Letters

Frank Lewis, Castlemaine Jacqueline Brodie-Hanns (‘Businesses need council’s support!’, Opinions, November 6) and Tony Bell (‘Spare us please!’, Opinions, October 30). I agree with both correspondents that businesses need more support from Mount Alexander Shire but for different reasons. About 50 per cent of all businesses fail in the first few years and not because…

Jacqueline Brodie-Hanns, Barkers Creek Tony Bell is a very successful businessman with decades of experience under his belt. As such, perhaps he doesn’t need the business education workshops offered by council, which he criticises in his letter (‘Spare us please!’, Opinions, October 30). Unfortunately not all business operators are as seasoned or savvy as Mr…

Laurie Whelan, Greens candidate for Bendigo West Jill Loorman writes (‘Money for jam’, Opinions, October 16) that she would vote for a political party that: (i) promises to abolish stamp duty; (ii) removes the ‘right’ accorded mineral extractive industries to explore and mine privately-owned land; and (iii) commits to full state funding for upgrade and…

Kym and Stephen Cross, Campbells Creek As organisers of the Jarrah’s Fight for Sight GoFundMe campaign and last month’s Concert for Jarrah in Campbells Creek, we would like to convey our deep gratitude to the Midland Express for the pivotal role the paper played in getting Jarrah’s story out into the wider community. Thanks to…

Chris Hooper, Castlemaine Premier Daniel Andrews and his government are giving with one hand and taking with the other. They’re doing great work with public transport and getting rid of level crossings. Their solar panel subsidy is really generous and batteries are going to be added to the list. All good things for the environment.…

Trevor A Scott, Castlemaine Climate science warns us that the Earth is gradually warming and rainfall is decreasing. The recently released report from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) advises us that if pollution levels continue to rise at the current rate (i.e. a business-as-usual scenario), human-driven warming of the planet will exceed 1.5…

Jill Loorham, Castlemaine The vacated secondary college campus at Etty Street would be a great space for training, education and business as proposed. However, the oval and other areas that have until now provided open space and garden should be retained. Our world and our town needs to cherish trees, plants and grass as places…

Tony Bell, Castlemaine Mount Alexander Shire Council advertised a small business workshop in the Express on October 23 (‘Do you need a succession plan?’ page 6). So this council is now capable of telling businesses in our shire what they should do regarding selling their business or changing management in their business. I think not!…

Wendy Hebbard, New Gisborne I feel grateful that we have our present electoral system of compulsory voting. Hopefully, we all think carefully before using this privilege. I read recently that in America, many ‘would-be’ voters are disenfranchised. The arrangements make it difficult, if not impossible, in some areas polling-stations are situated inconveniently, sometimes out of…

Vicki Farrell, Newstead Mount Alexander Shire Council has voted unanimously to support the Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre Limited and Workspace in their quest to secure the Etty Street Campus that has been mostly vacated by the secondary college. This is one of the greatest decisions the councillors have made in the recent past. This will…

Patrick Hockey, Castlemaine Clean electric transport systems; better designs for houses saving on heating and cooling costs and keeping us more comfortable, along with electricity generation from renewable sources. What’s not to like about the actions required to combat climate change? But it won’t happen on its own. Only by supporting those political parties that…

Alan Gregg, Chewton Expressions of interest are invited for the creation of a memorial to the bush workers and sawmillers of the Black Forest/Wombat Forest region, including the names of the sawmills and their workers, the pulpwood cutters, tree fellers, etc., of the forest. Those interested in forming a committee to discuss this memorial, please…