For the record, the department acknowledges the valuable work Youth Off the Streets (YOTS) does with young people across a range of services. Residential care for young people who are in the care of the Minister is due for an overhaul. It is not serving them as well as it could.

FACS is currently undertaking a robust procurement process and service providers were asked to put their best case forward in an expression of interest.

26 service providers were selected to progress from the expression of interest to the request for tender stage – a further 26 applicants were unsuccessful and YOTS was one of eight existing providers in that group.

FACS has been transparent with all service providers and senior FACS staff met with senior YOTS staff, providing detailed feedback, including reasons for the decision on 20th March 2017.

All discussions took place in the presence of an independent probity advisor. FACS has consulted with non-government agencies, including YOTS, throughout this reform and there is broad agreement that NSW needs a high performing system for supporting vulnerable children and young people.

I want to reassure you that the new therapeutic system will focus on the recovery from trauma and abuse and support all children and young people to transition to a safe, permanent and loving environment.

Eleri Morgan-Thomas, Executive Director Service System Commissioning Department, Family and Community Services

I am excited that events such as the Coffee and Conversation event in Bulli are occurring and enjoyed reading your editorial the only negative thing I can say is the last sentence made me feel uncomfortable ' Consequently, the vast majority of Muslims, like us, want en end to terrorism' who are the 'us'? We are all the us! Muslims included.

Wendy Van vliet, Fairy Meadow

Response to the letter by Don Kelly, "FINDING JUSTICE" Mercury, March 25. Two letters in three days from Mr Kelly confirm he wants the Labor movements agenda implemented to trigger an economic collapse and anarchy for our country.

On Thursday March 23, Mr Kelly castigated the Turnbull government over their lack of action on renewable energy while praising South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill for his 40 per cent renewable energy policy. In that state, pensioners cannot refrigerate their food and businesses cannot operate with any certainty because the power is unrelable. Just imagine the disastrous impact of Bill Shorten and Labor's 50 per cent renewable energy target for the nation.

On March 25, Mr Kelly gives wholehearted support to lawlessness by the ACTU's Sally McManus in her advocacy for unions to break laws they consider unjust. McManus got it wrong in claiming "It shouldn't be so hard for workers in our country to take industrial action. Quite often these workers have stopped work because a worker has been killed on a building site." Yet, not one of the 47 current legal proceedings against the CFMEU involves industrial action in response to a workplace fatality.

Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow

In 1789, American politician Benjamin Franklin penned his version of an old proverb: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. No doubt if Ben had a seat on government benches today, he would see fit to change his famous quotation to the following: In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and tax avoidance.

John Macleod, Berry