'This rancid government': Northern Rivers not impressed with NSW Health

I have to say that few people in the Northern Rivers region would be surprised with the observations on regional hospitals found in the Garling Report released this week.

The Northern Star reported:

Commissioner Garling said he was told the North Coast Area Health Service got about $70 million less each year than it should under the current funding formula and the inequity had been in place since the 1980s.“We should be getting our fair share,” Dr Pezzutti said.He said the money should be shared out among the health services based on their demographics.“Each area has a certain number of aged people, disabled people, mentally ill, poor, rich and tourists,” the doctor said.“It’s a complicated formula, but we should be getting more funding.”Instead of spending more money, the Garling report said greater efficiencies should be achieved. Dr Pezzutti said the health service could be more efficient but it would cost money.The report recommended setting up four new bodies to improve the quality and effectiveness of the health workforce.“If the government does not provide additional funds for this, it will have to come out of the current funding,” he said.“It is clear they have got into trouble this year already.”

While in an 'editorial' in The Daily Examiner on Saturday David Bancroft put matters very bluntly:

Now, on top of being short-changed $70 million a year, a razor gang is making its way around the region identifying where it can cut 400 full-time equivalent jobs.

There is already thought that Grafton Base Hospital's high dependency unit and maternity unit might be at risk.

These are the cuts the health service simply cannot bear.

And we, as taxpayers and users of the health system, should not tolerate them.

We need to demonstrate at public rallies in Grafton and Maclean today our support for improved, not reduced, health services.

Public pressure might, just might, convince this rancid government to change its mind.
(The Daily Examiner, 29 November 2008, page 12)

The Federal Member for Page, Janelle Saffin, in the same issue of The Daily Examiner did not back away from supporting the Northern Rivers community:

"Its clear locals need better services and I support them in their expressed concerns about the proper delivery of health and hospital services in our area," Ms Saffin said.

We need more health services and staff across the Northern Rivers, and for anyone to suggest that less is better for us is nonsense.

"This is not the time for cutting front line positions in health care."

The North Coast has known for a long time that state governments tend to ignore us.

When in power the Liberals and Nationals appear to believe the region does not have to be courted because it is seen as a Nationals stronghold.
Likewise, the Labor Party seems to believe that the region deserves a minimum of serious attention for that very same reason.

Both groups, in their profound ignorance, failing to consider the altered political demographics that sea and tree changers have brought into the mix and both ignoring their responsibilities to equally distribute a fair share of government funding and services regardless of the political imperative.

For all major political parties in New South Wales the large metropolitan centres have always come first simply because the sheer weight of their voter numbers are seen as more important to the outcome on election day.

The Rees Government should remember that regional and rural seats matter and if enough voters within them are dissatisfied with health care, then his government will fall at the next state election.

Stephen Conroy's lackeys crack a funny

If we ever needed proof that the Dept of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy had become infected with its minister's mania, the following quote supplies it:
"ISPs will be recognised for their participation in the Pilot. This recognition will strengthen their brand image with the community."
Really?
Excuse me while I roll about laffing.
All I know is that iNet has said that it wants take part in the trial. Presumably to get its hands on free filtering hardware/software and so keep its commercial options open, although it's presenting this wimp-out as a public service
So there will be a large blue moon over Bourke before I sign up to iNet.
Nor will I be knocking on the Optus door because they are also said to be lining up for the trail.
As for Telstra - didn't it assist DBCDE in setting up that 'play' pilot in Tassie?

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]

A phishing musing:

Ever since Clarencegirl gave me an email address I have been receiving some very strange offers.

This is one I am tempted to take up on behalf of all Northern Rivers motorists and their pets!

From: Mr Yan (cataniarealty@bellnet.ca)

Sent: Saturday, 25 October 2008 3:53:42 AM
Reply-to: yan31@btinternet.com

To: yan@dbs.dk
I have a project I want you to run with us. It involves exportation of 35,000 barrels of crude oil daily from Kirkuk, Iraq. If you are interested, email me.

Mr. Yan.

A Bravo! musing:

A big bravo on 1st October 2008 to the many people (including Gold Coast SeaWorld staff, Australian Seabird Rescue volunteers and National Parks & Wildlife Service personnel) who successfully rescued a Bottlenosed Dolphin and her baby trapped in Prospect Lake at Ballina for the last two weeks.
Mum and bub were taken from the lake and released into the Richmond River.

A tolerance musing:

It's September and Spring is here and on the NSW North Coast soft fruits are beginning to ripen on the trees in our backyards.

Please be tolerant of the birds and bats which decide to feed on this fruit. They are only doing what comes naturally.

A rejoicing musing:

A YOUNG adult humpback whale was freed from shark control netting in which it was entangled off Tugan Beach on the Gold Coast on 27 Spetember 2008. Animal rescuers managed to sucessfully release it after 7 hours of sustained effort. Well done!

