Many businesses and residents of Warrnambool were struggling to "make ends meet" before getting hit by the economic downturn caused by this pandemic. Unemployment is climbing around the region and I believe our council has been underwhelming in announcing plans on how it will offer financial relief and support to everyone now and into the future.

Many other councils around the region have started to announce plans and programs to support businesses and residents, but Warrnambool City Council has been mostly silent.

The free parking announced last week until the 14th of April was too little, too late for the CBD with many businesses being closed before they could see any benefit. This will only be effective if the council can guarantee traders that they will still have this when they are rebuilding on the other side.

The rates deferral isn't a new initiative, we have access to this every year, according to the Local Government Act. It's good that the council is sharing this process, but it is disappointing that they aren't letting those most vulnerable know they can have their rates waived.

Most other things being promoted by the council concerning the COVID-19 relief programs are by the state and federal governments. Where are the real relief measures proposed by the Warrnambool City Council?

Where in the upcoming budget are we going to find the money for the major infrastructure projects with a $2.5million shortfall? I was disappointed this week with the mayor stating we will continue with all major projects because we won't need to fund them for 12-18 months, but in the same article, he states the council budget will have a shortfall which will affect the budget for a decade.

There are so many unknowns about this pandemic and we don't know how much it will cost or how long it will last. We need to see prudence by the Warrnambool City Council to give them the ability to offer assistance. This can be done through short term measures like:

It is hard for the employees of the Warrnambool City Council that will be stood down because of the pandemic. A large number of other businesses have had to make the same tough decisions about employment. Many will have a safety net through the Jobseeker and Jobfinder initiatives announced by the Federal government this week.

The Warrnambool City Council should be offering immediate relief for everyone in the short term through

These points are a start, but we also need long-term planning to help restart the local economy into the future. We need to support everyone now before they are in dire straits.

Ben Blain, Vice President, Warrnambool Ratepayers Association

What on earth is Racing Victoria, Country Racing Victoria and Warrnambool Racing Club thinking? Planning to run the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival in a months time? Oh hang on, of course, its all about the money.

The health, social and economic costs to our local community would be disastrous, and it defies logic, as well as basic public health policy strategy, for this event to run at a time when the community might just be in a position to start rebuilding, both health wise and economically.

Bringing thousands of racing industry-employed staff from across Australia to our region for an event that only really benefits the gambling industry, will guarantee an increased number of COVID-19 infections in our region, and will impact directly on our already under-resourced and limited acute health facilities, increase the death rate for our elderly and vulnerable citizens, and will guarantee an arduously slow social and economic recovery here in the South West.

Will a responsible government please put an end to this contemptible and dangerous notion?

Monique Ferrier, Warrnambool

The headline "Was this the last wombat?" in The Standard 30 March begs me to respond no. I knew a woman born in 1888 who lived in Merrivale in the 1930s and told me the last wombat in Warrnambool lived in a burrow down a street (I forgot the name) and died in 1935. I recall her saying the burrow was protected by a large boxthorn bush. It would be so interesting, and give this creature an authentic place in history, if someone else could recall being told of this, or even recall seeing it as a child.

Shirley Duffield, Warrnambool

The present injunction to "wash your hands" comes easily to me. It was drummed into me over 70 years ago. I grew up in the 1940s and 50s in a small town where my Dad was a GP.

He was always reminding us to wash our hands. Before any meals we had to wash our hands with soap and water. This was especially important if we had patted a dog or had been to the toilet. All fruit had to be washed before we were allowed to eat it. All milk had to be boiled as pasteurisation wasn't an established practice in those days. During his early time as a doctor he had witnessed the ravages of diseases like measles, German measles, chicken pox, mumps, whooping cough, diphtheria, tuberculosis, tetanus, typhoid, small pox, poliomyelitis and hydatids.

In those days there were no antibiotics and very few vaccines. The advent of penicillin transformed treatment and the discovery of vaccines transformed the incidence of many previously common diseases, most of which are rare today. I can well imagine what his response would have been to the recent emergence of "anti-vaxxers." I think of him when I wash my hands.

John MacInnes, Warrnambool

In a time when interest rates are at an all time low and the most recent annual inflation rate figure is 1.8 per cent the mind boggles when Warrnambool City Council's cat registration renewal fee rises from $59 last year to $70 this year, an increase of 18 per cent!

While I have noted ratepayers' dissatisfaction with the Warrnambool City Council regarding annual rates over a number of years, dissatisfaction I believe is justified, a rise of 18 per cent for the cat registration fee beggars belief. An explanation for this unconscionable gouging of cat owning ratepayers should have been included with the renewal notice. No wonder many cat owners (and perhaps dog owners) don't register their pets.

Perhaps someone from the council could explain an 18 per cent rise in the current economic climate, but I won't hold my breath.

Craig Holmberg, Warrnambool

The queue to access Centrelink was so long, it was the length of the street and turned the corner. What a dehumanizing experience for people to stand for an inordinate amount of time while pondering an uncertain future.

Why not send Centrelink staff to the workplaces which were laying off hundreds of staff, at least the paperwork could be completed in a more comfortable, caring and dignified environment. I think we all felt their pain as they stood with shattered expressions. We can do better we must.

Cherylene Lawrence, Warrnambool

While most of our wonderful citizens are working together. it is disgusting to see those selfish, thoughtless people flaunting the measures to keep all Australians safe from this devastating virus. We need to pull together to see our country survives this and accept life is not the same anymore.

For all the knockers of the Federal, State and Territory governments efforts pull your heads in. Dealing with the unknown as best they can, the Governments are acting on qualified advice from all areas of our society. I am particularly disgusted with our Labor opposition for all their constant criticism of the efforts of the current government.

I feel Mr. Albanese and the rest of his mob, need to be reminded that the LNP won the election last May and have the mandate to deal with whatever happens on their watch. So suck it up! Thank goodness for the formation and unity of the National Cabinet to act on this pandemic.

I thank the Australian people for their wisdom in voting for the LNP last year and giving us the best chance to move on through this awful time. Do the right thing and WE WILL SURVIVE!

Marilyn Rantall, Cobden

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