Mp Should Raise Heroine's Case

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday October 23, 2003

THE snubbing of outstanding Wollongong nurse Christine Min by the Liberal Government (Mercury, October 21) in not awarding her with the special Bali Order of Australia is scandalous.

Sister Min must surely be one of Australia's, and the region's, great heroines.

Mercury journalist Jenny Dennis has exposed Liberal Party federal MP Joanna Gash, who is quoted as stating that the awards had ``nothing to do with her".

What a cop out! What about doing something about it now! Joanna Gash's party is in power and if she has any political clout she could turn this embarrassment around now.

A special Government House ceremony would take very little to organise.

The word ``heroine" is occasionally used inappropriately.

But the courageous and outstanding contribution to Australian Bali victims by Sister Min in what must have been terrifying circumstances leads to only one description - she is an unsung heroine.

Well done Sister Min.

-MICHAEL SERGENT,

Spokesman, Illawarra Greens.

Left, left behind

WHEN I read the Mercury on Monday, I saw the usual left-wing news and views of the world, and of course the standard anti-American propaganda (to be fair to the Mercury, it must have been their turn to be published).

It's not even worth a sigh these days. They really think they have persuasive arguments.

I've seen all the usual historically inaccurate tripe about Grenada and Vietnam portrayed and regurgitated in woefully biased terms.

I sometimes wonder if these people ever talk to Vietnamese boat people, or have visited Grenada or talked to people from that region since 1983.

No way, it would immediately demolish the excuse for history they propagate.

In the latest developments I saw the following on the Net, an absolute gem from Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, and a portentous reminder of one of our possible futures:

Mr Goh said his own view was that Australians could not be regarded as ``indigenous Asians". ``Over time, when there's more Asians going to Australia and the population tips 50 per cent non-whites, and the rest white, they are immediately regarded as Asian," he said.

What an irony. From ``White Australia" to ``Non-White Australia".

I wonder if we will see the Non-White Australia Policy by 2010?

Given some of these Asian political leaders' ideas, I don't think they will be happy until Australia renounces Britain, America and the West.

Seems like some Mercury contributors have started the ball rolling anyway, so it should eventually be a breeze.

-RAY AGOSTINI,

Dapto.

Thanks, hospital

I WOULD like to thank the wonderful staff at the emergency section of Wollongong Hospital.

On Wednesday my handicapped daughter took ill at the Harmony Centre. The ever-caring staff phoned the ambulance and Darlene was taken to the hospital.

After hours of blood tests and scans, and dedicated, caring attention, she was able to come home.

-ELSIE GREEN,

Dapto.

Crime of old age

WHAT a shame old age has become a crime.

You think not, then ask yourself how they defend themselves? The young, sometimes very young, assault them on the street, in shopping malls and in their homes; to rob them, rape them, or simply for fun.

The penalty for these crimes? Very little, if any, as they are too young. The only way the elderly can protect themselves is to arm themselves. That is a crime; if you injure your young assailant you can be sued, fined, jailed and named in the media. None of which applies to these underage crims. Once revered, respected and rewarded, today the elderly are robbed, raped and rejected. What a sordid society.

-KEV WADESON,

Bellambi.

Try lights first

JOE Hamilton-Smith (October 18) asks how anyone could be resentful of speed cameras.

As a parent who supports speed cameras and the 40km/h speed limit outside all schools, I object to the installation of the speed camera at TIGS as a first measure. This is around a corner, on a highway where a variable speed limit has recently been introduced.

Flashing lights are a fair and reasonable measure to introduce the new speed limit. They should be mandatory outside all schools.

A camera can be installed later if problems persist.

-JUDY WILYMAN,

Mt Keira.