I visited the new boat ramp on Sunday, I have watched with interest over the last month or so, which councillors voted to give the nod for this absolute total waste of money and time. The ramp is too steep.

Why oh why didn't you install floating pontoon jetties on either side of the ramp?

I have two boats, one small, one larger, I have a mobility issue and cannot and will not use a ladder to climb down or up six feet to get in or out of my boats.

I hold current and registered licences and follow all maritime rules and regulations, as a result of no consultation with the users of this ramp to maximize its practicality for all boaters, I will now only pay for my trailer registration.

I cannot use or access either of my boats in Warrnambool. So no money will go to what we are told goes toward making better facilities in Victoria. We still have the worst boat ramp in Victoria.

Dallas Bridgman, Warrnambool

If only Warrnambool City Council and DELWP had listened to public sentiment and the advice of the harbour reference group, regarding the placement of dredge spoils, we wouldn't have the farcical situation of litter, and smelly muck ending up in front of the Warrnambool surf club.

A public survey overwhelmingly preferred the options to put the dredge spoils on shore behind the sand dunes at Worm Bay.

The second choice was to have a hybrid model where some sand would be placed behind the bay, and some direct onto the beach to replenish where necessary. The litter recently collected by volunteers, would have been sifted at the ponding site behind Worm Bay, posing no danger to the public.

Sand collected could also have been used to make sandbags to reinforce areas under beach staircases. Instead the dredging pumped the sand straight back into the ocean and no doubt will find its way back into the dredge pocket. The decision taken by our previous council and DELWP, makes me wonder, why bother having consultation at all? Where was the social licence? After all this is a taxpayer-funded action.

Tammy Good, Warrnambool

To all in charge of nursing, bring back training on the job, the extra hands and it's a better way to keep staff on after training as they are mostly straight out of school and being paid so are happy to stay where university training gives them four years of uni life which makes it very hard to go back to shift work, meaning less staying in the profession.

Also using Matron M.Taylor's approach at Geelong Hospital where she looked after her nurses well and was respected in return.

Her roster system was greatly appreciated as when we were rostered to a ward we knew our roster for the whole time we were there so could arrange our days off in advance.

Blocks of study weeks and no getting up from sleep to go to lectures, early shifts before days off and late shifts after plus four 10-hour night shifts and three nights off.

Also with overlapping shifts in the afternoons we were given lectures on the ward by the Person in Charge. A good way to win over and keep your staff.

Extra nursing staff would also lighten the load on the doctors as well, a win all around.

Helen Tredinnick, Warrnambool

As yet another challenging year draws to a close, I find myself again asking: how can we, at The Salvos, express our immense gratitude to the Australian community for their generosity, kindness and support this year?

How can I put into words what it means to us when Aussies show up year after year to help those doing it tough?

While I try to find the words, I think of families like Annie's. They were already living close to the poverty line when her employer cut her hours of work, tipping them over the edge.

Heading into Christmas, they were struggling to make ends meet.

Agonising decisions like whether to put petrol in the car or food on the table; pay the electricity bill or buy medication plagued Annie every day.

She began having panic attacks and harbouring guilt about not being able to give her children everything they want and deserve. As you can imagine, celebrating Christmas felt impossible.

But thanks to the Aussie community spirit, Annie has hope.

"The Salvos helped us with bills and gave us vouchers so we could buy Christmas food and presents for the kids. It meant we could actually celebrate Christmas. I'm forever grateful, I really am," said Annie.

As a Salvation Army Officer, delivering services to people like Annie, there aren't enough words to express our deepest gratitude to a very generous Australian community- all we can do is say thank you.

Thank you for donating, volunteering and packing hampers so that we could distribute over 64,000 food parcels and vouchers, and around 300,000 gifts and toys to families.

Thank you for helping us provide over 1.5 million meals, 887,500 crisis beds and 2000-plus services nationwide throughout the year.

Thank you for helping us keep Christmas alive for Aussies struggling to make ends meet, for helping us leave no one in need.

To each and every one of you who supported us throughout 2022, we thank you.

We've said it before, but it remains true: we couldn't do what we do without you.

People say, 'thank God for the Salvos'. We say thank God for you.

May you and your loved ones cherish this time of year and know that whatever the new year brings, the Salvos will walk alongside those in need and be there when you need us most.

If you would like to donate to The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal, or if you need support, please visit salvationarmy.org.au or call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58).

Major Bruce Harmer, The Salvation Army

Imagine what it would be like if almost all vehicles in Australia were powered by electricity derived from renewable energy sources. The benefits available for all would be considerable.The air would be so much cleaner, the health improvements would be extensive, no more any awful petrol or diesel fumes, no more relying on other countries for most of our petrol - a huge plus - running cost savings would be substantial, there would be less noise, greenhouse gas emissions would be greatly reduced -a huge plus - human induced climate change would be considerably slowed - a huge plus - one could go on and on.

Transitioning almost all vehicles away from dirty fossil fuels would be one of the greatest achievements of the present century .

Bring it on more quickly.

Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank, SA

As a result of high energy prices and climate change, the transformation to clean and cheap renewable energy is occurring at an increasingly rapid pace. The thirty-five Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) planned in the eastern states will result in the most profound change to our landscape since land clearing and mining began. Although most Australians are supportive, both regional and city dwellers share concerns about the impact on communities, agriculture, the environment, and biodiversity.

Reports by Sydney University and the Clean Energy Council, however, reveal how most of these concerns can be addressed by adequate planning and local community engagement. Benefits can be shared by pooling funds within each REZ to create significant assets and programs, including training and employment. Microgrids with community batteries improve reliability and reduce power costs. Solar farms can be screened by plantings and agrivoltaic design principles allow dual use of land combining agriculture and electricity generation. Curtailing wind generation during times of high bat activity and painting one turbine black decrease bat and bird mortality respectively.

Undergrounding new transmission lines, as Germany legislated in 2015, is desirable and the Moorabool Shire Council's work in this area is useful. Sydney University's Renewables and Rural Australia report and the Clean Energy Council's Guide to Benefit Sharing are excellent resources. City residents, who will benefit from the power generated, must support regional communities, and demand the highest standards of planning and consultation from government and companies at this critical time.

Ray Peck, Hawthorn