Urban growth leads to continual train discomfort
Over crowding on V/Line trains from Southern Cross to Ballarat has been gradually worsening. There are never enough seats until Melton at least. In peak hour, you can wait until Bacchus Marsh to get a seat sometimes.
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Lack of seats aside, we believe we all pay equal fares in order to commute on V/Line, but this is actually not true. An off peak fare from Southern Cross to/from Melton/Bacchus Marsh is not available. While to Ballarat we have to pay Zone 8's fare since the train starts. No N/A has been taken off our fares even it is the same journey. Ballarat is 114 km. from Southern Cross. We have considered to be in Zone 8 while Seymour is also 116 km, considered to be in Zone 6.
Ballan is Zone 4 and Bacchus Marsh/Melton is Zone 2. More Ballarat residents have less choices but to commute to work in Melbourne, in order to feed our families, daily. We relies on V/Line services and fair fares. Ballarat is charged for Zone 8's fare on our V/Line commuter to/from Southern Cross, Peak $40 and Off Peak $28 but then Bacchus Marsh is Zone 2 and at peak only $7.80.
Josie Roy, Eureka
Time to make the fair change
The suggestion that marriage is a religious institution and entity is simply not true. The church can bless a marriage but they cannot authorise a marriage; that is a matter for the state. Marriage is and has always been a matter of law - dare I say in the dark ages "goods and chattels".
The High Court of Australia has determined that the issue of same-sex marriage must be addressed by the Federal Parliament. Hence parliament must be the only place for the debate on same-sex marriage. A plebiscite is a waste of taxpayers' money. can you imagine what $160 million could do for homelessness in Australia?
The non-legalisation of same-sex marriage remains a blight on our society. The Marriage Act as it currently stands is discriminatory. It breaches all aspects of equality and fundamentally flies in the face of Australian human rights. It is demeaning and hurtful to gay people to be regarded as second-class citizens and their families and friends are distressed to see them treated as such. .
Why do the political far right, people with religious convictions and many religious organisations feel so threatened by same-sex marriage? Do they think the very fabric of Australian society will crumble if such laws were approved in this land?
Fair-minded people must force the Parliament of Australia to undertake a free vote on the issue. Yes, our politicians must vote in accordance with the views of the majority of their constituents and not feel beholden to the far-right religious and political minority, who seek to impose their views and beliefs on Australia. Australia is the laughing stock of the free democratic world. Most of the advanced economies of the world have legislated to allow same-sex marriage and Armageddon hasn't hit them as a result. They are still the successful liberal democracies they were before.
In Australia, this intolerable discrimination must be eradicated. Australia must again resume its deserved reputation as one of the most progressive, tolerant countries in the world that accepts diversity in all its forms.
Ron Egeberg, Civil Marriage Celebrant
New faces
I applaud Ballarat council's new CEO, Justine Linley. Already she has demonstrated her ability to lead the organisation through challenging times, demonstrate a genuine commitment to listening to and respecting our community, and to steer the council 'ship' to "work smarter with greater accountability" (The Courier 27.8.2016).