Wealthy older women seek young hunks

A New York entrepreneur made headlines this week when he announced his latest creation, Natural Selection Speed Date II: Sugar Mamas & Boy Toys.  As the name implies, this is a speed dating event matching up mature women of means with young and mostly penniless, hunks.  Apparently, it is a win-win situation for the two people involved.  There is also an argument to be made for the fact that rich men have been collecting eye candy for centuries, so why can’t wealthy women do the same?  But I have to ask, is this simply a case of sexism in reverse?

27 year old entrepreneur Jeremy Abelson, received a lot of angry complaints from feminists last year when he hosted the first ‘Natural Selection’ event for rich men wanting to hook up with gorgeous younger women.  So I have to wonder whether men’s groups will be opposed to this latest Abelson venture?  Hmm, probably not.  Men don’t tend to get their knickers in a knot about these sorts of issues.

Of course there will be some small squeak of protest from those men who have been rejected by a career orientated woman.  About a week ago I wrote about career women in Sydney being blamed for a shortage of donar sperm.  What particularly peeved me off about this story is the comments from some of the men who believed that these career women wanted Brad Pitt look alikes with a bank account to match.  Brad Pitt look alikes maybe, but the popularity of the New York event proves that young hunks don’t need a bank roll to show these women a good time. 

Successful women are financially independent, so a guy with money doesn’t impress them.  They want a man who can make them feel good about who they are and nothing says this better than an attentive younger man who is easy on the eyes. 

Now before you guys start sending those angry comments my way, please consider what you would do in the same position.  If you’re honest, not one of you wouldn’t rather have an attentive and hot young thing on your arm, than an average woman who matches you in age and experience.

Not being a woman of means, I can only imagine the giddy thrill of dating a young hunk now that I’m 38 and divorced.  I don’t begrudge these successful New York women who have signed up for the chance to capture the affections of a younger man.  I can imagine for as long as it lasts, it’s a win-win situation for the two people involved.  But is it a case of sexism against men?  Possibly.  However, I have no doubt both parties will still respect each other in the morning.   

Aussie kids consume too much salt

The amount of salt being consumed by Australian children tops the agenda for International Salt Awareness Week.  Research suggests Aussie kids consume over twice the recommended daily allowance of salt, leading to health problems in later life.

Key players in the food industry, government and health will consider the issue at an event being hosted by The George Institute for International Health at the State Library of New South Wales.

Salt raises the blood pressure of children leading to hypertension in adults.  Although the health problems associated with hypertension do not appear until later life, researchers say these problems are strongly influenced by childhood health.

Chairman of the Australian Division of World Action on Salt & Health (AWASH) Dr Bruce Neal said, “Parents in our poll reported that children are frequently eating salty snacks.  Many of the staple foods eaten by Australian children also have a lot of salt in them.  This can make it extremely difficult for parents to keep salt intakes at a healthy level.”

The Australian National Health and Research Council recommends a maximum upper level of 3.5g salt per day for 4-8 year olds, and 5g for 9-13 year olds.  As you can see from the table above, the average Aussie kid consumes almost twice that. 

AWASH wants to work with government to make salt reduction a national health priority.  The ‘Drop the Salt’ campaign will run for the next five years to reduce salt intake in the Australian population to 6 grams a day.

source: AAP

Mother chooses family pet over her own child’s safety

The mother of a little boy who was mauled by the family’s 50kg mastiff-staffordshire cross has said she won’t be getting rid of the family pet.  Alicia Cottier told the media she blamed her two year old son, Noah Newbold for the attack.  Pardon me for being so blunt, but this woman is a complete moron.  How can she possibly consider keeping the dog after the animal attacked her young child?

Two year old Noah Newbold (pictured) has a permanent reminder of the day the beloved family pet bit him for pulling on her ears–a scar on his left eyelid.  Paramedics who attended the scene said the little boy was lucky he didn’t lose the sight in his left eye.  But despite this, his mother is adamant she won’t be getting rid of the mastiff-staffordshire cross.

Surely the safety and well being of a child is more important than the family pet?  I love my dog but if he bit a young child, he’d be packed off to the pound immediately. 

I recall when my oldest child was born, I asked my brother to surrender my cat to the pound after I found her sitting on my newborn’s head.  As much as I loved the cat, I loved my son more and I wasn’t prepared to take the risk that she would inadvertently suffocate him whilst my back was turned.  I know she didn’t mean him any harm.  But I had to do what was necessary to protect my child.  So it is hard for me to understand Alicia Cottier’s decision to choose the family pet over the safety of her own child.

