Horst Tietze, Mullumbimby
Thank you to the Mullum Farmers Market for providing glistening new bathrooms. Looking at other Shire facilities we can only hope Council will take a leaf out of their book.
I have been reading about empty Council coffers for the best part of 30 years while we all continue struggling with dangerous potholes and substandard toilet blocks. It’s a disgrace.
The paid parking issue in Brunswick Heads highlights again our inability to provide community amenities and facilities in line with our reputation as a premium global tourist destination. In times of a pandemic and restrictions on international air travel, there will be more and more domestic demand in the future.
I raised the issue of a local bed tax with local members about ten years ago. They were all saying: too hard basket. I vehemently disagree. If it takes legislative change, signed off by the State government, so be it.
There are many local governments like us along the NSW east coast affected in similar ways. They are all struggling financially in providing adequate amenities. Why not gather a coalition of coastal councils to lobby the State government? Maybe I’m ignorant here and this is already happening?
Can someone enlighten me on the issue where the real problem with a bed tax lies? Paid parking, which will have dire consequences for the Brunswick retail outlets, is out of question. They provide much needed employment in the north of the Shire.
Seaside destinations around the globe are able to raise bed taxes, why not us? A couple of dollars per night might go a long way in additional funding for our much-maligned infrastructure.
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. 
