Councils being given the opportunity to zoom “secretly” into your properties and a new committee formed to advise on the future of Wollongong Harbour who will not have access to the six suggested ideas already in the government’s hands.

Both are just examples of the mad, mad world we are living in.

Government’s of all dimensions seem to be behaving in the most erratic and irresponsible ways, none of which offers much confidence to us ratepayers.

The 3D camera thing is perhaps the most outrageous. Designed here locally it will allow councils to create life – like 3D aerial maps that will enable, or so it said, council town planners to inspect various buildings around the place.

But civil libertarians are naturally up in arms suggesting the cameras will also be used for other things such as checking on parking and the like.

It’s an invasion of personal privacy that should not be allowed.

Then there’s the matter of the select committee to tell the State Government how they would like to see the future of Wollongong Harbour evolve, and yet they won’t have access to plans already before the government.

What a load of rubbish, but when you look at their recent performances it should not be that unexpected.

And the same old faces

Another worrying aspect about the group formed to hopefully decide the fate of Wollongong Harbour, particularly the popular Flagstaff Hill area, is that it again comprises many people who seem to always serve on this committee or that.

What’s worse is that while they are obviously well meaning their past history is not one of action, rather more of words.

And where are the younger folk?

Able younger businessman and entrepreneur Geoff McQueen is a welcome face on the committee, but there should be more younger folk for the future of our city is much more in their interests these days.

Put the republic on the back burner

Surely our governments don’t need any more distractions and talk about moving the republic debate up the list is worrying to say the least.

Our politicians have more pressing tasks to act on and hopefully solve.

Or is it another blind to take our attention away from their gross financial mismanagement of recent years?

More parking needed

I’ve raised this in the past but we really do need some attention given to the lack of parking facilities that are available near The Lagoon and that end of Stuart Park.

Went down that way on Sunday and was lucky enough to fluke a park, but all those vehicles that had to invade the grassy areas of the parkland was not a good sight to behold.

There is no doubt this area is a popular spot for locals and people from other places and we should make them feel more welcome.

Action, not talk is required

A recent meeting of the Illawarra Transport Infrastructure Priorities Forum agreed that the three major projects needing attention and any available government financial aid were the Maldon – Dombarton rail link, an upgrade of the Princes Highway and similar action for Picton Road.

Now, these problems seem to have been a talking point for years now and what we really need is action rather than more words.

And this should be the emphasis when our two local Federal Labor pollies Jennie George and Sharon Bird raise the issues with Infrastructure Australia.

But on past history don’t bet on any action.

Some sunshine

ALP pollie Jenni George’s recent newsletter draw attention to the fact that eight schools in her electorate of Throsby would be eligible for funding for 1685 computers.

They are St Joseph’s regional, Albion Park, Dapto, Illawarra Sports High, Kanahooka, Lake Illawarra and Warilla Highs and Shellharbour Anglican College.

Good news for some I guess.

Wonders of the world

Sitting around over a few drinks recently the subject of what are the seven wonders of the world came up and those present scratched their heads and tried to name them.

Now, generally speaking, the gang didn’t do to badly but later research by one of them indicated the “wonders” are split into categories.

There’s the “wonders” of the ancient world ie Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the pyramids and the Colossus of Rhodes, then we have those belonging to the medieval world ie Stonehenge, the Colosseum, Great Wall of China, Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Taj Mahal.

But wait, there’s the “wonders” of the modern world ie English Chunnel, Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge and Panama Canal.

Not finished yet as we also have the new “wonders” ie Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Taj Mahal and even our Great Barrier Reef gets a nod.

How would you have gone? We didn’t do too bad with our list ie Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Pyramids, Taj Mahal, Leaning Tower of Pisa,the Colosseum, Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, The Grand Canyon and The Statue of Liberty.

A bit closer to home we might have included the Mt Kembla and Stanwell Park lookouts, the beaches at Austinmer, Port Kembla and Bombo, a stroll along the main street of Kiama and visit to the nearby blowhole, a drive through the countryside at Jamberoo, a visit to The Lagoon and its surrounds, Belmore Basin, and a drive down Berkeley way to take in the sheer size of one our often forgotten joys, Lake Illawarra.

And if your guests have siblings then it’s an in - season must to call in at the Jamberoo Recreation Park.