Candidates need ideas
I welcome comments about the need for council candidates to have good values.
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Councillors ought to live up to the standard of conduct that our local community rightly expects. However, as important as good values are, it is critical that this campaign is a true battle of ideas.
Our city is facing a significant juncture, and the decisions that our council will make over the next term will have a significant bearing on the future direction of the city and the region.
For example, over the course of my campaign, I have developed, in conjunction with consultation with the local community, a plan to support local businesses and jobs.
There are some in the community who have vigorously agreed with me that supporting local businesses and jobs is essential if we are serious about securing the economic future of our city. Others may disagree with my focus and approach. Regardless, I am willing to argue my case and take real ideas to the election.
Candidates must have a good sense of values, but it is imperative that they also have a clear agenda for what they wish to achieve on council, and that agenda must be transparently presented to the electorate if a valid mandate is to be obtained.
Adam Koster, candidate for Wodonga City Council
Holiday a burden
For the second year, small businesses across the Ovens Valley electorate are being forced to endure the damaging impact of the Andrews government decision to declare two new public holidays on Easter Sunday and the day before the AFL grand final.
At a time when jobs are becoming even more difficult to find and when many local businesses are already doing it tough, many businesses will be forced to close their doors for the day and employees lose shifts.
The small businesses we rely on to provide the majority of jobs for our local families and young people should not have to pay such a heavy price for these public holidays.
Victoria now has 13 public holidays, the highest of any state or territory.
Last year the Andrews government's own assessment of its grand final parade public holiday, carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers, found it would cost Victoria as much as $898 million a year.
Research conducted by the Australian Industry Group into the impact of the first grand final parade public holiday found it imposed a large cost on Victoria, with regional businesses and communities particularly hard-hit.
I acknowledge some businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector will benefit from a potential increase in trade due to the public holiday, but the large majority of local businesses will suffer.
Daniel Andrews must listen to our region’s small businesses and reverse this job-destroying decision. Contact my office on 5721 6155 or email tim.mccurdy@parliament.vic.gov.au to share your experience.
Tim McCurdy, member for Ovens Valley
What is fair?
Ellyn Martin says cheap milk being sold by Coles and Woolworths has been good for consumers but "disastrous and unfair to dairy farmers" (“Pay farmers a fair price”, The Border Mail, September 15). But do dairy farmers deserve to be treated “fairly”?
Are they ever “fair” to the animals in their care? Is it fair to force cows to become pregnant each year and then immediately kill their newborn babies just so they can profit from the sale of their milk?
Cows are devoted mothers and the continual theft of their calves causes them enormous anguish. And when the "faithful" cow's milk supply wanes is it fair to truck her to the slaughterhouse to meet the same brutal and terrifying death as her babies? "Unfairness" is part and parcel of this abhorrent industry that revolves around bringing sweet, baby calves into the world for the sole purpose of immediately killing them in order to steal their milk. As you sow, so shall you reap.