It is a blemish on a major tourist attraction.

Fewer citizens would have noticed the many water main bursts in the embankment beneath the Thirroul school temporary-classrooms.

Remember the money being available for land-slip mitigation after the Coledale disaster?

The mess at Austinmer would be good fodder for photographers.

Only a small part of the NSW gov' spend-a-thon would make our town safe and tidy again.

I invite all citizens who are feel safety concerns, or even find the mess at Austinmer distasteful, to send a short message to MP Ryan Park stating their concern.

If we do nothing we only have ourselves to blame, and action has to start somewhere.

Peter Butler, Thirroul

The comments in an interview given recently by Prince Harry to Newsweek in which he stated that: “the heavy burden which comes with the throne isn’t something anyone aspired to” is quite correct.

To be monarch is an awesome burden.

Not only does one have to be on call 24 hours each day, read through State papers, meet with ministers to be consulted and to advise, to attend various events and functions almost every day and worse, to be in the public spotlight continuously.

The Queen has carried on her duties for over 65 years immaculately.

Even though the 24/7 news cycle occurred only more recently during her reign, Her Majesty has taken it all on board and has unflinchingly continued to serve the people.

Service and duty is today what the monarchy is all about.

As Prince Harry said in his interview “Despite the challenges that come with it” the monarchy was “a force for good”.

Australia’s system of constitutional monarchy has upheld our democracy for well over a hundred years during which time so many countries became republics and then dictatorships.

Philip Benwell, National Chair, Australian Monarchist League

There is something not quite right with a system which enables politicians to approve the salaries of judges.

Nor one where judges approve the salaries of politicians.

Yet this is what happens in Australia whenever the partners in this incestuous arrangement decide the timing is right to do so.

Such as, on the last sitting day of parliament before the long winter break.

At a time when the public possibly believed it impossible for the greed of our politicians to become even more cynically obvious.

Our political class release the news the judges have awarded politicians a salary increase.

A salary increase of thousands of dollars per pollie.

The cynicism of this act of abuse of power, will not be lost upon the thousands of the lowest paid Australians who will, from July 1 lose their penalty rates as a result of a grubby deal done between the Greens and the Turnbull government.

Nor should it be lost upon all Australians that a prominent politician, one who so cruelly advocated the segregation of autism spectrum children from their  school peers as a means of saving money  will herself be a beneficiary of thousands of dollars due to this shabby and incestuous system of salary setting.

Barry Swan, Balgownie