By bringing the skilled people out of Melbourne, the state of Victoria will benefit with people who can create employment youth to middle-aged working people with city flair that can move places like Bendigo to a win-win status. Bendigo needs to employ people urgently to create cash into the family and get the country back on its feet.

StreetSmart are running a campaign called CafeSmart where local cafes can participate on August 4th to donate $1 from coffees sold to local homelessness services and programs in the local area.

It would be fantastic if the local cafes could get on board with this fantastic initiative but only a few have taken up this opportunity so far.

Other areas have embraced this campaign. Geelong, for example, has 17 cafes on board. Please everyone encourage your local cafe to sign up. It is only for one day and it does a lot to help address homelessness in the local community.

I wish to express my disgust towards the “lady” who tailgated my car on Tuesday at 12.10pm approaching the traffic lights at Spotlight, proceeding to pull up at the lights alongside me and give me an interesting display of a variety of swear words and then spat on me! Get a grip you vile, angry woman!

I am repulsed at your hostile behaviour and abusive actions and although I didn't get your number plate details as you sped off, I am a big believer in karma and hope you have it come back and spit on you. Perhaps consider anger management.

Our hearts go out to the family of UK baby Charlie Gard, whose quest to treat his severe mitochondrial disease has captured public attention.

Unfortunately for Charlie and more than one million others struggling with mitochondrial disease around the world, there are very few effective treatments and no cure for this debilitating and potentially fatal genetic disorder, which starves the body's cells of energy and can cause any symptom in any organ at any age.

While Charlie's specific type of mitochondrial disorder is rare, mitochondrial disease itself is not. There are more than 100 forms of this complex disease, which is now the second most commonly diagnosed serious genetic disorder after cystic fibrosis. At least one Australian child born every week will develop a severe or life-threatening form of mitochondrial disease (1 in 5000 births).

A further 30 Australian children born each week may develop a mild to moderately disabling form of mitochondrial disease during their lifetimes, or pass it on to their children. That's 1 in 200 people, or 120,000 Australians at risk. Baby Charlie's plight reinforces the urgent need for more research into treatments and a cure for this insidious disease. Given the role of mitochondria in human health, disease and ageing, the expanding field of mitochondrial medicine has the potential to improve the way we tackle many common diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and some forms of cancer. 

The Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation funds vital research into mitochondrial disorders, supports affected people and their families, and educates the public and the medical profession. 

We join our international counterparts in calling for greater awareness, support and funding. Treatments cannot come quickly enough to help the many adults and children across the globe struggling every day with mitochondrial disease.