Why successive governments of both persuasions have never issued such a medal is baffling to those of us whose lives have been irreparably altered by war wounds.

It can't be a question of cost because only about five per cent of veterans are actually ever physically wounded in combat so the number of medals required is minimal.

Perhaps there aren't many votes in it?  

Don Tate, Albion Park Rail

Let me say from the outset if there had been legal abortions in 1944 I would not be writing this letter today.

My birth mother fell pregnant with me in 1944, it was a big deal in those days, and she stopped working when she started to show and spent time on the family farm away from prying eyes.

She travelled to the Crown Street Women’s Hospital in Surrey Hills Sydney, gave birth and returned to the Gold Coast Qld.

I spent from May 1945 – August 1945 under the care of Matron Edna Shaw a brilliant and beautiful women.

My birth mother passed away in1985 she was 62, in mid May 1986 I started a 23 years search, finally finding three siblings all still living on the Gold Coast, once we made face to face contact and  had the embarrassment of that meeting over we have continued to have a fantastic relationship phone each very regular and been on holidays together, and are a loving family once more.

I was adopted into a loving family environment, and cannot complain about anything with them, they were loving in every way.    

As I said from the start if abortion was legal in 1944 you would not be reading this letter.

My adoptive mum always said the best contraceptive was a penny held between to two knees.

Rob McCammon, Kanahooka

John Hewson in his article ‘The end of  government by major parties’ (Illawarra Mercury, October.26) has identified  the key issue they have reached their use by date.

They have turned into their opposites.

They once served the national interests now they serve their own.

That is why as Hewson points out we are electing the Greens and independents.  

But much more is needed. What has happened confirms a philosophical truism which states ‘there is a tendency for things to turn into their opposites’.

The challenge is to replace them with organisations that serve the national interests.

But keeping the truism about change in mind ensure they are never owned by individuals or corporations concerned with their own interests and not the national interests.   

Reg Wilding, Wollongong

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