Foxes and wild dogs are a massive blight on Victoria’s landscape, wreaking havoc on livestock and our native fauna alike, yet Labor is turning a blind eye and failing to listen.

The Premier for Melbourne Daniel Andrews just doesn’t get it: the only good fox is a dead fox, and the only thing better is a dead wild dog.

Labor left high country landholders in limbo for two years after axing the Wild Dog Bounty and sacking the Wild Dog Advisory Committee.

While Minister Jaala Pulford has given in to pressure from farmers and finally replaced the committee, it’s disappointing that there are less landholder representatives.

There are no women, and one of the members has previously criticised wild dog control measures and reportedly described farmers as “extremists”.

It was interesting to note that Albury City Council granted the Thurgoona Men’s Shed $186,000  on the condition it becomes a “Men’s and Women’s shed” (‘Shed share deal secures crucial cash, The Border Mail, June 15). 

This is great for the community of Thurgoona. It must be remembered why facilities such as this are so important. They are created mainly for retirees (who have worked in all facets of professions and industry), to help occupy their free time. 

They also cater for the unemployed and those recuperating from injury and illness (both mental and physical) would also benefit from these facilities.

Many people when they are not in the workforce suffer from depression and other related issues when trying to make the adjustment from full-time employment. This type of facility definitely helps. 

However there are other facilities that are equally as important to the community as a “Men’s Shed”, for all the same reasons listed above. These include all sporting clubs. I am going to focus on the bowling club that I belong to, the Lavington Panthers. 

In effect we are our own “Men’s Shed”. And we already cater for men and women. We don’t have a workshop, sewing machines or table tennis tables. We cater for our members by the way of providing bowling greens. 

But the end result is still the same; it gets people out of the house and gives them the opportunity to socialise with others. And being a club member gives them a certain amount of ownership, which is also important. 

From our club’s own point of view, we have signed a lease with the new owner and our future is secured.

Albury City Council blundered by not purchasing the Panthers site when it had the opportunity.

Council is spending an estimated $9.6 million (probably more) on developing the eastern side of the Lavington Panthers Football oval. Council was offered the old Panthers Club site for $750,000, which was a steal. They elected not to even do a due diligence at an estimated cost of $10,000, which we believe came down to a casting vote. 

It may cost Albury City more now, but if the council has any foresight they will sell off the extra land purchased on the eastern side and revisit the prospect of buying the facility previously known as the Lavington Panthers. 

It can only enhance the proposed development on the eastern side, and help solve the issue of parking for major events in the future. Surely they can look past their own lifetime to see how important this issue is. 

We would be happy to sit down with all or any of the Councillors and staff to further discuss this matter.