Even without Malcolm Turnbull announcing the date, I dread the next few months, hack politicians, dressed in come hit me jackets and hard hats, every night on TV mouthing cleverly constructed sound bites, my mailbox full of glossy brochures also telling me nothing and insulting my intelligence.

After it’s over there will be months of denials from pollies claiming they didn’t accepted dodgy donations to fund their campaigns.

Surely it’s time to ban paid political advertising which will force existing pollies, and the wannabees, to actually sell their policies at say, town hall meetings or at press conferences where they might actually have to answer questions to gain the publicity they so desperately crave!

So far all I’ve heard is grandiose plans yet again (yawn) for a high speed rail or more money wasting Royal Commissions.

In a perfect world they would be discussing how to fix the health system or how to fund the ageing population.

To quote Donald Horne we are “a lucky country run by second rate people who share its luck”.

HERE we go again, the Greens at their vicious finest, (The Border Mail, 11/4, "Gun stats spark call for tighter controls in NSW").

If they know how many firearms these collectors? The owners are fully licensed and all firearms are registered in that state.

These firearms would in most cases not be able to be safely fired. It's time open season (political) was started on these ferals and they are removed so as not to keep telling proven lies.

To make matters worse, they are letting the criminal element know the postcode. Legal action should be taken against them to stop this sort of evil rubbish.

AS your paper reported, ABC Friends held a well attended and lively meeting in Wodonga last Thursday.

It was the first of our pre-election meetings in marginal seats nation-wide, to enable citizens to question MPs and candidates on the future of ABC services to regional Australia.

Centralisation in Sydney has followed funding cuts over 25 years with more to come unless voters take action.

The support of the Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie, on behalf of her community and council, was inspiring.

Our use of The Cube's state-of-the-art auditorium, at community rates, gave the public the chance it needs to stop the damage done to our most highly valued institution - our ABC.

It was regrettable that the Liberal Party chose not to be represented.

The Border Mail is pleased to announce it will run a weekly letter of the week competition - the lucky winner receives a double pass from Regent Cinemas Albury to watch a movie of their choice. Please email approximately 250 word submissions to letters@bordermail.com.au

Winners will be announced on Saturdays in the Letters to the editor section. Winners should visit 1 McKoy St, Wodonga, to pick up prizes.

The Border Mail clarifies Chris Healy was not facing a custodial sentence as referenced in an April 8 report ("Knocked out from one-punch attack").