What’s wrong with implementing wage increases tied to inflation rather than blowouts paid for by forcing extra rates variations on taxpayers. Better still, get rid of a few dead weights within council and use the savings to cover wage increases for those that merit them.

Anarchy – lack of government in society. If we had had government regulation and control there would have been no need for a Banking Royal Commission.

It is not a time for sorry. If the upper echelons in the business world turn out to be crooks – heads must roll – these contrite po-faced actors, sly-eyed generals of deception, through sophisticated billion-dollar swindles, as common thieves, have earned the right for incarceration in jail.

Privatisation erodes responsible government to the extent decisions become subservient to capitalist culture – the inherent breeding ground for inequality and political instability.

When I decided to run as Country Labor candidate for the seat of South Coast, I resolved to run a positive grassroots campaign, focusing on the needs of the local residents. 

However, I feel compelled to respond to wildly inaccurate and misleading statements by the Member for South Coast, Shelley Hancock, and the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward.

They have claimed: "The Labor candidate for South Coast obviously has no understanding of models of paediatric nursing" and that I have never advocated for Shoalhaven Hospital.

I want to set the record straight. I have been a nurse for 41 years, the last 15 of which I worked as a midwife at Shoalhaven Hospital.

I have worked in both the United Kingdom and Australia – at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London, the Sydney Children's Hospital and in the special care nurseries at Wollongong and Shoalhaven hospitals. 

I have held positions as secretary and delegate of the Shoalhaven Hospital branch of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association and was a councillor of the association.

In these positions I have advocated strongly for the best care for patients- such as the splitting of the large Medical Ward into two more manageable sized wards so that our nurses could provide safer care.

I spoke to hospital management about the paediatric bay in the Emergency Ward not being staffed at night resulting in it now being staffed 24 hours a day, making it safer for children.

I have also spoken out about the constant bed block, including the time three patients were in the Emergency Department for over 50 hours, waiting for a bed in the hospital and for mandated nurse/patient ratios.

This would mean hundreds more nurses across the state and result in safer care for patients.

Finally, I was proud earlier this year to be named the Illawarra/Shoalhaven midwife of the year, not only for my patient care but for my advocacy for my patients and colleagues.

I cannot direct the members how to run their campaigns, however I will not hesitate to defend myself against any future false claims.

Put simply, I know more about paediatric nursing and Shoalhaven Hospital than Shelley Hancock and Gareth Ward combined.