YOUR SAY: Lowering speed limits dodges the issue of bad roads

Last year, to January 20, four people had died on Victorian roads. This year it's 16. That's not counting injuries and damage to product and vehicles.

VicRoads policies failed again. They claim to lead the world in road safety. That was 50 years ago. In 2022 they refuse to admit they are wrong on country roads. A comprehensive review of the road authority's administration, policies and maintenance of rural roads is long overdue.

Fix VicRoads management to save money. Fix country roads to save lives.

IN OTHER NEWS:

I've always thought that Amanda Vanstone presented thoughtful ideas, so it was sad to see in her column 'Independents aren't the answer' on January 20 that she seems to be losing the plot.

Amanda says that the government has "the laborious burden of resolving differences of opinion, of listening to the views across Australia" implying of course that independents don't have to deal with such problems.

I have voted Liberal in the past, but I won't doing so again in the near future for the specific reason that the government does not represent the views of the majority.

Multiple polls show that a vast majority of the community want action on climate change, and they want an integrity commission. Bills on both these issues have been put forward by independents Zali Steggall and Helen Haines and what has happened? Nothing.

In November 2020 Zali Steggall's climate change bills were referred to the Energy and Environment Committee for consideration. The committee sought submissions, receiving 6500 written submissions and hearing 49 witnesses. Of these, 99.7 per cent were in favour of the bills. Despite this, the committee recommended the bills be rejected. That is a failure of the democratic process. Similarly with Helen Haines' integrity bill.

Amanda also asks "Will they (independents) remain independent of donors who funded their campaigns?" That is monumental hypocrisy. Independents tend to be funded by thousands of tiny donations (all of which can be seen on Helen Haines' website) where it says "The average cash contribution was equivalent to $286 per donor".

Contrast that to massive multiple donations by the big businesses who apply pressure to get legislation in their favour.

I, and I am sure thousands of others, will reconsider ditching the independents when we have effective climate change and integrity legislation in place.

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