Anyone who spots a whale or other marine animals tangled in fishing gear or shark netting should call the 24-hour Shark Hotline on 1800 806 891.

An in the dog house musing:

A dog on the Tweed told a cat on the Richmond who whispered to a bird on the Clarence that a prominent local National Party member is out of his house and in the proverbial doghouse after he was found to be repeatedly sleeping in strange kennels.

A Cat v Dog war musing:

The Dog Channel has revealed another outbreak of 'hostilities' in the 1,ooo year Cat-Dog war:

The presidential campaign in recent days has involved statements about a Pit Bull wearing lipstick and a pig wearing lipstick. Now, cats are in on the lipstick debate, and the fur is expected to really fly.
"Can you put lipstick on a cat and call it change?" is a question being posed by the company behind two websites launched Thursday morning: Catsarebetter.com and Dogsarebetter.com.

Vote early and vote often!

A vice-presidential musing:

Obama's running mate, Senator Joe Biden, has a cat according to Pet Shed. The man can't be all bad!

Sunday's laugh

In The Daily Telegraph last Wednesday

CROP circles have baffled people for decades and now a new phenomenon is stopping residents in their tracks on the state's Far North Coast.

Happy faces painted randomly on hay bales in a paddock on the outskirts of Lismore has given residents something to smile about and got them talking about whether it's vandalism or creative licence.

Landowner Tony Neill said that when he drove out of his driveway and saw the smiley faces for the first time it made his day.

**************

ScepticLawyer mentioned a website which dissects blogs, Gender Analyzer.

Just for laughs I ran North Coast Voices through its program with the following outcome:

Results








We think http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/ is written by a man (84%).


You just have to admire a website that will confidently assure you that your site is highly likely to be written by a man, when women outnumber men on North Coast Voices (unless you also count in Boy the Wonder Cat!)

Gender Analyzer has a survey of its overall results:

Did GenderAnalyzer give the correct result for your blog?

Votes
Yes 53 % 8555
No 47 % 7713

Web camera trial now operating on NSW North coast bar crossings

NSW Maritime has extended its trial of web-cam vision of the coastal bars to help boat owners in preparing for a voyage offshore.

This is just one part of a suite of measures being pursued by NSW Maritime to address bar crossing safety in this State.

When considering crossing a bar, the best catch phrase for skippers – who are ultimately responsible for the safety of all on board – is 'If in doubt, don't go out'.

Logging on to find live web camera footage may be very useful in making this decision.

Below is a list of live web-cameras currently installed along the NSW coastline:

North Coast Brunswick Heads Coffs Harbour Iluka \ Yamba Port Macquarie Tweed Heads Other web cameras are to be located at: Manning River, Richmond River, Ballina, and will be online over the coming months.

Howard cost me WHAT in the first nine months?

The Australian couldn't wait to tell taxpayers that:

"JOHN Howard has defended his decision to run up more than $400,000 in taxpayer-funded bills since he was turfed from office as "strictly in accordance" with his generous entitlements.

In a brief statement today, the former Prime Minister rejected any suggestion there was anything wrong in his post-election spend-a-thon on travel and office accommodation.

"All costs incurred are strictly in accordance with the guidelines set for all former Prime Ministers,'' he said in a statement released this afternoon to The Australian Online.

The former Prime Minister, who commands large fees as an international speaker, is spending around $10,000 a week on taxpayer-funded staffing costs, rent for his plush CBD office and other expenses, according to figures released by Special Minister of State John Faulkner...

According to government figures, Mr Howard spent $192,542.77 staffing including $75,674.90 of travel for himself and $11,374.44 on travel for Mrs Howard.

Mr Howard, who is expected to pen his own memoirs as he enjoys his retirement, also ran up facilities and accommodation costs of $124,000."

That bl**dy man may have been sacked by the likes of me but he still knows how to stick the knife in - spending in excess of $400,000 over and above his parliamentary pension in nine months and two weeks.
Proving himself to be a first class sponger (as well as a world's best political liar) while on the NSW North Coast this week there are many, many people scrapping about to find enough money to be able to eat for at least 12 days out of every fortnight.
What was it that another blogger called him recently - cnut?

Feel like a paddle one weekend? Go to Yamba and kayak

With summer starting to break out all over and Christmas looming, the river and ocean water around Yamba and Iluka is looking so inviting - it reminds me that now is a good time to get out and get moving.

There's nothing like being on the water and one of my favourite Yamba memories is leaning over the side of my Dad's tinnie as a dolphin swam on its side to get a good look at me.

There's also nothing quite like taking a trip by paddle power from Convent Beach at Yamba to Spooky's Beach at Angourie or up the Clarence River and around its many little islands.
Action Adventure Tours has just the thing with its kayaking tours all year round.

Photo from Action Adventure Tours.