Managing Director of Bark Busters Australia, Bryan Edwards says children and the family dog can live in harmony if dog owners have a better understanding of man’s best friend.  In a statement released to the media today Mr Edwards said:

“Firstly, you have to remember that a dog is a dog. The greatest misconception many dog owners have is to assume their dogs communicate the way humans do. Dogs live by the same pack rules and exhibit many of the same behavioural patterns as their wild ancestors. To effectively train your dog, you must first understand its instinctual pack behaviour.”

“Ultimately nothing beats a parent’s vigilance. For example, NEVER leave a baby unattended. Even though you might think your dog is a little human on four legs, dogs are still wild creatures that have just been domesticated. If given the right circumstances they can still behave in the same way as a creature in the wild. Don’t take anything for granted. Always ensure that you watch the baby when your dog is around.”

What concerns most of us who oppose the mother’s decision, is what will the dog do next time little Noah annoys her?  The toddler was very lucky this time.  But will he be so lucky next time around when the dog attacks?  You have to wonder where this mother’s priorities are if she is willing to take such an unacceptable risk.  Let us hope we never have to tell Alicia Cottier, ‘I told you so’ in the not too distant future.

Australian women need access to more effective contraception

Marie Stopes International has called on the Australian media to throw a spotlight on contraception after a survey revealed 60 per cent of women who have experienced an unplanned pregnancy were using contraception.  The leading sexual and reproductive healthcare organisation also called on the government to provide better access to range of contraception options.

Australian women have more options for contraception than ever before.  But according to the report ‘Real Choices: Women, Contraception & Unplanned Pregnancy’ by Marie Stopes International, women are not using them and more has to be done to provide better access to the less established methods for preventing unplanned pregnancy.

The research commissioned by Marie Stopes International upon which the ‘Real Choices’ report is based, revealed that 65 per cent of women who experienced an unplanned pregnancy were using more traditional contraception: the oral contraceptive pill (43%) or a condom (22%).   This is surprising when you consider 63 per cent of unplanned pregnancies were experienced by women under the age of 24.  We would expect women in this younger age group to be more aware of all the reproductive choices available to them.  So more has to be done to provide better access to emergency contraception and other alternatives to the more established oral contraceptive pill.  

A staggering 80 per cent of women who experienced an unplanned pregnancy did not seek emergency contraception.  Of these, 44 per cent believed they wouldn’t become pregnant during sexual intercourse.  This suggests to me that a significant proportion of the community still believes that a female can’t fall pregnant after just one sexual encounter.  This is a myth which has persisted for years and more has to be done to educate young people and the wider community about sex and reproduction.

More also has to be done to increase better access to emergency contraception.  I know there is some opposition to this in the community, mainly from pro-life groups.  However, the survey did reveal that 36 per cent of unplanned pregnancies occured because women were not expecting to have sexual intercourse.  Providing better access to emergency contraception such as, the ‘morning after pill’ will reduce the numbers of women seeking abortion procedures.  I am pro-choice and therefore, I support a woman’s right to choose.  But I think some of you would agree that swallowing a pill is a much less traumatic for a women than the act of seeking an abortion.

The report also revealed that only 10 per cent of women felt comfortable asking their partner to use a condom to protect against sexually transmitted diseases.  Therefore, the onus is still on the male to use a condom during sexual intercourse.  Men need to be aware of this and not assume a woman will ask him to wear a condom because this research proves that even if she is concerned about STD’s, a female is unlikely to make such a request.

Almost 75 per cent of women surveyed on behalf of Marie Stopes International said they want better access to a range of contraception choices.  At present, the majority of women are using the oral contraceptive to prevent unplanned pregnancy.  Although research has proved that oral contraceptives are very effective when used properly, strict compliance is a major problem.   More women should be given the option of the contraceptive injection or the implant to prevent unplanned pregnancy.  For more information about these and other contraceptive options, please see the Marie Stopes International website, or Family Planning in your state or territory.

The report also pointed out that women are not using abortion as a method of contraception. A myth which has persisted for years and is often perpetuated by pro-life groups.  When you consider the potential for long lasting psychological and emotional damage.  No woman would consciously use abortion as a method of contraception.

Australian Women Online also calls on the government to provide better access to a range of contraception options for women.  The oral contraceptive pill is not the only option available and more women need to be encouraged to exercise their right to access other reproductive options, including emergency contraception.

