Quoting from Roundtable scheduled to review Destination Strategy dated 25/05/2021 and Interim Administrator Minute - Community Update, Reference: 101; 102; 103/6 dated 20/05/2021 Mr May states, in reference to the review, that, "Councillors past, suspended or prospective will be excluded together with their agents" from this process, instead only accepting applications from "the Shire's respective business bodies".

As a resident, I am outraged that Mr May is suggesting that, "there are too many 'voices' in the economic development area". How can refusing to include representatives of the community be acting in the community's best interests! This is self deception at its worst as well as the deception of the people of the Wingecarribee Shire.

Prospective councillors are precisely the people that need to be included as they are prepared to commit themselves to the service of the community in which they live. Candidates who may be elected by a democratic process to represent the ratepayers and residents of the Wingecarribee Shire should not be excluded!

Is Mr May suggesting is that all decisions should be removed from the people and entrusted to a group that stands to benefit from any decisions made? To me, that appears to be an elitist dictatorship, not democracy of the people, by the people, for the people. It is completely unacceptable!

The Bundanoon Community Association (BCA) will hold a 'meet the candidates' forum for the September Wingecarribee Council elections on Tuesday, August 10.

Team leaders and individual candidates will be invited to address the meeting.

Residents are encouraged attend the meeting in the Bundanoon Soldiers Hall at 7.30pm to hear what policies the various candidates and teams will put forward for the next three years. The elections were postponed from last September because of the COVID emergency.

These council elections are arguably the most important for many years given that the Minister for Local Government has effectively sacked the existing council and there is likely to be an unprecedented number of new faces on our next council.

Residents need to know what these new candidates stand for in order to decide for who they will vote. Hopefully the new council can work together constructively for the good for the shire and put the divisions of the past behind us.

The election will be held on Saturday, September 4. Voting at council elections is compulsory in NSW.

In Australia we have ONE political party with three branches

1) Greens = Greens

2) Labor = Greens

3) Libs = Greens

Then of course are the Nats - but:

4) Nats = Libs = Greens

Therefore, unless Nats divorce from Greens (by whatever name) and stand to become what they once were - "The Country Party" then I'm afraid the above equation holds firm for me.

What a sad indictment on the process of governance in this nation that this situation is real.

All levels of government, most mainstream media, public education and where major issues such as Climate, Energy, Viruses, Guns, Military are all Green - Leftist - Touchy Feely, and where NONE of those decrees can be questioned or challenged.

What a perverse form of Democracy!

And my forefathers fought, suffered and died for this!

I am writing from the not-for-profit Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia to urge people in your local area - who have mental health issues - to reach out and get help.

We know there is a lot of help out there. We know not enough people are accessing that help.

Our latest awareness initiative highlights that mental illness is much more common than many people might think.

Data reveals 45 per cent of all Australians will experience a mental disorder at some point. In the past 12 months alone, one in five Australians has experienced a mental health disorder.

For instance, 50 per cent of people with schizophrenia now attempt suicide. The ridiculous myths around this condition need to be busted. It is completely unacceptable that people with schizophrenia are likely to live 19 years less than people who do not have the condition. Tragically this gap continues to widen.

Around 700,000 Australians have a severe mental illness.

We want people to realise they are not alone and support is actually out there.

The Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia has a FREE phoneline to offer people advice on where to get more support. All local people need to do is call 1800 985 944 or visit minetworks.org.au.