DEAR News Of The Area,

With NSW Local Government elections being topical at the moment, we in the area most remote from our council’s headquarters in Taree ought to be vigilant about who we vote for.

I was privileged to represent this area from 1995 to 2003 as a councillor on Great Lakes Council, then headquartered in Forster.

I was never called up to, say, Tuncurry, to see a ratepayer/resident about Council’s performance.

Rather, residents in Tuncurry would contact councillors based locally.

It made sense.

And so I think we should try to ensure the election of Thomas O’Keefe of Hawks Nest.

Not only because he is one of our own, but also because he is tertiary educated (university degree and TAFE certificates), is a journalist who each week reports in NOTA on a wealth of local happenings, and is keenly motivated to achieve good things for outlying areas.

Regards,
Bob STUART,
Tea Gardens.