“Heart” really sums up this kid's whole outlook on life,  a true swimming champion and record holder. For someone like this the sky's the limit what he can achieve, in or out of the water.

I love the way he doesn't whinge (like many of us) about what he hasn't got but makes full use of what he has. I hope Tom wins every medal he can get at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

But even if he doesn't he is still a winner and life champion. Good luck Tom.

Whilst I admire the support shown by Angus Macneil (The Border Mail, March 27) about Sussan Ley's work performance and commitment he has failed to identify and address some vital elements in the report by the Department of Finance's examination of her travel expenses.

Firstly, the report, curiously, only focuses on Ley's time as a minister, namely 3 1/2 years and not as her full time as a member of Parliament, some 16 years, and secondly, it only examines a 15-day period for Gold Coast travel only and no other destinations. 

This very narrow time frame and only one destination cannot be considered a thorough or credible evaluation of the broader issue of ministerial integrity.

It is, in my opinion, a deliberately narrow scope of review by the Department of Finance and the community would be entitled to ask why.

How would the veracity of this narrow-focused report be seen in a court of law, namely on 15 days in one location from 684 days away to multiple locations?  That's evaluating only 2 per cent of the total travels incurred – hardly a thorough examination.

Politicians have a far higher standard of duty and responsibility to act with utmost integrity than others and when one is found wanting then there ought to be a wide, rigorous and forensic examination of all travels and not on a tiny, narrow focus.

To deliberately constrain the scope of the review only invites the public to view any such outcome as a political whitewash.

I am devastated to see the gratuitous persecution of the underprivileged and homeless that has been present in Melbourne since January has made its way to Albury-Wodonga.

It would have been nice to have a compassionate discussion around what it means to “beg” – and the desperation often felt by those who find themselves having to do so.

If Michelle is so unhappy with people being forced to ask passersby for spare change she might like to direct her anger towards more helpful outlets, such as lobbying the government to stop further cuts to welfare and addressing the affordable housing crisis.

Short of that, why not donate her money or time to a local not-for-profit that supports at-risk people in our community. Moving people on from Coles doesn't solve the problem. It just hides it from view.

Georgie James writes a great letter and hits the points on many aspects of negative forces and closed minds and councils with no appetite for the potential of a region on both sides of the Border.

Rutherglen is a fine wine region and has many family wineries doing amazing things for the town and region  and they deserve far more support from Tourism Victoria and NSW Tourism to be a destination.

Retail in Corowa fails to make the wine region connection and be part of what can make the cross-border tourism a growing tourism region. How about learning from the Clare Valley and Coonawarra about how retail is part of the wine region.