I have seen countless local businesses close in that time, and would hope that more through traffic might encourage a few new enterprises here. The nay-sayers can't seem to see the wood for the trees, they are blinkered by total lack of foresight.

I won't be bullied into their way of thinking, despite a few attempts to get me to join WRAP, Westbury Residents Against Prison. I call it WARP, meaning Westbury Against Real Progress.

D. O'Donnell, Westbury.

THE crux of the climate problem is that if the big global emitters do not reduce their CO2 emissions, then we in Australia are finished.

We live in the backwash of the global emissions produced by countries such as the US, India and China. The real problem is two-fold: one is that the economies of the big emitters are run by billionaires and millionaires who are not prepared to sacrifice their profits by changing their industries and emissions.

That is why President Trump is so dangerous, as he is a businessman and a dealer in profits and supports the wealthy elite of the US. The other problem is that Australia's voice on the world stage is probably insignificant, so it's difficult to see how we can influence the wealthy elite of the US, India and China.

However, Prime Minister Morrison failed the Australian people badly by not confronting President Trump about the rising US emissions when he paid the president a visit recently. In 2018, US CO2 emissions rose by 3.1 per cent, according to the PBS Newshour.

Theo Bakker, Newstead.

I AM writing in response to the Letter to the Editor that was submitted by Bill Chugg (The Examiner, January 9).

It is my opinion, which seems to be shared by the general community of Campbell Town, that this gentleman is demonstrating serious short-sightedness in feeling as he does, that Campbell Town should be by-passed.

It has been shown in many communities throughout the state, time and time again, that once by-passed they become virtual ghost towns.

Currently Campbell Town is experiencing significant growth, with house prices rising and selling quickly, rentals being sought after and fully occupied, and there being 0 per cent youth unemployment for those that wish to work.

In our own circumstances, our youngest son who is 17 has two positions and works six days a week, which is about to enable him to enter the local housing market as his 19-year-old brother has done before him.

Both of our youngest boys have nice cars that they were able to pay cash for.

This would all end for many families and possibly our own with the by-pass that Mr Chugg proposes.

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Mr Chugg in fact does not reside close to the highway, and would possibly experience increased impact from a by-pass of the town.

Michelle Booth, Campbell Town.

IF you or a loved one had a stroke 30 years ago, the chances of returning to the life you knew were slim. But that is not the case anymore. With the right treatment at the right time, it is possible to make a good recovery.

With a new year underway, it's a fitting opportunity to look back on how far we have come in stroke treatment and care and think about what we can do to reduce our own personal stroke risk in the future.

Stroke strikes the brain, the human control centre. There will be more than 56,000 strokes in Australia in 2020 - that is one every nine minutes. Sadly, the numbers continue to climb as our population grows and ages and lifestyles become more sedentary. But in good news, stroke is no longer a death sentence for many.

The game changers were the introduction of the time-critical therapies thrombolysis (blood clot dissolving treatment) and endovascular thrombectomy (blood clot removal treatment). Australian researchers were at the forefront of these treatments. In addition, the number of patients being treated in a dedicated stroke unit has increased. So too has access to rehabilitation and carer training.

There has been increased recognition that stroke's impact extends beyond the physical to mental health. Together these steps help maximise quality of life and independence after stroke. While much has been achieved, there is still a lot more to be done in 2020 and beyond. Our regional health services and patients are being left behind as our city hospitals innovate. We know our regional patients have limited access to well established standard treatments. It doesn't need to be this way.

There is huge potential for telehealth to remove geographical barriers to stroke treatments and boost the capacity of our regional health services and clinicians. Researchers are constantly looking for the next major breakthrough. We must ensure all Australians have equitable access to these innovations to maximise their benefit.

Finally, every single Australian can make a difference to reducing the burden of stroke on our community. Stroke is largely preventable. While we cannot avoid ageing and genetic factors, there are many steps we can take to reduce our own stroke risk.

In 2020, I urge you to make time for a health check with your doctor to determine your risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat). Let's aim for a healthier Australia, one free from disability and suffering caused by stroke.

Professor Bruce Campbell, Stroke Foundation Clinical Council Chairman.