Rebuild fraught with problems

The necessity to close the theatres at West Gippsland Hospital for a second time clearly demonstrates that constructing a new build to fit with an ageing, antiquated original structure is fraught with problems – very serious and unexpected problems.

This $9.3m project is nearing completion, however the problems within the hospital remain.

The construction of the eight-bed short stay unit will ease the congestion and wait into the Emergency Department, but does not ease or improve the existing problems of the ED – one toilet for 16 plus beds, limited storage for equipment and lack of privacy, to name a few.

The short stay unit will not alleviate the conditions in the general wards - the utilities and lifts require maintenance and attention on an on-going basis; privacy is limited; and patient flow-through to ancillary services is via a public access area.

The loss/reduction of service provision due to lack of space is unacceptable. The adjacent wooden buildings accommodating staff and services are very sad and well past their use-by date.

There will be some improvement in parking at the hospital with access being improved, however the demand will outstrip the provision and patients and families will still be required to walk distances and also manage the remaining the steep gradient.

These questions remain: Has this project cost $9.3m as initially costed or $11.3m as stated by the treasurer when meeting with the Committee4Gippsland? (Gazette 23/7)

Will the contingencies meet the unexpected costs from the closure of the theatres, impact on refitting, or have to be met locally?

What impact will the transfer of patients to neighbouring hospitals due to the closures have on operating funds for this financial year and into the future?

How does the government expect the hospital to cope with the increased demands projected into the near future?

The increase and projections of population growth is very evident in Warragul and Drouin with developments sprawling around Warragul and Drouin.

The smaller towns in the West Gippsland area are also experiencing growth which impacts on the hospital’s future capacity.

Minister Jenny Mikakos surely must visit the hspital in order to fully understand the plight and challenges currently being faced as well as the future projections of demand for services.

The hospital, although operating under stress, and unable to fully service the community, is staffed by an excellent and committed Staff who treat and assist patients in very difficult circumstances. The greenfield site awaits.

Kerry Elliott, Warragul

The Drouin Uniting Church Congregation wishes to express its total opposition to the proposed permit for Ellinbank Football Netball Club to install 52 poker machines at Newmason Restaurant, Warragul.

Our congregation has written an open letter to Baw Baw Shire Council.

At a time when many families are having great difficulty making ends meet, Warragul does not need another group extracting funds from the community.

These machines contribute a pittance to the needs of our area, and add greatly to the hardships endured by ordinary residents.

As pointed out in the Warragul Gazette (23/7), already $17,000,000 dollars are lost by players here, very little is kept in our shire, and our region and families are worse off.

Think what this money could do if used to advantage for food, clothing, housing and essentials not being provided at present.

Also consider how many shops are struggling or have closed since the introduction of poker machines. How much of this is due to a lack of cash in the community?

We understand council has expressed its opposition to extra machines, and the latest opinion polls show most community members oppose them.

How then can council even contemplate allowing this scourge to be extended? So far we have seen no evidence of benefits to our community.

This local club, like many others, may be facing financial difficulty; we sympathise with that, but that is no excuse for placing this burden onto our community members.

Far better to seek support from their own associations, AFL or Netball Australia (who should be supporting local Clubs), or other sponsors, to get aid from external sources outside the towns.

Gambling contributes nothing to the wellbeing of our society, and simply increases the wealth of a very few people, while causing great financial distress to many. Surely we can do our part in lessening this effect.

We thus call on all councillors to oppose this extremely harmful proposal. Stan Rodwell, chairman, Drouin Uniting

Church Council Brilliant letter from Greg Tuck (Gaz 30/7). Loved the Galileo analogy. This analogy when applied to global warming sceptics debate versus zealous alarmists.

With myself claiming 20 years of observation and seventh dan black sceptic status.

Any attempt to debate any overzealous alarmist only results in us both believing we are Galileo.

Way too much information is available it is up to you to decipher how much is false. Ask firstly of the source of the information and what, if any, is their ulterior motive.

I can direct you to over 31,000 signatories on several petitions claiming APGW global warming is a fraudulent scam.

That versus 600 IPCC published authors feebly attempting to justify government funded jobs. Jobs that which should not even exist.

Lynton Malley, Cloverlea

It was especially pleasing to see the report in last week’s Gazette “Developer withdraws planning amendment”.

The developer was seeking an amendment that would allow the removal of a number of trees in Weebar Rd Drouin rather than being required to drill under the trees to ensure they were retained.

For too long, there has been a lack of respect for our natural environment by some within our community and to read that our shire officers made comments such as, “The trees are a valued council asset that contribute to and enhance the natural environment of the area”, was very gratifying.

In Drouin and other parts of our beautiful shire, we are losing natural environment, especially tree canopy, at an alarming rate due to unprecedented urban expansion.

A healthy environment means a healthy community and we should be doing all that we can to preserve and enhance the trees and other vegetation that clean our air, absorb carbon, reduce ambient temperatures, mitigate run-off, provide our oxygen, etc.

Congratulations to our council officers for supporting the objectors and indeed to the developer for responding to the calls of the community. Peter Ware, Drouin

I am writing about the article “Vic Roads asleep at the wheel” (Gaz 23/7) and Cr Danny Goss suggesting that Vic Roads “is asleep at the wheel”.

Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? So effective traffic management that was put into place decades ago, before Baw Baw Shire Council embarked on the rezoning of areas, is now taking longer to negotiate due to the increase in population.

I utilise this roundabout on a frequent basis during peak times and cannot recall unreasonable delays.

In fact, for the volume of traffic now using this roundabout I would call it highly efficient to date given that Warragul is fast evolving from a country town to an outer suburb of Melbourne. Bricks to whoever is responsible for the condition of the DrouinLongwarry Rd heading into Longwarry past the sawmills. Someone thought it a greater priority to construct a footpath instead of doing something about the entrances to the sawmills themselves. What a mess.

Bouquet to the young women who helped me with my broken-down scooter in South Rd, Warragul. Thanks also to the scooter rider and the young man from Soutars Garage. Thank you.

Thanks to the man that stopped on Warragul-Korumburra Rd last Monday night and rendered assistance to Greg and his broken down car.

For this council, who has now effectively gridlocked the Warragul CBD with their version (to quote mayor Mikaela Power) of one large roundabout, to point the finger at Vic Roads is a touch farcical. Helen Case, Drouin

A huge bouquet to the person who found and handed in my wallet at V/Line Warragul on Thursday morning. Also many thanks to the V/Line staff for sending it on the next train for me to collect at Southern Cross station. Also a bouquet to the kind person who offered to buy me a coffee after hearing of my misfortune. This honesty and kindness was greatly appreciated. Bouquets and big congratulations to the Gippsland Eisteddford Committee and everyone involved in Monday’s Parasteddfod, the best entertainment of the year! Wonderful entertainment and audience participation. As the Mawarra Dance Group sang, thank you for the music!