Your readers  should consider views other than that of Australian politicians, instead, they should carefully read the Chinese claim on the web. 

In it they will see that in 1945 the victorious warring nations drew up a treaty with lines on maps and charts marking international boundaries.

A part stated that The Philippines territory would not extend further west that the 118˚ East longitude.  The Philippines has since driven ashore an old warship onto a reef beyond the line, and while aground, filled the hold with concrete.

 The Philippines was a colony of the United States from 1913 until 1945.

Have we been overflying the Spratley Islands for decades as stated by the Foreign Minister? I doubt it. It is only the United States and Australia doing it now. 

Your readers should remember that neither the US nor Australia has a claim there. International commercial shipping safety is not in doubt, so why the provocation?

An Australian politician, addressing us from Washington, should not advocate a navel confrontation between Australia and China. Too much ‘Gung Ho’ and not enough brains.

How will our government react when one of our planes is shot down in error? 

I wish the government would issue a statement to cover this eventuality.

These days, there’s a test for almost every health threat imaginable: mammograms; blood pressure checks; even bowel cancer screening kits you can mail in for testing.

But there’s one test you won’t read about in a doctor’s waiting room, and it could save your life.

Loose-fill asbestos testing is being offered by the State Government for free until August 1 across more than 60 local government areas, in a bid to eradicate the threat from New South Wales homes.

I deal with the effects of asbestos-related disease every day in my job – it is an invisible killer; a ticking time-bomb with no cure that only shows symptoms after it’s too late.

Taking up the government’s free loose-fill asbestos testing offer will save you more than $1,000, but could also potentially save you and your family’s lives.

Register before it’s too late: www.loosefillasbestos.nsw.gov.au or call 13 77 88.

Free speech is an important cornerstone of our democracy. We should be able to say what is on our mind but the recent flier that found its way into my letter box goes way too far.

The pamphlet, headed “Gash Must Go” and authorised by G. Nosworthy, is gutless and cowardly to say the least.

I am sure that the role of mayor is a difficult one and the current mayor has received criticism from me on a few occasions.

The difference is that I have the courage to put my name to my criticisms.

What may come as a surprise to the author of the flier is that the mayor is human and as such will sometimes make mistakes; they don’t purposely go out of their way to make them.

If the author of the “Gash Must Go” brochure wants us to take them seriously then have the guts to put your own name to the material.

Or could it be that this is electioneering material and you don’t want to stamp this adolescent material with your name in fear of damaging your own standing.

All I can say is that you are a weak, insipid coward that should be exposed for the nasty person that you appear to be.