I just want to express my absolute frustration with parking in Wangaratta.

I live in Caloundra Queensland.

Travelling down to Bendigo this week I decided to stop in at Wangaratta and have a bite to eat and a coffee.

When I pulled up in the main street, I noticed that there was a meter parking system so I grabbed a couple of dollars.

I went looking for the machines to pay the fine. None to be found.

I then noticed it was an app.

Under no circumstances am I gonna bother with an app just because I’m passing through.

Out of frustration, I jumped in my car and drove on.

Here I was thinking I would support a local business rather than a chain petrol station.

The local coffee shop missed out on selling me a meal and a coffee. Not a big deal.

However, I wonder how many others have done exactly what I did. I drove on.

Darren Love, Pelican Waters

Go nuclear, stop destruction of environment

I am not sure about Liberal Senator Andrew McLachlan's attitude on net zero or where it comes from as I am sure he lives in a cocoon.

He says he is all for net zero by 2050 and for the environment.

Obviously, he has not been outside the city areas to look at solar or wind farms and seen the destruction of the environment.

Seems to me this net zero hoax is being promoted by wealthy billionaires which is highlighted by all the private jets which descend on the yearly COP meetings.

The Liberal Party should think beyond the media noise and enter the way the world is entering.

The technology of modular nuclear power stations is being well advanced and being installed in many overseas countries.

And we must immediately stop the continual installation of wind and solar farms by overseas investors with government subsidies.

Compare the footprint of a 100MWatt nuclear power plant which has a life of 60 plus years which provides power 24 hours everyday which is equivalent to a 300 MWatt solar farm which has a life of 25 years.

For example look at Blind Creek solar and battery which covers more than 700 hectares.

Why does Australian media not promote this new technology or are they the ultra-conservative fossils who no longer use investigative journalism.

John Walker, North Wangaratta

Supermarkets must honour cage-free pledge

Australia’s leading animal protection organisations have united to urge Woolworths and Coles to honour their long-standing commitments to go cage-free by the end of 2025.

A joint open letter has been sent to Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell and Coles CEO Leah Weckert ahead of the supermarkets’ upcoming annual general meetings on 30 October and 11 November, respectively.

The supermarket giants first committed in 2013 to phasing out cage eggs from their supply chains, pledging that by 2025 all shell eggs and egg ingredients in own-brand products would be cage-free.

However, earlier this year, both companies walked back those commitments – with Coles delaying its target to 2030 and Woolworths leaving the timeframe open ended.

This has undermined consumer trust and prolongs unnecessary animal suffering.

Battery cages are cruel and outdated.

Modern cage-free systems, including fully indoor barn systems, can produce a reliable, affordable supply of eggs, without inflicting this level of suffering,

We urge customers to raise their concerns with the supermarkets about this backward step – and we call on their leadership to uphold their promises to customers and Aussie hens.

Dr Jed Goodfellow, director, Australian Alliance for Animals Policy

It's a start, but much more needed

70,000 Australians with chronic kidney disease will be granted access to a medicine that works to slow further kidney damage in order to address spiralling rates of hospitalisation, dialysis and transplant across the country.

Kidney Health Australia has joined Boehringer Ingelheim and medical experts in welcoming news that from 1 November, Jardiance® (empagliflozin 10mg) will become available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of chronic kidney disease in a broad group of adults at moderate through to severe risk of their condition worsening.

The medicine was made available through the PBS in 2024 for a smaller group of Australians with proteinuric chronic kidney disease (where damaged kidneys leak protein into the urine).

This new subsidy more than doubles the number of Australians eligible for treatment with Jardiance, providing the broadest access to treatment for a disease which contributes to one-in-six hospitalisations in Australia.

Chronic kidney disease is a national health emergency that requires a national response.

The availability of a medicine for 70,000 Australians with chronic kidney disease is positive news as until now, many of these individuals have fallen through the treatment cracks.

While this listing is a major development in efforts to combat kidney disease, people can only be treated if they have been diagnosed, and 2.5 million Australians are living with signs of chronic kidney disease and have no idea.

Australia urgently needs to take action on chronic kidney disease through early diagnosis and treatment so that we can avoid preventable heart attacks and strokes, and delay life-threatening kidney failure and the need for dialysis.

Chris Forbes, Kidney Health Australia chief executive officer