They sent us to Narooma but had to turn back after about 3km - then back to the roadblock and I told them I was going to Bermagui - what a bloody outcome.

Barry Irvin of Bega Cheese praises persistence and optimism as he identifies several broad challenges that demand our immediate attention (BDN, 4/9). Maybe his most radical idea is that we move forward unafraid and together.

The problem of global warming is terrifying but even in this crisis the best approach is exactly as Barry points out; recognise its seriousness and unite to calmly set about the process of innovation as rapidly as possible. The federal government does not always seem to be as innovative as many of us would like but we are lucky to have leaders like Barry.

Barry Irvin is clearly very proud of Bega Cheese and has been chair for 20 years (BDN, 4/9). He is right that more and more people are looking for carbon-neutral products. Having just participated in a community workshop with Ironbark Sustainability, an organisation that assists local councils and businesses reduce emissions and save money, I recommend making contact. I suspect it would be a natural next step for Bega Cheese and would complement the recent climate action initiatives of Bega Valley Shire Council.

I've earned my wings,

So now lets fly away.

But still I feel trapped in my cage if only for a day

So lets turn a few more pages and begin to grow through out of the ages.

In life, to begin my journeys

To make my dreams come true.

I shall focus on my life to renew.

So let me inhale and exhale these troubling times on this road called life.

By having the time to discover, but still I'm waiting to recover.

So it's time to stay strong, not to get it all wrong.

For you know I've earned my wings to fly away to become

Greater each and every day.

For the record, I have family in Melbourne and country Victoria and I am glad their Premier is remaining adamant as is his counterpart in Queensland, that to prematurely relax the restrictions would conceivably result in a third and possibly worse wave of infections and deaths.

The criticisms being levelled at the Victorian government might have some basis and nobody denies that mistakes were made and matters could have been better handled ... and that applies elsewhere as well.

Look at the shemozzle that has followed the way Ruby Princess passengers were allowed to go home not only within Sydney but all over the country.

If we went back a bit further, how come the app isn't doing all it was trumped up to do by the feds?

If we went back even further to the beginning of the year and the first "patient zero" was detected in Australia, we should remember he came from overseas through border protection that could have been much more alert than they were at the time.

People in glass (parliament) houses should refrain from throwing political stones! Jeff de Jager, Coila Creek