The weekly column in the Mail-Times began almost 20 years ago when one of the events celebrating 70 years of CWA in Victoria was held here in Horsham with more than 700 ladies and dignitaries attending.

I happened to be the West Wimmera Group president at the time and was approached by the editor at the time about the possibility of beginning the weekly column.

This is when Rene began the column – a task she continued for several years.

One of the stipulations was that the Mail-Times be sent to CWA headquarters each Wednesday. This led to our news going all over the state and beyond.

We celebrate our 90th year of CWA in Victoria this year and I understand that our reports will be in our paper again soon.

Thank you, Rene – I admire you. Thank you also to the Mail-Times for your continued support.

Janice E. Merrett, Horsham 

COMMUNITIES along Victoria’s state borders will benefit from the services of a dedicated Cross Border Commissioner under an elected Liberal Nationals government.

People living and working in Victoria’s border communities alongside New South Wales and South Australia face unique problems, including with access to services, licensing and co-ordination of emergency services. 

A lot changes when you travel across the border and for our business owners and residents in border communities, this is an added complication to everyday life.

It means our tradespeople have to get two separate licences to operate their business, while farmers and transport operators require two separate permits to move agricultural equipment. It also makes it harder for our police officers and emergency services to share the information they need to do their job.

An elected Liberal Nationals government would ensure our communities have a dedicated Cross Border Commissioner based in regional Victoria to identify and solve these problems.

New South Wales already has a Cross Border Commissioner and has signed agreements with both Queensland and the ACT.

It’s time for Victoria to take action. 

Peter Walsh, leader, The Nationals

THE case of Amy “Dolly” Everett is a tragic but all too common one.

Young people subjected to any form of bullying can experience significant social isolation and feelings of being unsafe, which can lead to emotional and physical harm, loss of self-esteem, feelings of shame, anxiety and a whole host of other mental health issues.

Unfortunately, Dolly seems to have fallen victim to the most severe effects of bullying.

Bullying has always been a part of life, but that should not let us minimise or dismiss the effect it can have on a young person’s mental health as they develop.

Parents need to understand that they are their child’s main advocate and need to take bullying seriously. We need to be aware of any symptoms of bullying in our children, including loss of interest in school and extra-curricular activities; frequent complaints of illness to avoid attending school; lacking a network of friends; appearing sad, moody or depressed; loss of appetite; trouble sleeping; anxiety; or low self-esteem.

As a parent, if you suspect that your child is a bully or is being bullied the first action you should take is to talk to them.

A parent should never blame the victim and should work with a child’s school to find a solution to the issue rather than acting on their instant emotional response.

I support Dolly’s parents in their efforts to establish a trust to raise awareness of the issue. Everything we can do to shine a light on the darkness surrounding bullying, anxiety, depression and suicide is a positive thing. Hopefully the conversations that this event has sparked will lead to a number of lives being saved.

Father Chris Riley, chief executive and founder, Youth Off The Streets

FROM February 1, medicines containing codeine will no longer be available without a prescription.

To prepare for the change, the National Rural Health Alliance – Australia’s peak non-government organisation for rural and remote health – is developing specialised information for people living in rural and remote areas to ensure that they are aware of the change and how it may affect them.

Long distances, financial factors and lack of available services make it much more difficult for people living in rural and remote areas to access GPs, allied health professionals and specialists.

For this reason, we are developing resources to ensure that the seven million people living in rural and remote areas are informed.

The move to restrict the availability of medications containing codeine was unanimously agreed to by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and is in line with changes introduced in many other parts of the world to reduce rates of opiate addiction and overdose.

Individuals and organisations in rural and remote Australia wishing to receive more information about the planned changes can visit www.ruralhealth.org.au/codeine to have their details added to the mailing list.

Mark Diamond, chief executive, National Rural Health Alliance