What do I want for Mother's Day? A cleaning and cooking free day for sure. Along with plenty of cuddles and homemade cards from my children.
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But when waking up this Sunday to the pitter patter of feet down my hallway, my first waking thoughts will turn to how we urgently we need to act on climate change for the safety of our children.
That is what I want most this Mother's Day. I am a family doctor, who works predominantly with mums and babies, and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that climate change is a massive threat to our health and safety.
I saw this firsthand over the Black Summer fires. We choked on the most toxic smoke, which killed hundreds and hospitalised thousands. It even made its way into placentas of unborn babies.
While I wake to warm cuddles in bed, my heart will break for those family's who survived the bushfires or floods (or both) who will wake in their makeshift homes, campers or tents, with not much to celebrate this year.
We all want the same thing - for our kids to grow up healthy and safe. So yes, I'll cherish the handmade cards but ultimately, Australians voting in a government committed to ambitious climate action would be the greatest gift a mother could ever receive.
Michelle Hamrosi, Broulee
Lib backs Palmer over Labor
The moral deficiency and desperation of the Liberal Party as the election day draws near is perhaps best exampled in the Victoria seat of Higgins. The incumbent Liberal member for Higgins, Katie Allen has given her preferences to the anti-vax, pro-Putin United Australia Party candidate rather than to the Labor or Greens candidates.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
Pacific paternalism won't work
Recently we have seen the stoush between two long-time friends, Australia and the Solomon Islands, over the Solomons signing a security pact with China. The Solomon Islands PM has delivered a strong rebuke to Australia in response to Australia's complaints about signing the pact.
The Solomons PM Sogovare suggested Australia was hypocritical because Australia kept its negotiations over the AUKUS Treaty top secret.
It was a fair comment that members of the Pacific should have been consulted, because there would be nuclear submarines in the Pacific, although they are likely to be there now.
Morrison has to get it into his head, that the Pacific Nations are sovereign states and deserve respect not paternalism.
Morrison's use of the term 'Pacific family', is very paternalistic. Australia was treated by the US in a very paternalistic way, until Whitlam demanded a change.
Peter Corkish, Wollongong
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