Quite rightfully, Ballarat is in mourning.

It is now clear that Samantha Murphy will not be found alive, ending the hopes that we all held.

Our thoughts are with her family, who have been forced to endure all of their pain and fears in the public eye.

It is easy to hate the alleged perpetrator, and social media is already filled with messages showing the community's rage. But we need to remember that his family, who have been named, have done nothing wrong.

They will be upset as well and will be in shock.

I urge the community to show restraint and respect.

This will be a hard time for them too. There are no winners here.

The Murphy family will be devastated and want answers.

The Stephenson family will be in shock and trying to make sense of this.

And the community mourns and will continue to do so.

Andrew Collins, Mount Helen.

What a very sad day for Ballarat, for women in Ballarat, for the family and friends of the late Ms Samantha Murphy.

International Womens' Day 2024 will be remembered not for celebrating women and our achievements but for the 'breaking news' on March 7 that a local male person has been charged by the police for the murder of Samantha Murphy.

Women in our city should never be afraid to go about our daily activities in this city.

Our council and mayor need to do much more than issue platitudes about being kind and respectful.

There have been a number of women murdered in this city in the last few years and still we women are not safe in our own communities.

Rest in peace Samantha Murphy.

Dianne Hadden, Redan.

Footpaths in the Macarthur Park wetlands have pretty much become speed bumps.

The tree roots are coming up under the paths and lifting them up, with the floods in October 2022 washing away parts of the footpath as well.

People walk this track everyday including people in wheelchairs, parents pushing prams, kids on bikes and scooters and joggers.

It has become a safety hazard - even when I ride my mountain bike through there, it struggles due to the footpath being all over the place.

It would be great if it can be repaired before something happens so everyone can enjoy using the track again.

Kurt Spokes, Miners Rest.

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Never mind the debate over the electricity transmission lines proposed to pass north of Ballarat as part of the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project, we are now informed that Ballarat's leaders are anxious to have multiple jet flights per day issuing forth from the Ballarat airport at its current location, where it is deeply embedded in a Ballarat residential neighbourhood.

The impacts on the daily lives of folk living in Wendouree and Miners Rest and all points surrounding would be horrendous.

Likewise the very idea that we should be encouraging more flights during a climate emergency is entirely irresponsible.

It would be completely obscene if we were to reject the need for transmission lines while at the same time imposing the noise and pollution of jet planes upon Ballarat's suburbs.

Leadership is clearly very difficult, but this idea is completely off track and out-of-kilter for the times we are living through.

Patrick Hockey, Clunes.

What is the role of local government in Middle Eastern foreign policy?

At February's council meeting, council heard from the community and debated for nearly an hour and a half on writing to the Federal Government to urge for a ceasefire in Gaza. This motion was brought forward by one councillor and the community only became aware through The Courier's online story on the same day.

As a local councillor I am aware that the conflict in the Middle East is of great concern and innocent people should not be victims of war.

What I also know is I am not part of the federal government with hundreds of advisors and experienced foreign policy makers and if they have not made this clear statement on this issue then I am not going to comment or pretend to think I know what should or shouldn't be done in a foreign country.

The Ballarat council does not have foreign policy staff and council staff did not present on the instability of the Middle East in our strategic briefing nights.

What is next for this council to advocate on behalf of the community? Residents that don't agree with international affairs, such as whaling in the Southern Ocean, Trump's nomination to White House, signing a treaty to stop fossil fuels, or a treaty to stop nuclear weapons (which we have already had to debate in Ballarat)?

The people of Ballarat deserve better, and we should be advocating to state or federal governments on the homeless in our city, the bad state of the roads, power stations not built next to homes and the funds to manage the growth of the city.

These are the concerns that local residents have, and we should be a voice for them on items that we can directly influence and show leadership in these areas, not foreign policy.

Ballarat deserves better and there is no role in local government for foreign policy, that is why we have federal members such as Catherine King.

We should listen to our residents and get back to basics - Roads, Rates and Rubbish.

Cr Ben Taylor, City of Ballarat - South Ward