Ron's work to reconstitute the Elaine Recreation Reserve is a credit to him and his small group of volunteers. His determination to restart the Elaine tennis and cricket clubs at the reserve is a lasting legacy for the many families in the region who now enjoy these facilities and participate in sporting events vital to the socialization of small rural communities.

Ronnie was a shearing contractor to my family for decades, providing a team of shearers each year to harvest the wool critical to the viability of many properties across western Victoria.

Shearing was always completed on time and with careful precision. I am sure Ronnies' work ethic and experience has helped him with the many community tasks he has tackled since retiring from shearing.

Luckily for Elaine, the community is the beneficiary of his commitment to improve sporting facilities at the reserve, and it was a pleasure to be able to support and announce funding for the upgrade of the tennis courts as a government member a couple of years ago.

A richly deserved acknowledgement to Ron from the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards and my congratulations to him and his family.

Simon Ramsay MP, State Member for Western Victoria - Geelong

"I think that the children need to be taken out of Nauru and our detention centres. ... There is no processing going on. It is indefinite detention and that is not humane." [Senator Singh, 12 October]

How many more rapes will it take, before our Government wakes up to the horrors going on in Nauru and Manus Islands - inside and outside the detention centre? How much more abuse - to women and children - done by Australian Government direct and indirect employees? How many more reports - by the UN, by the Salvos, by our own Government? How many more suicides, self-harm? How many more asylum seekers must die or go stir-crazy under our duty-of-care? How many ... before our Government and Opposition realise the inhumane, out-of-sight, out-of-mind, detention of human beings is immoral and unjust?

Before providing a safe and secure place for children, women, and yes men, whose only crime is being born in the wrong time, wrong place, wrong situation? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind ...

Judy Bamberger - O'Connor.

Victoria faces another long and potentially difficult bushfire season. It is right to reflect upon last week's fires, but a more pressing need for all Victorians is to make sure they are prepared for the summer ahead. Bushfire conditions have arrived earlier than expected in several parts of the state. Victoria's fire and emergency agencies are more than adequately resourced to deal with this.

The predictions for a drier than usual spring are sobering. By the end of this coming week, significant fire weather conditions will again affect the state. This is the new normal. As a community we need to adapt and learn to live with the changes ahead.

People often seek absolute guarantees about bushfire. There are none, except that if you are not there when a bushfire comes you won't be harmed by it.

It's time now for another conversation – with family, friends, the local fire brigade – about what you are going to do when a bushfire threatens. That conversation needs to occur regularly and long before the flames are licking at the end of the street. 

Fundamentally, there are still only two options in a bushfire. You either leave or stay. Leaving early is not always easy but it remains the safest option. For those who do not have adequate bushfire survival plans, it is the only option that guarantees your life. 

Craig Lapsley 

Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner.