Your Views

School principal weighs into the power station debate

Community leaders have joined residents in the fight against the power station at Appin.

AS many people know, I have been involved in fighting several planning proposals that threaten to damage the health and wellbeing of residents in the Macarthur area and the Sydney basin.

I wish to now express my concern at the proposed Leafs Gully gas turbine power station in the Campbelltown Council area on the following grounds:

1. The proposed station will produce levels of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) which will increase levels of ozone and lead to asthma and respiratory conditions for residents surrounding the site and throughout the Sydney basin.

2. The proposed site is in a NOx limited zone and, according to the Metropolitan Air Quality Study (March 1996) and the Environment Protection Authority recommendation, no oxides of nitrogen producing industries should be built in NOx limited zones. In a NOx limited zone, under certain photochemical conditions, oxides of nitrogen will be a further catalyst for the production of ozone. This is likely to lead to ozone levels which would exceed acceptable levels.

3. The EPA study does not appear to take into account cumulative effects of air quality due to the circulatory nature of air movements in the Sydney basin. In my view, a turbine gas power station such as the one that proposed for Leafs Gully should be built closer to the seaside and outside the Sydney airshed. The proposed power station will lead to a deterioration of air quality in the Campbelltown, Wollondilly and Camden council areas and will impact on the whole Sydney basin under certain weather conditions. The proposed power station is a threat to the health of residents, particularly children and elderly people, who suffer from respiratory conditions.

John Greene

Principal

St Patrick's College

Campbelltown Website helps spread news to USA

Janet Willoughby is bringing Christmas cheer around the world.I WANTED to personally thank you for the story you did on Macarthur Christmas lights.

I got a good response which I hope will spread the word.

I even got an email from Michigan in the USA. She reads your online publication (www.macarthurchronicle.com.au) to keep in touch, as she lived here five years ago.

It's a good feeling when you can reconnect someone on the other side of the world with what's happening here.

Thanks again. Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Janet Willoughby

Mt Annan

Get drinkers out of public spaces

YOUR article in the Chronicle last week about creating an alcohol-free zone around Mt Annan Shopping Village impressed me very much.

I'm glad that initiatives are being implemented to make it a more family-friendly area. There is always broken beer glass around the paths around the cricket ground and lake. This tarnishes the area's appeal very much.

There has even been a carton of empties by the Mt Annan lake, where some have had their time and left their rubbish. I support the idea of a alcohol-free zone.

Lance Pearce Mt Annan

Taxpayers' money down the gurgler

IT is of enormous concern the way Chris Patterson and his fellow Liberal councillors have dealt with the drawn-out and ongoing problems of severe leakage at Camden Memorial Pool.

More than $1.1 million of ratepayers' money has been wasted  nearly $100,000 in the past four months alone to patch up a pool that was losing 70,500 litres per day  all at a time when we are experiencing the worst drought we have ever seen.

This problem has existed since the election of Cr Patterson and the current council. Let's disregard the rhetoric of blame that we all too often hear.

I feel it is of sincere concern the way Camden Council has dealt with the problems at Camden pool.

Greg WarrenMt AnnanLet dogs off when park is unusedWE support the recommendation for dogs to be allowed off their leashes at Camden Bicentennial Equestrian Park, except for the part about it only being allowed until 9am each day. We would like to walk our dogs there at any time unless there is an event on. Why is this so difficult to organise? 

This recreational area remains unused during most of the day.  It's a waste of a beautiful part of our community.

A notice could advise when an event is to be on and then we would keep our dogs away or on a leash; and at all other times, enjoy a good walk and run with our dogs. There's plenty of space here. We're lucky to live in beautiful Camden.

Bep ten Broeke

Camden

Sort out the roads to cut fatalities

AS reported in the Chronicle, Wollondilly Council has spent $5000 of the recommended $113,000 to maintain its bridges and only half what it should be spending to maintain its roads.

This year Wollondilly has the highest incidence of road fatalities in the state.

How can Wollondilly Council claim it is doing everything in its power to curb the number of road fatalities when it's spending a pittance on roads and bridges?

