It's such a shame. Our biggest supplier, Toyota were ahead of the game way back in the 90s with their award-winning Prius hybrid.

All the car companies knew back then that the writing was on the wall for petrol and diesel emissions.

Many have worked hard to reduce and eventually stop burning fossil fuel with their vehicles.

Japanese companies, particularly Toyota, sadly took a wrong turn and chose to invest more in hydrogen fuel technology.

They now seem well behind the leaders in this global EV revolution. Others also seem to have misjudged the transition buts lets face it, they have had a third of a century to sort themselves out.

The government's proposed vehicle emission standards will make life a little tougher for some of the old school car manufacturers selling their wares here.

However, they are dealing with similar standards and the switch to EVs overseas.

We shouldn't accept lame excuses for continuing to dump their old tech on Australia if we too want to move with the times and protect our future.

Would we accept child deaths and starvation here in the Riverina?

I am disappointed that The Hon Michael McCormack and the Nationals are not showing leadership and taking a stance against the Labour Party's weak foreign policy concerning the Israel-Hamas war.

Recent protests against Israel's military approach might seem radical but what would war in Gaza be equivalent to for me and my kids here in country NSW? I decided to look at the numbers using 2021 Census data.

Since Israel's military campaign in Gaza started after Hamas committed the October 7th atrocities on innocent Israelis:

The Gaza population is approximately 2.3 million. Equivalent to the population of country NSW plus the Wollongong area.

We would be angry and desperate if this happened to us in country NSW under the guise of a 'greater good' to protect those in Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane (equivalent to Israel's population). Famine could be halted and deaths prevented if Israel and the United States shift their immense military capacity and resourcing to aid now. The risk that some of this aid benefits Hamas could be mitigated by better Israeli aid coordination and resourcing.

It is time for 'quiet Australians' to speak up and let their representatives know that enough is enough. You can quietly send Michael McCormack a letter (Suite 2 11-15 Fitzmaurice St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650) or email (michael.mccormack.mp@aph.gov.au ) and ask him and The Nationals to take a stand against this widespread killing and starvation, and to restart funding the UN Relief and Works Agency. With the AUKUS security partnership, Australia is a prominent military ally of the US who are resourcing and endorsing Israel's military. A common sense, hard-line stance from Australia would have substantial international ramifications.

On February 27 2024 the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published gender pay gap data for private sector companies with 100 or more employees.

Qantas Group Chief People Officer Catherine Walsh said the pay gap "does not mean women are paid less than men to do the same jobs at Qantas and Jetstar, but shows there is a significant underrepresentation of women in highly paid roles like pilots and engineers across airlines globally".

As both genders have equal opportunity to complete the training required to undertake these highly paid roles, the gender pay gap is an effort gap.

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