Updated 31 January 2008

The Natural Family Planning Program has joined the debate about contraception.  Please note that the methods of contraception promoted by Natural Family Planning Program do not work.  There have been countless studies done over the years to prove this and I would discourage any woman from placing their faith in this well meaning, but very naive organisation.

Should the government compensate the stolen generation?

I don’t think any of us can judge too harshly the actions of those who are seeking monetary compensation for the stolen generation.  There is some validity to their claim that being stolen from their families as children has had a negative impact on both individuals and Indigenous communities.  However, awarding monetary compensation to those children who were forcibly removed from their families, will do nothing to address the disadvantaged position of Indigenous Australians.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he will make a formal apology to Indigenous Australians for the stolen generation when Parliament resumes in February. The government says the apology is only the first step in the government’s plan to address the issues currently facing Indigenous Australians. But Mr Rudd is adamant there will be no compensation funds established for the stolen generation, a move which has outraged some in the Indigenous community.

Although the federal government has refused to compensate the stolen generation, courts and the Tasmanian state government have responded to individual claims for monetary compensation.

Recently the Premier of Tasmania, Paul Lennon announced a compensation package for more than 100 members of the stolen generation:

“The payments I announce today to those whose lives have been so deeply affected by this flawed policy of separation are a symbolic recognition of the pain, suffering and dislocation they have experienced.”

In 2007 the Supreme Court of South Australia awarded more than half a million dollars to Bruce Trevorrow for the pain and suffering he endured after being forcibly removed from his Aboriginal family.  So far he is the only member of the stolen generation to successfully sue for compensation in the court system.

Awarding monetary compensation to individuals is all well and good.  But what impact will this really have on their lives and the lives of the Indigenous community?  Sure, it will financially assist the individual for a little while, but sooner or later he or she will still be faced with the inherent disadvantages of being an Indigenous Australian.  So wouldn’t the money be better spent funding programs and initiatives which will change the outcomes for current and future generations of Indigenous Australians?  I think what the Rudd Government is planning to do (and I hope they do follow through with it) is a much better solution to handing over wads of cash to individuals affected by assimiliation policies in the last century.

I agree the federal government must take action to address the disadvantages facing Indigenous Australians.  But this action must be for the benefit of all Indigenous Australians, not just those individuals who are members of the stolen generation.  Indigenous Australia needs a hand up, not a hand out.

Simple solutions when you just can’t shift your clutter:

I’m so thrilled with the five awesome financial wins I’ve had over the last 3 weeks. In fact they have totalled over $3,000 Aussie dollars ($2,644.00 US) which is a combination of money being saved very unexpectedly and cash.

Better still I know it’s all to do with my focus of detoxing and simplifying my life. I’ve gently gone through cupboards, draws and secret spaces added a good dose of bravery and eliminated allot of stuff which doesn’t support who I am today. I’ve simplified most of my bills and a few crazy habits that I made complex like shopping for food.

The more I eliminate and the more I simplify the energy around me and in my home the more blessings and opportunities open up for me.

I have personally witnessed stunning changes to literally hundreds of peoples lives when they eliminated, eliminated and eliminated some more all the stuff around them. Most started out very slowly due to the strong emotions they had attached to their things but finished with clutter cleverness after three or four months. Yeah!

Nine simple solutions to over come your clearing clutter obstacles:

Find one or two proven solutions which speak to you from the list below then let your clutter be afraid, be very afraid.

You may also like to read my previous article on cluttering clearing called delete obstacles and welcome a rush of new opportunities.

1. Be gentle on yourself as there is absolutely no rush:
A home overcrowded with stuff creates foggy thinking which can prevent you from starting. Lighten your load by knowing it is not a race, there is no rush and you can’t make a mistake. Just keep saying to yourself “I gently remove clutter at my own pace”.

Think gently and never think of all the clutter in your entire home all at once. Only focus on one very small space at a time.

Think and feel gentle by calming and relaxing your breath. Long, slow deep breathes will oxygenate your body and relax your mind. Keep repeating ” I gently remove clutter at my own pace”

2. If you need more inspiration to get started then read this book:
I can personally guarantee that there is not one person who has read the following book who has not then been able to tackle their clutter with enthusiasm. The book is very simple and easy to read and called Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui and written by Karen Kingston.

3. Focus on only one small space at a time:
Start small.You are not climbing Mount Everest. Focus on one draw a week until you have finished all the draws in your home. Nothing more and nothing less.