Put your money where your mouth is, council.

Tom van Dantzig

Picton

Young hero got me on my feet

THANK you to the kind young lady who assisted me after a fall in Campbelltown. I didn't get her name but would like to say thank you. We can certainly be proud of our young people.

M. Pattinson

Campbelltown

Compo laws enacted by stealth

IT has become very fashionable to criticise the Federal Government's industrial relations laws, especially if you are a Labor MP seeking re-election.

So it was refreshing to read your recent front page expose In Limbo, highlighting, for all to see, the travesty of the NSW workers' compensation laws, enacted by stealth in the NSW State Parliament in 2001.

These laws savagely reduced workers' compensation insurance payments to workers who were injured in the NSW workplace, and eliminated the capacity of most to sue their employers.

It is breathtaking hypocrisy on the part of our local Labor MPs, who are whipping themselves into an absolute frenzy over John Howard's IR laws, yet they all looked the other way when these savage laws were passed by Labor and have said nothing about them since. In other words, they will selectively oppose unjust workplace laws only if the Liberals enact them  but silently acquiesce to outrageous draconian laws enacted by their own Labor colleagues.

Where are the mass union rallies to overturn these unfair compensation laws? If the unions are upset about one unjust law, why not the other? Why have they deserted the most vulnerable, those who cannot return to the workplace due to injury?

Unjust workplace laws? Labor's record is worse, by far. Believe me, they will no longer look after you if you are injured at work.

Roger Powell

Leumeah

Safety of innocentis paramount

REGARDING J. L. Farrow's letter about the trees along Appin Rd (Macarthur Chronicle, December 12). I agree that no tree has ever jumped out in front of a car, only irresponsible drivers cause the accidents. However, irresponsible drivers are seldom the victims. 

Many of the accidents on Appin Rd happen to innocent people who have been driven off the road by these criminals and killed (after having nowhere to go to get away). 

Several years ago I was in such a situation. I had a near miss when one of those irresponsible drivers overtook and came head-on against me. My instinct was to look for an escape route. Unfortunately, the closeness of the trees to the road did not give me the opportunity. My only option was to cross the road, in front of oncoming traffic, and enter into a dirt driveway. Whereas, I love the trees, I love my family, and my own life more. While young drivers may need to accept responsibility and so forth, it is only rhetoric, not a solution. Safe roads are paramount. Safety of the innocent even more so.

Preventing the upgrade and safety improvements to Appin Rd is just as irresponsible as the action of those irresponsible drivers and complicity with the crimes they commit.

R. R. Vincenti

Glen Alpine

Cancer group thanks students

WE are a small cancer support group. Our aim is to help people in the Macarthur area affected by cancer who are emotionally and financially drained. Our biggest expenditure is to provide prothesis and bras to women who have mastectomies. We raise money with raffles, stalls and small donations from the community.

We receive no grants.

Recently St Patrick's College, Campbelltown students, instigated by Year 12 student Emma Nile, had a fundraiser at the school and donated the proceeds to our charity.

We are overwhelmed that this donation has come from young people and we wish to thank and acknowledge them and the school publicly.

Dorothy Kwasniak

Macarthur Cancer Support Group president

Regional schools show much talent

I HAD the privilege of attending the Campbelltown Performing Arts High School students' performance of Give My Regards to Queen St last week.

In providing horticultural services to several public schools in the Campbelltown/Liverpool area, I am used to seeing the students in their drab uniforms doing the usual things students do. What a delight and surprise it was to see the talented young people that we have in this city  dancers, singers, musicians, actors and even a juggler that would compliment any circus.

Of course we should not forget the dedication of many teachers who nurture this talent.

I later realised that this type of thing is being repeated at this time of year in all of our regional schools. I congratulate all involved in these activities and urge the community to get behind these activities and give these young people all the encouragement and support they deserve.

Brian Battle

Raby

Lights really are beautiful

THANKS to your readers for letting the community know about the Christmas lights displays. I have looked at some of the streets suggested and they are beautiful.

Mrs N. Carter

Camden