If there was a large reservoir of sand held behind Worm Bay, some of this sand could be used to replenish the beach periodically.

This sand could also be used to fill large sand bags to protect the foreshore from erosion, rather than using large and dangerous boulders.

There could be public access at various points onto the beach with an endless supply of sand for this purpose, far better practically, aesthetically and environmentally friendly, than the current method of piling seaweed against the dunes, which ends up dragging more of the dunes back into the ocean.

I hope more thought can be put into resolving the silting of Lady Bay and development of the whole area behind Worm Bay, which is currently a haven for foxes and rats.

Tammy Good, Warrnambool

With regional Victoria's zero cases of community transmission in the past fortnight its time gyms, health clubs and yoga studios were allowed to open with COVID safe procedures.

Stephen Fewell, Mortlake

When Daniel Andrews smashed apart the CFA, I stood with our proud volunteers and said I would have their backs. Earlier this year I was proud to announce that should the Liberal Nationals win government in 2022, we will rebuild the CFA and introduce legislation to restore it as an independent organisation, restoring its power to select, recruit and manage its own staff and wear the CFA uniform.

This week as a first step on that journey, the Liberal Nationals have launched an online consultation process and I am keen to hear from CFA volunteers and members about how they think a newly independent CFA should look. We believe the Andrews Labor Government has undermined the CFA as an independent, volunteer-based firefighting service with the commencement of the new union-led organisation, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV).

We are also deeply concerned that over recent years that thousands of CFA volunteers have left the service since Labor started this war against the CFA. Our legislation will enhance the CFA's powers and responsibilities for the ongoing delivery of fire services in current CFA areas. We will be consulting with Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV), CFA brigades and volunteers across Victoria to identify the essential powers, people and resources that are needed to rebuild and restore the CFA.

I am asking local south-west CFA volunteers are being asked to provide their direct input on how to best rebuild the CFA and can do so now online at www.rebuildthecfa.com.au/volunteer/. Community members wishing to show their support for their local CFA volunteers can also sign a petition at www.rebuildthecfa.com.au/. I said I would always have the backs of our CFA volunteers who always have the backs of our community and I'm proud to begin this journey to restoring the CFA as an independent emergency service.

Roma Britnell, MP State Member for South West Coast

Struggling ratepayers may not be aware that the council is planning to drain many millions from their pocket next financial year. Council lifted the rates charged last financial year by 80 per cent more than the Victoria government's recommended Fair Go cap increase. Many ratepayers will be whacked with these exorbitant increases again in 2022. There is no doubt there is a backlog of asset renewal that needs attending to however gouging our COVID19-impacted ratepayers to achieve these outcomes is unfair and will cause financial pain to many.

Every extra dollar sucked from the ratepayer purse is a dollar that our ratepayers no longer have available for essential items. Axed CEO Peter Schneider had previously noted in reference to a review into council structure to ensure it was efficiently and effectively supporting the community, that the answers to most challenges we face, lie with. Looking within the ratepayers dwindling pocket is certainly not the place to be searching.

Most struggling ratepayers would agree it is not a fair and equitable option. Having previously worked in the Federal public service sadly I witnessed first hand the enormous waste of public money and inefficiency that goes on when the people at the top fail to be held accountable with the public purse. It almost bought me to tears sometimes to see the waste. Until the problem of effective and efficient use of ratepayer money is dealt with, ratepayers will continue to needlessly suffer at a time when they can least afford because of COVID19

Michael McClusky, Warrnambool City Council candidate

The role of a councillor is to be what the community needs them to be. I believe two of the most important roles of a councillor are to be a representative of the community who helps individuals when they have issues with council. The other role is as a member of a governing body that acts in the best interest of the wider community and oversees the good governance of council. I expect every issue or item that is bought to council to be looked at on its merit with no preconceived ideas.

I think over the past term we could have seen council doing a better job of representing the community. I believe change is the only way to do this, we need new ideas and a new approach to the way council conducts itself to the wider Warrnambool community. I want our council to be respected by the community, be a happy healthy place to work and have a positive effect on the place we all call home.

Ben Blain, Warrnambool City Council candidate

While I must give due praise to Daniel Andrews daily handling display of firm leadership, the body of evidence to the current enquiry into the 'second wave', including his, does not pass the pub test as credible. It does bring to my mind the tax evasion scam from some decades ago known as "Bottom of the Harbour" where accounting records were metaphorically sent to the bottom of the harbour where they were lost to examination hence no evidence of income and thus no basis to pay tax.

The courts declared the pattern of loss of such records to be simply a 'scheme of arrangement', a confected story that had no plausible basis other than to evade having to pay tax. That is what this 'body of evidence' from government ministers and senior public servants reeks of, a deliberately confected 'line' that sees the moment of and participants in critical decision making all but evaporate from consciousness.

As that great legal representative Marcus Tullius Cicero observed some 2000 years ago in a case of a false murder accusation, Cui Bono (Who benefits)? With that simple question Cicero opened up the minds of the jury as to who the real culprits in the matter were as against the (falsely) accused.

While we know who the actual culprit is in this case, COVID19, there are serious questions to be answered regarding responsibility for the almost 800 people who have died in Victora alone and $billions wiped off peoples incomes and assets.

Mike Seward, Port Fairy

Please note: The Standard prefers letters to be less than 250 words. Preference is given to shorter contributions. Letters must include the author's name, address and contact phone number for verification purposes. Letters are published at standard.net.au and in print.