Spend 1% of your day which is 15 minutes emptying out the contents and making brave choices about what to keep, throw out or give away. Once you have completed all the draws in the house then you can progress to shelves, under the beds and cupboards. Just focus your attention on one small space at a time. I’ve also provided a list below giving you links to freecycle web sites just in case you are not sure who to give your good stuff to.

4. Do it with a close friend:
Your friends are not attached to your stuff. They will have your best interest at heart and can easily talk you out of keeping too much unnecessary stuff. I know for a fact this solution has worked extremely well for many people.

5. Do it to fabulous music:
Find yourself the most fabulous happy uplifting piece of music that you absolutely love and play it loud. The music stops your resisting thoughts getting the better of you, uplifts your spirits and allows you to throw out more easily. Click here and listen to some uplifting Bobby McFerrin “Don’t worry be happy”. I actually bought this CD and its such fun to play when doing the housework or to shift the kids moods. An all time classic.

6. Find your groove:
My groove is early in the morning when my thinking is not distributed and distracted easily. Yours might be late at night when everyone is asleep. Clear your clutter when you have the most energy and focus.

7. Sometimes its better just not to involve the kids and other family members:
If I left the decisions up to my kids they would never throw out any of their old toys out. Going through my kids cupboards is much, much, much easier when they are not around. Keep in mind though it might be easier (for you personally) having them around if they are happy to give their old clothes and toys to people who will be thrilled to get them.

8. Take some flower essences to shift your internal resistance:
If you are open or into vibrational remedies then flower essences taken a few days before you want to start clearing your clutter can the most perfect solution.

Clearing the internal emotional resistance with a few drops of flower essences can be an easy and gentle way to dissolve your attachment to your things. Clearing clutter is now only a bottle away.

I love and have studied with Ian White the founder of the Australian bush flower essences. I personally use bottle brush whose energetic properties are all about letting go. There is also a few blends which may appeal to you such as “abundance essence” and “purifying essence”. If you live in Australia they can easily be bought in good health food store. If you live in America I have personally used and love Alaskan essences.

Alternately I can recommend a practitioner Jannette Tibbs who can mail you a bottle anywhere in the world. Jannette can easily make you up a special space clearing brew to shift the energies internally for you so you can create the desired and long awaited shifts externally. You can visit Jannette here.

9. If you need daily instructions then grab your free 2008 decluttering calendar:
If you need simple and easy daily instructions then get yourself a free copy of the 2008 Declutter Calendar. I personally do not use it but I’m sure if you need daily reminders it will be the perfect tool for you.

Useful resources:

Give away your stuff to someone who really needs them.

Freecycle – give away your stuff for free to someone who needs it: Australian

E-cycled – don’t throw it away, give it away – Australian

Freecycle – changing the world one gift at a time – Global

Thanks for reading my article,

Carole Fogarty: The Healthy Living Lounge:

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Detox your money worries: Free wealthy habits calender

Delete obstacles and welcome a rush of new opportunities:

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‘The Week the Women Went’ social experiment: can the men survive on their own?

We all know women can survive without men and now thanks to a social experiment initiated by a documentary film crew in Canada, we know that the reverse is also true…Well, for at least a week anyway.

Canada’s national broadcaster conducted a social experiment in the town of Hardisty in the province of Alberta.  They packed up all the women in the town and sent them off to a resort for one week and then filmed the men as they carried out the duties of house work, sole parent and bread winner.  Most of these men had never been alone with their children for more than a few hours and many had no experience juggling the responsibilities of primary care giver with full-time employment.  It wasn’t easy for the guys of this working-class town.  But overall, the men of Hardisty did their women proud and put this small Canadian town on the map.

Reaction to the documentary ’The Week the Women Went’ has been mostly positive.  But there was a small section of the Alberta community who labelled the social experiment as sexist against men.  “What a misandric (man hating) idea for show,” said a viewer identified as Andrew. “What is wrong with Canadian society that we need to continuously promote how important women are to society at the expense of men.”

Prior to filming, the men of Hardisty were pretty confident that they could handle all the responsibilities at home in addition to holding down a full-time job.  The women of the small Canadian town weren’t so confident in their abilities, with one woman saying, “It will be a disaster, a complete disaster.”  Of course it wasn’t a disaster and both sexes survived the social experiment in tact, all be it, slightly altered by the experience.

