When the rains came .....

The city of Adelaide relies on the Murray/Darling river system for it's drinking water - and Adelaide is in trouble !

Increasing salinity is making the river marginal and the drought that persisted in Australia is causing the flow to almost cease. Huge expenditure is being considered and repatriation looks like becoming a Federal responsibility.

And then the heavens opened - and north Queensland had the biggest deluge in half a century.

The flood that is isolating a dozen Queensland towns and cities is in the catchment area for the Murray/Darling - and in the weeks to come a flood crest will move down river, flushing away the debris left by the drought and rejuvenating the vast array of farms and industry that rely on water from the river to sustain crops.

In due course that flood tide will arrive in Adelaide, push back the creeping salinity and give the South Australian capital a new lease of life.

The city is being given a respite, but if the climate change people are correct there will be more droughts and now is not the time for the Federal government to back away from the rescue plans being formed.

There is no lack of water in the far north of this country. We have the seasonal monsoon and there is no reason why some of that annual flood can not be harvested and fed into the headwaters of the Murray Darling.

It is our biggest river and reaches from it's base in north Queensland to the ocean shores of South Australia. Providing a constant supplement from the north will cost a lot of money, but that will pale into insignificance when compared to the farms and industry it sustains right across this country.

Many years ago we startled the world when we successfully harvested the Snowy river and turned it inland. This challenge may be equally as big - but we have the technology to do it. All that is required is the willingness !

The " Older Driver " vendetta !

A proposal is being floated to require older drivers to display a " S " plate on their cars. Presumably, the " S " is supposed to designate " Senior driver ".

The precise terms have not been disclosed, but attention is directed at drivers from age seventy-five onwards. It has been suggested that drivers from seventy-five be required to have an annual medical examination before license renewal - and that those at either eighty - or eighty five - be restricted to a ten kilometre radius from their place of residence.

This latest suggestion seems to require those at either eighty or eighty-five to display an " S " plate.

It is interesting to speculate on just what such a plan would achieve. New drivers already progress through red to green " P " plates - which impose restrictions on speed and passengers allowed - but their only real purpose seems to be to help the police identify driver age and experience within the traffic stream.

This could be the thin edge of the wedge to impose speed restrictions on older drivers - and if so it would have the reverse effect. A car travelling well below the speed limit on high speed roads such as the Hume highway or the Federal highway is more likely to cause an accident than a car going with the flow.

It seems to be a case of the government trying to impose a " one size fits all " solution. There are many drivers on our roads - old and not so old - who simply shouldn't be there because they lack the mental and physical skills to drive.

A medical examination before license renewal for those over seventy-five is a good, practical idea - but it should be reinforced by an advertising campaign advising the family of impaired drivers of any age to notify police to require that person to be medically examined.

Simply applying an age restriction - or denigrating older drivers by requiring an " S " plate to be displayed is a form of discrimination that will not achieve a benefit !

The plastic bag saga !

High on the environmentalists list of products to be banned is the humble plastic shopping bag. We use billions of them each year - and they do destroy marine life and pollute the countryside when they are not disposed of properly.

Several towns and villages have successfully removed them from shops and alternative reusable green shopping bags found huge favour over a year ago. Unfortunately we are a forgetful nation. Their use has dwindled as the urge to be " green " wanes.

Many people have mounted a spirited defence of the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag. They claim that if it is banned then shoppers will simply have to replace it with commercial bags from the supermarkets to replicate the uses they have found for it.

Thousands are used as bin liners and many people reuse them for a range of purposes.
Then there is the matter of cost. Plastic bags are cheap and if their replacement is to be reinforced paper bags the added cost will find it's way onto the bill at the supermarket.

The government is considering either banning plastic bags outright - or imposing what would amount to a tax whenever they are provided.

The danger is that such an impost would probably spark immediate outrage - and then be accepted as is the case with steadily rising petrol prices. We grumble every time we fill the petrol tank - but we continue to buy the product out of necessity.

