MP ‘fails’ on firefighters
Western Victorian Liberal MP Simon Ramsay got it wrong in his letter to this paper when he claimed a parliamentary committee found that the Greens Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill “could not be introduced into the Legislative Council”.
This was not the committee’s finding, so I hope Mr Ramsay actually read the report before he voted for it.
My open letter to Mr Ramsay specifically asked if he would protect firefighters and their families by supporting the Fair Protection for Firefighters laws.
He did not answer the question. Another fail. The fair protection laws are not new.
Greens MP Adam Bandt sponsored the laws in the Federal Parliament and was supported by all sides of politics. As a result, federal government-employed firefighters are protected, but not our Victorian firefighters.
I’m sure members of the community and our firefighters will agree when I say it doesn’t matter if it’s the upper house or the lower house, just as long as the laws are put in place as soon as possible so our firefighters are protected.
This is what I hope Mr Ramsay will support.
Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland
Re: We remember Bacchus Marsh’s role in Great War, 100 years on (Weekly, July 30):
Beats me why we celebrate a war that cost the lives of many of our fine young men. It was not our war – Mother England cared nothing for our troops. They were used as ‘cannon fodder’. How about putting your time into supporting our boys who are returning from our latest debacle, in Afghanistan?
Bob (via web)
Re: World War II hero reflects on a rich life (Weekly, July 30):
You are such a wonderful man and we love you so very much. Happy 100th birthday, Gramps.
Geraldine, Pat, Patrick, Ryan, Keegan, Calan and Mackinley (via web)
Happy 100th birthday, Mr Richards. Fondest memories of a wonderful principal at Melton Primary School in the 1960s.
Debbie Dole (Riley)
Punishing the innocent
It was heartening to see local mayors stand up for refugees, offering to welcome them into our communities.
They recognise that as the most vulnerable people in the world, refugees have much to offer and that we have an obligation to provide protection where it’s needed.
Less impressive has been the silence of our Labor MP, Catherine King, as Kevin Rudd announces cruel measures for these most vulnerable people.
We cannot and would not want to make Australian treatment of refugees worse than the violence and persecution from which they have fled. We know that these disincentives do not work.
Ms King should speak out, as Labor candidates in Bendigo and Wannon have. She should condemn the punishment of innocent people and condemn the PNG solution as an affront to the generosity and humanity of the Ballarat electorate or Australia.
Steph Hodgins-May, Greens candidate for Ballarat
