Parking in Maitland CBD
It was interesting to read recently in the Mercury that if elected mayor of Maitland at the next local government election, Cr Phillip Penfold has pledged that he will put the construction of a decked car-parking station on the agenda at council.
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My question to Cr Penfold, and also to all of the other Maitland councillors, is: why hasn't council already discussed this issue?
Why do ratepayers have to wait until an election is on the horizon in the hope of having available, adequate local parking close to shops in The Levee?
Everyone knows how difficult it is to gain a car-parking space in the CBD. When the Greenhills extension is completed there no doubt will be ample parking available there. But not in the CBD.
With the likes of Aldi opening soon, where will the customers park? All other Aldi stores provide ample car-parking spaces around each store.
Will this happen at The Levee store?
Many Maitland folk prefer to shop locally and aren't all that fussed on competing with the large crowds that are sure to relocate back to the finished Greenhills shopping centre.
If council is fair dinkum about supporting Maitland CBD, then let’s get on with resolving this matter now.
Do not wait for the issue to become an agenda item on a councillor’s re-election wish list.
Colin Brown,
Maitland
MOST DON’T EAT DOG MEAT
One week ahead of the controversial dog meat festival in Yulin, China, on June 21, a new survey reveals that most people living in Yulin don't regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.
The survey has been welcomed by Humane Society International, global campaigners to end Asia's dog meat trade.
The survey, conducted in May this year by Beijing's Capital Animal Welfare Association and Vshine Animal Protection Association, shows that the majority of Yulin residents, 72 per cent, do not regularly eat dog meat.
Only 28 per cent eat it on a regular basis, with a mere 12 per cent eating it weekly.
Thousands of dogs and cats are brutally slaughtered for human consumption at the Yulin event, part of an annual trade across China that sees more than 10 million dogs and four million cats annually killed for eating, most of them stolen pets and strays.
Last month it was revealed that a temporary ban on dog meat sales will be introduced this year from June 15, with heavy penalties for violations.
Although Chinese officials have yet to formally confirm the ban, it has been independently verified by multiple organisations on the ground including the Duo Duo Project, Animals Asia Foundation, The Ta Foundation, ACTAsia and Humane Society International.
Humane Society International is calling on Yulin official Mr Mo Gong Ming to end the Yulin festival for good.
Humane Society International
LOYALTY AT A COST
Australian agriculturalists are remaining loyal to the big four banks despite sometimes receiving terrible foreign exchange rates, high fees and little to no service on their international money transfers.
They are already burdened by the prospect of a higher Australian dollar and thin margins on profits. So why are they adding to these challenges by letting their banks rip them off?
Part of the problem is that these banks are often the ones who helped set up the family business decades ago, and this familiarity has fostered a sense of loyalty and trust.
In a tough economic environment every cent counts. Importers and exporters who are bound by a sense of loyalty could be missing out on the opportunity to save themselves thousands of dollars.