WE might grumble if we are slugged ten or twenty cents a bag, but within a matter of months it would become part of any normal transaction. There would be no benefit to the environment - and the government would have gained a nice, juicy additional tax base.

A message for the environmental lobby ! Be careful what you wish for !

The port fiasco !

The New South Wales government has a dream to transform Sydney harbour into a tourist Mecca. To do that - it has been steadily removing commercial activity with car imports and general cargo being relocated to Port Kembla near Wollongong.

The only problem is that no thought was given to the transport infrastructure necessary to support the creation of what is really a new port.

Port Kembla is nestled within the surrounding escarpment. There is only one access road worthy of that title - and it is already reaching capacity.

The rail system winds through difficult terrain and over an ancient viaduct. The lines are shared between freight and commuter traffic and already are at capacity moving coal to the Port Kembla coal loader.

Now it has been revealed that bridges within the urban road system lack the capacity to carry the heavy loads that are moving through the port.

It seems to be the usual case of make a decision - implement a major relocation of resources - and then walk away from the problems without allocating any funds.

A new port to service this state's exports and imports needs a huge injection of funds to create a new road system. It will be impossible to quickly upgrade rail transport using the existing rail corridor - and it is therefore essential that the half completed Maldom-Dombarton line to western Sydney be expedited.

If the government fails to act and allocate the necessary funds there is every chance that the new port will fail - and that shippers will bypass Port Kembla for ports in other states which do not have limitations.

If that happens, the NSW economy will suffer serious damage !

Cyclists and cars - a deadly mix !

The death of a sixteen year old cyclist - hit by a car while riding on the hundred kilometre per hour F-6 illustrates the folly of mixing low speed cycles with high speed cars.

To be able to legally drive a car a motorist has to undertake theoretical and practical training and pass a driving test. Even then, there are degrees of license with speed and other restrictions applying.

Anybody - of any age - can legally ride a bicycle. There is no license requirement - and no competency test. The only requirement is that the cyclist wear a crash helmet.

Bicycles are a cheap, low speed form of transport. They are fully acceptable on suburban streets where the speed limit is fifty kilometres per hour - and near schools where it is even lower - but they have no place on high speed freeways.

The state government made a serious error when it succumbed to pressure and allowed bikes to travel in what was supposed to be the break down lane on freeways. Fortunately, only a minuscule number of cyclists are stupid enough to take up that challenge, hence so far there have been few fatalities.

It is time for a reality check. A mix of bikes and cars at speed is asking for trouble. A law change is needed - and at the same time cycleways in their own right need to be extended to provide a safe environment for cyclists.

Telco wars !

Telephone subscribers could be excused for thinking that the infamous decades following the end of the second world war were returning.

At that time, providing telephone service was a monopoly run by the Postmaster General's Department. Returning servicemen and young families were creating new housing estates - and telephone services were lagging well behind demand.

A request for a phone usually resulted in maniacal laughter. Waits of a year or so were common - and new exchanges and connections progressed at the glacial pace of the public service. There was even a return to the " party line " system in some areas.

Many would be surprised to learn that today - someone moving home from a house where there is an existing telephone connected - to a house which has a similar existing connection - can involve a waiting period of ten working days.

Ten working days - with no telephone service ? It sounds third world - but it is happening right here in Australia - and those who have experienced it recount that over twenty working days is a more likely scenario.

It all boils down to an ongoing war of nerves between the Telcos. They refuse to cooperate with one another and indulge in point scoring, insisting on adhering to any rule that can delay a connection in the hope that their rival will get the blame.

In this world of the Internet - which also relies on a working phone line - communications are not a luxury - but a necessity. It is time common sense prevailed - and if it doesn't - then time that the Federal government banged a few heads and kicked a few butts to see that sanity prevails !

Death trap !

Sunday saw a scene om Lawrence Hargreave drive - which connects Wollongong with Sydney via the new Sea Cliff bridge - that should send shivers down the spine of the state government.

