Time limited to stop flawed plan
The time for satire has passed. The conduct of both the Victorian and NSW state governments in the matter of the Albury-Wodonga hospital has been, and continues to be, disgraceful.
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The Victorian Health Minister, Ms Thomas, digs her heels in, hoping she and her department refusing to attend the March 1 health summit robs that event of credibility. They want acceptance of the plan and no questions.
The NSW Health Minister, Mr Park, at a budget estimates hearing tells Border residents they should be like his constituents and be "quite pleased" at the $558 million investment. This, after confirming we won't get a single-site hospital as promised, nor will the bed numbers meet current need and a modest growth in demand.
Mr Park, the planning is flawed (i.e. insufficient beds and facilities to meet current need and growth, and there are still two campuses). The site is compromised because of its size, geology and existing structures.
It doesn't matter how much money the three governments have committed to the project.
Poor planning and a compromised site equals the wastage of valuable, and as both governments keep telling us, limited taxpayers' funds.
We have limited time to turn this around. The opportunity to vote out the Victorian and NSW governments is too far away (2026 and 2027 respectively).
Di Thomas, Albury
Poor quality is also price gouging
Recuperating from surgery I decided to forgive previous experiences with pre-prepared frozen dinners and bought several at a local supermarket. In Lean Cuisine's 280 gram range I selected the lamb and rosemary hot pot - price approximately $6.
It was tasty, well, the single piece of gristle would have been had I been able to chew it.
Alas, it alone represented the meat contribution to the dish along with a smattering of carrot sticks, mashed potato and peas held together with a generous serve of gravy.
This amounts to price gouging. It's time providers of packaged meals were monitored to ensure they offer value for money.
Noelle Oke, Albury
Ongoing agenda in Gaza conflict
But they seem to have an ongoing agenda.
Suzanne Harrison, Tawonga South
Let's learn from crossing tragedy
As a person who was an old longtime friend/colleague of Mr Brian Beach, I pray his terribly tragic and avoidable death is not in vain, as evidenced by hopefully the following. Believe me, Brian, a gentle, caring and kind soul would have wanted it in his memorial ... not wilting flowers ... though he would have kindly appreciated it and been incredibly humbled.
1. That all drivers take an extra minute or two and slow down around all school crossings. As particularly kids like all of us are irreplaceable.
2. That drivers realise lollipop crossing guards like everyone else are entitled to return home from their workplace in one piece and not in the back of a mortuary van.
3. That you treat every day like it's your last and not your first. And to sincerely show and treat those around you with the same care and respect that you and your loved ones would want and deserve.
Finally, a big thank you to The Border Mail and 7NEWS Border for covering this incredibly sad tragedy and Beachy's funeral with the measured respect and sensitivity it deserved. RIP Beachy, friend to many, gone but certainly never forgotten. Rest peacefully, dear ole friend.
Karl Moran, Rutherglen
EV technology will take time
Today I sat down and thought about my position on electric vehicles. To date it has been anti, simply because the EV community spouts so much bull that I am automatically against bull.
EVs are in their infancy and the current vehicles may suit some short distance commuters in the city but the majority of the bush cannot support EVs due to distance and charging problems.
Equally when you look at the inner city like Glebe I feel there will be problems with all of the charging leads running down the footpaths because most people don't have a garage but I suppose you can dodge the leads.
Electric trucks, work utes etc are not viable and yet the EVers would have you believe it's all possible, just listen to Chris Bowen.
We are at the early stages of EV and when you compare it to other transport innovations like flight, it takes time to develop the technology; Wilbur Wright flew in 1903 then years later came reliable aircraft, then airliners, then jets, but that took decades.
With our EV slash and burn mentality it's like people in the 1930s saying they will put a man on the moon, it happened but not until technology progressed.
The same with EV technology, it needs to progress but we want to get rid of all current technology and replace it with EVs in the hope that a miracle will happen and the technology will magically appear. OMG.