Most of my mates say they are going to turn up at the polling booth for the next Federal Election and lodge a donkey vote, because they feel it makes no difference. We once wore our political party team colors with pride, but now we are embarrassed by the hypocrisy in Canberra.

I am a semi-retired farmer of 70 years and have been actively involved in many service clubs and community groups. My generation is feeling abandoned by our political leaders. We used to attend the polling booth with a more positive attitude, knowing that our leaders truly represented us. There was honesty and integrity in how they conducted themselves and leadership we respected.

Now all we see is bickering delaying outcomes, lack of integrity and unethical behavior, and the last minute dash spending of taxpayer dollars in populated areas to try to win back the bulk of voters.

We are deeply embarrassed that our great democracy, our forebears fought for, has been made a laughing stock on the international stage with this "revolving door" of our political leaders on both sides of politics.

It's disgraceful, and all the while our small rural Mallee communities are being left out in the process.

I must admit I was going to put in a donkey vote, too. However, I now see this election as an opportunity to create change for the betterment of the country.

There are now nine candidates, at last count, standing for the seat of Mallee. This shows us that there is genuine interest in our electorate, but we need to make sure we put the right one forward with the skills and experience to take advantage of this opportunity.

I attended the Wimmera Mallee Field Days and took the opportunity to investigate more carefully the candidates who attended. I came away from the field days with a feeling of hope and renewed enthusiasm.

Independent candidate, Cecilia Moar, a local girl from Watchem and Birchip, now based in Horsham, impressed me the most. She is down to earth, not a show-off like some of them, and is a genuine hard worker with the experience and skills behind her. I talked with her about our local issues and I listened to her policies. I was convinced she was the best one for the job.

Cecilia has experience in food and fibre farming, grain marketing and policy making with women's grains reference group, expertise in communications infrastructure as a Telstra board member, understands water security as board member of the Mallee Catchment Authority when the Wimmera Mallee pipeline was delivered, she is a special education teacher, and has a degree in social science (psychology) and delivered mental health and education projects in some of Australia's most remote areas.

Calvin Muller, Warracknabeal

WHEN reading further updates on the delay to the duplication works for the Western Highway, I just wish we could have an all powerful "department of common sense".

Underpinning all arguments, I feel respect for our First Australians and facilitating true rights for "self determination" is long overdue.

Being neither engineer nor surveyor I do not know whether the option of developing the road abutting the existing highway is workable, however it seems logical.

There would be no disruption to landscape or trees - and savings in both time and money would be considerable. Is that route just too reasonable for Vic Roads to consider?

It would also be good if the highway could be built to last. Roman roads outlasted the Empire. It would be a treat to have roadworks lasting for two or three terms of government here in Australia.

Rosalind Byass, Stawell

OUR farmers are shouldering the burden of Daniel Andrews' poorly implemented rates cap.

With farm rates in some shires going up 30 per cent last year, it's clear the Andrews Government's 'Fair Go' rates cap is anything but fair.

A review of farm rates is long overdue. But instead of listening to Victorian farmers' pleas to urgently conduct a farm rates review, Labor has dragged its feet and refused to make this critical review a priority.

Farmers are right to question if Labor's serious about providing genuine relief, when its Local Government Minister will only say "a review will take place", but fails to say when it will actually be delivered.

There's no reason an independent review of farm rates, with the rate cap applied to all rating categories while it is conducted, can't begin immediately.

While Daniel Andrews dithers, he's denying our farmers an opportunity for relief - at a time when many are already under pressure from drought, high water prices and a high cost of energy.

We can't afford to rate our farmers out of existence.

Peter Walsh, leader, The Nationals

LETTERS on election issues must bear the name and full address of the writer(s).

Responsibility for election comment in this issue is accepted by Wimmera Mail-Times editor Jessica Grimble. Writers should disclose any alliance with political or community organisations and include their phone number for verification. Election candidates should declare themselves as such when submitting letters.