But time and again our government has refused to take serious action in defence of our future. The philistines have the ascendancy in the Liberal-National coalition and the entire country is the loser. You only have to look at the picture of a gloating Scott Morrison fondling a lump of coal in our parliament to understand how out of touch these people are.

It’s not funny. Climate change is the issue of the age. the future of our planet and, more immediately, our kids are in the balance. Change cannot wait. An Immediate federal election would not be too soon.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Shoalhaven City Council staff for the efficient and effective traffic management strategies which have been in place in Hyams Beach over the summer holidays. For the first time in a numbers of years the village has felt safe and provided an opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy Hyams Beach during a busy period. SCC rangers and contractors have worked long hours in often uncomfortable and unpleasant conditions, yet they have worked together with smiles on their faces to provide well co-ordinated and flexible strategies to manage traffic. Many times, rangers and traffic officers have gone out of their way to assist residents when driveways have been blocked  or when we’ve been unable to exit due to the volume of traffic.

Comments from residents and guests staying in the village seem very positive with a number of long time repeat holiday makers saying this has been the best summer in Hyams Beach ever.

People in political parties can say and do things to each other that are pretty horrible. Sometimes inadvertently; often deliberately.  It also happens in other institutions though maybe less so. Ultimately it is a reflection of our own humanity, for which each of us is responsible.

So for those who have responded to recent events by leaving the Liberals, this is understandable. However, I take a different view, which is why I won’t be resigning.

In just a few months, our nation is at risk of a Labor government that wants to increase the tax burden on our community, reduce the standard of living of self-funded retirees and make it harder for families to invest in their future to support themselves. They would run budgets (because they always do) that reduce the opportunity for investment in critical infrastructure like the Princes Highway, schools, hospitals and defence.

I joined the Liberal Party because I support values of enterprise, responsibility, service to others, individual freedom, families and low ‘burden’ government.  Despite all the personalities along the way, fighting for these values is just as crucial for the community now as when I first joined.

Let’s not lose sight of what’s really important.

We learn in last week’s paper of the great holiday the Prime Minister had recently in the Shoalhaven. His letter to the editor is all compliments about the area and the friendly folk. He would have hardly had the time to get the sand off his feet back in the Shire when, as reported in the same paper, is the news of his outrageous parachuting/dumping of Warren Mundine into the Gilmore electorate. This “captain’s call” is the very height of hypocrisy and rubs the citizens of Gilmore and his Liberal members faces fair and square in it! A visit is inadvisable any time soon.