Letters: Yass Tribune

Dear Editor,

I find it hard to believe Leisa Doggett’s friend had such an awful experience while having her radiation treatment. I have had six weeks of radiation treatment, and I’m still an oncology patient, and at NO time did I have to weave my way through very ill patients, beds in corridors, in lifts etc.

I found all the staff very friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble to make my visits as comfortable as possible.

Hard to believe this (Leisa Doggett’s) story.

J. McDonald 

Yass

An open letter from Fr Chris Riley

Dear Editor,

Education is a real driver of change and it is the key to breaking the cycle of disadvantage among young people. This year, we’re hoping to give 185 young people the opportunity to reach their full potential.

In our experience, when children are born into disadvantaged families they are much more likely to experience disadvantage themselves and these experiences are passed onto their children. It’s a cycle that I’ve dedicated my life to breaking.

I’ve seen firsthand the value of education and how it can help transform young people’s lives, breaking the cycle of disadvantage. That is why Youth Off The Streets invests so heavily in the skills, capabilities and self-confidence of young people through education.

Currently, we have four independent, accredited high schools providing 162 young people with the opportunity to reach their full potential. We have developed our schools with an understanding that mainstream education is not a good fit for all young people, some require a more individualised and flexible approach to their learning which is centred on a young person’s interests and skills.

We’ve also recently launched the National Scholarship Program for 2016. Over the coming months we’re asking students in need of support to apply. It’s for young people aged 16 to 21. We’re able to provide 22 scholarships that will help young people achieve their dream.

Our schools and National Scholarship Program have a common goal: to build on each young person’s strengths. As a result, 185 young people will be one step closer to building a fulfilling future and can continue their path out of the cycle of disadvantage that their families often face.

For more information about our schools, National Scholarship Program or to offer assistance, please call 9330 3500 or visit our website: youthoffthestreets.com.au.

Yours Faithfully,

Father Chris Riley,

CEO and founder at Youth Off The Streets

Taylor thanks Hume for support

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has been sworn in to the government ministry in a ceremony at Government House in Canberra.

 Mr Taylor pledged an oath of office to “well and truly serve” the people of Australia in his new role as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, and to “be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Australia.”

He has thanked the people of Hume for their support:

 “I have been overwhelmed by emails and Facebook messages. It is a very humbling time and I will be doing my best to make my electorate proud.

 “I have been given carriage of two exciting areas of policy development – Cities and Digital Transformation, working directly with the resources of the office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

“The digital portfolio is largely about government getting its own house in order. There’s no question that we’re seeing very big changes across all of the economy in how digital technology is being used to reduce costs and provide better services and, frankly, government is well behind on that.

“There’s a second part to my digital portfolio which is the advancement of digital technologies which use government data and provide government services.

“I’m the first to say, I’m the Assistant Minister for all cities, not just inner cities or capital cities. I’m particularly pleased this role has been given to a regional MP because as we all know, we have a different set of concerns in regional areas.”

Statement from Hume MP Angus Taylor