I don’t know how many people have heard of it, but there is a campaign in Victoria organised by the TAC and Victoria Police called Towards Zero … works at the intersection is going to make it safer and lower the risk of a death there. 

People travelling on the Trentham-Daylesford Road are also experiencing delays from road works being completed in different sections. These roadworks include fixing the guardrails and making the road safer for all motorist, mainly motorcyclist. At the time I wrote this there had been 144 deaths on Victorian roads this year, less than last year’s 174, but this is still 144 deaths too many. The Towards Zero campaign is to lower this to zero hopefully one day. 

So everyone please be patient, as these works are going to save a life of someone you know (which is likely been from a small country town). Please be patient, as the workers are doing a good job on getting the work done. People wanted something done with the East Street intersection now it is happening. We do not want another death on our roads that out emergency services have to attend, so please go with the flow of the traffic plan ahead and allow more time for delays. 

People who have a problem with the delays could find alternative ways to travel or car pool with people going to the same place to make less traffic on the road and to make the congestion on the East Street intersection less. Once the works are complete we will have one less ‘trouble spot’ on Hepburn Shire roads. 

Remember 144 deaths are 144 too many let’s bring that to zero as not just a town and shire, but the state needs to do this as a whole. It can start with the Hepburn Shire and then other shires around the state can follow. I think VicRoads and the Hepburn Shire road teams are doing a great job to get the region’s roads into good condition, even if it does take some time. 

- Ethan Brown, Trentham

THIS pollies' dual (duel) citizenship is a dual worry to me.

Dual worry number one is that the form outlines clearly what is required, assuming English is your first language, or technically, Australian. Maybe a multilingual form is needed. I talk strine.

The secondary dual problem is the persons involved are actually running our country and we expect them to look 40 years ahead. Alas, they are unable to look back 40 years into their backyard. The nomination form is almost a defacto IQ test to see how switched on candidates are. Maybe a set of square and round pegs into matching holes would serve as a litmus test of what lies ahead for us and our country if you have not predicted. We should not make the test too difficult. Should past non-conforming retired pollies collecting a handsome pension be wound back to the Newstart level? The pollies quietly watched Centrelink chase smaller amounts from poorer people seven years back with a 'guilty until proven innocent' outlook.

Mr Turnbull accused the Greens of incredible sloppiness. Then a Liberal gets involved and Barnaby Joyce says that it was a mistake. Chris Pyne said it is now absurd. Yes, I say what BJ said was absurd; thanks Chris. Bible quote: Let he that casts the first stone be free from all sin. Do not buy a glass house. This applies to politicians.

My advice is to clean up your own backyard, preferably by not throwing away any stones from there. Then the opposition gets on with running the country. Strangely, people from allied commonwealth countries are not recognised. Also, the Queen is our head, lives far away and only visits infrequently. Also, the next in line heirs to the throne had a Greek father.

- Colin Holmes, Ballarat