Reuters reported that one man who had been avoiding marriage for ten years, arranged a surprise wedding for his girlfriend upon her return to Hardisty.  But more importantly, the social experiment has brought this small community together.  And the whole event has done more to bridge the gap between the sexes in one town than anything else I’ve ever seen.

Of course the documentary will not be screened in Australia.  But fortunately you can still watch it on the Internet.  Click here to watch ’The Week the Women Went‘ on the web.

 

The Grey Cover-up: the decision to dye or not to dye, your hair

I was reading Caroline Baum’s article Silver Linings which appeared in the Good Weekend section of the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, when it occurred to me that I could no longer avoid the question. I had to make a decision about whether to dye the grey out of my hair, or let nature takes it’s course?

For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to read the article by Caroline (pictured), here’s a brief overview. Australian writer and TV presenter Caroline Baum explores the pros and cons of resisting the temptation to dye your hair as you age. Caroline also spoke to several high profile Australian women (Julia Blake, Diana Simmonds, Robyn Nevin and Betty Churcher) about their decision to eventually adopt the salt and pepper look, after years of covering up the grey.

The first strands of coarse silver hair appeared on my head about four years ago. At least, that’s when my first born had pointed them out to me. Although I was only 34 at the time, it was a problem easily rectified. I just plucked the offending strands out of my scalp and went on with my life. But over time, it become more and more difficult to keep up with the regrowth and I can tell you from personal experience, the old cliche is true: for every grey hair you pluck out of your head, two grow in it’s place. After about a year of regular plucking, I finally had to admit defeat and let my new grey, grow wild and free. After all, I still had lots of long, brown hair. Who was going to notice those silver strands lurking in the undergrowth? Certainly not me because I vowed never to look at my own reflection again!

For three years I coasted along in blissful ignorance. I knew the grey was still there, but I no longer saw it in those brief glimpses of my own reflection. I saw only what I wanted to see, my natural hair colour. Then along comes Caroline Baum looking more fabulous with grey hair than I’ve ever looked with my natural hair colour, and several high profile Australian women whom I also admire, all giving me permission to age gracefully. Dare I break with convention and let my hair age along with the rest of my body?

It’s all well and good to let the silver lining cast a shadow over my crown and glory whilst I am working and studying at home. I can be fearless wearing my pj’s to work and letting my hair grow long and grey. These are but two advantages of being a freelance writer and blogger. But what if I want to venture outside for longer than it takes to collect the weekly groceries? What if I’m invited to Parliament House? Well, okay that will never happen. But what if I need to take a regular job, or attend a seminar, or a convention? International Women’s Day is coming up in March and I have been thinking about attending one of the events. No. I could never appear in a public forum with silver locks running through my hair at the tender age of 38.

I admire all the women who appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald article. But I’m no Caroline Baum and I know it.

By Deborah Robinson

The scientific study of pregnant women

Thanks to ’scientific research’ the list of pregnancy don’ts seems to be growing longer with each passing day.  Earlier in the week scientists were warning pregnant women to abstain from drinking coffee.  Now researchers say they have established a link between what a woman eats in pregnancy and obesity in their offspring.  But is all this scientific research of any real benefit to women, or is it just putting unnecessary pressure on mothers-to-be?

On Tuesday researchers in the United States were patting themselves on the back for establishing a link between caffeine and miscarriage during pregnancy.  According to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, drinking two or more cups of coffee per day increased the risk of miscarriage during pregnancy.  One of the authors of the study, Dr De-Kun Li from the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, recommended that pregnant women and those who are trying to conceive, stop drinking coffee, tea, hot chocolate and caffeinated soft drinks all together.  The findings were based on a study of 1,063 pregnant women covered under the Kaiser Permanente health plan.  Researchers based their conclusions on the fact that 15 per cent of the women consumed 200mg or more of caffeine per day and 16.8 per cent of the women participating in the study miscarried.  However, authors of the study neglect to mention that the percentage of miscarriages in this study was only slightly higher than the national average in the United States.

Although researchers have been trying to establish a link between caffeine and miscarriage during pregnancy for years, scientists can only guess why caffeine is potentially harmful to the developing foetus.  Furthermore, researchers cannot account for those caffeine junkies like myself, who carried their babies to full term with no problems at all.  I’m not suggesting pregnant women should continue to drink coffee by the gallon.  But I would hate to see a situation where a coffee drinker who has had a miscarriage is made to feel guilty for consuming a legal and common substance like caffeine.

