The proposal was defeated by a five to four vote which was the council’s democratic right but what was not, was the influence of Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association which turned up with quite a few members to influence the outcome of the vote.

For reasons known only to themselves the association seems hellbent on demeaning Port Stephens Council at every opportunity.

I am also a resident of Port Stephens who lives in Raymond Terrace.

From my point of view, and may I say a lot of people I personally know, there’s nothing but support for what our council does.

I’d suggest that maybe if the TRRA lived in Newcastle they would have something to complain about.

There will always be people who make negative comments but it’s also nice to say something positive now and again.

Terence Ashton

Raymond Terrace

I read with interest (‘Nelson Bay Road, a question of how long’, Examiner, May 4) regarding the duplication and the remainder of $64 million required?

This amount just won’t be enough.

Politicians being who they are, our member for Port Stephens criticised our State Premier Gladys Berejiklian, expecting these road works after so much abuse.

Mike Baird’s promise to duplicate the whole of our main road making this promise expecting a Liberal candidate to win this seat.

Over $70 million was spent filling in a high water table, trucking in sand from the sand hills and splitting Bobs Farm in half – when this road should have been constructed through the sand hills with a 100km/h speed limit.

Williamtown was also split in half with a 1956 road reserve plan.

What all thinking people should be urgently considering is a duplication or upgrade of that little bridge over the start of Tilligerry Creek at Salt Ash.

If concrete cancer or further battering of our lifeline takes place all of us on the Tomaree Peninsula will be isolated and unable to return home or receive deliveries and our Australian Army will have to construct alternatives.

Brian Watson-Will

Corlette

Treasurer Scott Morrison was very emotional when spoke on his decision to fully fund the NDIS on Wednesday May 10, while his disabled brother-in-law was in the audience at the National Press Club.

No one should doubt that his emotions were genuine, and his motive to have involved his family in selling his 2017-18 budget, was sincere.

Thousand of families with a disabled relative would have done the same.

Only a day earlier, Ms Jayne Carter gave an emotional appeal on national television for an investigation by government into aged care, after her mother died soon after having been found with maggots in her mouth in an aged care facility in Raymond Terrace.

Her emotions and distress were truly genuine for everyone too see.

The outcome for the Treasurer and NDIS funding is certainly positive; but the outcome for the grieving lady and aged care is uncertain, and may well be more distress for her.

Whilst not everyone has a disabled relative in the family, yet we all have aged parents, sooner or later.

Ernest To

Medowie