As a local small business owner, I really want to see a solution to the energy crisis that has pushed up bills for businesses and families.

It is time the government did what they were elected to do and offer a solution to the unfolding crisis – a crisis of its own making.

The world is moving on from coal, which not only causes dangerous climate change, but also spews out toxic pollutants that have terrible health impacts on local communities, and it is time Australia followed suit.

The biggest factor driving up energy prices at the moment is a decade of energy policy uncertainty, which has stopped energy generators from investing in new capacity.

A coal fired plant costs $110 a megawatt hour to run, compared to wind at $55 an hour and solar at $70 an hour.

Not only are renewables a cheaper and cleaner alternative than coal, but the construction of new renewable energy plants would create a massive jobs rush to regional Australia.

I recently installed a 10kw solar system on my business in Wodonga after a recommendation from another local business owner.

Business is moving and it is time for Marty Corboy and the Coalition to catch up.

As we receive our marriage equality postal survey this week, there has been a lot of debate about the well-being of children.

Let’s remember that this vote is only about marriage – same-sex couples have had the right to adopt children for years (and we never needed a plebiscite about it).

One in four same-sex female couples and one in seven same-sex male couples in Australia already have children under 18 living in their homes.

Scientific studies backed by the Australian Medical Association show that these kids are happy and healthy, and would only benefit if their parents could be married.

If you believe children should be raised in a traditional family structure by married parents, then you should be voting yes.

What an extraordinary change has taken place in our society such a pamphlet arguing that marriage is between a man and a woman is now described in The Border Mail as ‘propaganda’, ‘extreme’ and ‘rubbish’.

This is even more extraordinary when you consider that marriage as being between a man and a woman is the current law, and has always been understood that way.

The authors of the pamphlet are no doubt motivated by a concern for the well-being of children, as the pamphlet shows, and also a concern that changing marriage will have far-reaching consequences. These are legitimate concerns that have arisen directly from the experience of other countries where marriage has been changed. They ought to be taken seriously, not simply rubbished.

With any theft, the stolen property is immediately returned to the rightful owner of that property. It should be the same for water. There ought to be a supervised return of stolen water back to the river. Other fines and penalties can follow.