Basketball Australia continues to dither about its new competition and keep teams like our local Hawks and Cairns up in the air about their futures.

While doubts exist over the availability of Adelaide because they don’t seem to be able to guarantee up front the million dollars required to be part of the new series, I’m also told that those behind the game are sweating on Sydney, too, and a possible deal with Foxtel to televise games.

One can only feel sorry for hard working Mat Campbell and others here in Wollongong and for the businessman who has offered to help the team make the grade as they continue to have to sweat it out while people who should be more responsible dither around.

Our Council fees to rise again

The fact that the country is supposed to be in the grip of a major recession doesn’t seem to have worried our city council administrators and management with a three and half per cent rise in our rates mooted for the new financial year.

Add to this an expected rise of 19 per cent in rubbish collection fees and we ratepayers are copping it in the neck again.

Those behind the scheme say it is necessary for council to focus on the fundamental requirement of local government to upgrade our roads, footpaths etc.

Don’t they realise the average Mr and Mrs Joe Blow out there in suburbia doesn’t give a hoot about the city mall or the Blue Mile and that they would rather see more responsible financial management from the administrators and officers.

And I find it hard to believe when senior officers say they have taken a razor to the costs of running the city when hardly a weekend goes by where you don’t see an advertisement in the local for yet another new appointment to the city staff.

Mall decision welcome

Even if you don’t agree with it the news that the city council will finally make a decision on the future of the mall is welcome, even if it is long overdue.

The opening up of all of Keira Street to traffic is also welcome.

But the question of greater safety in the mall and whether it will still be regarded as dangerous after 5.30pm will remain unanswered in the short term.

The dilemma of Anzac Day  

Anzac Day unfortunately seems to bring out the best and worst in our society.

I’m told the attendance at the Cenotaph here in Wollongong on the morning of this day in history was immense and those who were there were greatly touched by it all.

Here is a day when on one hand hundreds of thousands go out of their way to remember those who fought and died in our world wars and yet too many others are involved in public brawls and clashes with our police force.

Too many of our young people seem to regard the day as one where they should get drunk and try and take on the world. It’s a sad reflection on the society we live in and enough to make those who lost their lives serving their country to turn in their graves, wherever they may be.

Perhaps pubs and club should be banned from opening until noon, but then again our young folk always seem able to gain access to booze whether the drinking houses are open or not.

By contrast it bought tears to my eyes to see nearly 85,000 people and the players from two teams stand to attention at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to honour the fallen as the eerie sound of the Last Post reverberated around the stadium and people put their hands over their hearts when our national anthem was played.

Computer on wheels 

One fellow was telling another that his car was a computer on wheels and to emphasise his point he went on to tell about how he won a leg of ham in a club raffle and put it on the front passenger seat to take it home.

As he set off the message “passenger” flashed on and off on his dashboard and it was then he realised the computer on wheels was telling him his front seat “passenger” wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

What next?