I attended the meeting at the Ballina RSL Club regarding the koalas. There were petition sheets as I walked in the door, which I was asked to sign. When I looked at the fine print the petition was to move the highway from its current route and no-one knew where to. I declined to give my signature to the Greens offering carte blanche over this.
Unfortunately I am not entirely convinced that the koalas are the real issue as over 80 per cent of the audience last night were local residents who wanted the highway moved away from their homes.
Dr Steve Phillips did not give any indication of the number of koalas in the southern area of the shire, merely stating that it was a significant population, which would be split into two populations if the highway followed the planned route. No mention was made of the little white koalas that used to inhabit the heathland by Seven Mile Beach many years ago.
Bob Higgins is the most patient man on God’s earth and really copped it on the chin at the meeting. I would like to congratulate Bob for the great highway we are not able to drive on and the excellent manner in which he has been working with communities all along its route.
Margaret Howes, Empire Vale
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
