Your reporter stated that choking of the victim had been "negotiated" between the legal representatives.

I am sorry, but I don't believe choking is negotiable.

It was also stated the victim was forcibly held by the neck with both feet off the ground on two occasions in front of their child.

The excuse the defendant used for this conduct was that he had missed his medication, was tired and in financial stress.

These are symptoms shared by most of Australia on a daily basis but do not result in domestic violence.

Yet for the lifelong trauma imposed on two people, our local magistrate chose a 60-hour community service order for the person described as a respected community member.

We at Liberty From Violence, a local charity helping victims of domestic violence, are appalled at the lack of judgement being expressed by the courts and ask for some judicial oversight to meet community expectations.

I WOULD like to thank our previous mayor Rod Kendall for the role he played in council and in our community.

He was very approachable and added class as mayor to the occasions, large or small, that he attended.

I think it is a great shame, and a lot of ratepayers would agree, that he didn’t continue in his role as mayor with his experience to guide the new council.

In my opinion, the ratepayers should elect the mayor.

You only have to look at the vote in the council elections.

Of all the candidates, he obtained the highest vote - 20 per cent – so what does that tell you?

It shows the calibre of the man in being so gracious in defeat and offering to assist the new mayor, providing a wealth of experience in taking our city into the future.

HATS off to Geoff Chamberon (and everyone involved) for rebuilding one of the houses that were destroyed by fire in Ashmont.

It is such a good thing to see something positive happening in a part of Wagga that has been so badly affected by arson and crime in recent times.

You deserve high praise for what you are doing.

MAJOR natural disasters such as major bushfires, cyclones, tornados, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis – these have increased progressively and dramatically in the last 50 years, both in number and intensity.

I stress that this is not an opinion or theory but plain fact that can be easily proven.

If this trend continues, then we have to brace ourselves for far worse to come.

As the old saying goes, “we ain’t seen nothin’ yet”.

I am not writing this for hysterical reasons but simply to be absolutely realistic and down to earth.

It also puts into perspective that any man-made pollution will be totally out of proportion compared with natural disaster pollution.

The climate change promoters will have something far bigger to worry about.

You can draw your own conclusions.