I would suggest to  Amanda Cohn that she should learn to be a councillor and a doctor as long as Sussan Ley has been a federal member with 62 per cent of the vote. Until then, she should stop annoying people with her footpath rubbish.

Yet again we hear the excuses offered up by those in our government who have failed to manage a simple train line from Albury to Melbourne (The Border Mail, January 14).

In the US, army engineers have built freeways through the alligator-infested Florida swamps, Japan and China have developed high-speed rail systems, our forefathers built the Snowy Mountains scheme and the original train line from Albury to Melbourne.

Our rail line is a testament to incompetence at all levels. It has been made ineffective by the government spread of authority across multiple departments, none of whom accept responsibility to get the job done.

The time for change is overdue and responsibility rests with our elected parliamentary representatives. Time for the two of them to sit down with representatives of our engineering fraternity to establish a course of action to complete the construction of a safe rail line to cover the distance in less than three hours, with no buses involved.

At the same time they must produce the program for the design and construction for new rolling stock, which will provide much needed jobs for the workers being made redundant from the car industry.

Then, confident that they have been advised by our most competent engineers and have the best solution possible, they must present their findings to parliament and seek support to have the proposals implemented. Then they must provide a monthly progress report to their constituents.

If this proves to be beyond the capabilities of our parliament then our elected representatives should step down and the line can then be sold to the Chinese who will make it work.

I read with interest and amusement Brian Peters’ letter referencing the rather odious foot stamp outside our federal member’s office, organised by her Green opponent of the last election and I agreed heartily with most of what Brian said.

Unfortunately he left out a few points that I think should be considered seriously relevant to future local council elections and the quality of candidates for the position.

Our mayor, Kevin Mack, a trusted, experienced and charismatic figure decided to truly politicise local government and introduced above-the-line voting at the last election for the first time, elevating and towing his group into a powerful voting bloc on Albury Council. What this means to local government in this city in the future I have no way of knowing but I do know that Cr David Thurley, a man of integrity, approachability and social conscience almost lost his seat due to his belief that local government means exactly that and refused to mob-up.

Our Deputy Mayor should remember she is a tow-along councillor only and that her Green origins and opinions would serve her little as a stand-alone candidate.

A lot of we local voters are waiting to see what surprises our Mayor has for us. There are some gaping holes in state and federal government. Perhaps he should have a tilt at these areas. We've been electing the State Liberal tea trolley attendant for a long time with little return, or, on the national stage, why not stand against Ms Ley as a challenge, she may well still be on the back foot.

In conclusion I can only say that I believe that Sussan Ley is a hard-working, honest local member whose long hours and formidable work ethic as a Minister caused an incredible error in judgement.