CONSTITUENTS MUST COME FIRST
I hope that Robert Walker is not right in his belief that MP Joe McGirr has already made up his mind to vote 'No' when the voluntary assisted dying legislation is up for decision later this year.
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With the final bill almost certain to contain provisions which make it voluntary for medical specialists and palliative care establishments who oppose the procedure to be involved, then hopefully this will give him the freedom to put the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the electorate in front of his own personal view.
Keith Favell, Wagga
COMPENSATION NOT A CURE-ALL
I read with interest the article about compensation for survivors of the Stolen Generation by Ray Goodlass and the subsequent letters of support by Barbara Fraser and John Gare.
The Stolen Generation is a black page in Australia's history. But what about compensation? Will compensation of whatever magnitude wipe out or lessen the memories of the suffering and grief by the survivors of the Stolen Generation? I am a survivor of Japanese concentration camps in Indonesia and have vivid memories of the cruelty, starvation and resulting health problems.
But my memories of these hellish experiences would never be wiped out by whatever magnitude compensation might be paid by the Japanese government.
Money is not a healer. That is my conviction and have my peace in this matter.
Paul Bosman, Estella
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AUSTRALIA 'NOT IN A CRISIS'
The NSW Premier says the community "can't live reasonably" with the coronavirus. She also says that the Delta strain is a game-changer, with the inference that it is more dangerous.
This is wrong information. Many epidemiologists are telling us that the Delta strain is more contagious than the other strains. However, it has less impact than previous strains and has a lower death rate.
The NSW Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, says he is not just alert, but alarmed. Our Premier says to treat everyone as if they had the virus. They are being aided and abetted in these negative comments by the media. Together they are fanning the flames of hysteria among their people.
They infer that catching the virus is not just a sin, but a criminal offence.
Australia is not in a crisis situation. We have just four people on ventilators and have had two deaths in eight months. From a population of 26 million, these are pertinent statistics. Our leaders should be pouring oil on troubled waters and leading us calmly but resolutely out of these difficult times.
Norman Alexander, Wagga
OUR COUNTRY NEEDS TO HEAL
The theme 'Heal Country' for NAIDOC Week could not be more apt. There is so much healing that needs to be done in this country. Ray Goodlass writes, "It's time to compensate stolen generations" to remind us that our Indigenous people have been dealt appalling atrocities.
The land that they cared for, for tens of thousands of years, has also been abused and exploited by white 'progress'. It is time we show our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the justice, respect and care that they deserve. Both socially and environmentally, our country needs to heal.
Amy Hillier, Kew
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