I also received a letter from a cancer survivor, Rachael, telling me how the facilities needed an upgrade.

She said: “The staff are amazing, but there’s no room to have family members to sit with you and support you in a difficult time.”

It soon became clear there was a desperate need for funding to support cancer patients and their families in the Wimmera region.

I was able to secure a unique $1,000,000 of Federal Funding through Prime Minister Tony Abbott and, together with the amazing generosity of the people of the Wimmera, put pressure on the State Government to deliver their commitment to make the Horsham Cancer Centre a reality.

Reaching the funding milestone and now seeing the construction of this facility is a testament to the people of the Wimmera.

I truly believe that myself, and I’m sure Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy feels the same, that we have the greatest privilege to serve such fair minded and giving people in our electorates.

Your generosity will save many lives in our community. Well done.

Andrew Broad, Federal Member for Mallee

DAVID Cameron, once British Prime Minister, stated: “England owes much to its Christian background.”

Australia, like Britain, America, New Zealand and Canada, were founded on Christian principles, including the 10 commandments, and all prospered.

The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

Now our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone except God.

Please consider:

A decade ago, you considered yourself safe in your own home.

Not anymore.

The Greens are on the road to strip the religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws.

Compromising and conforming to the world’s standard is against God’s word.

Proverbs 29:2 Sums up our present situation perfectly: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”                                            

David Waterhouse, Riverside

NATIONAL Reconciliation Week is on May 27 to June 3 in celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and to nurture and grow on the relationships shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.

It is important to recognise that Indigenous history and culture is Australian history and culture.

These two dates, May 27 and June 3, hold great significance to Australians as they represent two major events in our nation’s reconciliation journey. 

This year is especially significant for Indigenous rights as May 27 is the 50-year anniversary of the 1967 referendum where Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the Constitution to include Aboriginal people in the Census and allow the Commonwealth to create laws for them.

June 3 is also the 25-year anniversary of the Mabo decision, where the High Court of Australia decided that terra nullius should not have been applied to Australia.

The landmark decision recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have rights to the land – rights that existed before the British arrived and can still exist today.

Australia’s mistreatment of Indigenous Australians is a national shame. 

These two cases are significant in our attempt to rectify our wrongdoings; however our journey to complete reconciliation is far from over.

My organisation, Youth Off The Streets takes great pride in reconnecting young Indigenous Australians with their history and culture. 

I employ Aboriginal youth workers and case workers to connect to young people and encourage them to be proud of who they are and where they come from.

This reconciliation week I implore all Australians to get involved in your communities reconciliation events. 

I invest in the Aboriginal youth of today, so they can be the leaders of tomorrow.

Father Chris Riley, chief executive, Youth Off The Streets