To suggest that there should be investigations into tax benefits provided to churches because a Sydney diocese made a donation to a cause which Father Peter does not support shows that he was wearing blinkers. 

The income of a church is not subject to tax.

Churches do not pay land rates on church properties. Most of a church’s income comes from members or supporters. The first call on church funds is to pay the priest or clergy and office staff as well as their superannuation and insurances. 

In the case of St Matthews there is the levy to the Diocese of Wangaratta, insurance and maintenance of buildings. After these costs there are some funds left over for the homeless and hungry.

If church income was to be subject to taxes then the available funds for the homeless and hungry would be reduced. 

Priests and other clergy also enjoy their own tax benefits. Is he suggesting that he would happily forego these benefits? 

The income of a church comes from its own people, the expenditure is controlled by a parish council made up of their own people, apart from diocesan imposts (taxes). 

They should be free to spend it how they decide within the church and legal guidelines.

So the government is introducing a new energy policy that will supposedly save customers a “whopping” 20 cents a day … maybe. This policy won't be introduced until 2020. Are they kidding? 

This gives the greedy electricity companies a whole two years to raise their prices, not only to recoup that 20 cents a day, but to go above and beyond that. 

It's bad enough we have three levels of government milking us dry every way they can think of without greedy electricity companies bleeding what's left off us.

Our new member for Cootamundra, Stephanie Cooke said, pre-election, that she would fight for the rights of her constituents (quote) “with every ounce of my being” and “ensuring the Cootamundra electorate has a thunderous voice in Macquarie Street”.

If indeed she is genuine as she says and wants to fight for those rights, it will be interesting to see if she will be prepared to work with and, cross the floor if need be, to support our Gundagai Council in Exile in their efforts to win back our town or, will she be guided by her party’s detested policy on forced mergers?

Her constituents already know just how much trust they can put in a Liberal or National Party pre-election promise (remember the no forced council mergers promise?).

If Ms Cooke is indeed true to her word then there can be no doubt that we can expect to see some fireworks in Macquarie Street when she supports with every ounce of her being and with a thunderous voice her promised fight to respect the will of the Gundagai and Cootamundra residents, who want no part of the undemocratic council merger forced upon them by an out-of-touch and arrogant government.

Hopefully, we will get to see some action from our member and not just empty rhetoric.