The proverbial line in the sand was drawn this week in vastly different theatres.

South West Coast MP Roma Britnell took up our challenge about the need for a united community campaign for better roads. "Enough is enough - we will not be ignored any more," she said in launching a petition calling for action.

Ms Britnell hopes the petition, which seeks desperately needed upgrades to our roads that resemble goat's tracks, will gather the same momentum as the one that demanded a rescue helicopter service for the region a decade ago.

That petition had 28,000 signatures and played a key role in the HEMS4 air ambulance being set up in Warrnambool. It will take such an effort to achieve better roads.

The second line in the sand moment played out at the Hampden Football Netball League tribunal on Tuesday night when a young central umpire took a stand.

Hamilton-based umpire Sam Burns reported South Warrnambool's Ethan Harvey for calling him a "f...... cheat" during a match last Saturday.

Burns told the tribunal the sledge questioned his "integrity as a professional standard but also as a person".

But his biggest disappointment was such incidents deterred people from umpiring.

The tribunal handed an apologetic Harvey a three-week suspension. Carlton star Dale Thomas copped a $12,000 fine for a similar sledge in May.

The penalties reflected the seriousness that umpire abuse is being taken.

The sport is struggling to attract and retain umpires. It needs to take a stand because changing attitudes is difficult and slow.

Should Harvey have been ordered to attend umpire training and then officiate junior matches during his suspension? That would have sent a powerful message to his teammates and rivals but also to juniors.

Sadly the reaction on social media to the suspension underlined the seismic attitudinal change that is needed. Some senior players showed their support for comments that questioned the seriousness of the abuse. They're probably lucky officials did not jump on them for possible breaches of social media policies. They should have. That would have been an even clearer line in the sand.

Photographer Morgan Hancock's stunning shot of the Port Fairy lighthouse (above) snapped on Thursday night was a ripper.

Congratulations to Kelly Graham and Raylee Currie who picked up the free tickets for two to the Ray White Charity Ball next Saturday night.

Here's a selection of stories that made headlines this week.

Until next week,