And sometimes there are things that restore your faith in people

[Matilda]

4. Not so.

A courageous woman plunged into a fire to save a helpless animal. And hundreds of Australians this week have donated over $1,500,000 to animal hospitals to help them care for injured bush creatures - and those are just the figures I know about.

With the election of climate change-deniers to both the federal government and our state government in NSW, and seeing the result in the horrendous bushfires in what is still Spring here, I could only feel despair at the short-sightedness and selfishness of my countrymen, who voted these charlatans in.

But now I know there are decent, caring people out there who are trying to make a difference, and I know there may be some hope for us yet, if we just don't lack the courage to keep fighting.