DEAR News Of The Area, AS ANZAC Day approaches, and as wars rage unabated in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, it is important to contemplate the sacrifices made by previous generations and what legacies we have inherited. Almost everyone who participated in WWII is now dead, weakening the direct link to that dark […]
Letter to the Editor: Fuel shortages are the fault of government
DEAR News Of The Area, AUSTRALIA until recently had 10 oil refineries, but now has only two. Therefore we rely almost entirely on imports of finished products, of which we have only a few weeks of supply stored on Australian soil. The late Senator Major General Jim Molan pointed out the severe consequences of our […]
Legal Hypothetical: Enough is a feast
RUTH has five children. She makes a will leaving the whole of her estate to all of her children equally. When Ruth passes away, her estate is valued at $1.5 million. Ruth’s youngest son, Roger, makes a family provision claim against the estate, seeking a right to reside in Ruth’s home for life and in […]
Letter to the Editor: Train service unacceptable
DEAR News Of The Area, Thank you Mike Hely for your article on the issues with the XPT service (NOTA 3 April Edition). I wrote in a few times complaining about this ‘non’ service and that their explanations were unacceptable. As I said neighbours actually went into the office at the Coffs station and were […]
Letter to the Editor: Address to the nation
DEAR News Of The Area, WHO didn’t appreciate the address to the nation by our esteemed leader? However, he omitted to utilise time honoured props: say Harris Tweed jacket complete with leather elbow patches, Toto in the background lazing in front of an open (electric fire), carbon free of course. No fossil fuel for Toto, […]
Egg Hunt
Letter to the Editor: ‘Vehement’ opposition to housing proposal
DEAR News Of The Area, THE proposed gifting of Lot 1 Ferry Street, Urunga to the Waterfall Way Community Land Trust, (“Community invited to have a say on Urunga’s affordable housing proposal,” 27/3), if approved, would enable one of the most ill-conceived and destructive housing developments ever undertaken in Bellingen Shire. No mention was made […]
Letter to the Editor: Bring the children home
DEAR News Of The Area, THEIR mothers were young and naive when they left Australia to marry ISIS fighters. They were barely children themselves. Allowing them to live in filth and squalor is a breeding ground for radicalisation, let alone shortening their lives due to malnourishment and disease. They are Australian citizens and above all […]
Letter to the Editor: How did we get here?
DEAR News Of The Area, AGAIN, in response to Ashley Love’s Letter of 11 March 2026, I feel it is necessary to highlight his hypocrisy regarding plantations within the proposed Great Koala National Park footprint. His last two paragraphs say it all. Koalas trump taxpayer investment in plantations, no matter what. The plantations within the […]
Legal Hypothetical: Banking on Mum – A gift or undue influence?
EVELYN died at the age of 89, leaving an estate valued at approximately $3 million. Her will divides the estate equally between her four adult children. In the final months of her life, however, Evelyn transferred $180,000 to one of her children, Amanda. At the time, Evelyn was frail and relied heavily on Amanda, who […]
