Addressing disadvantage shouldn’t be a zero-sum game in New South Wales

NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS), media release, 18 June 2019:

NSW BUDGET DELIVERS FOR DRAG RACING, NOT THE DISADVANTAGED

The NSW Budget is a missed opportunity from the NSW Government to tackle social issues and reduce disadvantage across the state.

When the Premier was re-elected in March 2019 she promised to “…focus on tackling social issues to reduce disadvantage,” but it’s difficult to see how this Budget achieves that.

NCOSS CEO, Joanna Quilty, said despite some positive initiatives, the Budget does not do enough for those doing it tough, particularly on cost of living, housing and support for vulnerable families.

“Overall, there is not a lot to get excited about. By and large it’s more of the same,” said Ms Quilty,

“Disturbingly, there seems to be less money this year for energy rebate programs to help low-income households manage financial pressures.

“While there is $33.4 million for a drag racing strategy there is only $30 million to support children in out-of-home care with complex needs – a reduction in funding made available last year.

“I am not saying that something like drag racing is not a worthy cause, I am just saying that we should be in a race to reduce poverty, and addressing disadvantage shouldn’t be a zero-sum game. 

“The community sector is dealing with ever-increasing demand for services as more people in NSW fall through the cracks, but this Budget does little to address that.

“There are some positives in mental health, with mobile dental clinics, TAFE courses for the young and older people returning to work, and funding to support free school breakfasts to 500 schools.

“But is it safe to say that as a whole, the Premier’s post-election promises to address disadvantage are yet to be fulfilled.”

Despite the Premier’s commitment to halve street homelessness by 2025, there is no new or additional funding for initiatives to support this, nor for additional social and affordable housing.

“In NSW we have a growing homeless population, a social housing waiting list of 60,000 and waiting times of up to 10 years in some areas – we need to be doing more on housing,” Ms Quilty said.

“If people have a safe, secure, affordable place to call home, they are more likely to be able to get a job, be a good parent and be a productive member of their community.

“Despite rhetoric about wanting to intervene early in the lives of vulnerable children and families, there is little mention of early intervention and no additional funding.”

For more information on NCOSS, go to www.ncoss.org.au.

Tweet of the Week

VIC state politician @FionaPattenMLC has released a statement on One Nation's @MRobertsQLD being re-elected to the Senate: pic.twitter.com/RbhlOmeVCL

— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) June 19, 2019

Cartoon of the Week

@cathywilcox1

Clarence Valley Council is considering prohibiting the sale or distribution of balloons on council controlled land

Clarence Valley Council is considering prohibiting the sale or distribution of balloons on council controlled land.

Given the numerous waterways within the Clarence Valley such a ban would be a wise move.

Typically those councillors who are ideologically opposed to any move to protect the environment and local wildlife will be out to quash the motion progressing the proposed ban when it comes before the Ordinary Monthly Meeting on 25 June 2019.

It will be more than disappointing if they succeed, as plastic waste is becoming highly visible in river and beach sand

Excerpts from Clarence Valley Council’s 18 June 2019 Environment, Planning & Community Committee Business Paper:

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION

That:

1. All balloons be prohibited on Council managed lands and facilities.

2. The terms and conditions for the hire of Council parks and facilities be amended to restrict the sale and distribution of balloons.

3. Council’s Market Policy be amended to include a condition restricting the sale and distribution of balloons and the changes adopted.

4. Future development consents for function centres or similar facilities be conditioned to restrict the sale and distribution of balloons.

5. Council implement a public awareness campaign about the environmental impacts of balloons.

BACKGROUND

There has been considerable community debate over many years regarding the adverse environmental impacts from the release of balloons into the environment. At its meeting held on 8 February 2019 the Climate Change Advisory Committee resolved to recommend that Council:

1. Prohibit all balloons on Council managed land.

2. Include a condition in any development consent for function centres (Party/Event venues) to prohibit balloons.

3. Instigate a public awareness campaign about the environmental impacts of balloons.

KEY ISSUES

Any released balloon, at best, becomes litter. They may also end up in the stormwater, rivers and oceans where they are ingested by aquatic animals. The balloons, along with any ribbons or plastic disks attached, can harm the animals by blocking their airways or becoming lodged in their intestines. Balloons and balloon fragments are often mistaken for food and swallowed, which can cause injury and death. The string attached to the balloon can also be dangerous as they can strangle or entrap animals. Birds have been found tangled in the strings of balloons making them unable to fly or search for food. A 2016 CSIRO study identified balloons among the top three most harmful pollutants threatening marine wildlife, along with plastic bags and bottles.

NSW Legislation

The Protection of the Environment Operations Act (POEO) makes it illegal to release more than 20 helium filled balloons, the release of any type of balloon would also be considered a littering offence under the POEO Act.

Management Controls

Council has a number of opportunities to control the use of balloons on Council controlled lands through the terms and conditions for the approval and hire of various parks and facilities. Councils ‘Market Policy’ could be amended to include a condition banning the sale or distribution of balloons. Council can also impose a condition on development consents for any future function centre or similar development restricting the use of balloons. It is not envisaged that Council Rangers would actively enforce these controls, rather they would be managed through the hiring and approval systems with event organisers.

Alternatives to Balloons

There are many examples of alternatives to balloons including flags, banners, streamers, dancing inflatables, bunting, lighting of candles and luminaries, battery operated bubble blowing machine and plants or gifts in remembrance.

Iluka folk lobbied long and hard for a local ambulance station

Iluka residents finally get a firm state government commitment to build an ambulance station in their small coastal town.

