My opinion piece in today’s The Mercury, The Examiner and The Advocate welcomes the Government’s response to the Senate Select Committee on Stillbirth Research and Education and reiterates Labor’s offer of bipartisanship on delivering the policy.

To this day, my family continues to be deeply affected by our own experience of stillbirth 36 years ago. In some areas, Australia’s approach to supporting affected families in their grief has improved somewhat since then, but it is disappointing that so little progress has been made on reducing the rate of stillbirth.

I had another busy weekend. On Saturday I attended Ben McGregor – Labor for Clark‘s volunteer thank you BBQ and then helped to set up for Edna’s Soup and Sandwich Luncheon – a Kingborough Helping Hands fundraiser. Then home Saturday night to make soup for the luncheon.
On Sunday I had a busy time emceeing that event.
I would like to thank the many volunteers who helped make the Soup and Sandwich Luncheon a success. The funds raised from this event will help provide practical assistance to people in Kingborough who have fallen on hard times.
Thank you also to all the attendees who came out on a cold winters day and gave so generously. Without the donations from you, KHH could not do the amazing work that it does.

On Sunday 3 November 2019, I am again walking to raise funds for Cure Brain Cancer and would appreciate your support.

Walk4BrainCancer Tasmania 2019 is the next of several fundraising events I have organised, which so far have raised more than $160,000 for brain cancer research and advocacy. This amount, I am told, is enough to fund a small clinical trial!

Of course, there is more to be done while the five-year survival rate for brain cancer remains shockingly low (around 20%) and while brain cancer remains the biggest disease killer of Australians aged under 18.

It was very moving to attend the official flag raising at piyura kitina (Risdon Cove) today as part of National NAIDOC Week.

The Indigenous voice of this country is over 65,000 years old. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for us to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, as well as reflect on the challenges that we face together as a nation.

This year’s theme is “Voice. Treaty. Truth.” – three principles espoused in the Uluru Statement which outlined the vision of First Nations people for the way forward for reconciliation.

A huge congratulations to Edna Pennicott, President of Kingborough Helping Hands, for being awarded the Aurora Energy Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tasmanian Volunteering Awards held at Government House today.

This award is a well-deserved recognition of Edna’s tireless dedication to the cause of helping people less fortunate – something she has spent hours doing day-in-day-out for decades without seeking, or expecting, anything in return except for the satisfaction of helping her community.

Thank you to Volunteering Tasmania for organising the awards and for this fitting recognition of Edna’s outstanding contribution.

Gorgeous sunny weather at the Kingston early voting centre and the Bureau predicts it’ll keep up for Election Day.

Let’s hope we see the sun shining on a victory for Bill Shorten and Labor, and a government that puts schools and hospitals before tax breaks for the top end of town.

Thanks to Audun, the hardworking volunteer who’s joined me here today.