Suez is a corporation with global reach: "With 80,000 employees and activities across five continents", providing drinking water, sanitation and waste disposal to 92, 65 and 52 million people, respectively (Corporate figures). Similar to most global corporations, i.e. Uber, Google, Amazon, Serco, etc., Suez, has no social commitment or obligation Queanbeyan.

As a solely profit motivated global corporation, with elusive domicile, Queanbeyan is merely another way-station on its business chart.

December last, The Australian Taxation Office revealed tax histories of 1539 Aussie companies (Samantha Menzies, Yahoo7 Finance, Friday, 18 December). Suez Environment Australia Holdings Pty., Ltd., was one of 579 companies which were shown not to have paid tax in 2014. No doubt there is a good reason for their not having done so, and which, doubtless their public relations office would be only too happy to reveal.

So far anxieties regarding waste disposal have centred, rightly on, easily identifiable, emanating, toxic, odorous, blown litter and traffic hazards. However, more subtle dangers potentially accrue from bio-degradation of "plastic recyclables", with their history of fauna feminisation.

"Liquid waste" and grease disposal raise concerns regarding containment and prevention of their contamination of ground-water. Then there is the issue of decommissioning, as this area will not forever be a waste tip!

Good corporate citizens employ permanent, local, staff at legal wage rates, have vehicles and other maintenance services sourced locally and contribute to society by way of company taxation. Australia has a legion of rent-seeking free-loaders, already it can ill afford more!

- Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

Ambushing the bush

I nearly fell over the edge of the public gallery in laughter at Barilaro's verbal antics during question time in the NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, February 17. Mr John Barilaro, Minister for Regional Development, crowed that regional NSW is front and center of decision making by the Baird Government, and yet this man is part of a state cabinet proposing to sell off 21 TAFE colleges in the bush - one of them in his own electorate of Queanbeyan.

Selling a TAFE college in the bush spells the death knell for a country town, especially those with high youth unemployment. TAFE colleges are the only institute where affordable and recognized vocational courses are taught.

This is the first place where workers who are made redundant seek help to be retrained instead of having to go to shonky private providers.

You don't have to be an economic guru to understand why TAFE costs are higher than private providers. It's because PPs do not have libraries, counsellors and remedial teachers to assist in students who fall through the cracks at school and need help with numeracy or literacy.

Some PPs do not even have a workshop where crucial practical aspects of the trade can be demonstrated in a safe environment. They think the virtual world is the same as the real world.

The NSW TAFE colleges train for the future - not for the scrap heap being piled-up by private providers as they laugh all the way to the bank with taxpayer's hard earned money.

But there is one thing I do agree with him on and that is his call to trim the fat in the TAFE system, but not quite the layer of fat he is targeting.

When I did the electrical trade and electrical engineering certificate in the early 1970s all TAFE colleges worked under one umbrella, now there are 10 institutes which duplicate human resources.

Also back then all final exams were external which meant that a high standard was ensured throughout NSW. In addition all colleges had the same work books which in those days was printed by the Government Printer. Now each college is printing their own work book using photocopying machines.

When I did the electrical engineering certificate the cost was - in today's money - $300 and held over four years, three nights a week.

Now they have reduced the course content so students can graduate in two years with what is now called an advanced diploma.

And for this diploma students have to pay a whopping $20,000. Where are the kids in the Bush going to find that sort of money? The diploma is not worth the paper it is written on.

- Tony Morrissey, Chifley

Dementia on the rise and rise

New dementia figures for 2016 show more people than ever will be living with the condition this year. In the Monaro state electorate there is estimated to be 900 people living with dementia, which is expected to increase to an estimated 1,050 people by 2020 and 3,050 by 2050.

Dementia can be a very isolating, confusing, confronting and difficult disease to live with. But you are not alone and, with the right support, you can live well with dementia.

We encourage those who have a diagnosis of dementia to contact Alzheimer's Australia NSW on the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.

Our professional and compassionate staff can talk to you about what is happening, give you advice and strategies for how to manage now and into the future, and can point you in the right direction for further support and other services - all for free.

There is also a great new website, Living Well with Dementia, which contains a whole range of

information and tips on how to live well with dementia. You can find that at www.livingwellwithdementia.org.au.

- Alzheimer's Australia NSW CEO The Hon. John Watkins AM and Professor Henry Brodaty AO