Over 343 locals, businesses and schools in the Central West region hosted a Biggest Morning Tea during May and June, helping raise over $451,202 across the Western NSW region.  

Funds raised from Biggest Morning Teas in the home, in the office, in the local community and at school this year will allow Cancer Council NSW to continue to fund vital cancer research, prevention programs, advocacy, and information and support services.

This will support the 45,000 people across NSW who will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone.

Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is now in its 23rd year, so I say thank you once again to the Central West community for continuing to make every morning tea matter and for their ongoing support of Cancer Council NSW.    

Yours sincerely,  

Brianna Carracher

Community Events Coordinator

Cancer Council NSW, Western Region

After years of campaigning, the Greens welcome the NSW Government’s move to finally allow the prescription of medicinal cannabis to some seriously ill patients.

This is an important first step in ensuring access to an effective medical treatment which provides relief from pain and suffering, but the Greens are concerned that access has been restricted only to seriously ill patients who have exhausted other options. 

There is already overwhelming international evidence that medicinal cannabis can provide relief from conditions like nausea, pain and muscle spasms and the Greens will continue to campaign for medical cannabis to be available to all patients suffering chronic pain, and not just as a last resort.

The Greens have bills before the New South Wales and Commonwealth parliaments that would achieve the necessary reform to allow greater access to provide relief from pain and suffering. 

Jeremy Buckingham,

The Greens NSW health spokesperson 

Pauline Hanson’s return to federal parliament looms as a real test of the maturity of our democracy.

Ms Hanson’s arrival on the political scene in 1996 led to unprecedented protests and rancour in the parliament and broader community, with a police escort required nearly every time she spoke.

Her opponents satisfied themselves they were taking the higher moral ground on issues such as multiculturalism and immigration and the ugly scenes outside each of her speaking engagements were a small price to pay.

Ms Hanson’s appearance in parliament was also a distraction for both major parties who poured inordinate resources into trying to smear and embarrass her.

Twenty years on, she is back, making her one of the great political survivors of her generation.

It will be interesting to watch how those around her handle her return.

The time for treating Ms Hanson with snobbish disdain must surely have passed.

When she first arrived on the political scene, Ms Hanson looked and sounded different to the MPs around her.

The Liberal and Labor parties saw her as an impostor, an aberration that needed to be exposed. 

But every time they tried to belittle her, her strength grew.

One Nation supporters saw themselves as underdogs and the major parties’ treatment of their hero confirmed their suspicions.

Her election is not an abberation and her supporters are not all small-minded bigots.

Ms Hanson is still here because the major parties have not heeded the message that a large part of our population still feels like no-one is listening.

Her election is as much a credit to her ability to connect with disengaged voters as a condemnation of the major parties’ rejection of them.

A mature democracy does not have to agree with Ms Hanson’s politics or rhetoric, but it should acknowledge she remains popular for a reason.

Instead of isolating Ms Hanson, the major parties would do well to try to truly understand her supporters’ concerns.

Two decades of sneering elitism has failed to end her political career.

It’s time for a new approach.

It can only be hoped Ms Hanson has learned there are no political gains to be had by doing anything that, intended or not, contributes to division in our society.

It is also not in the community or national interest.

The Rural Industries R&D Corporation’s (RIRDC) Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s pre-eminent award celebrating exceptional rural women.

Rural women are invited to join in by nominating themselves or someone they know. Applications close on October 31.

The application form can be downloaded from the RIRDC website: www.rirdc.gov.au/rwa -- RIRDC