MAY 2012 EDITION.pdf(6.9mB) - The Monthly Chronicle

10 — Monthly Chronicle, May/June 2012THE AUTHORITY OF WOMENBy Bill AitkenThe moral authority ofboriginal women whoead by example; selfetermination throughollaboration to ‘close thePennant HillsPhysiotherapy CentreMon-Fri 8.00am - 5.30pmDavid YoungMerren Coad • Robyn WillcockWendy MackenziePhysiotherapists2/374 Pennant Hills RoadPennant Hills9484 6300MENS & WOMENSEXERCISE CLASSES AVAILABLESPORTS BACKS NECKSTALKINGTEETHWith Tsen-wei Yap BDS (Syd) Dental SurgeonToothbrushesgap’ on social and mentalhealth issues and thestrengthening oftraditional Aboriginalculture through educationHOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TOOTHBRUSHThere is a huge range of toothbrushes available in the aisleof your neighbourhood supermarket or chemist and choosingone can sometimes be difficult. So let’s see if we can makethings simpler.Electric vs manual. Both provide an equally effective cleanproviding they are used correctly. An electric toothbrush iscertainly less technique sensitive and sometimes amotivation tool to help kids to brush. The elderly may alsofind an electric toothbrush easier to use.Things to look out for:Soft bristles. Dental plaque is very easily removed anddoes not require great force. Soft bristles ensure betteradaptation to the contours of your teeth and are also lessabrasive to gums and root surfaces for those of us that like toscrub.Small head. A toothbrush with a smaller head makes iseasier to get to those hard to reach places in the mouth.Good handle. A larger handle can often help with peoplewho have reduced dexterity. Some toothbrushes on themarket have larger handles that may fit larger hands betteror there are also inserts available on the market that you canplace on any toothbrush.Design and colours. A toothbrush with all of the above isuseless unless it is used! If having a particular cartoon ordesign on a toothbrush means that the kids are eager to useit, then this will be the most important factor in choosing theright toothbrush.Remember to brush twice a day, after breakfast and beforesleep everyday. Use a fluoridated toothpaste andsupplement with floss daily should ensure that your visits tous are simple and stress-free.pennant hills dental centre356 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant HillsPh: 9484 1132 Fax: 9980 7847Email: info@phdc.com.au www.phdc.com.auwere core thoughts ofProfessor LarissaBehrendt who addressedThe Beecroft Forum onThursday, May 10.A Eualeyai/Kamilaroiwoman, ProfessorBehrendt is a barrister;author of several books onindigenous legal issues; anaward winning novelist;Board Member of theMuseum ofContemporary Art, Chairof the Bangarra DanceTheatre and Ambassadorof the Gawura AboriginalCampus at St. Andrew’sCathedral School.She was the firstAboriginal Australian tograduate from HarvardLaw School when shegained her Master of Lawsand Senior Doctorate ofJurisprudence. Presently,she is Professor of Lawand Director of Researchat the JumbunnaIndigenous House ofLearning at UTS, Sydney.Professor Behrendt wasthe inaugural Chairpersonof National IndigenousTelevision Ltd. and shehas been a Director of theSydney Writers’ Festival.Larissa Behrendt iscurrently on theCooperative ResearchCentres (CRC)Committee. She is amember of the Academyof Social Sciences ofAustralia and of theAustralian Academy ofLaw. She is also aCommissioner at the Landand Environment Courtand the Alternate Chair ofthe Serious OffendersReview Board.Professor Behrendtspoke from the heartabout the plight ofAboriginal Australianswhen she argued thathistory (including therecent Intervention) hadbeen more aboutrecognising problemsthan finding solutions tothem.She would like to seeequal opportunity for herpeople as Australians andAboriginal History centralto Australia’s vision ofitself.Arguments thatunacceptable socialpractices were part ofTraditional Culturesurfaced around the timeof the Northern TerritoryIntervention. This, shesaid, was incorrect. Abuseof women and childrenwere never part ofTraditional Culture.“There were nopaedophile rings in theNorthern Territory butthere was exploitation bynon-indigenousperpetrators,” she said.Women, as primary caregivers and protectors holdthe key to closing the gapin many instances, but,“The causes ofAboriginal pain arecomplex and if we oversimplifythe causes we willnever solve the problem,”she continued.Larissa Behrendtbelieves that bettereducation that builds selfesteem through culturalteaching is the rightapproach.She cited teachingEnglish as a secondlanguage in remotecommunities withtraditional language as thefirst language co-taught bythe classroom teacher andcommunity members asan excellent example ofthis approach.