Manners transcend words
To the three young ladies, students of Mt Clear College, well done for moving seats so the mother with child and pram could sit and use the pram space on the Buninyong bus this (Friday) afternoon. Your action spoke to your comment, 'We should be respectful'. This is so very different from another bus trip, some time ago. An older couple boarded the crowded bus. He was carrying an oxygen tank. I was the only person who offered a seat. He took it and his wife stood with me. The other people on the bus? The students of four private schools in Ballarat. To the young ladies, students of Mt Clear College, I hope you are our future leaders. Your actions show the way. Thank you.
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Bernadette Cheesman, Wendouree
A community left in the dark
I find it concerning and outright rude that Ballarat council have approved the saleyard relocation to Miners Rest one week before council elections. Whilst they will say they had everything in check, what's the rush? Council is fully aware of a VCAT application with dates being set for it and have chosen to ignore this in approving the application, very neglectful. The community in Miners Rest has again been ignored by this council and when we were promised we would be kept involved in the process we have been let down. Council approved this application and failed to communicate it with the residents and stakeholders instead us finding out from media what had happened. Completely disrespectful.
They have approved an application for a building that again they have failed to communicate or show any updated plans with the community, so we have absolutely no idea what is being built or have had no input into the final plans. This council and North Ward councillors should be completely ashamed of what they have done come election time.
A lot of bridges have to be rebuilt moving forward and needless to say, this will be very hard when you have community that feels like you have no respect or regard for its future and welfare.
Alicia Bond, Miners Rest
Fair wind to blow benefits
I was very encouraged to read in The Courier (14/10) that the Committee for Ballarat has opened dialogue with manufacturers around Ballarat to produce wind tower parts. I have been a long time advocate for Ballarat becoming a pioneer in developing a renewable technology manufacturing hub.
I have studied the impacts of climate change and alternative energy sources at Melbourne University, and being part of the younger generation, have a vested interested in mitigating the catastrophic climate change that has already begun. With the recent announcement that Timken will leave Ballarat, a transition to other types of manufacturing is critical and renewables are the obvious solution. Parts can be made locally and due to the favourable geographical features of the western region for wind capture, used locally as well.
If elected I would push tirelessly to make this a reality, and believe partnerships with local organisations to fund solar indicatives (as Melbourne city council with the North Melbourne Football Club has recently done) are an obvious must do. If Ballarat does not take advantage of the shutting down of the coal industry surely somewhere else will.
Will Bennett, Central Ward Candidate
Words broken lightly
What is a covenant? Yes, it is an agreement or contract, once considered a binding one not lightly broken. Has the world changed so much that such agreements are far from sacred and actually meaningless. Some years ago, I and many other Ballarat West residents were rather shocked to find that a large pocket of crown park land, covered by a covenant entered into with Ballarat City Council was quietly broken within twelve months, then totally ignored and shelved.