Roads remain dangerous
IT never gets any easier seeing the tragic number of motorists who die or are injured after being caught in floods and sadly the recent storms were no exception.
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Even though the immediate threat has passed, there are still many hidden dangers. Road surfaces have been torn to shreds by flash flooding across NSW, trees have been uprooted and road safety signs have been ripped from their foundations.
Recently, a report from the NRMA identified a $1.7 million repair backlog for NSW road maintenance. It worries me to think how much worse the situation is after these storms.
The economic impact of damaged roads is substantial. The personal impact on families coping with the death or injury of a loved one is immeasurable. Until these roads are fixed, please drive with the knowledge that the danger does not recede with the floods.
GENEVIEVE HENDERSON,
Slater and Gordon motor vehicle accident lawyer
Buffalo Valley dam better
I’M writing in reference to “Dam on Buffalo River” (The Border Mail, June 9). As a young lad working up the Buffalo River, I saw the government at the time was only prepared to build a swimming pool called the Buffalo dam. They removed all those beautiful families to take away all that God given country for the sake of building a storage for the minister at the time to fly fish.
The dam could have been built way up the Buffalo Valley, that would have stored more precious water, cheaper to build and save a lot of flooding in the Myrtleford area.
Where has common sense gone? Just think before you vote. We want politicians to walk the talk, and always remember a minute of thought is worth more than an hour of talk.
And may God bless all those people that are responsible for changing people’s lives. I do care.
MICK ROONEY, Wodonga
Black list repeat offenders
I REFER to your editorial “Drink drivers a deadly unnecessary danger” (The Border Mail, June 13) and with no disrespect, in the words of a well known musical “ Words, words words, all I read is words”. There cannot be a day when every newspaper in the country doesn’t have an item related to driving misdemeanours.
It is all very well for the police to apprehend these offenders, when the courts are unable to issue sufficient discouragements.
I can expound on the subject, but suffice it to say, all offenders convicted of (say) three unlicensed driving offences should have the car immobilised for the duration of the suspension. They would then be required to re-pass their driving test.
They should be entered on a “black list” freely available to the public that would prevent them from owning, borrowing, renting hiring or leasing a motor vehicle during this period.
Any subsequent offences should attract a lifetime ban. These measures would go a long way to removing those drivers who flout the law as the do at present
JOHN MASON,
Wodonga
CLARIFICATION
A report in Saturday's Border Mail ("Council commits to build new fire tower") incorrectly attributed comments to Indigo Shire municipal fire prevention officer Mark Green a new fire tower at Mount Barambogie should be built. The comments were made by DELWP operations director Tony Long.
- Letters commenting on election issues must bear the name and full address of the writer. Responsibility for election comment is accepted by The Border Mail editor Niall Boyle, 1 McKoy Street, Wodonga. Writers should disclose any alliance with political or community organisations and include their telephone number for verification. Election candidates should declare themselves as such when submitting letters.