Rod Fitzroy, President, Epworth HealthCare

Daniel Andrews' claim that his militant union-pandering Labor Government fast-tracked upgrading of the Phalps Road, Pirron Yallock, level crossing 'months ago' (20/7) is seriously misleading. Labor announced this in February 2015 - one year and five months ago. That is normally sufficient time to connect power and install flashing lights and boom barriers, but the July 13 truck-V/Line train collision caught Labor's 'Minister for Mistakes' Jacinta Allan and VicTrack napping. When in government between 2010 and 2014, the Victorian Coalition's then Minister, Terry Mulder, had to order new trains and signalling that Labor forgot about for the Regional Rail Link. Under the Coalition, RRL was completed ahead of time and under budget. But Jacinta Allan delayed its opening in 2015 by two months despite new trains delivered early. Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan's failure to deliver the Phalps Road and another promised Warrnambool line 'fast tracked upgrade' at a Gnotuk level crossing in the timescale promised is matched only by Labor's determination to impose union control over the CFA on rural Victorians.

David Hodgett, Opposition public transport spokesman

I'm writing this as a concerned CFA volunteer with over 35 years service. I'm concerned that our volunteers and the public, individually, have no avenue to voice their concerns about the CFA negotiations. The federal election may be past and somewhat forgotten, but don't forget the struggle of CFA volunteers to overturn the government’s thinking of agreeing with the current EBA, effectively giving the UFU control of the CFA. Just because it no longer gets front page coverage, we must not give up our efforts at protesting to the government of the proposed EBA, and potential union takeover of the CFA. We should keep asking the premier what is in the union EBA that his ex-minister, the CFA board, ex-CEO of the CFA, and chief fire officer found objectionable and didn't agree with. We must not allow union control of the CFA. Petition the premier at www.communityrun.org/p/support-cfa

John Graham, Hamilton

Q: Why do 25 million Australians need four Federal Ministers in one portfolio, when the government of the United States of America can service 320 million Americans with a single position of Secretary of Health and Human Services? Q: Why do Australian Taxpayers have to fund these four Federal Ministers, plus entourage, for services largely delivered by the States and Territories?

Mel Bartlett, Bolwarra

South-west Victorian dairy farmers affected by retrospective farmgate milk price cuts should be encouraged to apply for the Coalition Government’s Dairy Recovery Concessional Loans, being delivered by Rural Finance Corporation in Victoria. Serious questions should be asked of any person who discourages farmers from seeking this form of assistance by engaging in a campaign of carping negativity. The Coalition’s concessional loans have been an important tool in supporting farmers managing through and recovering from drought, with more than $450 million in loans paid out assisting 865 farm businesses. Eligibility criteria for dairy concessional loans has been eased and streamlined in comparison to drought loans products, especially in an attempt to open the loans up to new and young dairy farmers and to remove the ability of commercial banks to veto their clients taking up a dairy recovery loan. The loan application form is a mere 10 pages, not the 120 pages (The Standard, July 14). Sharefarmers are as eligible as other farmers to apply for a concessional loan. The Commonwealth accepts livestock as a valid form of loan security, recognising it is solely up to the state government’s nominated delivery agency, the Rural Finance Corporation, to be satisfied as to the level of loan security provided by farmers on a case-by- case basis. As of July 14, Rural Finance Corporation had received only around a dozen applications for Dairy Recovery Concessional Loans and some 90 enquiries. Not one dairy concessional loan application has been declined by Rural Finance Corporation. Farmers can and should have confidence to apply for this assistance if they feel it will benefit their business. The Coalition Government is also providing Farm Household Allowance for farm families in financial hardship and has delivered $900,000 to Dairy Australia to roll out business advisory support.

Barnaby Joyce, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources