SENATOR PAT DODSON

I lead a varied and exciting existence here in busy Greystanes. In between hours of severe introspection in front of the bathroom mirror, taking out the bins on garbage night and swinging a golf club unconvincingly, another component of this life lies in writing letters to politicians and education authorities. I do it as part of a role that both Kerry and I have in an association. Don't mind doing it actually as it does help fill in the time.

 

However, this update is not meant to inform regarding the goings-on in the wild and zany post-work world of yours truly. Rather, it's to do with something that happened this week concerning one of those letters I sent.

 

Over the last six months, I've dispatched close to one hundred letters/ emails/ messages to politicians (at both federal and state levels) on subjects as diverse as education, aged health care, superannuation, CPI stuff, refugees, Aboriginal affairs, taxation and trade union autonomy..........and then some.

 

Typically, the politicians (of all major parties) reply by acknowledging receipt of the respective letters and then referring them to their office or parliamentary staff, or a more appropriate minister to answer. I take no great umbrage with this as the amount of mail (in whatever format) that these people might receive on a monthly basis would be enormous. It's cool as far as I'm concerned. And I usually end up with a message/ answer from 'someone' at the end of the process.

 

All of this happened routinely until I sent a 'reference' letter to Senator Pat Dodson a couple of weeks ago. The issue is unimportant here. In my introduction, I indicated to the senator that no response was required from him but its purpose was just to bring him up to speed with a decision our association had made which he might like to know about.

 

Now check this...... Senator Dodson reads the letter and then takes the time to pen a lengthy response to the issues raised including his party's current policy, his feelings about said issues and he finishes off by wishing our association good luck with our enquiries and offering his office's services should there be any further information that we need.

 

I don't know much about Senator Pat Dodson. I know he wears a hat and has a long beard. But I'll be taking an 'enhanced' interest in him as from now.