The fast train will boost regions and shift population and it should be a priority in front of the new Sydney airport.

Sydney has too much of the focus as an entry point now and it has a good airport that is closed after midnight. Open it 24 hours a day before even starting to do the new airport. 

I write to thank the people of Indi for their support during the 2016 federal election. This community support was appreciated and it is an honour for me to be your community representative in Parliament.

To those who did not cast their vote for me at the election, my commitment is to represent all of Indi. I welcome the opportunity to work with you on issues. I am proudly Independent and will continue to cast my vote in Parliament to put the interests of Indi first. For information on my second term commitments, visit the website www.cathymcgowan.com.au.

My campaign launch speech includes the key areas I will be working on for Indi over the next three years.

Odd, if not rather arrogant, that George Krooglik (Letters, The Border Mail, July 15), thinks he’s more entitled to interpret the meaning of a religious term, than an adherent to that religion.

I really appreciated hearing from members of our Muslim community at a time when the media actually seems more slated towards the odium preached by the likes of Pike and Hanson.

And as for fretting about pro-gay marriage opinions getting an airing instead of those with which Mr Krooglik agrees, well, hello George, bigotry is not an opinion. Perhaps try The Herald-Sun.

WORKS on Thomas Mitchell Drive in Wodonga were finished months ago and lights in the middle of the median strip have also been set up and ready to go for months.

I heard from Leon Schultz at Wodonga Council a fortnight ago that he was hoping that the lights would be activated in “a couple of days”.

Still there are no lights and there doesn’t seem to be a date for them. This is happening between Wigg Street and Chapple streets on Thomas Mitchell Drive, and I fear it is quite dangerous.

About 1980 the CSIRO newsletter featured a well-researched article on the super-fast train. 

The venture was to be financed by the Japanese investing ‘long money’ as well as establishing several Japanese cities along the route.

It was to be magnetic levitation using hills for part of the energy and coastal scenery to attract travellers.

Problems included a slight sonic boom, not enough population or tourists to make it financially viable as well as the cost of fences to prevent Kangaroos jumping onto the track.

The present proposal should be looked at with a broad mind, as we are desperate for decentralisation as well as transport infrastructure.

Using agricultural land for the development should not be a problem. We consume only about 10 per cent of what we grow, with the rest being exported, often at a loss.

Urban populations can pay more for water than agricultural pursuits and new cities will be more conducive to the technological industries of tomorrow.