Mid afternoon of a sunny beach Sunday saw the sudden arrival of a severe thunderstorm sending people racing to their cars. Within minutes there was gridlock - miles of cars going nowhere - because of the infamous bottleneck where Lawrence Hargreave drive meets the Princes Highway at Bulli.

The problem is that Lawrence Hargreave drive is a give-way intersection - and the constant and heavy flow of traffic each way on Bulli Pass prevents cars needing to turn right from proceeding. As a result, traffic wanting to turn left to Wollongong is caught in the jam - and this gridlock can extend for miles.

Sunday's incident was frustrating for drivers, but it also gives forewarning of what would surely happen if a natural disaster occurred. In the event of a bushfire local residents and visitors would be unable to escape - and what would happen if the new Tsunami warning system predicted a wave from an offshore earthquake - and advised that the coastal region evacuate ?

The state government has some long term plan for an improved intersection - but experts warn that if may only make the problem worse because it is not a fly-over to separate traffic.

Traffic lights at this intersection would provide a partial solution - but there are no plans in the pipeline. This should be at the head of the list because as things stand there is the chance of major death and destruction if a natural disaster happens to coincide with even a normal traffic flow !

Death without dignity !

Many people were shocked to learn that an elderly man died in his home unit - and his remains were undiscovered for over a year. This is not the first such case - and it probably will not be the last !

There are calls for a system to be put in place to prevent such a happening, but it is clear that three existing " triggers " - which should have alerted authorities - failed to sound the alarm.

The first was " Meals on Wheels ". Surely when a customer suddenly ceases to respond to deliveries this should ring alarm bells. It would warrant a follow-up and questions to neighbours. If no reason could be found it would warrant a report to police.

This person was in receipt of some sort of pension. Centrelink twice a year requires customers to report any change in circumstances. When this went unanswered in the nominated period of time the usual result is a cessation of pension. In this case - that didn't happen.

The deceased was living in Housing Commission premises. The Commission carries out two annual inspections, the purpose of which is to see that the premises are being properly maintained, that they are not being sub-let - and that the nominated tenant is in residence.
When these inspections failed it would be reasonable to assume that the tenant had moved and the Commission would have reasonable cause to call a locksmith and insist on an inspection. Once again - this trigger also failed.

Some elderly people are anti-social, keep to themselves and do not fraternise with neighbours - but there is ample scope within the existing welfare, health and housing situation to keep a check on their wellbeing - provided the authorities concerned stick to the rules - and meticulously carry them out.

Sadly - in the case mentioned all three triggers were put in " the too hard basket " and not acted upon. Hopefully - a lesson may have been learnt !

User pays - at University.

The previous Federal government banned compulsory student unionism - and now the results are apparent. Membership at the University of Wollongong dropped from 10,000 to a mere 1,000. Even greater drops occurred at universities across the state.

The previous union fees were several hundred dollars up-front at the time of registration. They funded various sporting clubs, a child minding centre, second hand book exchanges and subsidized meals.

The only problem was that few students used them. In particular, overseas students were less likely to gain a benefit as their main drive was to attend lectures and get a diploma.

There are two competing points of view. One sees the demise of the student union as destroying the cohesion that bonds students, provides essential services and - through the student newspaper - focuses student attention on social justice.

The other sees the fees as a socialist money grab - to lead students by the nose to protest all manner of political issues and promote militancy. They applaud the principle of " user pays ". No longer do all students contribute to functions dictated by the few.

The results seem to say it all. Students are invited to join the union. Few do !

IT is interesting to note that the new Federal government has stated that it will not reintroduce compulsory student unionism.

It seems that " user pays " now embraces university life !

The " Reverse Mortgage " danger.

" Reverse Mortgages " seem to be the flavour of the month at present. They are being widely advertised by the entire financial spectrum - and that message is appealing to many people who are asset rich - cash poor.

The idea has appeal. It allows homeowners to unlock some of the value held in the family home to allow them to replace ageing appliances, do renovations - or just have a modest income stream to supplement the pension.

