My paradise is about to be destroyed forever. The custodians of our city, our councillors, have in their wisdom decided to allow a multinational corporation to erect a $20million, foul stinking, noisy saleyard at half a km from my cottage. In this barbaric decision they have been motivated by "jobs and money". And in my mind I see my Latin teacher write in large letters on the blackboard: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Who will be the custodian of these custodians?  I know the reasons given by our custodians:"jobs, jobs, jobs, money, money, money" They have been repeated ad nauseam .

It is then that that other Latin phrase appears on the blackboard of my mind: "Salus populi suprema lex esto" The well-being of the people should be the highest law in the land. Our "custodians" have reduced the meaning of "well-being" to jobs and money. My well-being and that of the good people of the Miners Rest village have been ruthlessly annihilated by those who are ignorant of that law above all laws: salus populi.  And in the 84th year of my life I am left wondering: Who shall be the custodian of these incompetent custodians?

Anne Bouts, Miners Rest

I am curious at the reasoning behind VLine providing free transport as compensation for recent disruptions. I have been a regular commuter between Ballarat and Melbourne for the past 10 years.

Over the past years, we have endured consistent outages, cancellations & busses, with the expectation that a more efficient and timely service would be forthcoming. We still do not have a 1 hour service, as was originally touted, and indeed was in place for some time. We have not had any significant time, saved of the timetable (1 minute) for the service upon which I travel.

Ridiculous routing alterations have been made to some services, like the 16.01 from southern cross, which has been reduced from 6 to 3 cars, and now stops at Melton. Over the past few weeks, every other service on the Ballarat line, has been cancelled or replaced by road coaches. So although some may take the busses and travel on their normal services, many others will undoubtedly modify their plans, to enable travel on an earlier or later service.

To further compound this, VLine now offers free travel, to all, which will further flood the services which are actually still running (by rail), causing overcrowding and yet further inconvenience to regular commuters. Come on VLine show some foresight!

Craig George, Haddon

The vast majority of the population are politically inert. The only time they express themselves in a political way is at the polling booth. As most people never change their allegiance to the left or to the right, their voting intentions are of little consequence. When it comes to climate change though there is a way to express oneself in a manner that is far more powerful than by voting. Simply by moving your superannuation, banking, insurance and investments into those funds and organisations that identify as 'fossil-free' you can send the most powerful political message of your life.

It's rare now to meet a climate denier; most people readily express deep concern and distress at the self-evident loss of life and property damage unfolding around the world. Moving your finances into the fossil free sector therefore is the most effective way that Australians can take a role in powering the shift into cleaner technology. For the early movers it is also destined to be the most profitable.

James Hockey, Clunes

A big happy Australia Day to the families parked along Park Lake in Creswick; three cars, deck chairs, Australian flags, lots of kids, alcohol and the rubbish you left behind. There was a rubbish bin only metres away and  not one person bothered to pick it up. As visitors to your town and with our young kids, we made the effort to collect your rubbish and teach our kids that isn't how you leave our country side. Given the couple of horn toots by passers by we feel the family may be locals to Creswick and someone reading this might actually let them know. Keep Australia beautiful-  especially on Australia Day!

Amanda Kubik,  Melbourne