NDIS money should not go to farmers

Many can empathise with the plight of farmers in the drought. They are running a business in difficult circumstances, pressured by market forces that tell them what and how they must farm, despite what the land can realistically produce.

They get squeezed by middle men and large companies that force prices down, causing them to overstock to eke out a living.

The banks are not their allies either, for they are out to make a profit at all costs, the bigger the better. Climate change is changing even more so the constant fluctuations of weather that farmers have had to factor in to their business since farming first began.

Governments are forced to subsidise farmers so that small communities don’t wither and die like the grass in the paddocks.

However, farmers now are faced with yet another major issue. Because drought is the flavour of the month and perhaps the Federal Coalition Government is trying to shore up votes in electorates, money allocated to the National Disability Insurance Scheme is being “repurposed” to assist farmers.

Money is being taken from one very much marginalised group to support the drought affected farmers. The NDIS took years to be agreed to and begin its implementation.

The Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated categorically that his government would fully fund it.

Now that is all up in the air even before the NDIS is fully rolled out. Community groups, NDIS recipients and the general public were not asked about the change.

Farmers were not consulted about where their new money was coming from and hopefully they won’t be the ones accused of this flagrant breach of trust by the government.

They need support, but should that be at the expense of the long-term needs of a very disadvantaged group within our society?

I wonder how our local federal representative views this “repurposing” and whether he will be publicly stand up for the disabled in our community. Greg Tuck, Warragul

They were directed by cellist Zoe Knighton cellist and the other members of the Flinders Quartet, violinists Nicholas Waters and Wilma Smith, who was for many years the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's concertmaster and Helen Ireland viola in an arrangement of a well known aria from Ponchielli's opera, La Giaconda.

Warragul can be justifiably proud to boast such a fine performance space as Wesley soon to be complemented by the refurbished West Gippsland Arts Centre.

West Gippsland will no longer be the neglected cultural desert but the envy of the region. J. Barake, Warragul

In the Gazette (16/10) in an article, “Baw Baw intimates support for logging” it was reported that council apparently supports the current logging regime.

This contrasts sharply with the announcement on October 18 by the Strathbogie Shire Council that it passed a motion that calls on the state government to end native timber harvesting within its shire.

Back in April this year our neighbouring South Gippsland Council also called on the government to stop logging native forests within its shire. Both the Strathbogie and South Gippsland Councils recognise the economic benefits that flow from protecting their forests.

The state-owned VicForests and its supporters have been conning us for decades that VicForests follows world's best forestry practice.

That con was exposed when both Bunnings and Officeworks announced recently that they will stop sourcing timber and paper from our native forests specifically because of VicForests’ inability to meet international benchmarks for sustainable forestry.

In our own shire this lack of sustainability is most flagrant around Noojee, where plans are afoot to clearfell right next to the town — despite Vicforests’ own social impact assessment recommending against it because of the detrimental effects on Noojee's tourist economy.

I know our council has seen that document. Why does Baw Baw see only timber, and not forest? Craig Forsythe, Neerim North

I have a couple of mates that are involved in sides in the Alberton league. They are very unhappy with what has been done to their sides.

It seems that the early directors/commissioners have resigned or been replaced for different reasons.

Surely before anything more is done to any leagues the people being paid should spend time researching this properly. I believe this was all started by the initial directors/commissioners. Gary Payne, Bunyip

Bouquet to the lovely man who returned my lost key so promptly. I really appreciate your honesty.

I can’t believe the comments in The Gazette today (Gaz 23/10) about the display in NAB about the history of our West Gippsland Hospital. To the kill joys who can’t see that get a life.

Bouquets en masse to Anita, Nathan and Warragul Toyota for offering to display memorabilia from West Gippsland Hospital. Awesome display.

The result could see approximately 80,000 hectares of public land changing status, and in the process excluding current legal users from this land. The driving forces behind this status change proposal include the usual grab bag of far left green activists.

The implication is that we will be locked out of large segments of public land. People such as horse riders, trail bike riders, hunters, prospectors, dog walkers, miners, campers, four wheel drivers, fire wood collectors, apiarists, mountain bike riders, timber workers and car rally enthusiasts will be negatively affected if this VEAC report is adopted.

It’s not just Central Victorian public lands under threat from green activism. The Strathbogie’s, the Emerald Link and the Great Forest are all targets on the Greens hit list. Huge areas of bushland will see partial or total lockouts.

Currently an organisation called the Bush Users Group United (BUGU) is fighting these proposed changes to land use in Central Victoria. BUGU has asked all current Victorian parliamentarians where they stand in relation to locking current legal bush users out from public lands.

Responses from the Liberals, Nationals, SFF and most Independents are all positive for retaining the status quo. They support Access for All Victorians to public lands. Labor and the Greens have not responded, but appear to support locking us out.

With the upcoming Victorian election, BUGU asks all voters to think carefully about who you vote for. Do you support locking people out of the bush? Or do you support access for all? The choice is yours.

Mark Shannon, Muckleford

Bricks to everyone that park in disabled car spots and do not display a disability sticker. This is very frustrating and disappointing.

A Brick to irresponsible cat owners and the shire for making no effort to enforce the cat curfew. When cats took fish from our pond the shire offered a cat trap but their was a waiting list.

A whole colony of blue wrens has been wiped out in School Rd and other native birds killed. A policy is useless unless it is properly enforced.

Bouquets to the lovely young woman who had seen me sitting in my wheelchair outside the Drouin Post Office last Friday, waiting for my taxi, and had purchased flowers which she gave to me, as she said 'to brighten my day'. This sweet, caring and generous gesture gave pleasure, not only to me, but to all those I told about it.