Electric charging stations divide opinion on council vision | Letters

A great deal of tourist trade is generated currently as tourists stop for petrol / diesel and a break on their way to other destinations. Goulburn is currently not a destination city, it's just a place to take a break.

With more EVs appearing on our roads, mostly purchased by 'well healed' punters, having tools to address their needs will only bring more tourism dollars to Goulburn. (I understand we are a bit short of a dollar).

If you doubt this, on your next trip to Sydney drop by the new food and fuel stop at Pheasants Nest. There are some 9 EV charging stations either side of the highway. Each time I have stopped there recently most chargers are occupied and their vehicle owners are spending money topping up their own (and their family's) tanks while waiting for the vehicle charge.

Private and public transport is changing globally.The vehicle manufacturers are reinforcing that change.

It's time for us all to open our eyes and see the opportunities these changes represent! It's time we had a council with a vision! Keep these thoughts in mind for the coming election!

I am also charged up at what I read in the Goulburn Post about the proposal to establish EV charging places in Market Street.

Belmore Park on the south western side of Market Street is zoned RE1 public recreation under the Goulburn Mulwaree Local Environment Plan 2009 and prohibits the development of such activity. So where is the EV charging going to be? On the footpath on the opposite side of Market Street? Not very practical and likely to annoy pedestrians and business owners in the area whose customers (majority of) don't drive EVs.

Mayor Walker is quoted as saying: "Everyone is supportive of the grant going in.....". I am not sure who "everyone" is? I know plenty of people like me who are not supportive of this proposal and it is clear Crs Kirk and Prevedello have questioned why the council is doing it? I suspect there hasn't been clear communication within council, including councillors and staff, on this.

Cr Wood is 100 per cent correct in pointing out this is all driven by the federal government's political agenda. Add to that the state government's political agenda as well. It's another example of cost shifting to local government.

The establishment of EV charging spaces is not an essential council service or activity and as such should be abandoned altogether.

Any government grant to establish EV charging places would be for just establishing them and won't cover operating costs and maintenance. Let the private sector apply for the grants and establish them on their property, owned or leased.

There has been some publicity recently about the reliability of EV charging places with many being out of service, including in Goulburn. This was also highlighted recently in a comparison with a BMW 740 (petrol) and its similar BMW i7 EV version from Sydney to Melbourne. The road testers were surprised how many EV charging points along the Hume Highway were out of service and had to find one that worked, so the petrol car had to wait an hour or more for the EV to be recharged.

At the council meeting on November 21, 2023, the council resolved six votes to three to proceed with seeking a Special Rate Variation increase to cover the cost of forecast operating deficits in future years.

I hope IPART is paying attention to this EV charging grant application as they assess the council's request for exorbitant rate increases. Who is going to bear the cost of maintenance of the EV charging places? Council (ie ratepayers)?

EV charging should be the responsibility of the automotive and energy servicing industries, not councilst. The council should stop subsidising the presence of eight Tesla recharging places at the Tourism Centre or charge Tesla $10,000 annually per space or more if current market price for such places dictates. Elon Musk can afford it - he's quite wealthy!

Barry McDonald, Goulburn

On January 18 I was in a motorised scooter going along a very uneven footpath and hit the root of a tree near the path.

My scooter tipped over and I was thrown to the ground. The Goulburn and Crookwell ambulances and Fire and Rescue NSW came to my aid, as well as at least half a dozen wonderful people who were walking or driving past and came to offer help.

The biggest thank you to all of them. Despite negative news reports of doom and gloom there are still so many good and wonderful people in Goulburn and we should be justly proud of them.

Desley Guyer, Goulburn

I read Louise Thrower's article (Farmers demand action on report into renewable energy consultation, GP February 5) with interest.

I agree it is important to get the community engagement stage of investment in renewables to a satisfactory level. However, I noticed the article was heavily weighted towards the negative response of NFF president and CE, David Jochinke and Tony Mahar respectively, while the photo was of National Farmers for Climate Action's Peter Holding.

So can we have some idea of what the response from Farmers for Climate Action was. Probably also worthy of note is that the Australian Energy Market Commision has already tightened community engagement requirements with stakeholders (November 23).

It isn't as though there stakeholders should continue to despair.

Barbara Lewis, Goulburn

Ed's note: This article was balanced with a story on Bannister grazier Ken Ikin's perspective on the benefits wind farms bring.