The term " reverse mortgage " is an apt description. Instead of paying off a mortgage the owner extracts money from the home asset without the need to pay in back by way of regular payments. Payment occurs when the homeowner dies - or sells the home.

But - this is an incredibly risky gamble. All the calculations are done on the financial factors current at this time. It assumes that the value of the home will be constant or may even improve with inflation. It assumes that interest rates will not increase sharply in the months and years ahead - and that is something beyond a reasonable prediction.

It would be so easy for interest increases to see equity in the home spiral out of control - with the aged owner facing a financial nightmare. At best, those taking up the offers of reverse mortgages are taking a gamble.

Most would be well advised to think long and hard before signing on the dotted line.
A better course without the risk would be to consider putting the family home on the market, using a portion of the return for the purpose the reverse mortgage was considered - and then buy a cheaper home or unit to preserve the remainder of the nest egg - and guarantee a secure place of residence during the rest of their lives.

Rescue needed ? - Sorry about the wait !

The prime purpose of a helicopter medical rescue service is to get doctors to a patient quickly, give immediate trauma relief - and get that person to hospital with the minimum delay.

After years of procrastination, various levels of service and several providers a Wollongong based 24/7 rescue helicopter is due to commence service this Monday.

There is only one problem. The helicopter will be based at Albion Park airport - and the crew will be based at Dapto ambulance station - a full fifteen minutes drive from one another.

This seems to be the usual lack of liaison between all the people involved. The Canadian Helicopter Company ( CHC ) insists that this will delay rescue times by at least fifteen minutes. It wants it's crews housed at the airport in demountable accommodation.

That's where a serious issue descends into farce. The NSW Ambulance service is responsible for the rescue helicopters in this state - and they have long been Sydney-centric. They have opposed choppers based in Newcastle to the north and Wollongong in the south in preference to basing several machines in Sydney - despite the operational delay this would cause.

It seems that they have not even bothered to lodge a development application ( DA ) with Shellharbour council for the demountable accommodation at the airport - and the council has commented that when that happens the approval process could take weeks or months - and maybe as much as a year.

IN the meantime, the state government is sitting on it's hands and letting this happen. CHC is threatening to delay service until the issue is resolved - and once again ego's and empire building are taking precedence over the saving of lives.

If ever there was a case where a government should intervene, bang a few heads and kick a few butts it is this ! It has the power to over-rule the Ambulance service and declare emergency approval of that temporary accommodation.

The blame will be accurately laid at this government's door if someone bleeds to death in a car accident or dies of a heart attack or stroke simply because the rescue chopper faced a fifteen minute delay while the crew drove from the office to the airport.

End of " the glory days " !

For decades club members in New South Wales have had the best of all worlds. Their clubs were the providers of gourmet meals at a fraction of restaurant prices. Drinks were similarly subsidized - and world class entertainment was provided for either a small fee - or in many clubs - free to members.

Those same clubs were socially benevolent. They funded Rugby League - and all manner of other sports and organizations such as Surf Lifesaving were beneficiaries.
The clubs were rich - and they shared their wealth widely.

The source of this wealth came from - poker machines. New South Wales was the first state to embrace this form of gambling and it tapped a ready market. In border areas, busloads arrived daily to play the machines and enjoy a free lunch at the host clubs.

In recent times all that has changed. The state government got greedy - and imposed a draconian increase in club tax. This was slightly reduced just before the last election, but the tax has crippled profits and subsidies to sport are declining - and in some cases have ceased.

Now there is a new threat to club profits. The no-smoking ban has resulted in an eight percent profit decrease - yet at the same time club patronage has increased. It seems that patrons enjoy the smoke free atmosphere, but they are not playing the poker machines as readily.

At the same time, wages and other overheads have increased sharply - and some of the smaller clubs have simply closed their doors or amalgamated with bigger clubs.

It seems that the glory days are over.

Club prices will surely rise and the surviving clubs will not be so generous with their money. There will always be problem gamblers, but it seems that the ordinary person is no longer prepared to compensate for those cheap meals and drinks - and the free entertainment - by the almost obligatory loss of a few dollars in the poker machines.

