A CORRUPT STATE
On any reasonable consideration of the historical facts, the arrival on January 18 1788 of several of the "first fleet" ships, into Botany Bay, contained all the ingredients required to eventually make New South Wales Australia's most corrupt state.
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A royal commission initiated by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, revealed corruption of the most evil type was rampant among the NSW clergy, involving criminal acts which destroyed the lives of trusting and innocent young people.
Corruption spawned by arrogance and greed involving the theft of millions from the people of NSW via the issuing of dodgy coal leases was revealed in 2013 by ICAC.
Currently, alleged political corruption by the NSW Labor Party, saw Premier Gladys Berejiklian recently attempting to score some easy political points.
Only to receive a smack on the nose, with her minister for sport, John Sidoti called to front ICAC to answer some very serious questions.
John Sidoti is being questioned about his family company JAFS, having a 10 per cent equity in a $70 million property development by Chinese property developer Ming Shan.
N/B Ming provided Sidoti with a donation in 2015 which, in the light of ICAC, the Liberal Party is now desperately, attempting to return.
Suggesting corruption and NSW unfortunately, remain synonymous.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
LACKING EVIDENCE
There has been an increasing number of recent Press items, matched by contributions from Adrian Devlin.'All Hysterical Piffle' (September 16) and 'Climate Extremists' (August 21), about climate change.
In all that has been presented, Mr Devlin shows no evidence that he has modified any of his views in light of what is being reported.
Mr Devlin likes to label anybody with a view contrary to his as 'green left' and as having a 'hardline socialist agenda'.
I had a view that Australia was a pluralist society, tolerant of many views.
I thought that we had moved on from the era of fearing 'reds under the bed', whether they were there or not (usually not).
Recent reports of climate change are not "scaring" but they are certainly scaring people because of the inaction of our Parliament.
This is where some of the words of the French National Anthem are well suited.
Peter Corkish, Wollongong
FREIGHT LINE SO CLOSE
I remember when we were so close to having the Maldon-Dombardon freight line going ahead.
Unfortunately it was stopped, reason was because Lindsay Fox was good friends with then Liberal Premier Nick Greiner.
He persuaded the Premier not to have the line finished because it would affect his trucking business.
This is why Lindsay has become the person he is now, very successful.
Matty Ryan, Fairy Meadow
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