In defence of Oliver
I respond to the letter from P. Casey, Callala Bay. It raised concern that a play set in late 18th Century portrayed domestic violence and was not suitable for children. The production of Oliver recently at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre was a play, a theatrical musical experience and a showcase of a classic story. It does not portray what is acceptable on the 21st Century but it tells a story of circumstances of a past few would argue was a nice world for many classes of people. For me, the whole performance by the cast was brilliant with great leading performers and a showcase for so many young people to see how theatre works and can set them on a path of creative endeavour.
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The talents in this local area is to be commended. P Casey may wish to review many more examples where circumstances are not acceptable by today’s standards but at least these can set some boundaries for comparison and help our society be enhanced. Nobody should condone domestic violence. Lionel Bart, when writing and composing the Charles Dickens story of Oliver did not condone domestic violence and the production on stage also did not condone domestic violence. It just tells a story.
Well done Albatross Musical Theatre Company for the creative values you continue to provide for this local community. Live theatre and the musical production is to be applauded.
J Britton, Basin View
A test you should consider
These days, there’s a test for almost every health threat imaginable: mammograms; blood pressure checks; even bowel cancer screening kits you can mail in for testing.
But there’s one test you won’t read about in a doctor’s waiting room, and it could save your life.
Loose-fill asbestos testing is being offered by the State Government for free until August 1 across more than 60 local government areas, in a bid to eradicate the threat from NSW homes.
I deal with the effects of asbestos-related disease every day in my job – it is an invisible killer; a ticking time-bomb with no cure that only shows symptoms after it’s too late.
Taking up the government’s free loose-fill asbestos testing offer will save you more than $1000, but could also potentially save you and your family’s lives.
Register before it’s too late: www.loosefillasbestos.nsw.gov.au or call 13 77 88.
T. Gauci, Slater and Gordon
Most awkward backflip
The ongoing saga of the Bomaderry Sporting Complex seems to have taken yet another twist this week with Mayor Joanna Gash declaring no local homes will be compulsorily acquired by council.
This flies in the face of the information that was forwarded to the homeowners concerned and shows once more Shoalhaven City Council has made this policy on the run without the necessary consultation and negotiation.
This is starting to become a hallmark of this council and is concerning for every resident who lives in an area where either local government bureaucrats and councillors or cashed-up developers eye off major development opportunities.
The residents of Bomaderry, who through no fault of their own have become embroiled in this shameless land-grab, have every right to feel cheated of their rights as land-owners and as ratepayers and would be feeling terribly disenfranchised to have been confronted with this upheaval that threatened to turn their lives and that of their families upside-down, only now to be told that it was a false alarm.
If this was always the intention of council, this is an appalling betrayal of trust and an example of an administration out of touch with the needs of their residents, but if this is an about-face, council has the obligation to make a comprehensive and unambiguous apology to the individuals impacted.
