Archiac and wrong

In response to Geoff Dethlef’s letter (Gaz 21/2) I agree with him that early education is paramount in teaching children how to be decent human beings.

However, advocating for violence against children is archaic and wrong.

How can we teach young children that violence against others is not acceptable whilst belting or smacking children? Do you not see the irony.

And where do we draw the line? Is it okay to belt a child on the backside and draw blood.

There is no ‘safe’ amount of violence you can do to a child. Children learn best by having loving parents who spend time guiding them and teaching them without using fear.

Children then come to school ready to learn about how to be part of a learning community rather than putting the onus on the school to be responsible for everything. J. Ash, Drouin

A $4 million hole in funding for the redevelopment of the West Gippsland Arts Centre in Warragul has been filled with the Federal Government today announcing it had come to the party.

Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent announced the grant from $20 million the Federal Government has allocated in light of “recent developments around Gippsland”, namely the imminent closure of the Hazelwood power station.

Baw Baw Shire Council earlier this month awarded a tender for the WGAC works that are due to start within a fortnight.

Tha Gazette received a mixed reponse the the news on our Facebook page.

Andrew Nicholls - The region is about to begin to suffer significantly from “recent developments around Gippsland" and the timely answer is to fund the arts? How many full time jobs will this create? I suppose those who loose their jobs will be happy they can attend the larger productions this new facility will accommodate. It's good funding, but ill timed and misdirected at present.

Jan Pickburn - The actual year long renovation will provide a lot of jobs I'd think.

Margaret Lehman - Disgraceful, Can't fund a hospital, governmnt, but can throw it at something that we haven't been asked about. Another hole in the ground lol a bigger hospital would create more jobs than an Arts Centre.

In relation to the renovations and all those new seats, was it only last year this was done, who paid for this, where will all these extra patrons park?

Steph Young - The development that happened between 2015 and 2016 was through a government grant to improve the seating and repaint the (very old) paint from the original design. This money isn't money that is being taken away from hospitals, which you seem to think is the case, it's usually from different budgets altogether.

Margaret I believe part of the original plan I saw for the Arts Centre included additional parking.

You can pick apart as many flaws and make as many irrelevant arguments as you like, but this is a well planned, positive venture. To ignore the importance of the arts in a community is sad. Go on and take yourself up to Fairview and ask the residents what makes their life worth living.

Vaughan Yuk Cumiskey - You're going to get the latte sipping arty farty types offside.

Linda Lou - Be nice to see other towns get something for a change.

Chris Buckingham - Can’t believe the bile. All three levels of government (from all sides) have funded this project because the business case stacks up.

Why do people question investment in their town? Are they actually local?

Melissa Day - I think Warragul needs more in the town than upgradeing the art centre if you won’t families to stay in the area. Why doesn’t the local government ask the people who live there what the want. Warragul has the potential to be a far better than it is.

Kerrie Paynter - What about the people in the valley that have to relocate that's what the funding was for to help them out.

Instead of the arts centre what about getting a shopping centre built for all the people in the Shire. Warragul had the worst facility here and they wonder why you go out of town plus not everyone goes to the arts centre.

Sally Rowlinson - Why not build a new hospital so we could actually support growth in the area?

I will agree to disagree. The arts centre is in need of funding and support but it also had a re development or at least alot of work done in recent years and I am disappointed in the current government’s action with these issues. Unfortunately our hospital has to turn patients away due to its overcrowding over the last few years, since the period of the estates popping up in the Drouin/Warragul area which I believe is a great risk to the community and greater public in the area of Berwick through to Trafalgar.

But, yes the Arts Centre is a valuable assest to the community and should be taken care of.

Paul Bird - Must be heading for an election and Russell Broadbnet is worried about his pension.

David Burt - Great it's being built, but a result of Hazelwood. What's the relationship? Has the Gazette a problem with this project? Kellie Phillip - Awesome news!! Pamela Lawson - Fantastic news. Bents Jobsz - So is that why they cut our pension out?

Lincoln Judd done

Maisy Max - Brilliant news - Excellent investment, well