The first two times I called the police said it was not a matter for them and there was nothing they could do. Unlike Victoria, there are no stiff penalties for the removal/collection of firewood on public roadsides in NSW.

On this occasion however I asked that the police please confirm for me the legality of this activity. They graciously returned my call and advised, while it is not illegal to remove firewood from public roadsides in NSW, it is illegal for the general public to fell trees in roadsides.

Surely it is time that the Albury Council caught up with our southern peers and passed bylaws prohibiting the removal of timber from public roadsides, particularly 'coarse woody debris' that provides important habitat for many threatened flora and fauna specie.

And before people conclude that I am a member of some extreme fringe green hippie circle of love, I am a right-wing liberal voter who believes you reap what you sow.

AT a rally in Tatura last week irrigators threatened civil disobedience as they protested against rising water costs which they fear will put them out of business. 

Meanwhile, north of the Border, the Murray region’s food producers have banded together to run a campaign they are calling ‘Speak Up’, which aims to highlight the difficult situation they are facing. At present they have zero allocation which is jeopardising potentially excellent winter crops which need to be finished off. 

There is ample water for environmental flows, even though expert advice is telling the MDBA that some of these winter flows are harming river systems. Surely, when we put everything together, it is obvious there are serious flaws in the way our water is being managed. 

When will people and politicians wake up to the fact that there can be sufficient water for the environment and food production, but if this is to be achieved the way it is managed needs serious overhaul? 

If this is not urgently addressed we face the risk of leaving a terrible legacy for future generations. 

NOW that the dust has settled on the unwanted green bins, it’s time for council to stop patting themselves on the back thinking they have saved the world and reassess what they are imposing upon us.

From what I can see only 50 per cent of households are putting out the green bin every week. Yet, every two weeks when the red bin goes out overflowing. 

Possible solution, change the arrangement. Red bins out every week, green bins out every second week. Don’t have to be Einstein.

I HAVE been away from Wodonga for a few weeks, enjoying some warmer weather and more reliable railway systems. Not long before I left a girl was injured in a railway carriage. While I was away, two large freight containers fell off a flat top railway truck on the north east line and last week there was a freight train decoupling incident near Barnawartha. 

No such problems in Queensland, and they have trouble believing the issues we have to put up with between the Border and Melbourne. The condition of the rail track and rolling stock that is available to us is an absolute disgrace. Are the powers that be waiting for loss of lives? What do you think about this debacle readers?  Let’s stir up some angst.