They are elected to represent us.

Despite 97 per cent of the latest submissions being against this push for high rise, councillors ignored our overwhelming opposition with a 'we know best' attitude.

Apparently these numbers were not enough and the community 'was asked' for input.

Did they speak solely to developers, real estate agents and those that could profit, maybe?

We already have a staggering number of empty apartments and now they want more.

I hope the council doesn't have plans to sell the vacant car park they own, having rezoned it and perhaps fortuitously increased its sale value.

I would be concerned that this could be seen as feathering one's own nest and rather a conflict of interest.

Thank you Councillors Abbott, Arnott and Nell for acting with integrity.

You did your job, which was to listen to the ratepayers' views and represent us. Sadly, in my opinion, the other five did not.

In support of John Clarke's Opinion on the proposed Tomaree Coastal Walk (Examiner , October 8) and referencing where he writes; "our greatest asset is our natural beauty - why jeopardise it by carving into iconic landforms?".

I have a further question - from where does this, in my opinion, outrageous and unacceptable proposal arise from?

Furthermore, how does it even gain currency in a National Parks & Wildlife Service public exhibition?

Having been a longtime supporter of the National Parks & Wildlife Service in its legislated guardianship of our natural and world-renowned coastal environment, I now express concern for its professionalism and that of its consultants and advisers.

It appears that the many lessons learnt in over 70 years of community efforts in conserving our scenic natural ecology have gone unheeded and been dismissed as irrelevant.

The lure of the dollar yet again gains ascendancy above an ecology of some 18,000 years in its evolution of sea-rise, transported sand inundation and vegetation colonisation.

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We are often urged to support local business but what happens when local business seems intent on ripping off customers?

In the past week our local petrol prices on the Tomaree Peninsula have magically increased from $1.13 per litre to $1.35 - $1.40 per litre.

The cost of oil hasn't risen due to the pandemic and the Aussie dollar is a little stronger.

I am sure the fuel companies will have an answer.

In all of this, fuel is $1.14 per litre in Fingal Bay and $1.20 in Salt Ash.

Next time we are in those locations we should top up our tanks and send a clear message to other businesses that we are not happy.

Planet Earth's future is the responsibility of all of us.

There are many countries whose people often live in poverty and without basic health services while multi-national companies exploit these countries' natural resources for profit.

Such companies often destroy our natural environment and our natural species.

Let's show we care in Port Stephens by starting to protect our koalas and their habitats by objecting to developments that reduce their environment.

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