Jim Lane, Neighbourhood Watch, Warrnambool

There are three things I think are unlikely to occur any time in the foreseeable future. The first is an eruption of the Tower Hill volcano given that vulcanologists suggest the likelihood to be next to none. The second is the Mahogany Ship sailing into Lady Bay to tie up at the breakwater despite there being a $250,000 reward for the finder. Finally and least likely of all is the arrival in Warrnambool of either the Prime Minister or Opposition leader to do some good old fashioned "pork barrelling” – you know promising a new sports stadium or a new centre to study the reproductive cycle of the deep sea racing tadpole or maybe something useful like health and education projects. I live at Tower Hill and sincerely hope that the volcano doesn’t erupt any time soon and I overlook what is euphemistically called Mahogany Beach so, as the operator of an accommodation business, I hope that no one ever finds the ship and it retains the mystique and allure of the Loch Ness Monster - for the sake of tourism. So far as the third option is concerned it is one that I would dearly love to see in my lifetime not because I particularly want to meet either the (current or future) Prime Minster or Opposition leader but because I believe that we, as voters in a democratic society deserve to be treated with due respect for the value of our vote. Dan Tehan is a nice young man with an engaging smile, good teeth and a firm handshake but with a 10 per cent swing required to unseat him he could manage his campaign from his ancestral family home in Mansfield and still be safe. I don’t resent or decry Mr Tehan in any way but that he is our elected representative without any bargaining chips to take to the negotiating table when an election campaign starts. A vote to make Wannon a marginal seat will ensure that your individual vote has value and that the collective vote receives the attention this seat deserves. Failure to do so will mean that the closest we get to see the Prime Minister or Opposition leader will be when they fly over us enroute to Perth to schmooze the marginals in the west. I don’t care what colour political stripe you follow, whether it is blue, red, green or tartan (the confused emblem of the independent). Every vote in this electorate has equal value, so make sure that your ballot paper demonstrates a sound choice for your good and the good of this electorate. To answer any questions in advance; yes I do have a Labor poster on my fence. I am not a member of any party, faction group or other organisation that exercises political influence (perhaps other than the RACV). That is my choice, it doesn’t have to be yours.

Michael Fennessy, Tower Hill

Another federal election, another win for the Liberal Party. It must embolden the Coalition that no matter how much they lie, or how many times they break promises, or abuse the trust of their supporters, those same supporters will vote for them again. This government's backflips, 180s, bending backwards, flip-overs, and backward rolls puts it in contention for the best gymnastics team we have ever had. Surely an Australian record, for a government to break so many promises and so quickly; after coming to power. Would you do business with a company that did the same? Would you be happy if your partner, your child, or your parent broke so many promises and lied themselves silly? Yet loyal voters reward these politicians by voting them back into power. Our $200 million Prime Minister Mr Turnbull has tried to pretend he is like us commoners, those on low and middle incomes. But no matter how many hi-vis vests and hardhats he wears, and how many babies he kisses, he will never have any idea what it is like to have a huge mortgage, to owe money, to scrimp and save just for life's necessities or to even have difficulty putting food on the table. The kicker was when he released a video relating how tough he and his family had it when he was growing up, but forgot to mention that 'tough' for his family was an income seven times the average income of the time. That's like saying it's tough to live on $400,000 a year today. The problem with Mr Turnbull is that he is a puppet of the far right. How disappointing he has turned out to be. Based on his position on many topics before he came to power even Labor voters found something to like about him, as I did, someone who has no political party affiliation. But down the track the Libs should just have stayed with Mr Abbott. Mr Turnbull has turned out to be Tony Abbott 2.0.

Craig Homberg, Warrnambool

I am alarmed at the revelations surfacing about the so called "safe schools program". I have seen a lot about this on social media. It seems to me the only way for parents to stand against this dangerous program that exposes our children to explicit sexual content is to vote out the members of political parties that support it and have the funding withdrawn. Labor, Greens and Liberal support this program and as such this election my vote will voice my disapproval by voting 1 independent to support those who support family values.

Lynton Vestey, Warrnambool

This is a letter to Dan Tehan MP in response to your recent statements arguing for the necessity of your asylum seeker policies and presenting a rosy picture of life on Nauru. Let us come back to reality. We have visited people in detention centres. We have hosted refugees and asylum seekers in our homes. We have spoken face-to-face with people who have worked in the Nauru detention centre. We have read the review of the Nauru detention centre that was commissioned by your own government. The Moss Review confirmed the things your government has tried to deny: women and children are being assaulted and raped in the detention centre; men, women and children are self-harming at an alarming rate. This was just one more confirmation of what we know from many other reviews and investigations, and from the multiple testimony of doctors, nurses, teachers and social workers who have worked in these places.  In recent weeks two people have tried to burn themselves to death rather than live in those conditions. Do you honestly believe this is consistent with the rosy picture you paint? One person who tried to burn herself to death was a 21-year-old woman known as Hodan. She had been on suicide watch in her accommodation in Australia, when she was dragged from her bed at 3am and flown to Nauru, and within days she had taken the extreme act of self-harm.

We remind you that, contrary to the impression you gave at the The Standard’s online forum, there are many children still in detention on Nauru where they are subject to ongoing abuse. Not one has been able to start a new life in Australia or a third country. Yet in 2005 the Howard Government released all children from detention, with none of the disastrous consequences that form the basis of your argument. Given the example of the Howard Government, why has the current government not resettled all children from Nauru to Australia? Why should we accept your argument that nothing can be done when history proves you wrong?  We have been asking you this question for some time, and we will not go away without an answer. We are driven by our faith in the God of justice and compassion, and by the humanity we share with all people. We will be back to see you again next week, and the week after that, and the week after that. As long as your government continues these atrocities then we will, if nothing else, be there at your office praying for a return to humanity.

Joel Rothman, on behalf of Love Makes A Way – South West Victoria, Camperdown