Does this old letter prove we need change more than ever?

LETTERS often express the opinions of the everyday people and what they're experiencing in their everyday lives.

HOT TOPICS: A letter to the editor from 1978. Picture: File

LETTERS often express the opinions of the everyday people and what they're experiencing in their everyday lives.

But, quite often, older letters to the editor complain of the same topics affecting readers today - politics, community and society.

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In a 40-year-old letter to the editor, "small businessman” talks about his battles with the changing face of shopping in the region.

He talks about big complexes moving in and how concerned the small business owners, who had given their life's savings to their businesses, were.

Not unlike the present, "small businessman” talks about an urgent need for jobs and industry to keep Bundaberg going.

The letter also echoes similar debates going on today - is Bundaberg better off as a built-up city or a small one?

• 15 Bundy news snippets from 1978
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Here is the letter in full:

In reply to Mr Edwards nd Mr Henry's ludacris remarks in Wednesday's NewsMail, I wish to make the following comments on behalf of Bundaberg's small business community.

One, Bundaberg was not geared to take the influx of large complexes.

There is a certain number of people and amount of money in one community.

Was it the Development Board who allowed the complexes to be built?

If the development Board would have done a sensible feasibility study, they would have found the small businessman struggling to survive before the two complexes were built.

They may have also found that the economy is at an all-time low, unemployment is at an all-time low and the public's morale is at an all-time low.

Mr Edwards calls our attitude negative, Mr Henry calls us psychologically depressed.

Have Mr Edwards and Mr Henry put their life's savings on the line?

I do not think so.

They tell us to laugh and be happy.

Does that pay the bills?

We say "goodie goodie gum drops” to Mr Edwards and Mr Henry.

We want people to spend what pitiful little money they have to keep us alive.

We want industry now, not in time to come.

We want jobs for Bundaberg.

Perhaps that might pull us out of our psychologically depressed state.

SMALL BUSINESSMAN

Bundaberg

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