THE TRUE LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT
The Liberal Government juggles the rubbery figures to con the electorate into the notion that thousands of jobs have been created during their time in office. This is an absolute snow job to distort the true level of unemployment in this country!
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With an increase in casual and part time work, more people are employed for shorter hours. Thousands of underemployed wait anxiously by their phones in the hope of being called in to work for a few hours so that they can pay the rent.
An atmosphere of intimidation is created so workers are more compliant when it comes to wages and conditions. The unfair dismissal clause that once protected workers no longer applies. A worker may not be sacked but neither is he called into work,
Ian Jakobi, Wendouree.
CLUNES, THE FIRST GOLD TOWN
During the month of March 168 years ago, the first discovery of a payable goldfield was made at Clunes. Clunes is correctly regarded as the first gold town but has not been successful in accurately explaining why.
The most serious inaccuracy is to name the wrong person, James Esmond, as the discoverer when it was William Campbell. The next inaccuracy was to give the wrong year ,1851, when it was 1850 and the month July when it was March.
Despite many unsuccessful attempts to have these serious mistakes rectified, visitors and interested enquirers have for many years continued to be misled by inaccurate monuments, displays and printed material. Time to set the record straight.
Sometime in March 1850, William Campbell put together a group of men and discovered a rich deposit of gold on the property “Clunes” owned by his brother - in - law, Donald Cameron. At the time, fearful of having his property overrun by eager prospectors, Cameron decided not to make the find public. Later the Port Phillip mine became one of the most famous deep lead gold mines in the world and yielded over 16 tons of gold.
A reward committee set up in 1853 named William Campbell as “ without a doubt the original discoverer of Clunes” and the first discoverer of payable gold in Victoria. None of this information is difficult to obtain. At the time, the discovery of gold was one of the most accurately detailed events. Those interested can go online to “William Campbell” or view copies of original documents from the Gold Committee, Melbourne University Press and letters and articles from the archives of The Age and Heritage Victoria which feature in a small commemorative display on view until April 15 in the Medlyn Centre 70 Bailey street Clunes.
John Sayers, Clunes.
Not the hub we need
The State Government approved a contract for an apartment block and a half sized conference centre with the remaining space set to be set aside for commercial business. This was well short of the original tender for a multiple star rating hotel and refurbishing the goods shed for a convention centre. The government demonstrated that it had misunderstood the location’s transport needs.
Added to that debacle is the concept plan for a local bus terminal. No traffic abatement works are listed in Nolan Street. Toilets are not provided unless one traipses over the footbridge or through the pedestrian crossing at Lydiard Street. The bus bays’ shelters resemble the upward roof elevation at Caroline Springs station that will not suit Ballarat weather nor offer shelter for those alighting. The removal of the roof and eastern platform from the goods shed revealed the masonry in the original building which accommodated the connection to the building, indicating that the roofing was part of the original structure. If private business had executed such a process, its acumen would be sorely questioned.
Leah - anne Howie, Hon Secretary , Western Improved Passenger Service.