Sunday, 6 September 2009
A WTF moment for NSW Health
Last week if you were placed on hold by the Maclean District Hospital switchboard, along with the canned Musak you would have heard a voice tell you that this hospital had three rooms with en suite and Austar television available for in-patients with private health insurance.
Now Maclean District Hospital is a public hospital in the North Coast Area Health Service and it is sometimes stretched for beds, so it is not unknown for wards to be culled for people to send home so that new (and sometimes more urgent) cases can be admitted.
Which makes one wonder - if a well-off retiree whose insurance is paying out to the area health service and an old-age pensioner on Medicare were to be assessed in such a cull, which one would be sent home?
If you picked the retiree as the patient most likely to be sent home I suspect that you wouldn't get the cigar - human nature and hospital bottom lines just don't work that way.
These three beds are not a good look for NSW Health and definitely not a good look for a Rudd Government seeking to work cooperatively with the states towards a better public health care system.
Mungo doesn't mess about when it comes to L'l Johnnie Howard
This classic Mungo MacCallum phrasing turned up in Crikey last Monday:
"And speaking of past leaders ... John Howard bobbed back up in the bowl last week to give us a bit of advice on, of all things, human rights. Truly the man has no shame.
The Prime Minister whose government incarcerated innocent children behind razor wire until they literally went mad and abandoned its own citizens to illegal imprisonment and torture by a foreign power now warns us that judges and lawyers should not be allowed to tamper with decisions made by politicians elected by "ordinary" people. Any attempt to change our unsurpassable current arrangements would represent the final triumph of elitism and be an abrogation of the very idea of the sovereignty of the people."
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Australian society: two faces of the young today
It has ever been thus, that members of the ruling generation think the generation following is less than they were when young.
The truth of the matter is that the best and worst aspects of any society are often mirrored in the behaviour of children.
Here are two examples in the local media on the same day.
The Daily Examiner, 31 August 2009 Click image to enlarge
Good work, lad
ON July 6, my mother aged over 70 years, was walking along Little High Street, Yamba. Her mobility is restricted, and while negotiating the uneven path she fell to the ground, her head striking a parked car on the way down.
She is alright, however was sore for a number of days and had to receive ongoing; treatment to her injured arm.
I grew up on the Lower Clarence, but have not lived there for over 20 years. I am penning this letter to show my family's appreciation of an unknown teenager who came to her aid.
According to my mother the boy was in about Year 9 (14 or 15 years of age). The boy physically lifted my mother from the ground, despite my mother telling him that he would not be able to lift her.
He escorted her to a nearby chemist, being the Yamba Pharmacy, where the staff treated her.
The boy stayed with her while she was treated, and would not leave until he knew that she was alright. For the days following, staff at Yamba Pharmacy treated my mother's wounds. We thank those staff members for the assistance and care they have shown for our mother.
That is not all. What has really impressed me and my family is the boy repeatedly apologised for not being quick enough to catch my mother as she was falling.
If the young boy happens to read this letter, we want you to know that we are very grateful for your help on that day.
Further, you and your family should be very proud of your actions. Thank you.
This comes at a time when the youth of today regularly bring themselves under notice in all communities, for the wrong reasons, but not this lad.
Well done, you have a bright future.
JOCK HENRY,
Mudgee.
[The Daily Examiner, letter to the editor,31 August 2009]
2009 Grafton Jacaranda Festival Queen Candidates
Click on poster to enlarge Top row: Matron of Honour Christine Hackett & Kim McClymont
Second row: Lorelela Abele & Abbey Browning
Third row: Samantha Dive & Keira Ellingwood
Fourth row: Mackenzie Harvison & Miranda Predo
Bottom row: Alison Smith & Amanda Finucane
The Jacaranda Festival runs from 30 October to 8 November 2009 at Grafton in the Clarence Valley NSW
Friday, 4 September 2009
Water raiders still after Clarence River water and now looking to NSW Government
Obviously worried about the fact that the Rudd Government stands firmly behind the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley opposition to damming and diverting environmentally sensitive coastal rivers, the Murray Darling Association is hedging its bets by also looking at twisting the arm of the NSW Government.
From A Clarence Valley Protest today:
Murray Darling Association members may be bickering at their annual conference but they are still fixed on the idea of Clarence River water diversion
The 65th Murray Darling Association annual conference is drawing to a close at Playford, SA and today at its annual general meeting the association will vote on not one but two motions concerning Clarence River water diversion.
Although association members are throwing around vague accusations about water theft and abuse within the Murray Darling Basin, they seem oblivious to the fact that this is the intent behind their motions concerning the NSW North Coast Clarence River catchment.
