I was leaving the shopping centre and was queued up waiting to turn right onto Salamander Way.

At the same time there were about eight cars queued up waiting to turn left into the shopping centre from Salamander Way (coming from Soldiers Point direction).

The length of that queue meant you couldn’t see if any cars were coming through the intersection along Salamander Way in the direction of Nelson Bay.

People in our queue were completely blinded.  

You either had to wait for the left-turning queue to dissipate before turning right, or take your life in your hands and hope no cars were coming through the intersection when you turned right.

It’s all very well to say our budget wasn’t sufficient for a roundabout, or a more sophisticated intersection.  But why change the existing intersection that at least worked better than this tragedy?

Did the Council have to spend the money or lose it?  Was that the sad scenario?

This is a familiar cry from government that leads to extreme waste of public funding.  Spend for the sake of spending.

Another case of Process is more important than Outcomes.

Can’t someone in our elected Council do something to rectify a situation that is both clearly unpopular with the public and is extremely dangerous. 

What other stimuli do you need?

Brad Jelfs

Fishermans Bay

My name is Jennifer Field and I am writing to ask for your support.

Tomaree Accommodation Services Inc was established over 20 years ago and provides supported accommodation to people with disabilities in the Port Stephens area.

We are a modern, progressive and person centred, non-profit organisation.

In order to keep providing this service to our community, we are looking for new members to join the Management Committee.

Joining us as a member would entail only a few hours a month of a volunteers’ time and experience.

Jennifer Field

Deputy Chairperson, TAS Inc

Where’s the good in the world?

It can be hard to stay positive when there is so much bad news in the media. But I want to remind you that we can all make a difference.

At Red Cross we will never give up on the power of people helping people and bringing more good to the world.

We see good in the resilience of communities in NSW and QLD, as people recover from losing their homes and businesses after Cyclone Debbie. 

We see it in those reaching out to young people at risk, helping them turn their lives around. We also see it in places like Indonesia, where access to clean water and better nutrition is helping villagers secure a healthier future for their children. 

This June we’re asking you to bring more good to the world by helping a neighbour, volunteering or even doing a random act of kindness for a stranger.

A donation to Red Cross will also bring more good to the world.

Through our programs, people who are lonely will receive a daily phone call, struggling families will be able to access nutritious food and those separated from loved ones in war can be reunited. 

Make a tax deductible donation to Red Cross before 30 June by visiting redcross.org.au/donatenow.

Jody Broun

Director, NSW and ACT, 

Australian Red Cross