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Signing a petition or writing your name on the bottom of a form letter doesn’t adequately tell your Member of Parliament (MP) or Senator about your needs. A shorthand written or printed and signed personal letter will have an impact, especially if you are asking them to address specific inadequacies in the health system and the support and care provided to people living with MS.
The more letters that MPs and Senators receive the more likely they are to recognise that care and support of people living with MS is an issue that the Government needs to address. You might also consider writing to the Government Ministers and Opposition Shadow Ministers. Â
They are more likely to pay attention and respond to you if they know that you live in their electorate.
Your letter should be about 1-2 pages long and written in clear language so they know why you are writing to them.
Use your own words, tell your story about how MS affects you and your family.
Focus on what action you want them to take (e.g. support people living with MS having better access to MS nurses; increase the amount invested in MS research, etc.), and if they are on the back bench ask them to raise the issue with the Minister for Health.
Don't be overly critical and be polite in your language by using positive tone (e.g. MS Nurses will help keep people out of hospital and residential aged care and improve their quality of life).
You can invite them to attend a support group meeting in their local area so they can hear first-hand about the issues that you face and want them to change.
You may only receive a standard response to your letter, but you will know it has been read and the more letters like yours they receive the more likely they will be to act.
