I believe this issue is not a council issue. If people want to support or not support gay marriage that's entirely up to them. In my opinion, this decision should have been decided by the politicians instead of wasting all the money sending out postal votes.

- Geoff Rundell, Ballarat

VICTORIA’S country communities are at the heart of the Liberal Nationals' plan to decentralise population growth in our state.

The nonsense claim from Labor MPs that the regional development portfolio has been cut is nothing more than hysterical scaremongering.

The Andrews Labor Government is desperate to divert attention from the fact it has failed to plan for the future population of our state. Unlike Labor, the Liberal Nationals have been consulting with country communities, stakeholders and local government across Victoria to develop a population plan to grow our whole state; not just Melbourne.

Decentralising our population by creating good jobs that will support more small business opportunities in our regional centres is central to the Liberal Nationals' plan for regional development. Our plan will also include building the roads and transport infrastructure to better connect our cities and towns as well as providing better schools and local health care.

Under Labor, country roads have been left to crumble, and skyrocketing energy costs and other cost of living pressures are making it harder to do business and causing job losses across regional Victoria. Victorians will have a clear choice at the next election.

A choice between the Liberal Nationals team that is focused and united on the issues that matter like jobs, cost of living and regional connectivity, or a Labor administration preoccupied with factional fights and rorting the taxpayer.

- Peter Walsh, The Nationals leader

OUR animal companions tend to hide health problems from us. So, even if it seems like a nuisance, seeing your veterinarian on a regular basis can help pick up on problems before they become serious.

Dental disease, lumps and bumps on the skin, increasing or decreasing bodyweight, joint stiffness and changes in the ability to walk caused by arthritis occur so slowly that we often don't notice them. Your vet can help spot these problems.

How can you tell if there might be a serious problem? If your dog or cat's appetite has diminished or they have lost weight, they are less active than usual, or if they are vomiting or have diarrhoea or loose stools, go straight to the vet. Even if there are no obvious symptoms, if your dog or cat is less than ten, you should visit the vet annually; older than that, the visit should be at least every six months.

New strains of diseases appear all the time, for example a new strain of parvovirus was found in Australia this year which is extremely contagious and fatal in 50 percent of cases.

Companion animals depend on us for their welfare. In return for our care, they offer unconditional love. It's worth any inconvenience to make sure they are well.

- Ashley Fruno, PETA Australia associate director

YOUR article on the Las Vegas massacre stated, "this latest is the worst in American history". Not so. Try the "Wounded Knee" massacre of 150-300 largely unarmed Indian men, women and children in 1890, gunned down by the artillery and rifles of an overwhelming force of 500 men of the U.S. army.

- John Quinn, Avoca