Letters To The Editor

Dear Editor, Hi from the other side of the world. My parents have been sending me your editorials, which I've been reading with great interest. I was born and raised in Glen Innes. It's still my family home, and some part of me never quite left, so watching these editorials ask what kind of future the town wants and motivating people towards action, has been deeply inspiring. I've spent more than 15 years working at the intersection of community resilience and systems change. What's clear from this work is that thriving communities are the ones where local people are involved…

Sir, No doubt there were many who, like me, questioned who authorised the two blank pages of the centerspread in issue 38 of the NEWS, naturally assuming it would have been the General Manager. On one hand we have  the General Manager proclaiming the need for transparency regarding Council matters and, on the other, saying nothing of Council’s decision to cease advice to ratepayers in the NEWS. What right does any Council employee, have to impose personal views, opinions, dictates or theories upon the very people who elected the Council? Freedom of speech is a basic tenet to which we…

To the Editor, I would like to raise an issue that I believe deserves far greater attention within our community — the lack of in-person trade and vocational courses available through Glen Innes TAFE. My husband and I moved to Glen Innes nearly five years ago and are raising three teenagers here. Our two older sons completed their apprenticeships and trade qualifications on the Central Coast of NSW, and through that experience we saw firsthand how important accessible vocational education is for young people. While we understand that rural communities cannot always offer the same level of services as larger…

It’s good to see at least one councilor (Councilor David Scott) thinking outside the square and expressing it publicly to the whole community for evaluation. I of course refer to the Editorial in the Glen Innes News dated 2 April re the proposed relocation of the Council Offices – that is, Council Offices relocated to the library, the library to the Dimmy’s building and the Art Gallery to the old Council Offices. The option Councilor Scott outlined as above, and the reasonings behind it, definitely should be further investigated. It would certainly place some Council services (library & arts gallery)…

To the Editor, What a marvellous idea of David Scott's to move the library to Dimmeys and the Council to the library.  It would be excellent for older people to shop and borrow your books in a more convenient atmosphere.  Also would be better for parking instead of using the Coles carpark for staff etc to park. Keep up the good work David. Norma Leamon, Glen Innes

Dear Editor, A previous Glen Innes Severn Council purchased the Quarry from Wayne McCarthy in February 2015 with a $970,000 NSW government grant (Glen Innes Examiner (11/2/2015). As ratepayers we were told that it was going to secure the town’s  water supply as an off stream water storage with a capacity that is 16% larger than the Beardy Weir. The Quarry (source GISC) was supposed provide 2 1/2 years supply once the Beardy Waters stopped flowing. Why then is the Glen Innes township  currently on Level 3 water restrictions? Have we, the ratepayers been misled by the very council that…

Dear Editor, Firstly - Congratulations to you and your dedicated “crew” responsible for our local “Glen Innes News” - Well done! Secondly - I agree with your very sensible suggestion on our future town structure. Move Council Offices to existing library Move Library to Dimmies Building (central to everything and convenient to all). Move wonderful “Arts Centre” in Town Hall. How simple could this be? Thank You Penny Wilson, Glen Innes

To the Editor, I write to raise growing concern about biosecurity risks associated with the unchecked spread of weeds across the Glen Innes Severn region. Of particular note is the proliferation of blackberries along the New England Highway, rural roads, rail corridors, and Travelling Stock Routes. These infestations are no longer contained to public land. They are encroaching onto adjoining properties, imposing significant control costs on landholders and undermining productive agriculture. Beyond the direct impact of weed spread, dense blackberry thickets provide harbour for pest species, including pigs, rabbits and deer, compounding the environmental and economic damage. This is not…

Dear Sir, The natural beauty of Glen Innes and its surrounds is again under threat from a proposed wind development on the western hills of the Furracabad Valley. A previous proposal, the Glen Innes Windfarm, caused 14 years of uncertainty and division before being refused in September 2020 due to unacceptable visual impacts and lack of community support. Now, Iberdrola Australia is assessing the Reddestone Wind Farm—effectively the same or larger footprint—with towers proposed up to 250 metres high, comparable to Sydney’s Centrepoint Tower observation deck. Positioned on elevated terrain, these structures would dominate views across the district and significantly…

I want to express my support for David Scott’s recent editorial encouraging Glen Innes to think creatively about how we use our existing assets. His piece treats community ideas as something worth exploring, not shutting down. By contrast, the Council’s response took a much narrower view. The community discussion was initially described as “noise” before the wording was softened, which speaks to how the conversation was being perceived. Rather than engaging with the ideas raised, the focus was on closing them off. No one expects every suggestion to be adopted, but people do expect their contributions to be respected. Scott’s…