Letters

Tim Quilty MP, Member for Northern Victoria Region Victoria has become sadly familiar with the random attacks on women, and the predictable ineffectual responses that follow. If collective concern and good will stopped violence in Victoria, this would be the most peaceful place on earth. Unfortunately, the fact that the assaults keep happening proves that…

Hans Paas, Castlemaine I salute the latest valiant attempt to improve safety for cyclists ‘Respect our cyclists’ (Midland Express, February 5). At the risk of adding to the plague of road signs that traffic authorities have visited on us (except where private contractors put their money-making cameras) I also suggest that warning signs be installed…

Lauren Williams, Maldon Blame the trees? Ian Braybook (‘Put safety first’, Opinions, February 12), the ‘danger’ of roadside trees lies squarely in the behaviour of humans – namely speeding, being distracted, or driving when tired or affected by alcohol or drugs. Trees are blameless; they give us beauty, shade, clean air, and provide shelter for…

Linda Amarant, New Gisborne Once again Gisborne is under siege! The new proposal for the Gisborne Business Park Development Plan is soul destroying. Council has proposed to heavily commercialise the east entrance into Gisborne – do we want a visual landscape with imposing big-business retailers lining the road? Large ugly advertising, huge bulky buildings… Such…

Ian Braybrook, Castlemaine The community group ‘Newstead 2021’ has petitioned the government to halt the safety works on the Pyrenees Highway between Castlemaine and Newstead, principally because it involves the removal of 146 trees (‘Road works halt’, Midland Express, February 5). As a result the work has been postponed. Newstead does not own that road;…

Gary Perkins, Kyneton Some 2100 properties in and around the Kyneton Airfield will be affected by proposed Local Law number 12. This represents almost a third of Kyneton’s population. The Local Law, if implemented, will result in 2100 properties having a permanent overlay attached to their property’s title. This will have a significant negative impact…

Fr Wahid Riad, Donna Slingo and Juliet Guy On behalf of St Vincent de Paul and the Catholic Parish of Castlemaine, we would like to thank the community of Castlemaine and surrounds for their positive and generous support of our Community Christmas Luncheon. We would like to acknowledge and thank the generous donations made by…

Patrick Hockey, Castlemaine Did you sense it too? Something palpably changed in the public consciousness following the record breaking heat wave experienced during January. Suddenly everyone tasted a sense of the potential for climate change to wreak havoc with everyone’s life and health. There was a sombreness to discussions about the heat that wasn’t the…

Tony Bell, Castlemaine I write in response to Trevor Scott (‘This is it’, Opinions, January 29). You are quick to blame someone else who doesn’t follow your philosophy on climate change. When you practically wipe out coal-fired power stations in SA to rely on renewables, of course you are going to run out of power.…

Chris Hooper, Castlemaine I went to Daylesford recently and needed to park behind the Coles supermarket. That carpark has long beds between each line of car spaces with large trees giving shade to parked cars. Very nice on a hot day. Why couldn’t the new carpark in Kennedy Street near Castlemaine station have been designed…

Keith Altmann, Woodend Trevor Scott (‘This is it’, Opinions, January 29) correctly pointed out the fallacies in the Morrison Government’s thinking proposing a new coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley and the deliberately misleading energy/climate arguments the LNP has put forward over the last few years. Coal is no longer an economic option, and…

Helen Johnston, Campbells Creek I write in response to Rosey Skinner’s letter (‘Not correct’, Opinions, January 15). I hold a life membership in an animal welfare group and continue to volunteer now with Mount Alexander Animal Welfare. May I suggest that Ms Skinner is unaware that we are indeed a ‘no kill’ shelter. Two exceptions…