In response to a letter in the Wangaratta Chronicle 15 July, I wholeheartedly agree with Luke Davies regarding firstly, the lack of a “real person” at Coles’ checkouts.

I was in Coles yesterday and was disgusted that the last remaining staffed checkout no longer exists.

I asked a young man (employee) where it was and was told that the new “policy” was that all checkouts would be self-service from now on across all Coles’ stores.

I have personally refused to use self-service since they began to surreptitiously appear a few years ago across all supermarkets.

I told this young man that I will not be shopping at Coles any more in protest.

Does the management of Coles consider its customers at all?

I remember doing my weekly shopping with three young children: baby, toddler and a four-year-old, and I can only imagine how difficult it must be for young mothers to do this on their own any more.

And of course, there are a lot of older people, and physically impaired people, who just cannot manage to do this on their own either.

Secondly, the toilets.

Yes, they have definitely been unusable for many years and it beggars’ belief that poor Coles cannot afford to get them repaired.

One would think that following the recent ACCC investigation into supermarket pricing that proved unequivocally that we have been cheated on for a long time, that some one in the “Ivory Tower” of this big business could show a little compassion.

I guess that is too much to ask in these days of profit first, everything else second.

Gillian Leonard, Wangaratta

Victoria really does not need any new gas

A gas shortage is a common reason used to advocate for increased gas exploration, extraction and building new infrastructure across Victoria.

This is a nostalgic view of what energy resources Victoria needs and should have.

Victoria is a net exporter of fossil gas - it does not need to dig up more.

Victoria produces more gas than it uses.

Additionally, Victorian gas consumption is in decline.

We export gas to other states, while being criticised for the existing moratorium on gas extraction by the controversial and hated method of “fracking”.

Fracking is widely criticised by farmers and landowners due to the impact on quality farmland, and water resources.

One of the reasons Victorian supplies have been strong is that the state’s consumption has been in decline for years.

Victorians have been making a concerted effort towards electrification of everything and getting off gas.

Electrification with solar panels is cheaper and makes environmental sense as it reduces green house gas emissions so constructively addresses climate change.

The negative impact of gas emissions on achieving net zero was not mentioned by the Liberal National Party policy and Tim McCurdy (MP for Ovens Valley).

Is he a climate denier or doubter?

Natural gas is 20 times worse as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2).

Electric home appliances are more energy efficient than gas appliances.

They use less energy to do the same task and cost less to run.

Household energy costs in a fully electrified household (including an EV) are $1300 per year.

Accounting for the upfront cost of electrification, a fully electric household will spend $4100 less per year than the fossil fuel equivalent home.

Along with reducing your energy bills, other benefits to going all-electric include:

• reducing your carbon footprint—all-electric homes produce less emissions than those that use gas;

• health benefits from less fumes and chemicals released indoors;

• greater resilience to extreme weather when coupled with solar and battery storage;

• easier integration of new home technologies as they become available; and

• added value to your property.

Source: The Australia Institute August 18 2025

Russell Sully, Wangaratta South

Promoting gas energy expansion a backward step

Over 40 per cent of Australian households have rooftop solar panels, resulting in a saving to households of $3billion ($125 per capita) in 2024-5 (ABS figures).

Many have also installed a home battery to reduce reliance on the grid.

Forward-looking Australians know that we must reduce reliance on fossil fuels such as gas, which is bad for the environment, the climate and our health.

Those who have switched to reverse-cycle air-conditioners, heat-pump hot water systems and electric stoves find them just as good as gas.

Induction cooktops are an outstanding innovation, being fast and energy-efficient, with minimal heat-loss.

Why not borrow a portable induction cooktop from Wangaratta Library and see for yourself?

Pauline Moncrieff, Wangaratta

Farm Safety Week a timely reminder for those on the land

As Farm Safety Week begins on 19 July, it's an important reminder that no harvest, no deadline and no job is worth risking a life.

Across our region, farming isn't just an industry, it's a way of life.

Our farms are workplaces, but they're also homes where children grow up, families work side by side and generations build a future together.

That's exactly why safety can't be treated as an afterthought.

Every year, lives are changed forever by preventable accidents on Australian farms.

Whether it's taking an extra minute to check machinery, managing fatigue during busy periods, wearing the right protective equipment or making sure children stay clear of dangerous work areas, small decisions can make all the difference.

Our farmers already shoulder enough.

They battle the weather, rising costs, labour shortages and uncertainty, all while producing the food and fibre that every Australian relies on.

They deserve to know that they'll return home safely to their families at the end of each day.

Farm Safety Week is a chance for all of us to stop, have the important conversations and take a fresh look at the risks around our properties.

There is no job so urgent that it can't be done safely.

To every farming family across the electorate, thank you for everything you do to keep our communities strong.

Let's all play our part in making sure every person who heads out through the farm gate comes back home again.

Annabelle Cleeland, Nationals MP and Opposition Health spokesperson