QPRC borrows millions, construction runoff pollutes river, council satisfaction — what got tick and what didn’t. Council to borrow $50 million Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) is seeking approval from the NSW Government to borrow $50.4 million from Treasury, with an estimated interest bill of $22 million. The loan would be drawn down
Region / Politics
Local news in and around the Capital region, Monaro, and the South Coast.
Economy not working for all: what we want
Prioritise schools, hospitals. TAFE, Australian workers, clean energy target, early childhood. EVERYWHERE I GO in Eden-Monaro, people tell me that the economy isn’t working for everyday people. The Liberal and National Federal Government has descended into chaos, and while they're busy fighting themselves, the community suffers from the cost of living going
New Batemans Bay Bridge — it could be better
A coastal community group has examined the proposed new Batemans Bay Bridge, and found it wanting. This letter on behalf of the group explains the issues with a major transport infrastructure rebuild that is also relevant to regional visitors. AT A VERY well-attended meeting at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club on Saturday 1st December
Who wins from QPRC downtown land sales agreement?
Closed-door decisions beg question: what’s in it for ratepayers, existing businesses? TWO YEARS AFTER QPRC interim Administrator Tim Overall approved an exclusive in-principle agreement to sell multiple council sites to a single consortium without a public tender, details are finally starting to emerge about the arrangements, raising questions about who the
Stadium fight heats up
NEW NSW OPPOSITION leader Michael Daley wasted no time before visiting the regions and stopped in Queanbeyan on a stormy Wednesday at the end of November. He was accompanied by Monaro Labor candidate Bryce Wilson. The Labor mood was equally stormy — targeted at the Berejiklian-Barilaro Government’s plans to knock down
Governments’ ideology failing TAFE and young people
Clubs as latest education sites — gambling tips anyone? ONE OF THE MOST important functions that a government can give is access to affordable Vocational Training. By closing down TAFE colleges and sacking 500 TAFE teachers (resulting in the discontinuance of many basic courses), our kids have nowhere to go except for the shonky private
Coalition-led natural environment destruction continues
NEW NSW LOGGING laws will destroy thousands of hectares of old growth and diverse publicly-owned native forest. Habitat for native species, some already endangered will go too. (Ed note: With an election on the horizon, voters who care might like to know how other parties stand on protecting native species of
Heritage Grants available, apply by 19 December
LOCAL ORGANISATIONS IN Eden-Monaro can now apply for funding to help protect, conserve and raise awareness of Australia’s national heritage. A total of $21.4 million will be available under the Australian Heritage Grants program over four years and from 2022–23 onwards this funding will increase to $5.7 million annually. For the first
Finding: Administrator overstepped in land sales approval
QUEANBEYAN-PALERANG MAYOR Tim Overall breached the Local Government Code of Conduct when he considered an in-principle agreement to sell multiple blocks of council land to a consortium of developers in 2016, according to a finding of the NSW Office of Local Government (OLG). The OLG made the finding in response to
