This devastating disease can take away things we take for granted each day like walking and talking, showering and eating independently. It can render simple, yet precious moments like dropping the kids at school, baking a cake or going for a Sunday drive almost impossible.

One in four people globally will have a stroke in their lifetime - and the number of working age people impacted by stroke is increasing.

While time-critical treatments have improved stroke outcomes in recent decades, there's no doubt recovering from stroke can be a long and challenging process both physically and mentally.

Loved ones can profoundly feel the impact of stroke too, with many taking on the role of carer, while juggling family responsibilities, medical appointments and life in general. The changes are sudden and often stressful.

While this new life can feel isolating and frustrating, I want people with stroke and their families to know you are not alone.

StrokeLine (1800 STROKE or 1800 787 653) operates Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Eastern Standard Time.

For crisis support, Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 13 11 14.

In 1854, Peter Lalor lead a rebellion of gold miners in a campaigning against the unfair policies and treatment of miners by the Victorian Government. Victorian Miners had grown tired of paying unfair prices for gold licences, and tired of rich politicians who would not listen to them and didn't understand the issues they faced. History has called the rebellion The Eureka Stockade.

Following the rebellion, all charges against all miners involved the Eureka Stockade were dropped, as it was accepted the treatment of the miners was unfair. The Victorian Government also changed the policies of who could be elected to Parliamentary, and allowed for the first time in Australia "commoners" to stand for election.

In 1855, Peter Lalor was elected to the Victorian Parliament as Member for Ballarat and went on to lead reforms for miners and workers throughout Victoria.

In 1901, at the time of Federation, our Constitution adopted the ideals fought for at the Eureka Stockade - allowing all Australians to stand for Commonwealth Parliament to represent their electorates, not just the rich.

Fast forward to 2020, while it is well known that I have different political beliefs than our elected Member of Parliament, our local member has been given a mandate by the people of this region to fight for the issues she took to the electorate, Water, Health and Education. She is one of us, and represents many issues our community faces.

It is as such, the recent move to suggest that our Local MP is in breach of Parliament ethics, because hypothetically, motions she has put forward can impact the value of her families water holdings is nothing more than politics gone mad.

I would even go as far as to suggest some of my associates and friends who are in NSW Parliament have crossed the line and acted undemocraticly. Maybe they need to reflect on what common Australians have fought for in our collective past rather than their own interest.

Water policies, just like mining regulations prior to the Eureka Stockade have hurt people in this region and we need water policy reform.

Let us know, email us at letters@areanews.com.au, drop a letter to the editor in to our Banna Avenue office, or use the form below...