DEAR News Of The Area,

I AM starting to feel how the native people of this country felt following the white invasion.

But it’s happening again to our beautiful Bellingen Shire.

We the locals are probably still the majority, but being invaded by this tourist plague, plus of course the cashed-up tree changers from the south.

But following one of the district’s most pristine waterways and others supposedly being closed to swimming via pollution, the penny has dropped.

Some are now saying maybe we must set a balance between tourism and the environment.

But the horse has bolted, Bello is now on the map.

Our environmental warriors are ignorant to the fact that masses of humans are the greatest threat to the environment on the planet.

How could we have ignored Byron Bay and surrounds as an example.

There are a reported 250 B&Bs in the Bellingen Shire.

Affordable rentals for locals are now a pipe dream.

Our kids, even if they are able to find a job outside a coffee shop, can’t afford to live here.

There is a huge ignored extra burden on Council for services for no return, other than to hit ratepayers who get nothing from tourists other than increased charges and a reduction in long established quality of life.

Over to Council’s huge, proposed rate increase on top of already large lifts in service charges.

I could write a book putting Prince Harry to shame detailing how our Council once performed on a shoestring compared to today.

Today we have officers for everything, positions inconceivable in the past, yet not an officer for savings and inefficiency.

There are no more roads today than yesterday, excluding some urban, and no more bridges.

The Pacific Highway north and south, and Waterfall Way east and west is no cost to Council.

The biggest furphy of all is that a large section of the Shire is non-rateable, an absolute bonus costing Council not a cent (thank God).

But to be fair, Council’s role was once to provide basic services, roads and bridges etc.

Today the Council is pressured to provide a range of social welfare services for an ever-demanding community, but often funded by millions in special grants etc.

Once a Council employee was required to reside in the Shire.

The number from outside the area today makes a mockery of employing local.

These are challenging times and it is easy to cast stones.

There are always some positives, but it is easier to blow someone else’s cash than your own.

Regards,
Darcey BROWNING,
Bellingen Shire.