Dear colleagues, Coming to you from Leichhardt, an inner west suburb of Sydney. My technical skills are poor. However, we send over to you our colleagues and dear friends, these few photos of a great occasion in our family. Photo one : Rebecca, Pete, me and grandson Thomas Bishop. Photo two: Jim his sister Sheila, our daughter Cathy, and a great niece, Nicky. Photo three: similar to two, including Pete. In Jim’s speech he focussed on the positive changes he has witnessed during his lifetime. 1. The role of women- as a Science student at University in the very early 50’s, there were no women studying Physics, how that has changed- with women now in every field of science. 2. Multiculturalism. Australia is a country thoroughly multicultural, and what a gift other cultures coming here have been - especially after WW2, and the Vietnam and Afghanistan Wars. We are no longer ‘white ‘ thankfully. Ditto embodied in every sphere of civil society. 3. The affirmation of gender diversity- the Marriage Equality Act has radically changed and enabled gender diversity to be embraced. World Pride will be held in Sydney in Feb ‘23. 4. Our First Nations are now preparing for a Voice to Parliament. A long way still for their justice through health, housing, education and justice in the courts . However a sense of ‘no turning back ‘ is accepted in our community. Our First Nations share their culture and have made us wake up to their gifts and we have started to listen ( at last, though much further for us to travel….) Those are Jim’s thoughts. Another issue where positive change has occurred is in the acknowledgement for the need to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. Greetings and peace with love, Isobel for the family Isobel Bishop Mob. 0412 129 425
