Lavington and Thurgoona have been part of Albury for close on 50 or 60 years.

Council facilities, such as public swimming pools, recreation areas and purpose-built libraries, are not the preserve of the central business district and its immediate surrounds.

The court cases involving Cardinal George Pell have again been in the news in recent times.

At the original conviction, each of 12 jurors found the Cardinal to be guilty "beyond reasonable doubt". Now, "beyond reasonable doubt" means that a juror is entitled to have some doubts about the defendant's guilt but that the weight of evidence must be so heavy as to overwhelm those doubts.

Such a requirement does lead to the possibility that an innocent man or woman may be convicted.

On appeal, judges of an appellate court cannot simply acquit a convicted person because there is a possibility that he may be innocent as this possibility is always present.

They would have to satisfy themselves that the weight of evidence was not sufficient to overwhelm any reasonable doubt. If appellate judges were to over-rule a jury decision only on the grounds that there was a possibility of innocence then they, themselves, would be guilty of perversion of the course of justice.

However, the point of this case is that there was significant evidence. For any commentator to claim that the public broadcaster pursued Cardinal Pell "without a skerrick of evidence" is as laughable as it is untrue.

IN OTHER NEWS:

I would like to encourage local residents to have their say on their preferred route of the new Mulwala Bridge.

Yarrawonga and Mulwala residents are being asked to provide feedback to the NSW government to help determine the preferred alignment for a new bridge crossing over Lake Mulwala. There has been overwhelming community support for the green route.

Many of you have had your say already but I truly believe that we are on the home straight now for the final route decision to be made. Speak up now.

As this is a decision that is going to impact our community for the next 50 years please put in a submission to have your say - just a couple of paragraphs will be sufficient.

Submissions can be made up until 30 July. You can visit nswroads.work/mulwalabridge; email murrayrivercrossing@transport.nsw.gov.au or post your feedback to: New Mulwala Bridge project team, PO Box 484, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650.

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