Hospital stress
AS a 65-year-old having to spend several days in hospital recently, I was appalled at the health system and the stress of the nurses at the Royal Hobart Hospital. I was moved four times in six days, a mentally challenged man tried to get into bed with me and the list goes on. The 34 hours I spent in Emergency was just the beginning. The week previous to this it took three hours to get an ambulance and the Health Minister once again has not got his facts right, but won’t come to me for them.
When I asked the Opposition to let me tell my story to show what is happening to so many of us, they agreed, but never bothered, even though saying they were going to, several times. When I asked for my story to be looked at, I sent my email to several politicians, including a federal member who couldn’t even get the email straight and then had the cheek to ask me if she could refer a “mental health professional” for me, just because I was angry that she couldn’t even get my name right. Enough is enough.
Ease off Dutton
WHETHER or not anyone likes or dislikes Peter Dutton, the present media beat-up of him stepping in to allow a woman to stay and work is no more or no less than what he was entitled to do in his role at that time. It is also exactly what his opposite in the Labor Party would do if it was felt safe to do. It is also no different to what hundreds of people all over Australia do each day when they lobby their politicians to intervene on their behalf, whether it be for help in finding a home, help in having a hospital admission be brought forward, help in myriad situations that people find themselves in.
The press are continuing to bring unrest to what has already been a concerted effort by them and some stupid politicians, yes including Mr Dutton and others, to bring down a prime minister, and not happy with that, they now want to bring down a government. Let’s take a step back, take a deep breath and let matters take their own course when we eventually have an election. In the meantime let the government govern and move on.
Bureau belongs here
IT seems Tasmanians will lose out again when the Bureau of Meteorology service in Tasmania is removed, which will affect 15 to 20 workers.
This incompetent decision shows a lack of thought about what is needed, which is local knowledge, specific expertise and accuracy, for an area that I believe covers Tasmania and Antarctica. There have been complaints about this decision from farmers, fishers and firefighters.
What about decentralising, instead of having the BOM only in Melbourne and Brisbane? Perhaps the Melbourne staff should go to Canberra, Adelaide and/or Tasmania? Educators emphasise the importance of STEM subjects for students, and this needs to be followed up by having STEM jobs, like at the BOM, in Tasmania. The BOM workers and their union should fight this poor decision, and people could contact their local members of parliament.
Great Aussie film
LEIGH Paatsch reviewed the Australian film The Flip Side (Saturday Mercury, September 1) and claimed that the comedy “keeps entering and leaving the room like a drunk who has lost some keys”. I wonder if we saw the same film. The film I saw was an authentic portrayal of our modern life. The heroine is struggling to balance supporting her bewildered mother in a nursing home while struggling to keep her restaurant amid overwhelming bills. This was handled deftly and with humour. The characters were believable, and sympathetic. I enjoyed the movie, the parallel lives of those who ruthlessly follow their dreams and those who care for family however difficult it may be. Ignore the 1½ stars, this is an Australian film to enjoy.
Marvellous Merger
MY family went to see The Merger at the cinema on Sunday. We loved it and wanted to tell all our friends and family to go and see what we think is up there with The Castle as the best of all time.
Sadly Village in their wisdom only screened it at Eastlands once on Saturday and once on Sunday and now it’s gone. That was just dumb. A movie like this needs word of mouth to make up for the lack of big promotional budget. By limiting screening Village are throwing money away and robbing people of the chance to see a movie that I bet will find a place in our national consciousness that very few films ever have. Please State Cinema can you fill the gap?