It took letters, protests and divestments but they finally saw the light.

Westpac joins numerous financial institutions in seeing the proposed Adani Carmichael mine for what it is –  a social, environmental and financial disaster for Australia and the world.

Locally, we thank Albury and Wodonga Westpac branch managers Paul Gow and Steve Carter for their respect and understanding during meetings with us.

Mr Gow acted as a valuable conduit to Westpac’s head office, interacted graciously with peaceful protesters outside his branch and maintained open communication at all times.

In regards to European wasps in our environment, whether here at Noreuil Park, Australia Park, Kinross or in the Indigo Shire, I think it is time councils started installing basic traps that should reduce the menace dramatically.

Up to now, there has been no attempt by councils to help rid these pests from our environment.

If you Google, you will find easy, basic protein traps not much different to fruit fly traps but containing a meat attractant-like cat food instead of a sugary one, as in the following link – http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2012/11/have-a-crack-at-reducing-european-wasp-numbers-this-summer.html?site=centralvic&program=central_victoria_breakfast. So, hardly any cost to do something about the problem.

Sydney has been the self-nominated gateway to Australia for too long and it is time our great country of many destinations was promoted far more and not via Sydney.

Many tourism destinations of amazing natural beauty and the real Australia are promoted overseas with images of Sydney and the bridge or Opera House that make remote places look close to Sydney.

Kakadu or Uluru or the Kimberly are often featured with Sydney images. 

It is time Tourism Australia featured far more of Australia and not via Sydney.

It is time Australia’s best tourism features got the deserved promotions. The Ghan is an iconic train journey, as are the many great road trips. 

The airport debate in Sydney is a now a time to let go of the Sydney controls and it being the main feature of why a tourist wants to travel here.

Victoria has an amazing regional gourmet scene that needs to be featured far more.

Mungo National Park near Mildura is a truly amazing and should be a destination for overseas tourists. Mildura is the gateway to the Outback and could be the start of many great road trips to amazing places. Victorian wine regions like Rutherglen are exceptional and deserve far more national tourism support along with the stunning King Valley and Milawa regions.

Also, the private sector has rejected Sydney's new airport because it is bad for investors and yet the PM can fund it for Sydney and it is still bad for the rest of Australia.

Sydney has an Airport that is not used for 42 hours every week because of a noise curfew.

Any new airport should be a start to shift population and maybe it should be near Yass and the ACT and have a fast train link between Melbourne and Sydney run past.

This could be an airport that is about farm produce export as well. 

The rest of Australia should reject this PM plan. Face it, Sydney is full now and not the rest of Australia’s problem.

This is the type of issue that regional MPs should be outraged about if they are acting for their constituents.