RIDING THE WAVES
What is going on with the surf life-saving movement in the Illawarra?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
We are seeing surf life-saving clubs in conflict with their neighbours, the local council, and now their own governing body.
Clubs are telling the media and the general public they are “seeking legal advice”, presumably with the intention of following up with some sort of legal action.
Where will they get the money?
How can the public believe that the secondary concern in their arguments is the loss of funds when they are talking about pursuing actions that are highly likely to consume enormous amounts of money?
Reading and hearing in the media about two recent, local surf club conflicts it appears that in both cases there has been a clear-cut victim, i.e. a badly-treated surf club, and a wicked villain or villains, e.g. neighbours, the council, or the local SLSC governing body.
It is most unfortunate that nippers were temporarily involved in the conflict at Towradgi, however, let us hope they are left with a wider view of the situation other than Surf Life Saving Illawarra is a horrible, nasty organisation.
Maybe it can be pointed out to them that there is an issue about rules and safety somewhere in the mix.
Surf club members and associates, who think that using the media to make their foe appear extremely villainous and out of order, should really think more about the wider reaching impacts of this sort tactic.
Richard Burnett, Wollongong
COMING UP TRUMPS
Whether or not Donald Trump accepts the spirit and legality of the agreement reached between the US and Australia on the transferring of asylum seekers and refugees between our countries, Australia has a moral and human rights obligation to fulfil its part of the agreement.
Malcolm Turnbull and his Cabinet should be immediately setting in place the process involved in accepting the refugees from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador under the arrangement brokered with the Obama White House.
To adopt any other stance would remove any doubt that this Australian government undertook the deal with Barack Obama based more upon a poll-driven impulse than an act of inspired humanitarianism.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
ON THE MARGINS
With reference to Illawarra Mercury of February 6, 2017, wake up people of the Illawarra.
While ever the Liberals are in power and the Illawarra is a safe Labor seat we will not receive anything for this area.
The Labor seats need to be marginal for anything to be done.
Gladys has made a statement saying she has no immediate plans to visit Wollongong in the near future.
She will probably make more visits to the marginal seats to score more points with voters so as to remain Premier.
Mark Ryman, Coniston
BEGONE MALCOLM
The Turnbull government is not a government of the people. The government is squarely behind big business. Hence its latest call to cut welfare to the bone whilst touting for $50billion cuts in company tax.
They completely ignores climate change, refuses to get involved addressing faults in our run down health and education systems whilst strutting the deck blaming Labor for our economic woes and the country disintegrating into a hell hole of fire and destruction.
It is time for the Turnbull government to get turfed out on their ear. The longer they stay in power, the longer nothing will be done.
Goodbye Malcolm, you and your government are an embarrassment.
John Macleod, Berry