Opinion

Terry Kempster, store manager, Woolworths Kyneton We would like to say a big thank you to Macedon Ranges residents for their incredible support of Foodbank this winter through the Woolworths winter fundraising appeal. With demand for food relief outstripping supply, you have significantly helped warm-up winter for some of the most vulnerable people in the…

Laurie Whelan, Greens candidate for Bendigo West The recent state government announcement for re-opening of the Harcourt station is a welcome benefit to Harcourt and surrounding Castlemaine people but it’s the overall poor reliability of the Kyneton to Bendigo single rail line that commuters are constantly frustrated and cynical about. The announcement that the line…

Graham Smith, Kyneton There have been a few letters to the editor in recent weeks, people lamenting the lack of council funding for the Daffodil Festival. It may be a little disappointing the Daffodil Festival didn’t receive funding this year, but I wonder if these people would be prepared to go to the groups that…

Hans Paas, Castlemaine Ken Maas (‘Bring Assange home’, Opinions, September 11) alerts us all to the danger to our freedom when governments ignore the rule of law. The ongoing stand-off regarding Julian Assange on the tenuous foundation of him ‘skipping bail’ brings the whole legal system (most of which we inherited from England) into disrepute.…

David C. Cunningham, Castlemaine There is more than one person called David Cunningham in Castlemaine. I would like it to be made clear that the author of the letter from one of these David Cunninghams published in your edition of September 11 was not me, and that I do not share his views on the…

Patrick Hockey, Castlemaine Climate change denial usually takes one of two forms: active or passive. Active climate change denial is in rapid decline now due to almost daily reports of unprecedented weather events. For my part I find the passive kind of denial much more concerning. Why, for instance, are the natural community leaders among…

Trevor A. Scott, Castlemaine An open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison: Dear Prime Minister, recently you were shown on TV with your hand on your heart saying “I don’t have a manifesto, but it’s what’s in here that matters”. Last week your newly appointed Energy Minister Angus Taylor said “I am not sceptical about…

Naomi Raftery, Chewton To all the local people and businesses who signed or hosted my petition petition to Greg Hunt MP for the inclusion of the Oncotype DX test in public funding through Medicare, I am writing to thank you for your support. Almost 1000 people have signed the petition to date and our local…

Ken Maas, Castlemaine On December 7, 2010, Julian Assange was handcuffed and locked into Wandsworth prison. Julian Assange (Wikileaks) is a journalist (publisher) for whistle-blowers, no different to our daily newspapers that regularly investigate and publish illegal leaks. This reporting and media service is the so-called fourth estate of democracy. This everyday journalism is what…

David Cunningham, Castlemaine Trevor Scott, (‘Doubtful statistic’, Opinions, September 4), casts doubt on scientific statistics and instead offers junk science as so-called evidence. There is little to no evidence that ‘climate change’ has done anything to exacerbate this year’s NSW or California bushfires. University of Washington veteran climate scientist Cliff Mass posted on his blog…

Jill Loorham, Castlemaine Until we stop using our cars, it is pointless to point a finger at coal-powered electricity production. The worst environment pollution to our world is caused by every person who drives a motorised vehicle – and I am one of those people. What is the alternative however, in this country we live…

Ian Scott, Woodend Hal Curwen-Walker seemed very upset by suggestions the world is warming and we shouldn’t use major fires as evidence (‘Malthusian scaremongering’, Opinions, August 28). His conviction seems to be based then on contestable evidence. Given the potential dire consequences if he is wrong I think I’ll go with ‘No time left to…