Queanbeyan Age Letters to the editor | October 4

Consequences of this will be a decline in the quality of coffee and increasing prices.

Finally, is this what it takes to convince the average person in the street that climate change is real and affects everyone?

Kevin Chamberlain, Queanbeyan

Senator Seselja's platitudinous, avuncular article waxing lyrical about children and "our duty to help young people" appears diametrically at odds with his Parliamentary voting and pronouncements (Help to protect our local children, Chronicle/QA, 20 September, p.14).  He, as Coalition member, advocates abandonment of hard fought  Gonski school funding which will compromise education equality. Senator Seselja voted for reducing student loan repayment earning limits reduction to $52k (from $55). Additionally he voted to reduce ABC and SBS funding, both educational sources for youth.

Allying himself with former ACT chief minster Kate Carnell, he is a vociferous advocate for elimination of penalty rates, which are vital to youngsters survival when they first emerge into the workplace. As assistant minister for social services, he is in position, should he decide, to prevent carers from losing their already meagre stipends.

Abuse can take many forms and to restrict it to institutions and domestic settings is a narrow perspective, and always reactive. Children will mature into a world progressively impacted by global warming so policy makers are obligated to act in their interests, to do otherwise would be betrayal and abuse. Seselja's voting to repeal legislation directed to reducing CO² represented an abrogation of that grave responsibility, as did voting to reduce funding to Australian's Renewable Energy Agency, plus refusing to support investigations of marine resources. Similarly the Senator supports unconventional gas mining (fracking) and increased funding for roads.  

Senator Seselja's parliamentary voting pattern suggests a less caring attitude bequeathed to posterity, than might be projected in his pronouncements.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

Every 10 minutes an Australian has a stroke. Every 10 minutes someone’s life changes forever.

Stroke is shockingly common in Australia. Yet despite the devastation it causes, this disease is largely unrecognised by the broader community – until it happens to a loved one, a friend or a colleague. Stroke is largely preventable, but we know that almost 50,000 new and recurring strokes will happen this year. Stroke is treatable but again we know that many stroke patients will miss out on lifesaving treatment because they don’t get to hospital on time.

Stroke strikes suddenly and often without any warning. When it does happens, every minute counts. Time is brain. For every minute that parts of the brain are left without oxygen, brain cells are dying. A speedy reaction to stroke can mean the difference between life and death or permanent disability. Stroke doesn’t have to be a death sentence, it is treatable but people need to know the signs of stroke and get to hospital fast. Every stroke is a medical emergency.

It is our mission to stop stroke, save lives and end the suffering caused by this devastating disease.

It will take the combined efforts of the community, health professionals and governments to achieve this mission. I know together we can prevent, treat and beat stroke.

Sharon McGowan, Stroke Foundation chief executive officer