A koala is removed from a dangerous situation next to New Illawarra Road, Barden Ridge by Fire and Rescue Captain Brady Clark in February this year. Picture Facebook

Thank you for your article on April 2 highlighting the urgent need for protection for our Koalas in the Shire. The call for the Shire's Local Government Area (LGA) to have our Koalas included in the State Environmental Protection Policy (SEPP) has been ongoing for many years, yet little progress has been made.

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While there have been discussions within the council and the State Government about the necessity of implementing this policy to protect our Koalas, tangible actions have been lacking.

I understand that Sutherland Council plans to write to the Minister for Planning to seek an update, but I believe the time has come to take decisive action rather than simply requesting an update.

This is an opportunity for our elected State representative for Heathcote to step forward and ensure the government she represents takes the necessary steps.

Maryanne Stewart MP spoke passionately about her commitment to protecting our Koalas during her election campaign in 2022, yet she has been noticeably absent on this critical issue regarding the SEPP.

Habitat loss, roadkill, and urban overdevelopment are all placing enormous pressure on our Koalas. Given that the Sutherland Shire Koala population has been identified as being of state significance, it is time to end the procrastination and take action-let's make this happen with a stroke of a pen.

John Souvleris, Woronora Heights

GREAT IDEA

Re your story about the council pushing the state government for stronger protection for koalas during development, this is a great initiative.

A lot of trees have disappeared in the shire and we need to protect our native species.

Phillip Cullen

WATERWAYS LAND REZONING

I am against this proposal. Our beautiful waterways will be changed forever if it goes ahead.

The amazing thing about the Port Hacking and Georges River waterways is that they are still so untouched by development.

Please everyone we must stop this!

Donna Geraghty, Caringbah South

CAFE EFFECTS

Nearly three years on from the opening of Flour cafe in Caringbah South and the surrounding houses in Willarong Road and Castelnau Street have no peace in anyway.

The noise from the cafe and clients, blocked driveways, trucks everywhere with no loading zone, no privacy, growing crowds all over residents' properties...it's too much for an area full of homes.

More importantly, we have no public holidays.

We all want our peaceful community back, would love the noise to be culled and respect shown for the residents who should be entitled to a quiet life in their homes.

Please think of the people who live there.

Matt Davies, Caringbah South

FISHY PRACTICES

All the best for the Easter holidays.

I remember so clearly those days as a kid growing up in the northern NSW town of Tamworth in the 1950s, when times were tough post- World War II.

As a Catholic, part of our tradition was to acknowledge the death of Jesus on the Cross by not eating meat on Good Friday, especially, and the Fridays for each week of the year.

The fish shop proprietors loved this practice for sure.

My mother used to send me to the fish shop on those Fridays. She would tell me to ask the boss to leave the eyes in the fish he sold me. Why, you might ask. So it could see us over the weekend.

Let peace re-appear across the world and for the remainder of the year 2026.

Paul Hunt, Engadine

E-BIKES LIABILITY

When will the state government cut to the chase and bring in a law that makes anyone who purchases an e-bike or e-scooter fully legally and financially responsible for injuries and or damages of any kind to a member of the public?

This has gone on long enough, and I cannot comprehend how this wasn't done in the first place, before a single purchase was allowed.

Now, there can be severe injury, perhaps permanent loss of mobility, even life, without the purchaser of the equipment be brought before the courts, let alone named and shamed.

Name supplied, Sutherland

SURPLUS M6 LAND

What will be the outcome of the now defunct F6 freeway corridor?

[The M6 has been removed from the state government's new draft 20-year plan for the shire].

This large vacant parcel of land should now be gazetted as a wildlife corridor and in viable places, set aside for public open space.

Let's not let a poor thinking government department or ill equipped politician take charge of any portion of this valuable open space.

We saw what can happen when a government department head wants to build monuments to themselves: an unused desalination plant and, of course, the ferry wharves with no ferry.

Governments have proven over and over they are good at wasting taxpayers' money.

M A (name supplied), Miranda

HAVE YOUR SAY: leaderletters@theleader.com.au