A drain on patience

I AM so irritated to see the drains being cleaned out in the Bunyip Ward!
I can remember when this work was routine maintenance, not a sop to the voters before election time.
Worse, the councillors seem to think we should be grateful.
Shall we have to wait for the next election to get our drains cleaned again?
On the other hand, I can’t remember seeing so many letters to the editor from our leaders, who seem to constantly need to justify their actions in the press.
One thing they haven’t been asked to justify yet is their attempt to change Cardinia’s land classification from ‘farm’ to green wedge.
Cr Doug Hamilton was quoted in this paper recently as saying this would help to attract much needed industry to the shire.
Actually, farming is an industry and, according to the August 2005 edition of Connect Cardinia, contributes $173 million to Cardinia’s economy annually.
Our recently appointed agribusiness officer must be wondering how long his job will last.
Obviously, this is a push towards speeding up unfettered development, but I can’t agree with Cr Kate Lempriere (Gazette, 9 November) that if growth is slowed “government funding for roads and schools, public transport and jobs will stop”.
I am absolutely certain that my town has yet to realise any benefit whatsoever from “developers and their contribution funds”.
Cardinia Shire is fortunate to have high rainfall and good soils.
It is one of the few areas in Australia, which can grow food easily, and we should be most cautious about building over this land.
Present and future councillors should remember that we can’t eat houses. And high rainfall means drains need regular maintenance!
Susan Anderson,
Bunyip.