YOU SAY: Albury-Wodonga needs a new hospital now

I am the carer for my son who suffers from CHF and chronic renal problems. During the bushfires around Albury, my son had trouble breathing.

I took him to ABH ED to be treated, after being triaged he was told to sit in waiting room until a bed became available. The waiting room was full and he was feeling sick, so I ended up taking him out to my car put the seat back and ran the air conditioner until a bed became available some time later. They then put him into resuss as they thought he may be having a heart attack. This is just one of the many incidents I have had with him. I sent letter to the Victorian Health Minister and I got no reply.

I really hate the thought of having to go back to the ED and wait for many hours to be seen. I am in my 70s. Please, Albury needs a new hospital now.

It is time for some regional outrage and strong questions to be asked about the hospital situation on the border, and bed shortages.

Here we sit with next to no COVID cases and we continually have a bed shortage. It would be diabolical if we had a serious COVID outbreak here. The government's submarine order should be shelved and our health needs put first.

The fire season is fast approaching and now is the time for all Victorians to ensure they are prepared and have a plan for those high fire danger days.

The latest long-term weather outlook is indicating a wet few months ahead, however this will also have the effect of rapid growth of grass and scrub fire potential.

For our farming communities the Victorian winter crop production forecast is some 7.7 million tonnes or 11 per cent above the 10-year average. In short, grassfires and crop fires will be a real concern for our CFA members. Grass fires are a particular risk along the plains of Western and North Western Victoria and around regional cities, while bushfires remain a constant threat in many areas. As such we should never be complacent and let our guard down. Recent climate change research by the CFA and other international bodies found that the number of very high fire danger days each year will significantly increase and our fire seasons will start earlier, last longer, and further strengthen the need for a shared responsibility between hazard owners, communities and emergency services.

You may have seen a campaign recently outlining the skills of professional firefighters and inviting community members to check if they're protected by professional firefighters. I want to reassure all Victorians that regardless of whether they live in CFA or FRV response district, they are supported by skilled and experienced firefighters who respond alongside members of all other emergency services right across the state under the mantra 'we work as one'.

Australia has always been well served by its volunteers who have defended this nation during some of its darkest hours. Across the country, volunteer fire services, with more than 150,000 members, make up 91 per cent of total firefighters.