Maybe the state government killed the goose that laid the golden eggs !

A new union tactic.

Peppers, the hotel group that trades under the " Manta " brand, is building a 169 room hotel in Wollongong. It followed the usual practice of calling tenders and the successful builder is now nearing completion.

But - there is a problem. A sub contractor mainly involved in installing plasterboard employed a large number of Chinese workers. Most don't speak English and it has now been revealed that they have gone unpaid for some time - and that no payments into their compulsory superannuation fund have been made.

It is claimed that unpaid wages amount to $ 216,000 and that many of these workers had a miserable Christmas without funds - and that many are facing eviction for unpaid rent.

The CFMEU has entered the battle - and unleashed a new tactic. They are ignoring the sub contractor who actually employed these men - and by-passed the company building the hotel - and made a direct threat against Peppers.

They are demanding that Peppers pay the $ 216,000 within forty-eight hours - or they will picket and disrupt all the Mantra luxury hotels in this country.

It is a signal to the corporate world to beware. No longer will there be a distance between the developer, the contractor and the sub contractors. If a payment problem emerges, the unions will go for the jugular and expect the ultimate customer - the project's owner - to foot the bill.

Expect future contracts to contain some fine print allowing the corporate giants to scrutinise and select every sub contractor that a developer intends to hire !

Pets on death row !

The RSPCA is swamped with unwanted cats and dogs. That is a regular event at this time of year when the breeding season coincides with the giving season - and many cute little kittens or puppies become Christmas presents.

The flood of animals to the pound is exacerbated when the traditional new year fireworks display terrifies dogs and cats in loving homes and causes them to escape. Some end up as road kill, but many others are eventually collected roaming free by council rangers - and for most their end is euthanasia.

What we desperately need is a reduction in the breeding of unwanted cats and dogs. Huge numbers of people simply do not bother to have their animals neutered - mostly because of the cost involved. They are then confronted with an unwanted litter of kittens or pups - and so the cycle starts again.

The problem goes beyond the emotional trauma of animals on death row. Many dogs and cats go feral, decimating wild life and causing financial loss to farmers. Strays roam the streets, fouling footpaths and parks - and some breeds can be aggressive and a danger to the public.

Neutering is already subsidised for pensioners, but the time has come for a bigger government approach. It is time government subsidies were extended to provide a free neutering service to all those who present pets.

It would be costly, but such an initiative should use the carrot and stick approach. Those found to have an un-neutered dog or cat - excluding registered breeders - should be hit with a draconian fine which would help fund the free programme.

It would remove the " couldn't afford it " excuse for disobeying the law, and if the penalty was sufficiently draconian the compliance rate would make a huge difference !

The sport of " gentlemen " !

Horse racing was said to be the sport of kings. Cricket was the sport of Gentlemen.

This very " English " game spread from the home country to the various parts of the world that made up the former British empire. The colonists took it to heart and there is no greater following for any other sport than cricket in the sub-continent and the island states of the world.

But cricket has changed in the past few decades. It used to be a game of decorum. A dismissal brought a quick smile and a clap of hands - and the dismissed " walked " before the umpire raised that finger to signal a decision.

Not today ! The bowling side is quick to shout " Howzat " at even the remotest chance - and batsmen no longer " walk ", but stand their ground and wait for the umpire's decision - and in some cases - for the appeal to go to the remote umpire.

" Sledging " was always part of the game, but it was good natured between the Aussies and their Kiwi and Pom opponents. Today, an element of racism has crept in.
Vicious racist taunts are employed by both players and fans and the use of precision cameras and microphones leaves no doubt that goodwill is at an all time low.

Few games end without claims of " unsporting conduct " and disputes over refereeing. The problem is that money is now part of the game. Players have a reputation to uphold and that reputation is worth huge sums from sponsorship deals.


Match fees provide a large income and players are keen to be seen playing at their best to hold their place in the team. As is usually the case, money corrupts and brings out the worst element in players.

