DEAR News Of The Area, I WRITE in response to your article, “Hanson loses appeal over ‘seriously offensive’ tweet”, (NOTA, 29/7/26, Page 2). Senator Pauline Hanson’s so-called “seriously offensive and racist comment” was made in reply to Senator Merheen Faruqi’s extraordinary and disgraceful statement on the day our late Queen died. Ms Faruqi had described […]
DEAR News Of The Area, IN May this year, the Port Macquarie Hastings Council repealed its Climate Change Response Policy. The timing could hardly have been worse: it was followed, almost immediately, by an exceptionally warm winter here, and at the same time as an extraordinary summer in the northern hemisphere. France, England, other parts […]
DEAR News Of The Area, OUT of the halls of power, a familiar madness rose in a creature who mistook his reflection for revelation. He treated the spark of consciousness as a crown, the flicker of wit as wisdom, the noise of his ego as the voice of truth. And in that confusion, many followed […]
ELON Musk has built a career on chasing ideas many people once thought impossible. Now the SpaceX founder has revealed perhaps his boldest dream yet: creating permanent human settlements on the Moon and, eventually, Mars. The first steps could begin before the end of 2026. But instead of astronauts leading the way, Musk wants fleets […]
DEAR News of the Area, THE Coffs Coast is home to people from many ethnic backgrounds. This cultural diversity was celebrated at the inaugural Coffs Coast International Food and Dance Festival in November 2023. Festivals, stories, food, music and dancing are wonderful ways of bringing people from different cultural, linguistic, religious, social and philosophical backgrounds […]
DEAR Jasminda, MY friend lets her dog ‘prewash’ the dinner plates and dessert bowls by licking up any leftovers before she puts them in the dishwasher. As much as I love going there for dinner, I am disgusted by this unhygienic act. How do I sensitively raise this issue? Isla F. DEAR Isla, PEOPLE with […]
CLIVE began working at Rosegum Vineyard as a young man. Owned by Reginald and Dorothy, Rosegum became the centre of his working life. He tended the vines, repaired fences and worked each harvest for modest wages and accommodation. Over time, Clive came to know Rosegum intimately. He knew which vines struggled through dry summers, which […]
DEAR News Of The Area, ANDREW Vivian’s article, “Improved Native Forest Management method divides conservationists”, (Page 9, Coffs Coast NOTA, 18/9/26) accurately reports the political split over the INFM method, but the debate should not be reduced to whether conservationists are comfortable with carbon offsets. The more fundamental question is whether the carbon credits themselves […]
DEAR News Of The Area, MOST places around NSW and Australia ditched and retired the old local car ferries 60 years ago and built bridges across the river. Ever heard of Forster to Tuncurry? Why doesn’t Port Macquarie have a modern, thriving town where many people can live on the North Shore? It’s room for […]
