Is it a simple solution?
I listened with trepidation to the news from the State’s Planning Minister about his plans to combat the housing crisis in Sydney and all over NSW.
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The plan to have house buyers access their superannuation early, to me, is robbing Peter to pay Paul. The idea of super is to lower the pension burden of government. If this policy is allowed, you will have people who own their own home when they hit retirement age, but because they have accessed their super, they will have lower payments from their super and because they own a house they will be lucky to gain access to any senior concessions and certainly not a full pension, if any at all.
Also, the idea to have some units allocated as ‘low income’ units in new buildings is only a short-term and one-off solution. When the first buyer wants to sell in three years’ time, the government can not order a seller to cap their asking price.
As with all human endeavors, just because a problem is detailed, that does not automatically mean that the solution to a problem needs to be as complicated. In fact, it is usually the other way around. If a problem is complicated, then the solution is usually simple, as is the case with this problem.
If our community leaders – from the prime minister, to premier, to mayor – are not able to see a solution for this crisis, then maybe they should find other employment. Oh, wait a minute: it is us the citizens who gave them their positions, and it is us who can see them moved on!
Jason Crane, Goulburn
Power to the people
We should never underestimate the ‘power of the people’. This has never been more true since the sudden announcement regarding privatisation of our hospital and the devastating news that the Bourke Street Health Service was to close.
The community of Goulburn and district came out in their hundreds to sign the petitions and to voice their opinion. The response to the Southern NSW Local Health District announcement was swift and furious. The LHD did not consult with the community and did not, I am sure, expect such a reaction to their announcement. Consultation instead of arrogance should have been shown. A lesson for the LHD.
The distress caused to staff at both the Base and Bourke Street and to patients and their families ensured that the LHD was going to be taken to task by a community that is tight-knit and loyal to those who care for them.
I never doubted for a minute that we would not win this battle and throughout our battle I also wish to thank the Goulburn Post. They have shown that their reporting has been fair to all and in keeping with the rules that apply, have demonstrated that their professionalism has been evident from the outset. I have written to the paper and when my letters were printed, there were omissions due to the fact that I had overstepped the traces in my comment.
Jane Cotter, Mary Walker and Anna Crawford-Wurth from the Health Services Union called in their troops, which saw hundreds attend the rally in Belmore Park. I got to know these dedicated nurses and their concerns were for their colleagues and their patients and such is their dedication that in their own time, they walked the streets and spoke to the people personally. They saw, like I did, people cry when relating their concerns and their personal stories. I will never forget some of the conversations.
Ms Janet Compton, the chief executive of the LHD, was never on the same page as Goulburn MP Ms Pru Goward. There were never any time lines regarding the closure of Bourke Street. Ms Goward stated time and time again that Bourke Street would not close until the new hospital was built. This created much doubt within the community and there was nothing concrete from the LHD until the contents of a press release were included in the letter last week from Ms Goward.
We fought the good fight and now it is time for the hospital staff at the Base and Bourke Street to be able to get on with the dedicated job that they do and to wish Ms Kerry Hort all the best in overseeing the building of our new hospital.
Thank you to the business houses and the citizens of Goulburn for the loyal support that you have shown to those who have fought so hard to ensure that the community had the important say in how our health system should operate.