I must say, I am thoroughly disgusted by MP Justine Elliot’s response (published on your website) to the vigil for Gaza that was held outside her office last week by a local humanitarian group. She didn’t show a single shred of compassion or humanity for all of the innocent lives being lost there. Instead she ignored the banners that said ‘Let Our Children Live’ and chose to smear the demonstrators.
She claimed that they prevented her office from providing assistance to constituents, she implied that they were somehow abusive, disrespectful and that they made her staff’s work environment unsafe.
This is incorrect, as was plain to see on the live-stream of the event (via Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine.) They were repeatedly thanked by the police for their peaceful and cooperative demonstration. They did not pose any threat to the staff therein or try to block access or interfere with their work in any way.
It seems strange that Justine should avoid acknowledging the suffering of ordinary people, who suffer in part from the way in which she has consistently voted against parliamentary motions that would improve the situation in Gaza. Why would a politician from a civilised country pledge their allegiance in such a way to what I would call a genocidal apartheid state? It shouldn’t even be a political decision, it is just about basic human decency and morality. If that is all she has to say on the matter then it begs the question as to whether Justine Elliot is really fit to be your representative at 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. 
