Many good reasons to buy Australian

The decision by China to stop importing barley from Australia is a major concern for all Australian rural enterprises.

Chinese officials indicate that this may be the first of many more actions affecting our agricultural products such as dairy, wine, beef etc. It is extremely disappointing that the Australian government will not “play tat for tat” actions in response to this very serious threat to Australia’s agricultural industries.

Unfortunately, Australia’s government still has the mentality that “world trade is a level playing field”; this way of thinking has seen the demise of our automotive industry and a significant amount of our manufacturing capacity.

How can a “level playing field diplomacy” compete with “wolf warrior diplomacy?” One only needs to remember China’s methods of dealing with Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South China Sea and their treatment of Muslims to realise the consequences of us succumbing to Chinese bullying.

Another reason for us to take action now; is the current massive in balance of trade in China’s favour. All Australians need to take positive action to counteract this threat and to stop China’s desire to dominate Australia.

Whereever possible we must stop buying all Chinese foods and buy Australian products instead. If there is no Australian alternative then buying another countries produce will also achieve help bring about change in China’s attitude.

Bob Read, Nayook increased the national debt. That is to state the bleeding obvious. Now imposed on us is a centrally planned economy which will not recover within a few days of the end of all restrictions. Increased taxes of various kinds administered by a venomous ATO still unreformed since the 2018 Four Corners program, 'A Mongrel bunch of bastards' is an obvious prospect for individuals and businesses.

While wholly appropriate the Anzac Day event in Trafalgar may prove to be a waste of time unless organisationally followed up. Venal party politicians relying on the shortness of the public memory wait out the effect of such events while continuing to enjoy their opulent publicly salaried and allowanced existences plus the assurance of gargantuan post parliamentary benefits.

Periodically calling them out makes little or no difference. Only a direct and sustained threat to their places on the public gravy train will do that. Flooding the parliaments of this country with authentic independents who actually represent the interests of their electorates instead of a venal self serving party would visit proper retribution upon the Coalition-ALP condominium.

Meanwhile behold the verbal wriggling and squirming of federal ministers to avoid denouncing and retaliating against totalitarian Beijing trade intimidation.

But they've grovelled to Beijing for so long they can't do otherwise. And Australian travellers detained by an authoritarian (eg Iran) or totalitarian (China, Vietnam) state all they can hope for from any federal government is ineffectual "Huff Puff! Blah Blah!" statements of "concern"

Frank Carleton, Longwarry

Last Wednesday at the Baw Baw Shire Council meeting it was revealed that only 24, that's right, only 24 residents of Longwarry actually are in favour of the sale yards proceeding at the proposed site and many of those 24 people may not even be ratepayers of the shire (could be tenants, boarders, etc.).

The 2016 Census revealed approximately 2000 people lived in Longwarry and due to the residential development in the past four years that number has greatly increased. Going on the 2016 figures it would appear that 1.25 per cent of Longwarry residents agree with this development.

We have seen in previous articles that the supporters total somewhere in between 568 and 640, so on the average there is somewhere in between 544 and 616 supporters of which none live in Longwarry or is a ratepayer from Longwarry.

What a wonderful world, (not) we live in when people who don't even live in our township can vote for it to be decimated. You don' live here so stop trying to destroy our town as we know it.

Michele Maes, Longwarry schooling - fifth year in those days. My mother couldn't afford it. He left school and got a job. That saddened her - she knew the importance of education.

I'm sure many people have found remote learning difficult. Having your children home from school might have been tough but it’s not going to last for five years either.

This is a war - but one of a different kind. The 2nd world war dragged on for 5 long years - but after only a few weeks of restrictions, if Prue is to be believed, our young men are already worried and depressed, young mothers are struggling, our mental health is in a bad way, the elderly are miserable and alone, Social distancing, remote schooling, no large gatherings etc aren't much fun. But neither are they potential death. Covid-19 is.

Am I suggesting we go back to the days of the 40s and 50s? Of course not. That would be ridiculous.

Am I looking forward to the restrictions being over - and no longer “penned" up in my house? Of course I am. But am I languishing and in the depths of despair? Definitely not. My heart goes out to those Prue was referring to.

But a little adversity from time to time - if we allow it - stiffens the backbone and grows resourcefulness and resilience. Something the people of my parents and grandparents had in spades!

Sandra Hogan, Longwarry