Opinion
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Balance must be right
Janine Mc Dougall, Riddells Creek As a sometime Labor voter I, like Christine Pruneau (‘Worse off than ever’, Opinions, August 14), am very concerned about the Andrews Labor Government’s reforms to farming in Victoria. My concern centres on the apparent absence of animal welfare considerations in this alleged attempt to balance agricultural sector advancement with…
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Scaremongering on planning
Mary-Anne Thomas MP, State Member for Macedon It’s time to provide some facts in response to the Macedon Ranges Residents Association’s scaremongering on planning reforms to support local farmers. Firstly it is the Andrews Labor Government that has delivered the highest level of planning controls available to guard against inappropriate development in the Macedon Ranges;…
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Wrongly blamed
Glenda Fisher, Woodend Mary-Anne Thomas wrongly blames the Bailleau/Napthine Liberal government for the decline in the Victorian TAFE system and in particular accuses them of slashing funding by $1 billion dollars during their time in government (‘No credibility’, Opinions, August 14). The real truth about the decline in the system post 2011 is solely down…
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Illegal charges
Alison Joseph, Bullengarook I believe there is evidence that the former Labor Government manipulated the Essential Services Commission’s 2008 Melbourne Water pricing decision, the decision that imposed Melbourne Water ‘waterway’ charges on Macedon Ranges property owners. That the ESC then backdated these charges to 2005 clearly demonstrates that this was supposedly one of the charges…
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Let’s stop pretending
Ray Brindle, Malmsbury A grassfire was rapidly approaching a rural house. The occupant was urgently asked to help the CFA save it. The man said no, he wouldn’t; although he and his sons had the gear and manpower to make an impact on the fire, it was a natural event and they didn’t cause it…
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Delaying tactics
Huntly Barton, Kyneton The people of Kyneton and district wake up. Our local state member Mary-Anne Thomas has stated that the Old Kyneton Primary school site has been handed back to community, but the government has started another consultation process that will grind on until after the next election, so it can put in a…
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Sad sideshow
Patrick Hockey, Castlemaine Climate change denial is a sad sideshow to the reality of climate change impacting the globe now. Not only are events like the Californian wildfires unprecedented in scale, but the precedents they are exceeding were only established in recent years. The changes are alarmingly linear. Where will we be in just ten…
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Bureaucracy gone mad
John Mitchell, Kyneton Far from being a council that is concerned with the aged and infirm, Macedon Ranges Shire seems intent on making life even more difficult for the elderly. The scheme that enabled these people – myself included – to quickly and easily obtain coupons for assistance at home, such as lawn-mowing, wood stacking…
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Worse off than ever
Christine Pruneau, secretary, Macedon Ranges Residents Association In response to Noel Henderson’s letter (‘Positive approach’, Opinions, July 31) defending the state government’s changes to increase intensive (pig and poultry) farming in Macedon Ranges. No-one disagrees with protecting the right to farm in a Farming zone, but these changes relate to a completely different situation. Contrary…
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Parking shortage
Michelle Minchew, secretary, Gisborne Roads and Transport Group We would like to advise the wider community that our parking petition for Gisborne CBD was submitted to the MRSC meeting on Wednesday July 25. Thank you Cr Andrew Twaits for accepting and speaking on behalf of the 1982 signatories. We would also like to thank both…
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Shock move
Peter Sherlock, Castlemaine Several weeks ago our family enjoyed a pleasant picnic lunch at the Fryerstown Cricket Ground. Afterwards having to use the toilet facilities at the ground I found them in a shocking state of disrepair and completely unusable. The toilets were certainly not too flash but just a typical country picnic ground type,…
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Festival snub
Peter Henderson – Hendersons The Gas People I am very disappointed that the Macedon Ranges Shire Council has decided that no funding is to be allocated to the iconic Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival which has been operating continuously for 46 years. This festival brings in many tourists and locals alike and attracts wide attention,…