Dear Margo, having just finished reading your book with my husband, I wanted you to know the extent to which your work has been important to us. We are the 'insignificant citizens' who live in the small villages around Australia and are forgotten by people like Howard.

My husband is a recipient of the Disability Allowance and I am his carer. He has been chronically ill for over 13 years. He worked for Telecom ( pre-Telstra) and was made redundant upon its changes and his illness. I have been an activist full time home maker and carer and our children have only just left home. So at 50 years of age we are on the ' dust-heap' of this great and prosperous nation.

Ever since Howard has attained power we have been made to feel in succession, thankful, guilty, shame, sorrow, useless, guilty, useless, unimportant, lazy, guilty, bludgers, takers, guilty, depressed, lonely, sad, guilty, alone, poor, struggling and, yes, guilty. This as well as dealing with poor health and depression and the stuggles with everyday living.

This has been John Howard's Australia to us. It has been no 'fair go', no 'inclusiveness', no sharing in the 'economic bounty' and no feeling that we are proud to be Australian. We have marched in anti war rallies, we do charity work for Red Cross etc, we have supported our clever but money poor children so they could go to Uni and College. Two of the three are now working overseas, one in South Korea and one in Canada.

Thank you for your writings, explanations, website and urging for positive thought during this election year. We want to once again become proud to be Australian.

I had joined the navy when I was 17 so know what that feeling is like. I would like it back again. I would like my husband not to feel guilty about our situation. I would like him to feel supported and valued in our society once again.