There have been proven cases of match fixing and it is unlikely that racist taunts will disappear anytime soon. It seems that the gentlemanly game of cricket has joined all the other sports where money rules supreme - and the objective is to win at all costs !

The " Keno " menace !

Previous state premier Bob Carr promised that it would never happen. Present premier Morris Iemma and his government thought differently.

From next month the numbers game - " Keno " will be unrolled in pubs across this state.

Keno is a game in which gamblers are invited to pick from a field of eighty numbers. A computer randomly picks twenty numbers and players can gamble on the winning proportion of odds or evens, or red or blue depending on the majority above or below forty - or their choice of fields of seven, eight, nine or ten which offer not only rich rewards, but an accumulating jackpot. The guaranteed pay for ten numbers is a million dollars - plus the jackpot.

The entry fee per game is cheap at only one dollar - and each game sequence takes just two minutes - but as with all forms of gambling the chance of losing is much higher than that of a win.

There is a new problem with Keno in pubs. Children under eighteen are not permitted to gamble and poker machines in clubs and pubs are screened and in areas barred to children.

Children are not permitted to play Keno, but the result screens are situated in dining rooms and beer gardens - areas where children are permitted. It is inevitable that children will implore parents to let them try their lucky numbers - and many will see it as harmless fun and grant their wish.

Thus a new method of " grooming " children to be future gamblers will be in place. Anti-gambling groups will protest, but there is an old saying that the most dangerous place in the world is to stand between a politician and a bag of money !

The sad thing is that this state government could not exist without the constant flow of gambling taxes. The pokies return ten billion dollars a year to state revenue, plus many more billions from Lotto, lotteries, scratchies, the TAB, and bookmakers fees.

All of this - and we still don't have a decent health system, road network or train service !

The age of greed.

People buying a home had the expectation that interest rate rises would be predictable. They would only occur when the Reserve Bank of Australia announced the reasons for such action.

All that has now changed. The National bank of Australia has announced that it will increase interest rates on it's home loans independently. The rise is small - probably only about twenty dollars a month extra for most borrowers - but the principle involved is significant - and it is expected that the other banks will follow suit within days.

Basically, the only reason for this increase - is greed !

There are problems in the US with sub-prime and " Low-Doc " home loans leading to defaults and this has reduced the money flow into the housing sector, leaving many non-bank lenders to cut back on financing homes.

This is having a flow-on effect in Australia - and the banks are sensing blood in the water - and going for the jugular. They reason that uncertainty will cause many people to return to the banks for their home loans.

The problem is that if these greedy banks push rates too high in their never ending search for super profits they could very easily send the Australian economy into recession.

Recession occurs when the market panics - and in most cases there is simply no real reason for a recession. The " herd mentality " takes over. People snap their wallets shut and reduce spending - and suddenly the media is talking gloom and doom - and so the spiral downward intensifies.

Two questions need answers.

How far will the banks push their greed ?

And what will the Federal government do to ensure interest rate stability ?

A new age dawning !

The price of a barrel of oil has now reached one hundred US dollars. As a result, the price of petrol at the pump will hit and probably exceed $ 1.50 a litre.

That is probably the catalyst we need to accelerate the search for non-oil options. Every time the price of oil rises it opens doors. Without that incentive there would not be an ethanol industry. Without it there is little chance that billions would have been spent developing the hybrid cars with a small engine to supplement electrical motors.

In the short term there will be casualties. Holiday motoring will be sharply reduced on the basis of cost and the trend to smaller, more fuel efficient cars may see a realignment in the car industry.

One thing is certain. More people will leave the car at home and opt for public transport to get to and from work - and there is no chance that the state government will be able to react swiftly to increase services.

Patrons can look forward to crowded buses and trains - and on past indications - further fare hikes. More patronage should mean public transport is more profitable - and that could justify a fare decrease - but government does not see it that way.

It seems to be a case of opportunity lost. The move to public transport occurs immediately the cost of petrol increases - but unless that public transport is efficient and welcoming patrons return to their cars in frustration.

