I was walking behind the others, and because of the nature of my harness, I was not able to see where I was going.  I would swing the drum left or right to check what was in front, but for some reason, I was distracted and as a result I collided with a concrete seat structure situated in the middle of the footpath.  It took my legs out, I pitched forward and my face smashed into my drum as it hit the seat structure. This was a big and unexpected shock.

Two local policeman saw me hit the seat and rushed over. These  men were wonderful. They were extremely caring and concerned, and exemplary representation of the service they belong to.

I assessed what had happened and decided that things were okay and no further action was required at that point in time, so they took their leave.   Forty-five minutes later, I had a change of mind. In that time the blood from my nose had not abated, and I had found another laceration in my top lip.

I fronted up to the local hospital and, aside from various jibes regarding my kilt and queries regarding my Scottish heritage, I was treated in the most professional, caring and efficient manner. Every single person I encountered treated me in such a way that I really felt I was being looked after in the best possible way. I can’t recall their names, but I really would like to acknowledge their outstanding medical professionalism. 

We allowed Tralee’s diagnosis and treatment for the cancer lymphoma to be very public to warn others of the dangers of agricultural chemicals.  

The two years of diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy was made some what easier by being part of a loving and caring community and the knowledge we were covered by what proved to be a fantastic public health system.

We went to the only fully bulk-billing medical practice in Narooma. Here we were diagnosed at the first appointment. We went to a surgeon who bulk billed about eight different diagnostic procedures to pin-point the particular type of lymphoma Tralee had. One scan , a PET scan, would have cost $1760.00 without a public health system

Every visit to our specialist and chemo round had a pathology test attached. There were at least 28 such tests. Every trip to our specialist has a blood test attached. The public system is our safety net. The community has paid for it and we all have a right and expectation it will remain.

How any government can now start to destroy it is beyond me. We could not afford to pay for the treatment Tralee had. The thought that women will have to pay for PAP tests and mammograms and men for prostate blood tests show a detachment from the community by some politicians. And what about our bulk billing doctors being undermined. Even the USA is copying our system.

On the night of Sunday, June 5, The Quarterdeck was completely flooded.

For Robyn and myself and our family of staff, it was gut wrenching wading through the cold water at 11pm.

Debris was everywhere. We lost fridges, freezers and, of course, a lot of food. There was electrical damage, and damage to the jetty and pontoon.

The next two days we spent cleaning up the mess.

Rob and I cannot thank enough our staff: chef Alicia, “little one” Rebecca, and Carly for working in cold, wet conditions all day on Monday and Tuesday, without complaining once.

Though we had a huge flood of water on Sunday night and Monday morning, it was not as great as the flood of people, customers and friends flooding in with offers of help and support.

It has been truly overwhelming: face-to-face support, phone calls of moral support from country people and social media support from people praying for us from as far away as Texas.

Robyn and I publicly thank everyone for everything you have done for us.

I was told when we moved here 15 years ago that you would never make a million living on this part of the South Coast – and they were right.

But how can you put a value on this community that Robyn and I are blessed to call home?

Big love.

Policy on letters during election campaign