G'Day From Downunder

Mike Bowen With all The Latest From Irish-Australia

T.K., better known at Tadhg Kennelly, the only Irish man ever to win a Grand Final medal in the Australian football league (Aussie Rules) with the Sydney Swans in 2005, packed up his bags this week to return home to his native Co. Kerry.

He said he wanted to win an All Ireland medal with the Kingdom County before his body starts to break down.

He was worried that if he played out the last year of his contract in Australia he might have got injured and therefore he may not have got to fulfil his dream of winning the coveted medal that his dad won with his native Kerry.

No doubt he will be a huge loss to the Swans as he is a wonderful talent.

On the sad side, the Irish here will have one less of our own to support, but on the bright side he is taking home a Grand Final Medal, the proud owner of the only one in Ireland.

Serena Williams, that amazing athlete with the tennis racket welded to her hand, came conquering and cleaned out the bank again for the fourth time.

With 'another Australian Open' under her belt and a few million more for the bank account, perhaps in this climate she would be better off sticking it under the mattress, it might be safer than giving it to a banker.

Did I say might? Silly me! Of course it would be safer under the mattress; at the rate this girl is going no doubt she will be back here again next year with armed security to pick up another load of dosh. The final was played in 106 degrees F.

I should breakdown the statistics for you for this year's final: Serena, for 59 minutes on the court, got paid two million (Australian) for her trouble or if you like $33,898 a minute or $565 a second; Oh, and by the way, she and her sister Venus won the Woman's Doubles just to put cream on the cake so to speak - just another little trinket to stick under the mattress.

I tell you what! Really, this girl's mattress is going to be touching the ceiling soon.

To you poor buggers struggling to make ends meet, you picked the wrong profession - tennis is the thing. Why? Well, Serena has now topped the highest female money-earner list with $33.73 million and by the way lads, she's still single.

Now you single guys go to your closets and get out that old tennis racket and start practicing and who knows, you just might bump into Serena down at the local Tennis court having a bit of a practice, then Bob's your uncle.

Now tell me, how's that for a bit of good advice? Don't forget to keep me in the loop if you strike it lucky, right!

On Thursday January 29, Melbourne was shocked to hear on the news that a father threw his four-year-old daughter into the water from the West Gate Bridge, maybe 60 meters below (that's the equivalent of about 20 storeys high); luckily a women screaming at him from her car prevented the father from throwing his other two young sons to the same fate as the little girl.

This is the same bridge that killed thirty-five workers when it collapsed while being build in 1970; many of the victims that day were Irish.

It is said, but not reported, that at least two people a week throw themselves off the West Gate. These suicides are not widely publicised.

The young girl's father could not appear in court due to mental incapacity.

This was technically murder but the link between mental illness and suicides is now a major concern that sadly does not get the attention that it deserves from government.

Some time back, here in the State of Victoria, the previous Liberal Government run by Premier Jeff Kennett, closed down all the mental institutions.

If my memory serves me right I think the spin doctors said something like, "those people would be better off out in the streets mixing with every day life and getting cared for at home"... Hello? Anybody home?

As mental health is a very complex condition, wouldn't you think it would require expert medical treatment?

Now tell me, where in God's name would you find medical expertise just walking around Melbourne or any other city anywhere in the world?

Even a monkey could tell you that any elderly mother or father would be struggling to cater for a mentally-sick adult offspring or anyone with a mental condition for that matter.

It's time to put the mental illness issue back in the headlines and face up to an inadequacy that has gone on for too long.

Last week I spoke to my young nephew back in Cork who told me he had been to eight funerals of young people in the not too distant past who had committed suicide.

I know of eight young people myself here in Melbourne, one of whom was a wonderful bright and talented young lady Tara Leonard, who did the editing on one of my books.

I worked closely with her but until her death I had no suspicion that she was unwell.

With the pressures of the world and the tough economic climate at the moment, a lot more people will suffer from depression and consequently it will lead to more deaths.

There has to be more support and help for those who will suffer.

There's no point in closing the gate after the horse has bolted; hindsight is a wonderful gift, but foresight is priceless!

I am fed up with hearing governments saying there's not enough money in the budget to cater for health... Bullshit! Let me say that again, Bullshit!

Your health, mine and theirs is the most important thing, for without it we become a burden.

So governments must spend money and keep the population healthy or else they must spend it to make the population better.

For what it's worth I believe everyone should be entitled to a free health service, free education and free clean water. Heating you pay for but it must be efficient and reliable.

Let me tell you this from one of our politicians who said funding was scarce for transport services.

The Transport Minister's office was renovated to the tune of approximately AU$9,000,000 recently, and then last week a thousand train services were cancelled (in extreme heat and because of inadequate maintenance).

To make matters more humorous, the rail system closed down altogether for most of Friday January 30.

The Minister stayed in the comfort of her newly-renovated, air-conditioned offices avoiding the heat and the searing 114˚ F outside.

Excuse my cynicism.

Luckily the money was spent on renovations otherwise the Minister might have got sunstroke and where would we be then? "Better off" did I hear you say? Good now you are getting my drift.

With my lack of love for politicians, if one of my offspring told me they would like to go into politics I think I would go out and buy myself a tutu and take up ballet.

Maybe it's the heat that's making me cranky this week as we are still sweltering in the hundreds of degrees.

Melbourne is certainly no place for the faint hearted.

Before you put the kettle and blow torch away for another couple of weeks let me ask you if there is any subject you would like me to cover for you down here in swelter-land (my new name for Australia).

If so, you can email me at mike.globefins@westnet.com.au.

Until I talk to you again, be good to those who love you and Slainte from Downunder!