Dear Editor
On Sunday last my wife and I took a break from the seasonal rush to attend the Christmas pantomime put on by the Young Theater Group.
What a delight!!
We enjoyed the story line, the cast and the narrator. Really good fun. Every-one should mark it down as a “must do” on next year’s calendar .
Congratulations to all those involved; Young is lucky to have such a group as part of it’s community.
Yours sincerely
June and Ted Webber
YOUNG
Victim shares her story
Dear Editor
My name’s Kathleen Brown and I’ve been a resident in Young since 1982.
The recent annual White Ribon Day prompted me to share my story of domestic violence and abuse.
I was married for 10 years during which time I fell victim to domestic violence and abuse.
I endured both physical and mental abuse which left me with health issues as I was in and out of hospital.
April 12, 2012 the police got me out after a neighbour notified them of an incident.
I want to use my experience to encourage other victims to reach out for support – there is help out there.
You may feel isolated from your friends and family but you are not alone.
They are a predator, they go from one victim to the other and don’t think twice about their actions. They’re a sociopath.
In the 10 years I went from one refuge to the other, often had AVOs against the perpetrator and was manipulated on a number of occasions to resume the relationship. They tend to make you feel valuable until the next time, and there’s always a next time.
If you’re experiencing domestic violence, find the courage to break the isolation and get the support of your family, friends and services available to assist you.
I’d like to thank the business people and everyone in Young for their love and support. I know I am never lonely because of the comfort I’m given every day in this town. God bless you all.
Kathleen Brown
YOUNG
Power and politics, not pigs
It is incredulous that Katrina Hodgkinson and Ted Campbell (Hilltops Meats), whom we believe to be a close friend of Edwina Beveridges's family, have engaged with the NSW Environment Minister, Mark Speakman at this stage in the process of Blantyre Farms DA for a mega pig factory at Harden (The Land, 24 November, 2016).
This appears to be a thinly veiled attempt by Katrina Hodgkinson to lift the profile of the piggery development and to try and influence an early decision by Environmental and Planning authorities before sufficient time for scrutiny of the further submissions by the regulatory authorities and the general public.
Lack of pigs has not been the reason for not having a pig floor at Young.
Katrina Hodgkinson was at the re-opening of the abattoir in 2014. Pigs were excluded from the abattoir then as the site was constrained by its proximity to homes, and its Halal certification which required separate kill facilities for pigs (NSW Pork Industry Overview 2015).
How and where does Ted Campbell propose to add the pig floor?
The bias of the member for Cootamundra has been blatant in her promotion of one constituent over others.
Despite making requests for a meeting since early October, a spokesperson of the Cunningham Valley Action Group Inc. (CVAG) was denied an opportunity to meet with Katrina Hodgkinson and was informed that Katrina Hodgkinson would meet after the Council process was complete.
CVAG represents a very large group of credible local landholders and residents who have established sound scientific reasons as to why the proposed site is not suitable.
These people are also Katrina Hodgkinson's constituents.
What is Katrina Hodgkinson's real motive for following this line?
Mandy and Mike de Mestre
BEGGAN BEGGAN
