Cansdellgate: NSW Opposition asking questions

ABC North Coast Radio reported this morning:

Five months after former Clarence MP Steve Cansdell confessed to signing a false statutory declaration he is yet to be charged.

The NSW Opposition's spokesman for Police, Nathan Rees, is asking why an investigation of the former state member for Clarence continues to drag on, five months after a public confession.

Steve Cansdell resigned last September, after admitting to signing a false statutory declaration to avoid a speeding fine and keep his licence.

The former Nationals' MP faces a possible prison term if charged over the offence, and Police Media says inquiries are continuing.

Nathan Rees says questions need to be answered.

"I'm more than happy to allow the usual processes to take their course, whether it's this case or any other usually," he says.

"But this has been going on for some months now and even people in the government have been raising questions about this privately and want some finality to the issue.

"I consider Steve Cansdell a pretty straight-up-and-down fellow, and certainly his outright confession at the start is consistent with the man I know, but it does raise issues subsequently when neither the police nor the Attorney General have seen fit to make a determination on what is an issue that I'm sure would bring Mr Cansdell some closure and indeed the community."

Source: ABC North Coast Radio

Senator Di Natale sends out an email with bite

Bring dental care into Medicare

Dear friend,

Millions of Australians can't afford to see a dentist. This year, we're going to change that.

Before I came here to represent Victoria in Parliament, I worked as a doctor. Every day, I saw proof that Australia's oral health is in crisis.

More than 60,000 avoidable hospital visits are caused by untreated dental problems every year – along with thousands more visits to the GP. We know why: one in three people say they can't afford to go to the dentist, or delay going to the dentist because of the cost. Low income earners, Indigenous people and those who live outside major cities are by far the hardest hit.

We can change this.

The Greens have a plan to bring dental care into Medicare, starting with those who need it most. Our plan is ready to go for this year's Budget – will you join us to get it passed?

It's already picking up speed. My office has been flooded with calls backing our Denticare plan.

Thanks to our agreement with the Government, an expert committee has been appointed to advise on dental health and options for the Budget – and they're due to report back any day now.

Just last week, even Tony Abbott came on board and said that he 'aspired' to include dental care in Medicare. While his 'aspiration' won’t get us there, it’s a sign that all sides of politics now recognise the need to solve Australia’s dental crisis.

There's excitement across the board for this vital reform – but there's a difference between excitement and funding. To get it started in this year's Budget, we need to convince the Treasurer with a massive show of public support.

That's why I'm launching our nationwide campaign for Denticare today by calling on Treasurer Swan to make dental care a priority in this year's Budget.

To kick off our big push – will you join our call to the Treasurer?

Let's turn the momentum behind this idea into action. Join the call and be part of it from the start.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Di Natale

Greens Senator for Victoria & Health Spokesperson

P.S. An estimated half a million people are on waiting lists for public dental care – some of them have been waiting for more than 5 years. This year's Budget is our chance to end the wait – join our call today.

One reason not to act the goat at Australian international airports

Being accidentally mistaken for a drug mule may have unintended consequences, as Australian Customs & Excise staff will mildly irradiate you and probably get to know the length of your next stool.

·         “AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION NOTICE NO. 2011/24…. The amendments will allow, with the consent of the detainee, an initial non-medical internal scan of a person to be carried out by a Customs and Border Protection officer using body scan technology that is to be prescribed in the regulations. This technology produces a computer image of a person’s internal cavities within a skeletal structure, as opposed to images of external body parts. Such images may serve to allay an officer’s suspicion that a passenger is internally concealing a suspicious substance, in which case the detainee would be released immediately from detention for internal search.”

·         “Customs and Border Protection requires the supply, installation and maintenance of an internal body scanner X-ray (Body Scanner) including provision of training and training material…. Operation of the Body Scanner Early 2012”

·         “….the scanner is only intended for searching body cavities….After the trial is completed in 2013, Customs will spend three months evaluating the body scanner's overall performance and come to a decision on whether to decommission it or procure additional scanners.”

Australian Consumer Law and You

 

From the Australian Consumer Law website:

On 1 January 2011 the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) commenced.

The ACL includes:

• ·    a new, national unfair contract terms law covering standard form contracts;
• ·    a new, national law guaranteeing consumer rights when buying goods and services, which replaces existing laws on conditions and warranties;
• ·     a new, national product safety law and enforcement system;
• ·     a new, national law for unsolicited consumer agreements, which replaces existing State and Territory laws on door-to-door sales and other direct marketing;
• ·     simple national rules for lay-by agreements; and
• ·     new penalties, enforcement powers and consumer redress options, which currently apply nationally.

The ACL applies nationally and in all States and Territories, and to all Australian businesses. For transactions that occurred up to 31 December 2010, the previous national, State and Territory consumer laws will continue to apply.

