Right across Bega shire there is little if anything in the way of quality youth facilities. No wonder a lot of kids are getting into trouble or leaving as soon as they can.

I would ask council to have some vision and utilise either part or all of their recently purchased hospital site as a quality youth facility. A place where kids can gather with some invisible supervision and do whatever kinds of activities they themselves choose.

Do a survey across all schools and ask the kids what they want in the way of activities. As adults we are all responsible for the nurture and wellbeing of children but we never ask the kids what they think about what we are providing. Why because as adults we all know better, but do we? I know five-year-olds who can run rings around me with IT and many other things.

At the moment we have enough educational facilities like TAFE and Uni to cater for the children’s educational needs but have zero in the way of catering for their wellbeing needs. I know from very long experience across all levels of education that a child’s wellbeing needs to come first or else the educational part will break down badly.

A while back I visited Campbell Page in Eden who are doing great things especially with disenfranchised youth on a shoestring budget. A visit to this centre while it’s operating may give council a wakeup call.

Maybe the facility could have things like a homework centre and learning support for kids who desperately need it. 

I judge everything by what I expect for my own children, grandchildren and the many children I assist. If I don’t think something is good enough for them I will do everything in my power to change things regardless of personal cost. 

The ‘she’ll be right mate’ attitude gets nothing done and if we keep doing the same things we will keep getting the same pathetic results.

As a greyhound lover, advocate, fosterer and adoption group volunteer, I was ecstatic when I saw that a NSW ban on greyhound racing had been announced. It’s long overdue that this ban went national. How many more greyhound deaths at the track each year does it have to take? With up to 17,000 healthy greyhounds dying annually at the hands of the industry, 200 dogs reported injured during official races each week and the “lucky” survivors living in appalling conditions, the biggest tragedy is that this industry hasn’t been shut down sooner. 

To see how desperately sad things have become, one only has to look at Bossey, one of five greyhounds found by RSPCA inspectors in a raid on a farm in western Sydney. They had been living and sleeping on a stinking, muddy floor in a dark shed. Bossey was severely underweight, lame and limping on three legs - the pain in the greyhound’s eyes was palpable. And the punishment? A $10,000 slap on the wrist, whilst also being able to keep the dog. How society has failed these beautiful animals.

I see that National Greyhound Racing United are bleating and blustering that for every bad person in the sport, there’s 2000 good ones. And it appears that the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association has hastily formed an industry alliance to campaign against the ban. Perhaps the many (but undisclosed) dollars they are spending on their grandstanding could be better invested in rehoming some of the many greyhounds needing a forever couch. Or simply paying some vet bills.

The GBOTA’s campaign theme is ‘Racing to a Respected Future’. In my experience, the couch is the only place a greyhound wants to race to. Sure, their campaign may go on for a long time, but it will be nowhere near as long as I will be fighting to get every last loving, lazy greyhound a soft bed and a forever home.