Utility Allowance for Disability Support pensioners and carers to be in place by end of March 2008

Another Rudd Government election promise is about to be rolled out at the end of March.

Those on Disability Support or Carers pensions should see the Utility Allowance turn up in their first Centrelink payment for April, if all goes well.

The increase for those already receiving this allowance should show up at the same time.

The expanded telephone allowance with internet connection component is also due to receive the go-ahead this month.

Nice to see this example of the Howard Government's inequitable welfare delivery bite the dust.

Those NSW North Coast Area Health Service 'surge' beds again

ABC News reported that nurses met with the North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) yesterday to "clarify implementation of a 'surge bed' plan."

New Auditor-General's findings show that service did not meet admission benchmarks last year.

"Fewer than 80 per cent of patients needing a bed were admitted within eight hours of seeing a doctor or nurse.

The union's general secretary, Judith Kiejda, says the figures make it hard for the health service to justify the conversion of 86 acute beds to surge beds."

It seems that NCAHS CEO Chris Crawford had some explaining to do.

While Mr. Crawford is in explanation mode perhaps he will explain to the Yamba community why it hasn't yet been approved for a HealthOne facility. The actual need was identified years ago.

Leader of the Opposition cut down to size by Koori woman

This week Opposition leader Brendan Nelson fell at the first hurdle when he failed to understand that in Aboriginal cultures the conventions and customs surrounding information sharing are different from those in the wider Australian society.

He has caused deep offence and distress to one Koori woman.

This was entirely avoidable - he should have asked for permission.

Now the Liberals Tony 'Mad Monk' Abbott wants the Opposition to have a direct and equal say on the direction of the Rudd Government's indigenous affairs policies and has indicated that the Coalition will act as Senate spoiler if the government attempted to amend Howard's NT Intervention legislation. 

Heaven help us all.

ALP increases poll lead prior to saying sorry

According to the latest Roy Morgan Research poll of federal voting intentions released on 15 February 2008:

"With much talk and anticipation surrounding the Labor Government-led apology to the stolen generation of Aborigines, ALP primary support is 54% (up 5% from the previous face-to-face Morgan Poll) and L-NP support is 33% (down 3%), the latest face-to-face Morgan Poll (conducted February 2/3 & 9/10) finds.

On a two-party preferred basis, the ALP has extended its already significant lead by 5%: 62.5% cf. 37.5%."

Wonder how the Coalition is performing if you factor in that Clayton's apology from the Opposition Leader?

A link to that IR bill which has the Coalition frothing at the mouth

Although the Opposition Deputy Leader's hissy fits at Question Time have been rather amusing, they have hardly added to our understanding of how WorkChoices will come to an end.

Here is a link for those interested.

Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward With Fairness) Bill 2008 - first reading.

Morrie does a mass mail-out to bail out his latest privatisation scheme

Morris Iemma has just mailed out a letter to all NSW pensioners giving them an "iron-clad guarantee" that "my Government will continue to provide the $112 annual rebate on electricity bills for all pensioners" after privatisation of the State's electricity supplies.

Well that's settled. I'm vastly reassured. Hold on there a minute?

There's no mention of the fact that Morrie's "my Government" legally only lasts until the next election (John Howard taught us that with his weasel words on the GST).

Neither is there any guarantee that power company service fees and charges will not rise, and rise substantially, in the first three years of the electricity privatisation roll-out.

Missing also is any assurance that the cost to consumers per kilowatt hour will not start a sharp upward spiral within five years.

If other state privatisations are any indication, then the annual pensioner rebate is unlikely to pay for even one quarter's electricity account in the future.

Yes, Morrie my little mate, your fine pensioner rebate promises aren't worth the paper they're printed on.