DEVELOPMENT REFLECTS POORLY
I am totally confused on the priorities of the Catholic Diocese of Wagga Wagga.
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In The Daily Advertiser on Thursday, January 28 St Vincent de Paul Council president Peter Burgess stated action must be taken immediately to assist people in the community struggling to survive without secure housing.
He went on to say, "the number of applicants for social housing in Wagga Wagga has risen dramatically, up 29 per cent from 317 to 409 over the past 12 months."
Having worked for Vinnies (for 18 years at the West Wagga Conference), I totally agree with Mr Burgess's comments. However, I then read in The DA on Friday, February 5 that the Wagga Catholic Diocese is planning to build a $2.3m subdivision at Lloyd.
I am pretty sure that people in Wagga who are in desperate need of social housing would not be able to afford a block of land in Lloyd (obviously this is for the rich end of town).
Does this mean that the Wagga Catholic Diocese believes it is more important and beneficial for them to spend over $2m to attract people with money, but ignore the plight of those less fortunate who are crying out for decent and affordable housing.
The Catholic Church preaches Christianity, but it seems in this case they are catering for their own financial gain over the needs of the less fortunate living in the Wagga Diocese.
Given the vast wealth of the Catholic Church, maybe they could also set aside money to purchase some blocks of land for social housing.
In my opinion this is a poor reflection on the Christian values taught by the Catholic Church.
Michael Marien, Wagga
TRAIL GOES COLD FOR PICNICKER
Intrigued by the absence of any mention of cost in council's "Picnic Collective Trail" promotional piece ("Foodie adventure on the city's picnic trail", January 11), I'm happy to inform gourmets like myself that the pre-purchased picnic-fare for two will set them back $70, or 35 bucks apiece.
Firstly though, punters won't find details on Wagga City Council's main site; I only found out by googling selective nouns that the details are actually on visitwagga.com - another confusing omission of information.
Even if it was a showbag you'd expect a list for the RRP value of the contents but, nope, no mention. So whether $35 a head is lip-smackingly good value for the basic nosh, readers can decide for themselves, but for me it is quite top-heavy with biscuits, chocolate, muffins and bready stuff for my already overly rotund girth.
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The process also seems a tad convoluted: I'd need to go online to pay for my "pass" and enter the date I want to use it (what if it's teeming that day?); then, on that date, don't "go to" but jovially "pop into" the Information Centre to nab my picnic basket and "essentials" - possibly including a couple of raincoats; then download the "Scavify App" on the mobile phone I don't possess; then traipse up and down the main drag to collect, or "scavenge" if the app name means anything, my $70 worth of vittles.
I don't know about you, but I'm fagged-out just reading about it.
Robert T Walker, Wagga
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