First, on the subject of mosque, I and many other of my friends agree with Bob Baldwin that a mosque or any other religious facility/place of worship should be built either in a commercial/industrial area, not in a residential area. 

He is concerned about the location of the mosque, not the construction of the mosque.

Residential areas should be reserved for residents who choose to live there in peace and quiet, not to be subjected to traffic or other associated noises.

On youth unemployment, moving from Sydney a couple of years ago we have noticed here in the Hunter Valley this growing trend.

It would appear this is a generational problem that requires solutions from a wide cross section of the society – government, parents, and schools. 

What hope will it give to our future generations that this trend continues? 

Our government is not a bottomless bank – we need to live within our means. Yes, jobs are hard to get, and employers tend to choose people with higher qualification to fill vacancies. 

For the unemployed, regardless of whether you are a youth or an adult, there is always hope if you further your skills or education and are willing to learn – might try to do a different job or volunteer your service to start off.

Thanks to Beyondblue and other support services who are doing a good job.  Depression can affect anyone.

It’s irrelevant whether we agree with our Lord Mayor Cr Peter Blackmore’s concern  in regards to the effect farmers’ stalls  might have on the supermarkets' viability.

The supermarkets dictating terms to farmers is not the only or the major problem causing producers to struggle.

As a tradesperson needs the right tools to do a job successfully, producers need adequate means that allow them to compete in the global market. It’s the government's responsibility to provide them with this

Supermarkets giants are in business to make money. If they can buy cheaper overseas that’s what they’ll do.

The Buy Australian lobby groups can shout and complain as much as they want but the shopper who is struggling to make ends meet doesn’t have much choice. They either buy what they  can afford or go hungry.

Australian small and medium producers have the know-how and the will to compete and better the rest of the world. What they need is the backing and support of all levels of government.

On behalf of The Pet Foundation, Petbarn East Maitland and Petbarn Rutherford, I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to the Maitland City community.

The community showed great generosity in supporting our annual Christmas Giving Appeal, which raised much-needed funds for local animal charities. 

I am proud to note that the local Maitland City community collectively donated $3400 towards the Appeal.

We set out with the goal to raise $450,000 and thanks to the compassion and generosity of our customers we were able to raise over $633,000 nationally.

All profits from the appeal will go towards helping local animal shelters and rescue groups so that they can continue to do the great work they do.

Once again, thank you Maitland for your support with this initiative.