Why are the old and poor the biggest target?
I hear on the news older people in this country are going to be taken to the cleaners again. You work for 50 years and pay your taxes for 50 years, in some cases fight for that country, and then when your working life is over, you're treated like dirt. To get old in this world is like putting a target on your back. There's always some government department taking aim at you now, wanting to take some to the cleaners for their pension payments. The less you have, the more they want some of your money.
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Take Bronwyn Bishop for instance; she will keep her $250,000 pension payments regardless of her bank account. What double standards we have in this country. We don't have Robin Hood looking after our poor, we have the sheriff coming and shaking us down and giving it to the rich, and making more loopholes for them to hide their money.
Bill Hammond, Wendouree
warnings ignored
Once again, people have had to be rescued by our emergency services and the police after attempting to drive through floodwater; a deliberate and calculated act. Despite constant warnings from the authorities not to do so, they are putting not only their own lives at risk but also the lives of their rescuers, at great cost to taxpayers.
The time has come to charge these people for their acts of deliberate stupidity to recover the estimated cost of their rescue. By hitting them in the hip pocket this is the most effective way of sending a message to the public that wilful irresponsible behaviour will have serious financial consequences. If the enabling legislation is not in place, introduce it now, Premier Andrews.
Michael J Gamble, Belmont
Historic street changed
I read with interest that there will be a medical clinic built at a heritage-listed Wendouree property in Webster Street despite residents' objections. This is a very old street with a lot of history and many old-style houses. I don't have objection to a new medical clinic being built, but what I do object to is this council saying how important heritage buildings are to Ballarat, but at the same time, allowing an old building that has heritage significance to be so altered.
Geoff Rundell, Ballarat
Note: Ballarat Councillors did not vote on this planning application. Council officers approved the project under delegation
SNAIL MAIL DRAWS OUT COUNCIL RESULT
The election is nearly over with the last post this coming Friday. Make sure you post your voting papers ASAP. And now the frustrating wait is on.
We are advised by the Victorian Electoral Commission VEC that the declaration of the poll, that is who has been officially elected, won’t be known until sometime during the week commencing Monday 31 October and that will depend on Australia Post’s snail mail.
This process due to delays with Australia Post is not acceptable and must change. The voting papers went to Australia Post on the 3rd of October. There are people I know who only received theirs last Friday the 14th, and there are also some who haven’t yet received theirs!
My how to vote letter box mail-out done by Australia Post was meant to go out from the 3rd, they went out last week on the 11th thru to the 14th and what is more concerning for me is that many parts of Soldiers Hill, where I live, didn’t receive any at all! That simply isn’t good enough particularly as I was paying for the service.
In my opinion we may need to consider reverting to Polling Booths on Election Day so as to get an efficient and speedy result or request express delivery of election material to the electors and then to the VEC.
Ron Egeberg, Council Candidate for central Ward