I want to hear what the people of Indi think about the budget. Last week around 75 impressive young people stepped up and attended breakfasts in Wodonga, Wangaratta and Benalla to share their priorities.

Hundreds more have responded online.

The time to have your say is now. Fill out the short survey at www.cathymcgowan.com.au/have_a_say until 26 May.

Responses will be used to inform my speech in reply to the budget, and a formal report will be presented to the Prime Minister. 

Have a say – it’s the Indi way.

Thanks Lloyd Deane (The Border Mail, May 19), it’s nice to be recognised. What did Oscar Wilde once say – ‘the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about’.

I can only assume because Lloyd doesn’t challenge my earlier letter (May 15) showing the dramatic decline in Liberal primary votes in Indi, from 62.6 per cent in 2004 to 27.6 per cent in 2016, that he agrees with me that Cathy McGowan has broad support.

So, far from ‘Labor and Greens voters having nothing in common with Liberal and National voters’, they do, including that many of them voted for Cathy McGowan.

Her strong and persistent representation to both federal and state governments over the past 3.5 years, as well as supporting local communities to agitate for a reliable train service, was critical in securing new funding. That’s how politics works. And that’s why we see lots of government ministers visiting Indi to announce new funding. They liked to be talked about too.

I’m bemused by the comment that “Coalition supporters regard the high-spending policies of the Labor Party and the Greens as irresponsible which will lead Australia into bankruptcy”.

As of today, government debt is $492 billion.

When the Coalition took over from Labor in September 2013, government debt was $273 billion. So who is the high-spending party Lloyd?

Over the past decade both Labor and Coalition governments have lost the courage to reform the economy.

We need more forward-looking representatives and governments with the courage to move away from old-fashioned party ideology and develop some policies that will be to the benefit all Australians, including those of us who are fortunate to live in regional areas. 

This Saturday is the National Day of Thanksgiving – a day when members of churches all over Australia are encouraged to give thanks for the people in their lives and in the wider community who make life easier.

Because there are so many people in our community who do this (look at the council website to see the range), each year there is a special focus. For 2017 it's tradies. That's people like plumbers and electricians who come out in the evening and on weekends to fix blocked toilets, broken taps and non-functioning power in our homes, as well as providing day to day services.

It's also people like mechanics and carpenters and builders whose skills make our buildings and cars safe.

The local churches in Wodonga will be contacting community organisations to thank them in a variety of ways.

Individuals are encouraged to do the same.

We thank God for people who make our lives better and want them to hear that we appreciate them, too. For more information, visit http://www.austhanks.org.au/ Rev