The auxiliary is very grateful to the generosity of these people. Combined with the results of the Easter Raffle, plus other money raising efforts we are now able to pay for the illuminator which was requested by Dr Mackinnon for use in the theatre, at a cost of $8500. This piece of equipment projects an infrared light on the skin, and when the device is held above the skin the medical personnel can clearly see where the veins are. The illuminator is particularly suitable for babies, children, emergency patients, people going through chemotherapy, and many others. In other words the vein illuminator finds the veins and the medics can collect a blood sample or administer medication without pain. We in the auxiliary are delighted to be able to provide such a valuable device to the medical staff at the South East Regional Hospital.

As the husband of the Liberal candidate for Eden-Monaro and as the Narooma party branch president it was encouraging to see Fiona's name in the local press at last as you editorialised on the closeness of the election in Eden-Monaro.

Even so, there was still no mention that she is truly local; brought up in Dignams Creek, something of which many voters remained unaware throughout, despite Fiona's best efforts to make it known.

It is rather ironic that Fiona has received more attention from press and radio since the election than at any time during the campaign and sad that so many of the initiatives that she has undertaken and the grants and finance that she has achieved for groups and projects throughout the electorate (things that Mike Kelly should have achieved and didn't) have received no publicity from the local media.

It is disappointing that the voters of her home area may have turned down the opportunity of having such an energetic, caring and intelligent member of government to represent them; opting instead for the smoke and mirrors with which Mike Kelly obscures his inaction. Eden-Monaro would have never had a better member to look after the interests of its people.

There are lessons to be learned by many people following the federal election result.

For me it has meant the end of my party membership and a realisation that political parties are a significant part of the problem we face. Good, strong, well-organised political parties are a very effective means of dividing public opinion into "us" and "them". At the politician level, competing policies and pork-barrelling ensure that self-interest is at the front of the queue. For local party adherents elections dissolve into tactics reminiscent of Dad's Army versus the Air Raid Warden over the size and location of posters. Worthwhile issues are avoided lest they compromise party unity. Factions in all parties spend their energies consolidating their positions.

For those not involved in politics, voter apathy favours the incumbent member. The media do all they can to ensure a close contest and seem happy to peddle lies and conduct smear campaigns to bolster ratings and readership. Political polls universally provided the wrong answer. Meanwhile the real issues are ignored in the sound and fury of the election battleground.

So, for me, enough is enough, I am studying whether, and how, a citizens action group might more successfully pursue local issues without the constraints of political shackles.