Is there any record of any real increase in the number of women having abortions after the abortions became legal in other states?

If the answer is no, then surely it would have to be better to have the procedure made legal so it can be carried out by proper medical practitioners than by practitioners who are prepared to work outside the law.

Also read: Letters to the Editor, August 22

After the skywire up Tomaree Headland is complete I reckon we install a second one from the top of Tomaree Head to Yacaaba Headland spanning the Port entrance with the Bungy-jump half way across.

We could then install a Ferris-Wheel and a giant clown face you walk through at the Tomaree entrance charging an admission fee just to enter.

Don't worry about the visual pollution, just think of the tourist dollar. It's good for the town.

Also, why don't we get them to put a skywalk out at Uluru ?

Not allowed to walk up the rock anymore, so this solves the problem entirely, and still manages to cash in on the tourist dollar.

How good are skywires?

Also read: Letters to the Editor, August 15

Having just read this nonsense in the media on calls for the family home to be included in assets test, let me advise anyone going into retirement that the government will get you in the end.

You thought the Labor government would have a Death Tax.

Well the current Liberal government is screwing everything down so as not to pay out anything and get as much money from you as it can.

They are going to get it from you while you are still alive.

The Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) has a spin on it that the full price of the RAD is counted as a current cash asset and is counted towards your daily contribution figure i.e you pay more than just a monthly living amount to be in aged care.

The government argument is that if you are short of money, borrow against the RAD from the aged care supplier and pay interest as well.

It's complicated and the government wins.

This idea of including the family home in the pensions test is another money grab.

I don't know how much you will have to have to live comfortably in retirement, but it's more than the advertised amounts in the TV ads.

Federal surplus at all costs.

More fun to come I am sure.

Also read: Letters to the Editor, August 8

I recently attended a council meeting as a result of spotting an interesting motion put forward by Cr Arnott requiring that the council publishes how each councillor voted on issues at open and closed council meetings.

Led by Mayor Palmer, all councillors present, except Cr Arnott, individually spoke and voted the motion down, each citing "lack of interest" by residents. Councillors Doohan and Dunkley were absent.

It is now a matter of public record that this council is, in my opinion, anti-transparency, a fact that will be pointed out widely and frequently from now to the election.

To me, the motion was obviously a trap laid by Cr Arnott who has long campaigned for increased transparency.

Those councillors who felt uneasy about having their voting exposed could have easily avoided negative feedback by simply voting in favour of the motion which would satisfy even the harshest of public critics, ensure no negative pre-election publicity and deny the gathering opposition anything to complain about on the subject of transparency.

IN OTHER NEWS

New life in Karuah after bypass

Business confidence up in Karuah

Dropping dam levels trigger water restrictions