The care provided by the nursing staff, domestic staff, and catering staff, has improved greatly since I was a patient there in 2023.

They all gave the best care one could expect and more.

My operation was carried out by Dr Huw Williams who did a great job. Follow up care was provided by Prof. Holmes, Dr Kamal, Dr Khan, Dr Gorey, Dr Kesper, and others. Some of the nursing staff were David, Hannah, Bella, Melissa, Lisa, Aru, Jem, Lyndon, and Helen.

There were many others that I could never forget which included the domestic staff, physios, and pharmacy, anaesthetist Siobohn, and the operating staff.

I can assure anyone that is going into hospital at St John of God Bendigo that they will be there with the best medical staff that the hospital can provide, and they will receive the best care the staff and others can provide.

There is a portion of the community who are convinced that man-made climate change is destroying the environment. They are vocal about that and their solution to it - "renewable energy".

The fact that the set up costs of solar farms and wind farms in both dollar terms and carbon emissions are so enormous that neither can ever be recouped, well, you mention that at your own peril.

They have a range of epithets to fire at anyone disagreeing, the most polite being "climate denier".

To the fury of the green energy enthusiasts, a discussion has arisen about nuclear power to generate electricity in Australia.

The warmists are very angry. Nonsense arguments like it taking decades to accomplish are hurled about. In fact, it is well proven technology which could be imported and built relatively quickly.

There are retired coal fired power stations which have left distribution infrastructure unused and nuclear reactors could be built on those sites. Just modify the existing plants.

No more ruining the environment by bulldozing forests and putting bird killing windmills off shore. No more koalas losing their habitat. No more taxpayer funded projects that suck up money but produce little energy.

Just endless clean affordable electricity for the people of Australia. And no carbon emissions. It's win win win.

So why is there absolute desperate opposition? What am I missing here?

Around the world women change their jobs, income, education, relationships, and future opportunities to seek to ensure safe passage for their children.

On International Women's Day I reflected that in all likelihood, it will be women-led change that will ensure safe passage for our planet too.

Female leaders consistently prioritise the environment and social equity and women are more likely to put personal gain to one side to fight, lobby, vote, and act to promote a safer world for their children and all who follow.

Let's celebrate, promote and support women in any way we can to ensure the best possible future for all.

Never in my life did I think that accessing firewood would become a privilege that only a small number of our community could enjoy year-round.

While I am grateful to have my husband David chopping wood for me and my family to use, too many people are unable to do the same.

Collection periods are not open long enough and limit picking up firewood to small areas spread across the state, the native timber industry has been shut down, and roadside collections are banned.

If VicForests, which supplied more than 37,000 cubic meters of last year's firewood supply suddenly drops out of the market, it only follows that we can expect demand and prices to rise further.

Firewood is so essential for cooking and heating, especially with astronomical energy costs continuing to rise.

From June 2022 to June 2023, electricity prices increased by approximately 28 per cent in Victoria, significantly more than the rest of the country.

Sadly, with these changes, people are having to choose between feeding their families or powering their homes, and that is a decision nobody should have to make.

Have your say. Send Letters to the editor to addynews@austcommunitymedia.com.au or via this link.