The announcement by the Roads Minister Duncan Gay last Wednesday that the location of the new Nowra Bridge has been decided is premature and clearly a political move aimed at favouring the two Liberal incumbents of the Kiama and South Coast state electorates.
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To adequately meet the future needs of highway commuters, the new bridge will be the most costly undertaking of any of the present and anticipated future Princes Highway upgrades (including the proposed Albion Park bypass).
To work as a worthwhile investment, this new bridge will require associated overpasses, consideration of linking into existing intersections and the proposed East Nowra Sub-Arterial Road and the future need for a rail crossing of the Shoalhaven River.
Above all else, the decision on a preferred location and all of the above related matters has to involve the local and broader community with a fully documented environmental impact statement going out for public comment before any final decision can be made.
Any hope of this bridge ever being built will require federal government funding assistance, but this will be highly unlikely if the proper planning isn't undertaken by the state government.
My major initial concern is that the community has not been adequately brought into the planning and decision-making process.
Terry Barratt, Bomaderry
Barking up wrong tree
I can feel the disappointment from Wollongong council that they weren't able to achieve gold in dog attacks. The council has gone out of its way to achieve top marks when it comes to lack of dog control.
They went through the guise of creating dog areas and no dog areas, then they worked their guts out to not enforce any rules. They have very few if any rangers to enforce their policies.
After 30 years of dog rules they are still educating dog owners - brilliant! That way they can allow dogs to swim in public swimming pools, chase endangered sea birds, go where ever they like and threaten or bite people.
I would like all ratepayers to support council and not pay the rate increase until we achieve number one in dog attacks. Good luck to our council!
Ray Jaeger, Coledale
Ban Russian planes
The one way to show the world's anger towards Putin for openly arming and supporting terrorists, is to ban Russian aircraft from landing anywhere in countries who lost innocent travellers as a result of his actions, letting it be known our friendly skies are not open to his regime.
Dave Cox, Corrimal
No treatment risk free
The Mercury recently reported two patients who experienced the complications of infection, bleeding, wound breakdown and scarring following treatment at local skin cancer clinics staffed by general practitioners.
However, these complications known as the "Terrible Tetrad" also occur in 2 per cent of procedures undertaken by specialist dermatologists.
The great value of skin cancer clinics is that they are readily accessible and bulk bill and thus cost the patient nothing. While specialist dermatologists understandably have a lower rate of these complications it may take months to get an appointment and their fees can run into hundreds of dollars over the Medicare refund.
Unfortunately no medical procedure is 100 per cent risk free even in the most skilled hands.
Patrick Bradley, Wollongong