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Letter: Ray Walsh House debacle undermines TRC leadership
Confidence in the leadership of Tamworth Regional Council has been seriously undermined following the ongoing Ray Walsh House debacle and the handling of asbestos removal, remediation costs, and public communication over the past four years.
After last week’s public meeting, the Mayor publicly admitted they are caught between a “rock and a hard place” regarding the future of Ray Walsh House.
At the same time, evidence aired publicly has highlighted the enormous pressures currently surrounding Council administration.
Ratepayers have every right to ask why did Council completely gut all floors of Ray Walsh House knowing Council did not have the funds to complete the asbestos removal and the refurbishment of this building? Why did Council enter into a long term and costly lease at the Hub to house Council’s indoor staff when this money, some $15M at least, could have been used to remove the asbestos from Ray Walsh House?
This situation has become a costly and an embarrassing failure of leadership, governance, transparency and financial management. Many members of the community now believe the only way to restore public trust is for the current leadership to step aside and allow new leadership to move forward.
This is not personal; it is about responsibility to the community, accountability for public money and restoring confidence and reliability to local government decision-making.
The people of Tamworth deserve transparent answers, competent management and leadership that the community can have confidence in.
Enough is enough, this community urgently needs all Councillors to listen to the people they are representing and ensure immediate changes are made to ensure effective, competent and accountable Council leadership.
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Letter: Access matters
I wanted to thank Ingrid for her comment on the accessibility of Armidale’s spaces and throughways.
There’s something deeply powerful about hearing from someone who understands not because they’ve read it in a textbook, but because they’ve lived it. They know what it’s like to navigate the maze. They’ve had days when getting out of bed felt like climbing a mountain. And they’ve also found ways to adapt, to create joy, and to carve out a life that works for them.
When people with lived experience share knowledge, strategies, and resources, they’re equipping each other to advocate for better access, challenge discrimination, and push for systemic change. One person’s hard-earned insight can save another person months of fear or frustration.
Systems may be slow to change, but when we connect, we change things for each other right now. Thank you Ingrid, I’ve submitted a response to Armidale’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan now, and without your piece, it may have slipped under the radar!
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Letter: Rail Trail silencing opposition
I wanted to make a submission as part of the consultation on the Armidale Rail Trail. I went to the website, read the instructions, and froze.
Comments can’t be anonymous. Must provide name and address. Create an account. Be identifiable.
Normally that would be fine, I don’t have a problem putting my name to my thoughts ordinarily. But any time you say anything against the bloody rail trail the abuse is so intense. These one-eyed privileged fools are so good at silencing anyone that doesn’t agree with them, it’s genuinely scary.
And no, I’m not in the camp that think the train is coming back. But I wanted to comment that I don’t support the rail trail, I don’t want our council to be wasting money on this silly project – if some private developer wants to do it, go for it, but this is not what we pay rates for.
For the first time in my life, I’ve had to ask for a payment plan for my rates. I make good money, but the rates are so crazy high now that it’s just too much. No amount of people on bikes having a good time while I work my tail off is going to have any impact on my ability to pay my bills, it’s just going to make other people wealthy. This is not fair, it is not ok, and I wanted to say that formally… on the record, as part of the consultation.
But I’m terrified if I do so there will be retribution. Friends who support the project won’t talk to me anymore. It may even affect my ability to do my job, as a person in our management team is a very big fan of this thing.
So I will yell my objections into the ether, and hope that others braver than me will make these points for me through the formal channels. And that somehow, somewhere, something will finally get through to the thick heads at Armidale Regional Council and they will realise how much pain they cause the community.
Author identified by New England Times Engage and published anonymously at the writer’s request. See our guidelines for more information on publishing anonymously.
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Letter: Anzac Day Australia at its best
Anzac Day at the Longyard Hotel was Australia at its best.
After a magnificent march that honoured service and sacrifice, the crowd rolled in for a game of 2-up — and what a scene it was. Young and old, men and women, country boys and girls alongside townies, locals shoulder to shoulder with visitors from Scotland, Norway, Italy, South Africa and Asia.
Different backgrounds, different stories, but for one afternoon everyone was part of the same spirit.
I spoke with some of the overseas visitors, and with old friends catching up over a story and a drink. There was laughter, cheers, good-natured banter and that unmistakable sense of mateship that still means something in this country. It was such fun.
No divisions, no nonsense — just people enjoying each other’s company and sharing in a uniquely Australian tradition.
That is the Anzac spirit too. Not only remembrance, but camaraderie, resilience and community.
At the Longyard, it was alive and well. A bloody good day, full of joy, respect and togetherness.
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Letter: Minns making a real difference in classrooms
Three years ago, the Minns Labor Government was elected with a clear commitment: rebuild public education after more than a decade of Liberal and National neglect.
Last week, students and staff across New South Wales returned to schools that are stronger, safer and better resourced because that promise is being honoured.
As a mother of three school-aged children, I know firsthand how much families value safe, welcoming schools, quality teaching and classrooms where children can thrive.
