Magistrate’s warning on violence

Magistrate’s warning on violence

Crimes committed by children from 1990-2011 prompted the Namoi Valley Independent editor Ron McLean to report on July 25, 1995 about statements made by former magistrate Malcom Macpherson SM “a clear message has to be sent to the community that violence will not be tolerated in any form”. This was also the message from Gunnedah circuit magistrate at the local courthouse.

Unfortunately, this warning was not heeded by our elected members of parliament and local councils to support rehabilitation centres for the children.

Not even Elaine Nile MLC’s Young Offenders Amendment Bill (August 27, 2002) which was circulated in a petition to every business house in Gunnedah, signed and returned to the honourable Wal Murray, also failed to address the problem of youth crime in all our country towns.

Our young criminals felt they had the right to burn and vandalise Gunnedah’s historic homes and buildings. In 2011, I felt great sadness when I saw a smoke haze high in the sky; coming from the ashes of Cohen’s Warehouse, and their second attempt to burn down the building had succeeded.

It is too late to help those who did these crimes, creating another generation of children in their formative years to do as they desire. The time has come to question why these young people are committing these crimes and give them the help they need.

We all need hope because we don’t have strong and moral leaders to support them.

The reality is that it’s up to every town to hold a ‘Say No To Drugs’ event and in every school in NSW as a yearly event supported by the whole community.

To quote Slim Dusty, “if our young have no faith in their future, then in what will their children believe?”

– Judith Law, Gunnedah

Keep the water at Keepit

Tamworth water from Keepit or Split Rock Dams, or from the Manning Valley in the East?

With Gunnedah residents receiving by mail or electronically, from NSW Government in partnership with Tamworth Regional Council, I ask them to consider that any supplementation of Tamworth Water Supply from the Manilla/ Namoi river systems, will be at the expense of rural and mainstreet business, that keep Gunnedah alive, as well as that of other downstream communities.

Clearly the coastal Manning Valley catchment, Manning and Barnard rivers, would be the best choice – sustainable and sensible.

Maybe the study should also consider investigating pumped hydro electricity generation, for when the sun doesn’t shine (solar), or the wind doesn’t blow (turbine) electricity generation.

We will need to watch this space to ensure common sense prevails So “Have Your Say” by the March 7.

– Geoff Hood, Lauravon Contractors, Lodge Farm, Gunnedah