“Ideological approachesto Aboriginal people andtheir problems failed torecognise Aboriginalpeople as central todecision making aboutRESEARCH ON DEMENTIA CARERSDr Siobhan O’Dwyer ofGriffith University isconducting research onthe health and wellbeingof people who care forfamily members, friends,or partners with dementiaand Member for Berowra,Philip Ruddock isencouraging local carersto participate in thisstudy.Dr O’Dwyer said thatcarers often put their ownphysical and mental healthat risk supporting peopleSTILL TIMEKu-ring-gai residentshave until 5pm on June 8to comment on theirCouncil’s draft DeliveryProgram and OperationalPlan for 2012/13.The Plan details $173million in spending onlocal services and facilities.The Plan details spendingtotalling $93.4 million onthe delivery of serviceswhile $79.7 million will bespent on capital works andother projects.As well as budgeting forimproving andmaintaining existinginfrastructure such asroads, footpaths, drainage,sporting fields and librariesthe Plan allows forcontinuing work on Keyinitiatives including :thespecial rate infrastructurelevy that is upgrading roadassets; the upgrade of theNorth TurramurraRecreation Area;construction of a newindoor aquatic and leisurefacility; the purchase ofproperties for open space;a new building worksprogram funded by a LocalInfrastructure RenewalScheme loan; completionof Council’s new worksdepot and continuation ofa special eight-yearenvironmental program ofworks funded from theEnvironmental LevyThe plan is on publicexhibition until June 8 atCouncil Chambers, Kuring-gaiLibrary branchesand on Council’s website:www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/exhibitionComments on thedocument must beprovided as a writtensubmission addressed towith dementia, and thatresearch like this was onestep towards betterunderstanding andsupporting the needs ofcarers.“If you are currently themain provider of care orsupport for a familymember, friend or spousewith dementia, theGriifith team would liketo hear about yourexperience. If youpreviously provided careor support for a personthe General Manager, Kuring-gaiCouncil, LockedBag 1056, Pymble NSW2073, or via email tokmc@kmc.nsw.gov.auAll submissions arepublic documents and willwith dementia who isnow in aged care or hasrecently passed away, theywould also like to hearfrom you,” PhilipRuddock said.You can get involved bycompleting an anonymoussurvey on the type of careor support you provide,your health, and youremotional wellbeing. Yourparticipation will help toincrease communityawareness of dementia andpromote better support forbe considered in a finalreport to Council.Ku-ring-gai’s Draft LocalCentres Plan is alsocurrently on exhibitionand open for commentuntil Monday June 18. ItCELEBRATINGTHE JUBILEEMembers of Ku-ring-gaiEvening VIEW Club willbe celebrating theDiamond Jubilee of QueenElizabeth 11 at a specialluncheon on June 22.A guest speaker willdiscuss the Queen, herCoronation and theDiamond Jubilee.All the pageantry andsplendour of ceremonialexcellence for whichBritain is renowned will beProf. Larissa Behrendttheir own lives andcommunities.“Self determination andrespect from thecommunity andgovernments at all levelscould provide thesolution to the problems.Rather than crisismanagement ofAboriginal affairs, thebest outcomes have beenshown to be whenAboriginal people havesolved their problemsthemselves,” ProfessorBehrendt concluded beforetaking questions from theaudience of around 200people.carers.To be sent a hard copyof the survey, pleasecontact Dr SiobhanO’Dwyer on (07) 37356619 or s.odwyer@griffith.edu.auTo complete the surveyonline go to https://prodsurvey.rcs.griffith.edu.au/ dementiacaresurveyThis study has beenapproved by the GriffithUniversity HumanResearch EthicsCommittee.can be viewed online atwww.kmc.nsw.gov.au(click on Local CentresPlan on the front page),or at Ku-ring-gai CouncilChambers.evident at the ThamesRiver Pageant planned forJune 3. Among numerousevents throughout themonth will be a horseshow at Windsor andthanksgiving services at St.Paul’s Cathedral andWestminster Abbey.Around the world, 2,012beacons will be lit to helpcelebrate the Jubilee.