QUEEN OF HEARTS
I was saddened to read the headline story "Little Girl In Racist Attack". It brought tears to my eyes as I felt for little Samara and her mum Rachel. At the same time I felt a degree of sorrow for those who inflicted this slur. These people especially the mother of the two daughters seem unhappy in their skins. It is great for children of all ages to dress up and pretend to be whoever they want to be. I feel that's a part of being happy in your own skin whatever colour that is. Its easy to see Samara is happy with both as is her mum. Samara dressed as Queen Elsa and to me she also replicates a much higher Queen, the Queen of Queen's in Heaven. She does understand what has happened to Samara and Rachel. I am sure the community of Ballarat and communities everywhere that have been touched by this story would join with me in saying to Samara; “Be proud of who you are and whoever you want to be. It’s easy to see you are the queen of mums heart. Your story makes you the queen of many other hearts. You have much to be proud of.
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BRIAN ROSSI
Clifton Springs
DUPLICATION WARRANTED
A couple of weeks ago Judy Verlin and the Committee for Ballarat put forward a very good suggestion that it was past time that some moves were made toward getting a double rail link between Ballarat and Melbourne, this was before the new link with Geelong was made public. I have been waiting to hear some public feedback from our present State Parliament members on such an important and beneficial suggestion. Unfortunately our local reps are only beating the "Conference Centre" drum for the Rail Precinct which in the long run will end up as another "White Elephant" in the City as the centre was only a pre election thing from the previous State Government electoral play. We still have and use the old rail line via Bungaree and there a lot of loops on the rail line that could be extended through to form the second line without much problem. State pollies need to put some effort behind this idea to get increased rail Services between Ballarat and Melbourne.
LYLE ROBINSON
Ballarat
LEADERS FORFEIT RESPECT
What a coincidence! It happens to be "refugee week" and our government is being bombarded with questions about bribing people smugglers. Many Australians are utterly sickened by the secrecy that surrounds our cruel asylum seeker policies, which have now reached rock bottom.I have just been reading a copy of "an open letter to the Australian people" (7 April 2015).
A group of courageous current and former employees from the Nauru detention centre has rebelled against our department of immigration and border protection (D.I.B.P.), by disregarding confidentiality agreements, signed when they were employed. This could lead to imprisonment. Those people have verified sexual and other forms of abuse at the detention centre, of which they have first hand knowledge. They maintain D.I.B.P. has been aware of reports for more than seventeen months.
In that time more children and women have been transferred to Nauru. Last week a four month old baby and the parents were taken from the Mita Detention Centre in Broadmeadows, in the middle of the night, to be returned to Nauru.I feel our leaders no longer deserve the respect of Australian citizens. We cannot continue to be by standers and give into bullies, who have ceased to govern within the law.Demand the immediate transfer of all asylum seekers to Australia and a royal commission into the abuse on Nauru.
DIANE COLLACOTT
Ballarat