CARR'S TRIP

THE other day I listened to the Premier of NSW, Bob Carr, speaking on radio
about his Government's use of cannabis for the relief of pain associated
with chronic illnesses.

He used his experience of visiting a young MP in the advanced stages of
cancer and seeing his pain and discomfort as the catalyst for his
Government's action.

I wonder what his thoughts would have been without this experience. It goes
without saying that all politicians should follow Premier Carr's example and
visit hospitals, police stations, small businessmen and schools to see the
problems and frustrations the people at the coalface have to face on a daily
basis.

Pollies have meetings to discuss these problems but these tend to be "show
the face" exercises with no outcomes, half the people at the meeting
crawling to the pollie telling them how wonderful he or she is, instead of
laying it on the line to them and telling them to do something constructive.

An increase in funding is not the answer to most of the problems: work
practices and the genuine support of our elected representatives certainly
is. They should not need a personal experience to get them off their
backsides.

MAL McFETRIDGE, Safety Bay.