Alan Bond

It is with sadness I read in the paper of the suicidal death of Diane Bliss, Alan Bond's wife. She had suffered mental illness and severe depression for quite some time. This is a woman who had everything, the best of everything, and a great man for a husband. What had happened that she should have suffered so. Bondie is devastated of course. Alan Bond suffered a series of setbacks, financial losses and many other dramas since this tycoon had the winged keel built on his yacht Australia II and went off to win the America's Cup. Kerry Packer was made wealthier because of the flak against Bondie as he is fondly called, after his wonderful win. Perth is enriched by Bondie's building the Bankwest Tower and preserving the old Palace Hotel at its base, and other buildings and in Mandurah also. That's just a small part of his exploits into progress. Why is it that some people who are rich and famous, become subjected to public abuse at the hands of the media and other rich people? If it was an ordinary older person under this abuse, Elderly Abuse would do something to help the individual. I can't help wondering if they would help Bondie? Is he considered too rich to seek such aid against abuse from the publoic and the media? Was she, Diane Bliss, beyond such help?

From Perth Now: THE wife of former tycoon Alan Bond left a heart-wrenching suicide note to her husband and family, apologising for the stress and pain her struggle with mental illness had caused them during the dark, final months of her life.
Diana Bliss, who took her own life on Saturday after battling months of depression, wrote that she "just couldn't keep going on as she had", her younger brother Peter said yesterday.
After two previous suicide attempts she had undergone electric shock treatment late last year, but "sometimes it seemed to be working and other times it didn't", Mr Bliss said.
She had left notes in the past with a similar tone to the one found at the $4 million home in the Perth suburb of Cottesloe where her body was discovered floating in the swimming pool.
Mr Bliss said the note, in his sister's handwriting, was loving and apologetic.

Australia Day

Today I was supposed to go to Wireless Hill to abush poetry muster, but with Danny home with a crushed heal, and a heatwave in process, I didn't want to go, so sent my apologies to Irene for missing it. Being Australia Day also, a day to remember just who we Aussies are and where we are living, the country that is ours, should be remembered. Many thousands turned out for a spectacular Skyshow on the swan river at Perth Water. At the same time, fierce thunderstorms were raging around and several photos show the Lord's handiwork on display as well as that of man.

abominable heat in WA and floods in SE Qld

Dan and I sweltered here at 109 Third Avenue and I longed for that cooling breeze that arrived daily at Wynnum. Though we had the air cooler going and a fan, the heat and humidity was still felt. I have to get aclimatized again to Perth weather! Little was reported in the papers of any elderly or other people suffering from heat stroke. In south east Queensland, there was much flooding at the Gold Coast and other areas, with several schools actually closed.

THE state's North-West remains on cyclone alert today but the weather bureau says Tropical Cyclone Iggy moved slower than expected overnight and is now not expected to make landfall.
The Bureau of Meteorology said today a blue alert remained in place for people in or near coastal and island communities between Mardie and Coral Bay with the category-two cyclone growing stronger.
At 9am today, the cyclone was estimated to be 355km West-North-West of Exmouth and 570km North-North-West of Carnarvon, and was moving South-East at 5km an hour towards the coast. While it is expected to be upgraded to category three later today, the weather bureau says destructive winds are not expected on the coast. A flood watch for the Pilbara has been cancelled.
“Tropical Cyclone Iggy has been moving very slowly overnight and is expected to move slowly South or South-East today before taking a more South-Westerly track on Monday,” a statement from the bureau said.
“During today Tropical Cyclone Iggy may move close enough to cause gales on the coast between Onslow and Coral Bay though destructive winds are not expected on the coast. Gales may extend south to Carnarvon during Monday if Iggy tracks closer to the coast.”
Tides will be higher than expected and there will continue to be large swells along the Pilbara and Kimberley coasts, but because the system is now expected to remain well off the coast, significant rainfall is unlikely over the North-West corner of the state.
Iggy formed early on Thursday morning and had been slowly moving towards the coastal areas of Mardie, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Onslow.
The Fire and Emergency Services Authority yesterday issued a warning advising locals to review their family cyclone plan, prepare emergency kit with a portable battery-operated radio, torch and first aid kit as well as check the community alerts system.
David Hall, from the Exmouth Diving Centre, whose store was badly damaged during cyclone Vance, said locals were well prepared for Iggy.
"You go to the shop there is not much milk or bread left. Everyone is stocking up on all the goods they need and they are just sort of hunkering down and either waiting for it to pass,'' he said.
"Exmouth has been through a few cyclones so a lot of the locals are used to it.
"It may bypass us which if that is the case we will get some much needed rain. Personally I wanted to drive out but the DEC had closed the road because of a bushfire out near Carnarvon.
"So my family and I are going to have to wait it out.''
Workers on the multi-million dollar Chevron-led Gorgon gas project remain on Barrow Island despite calls by the construction union for the site to be evacuated.
FairWork Australia met with the CFMEU yesterday to discuss the matter.
According to union secretary Mick Buchan, the industrial relations body recommended Kellogg Joint Venture (KJV)/ Chevron to tell their contractors to give staff the option to leave Barrow Island before the cyclone neared the coast.
A Chevron spokesman confirmed workers remained on the island but that the company had initiated cyclone readiness procedures.
He said this included safe evacuation procedures, the tying down of equipment to secure sites and the suspension of Gorgon construction activity.
- with Emily Moulton