Over the Easter break alone, more than $103 million was invested in upgrades and maintenance at public schools across the state — from roof repairs and accessibility improvements to refreshed classrooms, new flooring and upgraded bathrooms. These are not glamorous headlines, but they matter deeply to school communities.
Labor has also backed public education with a record $9 billion investment in new and upgraded schools, delivering 2,600 new and improved classrooms, 19 new public high schools, 20 new public primary schools, 100 new public preschools and more than 100 major school upgrades.
Just as importantly, teacher vacancies have fallen to a 12-year low, more than 16,000 temporary teachers and school support staff have been made permanent, and teachers have received the largest pay rise in a generation.
These are practical reforms making a real difference in classrooms right now.
Public education should never be taken for granted. Progress can be reversed as quickly as it was delayed.
With the next state election approaching, families should remember which party is investing in public schools — and which parties left them behind.
Kate McGrath
Senior Vice-President
Tamworth Branch, Australian Labor Party
Gunnedah
QW: Correcting the deliberate lie
Having grown up in Bondi and surfed the beach since childhood, I am saddened by the Chanukah Massacre, but blaming then current immigration policy is a totally unacceptable lie.
These deliberate misrepresentations of the facts are made by the two major mouthpieces of the Coalition that confected the Howard era Tampa incident to inflame racial prejudice. It clearly demonstrates that these politicians have no interest in promoting the best interests of the Australian voters.
Thank you for publicly correcting the deliberate lies from these self-serving, uncaring Coalition politicians.
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Letter: Tamworth families finally getting what they deserve
For years, families in regional NSW were told to wait — wait for school upgrades, wait for preschool places, wait for governments to finally take public education seriously.
Now, under the Minns Labor Government, Tamworth is actually seeing delivery.
The new public preschool at Hillvue Public School is exactly the kind of investment regional families have needed for years: practical, affordable and focused on giving children the best possible start in life. For local parents, it means access to high-quality, fee-free early learning close to home. For children, it means a stronger start before they even walk into kindergarten.
And this is not a one-off. Hillvue is one of the first of 100 new public preschools Labor is rolling out across NSW, with nearly half in regional communities. That is a serious commitment to country families after more than a decade of neglect from the former Liberal-National Government, which somehow managed to oversee growing communities without building the public early learning infrastructure families actually needed.
Tamworth High School is also benefiting from major upgrades, showing this is part of a broader commitment to rebuild public education from preschool right through to high school.
This is what investment in regional communities should look like — not ribbon-cutting politics, but real public infrastructure that actually improves people’s lives.
Tamworth families deserve nothing less.
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Letter: MPSC responds where ARC ignores
Re: Scaled-back Moree precinct plan adopted to ease pressure on council
Moree Plains Shire Council (MPSC) responds to ratepayer concerns by reducing the size of the 200ha to about 100ha to reduce the generated on-going cost of proposed Moree Special Activation Precinct.
Meanwhile, Armidale Regional Council (ARC) ignores the demands from over 8,000 ratepayers to support the renovation and reopening of passenger rail services north from Armidale to Jennings Wallangarra to connect this region to the world, just like Sydney metro voters.
MPSC has good ideas for economic development and listens to ratepayers concerns. ARC has no ideas for economic development and practices the tin ear strategy to all ratepayer concerns.
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Letter: Can we turn Armidale down to maybe 7?
I’ve been living in Armidale for five years now. When I first arrived, I loved it: so much culture, things to do, and such interesting people who could really hold a conversation.
Now, the only thing keeping me here is the weather. Armidale seems to be drowning in ego and its own self importance of late, and it is really wearing thin.
So many friendly people yet it’s so hard to make any real friends.
So many great businesses that couldn’t be bothered opening their doors for a full business day.
So many wonderful events but nobody goes.
So many people that make a song and dance about supporting local, and then do anything but.
Even the mayor’s obsession with boosting his own profile, which seems to have found a new high gear of late, makes me want to vomit. There is very little of the Council to be desired – seriously who jacks up the rates and makes the cost of living harder just to have flying whales and acrobat planes, but not build a single footpath – but the Mayor? With his ‘personal’ events and podcast and rail trail and whatever? So exhausting.
This is a great town. Can we maybe turn it down to a 7, and be a little bit more compassionate to our fellow residents, maybe make a bit more of an effort to contribute, that’d be so appreciated.
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Letter: Reopen the Great Northern line
The new England rail would benefit those in this region by providing both passenger and freight transportation. as the permanent way is established is there is little requirement for land acquisition except for a small deviation. Most stations are intact. The benefits outweigh the repair costs.
Benefits: light to medium Freight for import/export of goods.
Passenger services: point to point and long distance within the region and connections to Sydney and beyond. Tourist trains, dining trains and special charter (football specials etc).
Employment: track maintenance, training opportunities.
The list is endless. It is proposed that the line extend to Toowoomba and the inland rail.
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