According to the Playford AGM Agenda:
13.2 Clarence River Region 2
For many years, Region 2 has been raising the issue of a feasibility study to dam part of the
Clarence River and divert some of the water inland to the Murray-Darling Basin to help alleviate water shortages. The Federal Government has made it quite clear that it will not support any such project but the NSW Government has not been as clear on the issue. Some years ago, the Association supported a feasibility study into the idea.
RECOMMENDATION: That the NSW Government be asked to respond directly to community requests over the years that part of the Clarence River be dammed to minimise flood damage and to divert some of the water inland to the Murray-Darling Basin.
13.3 Clarence River diversion Region 6
This proposed diversion of the Clarence River was first discussed in the 1930s. The Fraser
Government allocated $4 million to fund a feasibility study into the scheme. The Hawke
Government discontinued this. The proposal, if feasible, would involve the construction of a
headwater dam on the Clarence River, with a 22km tunnel under the Gibralta Ranges in Northern NSW. This tunnel would emerge on the Murray-Darling Basin side of the ranges and feed into the Beardy River, then the McIntyre River and, ultimately into the Basin. The Gibralta Ranges are situated in one of the highest rainfall areas in Australia. Benefits of the scheme include:
• The dams would have storage capacity approaching that of the Snowy Mountains
Scheme.
• The capacity of the headwater storage would provide flood control to the Clarence Valley.
• The diversion would only require 24% of the total maximum storage volumes of water to
provide similar volumes of water to the Basin as the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
• The generation of hydro-electricity is another major benefit.
This motion is not a request to build the scheme, but to revisit it in the context of recent climatic
events and over-allocations in the Murray Darling Basin.
RECOMMENDATION: That the MDA requests the Federal Government, as a matter of urgency, to commission a report on the Clarence River Diversion Proposal relative to water flows through the Murray-Darling system and to make that report widely available.
Howzaat!
I must say that my understanding of cricket matches is limited to memories of forming part of a backyard team each summer school holidays.
This exchange in The Australian 's First Byte between Ashes tragics tickled both fancy and memory.
- 27 August 2009
After 24 hours of careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the reason why Australia lost the Ashes was because England
Tom Rundell
Warana, Qld
Warana, Qld
- 28 August 2009
Sadly for Tom Rundell (First Byte, 27/8), here's the basic truth of the matter. Australia lost the Ashes because England won more Test matches. Overall, England managed a meagre 2869 runs, while Australia scored a mammoth 2886. And, to rub more salt into our wounds, England lost a staggering 84 wickets in achieving its tally, while Australia lost just 71.
Col Shephard
Yamba, NSW
Yamba, NSW
Sharing a thought on Internet censorship which landed on my desk.....
Oi! Senator Conroy - it's September already. Where's that promised report on your Internet filtering trial?
Colin Jacobs in The Australian this week Conroy won't tame 'wild west' web
A brief history of Australian Internet censorship proposals at Libertus.
Thursday, 3 September 2009
If Frank Sartor becomes the next NSW premier......
If 'Cranky Frankie' Sartor were to become Premier of New South Wales then I would seriously have to consider voting for a (gulp) Nat at the next state election!
Nonimouse
James Creek
Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents.
Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.
Iluka hotel denies donation purchased jetty rights
Sedgers Reef Hotel emphatically denies a rumour that its $50,000 dollar donation to Clarence Valley Council gives it mooring rights for hotel patrons on the jetty being built adjacent to this hotel.
The Daily Examiner, 28 August 2009, p.3
Baby Boomers: keeping dementia in mind
On Tuesday Alzheimers Australia released a report by Access Economics Keeping Dementia Front of Mind: Incidence and Prevalence 2009 - 2050.
This report highlights the fact that by 2050 1.1 million Australians are expected to have been diagnosed with some form of dementia and by 2020 there will be an estimated 75,000 baby boomers with dementia.
Dementia is predicted to become the third greatest source of health and residential aged care spending within two decades, costing 1% of GDP based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare calculations.
Probably time we baby boomers started thinking of the best way to avoid becoming one of these cited statistics and learn all about those health measures which can be adopted to lessen the possibility that it will be us who will suffer from Alzheimers or another dementia of old age.
'Keystone' Keelty goes out on the heels of yet another bungle
AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty must wonder why his last day as head of the Aussie federal police will not be remembered for praises sung in his honour, but instead for the fact that a national security breach became very public and his force was placed in the position of trying to deny that it had a surveillance plane with heat seeking technology.
It seems no-one in the AFP thought to tell Vic police that this small plane was a s-e-c-r-e-t.
Just another blunder to remind us all of the many which occurred under his watch.
Over to you, Tony Negus....
The Herald Sun has all the laughs here.
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Another APN newspaper gets it in the neck from ABC TV 's Media Watch
ABC TV Media Watch on 31 August 2009 featured an assessment of last Saturday's Tweed Daily News exploitative front page, which targeted a vulnerable person with a disability and allegedly resulted in that person's hospital admission.
