Early this year we flew to Singapore with Qantas. The flight out of Albury was delayed several hours which meant we missed the connecting flight, Sydney to Singapore. Qantas then booked us on the next available flight but this would arrive too late to board our cruise ship on the next day.

Qantas then flew us to Brisbane where we joined a flight from New Zealand to Singapore in the early hours of the morning. Qantas also contacted the hotel and transport company in Singapore and advised them of the change in arrival time, provided us with a meal voucher and arranged access to the Qantas lounge in Brisbane. The Singapore hotel extended our checkout time so we could rest and then go direct to board the cruise ship. No complaints about the service, maybe as we are seniors they tried a bit harder, which is appreciated.

I can't in all conscience sit back and give Mona Helmgens (‘Save your criticism and just lend us a hand, Cr Mack’, The Border Mail, September 29) a free whack at mayor Kevin Mack for his suggestion the equestrian elite get out of the saddle and knock on a few doors for financial help.  Followers of an elite, high-maintenance sport should walk the walk before they talk the talk.  For years supporters of the less popular sports have had to play second fiddle to football, cricket, tennis and aquatic sports.

The success of the ballistic sports on the Border is due to the hard work, scrounging, door knocking and financial acumen of the participating athletes. Not to belittle the contribution of the old Development Corporation that also set the Equestrian centre up with their magnificent address. 

Clay target, field and game, archers and any of the less popular sports have all gone the door knock, club raffle route to success and produced world-rated athletes. If you want it, go and fight for it, don't expect it to be dropped in your feed bag. 

What is occurring in our residential aged care facilities has certainly been on the radar of everyone with all the recent media coverage. It is fantastic to see a nurse practitioner at St Catherine's. We need more.

Our ageing population is only going to get bigger. We will all need to work together on finding some solutions, planning and mapping to ensure safe and quality care of our ageing community. This must also include our older community in this process … “doing it with them, not for them”. 

The use of technology to access specialist care and health professionals when we are in rural and or remote areas is going to be crucial as well, particularly when we have issues of shortages of professionals with this expertise in our region. 

Access, travel, social isolation, emergency departments under the pump – all are real issues being faced in Indi.  On attending the 2017 Ovens Murray Regional Assembly, I was astounded at the amazing work being done by Northeast Health Wangaratta with telehealth, robotics and digital ECT. Also the funding that goes behind this project with $150,000 raised by the Bright opportunity shop. Congratulations on a fantastic effort.