Rail service ‘obligation’
Good to see your editorial coverage about the 'new' train timetable introduced at the end of 2017.
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The timetable which reduced services in the morning had no public consultation and did not meet the expectations of the public.
It was 'driven' by management and reduced the number of services on the Southern Highlands Line. I am pleased that the local mayors are taking up this interest.
The interest of the state government is also targeting elderly drivers removing driving licences so they have an obligation to improve the level of public transport. This means more trains - not less!
R. E. Barton
‘Nurture’ our youth
April 13 to April 22 is Youth Week, a week in which we celebrate the successes, goals and dreams of our young people.
Young people are our future; it is our job as a community to nurture them as they grow into functioning and valuable members of our society. I know my organisation Youth Off The Streets offers exciting and engaging services all year round, but we take particular emphasis on giving young people the chance to celebrate youth week.
Our outreach services are hosting many youth week orientated activities to bring community and individuals closer together. Whether it is at a sporting game at the local park, a barbecue or just hanging out with youth workers, I know that the young people in my services will join in on celebrating this week.
I love being there to celebrate the victories, but I – more than most – know that we can’t just be there for the good times. I have many young people with great success stories but the young people who need you the most are the ones who are living a daily struggle. The young people who leave to go to school without food, the young people who don’t know where they will sleep tonight, the young people who just can’t make it in mainstream schooling.
We need to recognise these young people and uplift them so that they can make a real difference to their own lives and to the lives of others. Some young people live with serious disadvantage, these are the kids I work with, and they need your support. If you can, please join us in celebrating youth week – not only will you be celebrating our young people, but supporting some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.
Father Chris Riley
CEO and Founder at Youth Off The Streets
NBN frustration
In Exeter since January our landline has been down on four separate occasions for a total of 16 days. Would this be allowed to happen in Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra? Is it credible that this could happen in the electorate of the federal minister Angus Taylor?
The telcos have no economic incentive to properly service rural areas, but are required to do so to some extent. Obviously the governing agreements aren’t working. So Mr Stuart should immediately take steps to:
- Introduce meaningful fines for the failure to maintain service
- Require that the appropriate, responible Australian telco managers to be contactable. At present Telstra has set up an impenetrable shield of overseas call centres to ensure that its Australian managers are indisturbed by its frustrated customers
- Require telcos to automatically rfund customers for periods of no service – we shouldn’t have to ask for refunds
Exeter has a particular problem – very poor mobile phone reception, and some properties in Exeter can’t receive an NBN signal from the two towers. Yet despite those towers having been up for months, no mobile phone facilities have yet been installed on them.
And as I write the landline is down for the fifth time. Please help Mr Taylor.