LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

DROUGHT

IT’S GREAT to see the support that those who are drought affected are receiving, but with so many in need, more ongoing support will be needed for a longer time.

What has been raised/donated won’t go very far among so many in need.

The serious aspect is that it doesn’t rain money. Grain farmers have missed a complete crop and the associated cost of being ready to plant if rain had fallen. We can just imagine, well maybe, what it would be like if we missed a year’s wages or pension. We’d need to draw on reserves or take out loans or depend on others for help.

But many producers are in debt to the limit after years of droughts, so can’t borrow any more. Livestock owners have lost, or sold at disastrous prices their stock, and when rain and thus feed does become available again, they will need to repurchase breeding stock, if they can find any to start again.

It will still take a few years for them to get a worthwhile income to live on and try to reduce the accumulated debt. They well and truly deserve our support as these things are beyond their control.

Sincere thanks to those who have, and are supporting them.

RAY HARCH, Toowoomba

YALLAMBEE

I HAVE been associated with Yallambee aged care in Millmerran (also know as Millmerran Centenary Retirement village) as a visiting Catholic priest for quite sometime now.

The recent allegations about the facility have caused many to perceive a wrong notion about this communityowned, aged-care facility and I would like to put forth my experience and observations as a visitor at Yallambee.

I have been visiting Yallambee for the past six years and I have seen through my eyes how the staff deliver resident-centred care in the most professional manner.

Any help asked by a resident or a visitor is catered to with maximum professionalism. The staff can be seen walking about within the facility with the biggest smiles on their faces which helps create an environment of positivity for the residents.

Even when I spend one-on-one time with the residents after Mass, the residents always say how beautiful the place is and how wonderful the staff are.

According to me the allegations against this aged-care facility and what I have seen with my eyes are contradictory and thus I would say, keep up the good work Yallambee. FR. THOMAS AREEKUZHY, Parish priest of Millmerran, Pittsworth, Oakey Catholic parishes

ENERGY POLICY

FORMER Prime Minister Malcolm’s NEG failure isn’t surprising. He failed with the out-of-date NBN, unreliable power supply, and Coles Supermarket closed due to computer glitches. Is this going to be the future with bank accounts not guaranteed, and billions of dollars hacked from accounts? The elite bankers want a cashless society to fully control our finances. Cash out in power failures will be impossible.

We’re told electric cars are our future. Do you believe that? Are we going to pay for overpriced power so we can drive to the shop and run the computer to internet shop? Privatised Telstar has failed our bush residents and home phones suffer from poor maintenance.

The GST is another failure as we were promised stamp duty would be abolished; yet another lie.

The GST has increased the cost of petrol, and the list could go on.

Is it any wonder people don’t trust government? We could have cheap pollution free uranium electricity but stymied by environmentalist and BIG business that is making huge profits from gas and coal. We’ve had enough of their lies and spin-doctoring.

JAY NAUSS, Glen Aplin