It is with great concern and disappointment, but not surprising, we have to declare that the brief hope we had for a nuclear-weapons-free future, through the efforts of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) and supporters, for the present, has been derailed. And there is no hope that this present Labor government will keep its commitment to signing the treaty.
The recent gathering of the G7 in Hiroshima, at which Albanese was present, has scuttled the whole process with more lip service and rhetoric, and nothing concrete to move into the future. Political parties! Who needs them?!
As for the so-called Greens party, we suggest their behaviour is schizophrenic; after all they did get behind the Labor Party in a big way by giving their preferences.
What we need is good strong Independents with principles like Ted Mack (ex-mayor of North Sydney) in the late ’80s, who refused to take his perks and guaranteed lifelong pension on retirement, along with MP Andrew Wilkie. And we need the public to get off their apathetic and complacent butts, and attempt to keep politicians accountable.
As for the so-called ‘Chinese threat’, Australia would be in a far worse economic position if it wasn’t for the cheap labour and trade that we get from them.
What hope is there for Julian Assange? Just more verbal diarrhoea.
How anyone could possibly trust the government with this referendum vote, is beyond our comprehension. Truth, justice, treaty and a Bill of Rights for all.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
