Assessing how well our political representatives have done over the year is also warranted – particularly as an early election seems increasingly likely.

So how has Ann Sudmalis done in 2017? On the jobs and growth election promise not so well. Wages are still static and even worse, weekend workers have had wages cut (called a gift by Mrs Sudmalis). Now one in three of Gilmore’s youngsters are unemployed.

How about infrastructure? Prior to the 2016 election the Prime Minister and Mrs Sudmalis promised funding for a 21-berth marina in Ulladulla harbour.  Eighteen months on and no marina. Not even an explanation as to why nothing has happened. Mrs Sudmalis said the NBN was going to be “fixed” in Gilmore. She has not done well on that one either - complaints about shoddy infrastructure abound and loads customers are being financially compensated. Amazingly Mrs Sudmalis says a mass of NBN related complaints was to be expected and inferred it was a sign of success. There has also been some staggering flip-flopping. On October 31, 2017 Mrs Sudmalis told media that a Royal Commission into banks would not deliver results for people who had issues with banks. Four weeks later she boasted that a Royal commission would fix everything.

So a performance review of Mrs Sudmalis’ performance would be a sad event. Hopefully she can do better in 2018.

I feel a need to bring to your attention that those of us that are in affordable housing with Bluechip and Southern Cross Housing are under immense distress. The legal contract we sign as a lease gives us no assured housing conditions. I have been here for 12 months and have witnessed many residents having to leave because of the demand of income and personal circumstances.

The income limits are changing and personal circumstances don’t matter. No one can guarantee tomorrow. Even though the rent is paid we are given termination.

A termination under this lease is automatically given a month before renewal. Then there is limited time to vacate.

This affordable housing is putting more housing stress on social housing because of the way the contract is made. A huge turnover is putting already vulnerable people into homelessness and back onto social housing.

I write with a blunt warning. Tragically crystal meth/ice is having a shocking impact on many suburbs and areas of Australia.

In many parts of Australia, crystal meth/ice is now cheaper to buy than even a takeaway pizza. 

Ice is tearing a massive number of families apart. This sadly includes damage to a massive number of Indigenous communities. In some communities, grandparents, parents and children are all using crystal meth.

There is a very big misconception in the community that alcohol is the big issue for Indigenous Australians. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Close to 100 per cent of our clients have been impacted by ice and shock TV ads seem to be having no impact.

We want to see governments everywhere developing rapid response teams to deal with a problem that has frankly got out of hand. People aren’t getting the help they need at the speed that is necessary. The answers lie in the development of rapid response teams.

Young people are so vulnerable. One of the biggest issues is that crystal meth is so potent, it does not take much for people to become addicted.

People can get more information about my organisation at www.adac.org.au.