Election question to candidates

We all know that our local roads are already congested. If it was good enough for the authorities to remove our rail lines for a bike track, why don’t they now remove the total city rail network and tell the people to ride bikes? It appears our needs are different from the cities. I want a oneword answer: yes, or no.

My question to all candidates running is this: Do you support bringing back light rail, to connect all of the far north coast to the south-east Queensland network? Yes, or no?

Our road network is totally congested. It is beyond a joke, but so far not one candidate has bothered to mention doing anything about it.

It will only get worse, which would be hard to believe.

My request to all voters is to eliminate all candidates who have no vision in saying no.

Thus, only consider the candidates who answer yes.

Long-term savings in the use of fossil fuels, and reductions in road traffic and road carnage over the years, as well as tourism opportunities, would have been huge positives.

Yes, the restoration of the rail system would cost millions of dollars in the short run, however, did anyone blink twice when our governments spent $4.9 billion on the upgrade of the 155km section of the Pacific Highway between Woolgoolga and Ballina.

I can’t help feeling that self-interest, political posturing and sheer bloody-mindedness have prevented us from having the best of both worlds.

Neville Jennings, Murwillumbah Speed limit needs to drop

I am writing in response to your article (9/02/2023) in relation to the recent road deaths.

thorities to consider reducing the speed limit on this section of the road to 80km/h. This would be a small but crucial step in creating a safer and more livable community for everyone.

Lucas Randles, Bray Park

Lower the speed limit

Okay, enough talking. We keep telling these idiots until we’re blue in the face — lower the bloody speed limits! Tweed Valley Way along the river, 80km/h. Tumbulgum Road, 80 km/h. That’s a good start. Just do it. Now. Sorry, but the lovely new signs warning of non-existent speed cameras did not stop the lady dying at Minnows Road two weeks ago. Stop talking about it. Just do it. K Lamar, Condong Voice is about shared humanity change.”

According to who gains the most advantage. Who gains the most advantage from a Voice to Parliament?

We, the voters, are being tasked to vote without actually knowing or even taking responsibility for the outcome.

We are being asked to vote on an issue that directly concerns the lives of our fellow human beings.

This vote is not a “Kumbaya” moment in history where “white fellas” get to expunge their perceived guilt by granting “Yes” with a lordly wave of the hand.

This issue is about our shared humanity. Or should be.

Bill Collins, Murwillumbah Putin’s war on Ukraine don’t have to look very far!

If the world was a school playground, Putin would be its most obvious bully.

Putin is ex KGB and still dreams of the Soviet empire. Putin’s Russia has invaded many ex-Soviet Republics even though they became independent in 1991.

He has led many grisly, bloody wars in what he claims is Russia’s sphere of influence.

Ukraine is the latest victim of Putin’s thuggery. Indeed, without Putin, this war wouldn’t have happened. This whole bloodbath is entirely the brainchild of Vladimir Putin.

On the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I hear some on the extreme left and right question Australia’s commitment to Ukraine.

Mike Yarrow,

Byangum We could’ve had it all

In the past week I have had occasion to travel extensively on the Sydney Rail Network, passing numerous suburban stations each with thousands of parked cars.

I could not help but reflect on the savings in fossil fuels, road accidents and traffic congestion made possible by the existence of this extensive network.

Then I reflected on the Far North Coast where we lost our rail service nearly twenty years ago and the imminent opening of the local section of the Rail Trail.

This is clearly good news for walkers, bike riders and some tourist operators.

However, I bemoan the fact that some supporters of the rail trail could not bring themselves to consider a dual-use option where walkers, riders and rail travellers were able to share the rail corridor.

I want to express my concerns about the safety and noise levels on that section of road. The road in question Tweed Valley Way — is currently designated as a 100km/h zone. I strongly believe it should be reduced to 80km/h due to the number of fatalities that have occurred on the road and the impact it has on the residents living nearby such as noise and access restrictions.

The road is only eight kilometres long, from the start of the 100km/h zone to the end near Cudgen Road. The speed limit reduction would only cost drivers approximately 1.52 minutes of time, while significantly improving safety and quality of life for residents.

I believe that reducing the speed limit would help prevent accidents and save lives. Furthermore, residents living near the road are constantly disturbed by the loud noise of vehicles passing by, which negatively affects their quality of life. Additionally, turning into their driveway from the busy road is a dangerous and challenging task.

Therefore, I urge the relevant au-

I am responding to a letter in the TVW from a few weeks ago. It would appear from the letter that Jacinta Price’s position on the Voice, despite being an Indigenous person, is “...totally out of step...” with her Indigenous constituents. Indeed, it was implied she should refer to the overwhelming weight and knowledge of us “white fellas” on the matter. Because that is who is going to decide on a vote for or against the Voice.

The Calma-Langton report/submission is a work in progress. It is tedious and performs to the highest qualities of bureau-speak.

It is not written in plain English, or as far as I know any Indigenous language.

I was fortunate enough to go to university as a mature aged student and one of my first jobs was disseminating industry submissions to a state parliament.

Thus a 10,000 word document was pared down to a few paragraphs for the relevant minister. The issue was always, “We want things to stay the same”, or “We want things to

Don’t believe everything you hear in the mainstream media they say. Well, I would answer: I don’t. You don’t need the opinions of the mainstream (or any) media to know that when the world’s largest nation invades a smaller neighbour, it’s not only wrong but entirely evil.

The cause of this war isn’t black and white the critics say.

Really? Ukraine’s only crime was that it wanted to join NATO and the EU.

As a sovereign, democratic country it has every right to join whatever organisation it sees fit.

Imagine if we Australians were told by a giant regional superpower that it would invade and destroy us for joining an alliance of our choosing?

Russia is the victim of a nasty western smear campaign, claim the hard right Putin lovers and old communist lefties.

Well, as someone who studied Russian history, has been to Russia twice being a longtime admirer of the Russian people, I say if you want to smear Vladimir Putin, you really

I would argue that the West hasn’t done enough to help Ukraine break free from this thug. Of course, the West’’ hands are tied in avoiding direct war because Russia has ‘the bomb’, however if the nations of the world don’t uphold the rule of international law, then where does it stop?

The echoes of Hitler aren’t that far away.

The death toll in Europe’s bloodiest war since WWII is now in the hundreds of thousands. Not just Ukrainians defending their country and its innocent civilians, but many young Russians (mostly poor, rural teenagers) sent as cannon fodder. If there’s nothing else we can do, at least we can hold Putin accountable. It’s time the international community use the massive amount of evidence available and charge Putin with mass murder.

Putin and his entourage should be branded war criminals and hopefully one day face justice for his crimes. Let’s all hope the bully gets the humiliation he deserves.

Simon Alderton, Murwillumbah

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