David Fary, Mount Duneed

Regarding MP James Purcell’s online petition to have commercial horse training on Killarney Beach (The Standard, September 29). For your information, Lisa Neville is Minister for Police and Minister for Water not Environment and Climate Change as stated. Lily D’Ambrosio is the Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.  As a nearby resident of Killarney and might I add a horse owner myself I am beyond furious that a local MP who is supposed to represent his constituents has the audacity to push forward an idea in which he has obvious vested interests without any consultation with local residents. Mr Purcell obviously has very little knowledge or simply does not care about beach nesting birds particularly the hooded plover if he thinks a walkway will protect the birds. These vulnerable birds simply cannot nest and feed with so much of their habitat detrimentally impacted by horses training in the soft sand. I would also like to know where the 200 people stated in favour of Mr Purcell’s article actually live. Are they local residents? I sincerely have my doubts. Mr Purcell has indeed received opposition about his petition, far more than the four people quoted. When challenged about his petition Mr Purcell responded with a cut and paste response to all residents that did not come close to addressing genuine concerns. Local residents such as myself are not going to allow our beautiful beach destroyed, public safety put at risk and wildlife endangered by a commercial entity using Killarney Beach as a money making venture. Neither will I tolerate meddling local MPs who willingly choose to ignore the genuine concerns of local residents. Enough is enough.  

Kirsa van Scheepen, Crossley

Reading the "Warrnambool City Council candidates have been put to the test"  (The Standard, September 30 re the CBD, the first thing I noticed was the photograph.  Surely the obvious way to save some money for other things is to leave the beautiful plane trees. They are looking so beautiful. They provide us with the most lovely dappled shade, not to mention oxygen.  Please keep them. It seems such a waste to me to rip them out.

Jill Haberfield, Warrnambool

I can't understand why some businesses don't join the PF Business Assoc. If everyone joined the pure force of numbers may assist to have the potholes in the roads patched, or the laneway beside the butcher shop graded or assist in the old health centre site development etc. There is major impact in numbers. Help us to help you and Port Fairy. Join the PF Business Assoc NOW....please.

Garry Lockett, Port Fairy

We’d just like to send our thanks to a number of people in Warrnambool who helped greatly, following a bike riding accident, literally just after arriving in town for a day out exploring Warrnambool.  A resulting badly broken ankle instead made the stay three days in hospital for Sue, and numerous trips to and from Melbourne over that three days for Mardy. First and foremost, to the mature aged couple who were simply parked in the Cannon Hill car park, who responded without hesitation to my need for help, our most sincere thanks, for running Sue to the hospital in the back of your car. Your caring gentle lending of a hand was very much appreciated and calming to us both, and refusing to take a small gratuity, I want to express to you my greatest thanks. To the staff at Warrnambool Base Hospital, equally, our sincere thanks as well, for your professional and caring work.  And the Rotary Club or Warrnambool for Rotary House.  What a great facility it provides in times of need.  And, likewise Shane and Deb, thanks also for the numerous arrangements you made.

Martin Lay, Carnegie

I question why some candidates have decided that it is necessary to issue How To Vote cards in a four horse race? I actively decided against preference deals as I respect the capacity and intelligence of Central Ward voters to sort out the order of voting on issues and leadership... this not a high school popularity contest.  

If elected, I will not support a ‘Corangamite closed shop’ approach where decisions are made behind ‘closed’ doors prior to Council meetings. I will instead ask the tough questions, raise matters of substance and critically analyse all aspects of bureaucratic administration to ensure voters get value for their rate dollar without waste or extravagance. Such outcomes need to be delivered with open and transparent governance. 

I can assure voters that I will independently judge all issues on their merits, without fear or favour and make decisions in the best interests of the total municipality.  I am neither an existing Councillor nor former Council employee so I see the needs of Corangamite Shire through fresh eyes with considerable political experience and an eye for detail.   

I will not support secret deals which protect or favour anyone. Corangamite Council voters can be confident I am committed to fixing their problems, not the election outcome.

Bev McArthur, candidate, Corangamite Shire council central ward 

The Warrnambool Parkinson’s Support Group is conducting a Walk on the Promenade on Sunday October 16 at 11am. The purpose of this walk is to celebrate and support people living with Parkinson’s Disease in Warrnambool and District. The community can show their support by joining us for the Walk, a short one kilometre walk leaving from the Breakwater Pavilion. I challenge all Warrnambool City Council candidates to join us for this walk to give us an indication of their support to their community. The Melbourne Walk in the Park conducted by Parkinson’s Victoria recently attracted 3000 walkers. As a percentage of population we, in Warrnambool need a minimum of 261 walkers to beat Melbourne. Let’s do it. Music and free sausage sizzle will greet you and the first 300 walkers will receive a commemorative medal. With the help of the city council candidates, I believe we will beat Melbourne.

Andrew Suggett, co-ordinator, Parkinson’s Support Group

Many thanks to the community representatives who have done so much to keep a university in Warrnambool. As for students voting with their feet, Deakin's Warrnambool Marine Biology course was recognised as one of the two best in Australia and recognised internationally. Nevertheless, Deakin has partially dismantled it and established a rival course at its Geelong campus. No wonder students are looking elsewhere. And at the same time as Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network has negotiated with Deakin an annual Honours scholarship, Deakin announces it will no longer support Marine Biology Honours level studies here! Vice Chancellor Jane den Hollander should be ashamed of the chaos and ill-feeling she has created. Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network and Deakin University have nurtured the studies, volunteering opportunities and early careers of many Deakin students. Many of these students are now in our local and regional workforce contributing to our community and economy. We will be watching very carefully to see just how committed Deakin really is to continuing Marine Biology studies here in Warrnambool.

Bruce Campbell, chairman Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network

In response to Andrew Bray (The Standard, October 3), I point out that wind turbines cease to operate in very high winds, and I will be surprised if an inquiry finds that this fact did not contribute to South Australia's recent blackout; however their performance at times of low wind is even more critical. Present technology does not allow the storage of mains electricity. Our Macarthur wind farm, which cost $1 billion, was reported by The Standard at the end of its first summer's operation as having produced only 23 per cent of its capacity for the season. The balance was made up by burning gas and brown coal, the latter taking hours to fire up and it is therefore kept burning continuously. Gas is a valuable chemical feedstock which is wasted when it is burnt. Our new gas power station at Mortlake has single-cycle generators to suit the stop-start operation of the wind farm, and it produces only two-thirds as much electricity as would steady-state combined-cycle using the same amount of gas. When these figures are considered together, it is seen that overall efficiency is very low, and much carbon dioxide is produced from the combustion of gas and coal. Britain, even with its Atlantic gales, is building a carbon-free nuclear power generator; and Egypt, despite its plentiful sunshine, is building four of them. Cambridge professor the late David JC MacKay in his book "Sustainable Energy (without the hot air)" quotes Patrick Moore, a former director of Greenpeace International, as saying, "we made the mistake of lumping nuclear energy in with nuclear weapons, as if all things nuclear were evil. I think that's as big a mistake as if you lumped nuclear medicine in with nuclear weapons". Australia needs nuclear power if it is to stop being one of Earth's major per-person contributors to global warming.

Graham Keith, Warrnambool