I hope more businesses will embrace the spirit of the Archibalds and exhibit these works of art. They will bring even more colour and life to the city centre and give visitors a real taste of our vibrant community.

Fiona Watson - Ballarat

Some years ago (around 2002), when I was looking after the City's parks, we produced a management, use and development framework for Victoria Park; this wasn't a master plan as the Park already had one of those from its original inception, created by those far sighted people who laid out the Park well over 100 years ago.

The main reason for preparing this document was to stave off the latest attempt to alienate parts of the Park for certain specific interest uses and associated buildings. I recall that a relocated Showgrounds was one of the suggestions.

Over the Park's history, there have been numerous attempts at alienation; all have so far been rejected, despite some strongly held opinions that the park is underutilised and subject to unsavoury uses and misuses. However, when we were required to determine the community's views on the City's parks as a part of a best value exercise, we were surprised but pleased when Vic Park came out a clear no. 2 to The Lake and Gardens.

Comments overwhelmingly endorsed maintaining the Park as, well, a park. When we did some analysis, we found Victoria Park, Lake Wendouree and the Botanical Gardens combined, had an area similar to that of Central Park in New York and a character similar to Hyde Park in London.

What Victoria Park is, then, is a grand, classical Victorian-era park, that has been bequeathed to us by the City's founders, saved from despoliation and loss by successive councils and confirmed by the City's contemporary community as very important to it and the City at large.

Hands off Victoria Park!

Hedley Thomson - Canadian

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey, a slick team when in opposition, kicked ALP heads superbly and threw mud far more skilfully, artfully and brilliantly than my beloved Labor have ever.

Their talents lay in being gifted with so much shining dexterity, astuteness, expertise, tact and aptitude in this negative field. They almost convinced me to drop my unswerving 50 year allegiance to Labor. No way could they fail.

However, upon gaining power, it was all not to be. A cruel harsh reality check, like Jekyll and Hyde, swiftly transformed love to disdain, contempt, scorn and anger. Their greatest positive was negativity.

I have never witnessed such a vast, apparent, differential chasm between talk and non action. Ruling was beyond them. The pendulum swings Labor's way.

Dear Malcolm Turnbull, do not let Tony and Joe slip out of your sight. They will be such a great asset pre next election, albeit solely for the criticism of the opposition. Warning, political assets can turn into burdens.

Remedy for this entire letter, Tony and Joe should change their names to Peter, then the flack would cease for some unknown reason.

But be careful how you spell Peta.

Colin Holmes - Ballarat