When you visit again, I suggest you check the visual display on the front wall of the Australasia and I would be most surprised if you could not see the heritage value and economic potential of this building restored and repurposed instead of your suggested demolition.

I guess places with an emphasis on the past don’t appeal to you when making holiday choices since you indicate your desire for “attractive development” to replace heritage buildings with significant cultural value.

Avoid Rome at all costs with so many old places and too many tourists who spend considerable money exploring Rome’s heritage and culture.

May I suggest the removal of the past does not necessarily create a bright new future because the past that cannot be replaced.

Therefore, Ms Field, as a resident rather than a visitor to Eden, it is my considered opinion that the restoration and repurposing of the Hotel Australasia will enable her to shine once again “to enliven the town centre”, the keeper of stories and memories of our past.

 Councillors need to think very carefully with their decisions in regards to the Australasia site, with its potential for heritage tourism and community opportunities, an area for extended car parking space and a permanent pedestrian walkway from the car park to Imlay St because once gone it will be gone forever.

And finally Ms Field, do you really think the money received for the Australasia, if sold to a developer, would be “invested in worthwhile infrastructure and the like” in Eden?

Very little would be my guess and an “attractive development by the private sector” would never replace what we lost.

Five directors on $190,000 total remuneration packages, plus general manager on a lot more than that.  

Six-person executive team salary bill over $1.3million a year for Bega Shire, with just 35,000 population.

Are we top heavy? 

While council insists it is not “expanding” the airport, its project involves a 200m extension of the runway, sealing the runway end safety area, expansion of the terminal, freight handling and baggage security capabilities and is intended to facilitate access for larger aircraft as part of a plan that envisages nearly 600,000 tourists flying into the airport annually via Canberra, Melbourne and the de-regulated air route from Sydney – a 12-fold increase in current annual passenger movements.

The Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association believes that even with the use of larger aircraft, the forecast passenger volumes are such that there will likely be a six-fold increase in aircraft movements in and out of the airport – surely an issue worthy of public consideration, particularly for those living anywhere near the flight paths.

The association  believes council’s failure to take steps to identify the social, environmental and fiscal implications of its project and share these with the community before committing to the project is completely irresponsible.

We cannot accept that just because the majority of the proposed expansion works are to be funded by the state and federal governments that it eliminates or diminishes the need to carry out due diligence in assessing the big picture implications before jumping in boots and all.