Thistles resemble a forgotten town

Once again Drouin township has been forgotten over the Christmas period.

Very little effort if any has been put in by Baw Baw Shire to tidy up Drouin’s parks and gardens before the Christmas break.

What would visitors think when they drive into Drouin from Melbourne and see metre high weeds and unmown lawns?

Get off the main road and some parks have had no attention for months.

In Balmoral Cres that has had no effort for months one ratepayer has pulled out the metre high thistles himself in front of his property. Note; still some left for council.

C’mon Baw Baw Shire. Drouin has ratepayers also. Jeff Smythe, Drouin West

John Gommans and his family have raised goats and livestock both in New Zealand and Australia for several generations. Valuable livestock were put at risk by the alleged actions of these activists.

If there is an infectious disease such as CAE or Cheesy Gland, farmers often isolate new animals in quarantine to ensure they do not introduce diseased animals into their herd. Any animals removed from such a herd without such quarantine knowledge could potentially infect clean animals.

Farmers are having a hard enough time without harassment by animal activism across the state.

Police have charged three offenders and some of the animals have been recovered.

The activists allegedly told staff on the day they wanted to “liberate” the animals. But what liberation is it when the recovered milking goat is no longer in milk and has lost weight. Two kids have lost their mother who was feeding them.

I hope the doe does not develop mastitis because that is often what happens when a doe’s kids are suddenly weaned.

Ilana Leeds, Drouin East

The council has spent millions of dollars on the arts centre. Just have a look from the Civic Place up where the new and the old parts meet, there appears to be bricks missing.

In addition, the gutters are overgrown with weeds, there is no money for maintenance but we have plenty of money again to botch up Smith St.

Whatever you citizens of Warragul do at the next council election: vote all of them out next time, they do not listen to the people. Vote only for people who are prepared to listen to their electorate. Paul Kaech, Warragul

A society where no-one should be denied an education based on their social standing, gender or religious beliefs.

In our current society, those that contribute the most are not often valued the most, but many of these are remunerated the least.

Nurses, emergency service workers, teachers and the like are essential to making a society work but plaudits and wealth flows instead to celebrities, sports people and music and movie stars who have become the role models and aspirational targets of the young.

A member of a government is there to represent everyone and this includes the so-called ‘voiceless’.

These people are known as the voiceless, not because they have nothing to say, but simply they do not have a place in the public forums and as a consequence generally aren’t listened to.

I believe in listening to arguments from people of all persuasions before making up my mind. I cannot argue for something that I know to be wrong because that weakens me as an individual.

My opinion is not for sale. It cannot be bought for any inducements. Argue logically, with all the facts on the table and I can be persuaded. Bully me or psychologically play me and you will possibly only entrench my views.

A representative in any form of government needs to represent the views of his/her constituents, all of them, not just the loudest ones, nor the ones who agree with the representative.

A democracy is made up of people, not statistics. Economic management should not be the driving force of one. Progressive improvement of a society is the objective.

The elements of trust, compassion, security and equality carry far more weight.

I believe in a humane society where everyone’s health and welfare is important.

Money, or the lack of it, should not determine the receipt of aid and comfort.”

That person will never be pre-selected for a party in a winnable seat. That person will in all probability never stand for election as his/her views are so vastly different from the practices of our current crop of politicians, and so will not waste his/her time beating a head against a brick wall.

Furthermore, that person won’t be believed by the general public, such is the contempt that is felt for politicians, because our politicians think that it is okay to say one thing to get elected and then do the opposite once a seat has been gained. Greg Tuck, Warragul Bricks to all the dog walkers that don’t pick up their “business” on the path along Bona Vista Rd between Rulemount Rd and Cason Cres. The least you can do is put on the grass. Many bricks to the person who stole the baby Jesus doll and the lamb from our Christmas Nativity Scene in Drouin. We try to bring joy to people with this display, and we have those who want to spoil it

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