Perhaps an even more troubling study released this week was the results of an Australian study which said they had established a link between what a mother eats during pregnancy and obesity in her offspring.  The researchers claim they can prove fat mothers are more likely to have fat children, after studying the behaviour of pregnant rats in a laboratory.  I think the researchers are making a giant leap here and are putting unnecessary pressure on expectant mothers who may indulge a little during pregnancy.  The study made no mention of the relationship between genes and obesity, or the eating habits parents introduce to their children after they are born, two risk factors which are much more likely to produce an obese child.  

Unlike human beings, laboratory rats cannot control the amount and types of food they are given access to.  So stuffing a group of pregnant rats with high calorie foods, does not a causal link make.  This study is a croc! 

My biggest criticism of these studies is they make women feel unnecessarily guilty about their lifestyle choices, especially if their baby is born with less than perfect health.  

It must be remembered that these studies are not absolute truths.  They merely strive (at great expense I might add) to prove a link between a specific behaviour and increased risk to the developing foetus.  But increased risks are not scientific fact and women shouldn’t be made to feel guilty based on what are essentially just statistical correlations.

The truth is no-one really knows what causes the bulk of miscarriages during pregnancy.  I am not suggesting we give up the search for answers.  But these attempts by the scientific community to establish very tenuous links between lifestyle choices and miscarriage as fact, benefits no-one. 

By Deborah Robinson

Australian of the Year for 2008 is Lee Kernaghan

Country music legend Lee Kernaghan has been named Australian of the Year for 2008 at a ceremony in front of Parliament House in Canberra.  In his tribute to the Australian of the Year, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said:

“Lee Kernaghan’s music resonates with every Australian by connecting us all to the spirit of the bush, but more importantly he gives hope and pride to those on the land when they need inspiration most.”

“He has rolled up his sleeves to make a real difference for those in need in rural Australia. Lee is truly an Australian to make us all proud, you would have to travel a long way to find a better, more genuine bloke then Lee.”

Lee Kernaghan described receiving the award for Australian of the Year as the proudest moment of his life.

“In all my dreams, I could never have imagined that I’d receive an award like this. It’s been a huge surprise and, without doubt, it’s the greatest honour I have ever been given in my entire life,” said Lee.

“I don’t think it’s really totally sunk in yet, but it’s a humbling experience because I know there is at least a list a mile long of more worthy recipients for the award than myself.”

“But now that I have been given the honour, I also feel I have a responsibility to do my very best by my fellow Australians and that’s what I am going to be doing.”

Congratulations Lee from all of us at Australian Women Online. 

Micro-finance entrepreneur David Bussau was named Senior Australian of the Year.  Thirty years ago David went to Bali to help rebuild rural areas devastated by an earthquake and found that traditional development solutions still left poor families trapped in poverty. He realised poor people wanted work because with jobs they could start to solve many of their other problems.  His solution was to offer small business loans – a hand up instead of a hand out. David established the non-profit Maranatha Trust to fulfil his dream of helping the poor help themselves.

World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner was named Young Australian of the Year.  At just 22 years of age, Casey is the World MotoGP Champion. He first competed in MotoGP racing when he was four years old, in a race for under-nine’s, and he won his first national title at the ripe old age of six. By the time he was fourteen he had won 41 dirt and long track titles and 70 state titles. In a single weekend he won 32 of 35 races and all of the five titles up for grabs. Because the legal age for road racing in Australia is 16, his family took him to compete in Europe. After a string of successes since then, last year he finally accomplished his ambition of racing in the fastest and most prestigious of the cycle racing classes. With his highly competitive attitude Casey took on the best in the world and won.

The honour of Australia’s Local Hero of the Year went to my favourite for the award, Jonathon Welch.  Jonathon touched the heart of the nation when he demonstrated the power of singing in building and renewing promising lives that had been saddened and defeated by circumstance. His Choir of Hard Knocks raised to new levels Australia’s awareness of the problems of homelessness, depression, and addiction. This is just one of many community projects to which Jonathon has given his time. Others include Geelong Pop Kidz, the Australian Pop Choir, the Sydney Street Choir, and the Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus.  Most of all he has shown that engaging with creativity, expression and each other, brings new hope.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said, “This year’s award recipients are great examples of passion and commitment.  They are all proud Australian’s who have earned our respect and admiration.”

source: AAP

Congratulations to all the recipients of this year’s National Australia Day Council Awards.  We are proud of each and every one of you!  Love and kisses to you fellas from Australian Women Online.

By Deborah Robinson

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