Federal Election 2010: so you like the idea of local hospital boards?

The Federal Coalition and their leader, Tony Abbott, may not have revealed much in the way of a national health policy for Australia to date, but the mantra they are all chanting as they move about electorates is local hospital boards.

So how does Opposition Leader Abbott see these boards functioning in a health system he describes (in his latest book Battlelines) as not needing "fundamental restructuring or gargantuan amounts of additional funding"?

Well, he sees these "hospital boards with clout" - apparently run by medical professionals, probably unqualified but prominent local business people and some community representatives - having an ability to vary public hospital staff wages in a two-tiered system if necessary (with newer staff being paid less as a budget-saving measure) and an ability "to contract out hospital management to a private operator" as another budget measure.

Possibilities which would more than likely horrify communities on the North Coast and in other NSW rural and regional areas.

Elsewhere Abbott claims; Boards would appoint hospital CEOs and, with the CEO, manage hospital budgets. Government would appoint boards and set hospitals’ funding levels but wouldn’t be able to cut funding when hospitals raise money from private patients or fundraising.

All in all, this sounds like a recipe for health service delivery disaster in the public sector.

Gawd 'elp us! Maccas wants to invade Yamba

It's bad enough that Yamba is going through a bit of a bad patch which sees a clutch of small businesses up for sale. Now those mum and dad operated food outlets in its second shopping precinct are under threat, as that giant plastic food producer McDonald's has lodged a development application with Clarence Valley Council.

If the bush telegraph holds true, many Yamba-ites are not amused. I can't wait to hear from Maud!

"McDonald's Australia Limited lodged a development application (DA) with Clarence Valley Council this week for a 112-seat outlet, complete with drive-through, playground and McCafe, to be built on the Treelands Drive Cinema site.

The development, which received strong opposition from the Yamba Chamber of Commerce, would require the demolition of the current temporary cinema shed and the removal of some trees. An extension of the Coldstream Street cinemas was approved by council last week.

A 10-metre high, 3.6 metre wide giant M sign is also proposed for the new Maccas site, which will also provide 32 car parking spaces with access from Treelands Drive.

Yamba Chamber of Commerce president Daniel Reeves said he was 'completely against' a McDonald's coming to Yamba and he believed most of the chamber's membership would feel the same way because of the increased competition and the loss of the small town culture.

"I don't think it's the right time for Yamba to have a Maccas – I can't see a market in their demographic," Mr Reeves said.

"We seem to have a different culture in Yamba – not so much a chain culture, with a couple of exceptions ... it's about protecting the businesses we've got.

"Change such as this, it changes the economic status – if a place is big enough to have a maccas it loses that small town feel." {From The Daily Examiner on 24th March 2010}

McDonald's in Yamba..........
Allowing a McDonald's in Yamba would be a huge mistake for the town voted Best Town in Australia in 2009 - we need to protect the culture of Yamba that brings us so many tourists - a small, slow-paced, beachside town with an amazing coastline, great people and excellent dining options.
Yes, a McDonald's would provide a few jobs for young locals but also be aware that McDonald's restaurants generally use no local produce such as meat, bread, fruit or vegetables.
No local companies will provide any of the packaging, cardboard or paper used.
Also the restaurant will create a mass of rubbish - I can guarantee we will soon be seeing the golden arches floating in and on our beautiful beaches.
Also with the premises intending on being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this will provide another hot spot for antisocial behaviour.
If you feel strongly about fighting this proposal of a McDonald's in Yamba, then you must act now and submit an objection to council before it is too late. We must make a stand .

NAME, ADDRESS SUPPLIED, Yamba. {The Daily Examiner letter to editor on 26th} March 2010}

Online poll in The Daily Examiner on the day article was published.

Remember this? "On March 31st 1999 the Court of Appeal added to those damning findings. Lord Justices Pill, May and Keane ruled that it was fair comment to say that McDonald's employees worldwide "do badly in terms of pay and conditions", and true that "if one eats enough McDonald's food, one's diet may well become high in fat etc., with the very real risk of heart disease." {McSpotlight press release on 6th May 2004}

Graphic found at Google Images

Competitor Number 41 please return to the finish line - your party needs you!

Abbott's posed pre-race photograph

Australian Leader of the Opposition and self-styled fitness template, Tony Abbott, was competitor Number 41 in a field of 1,529 to 1,540 others entered in the Ironman Australia Triathlon on Sunday 28 March 2010 at Port Macquarie.

Fifty-three year old Abbott ranked 1,425 (div.pos. 120) in the 2.4 mile swim, 1213 (div. pos. 91) in the 112 mile bike ride and, 1170 (div. pos. 83) in the 26.2 mile run leg of the triathlon - subject to adjustment.

Despite his obvious enthusiasm for the chase perhaps he really should stick with his day job. Because it really was a chase - he was still manfully pedalling through the last stages of the bike leg while the front runners were three-quarters of the way through the final run stage of the event and his own run was still dragging on long after the leading pack had passed the finish line.

It may seem a hard position to take when viewing an event with a big field over a long course, one which saw some participants fail to finish the run before the triathlon results were called.

However this is a middle-aged politician with a history of using his bare chest and crotch physical fitness to pimp for votes and, much older men on the NSW North Coast competing for pleasure in similar events in the past managed to officially finish with very respectable times under their belts.

After all, when it comes down to the crunch, most people want to see economic, environmental and social policy rather than hairy pecs in an election year.

Here is Tony's official race record.

The McGrath Foundation public relations misstep

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. However in an election year charities should be more than a little wary about what those words might be saying if manipulative politicians are involved.

Shoulders back and best foot forward, as Opposition Leader Tony Abbott uses the McGrath Foundation to relentlessly promote himself in March 2010.

Image found at Brisbane Times