Re: Mother’s Day (Inside story, Weekly, July 16):
Thank you to journalist Ben Cameron for his support and article on the family drug help support group.
Since the article I have had a number of calls and I wish to advise your readers of two important points.
The first is that the group is not only for families affected by a loved one’s use of ‘‘ice’’ (crystal methamphetamine). The group is for people affected by a loved one’s use of alcohol and/or other drugs. Secondly, it is not a group just for women; men are also encouraged to attend.
Leading Senior Constable Jim Ross, Bacchus Marsh police youth resource officer
Re: Lalor election: Rules ignored in ALP race (Weekly, July 16):
Joanne Ryan is just another school teacher; do we really need another school teacher as a local MP? What we need is a strong advocate for the local area who will not kow-tow to the party and stand up for the infrastructure funding the local area is in desperate need of. This safe Labor seat has been neglected for far too long, by even Ms Gillard, so why would we want one of her friends to do the same. Brian Dunn is a very strong candidate and will go toe to toe with the big boys all day to secure a better outcome for the local area.
Local resident (via web)
Re: ‘Scary’ numbers test high schools (Weekly, July 16):
Planning for another senior campus in Point Cook is imperative for the future of our children’s education right through to year 12. We already have so many parents shipping their children off in buses in the early hours of the morning to schools in Bacchus Marsh, Geelong and Melton because of the situation here and lack of any choice in schooling in our own suburb.
Alice O (via web)
What a terrible state of affairs when the government can’t see the need for more senior schools in the area. With housing estates still being completed, this issue is going to start impacting local children sooner than expected.
Martin (via web)
The P-9 Point Cook College is already bursting beyond capacity. The Growth Areas Authority stated in its plans that the 5800 new residents in the Point Cook West land release will be supported by the existing nearby school. It’s not only the lack of secondary school provisions that’s the issue; the education of our children is already suffering now in overcrowded P-9 colleges.
PC Concerned parent (via web)
Re: Centrelink’s Werribee branch now state’s top provider (Weekly, July 16):
With rising unemployment, why is our immigration rate fixed at full-speed? Recent reports show the unemployment rate of migrants is higher than those of Australian-born, so why are we increasing our labour market when jobs are limited? Millions will be spent on opportunities for migrants. Far from skills shortages, we have too many skilled people. The cost of providing Centrelink payments to unemployed can only blow-out and damage our failing federal budget even more.
Tony B (via web)
Re: Wyndham Harbour: Ferry ‘viable’ with development extension (Weekly online)
This will do nothing to relieve traffic congestion in Wyndham or on the Westgate Freeway or make trains less crowded. For most people travelling from Wyndham to the CBD for work, catching a ferry makes no sense. The money would be better spent on getting level crossings eliminated and train services increased.
Albert Fey (via web)
