HE'S GOT TO GO NOW!

Glenda Byers, Cordeaux Heights

We are an average Australian family, with a member who is Totally and Permanently Disabled (TPD), who likes to travel and finds travel in NSW appealing.

The Bureau of Statistics states that about 20% of Australians identify as 'disabled'.

Yet the Tourism Industry and the people who run it, do not see the opportunity it presents!.

For many disabled people, they will require an 'accessible' room. Two examples:

1. We saw an ad for what we thought was a good deal for accommodation in Central West NSW. Phoned to check.on availability, no 'accessible' rooms;

2. A function in the Blue Mountains-intensive phoning, very few rooms between Penrith and Katoomba, those that existed were taken.

The Tourism Industry needs to address this illegal discriminatory practice.

Once you find a place that is welcoming, you tend to go back.

Other practices abound, disabled rooms do not tend to be advertised on accommodation web sites, so you have to phone around and, in the first place, it is not well advertised that there are 'accessible' rooms.

Many things that go into an 'accessible' room can be set up on building.

Give the disabled a 'fair go' and Tourism providers treat it as a business opportunity. You.do not need to hire an MBA graduate to tell you that!

Peter Corkish, Wollongong

Does a declared state of emergency mean a total ban on BBQs?

I certainly hope so.

At this horrific time it is appropriate to curtail all events utilising any form of flame or heat, be they personal or community organised.

If there is concern about drivers flicking cigarettes out of Windows I certainly have a concern about people in my neighbourhood having BBQs. One lapse in concentration.

One drunken Christmas cheer could spell disaster for neighbouring properties.

It's not like the drought and its effects aren't felt everywhere. Everything is a tinderbox at the moment.

Of course I also believe that the NY fireworks are inappropriate but I know no none from Council would listen to the idea of following the communities who cancelled that aspect of their events out of respect.

I think Wollongong council would gain a great deal of admiration if they lead the way.

Jill Darville, Mt St Thomas

The wording of Scott Morrison's apology for taking a holiday in Hawaii during our unprecedented bush-fire emergency is telling.

Rather than apologise for abrogating his responsibility as Prime Minister to oversee the heroic measures being undertaken to try to deal with this National crisis, he apologised for "any offence caused."

The wording of this apology suggests to me that he is more concerned about "loss of votes," rather then "loss of homes."

John Martin, Wonoona