A ute towing a pale purple or blue trailer did not stop at the stop sign facing them in Hamilton Street, but proceeded to head across McPherson Street.  

When will drivers realise that a stop sign means to stop, rather than just keep driving through an intersection? Thankfully I missed this car by about a metre.  

Drivers, please take extra care.

Sharon Williams, Horsham

THIS week we celebrate National Volunteer Week, giving us all the opportunity to promote the role of volunteers in our community and to say thank you to the six million Australians who give their time in the service of others.

It is hard to think of any sector in the community that isn't touched by the vital contribution that our volunteers make.

Volunteers provide support and care for the elderly, look after our beautiful natural environment through Landcare groups, run our local junior and senior sporting clubs and, at the times when the community is at its most vulnerable, our emergency services volunteers in the CFA and SES are there to protect us.

One of the best things we can all do is to roll up our sleeves and get involved. Research tells us that just a few hours of volunteer work makes a difference in people’s happiness and it is proven that volunteers are healthier and even sleep better than those who don’t volunteer.

The contributions made by volunteers to our rural and regional communities are invaluable.

Thank you again for the fabulous contribution that you continue to make to our local communities.

Emma Kealy, Member for Lowan

IT WOULD seem our education agenda is all about gender. Or more accurately no gender. The agenda is no gender at all.

This week, we woke to news that the left-wing social police are rummaging through schools, kindergartens and public libraries to remove any books that refer to boys and girls – books such as Thomas the Tank Engine. They will surely find other dangerous literary classics too.

This audit is based upon research by the Australian National University that young children are influenced by gender stereotyping.

Problem is, our world is made up of boys and girls, men and women. We couldn’t have made it this far in the world if it weren’t for boys and girls becoming men and women.

Evolution has brought us this far on the basis that both sexes recognise each other as such. Girls will be girls and boys will be boys – and there is nothing wrong with that.

What is wrong, is that this inward looking socialist Safe Schools agenda is dumbing down our education system. Instead of learning the Three-Rs – students are learning that we are all the same and can’t be celebrated, or respected, for our differences.

Difference and inclusiveness are what we should be celebrating.

We celebrate the differences in cultures, in language, in religions. We are not all the same and nor do we want to be. We also celebrate what unites us – our humanity – our time on this earth together – our efforts to make it a better place.

Billions of dollars more are now being spent on our education system in Victoria. The result? Confused teachers, lower standards and more bureaucrats.

Victoria’s students are falling behind the rest of the world – dropping from fourth for reading to 16^th, from 11^th in maths to 25^th and from eighth in science to 14^th. 

The most important thing students need to learn at school are reading, writing and arithmetic. Despite a changing world, they remain key to students’ success.

Simon Ramsay, Member for Western Victoria

ON BEHALF of the Leukaemia Foundation, I would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to the Grampians region for their incredible support of this years’ 20^th World’s Greatest Shave.

The extraordinary people who shaved, cut or coloured their hair plus all their generous sponsors have now raised an incredible $3,160,213 in Victoria alone.

This will help the Leukaemia Foundation continue to provide its vital services that include free accommodation, transport, emotional support and disease specific education to Australians and their families as they find their way through some of the darkest days of their lives. Plus, funds raised also contributes to Australian researchers who are working tirelessly to discover safer and more effective treatments.

Sadly 35 Australians are diagnosed with a blood cancer every day.

About 20,000 people have taken part in this year’s milestone campaign and have shaved or cut away an estimated 7000 kilograms of hair, helping to create wigs for cancer patients.

Thanks to our partners at Sustainable Salons Australia, for the first time shorter hair will now also be used to create ‘hairbooms’ which will be used to soak up potential oil spills at sea.  

We are well on our way to reaching our goal of $3,460,000 in Victoria. There is still time for people to sign up or make a donation at www.worldsgreatestshave.com.au

Thanks to you, the Leukaemia Foundation will be able to help more Australians with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and related blood disorders survive and live a better quality of life.

Bill Petch, chief executive, Leukaemia Foundation