They stopped because they went through No 1 track at Echuca railway station instead of No 2 track.

I’ve been told that because it went through No 1 track expensive signalling upgrades were required, but if it went through No 2 track it would have been able to run to the wharf without costly signalling upgrades.

Maybe the Echuca council or state government could take another look at re-connecting the line back to the wharf?

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In response to Rob Penno (“Naplan revisited”, Letter to the Editor, Bendigo Advertiser, July 4), I totally agree with his comments that the Naplan testing is stressful and no value to students.

I first was associated with Naplan testing was when my son was at Primary School.

A note came home advising of the Naplan Testing and that if you didn't want your child to sit the test complete the attached form.

I spoke with the teachers about the value of the testing and what was to be gained from doing it. I was told that there was no value to be gained from doing the test and so I was granted permission for my son not to sit the test.

It’s been approximately 20 years since he finished secondary school, and he never sat a Naplan test throughout primary and secondary school.

Even after all this time the opinion of the majority of teachers and parents is that it causes a lot of problems and puts enormous amounts of stress on both teachers and students.

I also know that some students with a learning disability never sat the test, so that you weren't getting a true result.

If anyone watched the segment on 60 minutes (Sunday, August 5) about the Naplan testing you would have seen what effects it had on teachers – where good teachers left the system –  and that ultimately the students were missing out. Sadly this is still happening today.

The Federal Minister for Education scoffing at the comments that it is not working (and he doesn’t appear to be worried that our education standing ranked 39th out of 41 countries) was unbelievable. It is another case of our politicians sticking their heads in the sand failing to listen to community concerns.

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Of course you are right Ted (“Bendigo manufacturing on the decline for years”, Ted Coleman, Letter to the Editor, Bendigo Advertiser, August 3). And don’t you think that the exorbitant price of power, since the religious pursuit of a renewable energy target, is driving manufacturing south everywhere in Australia?

How could the Bendigo council have justified the expense to ratepayers and punishment to the Carter family with the Marong Business Park, which was presumably to accommodate the so called manufacturing “boom” in the Bendigo area.

Letters to the editor: All letters must carry the name, full address and telephone number of the author. Send to bendigoadvertiser.com.au

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