The latest press release from the State Government, however, does not give one much confidence that Pru Goward’s lobbying efforts have been fully listened to by the health bureaucrats of the Southern NSW Local Health District. 

As the press release states ‘to re-evaluate the service changes at the Bourke Street Health Service’ is not a firm commitment to keep Bourke Street Health Service open until the hospital rebuild is finalised.

Surely, as a Minister in the State Government  it is the obligation of Pru Goward along with other members of the State Government to formulate policies and for state bureaucrats to implement those policies. 

Hence, the ultimate responsibility for keeping the Bourke Street Health Service open in the long term resides with the State Government (and not the Southern NSW Local Health District). 

I am outraged that neo-liberal economists like Pru Goward and Angus Taylor – in fact, the whole job lot of the State and Federal Liberal Party – is hell-bent on destroying our socialised medicine system every chance they get.

If it isn’t the state Liberals trying to privatise public hospitals or sell off public assets, it is the Federal liberals trying to ruin Medicare or ruin it for those of us who are not in the one per cent economic category. Disgusting.

Many Liberal Party members look at health from the perspective of wealth, power and privilege, and never had to worry about a choice between paying a doctor’s bill or getting groceries.

I have many American friends, some of whom were bankrupted by ill health, forced to repay enormous costs for hospitals and doctor consultations. Other American friends I know tell me horror stories about mentally ill people having no access to medication; the poor being excluded from hospitals if they have no insurance.

This is the real-life American system that the state and federal Liberal Party want Australians to have: user pays. They are devoted to it ideologically. User pay systems make the rich wealthier.

Take a good hard look at the Liberal members of parliament you voted for and trusted, Goulburn. Scrutinise those members of our society that stand up there, openly supporting the Liberal Party, and challenge their beliefs. Challenge your own beliefs if you voted Liberal at the last election.

Goulburn Base and Bourke Street hospitals are off limits. They have been heavily supported by the community through fundraising. They are socialised medicine at best.

Why should we have to believe every fib that millionaires and billionaires tell us? They are wealthy because they looked after No. 1. Civilised societies like the Scandinavian countries have socialised medicine. User pays medicine is for the barbaric and cave men elites thinking about themselves alone. 

Get your grubby hands off our hospital.

Good on ya, Cr Leah Ferrara, in your support of the Bourke Street Health Service and opposition to the Goulburn Hospital privatisation.

Your notice of motion you intend to put forward to your fellow councillors at this week’s council meeting – about which you stated "I think the community needs to know the council is behind them and where they stand" – shows great initiative and courage from a newly elected councillor and puts your fellow councillors in the spotlight. None of them has said ‘boo’ up until now.

Be more than interesting to see what support you get. Maybe they all have private health insurance and barrack for the blue team. At least we'll all find out.

November seems to be around the time of year that the 1912 building that was St John’s orphanage is in the news again.

A fire on the property, the second in a year, destroyed a building that was demolished. Last year a fire was started on the top floor of the main building and part of the roof was burnt leaving the building exposed to the weather.

Councillors were angry and Cr Saville said at their meeting that the owner should repair the fire damage as there was no way the building was going to be demolished.

That was last year when I wrote a letter urging the council to take off the kid gloves when dealing with the building owner (since 2000) Mr Ferrara and get the roof restored to prevent further deterioration of the old building. But as usual, Mr Ferrara did nothing.

Now go back to November 2013 when I wrote about the council refusing to process a development application submitted by Mr Ferrara until he provided a schedule of conservation works to be done on the building. I quoted in my letter remarks made at a council meeting by  Cr O'Neill when she said: "I'm very concerned that if we don't stand firm on St John’s, the work will never get done." Of course she was right and three years later the work was never done. Why?

Now we have a neighbour, Carolyn Clancy, writing (GP Oct 27) of her fear of damage being done by loose roofing material and the overgrown state of the grounds surrounding the building with no security fence to stop vandals entering the building and grounds.

So, when will we see the council take some real action and get something done instead of letting the owner ignore them?