Tuesday 25 June 2019
Will the Clarence Valley see an upgrade of Grafton Base Hospital within the next three years or will it take a decade to commence?
Grafton Base Hospital is a 50-99 bed public health facility which offers health services to an est. 51,647 resident population in the Clarence Valley on the NSW North Coast and an additional annual tourist population which can reach or exceed 1 million visitors.
In the first
quarter of 2019 ambulance arrivals at Grafton Hospital were up 11.5 per
cent, emergency department presentations rose by 3 per cent, emergency
presentations climbed by 4.2 per cent, hospital admissions increased by 14.9
per cent with acute admissions totalling 3,127 patients and the elective surgery
waiting times continued to grow.
In that same
quarter during the NSW state election campaign the Nationals MP for Clarence on
behalf of the Berejiklian Coalition Government promised
voters in the Clarence Electorate a much needed $263.8-million overhaul
of Grafton Hospital.
At the time
doubts were raised about the genuineness of this promise as it contained little
detail.
Those doubts
are now resurfacing……
The Daily Examiner, 21 June 2019, p.3:
A major hospital upgrade
looks to be a while off as the Clarence Valley joins the long queue of regions
promised big projects at the New South Wales election.
The $263million
commitment to the Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment was
made in the final weeks of the campaign in March and is just one of many major
infrastructure promises outlined in the 2019-20 Budget Papers.
However, there there was
no specific line item in the 2019-20 Budget and Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis was
quick to point out it would take time.
“It’s not a line item as
such as we are still in the very early planning stages but there is a
commitment for works to commence during this term of government,” he said.
“In the meantime,
consultation needs to occur between the LHD, clinicians and the community to
ensure the redeveloped hospital is able to provide for the community
into the future.”
Mr Gulaptis said he had
received assurances from Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrotet
and Deputy Premier John Barilaro that all election commitments would be
honoured and provided a letter from Health Minister Brad Hazzard responding to
representations he made after winning the election.
In the letter, Mr
Hazzard said the project was one of many promised but work would still start
before the end of the current term of parliament.
“In the period prior to
the March election, the NSW Government announced a significant number of
upgrades to hospital and health facilities across the state,” he said.
“This requires a
prioritisation of when projects will commence over the next four years and will
occur in alignment with the annual budget process.
“Once funding is made
available through the budget process, Health Infrastructure will work with the
local health district and clinical staff to progress the project through the
planning stages.”......
Monday 24 June 2019
Is Australia really a fair and just country or is it nothing more than a collection of Scott Morrison clones?
In 2017-18 there
were on average 236
requests for housing assistance made every day which were not able to
be met by specialist homelessness agencies across Australia.
This figure
represents in excess of 86,000 requests for emergency housing assistance - from
individuals, couples, parents with small children and elderly Australians - which were not met in thatfinancial year.
Yet social
housing stocks does not appear to be keeping pace with population growth or the
needs of people living in insecure accommodation or existing on the street.
Social
housing as a share of all housing has been falling since the start of this
century and, in total state, territory and federal governments spent est. 2.1
per cent of total government expenditure on social housing and homelessness
services in both 2016-17 and 2017-18 according to the Productivity Commission's Reporton Government Services in 2018 & 2019.
Affordable
and available private rental is also in short supply.
Homelessness is not confined to the cities either. Here in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales there are hundreds of people without accommodation.
Homelessness is not confined to the cities either. Here in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales there are hundreds of people without accommodation.
By the end of 2018 the
Australian population had grown to over 25 million people and an estimated 190,000 were on social housing waiting lists.
The population now stands at an over 25,384,573, with est. one birth every 1 minute and 40 seconds, one death every 3 minutes and 19 seconds and one person arriving to live in Australia every 56 seconds,
The population now stands at an over 25,384,573, with est. one birth every 1 minute and 40 seconds, one death every 3 minutes and 19 seconds and one person arriving to live in Australia every 56 seconds,
At state, territory and federal levels government is well aware of the housing situation, yet Morrison
& Co in particular still describe calls for further spending on government
services such as housing as being calls based on the “politics of envy”.
These days I often read comments on social media asking when it was we stopped being a fair, just and kind country.
Well the truth is that Australia was never the fair, just and kind society we liked to think it was.
Just look at out history when it comes to Aboriginal Australia, children in institutional care, our aged and disability care systems and our treatment of refugees.
What governments since Federation have done is paper over the cracks between what we are and what we believe about ourselves. They did this by funding a wide range of government services to meet basic human needs like safety, shelter, food, education and health care.
Since 2013 the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has been walking away from adequately providing many of these basic services, by year in and year out failing to increase funding, reducing funding or cutting funding altogether.
BACKGROUND
These days I often read comments on social media asking when it was we stopped being a fair, just and kind country.
