APPROPRIATE TO PAUSE PROCESS
I would like to respond to Leigh Vaney's letter "Mystified at Change of Heart" and the suggestion that I have called for a halt on any decisions around the peer review because of my political aspirations (The Daily Advertiser, June 11).
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Putting the matter in context, council have made their position on North Wagga publicly clear, that is, they cannot justify spending money in North Wagga and it shouldn't be expected because residents bought in North Wagga knowing it is in a floodplain with limited protection.
It appears that because the various flood studies and community consultations conducted after the catastrophic 2012 flood did not support their agenda, council ultimately steered the most recent flood study and community consultation for the purpose of skewing information in the 2018 FRPMP.
This report, rather than reflect what Wagga's most vulnerable floodplain community needs, reflects what council are willing to provide. The peer review was initiated because the Floodplain Committee (directed by council) could not answer questions pertaining to apparent contradictions and misinformation about the alleged upstream effects of a one-in-100-year levee in North Wagga and other matters.
Its release and subsequent decisions around it (to conclude on July 26) happen to coincide with the official caretaker period which commences August 6.
We have called for a halt on the peer review because the timing of its release affords an opportunity to have decisions around the peer review made by a fresh set of eyes.
Had it concluded say six months ago, there would be no delay and it would have been deliberated by the very people who signed off on the report which is the subject of the peer review.
There is a serious conflict of interest at hand, and we feel fortunate in seizing the opportunity to avoid it.
I do suspect Leigh that you are really not too concerned about North Wagga, you seem more concerned about undermining me. It's North Wagga's time and this is fate, nothing else.
Fiona Ziff, North Wagga
VOTERS HAVE LONG MEMORIES
Wanted: One male and one female nanny to look after two Australian young girls in Biloela, Queensland. Must commit to job for life. With this government it's easier to get a visa as nanny than as a parent. We can't directly change government, we can only change you. We will remember Michael.
John Tye, Mount Austin
NO POINT IN FIGHTING PROGRESS
The G7 summit is Australia's reminder to strengthen our climate commitments and transition away from our dirty fossil fuel driven economy.
Now that the world's seven largest advanced economies have agreed to stop international financing of carbon-emitting coal projects by the end of 2021 and to phase out such support for all fossil fuels, it is in Australia's best interests to move away from coal and gas. Bucking against international trends is going to leave Australia's economy vulnerable, with billions of taxpayers' dollars stuck in stranded assets.
Transitioning our nation towards cleaner low carbon-intensive industries makes sense to rebuild a strong and resilient post-COVID economy.