of the 32 page document. A proposal to change the use of the

  DEAR News Of The Area, I WAS horrified to learn that political parties have potentially used trickery to dupe vulnerable voters into revealing their personal details for 'mining', data collection and forwarding of political bulletins henceforth, without their express permission. Some current postal vote applications have been positioned to the public by

  DEAR News Of The Area, LIKE so many people, I have become increasingly dismayed at what passes for political leadership and governance in our Federal Parliament. I’m shocked by the lack of integrity, I despair about the lack of serious action on climate change, and I’m angry about the way taxpayers’

  DEAR News Of The Area, I BELIEVE Coffs Harbour would have more potholes than any other major town in Australia and they always appear after any major weather event. In a recent rain event they had to shut Stadium drive, not for the first time and a friend who knows a tow

  REPRESENTATIVES of the Macksville Memoir Writers presented their first anthology of stories, called ‘Reflections: Living, Loving and Leaving’, to Macksville Library recently in appreciation for their hosting of the group for its monthly meetings. “We meet on the third Wednesday of every month at the Macksville Library from 9.30 to 12