DEAR News Of The Area, OF concern in the recent federal election was a “swing” towards informal voting, with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) reporting a national average of 5.55 percent ballot papers that could not be counted. Within the electorates of Cowper and Page, the AEC’s corresponding local figures were 9.03 percent and 9.15 […]
DEAR News Of The Area, RAIN, rain, go away, come back another day! While I never suggest that all weather is linked to global warming, weather events that set new records are made worse by human-induced climate change. The science can explain why, but the National Party, Sky News and News Corp papers never will, […]
DEAR News Of The Area, I HOPE that the total inability of the coalition to provide a coherent economic narrative during the election campaign finally dispels the complete myth that they are always better at managing the Australian economy than Labor. Despite constant repetition of the rhetoric, this claim lacks any substance. Surely being able […]
DEAR News Of The Area, THE Cowper results show some interesting voting patterns. Across the board Caz Heise got a 3.5 percent increase in primary vote from 2022 while Pat Conaghan had a 0.8 percent decline in primaries. Unfortunately for the independent the gain was mainly won from Labor and the Greens losses. Some booths […]
A TWIST on an established horror franchise has been applied to Final Destination: Bloodlines. The original Final Destination was born from a fairly ingenious idea for the genre: a horror film in which Death itself was the “villain”, orchestrating Rube-Goldberg machinations of misfortune that result in suspenseful, grisly deaths. In this latest instalment, college student […]
BETTY appoints two of her daughters as her enduring guardians. The documentation is executed by Betty in the presence of a solicitor who witnesses her signature and explains the effect of the document to Betty. Her daughters later sign acceptances of their roles as guardians and again their signatures are witnessed by a solicitor. The […]
DEAR Jasminda, WE are organising a large birthday function and there are relatives that don’t get along with each other. How do we ensure no one feels left out while still making it an enjoyable experience for everyone? Harriet P. Dear Harriet, If your large family events traditionally look like an episode of Dr Phil, […]
DEAR News Of The Area, NOW that the Federal Election is finally over (thank God) it seems a few are grieving the result, and as a consequence their current thinking, as well as their memories, lack clarity. Mr Williamson in his letter of 9 May 2025 laments the fact that we have elected a lying […]
DEAR News Of The Area, WHILE we may congratulate Pat [Conaghan] and his Nationals team on their election win, and thank the other candidates – especially Independent Caz Heise and her hard working team, for putting their hands up and at least giving us a choice – it might be worth reflecting on how our […]
DEAR Jasminda, I AM someone who likes a firm handshake but some people in my social circle, and even at work seem to think it is acceptable to give me a hug or even a kiss. How do I make my position clear without causing offence? Alena P Dear Alena, There is nothing offensive about […]