The ACL is a cooperative reform of the Australian Government and the States and Territories, through the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs (MCCA). An Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) [PDF 217KB] [RTF 236KB] signed by the Council of Australian Governments underpins the establishment of the ACL……

 
The full text of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is set out in Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 which is the new name of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA).

US Presidential Election 2012: politicians as enemy combatents

Barack and Romney begin change direction and focus on each other in the lead up to what smart money sees as the inevitable U.S. presidential race face-off....................

December 2011

Romney:

http://mittromneycentral.com/2011/12/

Obama:

Make a donation today to be automatically entered for a chance to have dinner with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

We'll cover your airfare and the meal—all you have to bring is your story and your ideas.

And this time, if you win, you can invite a guest.

Important: By clicking on the "Submit" button below or otherwise participating in the promotion, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and represent that you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements. [http://www.barackobama.com/]

February 2012

Romney:

Mitt Romney One term. One message. We’re holding @BarackObama accountable: onetermfund.com #OneTermFund

Obama and Biden:

The Two-Term Fund 

Mitt Romney's campaign just launched his One-Term Fund with a million-dollar goal.

http://youtu.be/Tn4hijKmMNk

Here's why, in Mitt Romney's words: "We must not forget what this election is really about: defeating Barack Obama."
Don't let that happen. Make a donation today.

More than 59,139 people

Have donated $2,309,209 toward our $2 million goal

Romney One-Term Fund: About $980,000 as of 12:20 p.m. ET Thursday

Lismore-born Bundjalung woman's talent is recognised

ABC North Coast NSW Radio February 6, 2012:

Lismore-born Bundjalung woman Rhoda Roberts is the new head of Indigenous programming at the Sydney Opera House….

State Arts Minister George Souris announced Rhoda's appointment today, but she is no stranger to the elaborate halls of the performing arts centre.

Rhoda is also the artistic director of the Message Sticks Festival, celebrating its 13th year at the Opera House next month.

eHealth - when "We told you so" gives no satisfaction

First it was privacy concerns which headed the list of reasons why the proposed eHealth scheme could be one of the worst ideas Federal Labor has come up with in the last one hundred years – now it seems the very wheels are thought to be falling off the national database wagon and it may even be dangerous to patient health.

The Australian 6 February 2012:

THE private corporation established by the federal and state governments to roll out the proposed electronic health records system has been savaged by the software industry and privacy advocates.

Both the Medical Software Industry Association (MSIA) and the Australian Privacy Foundation have told a Senate inquiry hearing in Canberra that personally controlled e-health records should not go live on July 1 as planned.

MSIA president Jon Hughes says industry has lost confidence in the ability of the National eHealth Transition Authority (NEHTA) to deliver the program.

"There is evidence of a lack of probity, ineffective governance and an inability to deliver targeted programs," he told the inquiry.

"The program risks falling into disuse from the very first day of live operation."

Industry argues the federal health department has not provided the support needed to maintain the e-health records in the longer-term………

Dr McCauley told the committee if data was reformatted as envisaged it could create havoc when it came to listing medications on e-health records because the so-called Australian medicine terminology still had serious issues.

"That medication list (on records) is going to become a major mish-mash of sources of information from different people in different places describing the medication using different names and it's going to be extremely confusing."

Senate Community Affairs Committees Inquiry into Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Bill 2011 and one related bill

MSIA has repeatedly asked for the information contained in the comprehensive safety report that NeHTA has stated was performed prior to the Health Identifier service going live. This has not been made available. The results of a recent FOI request to DoHA by The Australian, demonstrated that DoHA does not have such a report. The recently discovered design flaws suggest that the safety report, if completed, was not sufficiently comprehensive.
[Medical Software Industry Association submission (PDF 438KB)]

A brief history of the debate on North Coast Voices:

Friday, 17 April 2009  So you want to look through my medical records?

Wednesday, 10 June 2009  Federal Labor and Health Minister Roxon crossing a bridge too far

Thursday, 28 January 2010  e-Health: something's rotten in the State of Kevin

Sunday, 7 March 2010  And these are the people Rudd & Co intend to trust with access to a national database containing all your sensitive personal information?

Monday, 15 March 2010  Who's guarding the guards guarding your personal information?

            Thursday, 14 April 2011  PCEHR opt-in provision expected to allay privacy concerns. Pull the other one!

Her Maj sez ta in 2012

From the bowels of Buck House, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee message:

Today, as I mark 60 years as your Queen, I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years and to tell you how deeply moved we have been to receive so many kind messages about the Diamond Jubilee.

In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.

I hope also that this Jubilee year will be a time to give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart as we join together in our celebrations.

I send my sincere good wishes to you all.

ELIZABETH R.