The most obvious cause of  damage was the huge trees brought down by the strong winds because the ground had become waterlogged and soft,  denying the trees a strong hold on to terra firma.

Much of the damage caused could and would be prevented if state and local government policies were less onerous and more flexible, by firstly ensuring that these large eucalyptus trees are not allowed in the built up environment and secondly allowing  residents to remove these trees to ensure the safety of the occupants and public nearby.

Consider the cost of this   storm alone from tree damage to homes, cars, power lines, the inconvenience caused, all of this could have been prevented by planting better types of shrubs and small trees more suited to  densely populated areas.

John Ernst, Kanahooka

How dare you! I would just like to say to whoever did this to the war memorial in Corrimal that you are such a coward.

I have just lost my father-in-law this year who spent three years in New Guinea in the Second World War. He died a painful death as a direct result of serving his country. In his final months,  he relived this tragic time in his life daily. Maybe if you met these heroes in our society and listened, for once in your miserable life, you might be able to see what the real world is like.

Wake up to yourself.  I hope you get caught!

Susan Walton, Kanahooka

The Phoenix Theatre in Coniston plays an integral part in the Illawarra theatre scene. It is the only theatre in the area that opens its doors to actors wanting to do one-man shows and other companies without a home theatre to put on their productions.

 Wollongong wants to be seen as a cosmopolitan city but by pursuing its proposal to sell this property , it does little to encourage these people. 

Theatre South bought  the premises in Coniston from the council for $1, then sold it to Vox FM for $1. When Vox sold it back to the council for $1, the council allowed the theatre to keep functioning until it  decided what to do with it, so why can’t it be sold to the Phoenix for $1,  thereby continuing the precedent? It seems logical to do this rather than erect blocks of flats so close to the railway line.  This is certainly not forward thinking.

Cr Kershaw really needs to think about the big picture and realise what a mistake she is making by continuing this proposal.

J Bitte, Horsley

Take a minute to think about what governments have done to improve your household budget over the past 12 months?

The lucky ones are those that have family trust accounts, are into capital gains, negative gearing, inflated superannuation of more than a million, avoid paying company tax, minimise deductions and receive a full or part aged pension, or hold a senior’s or pensioner’s concession card with assets and income in the millions.

 For the rest of us,  the answer is nothing; we miss out.

 John Macleod, Berry