Support the businesses that lead by example
I was pleased to read that the UFS Pharmacies Board and the Red Lion Hotel management had made the decision to continue to pay penalty rates to their employees. I applaud these Ballarat businesses for taking a principled stand and respecting the sacrifices their employees make to work outside "ordinary hours". Many people across the Ballarat region rely on penalty rates to make ends meet and will certainly be struggling as a result of the cuts to penalty rates. I hope that many other Ballarat employers will follow the lead of UFS and the Red Lion Hotel. I most certainly will be supporting the businesses that do.
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Juliana Addison, Ballarat Central
sad day for the city
I was rather sad to read that the children's playground around Lake Wendouree had been set alight by some low-life. I can remember when this playground was built. A lot of tradesmen and community groups came together to make this playground happen, so children would have somewhere to play when they visited the lake. I hope those people who set fire to this much-loved playground are caught. I hope their faces are shown, so the public can see who vandalised a much-loved, public asset in the community that many wonderful volunteers spend hours building for the children to enjoy.
Geoff Rundell, Ballarat
Farewell sportsmanship when big money enters sport
Bernard Tomic might, in his own exasperating way, be telling us something; that professional sport has something intrinsically nasty about it. Plenty of money to be had - like $50,000 plus for losing a match - but often not much joy or fulfilment. Money, by itself, isn't the right kind of fulfilment.
Once upon a time, Ron Clarke tripped and fell during the 1500 metres final at the 1956 Australian National Athletic Championships. Fellow runner, John Landy, stopped and doubled back to check that Clarke was OK. Clarke got up and they both started running again. Too late, however, Landy's attitude has won an honoured place in the hearts of all Australians. That was a different century and a different world. Something selfless and truly good for us moderns to admire and to emulate.
Arnold Jago, Nichols Point
A problem in our midst with our most vulnerable and too big too ignore
In response to "The monster lurking in our midst" editorial, published in the Ballarat Courier on July 7, 2017; Thank you, Ballarat Courier, for addressing the issue of child sex abuse and for reminding us where the source of danger often is.
Although this is a confronting, difficult and devastating problem, we need to continue to work together to both prevent child sex abuse and to help children to recover from its associated trauma. And we can only do so if we are honest about it when it happens.
We need to believe our children and be sensitive to what they are trying to tell us. Recognise if they express discomfort around a friend or family member. Respond if their behaviour starts to change or deteriorate. It is up to all of us to protect our children: parents, teachers and the broader community. But we can only do this if we take action and respond to the signs when something is wrong.
If you think you see the signs of child sex abuse, speak up. Tell your GP, or contact the Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault or the Police. Let's work together to stop child sex abuse and to protect our children.
We need to make sure no child experiences the horror of sexual abuse and its lifelong consequences.
Andrew Lowth, Director, Western Region, Berry Street