BANKWEST has produced a Quality of Life Index, rating the performance of 590 local government areas across Australia. It was scored across 10 variables which contribute to the quality of life including health, home ownership, house size, internet access, employment rates, earnings, education, community volunteering and crime rates. Data was gathered from sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Tax Office, and the Public Health Information Development Unit.

So how did the Shoalhaven rate?

Most of your readers would not be surprised given our high unemployment rate and the low socioeconomic status of our community, to find that the Shoalhaven rated 509 out of 590. By comparison our neighbours to the north, Kiama, rated 84th.

It is worth reflecting on this at a time when we are coming up to a council election. Mayor Watson and the Shoalhaven Independents Group have governed the Shoalhaven for nine years and what have we got to show for it? Some depressing statistics, including one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

Pandering to property developers has been a hallmark of the Watson reign. But construction is transitory. Projects last for a short time; for major jobs labour is brought in from outside the Shoalhaven and virtually all building materials have to be imported into the Shoalhaven. Property development has not, and cannot create enough long-term sustainable jobs. But property developers contributed $76,000 or 84 per cent of the Shoalhaven Independents funds for the 2004 council election.

We need a fresh approach and it is great to see John Fergusson and the Shoalhaven Action Campaign focusing on strategies for manufacturing and service industries to provide long-term sustainable growth and employment opportunities for the Shoalhaven.

B. Saunders,

Vincentia.