The Daily Examiner, 20 June 2019, p.1:

Iluka Ambulance Group organiser Anne McLean said it was the words that Iluka needed to see.

“Projects to commence prior to March 2023, including Iluka Ambulance Station (ETC $10 million)” sit pride of place under the election commitments section of the NSW Budget.

“It’s the news Iluka needed,” Ms McLean said. “Six months have gone by and there’s been nothing. And (husband and co-organiser) John and I have been still nipping at their heels. We haven’t given up. We’ve been constantly at them.”

Ms McLean said she was happy to hear the news from member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis on Tuesday morning, and had been busily answering questions from the media all that morning.”

“Chris has been great through the process, he rang and had a chat,” she said. “But we have been saying that Iluka got behind them because of the ambulance, and it’s good to see the validation of that faith, and see it move along.

“It’s been a crazy morning.”

Ms McLean said she had been told they were looking to find a suitable site, and then to put it out for community consultation.

“I don’t think they’ll have much trouble getting people to say ‘yes’,” she said.

Ambulance NSW yesterday confirmed the process was under way, and planning would continue this year and into next year.

“In 2019-20 detailed service planning will progress; site acquisitions studies will be finalised and a suitable site acquired subject to the findings of these studies; design will be finalised; and a development application submitted,” a NSW Ambulance spokesperson said.

“Construction would be anticipated to commence in 2020-21 following tendering and awarding of the work. The construction timeframe is estimated to take about two years to complete.......

Tears before bedtime under The National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management?

Painaustralia says of itself that it is “Australia’s leading pain advocacy body working to improve the quality of life of people living with pain, their families and carers, and to minimise the social and economic burden of pain on individuals and the community”.

On 11 June 2019 it released a copy of The National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management having convinced the Morrison Coalition Government that this plan is the bee knees when it comes to pain management.

If the following article is anything to go by it will be tears before bedtime for many chronic pain suffers as the plan does not contain any mention of actually increasing the number pain specialists practicing in Australia or of attempting to lower wait times to see such specialists.

Currently NSW Health only lists 35 pain management services in the state and most of these are attached to metropolitan public hospitals.

Instead people experiencing acute and chronic pain are to be offered 10 Medicare-funded group services and 10 individual services each calendar year, with access to telehealth pain management advice for regional areas where pain management services are not available.

As for pain management using prescribed medications – that is apparently going to be more difficult to access as Painaustralia and the Morrison Government are alarmed that opiate prescriptions in rural & regional Australia have risen in the last ten years. 

Seemingly conveniently blind to any relationship between increased prescribing and low GP numbers, smaller often poorly resourced public hospitals, a reliance on what might be termed 'flyin-flyout' medical specialists who prefer not to live in those rural or regional areas their patients inhabit and the economic tyranny of distance for the patient.

The Daily Examiner, 18 June 2019, p.8:

Doctors will be sent back to school to be re-educated about treating chronic pain and patients given a Medicare boost under a new national strategy.

The first national pain strategy launching today also calls for a national one-stop website to be set up to educate people about how to manage pain without drugs and where to find help.

“There is a screaming need here because pain is a significant burden on the economy, on society and the health system,” Pain Australia chief executive Carol Bennett said.

More than 3.24 million Australians are living with chronic pain and many are becoming addicted to opioid medications while they wait up to four years to see a pain specialist for help.

Last year Australians paid $2.7 billion in out-of-pocket expenses to manage their pain and missed 9.9 million days of work because of the condition.

The new strategy funded by the Federal Government and developed by Pain Australia wants pain to be treated in the same way as mental health, with Medicare funding up to 20 medical and group sessions to help people get it under control. It also calls for a new certificate in pain medicine for GPs and other health professionals that would require six months of study.

The consultation work that took place around the development of the new plan found doctors’ knowledge about the latest pain management techniques was out of date.

“For lower back pain people are popping pills and having surgery but for the last 15 years we’ve known you’ve got to get moving and rehabilitate yourself with physical management,” Ms Bennett said.

Anti-inflammatory medications should not be used for more than a few days and long-term strengthening of the muscles, good nutrition and sleep were the key to treating the problem rather than drugs, she said.

Instead of helping patients manage pain in this way, doctors were prescribing increasing amounts of dangerous and addictive opioid medicines.

SNAPSHOT: Employment, underemployment & unemployment in NSW & Northern Rivers Region - April & May 2019

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Labour Force, Australia, May 2019:

·         Australia's trend estimate of employment increased by 28,400 persons in May 2019, with:

·         the number of unemployed persons increasing by 5,800 persons;

·         the unemployment rate remaining steady at 5.1%;

·         the underemployment rate increasing to 8.5%;

·         the underutilisation rate increasing to 13.6%;

·         the participation rate increasing to 65.9%; and

·         the employment to population ratio remaining steady at 62.5%. 

In New South Wales, May 2019

Total employed person – 4,167,000 persons of which est. 31% are employed part-time

Total underemployment rate – 12.2%

Total unemployed person – 197,500 persons of which est. 68% were looking for full-time work

Total unemployment rate – 4.5%.

State Electorates in Northern Rivers, April 2019

Clarence Electorate – 58,169 employed persons, unemployment rate 8.2% and youth unemployment rate 20.5%, with negative annual employment growth of -2.7%

Lismore Electorate – 83,833 employed persons, unemployment rate 6.1% and youth unemployment rate 10.2%

Richmond-Tweed Electorate – 115,668 employed persons, unemployment rate 4.5% and youth unemployment rate 8.9%.