‘Little thanks’ for former MP

Dear Sir,

It is a wonder that anybody puts up his or her hand to be an MP when they are confronted with headlines such as appeared on the front page (TWT 5/11).

I refer to: ‘Thank-you for Nothing, Mr Watkins!’.

After 13 and a half years of working tirelessly for the Ryde electorate it is amazing how little thanks are given.

The new buildings at many of the local schools: Ryde Secondary College, Denistone East Public School, Ryde Public School, to name a few; the three new railway stations in the Macquarie Park area; the new bus routes so that most constituents of Ryde have access to one bus which takes them direct to the City rather than catching a private bus and then another bus.

How quickly these and other accomplishments are forgotten.

I wonder how many community meetings, P&C meetings, fetes, citizenship ceremonies Mr Watkins attended in his time as the local member. I wonder how many constituents visited his local office in Blaxland Road and were helped.

I wonder how many nights in the week Mr Watkins was away from home and his family. How many holidays were forgone because of commitments to parliament or community events.

People expect a lot from their local member, however I think that when they retire we should be gracious enough to say thank you for what they have done.

Thank you Mr Watkins for your tireless efforts over the last 13 years for the Ryde community. I wish you well in you new career choice.

Clr GABRIELLE O’DONNELL
Ryde City Council

Dear Sir,

Never have I felt so outraged and compelled to write to your paper in response to the front page attack on John Watkins (TWT 5/11).

I thank John Watkins for the years of dedicated service as the member for Ryde and I see his contribution as nothing short of outstanding with a list of successes too numerous to list, but I’ll give it a go.

Let’s start in North Ryde the area in which I live, with the construction of the Chatswood to Epping railway line; the Lane Cove Tunnel and above ground with new bus and cycleway lanes, a great plus for the environment; the upgrades of Truscott Street, North Ryde Public schools and the reduction in class sizes for K-2s throughout the area and NSW.

Let’s move now to Ryde and Eastwood areas with upgrades to the wards at Ryde Hospital and the new ambulance station, with continuing upgrades to Ryde Public School and Ryde Secondary College. The complete rebuilding of the Eastwood Heights Public School and the easy-access upgrades to railway stations. And let’s not forget the State Government taking ownership of the terrible old North and Western buses.

The journey, like the list is too long to continue, so again I thank John Watkins for transforming Ryde and working tirelessly for us, your past constituents.

GAYE CARSON
North Ryde

Dear Sir,
I was very disappointed to read the criticism on TWT’s page one (TWT 5/11) of John Watkins, a man much admired by the Ryde community.

John Watkins served the people of Ryde and NSW for 13 years with great dedication.
Page 1 tells us that the interview with Victor Dominello is on page 6. Page 6 tells us that the interview will appear next week.

PHILIP BICKERSTAFF
East Ryde

Backing a team no matter what

Dear Sir,

It was Winston Churchill who said, “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

When one looks at the recent Ryde by-election result it is easy to believe Churchill’s observation was spot on.

In observing the first preference count which gave Victor Dominello a clear victory I was astounded to see that 11,725 voters actually voted for the Labor Party.

This is the party that has turned NSW into a basket case. It is corrupt, inefficient, arrogant and totally dysfunctional but some people still voted for them.

In trying to understand the mindset of the poor misguided souls I believe what we have is the football club mentality where people support their team (political party) through thick and thin with no regard to performance or results achieved.

This football team approach has created the ultimate obscenity in politics, that being the safe seat. There are so many duds sitting in our parliament on both sides of the House with a job for life because of this approach.

If we voted purely on capability and performance we would certainly put many seat warmers on edge and no doubt make them lift their game.

JOHN W. WHOLOHAN
North Epping

Scout team dish up a top lunch

Dear Sir,

On behalf of St.George’s Guilds in Australia Inc a very big thank-you to you, Beth and your team from 1st Meadowbank Scouts for the terrific lunch you provided on Sunday September 21 at Addington.

The food was good, the presentation top class and the organisation terrific.
Considering we didn’t even give you firm numbers to cater for, and we know
only too well the inadequacies of that primitive kitchen, you provided a
first-class meal and your team worked like a well-oiled machine.

Guild members really appreciated not having to work on the day but the visitors also were loud in their praise of 1st Meadowbank Scout Group.

Bravo and best wishes for your future projects.

EVA J. MAXTED
National Guild chancellor
St George’s Guilds
in Australia Inc

Voting with the best intentions

Dear Sir,

Your article (TWT 15/10) ‘Shamateurs Scuttle Saving Scout Hall’, claims that three councillors engaged in “shameful behaviour”, apparently for the reason that they lodged a rescission motion to Ryde Council.

When dealing with a motion before Council, each councillor is expected to consider the matter on its merits and form a view as to whether the proposed resolution is in the best interests of residents and ratepayers.

The Local Government Act allows rescission motions as a mechanism for reviewing a resolution. After a rescission motion has been signed by three councillors and lodged, Council staff may not act upon the resolution until the rescission motion has been dealt with.

The rescission motion is one of the checks and balances in the Act. It is particularly useful where a decision may have been taken hastily, without full information or requiring Council policy to be set aside because of pressing time constraints. There is nothing shameful about invoking this safeguard if three councillors believe the resolution is not in the best interests of residents and ratepayers.

Your article points out correctly that the original resolution was opposed by four councillors, including both former mayors. That is enough in itself to question whether hasty action should be taken. Then I read in your article that some councillors made the matter an election pledge, suggesting that political considerations may have influenced decisions. Even more reason for caution.

The lesson from this episode is that if councillors want to take hasty action, they should either convince their colleagues to pass a unanimous resolution, or refrain.

Unfortunately I cannot at this stage describe the original resolution or explain my various reasons for opposing it, because the matter is subject to the confidentiality provisions of the Act. The only public aspect is the voting record, which appears in the meeting minutes.

Clr TERRY PERRAM
Eastwood

Wisdom factory: graffiti eyesore

Dear Sir,

I congratulate you on the anti-graffiti initiative promoted within TWT.

A major graffiti eyesore within TWT territory would have to be the old Wisdom Toothbrush factory/industrial complex on the northern side of Well Street, Ryde (near the corner of Church Street).

At this major gateway to the Ryde Local Government Area, motorists heading north, coming off Ryde Bridge (and particularly those turning into Well Street heading towards Meadowbank) are confronted with the offensive and unsightly graffiti that has been painted over this building, particularly the graffiti on the tower of this building, ‘Sexual Wisdom’.
There is hardly a window in the old building that hasn’t been broken or covered in graffiti. Vandals (or their supporters) have even published photographs of this location on the internet. Can TWT or the chamber/business organisations involved in this anti-graffiti identify the owner of this building and seek their assistance in cleaning up this eyesore?

ADAM HARDY
West Ryde

Lost and found

Dear Sir,

Thank you so much to the anonymous lady who found my daughter’s lost mobile.
The woman rang us, and then left the phone for us to collect from Eastwood Police Station on Sunday. She obviously had no thought of a reward, but we have seen her reward ourselves - a thankful teenager who has had one more experience of kindness to brighten her world.

GREG BUTLER
Hornsby Heights

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