My household has used fabric bags for some years and I would have thought those in charge would have realised the interest in these. We also do not buy pre-packaged fruit or vegetables.

Why did they not introduce a scheme to provide a free fabric bag to each customer for a certain value of products sold?

This could be one bag for every $15 or $20 spent and I am sure with their penchant for advertising this would have raised their public relations and environmental profile to such an extent as to negate the unedifying anti-environment profile for which they are currently in the spotlight.

We were shocked and distressed by the recent live sheep export footage and, according to independent polling, we are not alone with approximately three in four Australians supporting an end to the trade.

Sheep endure weeks of suffering on these voyages due to heat stress and overcrowding and upon arrival at their destination are subjected to further cruelty and unacceptable slaughter practices such as unstunned slaughter and street slaughter. In addition to being inherently cruel, long-haul live sheep export breaks several federal laws and international standards.

Australia prides itself on its level of animal welfare, yet it has fallen dismally short in this instance. We hope that our Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis, will support the upcoming bill to finally bring an end to this cruel and unnecessary trade.

L. Robertson (Letters, August 1) conveniently neglected to mention that all of the young people who spoke at the Culburra Beach public meeting on future development were in favour of the housing development, as were my own children (all under 30) who insisted I speak on their behalf at the meeting.

Only two oldies spoke against it.

All of the young people expressed their concern about the lack of affordable housing in Culburra and their desire to reside in this town.

They were also vocal in their condemnation of the local green group, The Lake Wollumboola Protection Association, which masquerades as a representative body, but which in reality seeks to dictate to the community.

I hope L. Robertson meets with the Nippers and their families, who would also like to live at Culburra (where I, with my children following, have been  an active surf lifesaver for the past 35 years), but with the handful of members of the Lake Wollumboola Protection Association insisting that the area be locked up, the Nippers will have to remain in Nowra until they reach retirement age,

A recent arrival to the Shoalhaven, I regrettably found myself requiring the services of the local hospital emergency department on the weekend following a freak accident in the garden.

I was in agonising pain from what turned out to be a badly broken wrist.

There are no words to adequately describe my thanks and gratitude to the highly skilled team that responded to my needs but for starters: professional, caring, diligent, proficient, sensitive, in every respect. Residents must count themselves fortunate that this is the standard of emergency health care in the Shoalhaven. In my experience, there is none better.