Media Watch received no answer when it contacted Tweed Daily News with the usual invitation to supply justification.
What could the newspaper say? After all: by taking advantage of the confusion and distress of an ordinary person; by needlessly identifying him in a frontpage photograph and exposing him to condemnation, ridicule or gossip; by focussing on the supposed alarmed reaction of its female journalists; the newspaper was only obeying APN News & Media's Readers First guidelines which in practice pander to ignorance and dumb down the news.
With circulation figures and advertising income the principal drivers for this 'new' journalism, what better way to boost its supposed Saturday circulation of 10,000 sold papers than having a full monty on Page One.
The Media Watch presenter called the 120 year-old Tweed Daily News a wretched little rag.
Perhaps he should have also taken APN to task for the very flawed publication philosophy it has foisted on its editors, may of whom cannot always walk the frequently fine line between exploitative and ethical news reporting.
Because I could never look at Brendan Nelson's hair in the same way again......
.....after First Dog On the Moon's original foray into the subject of hair with a life of its own.
Here is the second and probably final cartoon concerning teh pate pelt from that tonsorial master writing in Crikey.
Click on image to enlarge
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
NSW minister for beds has resigned over a scandal between the sheets
John Della Bosca has resigned as health minister and leader of the legislative council after it was revealed the 53 year old had a six-month affair with a 26-year-old-woman.
News Limited publications have had a field day with their kiss-and-tell revelations. Leading the pack has been Sydney's Daily Terrible (aka The Daily Telegraph).
The 26-year-old woman provided a statement to The Daily Telegraph claiming Mr Della Bosca:
* STOPPED a security guard from checking her identity, and did not get her to sign the visitor's register, when he took her into his parliament office where they had s*x;
* MISSED a morning flight to the NSW regional city of Armidale for a hospital opening and meetings with health officials and spent the afternoon with her;
* BRAGGED about his affair to an Upper House colleague, who offered to employ the woman, because he believed people thought he was a "square"; and
* TOLD the woman he had the backing of caucus to replace Mr Rees, whom she said Della Bosca labelled a "freckle-faced Latham".
The woman said last night that Mr Della Bosca had repeatedly told her he loved her.
"I don't know how he managed to do his job when he spent so much time with me," she said. "There were times when John would cancel work to see me."
Their relationship only ended last month - she said at her behest - after Mr Della Bosca did not follow through on what the woman claims were repeated promises to leave his wife, the federal MP Belinda Neal.
Equal Pay Day, Australia 1 September 2009
Equal pay for equal work - still a global sick joke at the expense of women.
In Australia 40 years after the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission established the principle that women should receive equal pay for equal work and 10 years after establishment of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (EOWW Act) the following conditions still exist.
· Women working full-time, year-round in Australia are paid only about 83 cents for every dollar earned by men.
· Lower wages mean less lifetime earnings for women giving them a lifetime of fewer choices.
· Some women in CEO and finance positions earn less than half of their male equivalents.
· The pay gap for women key management personnel is on average 28.3%, 11% higher than the national average gender pay gap.
· The average superannuation payout to a woman is projected to be $150,000: that’s half of the average payout to a man in 2010-11.
· The 17.3% gender pay gap is a national average that opens up to over 30% in some industry sectors.
· Pay inequity reveals systemic discrimination and continued under-valuation of women’s work.
· Equal pay for women can raise family income which means more money to spend on food, housing and childcare. Single mothers and working families lose thousands of dollars annually to the wage gap.
[ taken from http://www.equalpayday.com.au/]
* If current earning patterns continue, the average 25 year old male would earn $2.4 million over the next 40 years while the average 25 year old female would earn $1.5 million (AMP NATSEM (2009), “She works hard for the money”, Income and Wealth Report, Issue 22, p. 34 available at http://www.amp.com.au/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bdb250665a6cc110VgnVCM1000002930410aRCRD
* Women are two and half times more likely to live in poverty in their old age than men — by 2019, on average, women will have half the amount of superannuation that men have (Queensland Government (2009), “Women and Superannuation”, Focus on Women, Office for Women, Information Paper 3) available at http://www.women.qld.gov.au/resources/focus-on-women/
* The pay gap starts from the moment women leave university, with female graduates earning on average $2,000 p/a less than male graduates ( GradStats 2008, Table 4, available at http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/24)
[taken from National Foundation for Australian Women]
"Many Australians believe women won equal pay in the 70s - but they are wrong," ACTU president Sharan Burrow.
Yes, you've come a long way but you still have a long way to go - and it's only taken an entire lifetime (from babe in arms to retirement) for women to achieve an average female wage rise from around 50 per cent of the average male wage to about 83 per cent of the average male wage. A mere 33 percentge points increase towards wage equality.
Cartoon from Google Images
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