To strengthen his position, he conveniently cherrypicks passages from “the good book” to verify his prophecy and then goes on to quote a war mongering general to top it off.

Why didn't Mr Dymke use some of the more peaceful quotes from the Bible about loving thy neighbour, or blessed are the peacemakers and so on? 

The reason is simple. Mr Dymke, and his like, are losing the war on control with fear that has been the cornerstone of religion for centuries.

The majority of people are not swayed in their decision-making any more with the thought of punishment or death from an unseen myth.

Can I suggest to Mr Dymke that there are far greater ills to focus on in the world than to trouble yourself with the union of two people in law.

William McIlwain, Minyip

IT’S an exciting time for women's sport in Victoria. This year has brought so many incredible wins, including watching the Matildas dominate on the world stage, the first ever AFLW competition kick off and, of course, the skyrocketing demand for grassroots women's sport leagues.

VicHealth is proud to build on this momentum with our new Active Women and Girls program announced recently. Our largest ever investment in women's sport will provide $6.7 million in funding to further raise the profile of women's sport and get more Victorian women and girls healthy and active. From netball and cricket, to frisbee and lawn bowls, there will be a range of new sports programs local women can try out. It doesn't matter how fit you are or how sweaty you get – the important thing is getting out there and giving it a go. 

That's the message we want to send to Victorian women through our upcoming This Girl Can campaign, which will showcase real women, doing their thing and giving it a go. We know that women too often feel like they aren't fit enough, strong enough, fast enough or wearing the right clothes to be physically active – I certainly feel this way at times.

That's why it is so important to have a range of sports on board to help women overcome the barriers that stop them getting active. I encourage all women and girls who'd like to try out one of our new sports programs to register their interest at www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/activewomen ​

You don't need to have played sport before to give it a go! We want to see women and girls smashing the stereotypes about what they can and can't do by getting out there and playing the sports they love.

Jerril Rechter, CEO, VicHealth Carlton

A YOUTH Summit next week will explore ways to better support young Victorians into training and employment.

The 2017 event, titled Pathways to employment, follows last year’s inaugural Youth Summit, which looked at the drivers of youth crime and the disconnection some young people felt within society.

Last year we heard loud and clear the challenges that some young people face when trying to access the job market.

A shortage of jobs with career prospects, lack of access to training and education means some youth consider street life more appealing than the regular working world.

This year’s summit will bring together about 200 leaders from industry, community organisations, government and non-government agencies, and youth, to explore ways to steer young people into employment and away from the justice system.

We want to invest in our youth, support them in finding jobs they are passionate about and give them the opportunity to get experience early, in turn reducing the risk of them entering the justice system.

The more we can keep youth people engaged in education or employment and connected to community, the better their life-outcomes will be.

There’s a lot of goodwill in the community and within industry, and the summit aims to better connect people so that opportunities can explored.

The Chief Commissioner’s Youth Summit is at the MCG from 9am to 1.10pm on Wednesday, November 1.

The event is being supported by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Graham Ashton, Chief Commissioner, Victoria Police