That group was formed as a result of the action of the then Director of Sport and Recreation John Harding, later mayor of Wagga.

The group gave advice to council and helped establish priorities.

It was a constructive exercise and was well received by the community and the councillors, who cannot be expected to know everything about the city.

In a similar vein, an early childhood committee advised council regarding childcare needs and priorities.

That committee was set up on the initiative of the late Dick Gorman when he was mayor.

It seems to me that councillors can and should be showing leadership and using the community to help in setting priorities for the city.

Proposals for development should come from the elected body in consultation with the wider community.

Once priorities are set, the staff need to advise how the proposals can be activated.

WELL how far left can the ABC go?

That skit on the Prime Minister on Insiders on Sunday morning was about as low as you can go; debasing in the extreme. Perhaps it’s the new Australian way.

Bill, how about you leave the personal attacks on others out of politics.

How about a more unbiased approach by the ABC to the political agenda.

IT IS curious the Randwick race meeting for Saturday was abandoned due to heat, with forecast 39 degrees in Sydney, when the Wagga race meeting went ahead on January 17 when it reached 41.5 degrees. The horses are bred tougher out here are they?

Surely there is more at stake for the Sydney race club financially than Wagga, even if Sydney re-schedules.

So why does the Sydney race club seem to care more?

They could have possibly gambled (to use a pun) on a hint of a sea breeze coming from Coogee. Not sure if the MTC was gambling on an easterly sea breeze blowing in from Wagga Beach back in January.

GREG Park scoffs at my reference to "psychological distress" in relation to fish (DA, Letters, “Stop baiting controversy”, February 10) and I totally understand his derision.

Clearly, fisher-folk like Greg don't want the public to wake up to the fact that fish feel pain.

But the truth is they do.

They are not akin to oranges and apples.

Scientists have proved that fish experience pain in virtually the same way as birds and mammals – including us.

Just like humans in pain, fish exhibit increases in heart and breathing rates and release adrenaline and pain-reducing substances.  

Marine science professor Tom Hopkins of the University of Alabama likens the experience of being hooked to undergoing dental procedures without anaesthetic.

The physical pain is accompanied by psychological distress clearly demonstrated by the fact that fish engage in a rocking motion strikingly similar to the kind of motion seen in stressed higher vertebrates, like mammals.

Fish undoubtedly feel pain and it's high time we all recognised it and stopped torturing them in the name of fun.