Monday 21 August 2017

Enrol for Equality, Medicinal Cannabis, Woolloomooloo Water, Abuse of People with Disability, Wear it Purple & Fred Hollows Awards

Enrol for Equality

If there’s a postal survey on marriage equality and you have moved address over the past few years, you may not get your ballot paper and be able to vote. You only have till 24 August to update your enrolment details, so check today: www.aec.gov.au.

Medicinal Cannabis

The government’s cannabis scheme provides no guarantees that very sick people can get the best treatment they need: many serious conditions are excluded, patients and carers still risk being charged and there is no provision for supply. In Parliament, I supported a Labor bill for a scheme that would ensure people with a terminal illness or a serious medical condition can access cannabis products without criminal liability. My speech is HERE. 

Cannabis can reduce pain, nausea, muscle spasms and seizures, and improve hunger and problems associated with chemotherapy. The risks in expanding its use in medicine are low and the government’s overly cautious approach is leading to unnecessary suffering.

Woolloomooloo Water

Sydney Water will soon start work on its ‘Refresh Woolloomooloo’ project to separate stormwater and sewerage drains in Darlinghurst and Woolloomooloo and prevent flooding and sewage overflows in Woolloomooloo. The project will cause disruption in local roads including Sir John Young Crescent, Francis Lane, Darlinghurst Road, Womerah Avenue and Brougham Lane plus Crown, Riley, Liverpool, Burton, Forbes streets.

I’ve asked the project team to keep residents up to date with work, and to prevent construction impacts including reduced access and noise. Information at www.sydneywatertalk.com.au telephone 1300 131 338 or email [email protected].

Abuse of People with Disability

I’ve written to the Prime Minister to support calls for a Royal Commission into abuse of people with disability, following requests from Council for Intellectual Disability and Inclusion Australia, my letter is HERE.

The 2015 ‘Violence, Abuse and Neglect Against People with Disability in Institutional and Residential Settings’ Senate inquiry, which found violence and abuse against people with disability in Australia was ‘epidemic’ and called for a royal commission. Hundreds of advocates and community organisations and the United Nations have all called for a royal commission.

I congratulate the NSW Ombudsman for providing opportunities for people with disability to expose the gaps and develop strategies to make sure that abuse get reported, information HERE.

Wear it Purple

Wear it Purple is run by young people and aims to foster supportive, safe and accepting environments for rainbow young people. I’ll be celebrating Wear it Purple Day with them on 25 August. Information and resources at wearitpurple.org.

Fred Hollows Awards

Do you know a Year 6 school student making a positive difference in their community and is an example of compassion, integrity and kindness? Consider nominating them for the Fred Hollows Foundation’s Humanity Award before Sunday 10 September, www.hollows.org.