I can comment on the backburning from the southern shoreline of Burrill Lake to Wheelbarrow Road. The burnt area existed from the West Arm tip, south to Romney Park Road and west for a week before the shoreline was lit, burning out the NPWS walking track, infrastructure and remaining bushland. This also left virtually no habitat for any surviving wildlife. This decision appeared to have no possible benefit to fire control.

I noticed in your paper, that the Toongabbi Sports Club has made a wonderful donation of $10,000 towards the Conjola Appeal.

Our club is currently raising money for the same appeal. So far, our members have raised over $20,000 and our goal is $25,000 to be donated to the Lake Conjola Bowling Club in March. In December we raised $40,000 to send water to farming families before Christmas and earlier last year we raised $30,000 to send three semi-trailers of hay to farmers.

Our city dwelling members always show extraordinary generosity to support Aussies in need.

\My name is Mark, a farmer in the Yass region. I have heard the lady on the residents committee with concerns about Lake Conjola on the Ray Hadley show.

What I believe you locals need to do is what our farmers did when animal activists were out of control. We got together and went to parliament with placards protesting.

You need to go to the council office and demand the mayor addresses your problem or demand that she gets the boot. If you get a few hundred people there and do it for a few days you will draw a lot of media attention.

There comes a time when the public needs to stand up and be counted. Farmers stood up to the radical activists who have no clue on farming just like that council of yours knows nothing about lakes.

The ABC's first Q&A program for 2020, concentrated upon climate change and, the effects; physical, mental and, economic upon victims and survivors of the unprecedented bushfires of the bushfires. In responding to wide ranging questions asked of him from the audience Member for Bega Andrew Constance was both informative as to his personal experiences during and, following the destructive blazes in his region. He also displayed empathy toward those less fortunate than himself.

Viewers of Q&A could see that Andrew Constance was speaking from the heart and, not relying upon speechwriters; as has increasingly become the norm for our political class. Fast forward to Scott Morrison's mawkish offering on exactly the same issue in parliament on Tuesday, February 4. Where Andrew Constance's contributions were a combination of compassion, strength of character and candour.

Scott Morrison's speech to parliament was an embarrassing exhibition of contrived emotion. If Australians expected a prime ministerial like addressing of our 45th parliament by Scott Morrison, they must surely have been disappointed. What they received was a sepia tone prime minister blatantly playing the emotion card, with his name dropping of the fire victims he and "Jenny" had consoled upon returning from Hawaii!