A healthy step
The recent announcement of a regional health round-table by Albury Wodonga Health chairwoman Nicki Melville, involving Border MPs Justin Clancy for Albury, and Bill Tilley for Benambra, is to be commended.
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It shows an awareness of community concern for the continued funding for our health services, and a correct acknowledgement that the regions should not suffer adversity for living away from the metropolis.
These talks hopefully will lead to constructive outcomes and a health service that is fully funded well into the long term.
That being said, the ongoing discourse around our health services, which has helped to bring this issue to the fore of community discussion, should be properly recognised.
There are many proponents of proper funding of our health services that made a positive contribution throughout this debate.
Back in November last year during the Victorian state election, 44 border medical professionals penned an open letter advocating for more substantial funding and expressing concerns about current infrastructure.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Former candidate Jacqui Hawkins made a statement following the release of the recent Victorian budget, pointing out a lack of a capital co-contribution for AWH.
In the recent federal election, candidates on both sides of the border ran campaigns that had a strong focus on health funding, with Helen Haines in Indi making the case for a national rural health strategy and Kevin Mack in Farrer expressing concern over the continued funding of the new Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre.
Our health services are at the very core of our regional communities and having an active, productive discussion around these services is to be celebrated, not bemoaned.
The upcoming round-table is a fantastic chance for stakeholders to ensure continued funding of our health services well into the long term and provide good bipartisanship over an issue that impacts us all.
Simon Gulliford, Beechworth
Crash shows the danger
Tuesday morning (June 4) and another car accident occurs in Thurgoona Drive at the public school intersection.
With current traffic volumes, this corner is dangerous as cars turning right into Thurgoona Drive have to negotiate a deceptively steep climb, and a slippery road surface that is made even worse by the early morning dew.
This combination will often see the turning vehicle left stranded in the path of vehicles approaching from the east.
The rise in Thurgoona Drive and the curving of that road make it difficult to judge the speed and distance of approaching cars, and when combined with the rising morning sun and the lack of opportunity to turn, it is no wonder the victim's car was hit, albeit towards the rear.
Just a fact of living off Bottlebrush Street. Will the traffic lights help? No.
Russell Douthat, Thurgoona
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