Thankful for care
THREE months ago my life hit rock bottom, literally, when a set of steps collapsed and I went through them.
Today, I am back on my feet and beginning to regain my life and the reason for this is the quality of our public health system generally, and Frankston Hospital in particular.
Every day we read about problems in our health system. How it is struggling to cope with unprecedented demand. This is certainly true, but for every case we read about there are hundreds or even thousands of cases where the system not only delivers, but delivers in spades.
In my case it began with paramedics who were able to make me comfortable and get me to the emergency department. It continued during my hospital stay with regular visits by specialists and the ongoing care and kindness of the nursing staff. Numerous medical tests, all administered with great care, kindness and professionalism aided my diagnosis and treatment.
Since being discharged that professionalism has continued through the outpatients department where I have been encouraged by registrars, trainees and consultant surgeons and supported by nursing Staff, and staff in x-ray and prosthetics.
Yes it is true that orthopaedics is busy and there are often delays, but the wait is worth it when you eventually get to walk out of the clinic without plaster or a brace enabling you to return to work or just live life.
I feel that Australians are lucky to have a health system we can be proud of. Sure, I would like governments to put more money into the system, but then I would also like to eliminate poverty and inequality.
Be thankful that in Australia we have a universal health system that delivers so much more than its critics and the press would have us believe.
Pam Sandon, Sandhurst
Service decline
The outsourcing of in-home aged care by our Mornington Peninsula Shire will surely lead to the disintegration of confidence, the obvious conclusion of “leave it, too hard” attitude.
Not to mention the loss of our handyman services. We talk among ourselves, a cleaner once a month for some, once since July for others. We shrug our sagging shoulders. Harmless and hopeless?
Meanwhile three story building approvals, million dollar houses. Money, out of our pockets, into theirs. One day at a time. Breathing easily, slowly, from the diaphragm.
Cliff Ellen, Rye
Government plan?
Could it be that our State government is surreptitiously making local councils less relevant with a view to abolishing this archaic,costly, inefficient, unnecessary third layer of government and taxation?
The Ryman retirement village project is an example of council decisions being overturned by government (“Tribunal go ahead for Ryman” The News, Jan 10).
Our sacred “green wedge” is becoming less precious as Melbourne expands to accommodate Australia’s planned million or more new migrants over the coming years (instant consumers).
Mornington is nowadays little more than just a suburb, with high density housing becoming normal, just like the housing developments out Werribee way,and Berwick, and beyond Melton.
Will there never again be quarter-acre blocks?
On the Peninsula we have thousands of hectares of land right on the outskirts of Melbourne, some of it unnecessary farmland with a population of one cow per acre. I can see in the future, an electric rail line from Mornington to Frankston with large housing developments all along the way being served by the rail.
Perhaps Melbourne will become a powerful manufacturing city like it once was, providing jobs for all of these people; if we ever regain powerful electricity.
Brian A. Mitchelson, Mornington
No Show
Should the fact that the majority of our shire’s councillors could not be bothered to attend a short zoom meeting on the issue of VCAT overreach in regard to the totally inappropriate over development of the green wedge site in Mount Eliza by Ryman for a retirement facility, ring alarm bells within the population of our peninsula? I would say definitely yes. Peninsula residents will remember these names at the next election. Sadly these ‘do nothing’ types on council, will condemn a fantastic community asset of green wedge land to wanton destruction by a greedy foreign company.
Rupert Steiner, Balnarring
Free advice
I usually skip over letters from your correspondent from Safety Beach as it’s a bit of a case of, read one, read them all, but I happened to actually read the last one, (Not voting for me, Letters, 17/01/23), heavily critical of Member for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, for not voting how he wanted her to.
Perhaps it should be pointed out that Ms McKenzie actually represents the majority of Flinders voters and the Independent candidate backed by this correspondent was just able to beat the informal vote.
M. Free, Mount Martha
Cup of Joe
It is important to note that every single hard-fought union achievement was met with doom and gloom and claims by CorporateMafia and business groups that they would be the demise of the economy.
As much as we all take these for granted today it is noteworthy that the battle for these rights took many years of constant pressure on the government of the time.
As we can see now, the fight against minimum wage increase by CorporateMafia and business groups has been ill founded as no one is going out of business and the economy is still cluckin along.
One must wonder that without the unions and employee welfare left to CorporateMafia and business groups if we would not still have children working in the coal mines?
So for the union bashers: stand up for your beliefs and integrity and do not participate in these hard-fought nasty union contributions to your welfare. Make sure to negotiate them out of any employment contracts you sign.
And for those who won’t not join the union but benefit from their actions, please don’t participate in the benefits and higher wages they negotiate.
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Paved in gold
I have just received advice from the MPSC of the cost of the footpath they have constructed outside my property. The cost works out at $399.55 per metre! Is this the most expensive footpath ever constructed in Australia?
Bill Holmes, Sorrento
Let the sun shine
When it comes to solar energy per capita and solar penetration in the energy market, Australia is number one in the world.
In 2021, nearly 16 per cent of our theoretical energy penetration was due to solar whereas in the US it was 4 per cent. Interestingly, most of our solar energy (70 per cent) is generated on rooftops, not solar farms. Despite this, less than one-third of Australian homes have solar. In the Mornington Peninsula local government area, just over one-fifth of dwellings (21 per cent) have solar installations.
For other households, about half are rentals and, despite government financial assistance, landlords are slow to act. However, solar share schemes are now available to apartment owners.
Even though the payback time is only 3 to 5 years, the initial outlay is money some don’t have. With cheap finance, it’s possible to be “cash flow positive” from day one where monthly energy savings are worth more than the cost of paying back the loan. This is especially true for businesses for whom installation is a tax deduction.
For those without suitable rooftops, it’s now possible to source power through a “solar garden”. The first of these is in Grong Grong, NSW and more are coming thanks to the federal government program announced in the budget. Hopefully, in 2023, more Australians can access clean, cheap solar power.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
Letters – 300 words maximum and including full name, address and contact number – can be sent to The News, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@mpnews.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 24 January 2023
