Domestic violence
I have read with great distress the article in the Merimbula News Weekly, November 30 and am writing on behalf of the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast, (the advocates).
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Over the last four years the advocates have focused on the homeless issues in our area. With great help from local businesses, clubs, individuals, the Bendigo Bank and the state government, we have been able to gather together five different alternatives for alleviating homelessness in our towns, providing over 450 nights of emergency overnight and longer term stay solutions over that time.
A main reason for homelessness is family and domestic violence. The advocates have created a focus group to determine what actions can be undertaken to reduce the incidence of this dreadful crime
Last year the advocates created an awareness program where organisations and groups were able to publicly state the White Ribbon oath against family and domestic violence. The News Weekly, Bendigo Bank, Bega Cheese, the Tathra AFL Club and many others have taken that opportunity.
We have had a series of meetings with professionals in the family violence area, police, and representatives of local charities and church groups including St Vinnies and Anglicare focused mainly in the Eden area.
One of the main frustrations for the professionals is the reluctance of the victims to come forward. There are a myriad of reasons for this, and it may be just an article like the one we have read, which will help other female and male victims come forward. The reporting of these crimes may well prevent the perpetrator committing future crimes and creating more victims.
The advocates are not afraid of these cowards, and have, and will continue, to support the victims, stand by the police and professionals, and encourage the general community to report family and domestic violence incidents to the police.
As a caring and family oriented community we must break the silence and shine a light on this insidious crime and do all we can to prevent future events which affect all members of the extended family, including children. If you would like to become involved in any way, please contact Gavin Bell on 0411 564120.
Gavin Bell, Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast
Why must we pay for this
The local community must be congratulated in meeting its goal of $450,000 towards the cost of carers accommodation at the regional hospital at Bega. A very generous donation of $65,000 from the Bendigo Bank (Merimbula News Weekly November 30) ensured that the target was reached.
One must ask however why a small community has been saddled with this burden.
Surely this facility should have been included in the hospital project and paid for by the state government. A government which is proposing to spend $1.6 billion on sporting facilities in Sydney cannot find the money to fund a much-needed facility in a regional area.
Says a lot about the government's priorities and that of our local member Mr Constance.
Peter Roberts, Mirador
Our native forests
Conflict in our native forests seems intractable and completely entrenched, yet a viable solution is sitting right under the NSW government’s nose, the natural capital asset of carbon.
The National Parks Association’s plan for the Great Southern Forest would reserve over 400,000 ha of public native forest for carbon storage instead of destructive uneconomical logging for woodchips. Carbon credits could earn $20 million per annum from these forests which would mean jobs in forest restoration, wildlife protection, fire preparedness and eco tourism; a sensible option for the future of our native forests.
Dr Bronte J Somerset, Quaama