The citizens of Tanilba pay their rates and this is all they get? The avenue is so narrow in places, two cars can barely pass. There should be proper kerb and guttering the length of the avenue.

Also read: Letters to the Editor, March 4

My parents, Noel and Sybil Lovell, entered the aged-care-sector phase of their lives in 1986. They chose Harbourside Haven, at Shoal Bay, as their retirement home.

With just average wealth after years of working (and years of both of them serving in our military during WWII) they found the home of their choice and lived their lives out in a very stable community environment. They used the full range of available services, from self-care to respite, and in Dad's case, palliative care, all within the facility.

The staff and management, guided by a very capable board, provided them with a lifestyle which was without any form of unwanted stress, in Dad's case until 2001, and Mum's, 2014.

Our family has agreed that there couldn't have been a better outcome for our parents, wherever they may have settled.

I write simply to let you know about the better side of the enormous industry which has recently been adjudged as lacking in many respects.

I would encourage everyone to sign the online petition regarding a ban on jet skis (search jet ski petition Port Stephens) and to email our local members.

There are a lot of angry, long-suffering locals, but governments can take a lot of pushing.

We wish to thank Chris Bult for drawing our attention to a frequently recurring problem of discarded hooks and fishing materials on the Moorings jetty.

We have a dedicated fishing materials deposit tube/bin on the jetty and as part of our almost $90,000 refurbishment which is starting next week, we will add two extra fishing material deposit tube/bins in a attempt to control pollution. The jetty will be closed temporally during the upgrade.

Related reading: Letters to the Editor, February 25

In the interests of a balanced debate, I feel compelled to respond to the claims made by Mark Drabsch and David Campbell regarding the impact of jet skis (Letters, Examiner, March 4).

Based on their assertions, one could be forgiven for concluding that such recreational craft are completely benign and incapable of causing any serious harm. Regrettably, there is irrefutable evidence from across the globe that jet skis can and do cause damage to both humans and the wider environment.

For example, it has been demonstrated that the presence of jet skis can caused a high degree of disturbance to sea birds while the resultant turbidity in shallow areas can endanger marine habitats and as well as other recreational users. It is for these reasons that jet skis have been excluded from some areas and strict conditions placed on their use in numerous countries. While I am sure that there are many responsible users of these craft, as a former regulator,

I can assure readers that governments do not introduce regulations to constrain the reasonable activities of their citizens. Rather, they are imposed to protect the community and environment from potentially dangerous products and their misuse. With this in mind, it is disappointing that the aforementioned correspondents are not lending their voices to calls for more effective enforcement of regulations that protect both the marine environment and its users.

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