“What makes me optimistic is the intrinsic belief that everyone has the capacity to make a positive difference.”
That's what Roma Britnell told me when I asked what makes her optimistic.
Last week, Roma said, "South West Coast is a key pillar in our state’s freight network, with the Port of Portland playing a major role. Likewise, our local boating and fishing sector is going from strength to strength, popular for both locals and visitors. As the shadow minister, I will be a vocal advocate for the ports & freight and boating & fishing industries to ensure that they receive the support they need and Victorians receive the services we deserve."
Roma rightly told me, " In these interesting times, the need for optimism is as important as ever."
That comment of Roma's reminds me of the British Parliamentarian Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK’s Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, who said, “The faultline in politics at the moment is not between left and right but between optimists and pessimists. We need optimists for the next tough shift.”
So too, the musician Michael Franti who said, "I believe the great battle that's taking place in the world isn't between left and right. It's between cynicism and optimism. There are people who believe it's possible to create a better life and a better world. When we lose that sense of optimism is when we quit, when we give up."