Respect differing views
I write in response to Jo Dodds letter of 2 June.
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The views both in favour and opposed to changing the Marriage Act should be respected.
I acknowledge that there are a diversity of views in the Australian community about this issue.
In line with the Liberal Party’s commitments to the people of Eden-Monaro before the last election, I do not support changing the Marriage Act, but respect the right of others to have a different view.
With regard to Ms Dodds comments about my presence in the Bega Valley, I have just recently conducted listening posts in Eden, Merimbula and Tathra, conducted meetings in my electorate office in Carp St, and announced funding for both the Princes Hwy and $5million for a new plant at Bega Cheese.
I will be in the Bega Valley again next week, including a listening post in Pambula on the morning of Wednesday, June 10.
I also note that Ms Dodds did not attend a previously arranged meeting with me last year in my Carp St electorate office and I am disappointed in her partisan and incorrect comments about my presence in the Bega Valley.
Dr Peter Hendy MP
Member for Eden-Monaro
Thanks for support
Through your paper may I thank the following volunteers who collected on behalf of The Salvation Army around Tathra and Kalaru last weekend.
Thanks to Maureen Sommerville, Marj Britton, Jade Rake, Kevin Dowman, Ian Stafford, Liz Blackmore, Kath Crowley, Denise Cummins, James Cook, Dennis Whitford, Anthony Eaton, Ron Thornton, Tas and Peter Fitzer, Ray Cox, Pat Kelly and Deb Manning.
Deb raised the most and put in a huge effort.
This year we missed the contribution of legendary (strong arm) collector Don Cotterill, but still managed to raise over $3000 for this most worthy cause.
Thanks also to all who donated.
Andrew McPherson
Kalaru
Justice for victims?
Recent increases to NSW non-parole periods and new life sentences for people who sexually abuse children are necessary and welcome.
The new NSW Attorney General Gabriel Upton says she recognises the damage caused to children by child sexual abuse.
Also, that sentences for people who criminally violate children are necessary for children’s safety and to reflect community standards.
It is positive that Ms Upton understands the “lifelong devastation” caused by child sexual abuse.
Community Legal Centres NSW and the Australian Lawyers Alliance have both congratulated the Baird government for their decision to reverse retrospectivity applied to the new victim’s compensation scheme in 2013.
According to the NSW Justice home page “the government's changes have worked well for the majority of victims, but there is a group whose expectations under the former scheme were not realised”.
It is misleading to frame the changes around “a group whose expectations under the former scheme were not realised”.
The O’Farrell government was wrong to brutally cut the victims compensation scheme to find “savings”, particularly given former premier Barry O’Farrell’s $300million donation to his donor, the Australian Hotels Association, for poker machine “tax relief”.
Australian Lawyers Alliance national president Andrew Stone says “victims of crime should not have to pay for the inefficiency of the NSW government”.
Ms Upton says she “will be guided by principles of care and compassion”.
Hopefully principles of care and compassion extend to the implementation of recommendations by the Women’s Legal Services and Australian Lawyers Alliance including - cap present and future payments under the old scheme, ensure that victims of domestic violence have accessibility to the new scheme, remove the need for victims to report to a government authority for eligibility of compensation and, for the government to review cases instead of victims having to reapply.
Maureen Searson
Batemans Bay