The Turnbull Government does not have a revenue problem, but an expenditure one. Revenue has risen significantly over the past decade, however expenditure has risen even more. We are not living within our means, but above our means and on borrowed money.

Medicare is not "free" because approximately $11 billion of taxpayers money cover the expenses each year. To insinuate that the Coalition only want to please their rich masters referring too private health funds and private hospitals is simply, just garbage.

Remember, Mr Morris the Abbott/Hockey budget did not pass the parliament which means it is not legislated, which means the increased costs cannot be implemented. And as a disability pensioner I have undergone four operations within the last 17 years. Some of the operations required x-rays and other tests before and after surgery and yet I paid nothing.

Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow

From what I have seen so far this new Pokemon craze/game is dangerous and is bound to cause more trouble in the future.

Bev Wood, Kanahooka

I was born in Wollongong and moved to the Southern Highlands nine years ago.

Wollongong was once a lovely place however, over the years, it has been ruined by inappropriate development.

Commissioner Simpson's Inquiry (COI 1998/99) into Illawarra Escarpment Planning and management, found Wollongong Council had no  independent studies on which to base its planning. ie  it relied on the studies of developers. After the independent studies were supplied and detailed consultations / mapping and resources provided (following the COI) nothing seems to have changed.   Poor decisions are still being made 18 years hence.

Residents still contact  me when they are concerned regarding  poor planning decisions.

Three areas are obvious at the moment - Mt Keira, Farmborough Heights and the  Albion Park flood plain.

Apparently Mt Keira is being considered for development with gondolas etc. This type of use is totally out of character with the Aboriginal significance of the mountain coupled with Its instability, its conservation value and  its scenic lookouts.

The second area earmarked for development , the Farmborough Heights land, is high farmland and should be kept as a buffer to the Escarpment lands above. These farmlands  are also useful for food production.

The third area, opposite Tullinbah, is currently being bulldozed and  one of the best farming  areas on the South Coast. Magnificent alluvial soil is being excavated for housing development.

We need to retain good food producing land  close to large populations but the Wollongong  and Shellharbour councils  do not appear to understand what sustainable development means. 

June Pronk, Southern Highlands

The article entitled “Public Transport is Safer” (Illawarra Mercury, July 9, 2016), consisted of comments from the police officer in charge of the south-west sector of the Police Transport Command.  

However, no information was provided to demonstrate that public transport in the area is, in fact, safer.  

It should be quite easy to use crime statistics to support the statement but none were provided.

Perhaps Chief Inspector Craig James can supply the relevant statistics in response to this letter?

Bronwyn Bryceson, Mangerton