Supported club call for $3000

Dear Sir,

I read your article ‘City of Ryde upsets Ryde City Bowlers’ (TWT 13/8) with great interest, unfortunately it does not tell the full story and blames all councillors.

I fully supported the club’s plight to get some financial assistance from Ryde City Council. I have full faith in the club and it had my support as well as from my independent colleagues, Mayor Clr Ivan Petch, and councillors Connie Netterfield and Terry Ryan.

In my support remarks at the Council meeting I stated that this was the minimum we could do for an organisation that had been serving Ryde residents for a century.

This is the oldest club in the City of Ryde and club members are ratepayers, too; they have paid their rates for more than 100 years and all they wanted was a symbolic assistance of $3000.

The unfounded allegation that the club receives $10,000 a week from each poker machine is ridiculous. If that were the case, why would the club need to ask for $3000?

I am not a member of this club. The only reason I had for supporting the assistance request, is that I firmly believe that they deserve it. This was only requested as a one-off assistance for their important centenary celebration. They are part of City of Ryde’s heritage and Ryde City Council has the moral duty to assist any organisation that tries to preserve our heritage.

Clr SARKIS YEDELIAN JP
Deputy Mayor

Dear Sir,

I cannot believe the stupid and ill-informed remarks made by Clr Nicole Campbell who stated that Ryde City Bowling Club was making $10,000 a week from poker machines.
As treasurer of the RCBC, I issue the following challenge to Clr Campbell: For every $10,000 per week that the club makes from the poker machines, we will pay Clr Campbell $5000, providing that she pays the club $60 per week should this feat not be accomplished. This way that the club could collect $3000 over a year, the modest amount we have requested as a contribution to our centenary year.

I must say that things have not changed much over the years, as back in 2000 the club`s application for a 21-year lease was bitterly contested by Council, mainly in the form of Clr Terry Perram who at that time showed his unrestrained hostility toward the club because, and I quote, “In my view it (the club) is set on what must be the best precinct in Ryde.”
He said that gambling would soon be the main reason for the club`s existence if an expansion went ahead. Is it possible that Clr Perram may have also voted against the contribution and that he has been whispering in Clr Campbell`s ear?

The club is and has always been one that serves the community, catering for not only bowlers but for many local groups in its function centres including Ryde City Council Ryde Chamber of Commerce, Probus groups, Ryde Tafe College and many others.
We also cater for disabled bowlers and over the years have donated to Ryde Hospital and local schools, as well as the Children`s Hospital & Youth Off the Streets etc.

KEN BURKETT
North Ryde

Murdoch well to the right

Dear Sir,

I agree with Ron Squires (TWT 13/8) that the Murdoch media empire is omnipotent and that it has poisoned the minds of Australians.

Well, only those that are gullible and irrational.

But Mr Squires, you are dreaming if you think Murdoch supports Rudd. Rupert Murdoch via Fox News and News Ltd espouses right-wing neocon views ad nauseum worldwide. The semi-literate George W. Bush and his acolyte John Howard are inflated at every opportunity, whereas anyone, or thing, contrary to Rupert’s manifesto of personal wealth maximisation are pilloried.

Just open News Ltd’s Daily Telegraph every Tuesday and Thursday for one full page of anti-Labor/Rudd vitriol courtesy of the alleged journalist Piers Akerman.

You will find more of the same dross from its editor and in the letters’ section. As for our beloved TWT, sometimes we may feel like an alien in JB’s world, but to JB’s credit he continually publishes views from the entire political spectrum.

MARK YATES
North Epping

Dear Sir,

It’s unusual for readers of local newspapers to be told of the details of advertising contracts - on the front page.

Avid readers of TWT (yes, there are many) are more used to be told what to think about the weather. Disputes about money are intriguing and even amusing, but are they more interesting than the climate change “hoax” we hear so much about?

But on this one JB, you do have a valid point. The power of the near monopoly local press and its exclusive contracts with big spenders like local governments and the major real estate chains is a matter of concern.

In fact the ACCC recently ruled against the publisher of NDT because of an anti-competitive, restrictive arrangement it had with the real estate industry in the Eastern suburbs.

The purpose of such deals is to freeze out locally owned small businesses and employers like yourself. It’s a pity that councils collude so willingly in this. So much money, millions and millions of dollars are being sucked out of the local community and banked overseas as a result.

And in return we get get bland, metro-wide, sausage-machine drivel pumped out by PR companies and dressed up as news. At least TWT has some real local character, even if it is wrong about the weather.

Keep up the good fight JB, the health of our democracy depends on an independent, free press.

RUSSELL EDWARDS
Drummoyne

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