It seems that the doors opening will happen in the private sector as big business grasps opportunity. Unfortunately any improvement in public transport is still a distant future dream !

The silly season !

It's that time of the year when strange things happen. Some reason that when the boss goes on holiday the lesser mortals fiddle with the rules and regulations to make their mark for posterity.

The residents of Shellharbour - south of Wollongong - have greeted the new year with an edict that their children are now banned from flying kites.
No reason is given, but signs to that effect have suddenly appeared in local parks.
It seems that kites have now joined ball games, walking dogs - and smoking - by way of a new ordinance.

Sports lovers attending the cricket were stunned when the security people added bottled water to alcohol and a range of other items forbidden to be taken into the grounds.
Low strength alcohol can be purchased from vendors, so presumeably the ban on water is to increase profits by making those in need of any sort of a drink to buy it from commercial interests.
It seems strange that in the middle of a hot summer - at the time the State Rail authority is urging people not to travel on un-airconditioned trains unless they are carrying their own bottled water - this item has become a banned item at the cricket.

And strangest of all. The day after New Year's day Coles and Woolworths started selling hot cross Easter buns !

Whats next. Shopping for next Christmas - starting in February ?

Competition - at last

Shoppers in the delightful Monaro shire town of Cooma will be delighted when they finally have a choice of grocery shopping.

Years ago Woolworths established a major grocery business - and quickly competitors closed their doors until there was only one remaining. It was surprising - considering the anti-monopoly stance of the government - that Woolworths were permitted to acquire this business - and gain an absolute monopoly of major grocery sales in this town of about nine thousand people.

In March arch competitor Coles will open a huge shopping complex in Sharp street, comprising a full Coles supermarket and an arcade of speciality shops. For the first time in many years - shoppers will have a choice of where they buy their groceries.

This should be a warning to regulatory authorities that private grocery stores can not compete with the big two - Woolworths and Coles - with the possible addition of Franklins.

Whenever a country town is reduced to two supermarkets it would be wise to refuse to allow monopoly status. The last remaining grocery store should never be permitted to be sold to a major existing competitor - and that status should be reserved for a competitor of equal status.

In the case of Cooma - shoppers are again to have the right to pick and choose !

Changing times !

All those people driving home last night after seeing in the new year might care to reflect on how different it was fifty years ago

On December 31, 1957 there was the expectation that over fifty percent of drivers sharing the road with them - were driving drunk ! They would have been over the .05 legal limit applicable today.

There has been a remarkable shift in attitude to drink driving. It was acceptable at that time because the majority of people accepted it as part of the Australian culture. Road deaths and trauma needed drastic action and this saw the introduction of breath testing and the " booze bus .

A relentless advertising campaign has changed public opinion. A person convicted of DUI is now " dumb ". There is no longer leniency and a "shrug the shoulders " attitude to what is now a " crime ".

Unfortunately not all drivers have accepted these changed rules. It is estimated that since breath testing was introduced twenty-five years ago the measure has saved 20,000 lives - but Police minister David Campbell reports that every day eighty drivers are caught behind the wheel in New South Wales with a blood/alcohol reading in excess of .05.

Now there is a new menace. People who are diving under the influence of various forms of " recreational drugs " - and this ranges from Ice, Ecstacy, Marijuana, Cocaine and Heroin.

We are about to see a new blitz with the introduction of the " drug bus ".

It will be a lot slower than the " blow in the bag " procedure for alcohol testing and it probably will be unpopular - but to date there have been 5,600 people tested by this method - and 156 have returned a positive reading.

It may take another twenty-five years for attitudes to change but the day will come when driving after taking alcohol or drugs will be unacceptable to the majority of drivers.

Unfortunately - given the example of the minority who refuse to limit their alcohol intake and still drive there will always be a similar percentage who thumb their noses at the drug laws.

A look at the road death toll from fifty years ago compared to today would convince any sane person of the need for the " drug bus " !