Well the truth is that Australia was never the fair, just and kind society we liked to think it was.
Just look at out history when it comes to Aboriginal Australia, children in institutional care, our aged and disability care systems and our treatment of refugees.
What governments since Federation have done is paper over the cracks between what we are and what we believe about ourselves. They did this by funding a wide range of government services to meet basic human needs like safety, shelter, food, education and health care.
Since 2013 the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has been walking away from adequately providing many of these basic services, by year in and year out failing to increase funding, reducing funding or cutting funding altogether.
BACKGROUND
This is what
the Australian
Parliamentary Library had to say on the subject of homelessness in
March 2018:
On 14 March
2018, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released their homelessness
estimates, based on the 2016 Census of Population and Housing.
Under the ABS definition, a person is homeless if they do not
have suitable accommodation alternatives and their current living arrangement:
is in a dwelling that is inadequate, or
·
has
no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable, or
·
does
not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations.
The key homelessness estimates from the 2016 Census are that:
·
there
were 116,427 people enumerated in the Census classified as being homeless on
Census night (up from 102,439 in 2011)
·
the
homelessness rate was 50 persons for every 10,000 persons—up five per cent from
the 48 persons in 2011, and up on the 45 persons in 2006
·
the
homelessness rate rose by 27 per cent in New South Wales, while Western
Australia fell 11 per cent and the Northern Territory and Australian Capital
Territory each fell by 17 per cent
·
most
of the increase in homelessness between 2011 and 2016 was reflected in people
living in 'severely' crowded dwellings, up from 41,370 in 2011 to 51,088 in
2016
·
the
number of people in supported accommodation for the homeless in 2016 was
21,235; almost unchanged from 2011
·
there
were 17,503 homeless people in boarding houses in 2016, up from 14,944 in 2011
·
the
number of homeless people in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out in
2016 was 8,200, up from 6,810 in 2011
·
people
who were born overseas and arrived in Australia in the last five years
accounted for 15 per cent (17,749 persons) of all persons who were homeless
·
the
rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who were homeless was
361 persons per 10,000 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population,
a decrease from 487 in 2011
·
the
number of homeless persons aged 55 years and over continued to increase, from
12,461 in 2006, to 14,581 in 2011 and 18,625 in 2016 (a 28 per cent increase
between 2011 and 2016). The rate of older persons experiencing homelessness has
also increased, from 26 persons per 10,000 of the population in 2011 up to 29
persons per 10,000 in 2016 and
·
the
male homelessness rate increased to 58 males per 10,000 males, up from 54 in
2011, while the rate for females remained steady at 42 per 10,000 females.
Severe crowding and social housing
As noted above, a
majority of the increase in homelessness between 2011 and 2016 was a result of
more Australians living in severely crowded dwellings. This was also the case
between the 2006 and 2011 Censuses.
While homelessness
is not just the result of too few houses, severe overcrowding does suggest that
there is a need for more housing that is affordable to low- to middle-income
earners, and social housing in particular. Social housing is housing that is
managed by either state and territory housing authorities or community housing
providers and made available at below market rates to people who are unable to
access suitable accommodation in the private rental market.
Despite Australia’s
social housing stock having grown over the years, this has not been at a rate
sufficient to keep pace with household growth and demand. As at 30 June 2017,
there were 189,404
applicants on the waiting list for social housing across
Australia. A significant proportion of these applicants are likely to be
households in greatest need—that is, households that are homeless, in housing
inappropriate to their needs or that is adversely affecting their health or
placing their life and safety at risk, or, have very high rental housing costs.
Severe overcrowding
is particularly prevalent among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,
with 70 per cent of homeless Indigenous Australians in this position. The
latest homelessness estimates indicate that the rate of homeless Indigenous
Australians fell between the 2011 and 2016 Censuses. If this rate is to
continue to fall then this may hinge to some extent on the outcome of negotiations currently
underway between the Australian Government and the states and territories over
Commonwealth funding for housing for Indigenous people following the expiry of
the National Partnership on Remote Housing in June 2018.
Homelessness by geography
In the linked
spreadsheet, the Parliamentary Library has compiled homelessness estimates by
ABS geographical areas and homelessness operational groups. Table 1 details
total homeless persons by Statistical Area 2. Table 2 sets out total homeless
persons by Statistical Area 3 and operational group.
Table 1 also
lists the Commonwealth electorate that is most aligned with each SA2.
Electorate estimates cannot be derived from this table.
Sunday 23 June 2019
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.
Labels:
Berejiklian Government,
NCOSS,
NSW Budget
Saturday 22 June 2019
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
Labels:
Adani Group,
coal,
endangered species,
mining
Friday 21 June 2019
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
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.
Labels:
balloons,
Clarence Valley Council,
environment,
litter,
waste
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.......
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