Howard- back in Braddon with money

[dmc333]

I've lost count, his 3rd or 4th time in a year. A dud like Mark Baker, sitting in a marginal seat, must be loving it.

We'll wait and see where else this 'scheme' is applied, and will all the test cases be marginals.

Howard unveils hospital takeover

Prime Minister John Howard has unveiled his plan to directly bypass the Tasmanian Government and take direct responsibility for funding a hospital in the north of the state.
Mr Howard received a hero's welcome when he arrived at Latrobe's Mersey Hospital to announce the takeover this morning.
Patients left their wards to greet the Prime Minister from the hospital balcony and a small crowd applauded as he announced the plan to fully fund the restoration of services at the Mersey.
Mr Howard announced that the controversial plan would cost Commonwealth up to $45 million a year.
Control of the hospital's day-to-day operations will be handed to a trust made up of medical specialists and community members.
In June this year the State Government began winding down emergency services at the hospital, which is now operating only as a day surgery unit.
Mr Howard has denied the takeover is an attempt to shore up the marginal seat of Braddon, saying the Mersey is an obvious test case for the scheme.
"This is not something the Commonwealth has normally done in the past, but action was needed," he said on a YouTube video.
"The Commonwealth's true role in this case is one of direct intervention to help the local community.
"The Tasmanian government has announced plans to downgrade the existing hospital which has left the local community deeply unhappy.
"The Australian people are not especially concerned about theories of governance when it comes to the delivery of basic services."

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/01/1993910.htm

 

[stickman11]

Little **** loves spending money to buy votes

 

[dmc333]

Abbott on 7:30 Report "anyone needing more than a day procedure faces a 60km trip to Burnie on indifferent roads."

Hmm, 30 minutes on a dual carriageway. You might think Rosebery was slightly in need if we're talking roads, 2hrs on a goat track to Burnie.

Can't get staff now, so where do they come from? Nothing like seeing the usual gullible faces cheering Howard.

 

[Mr Q]

The smell of pork, pork and more pork is strong in Devonport tonight.

 

[- PC -]

Abbott on 7:30 Report "anyone needing more than a day procedure faces a 60km trip to Burnie on indifferent roads."

Hmm, 30 minutes on a dual carriageway. You might think Rosebery was slightly in need if we're talking roads, 2hrs on a goat track to Burnie.

Can't get staff now, so where do they come from? Nothing like seeing the usual gullible faces cheering Howard.

So why not spend the money on the roads?

Talking to a Liberal friend earlier and they were happy as anything. I said I will support it if they then take over every country hospital which meet the criteria that this hospital did...or indeed it will be consigned to the political porkbarreling/stunt wastebasket

 

[finders]

I believe its not an election stunt when the old rodent PM spends money on needy hospitals in SAFE labor seats say like the Western hospital in Footscray.Pure vote buying from a desperate stale government.

 

[Dry Rot]

I believe its not an election stunt when the old rodent PM spends money on needy hospitals in SAFE labor seats say like the Western hospital in Footscray.Pure vote buying from a desperate stale government.

Philosophically, how is it any different to Rudd pledging half a billion dollars to a particular demographic (new home buyers)?

Both Lib and ALP are stuffed and are flushing our money down the dunny.

 

[- PC -]

Philosophically, how is it any different to Rudd pledging half a billion dollars to a particular demographic (new home buyers)?

Both Lib and ALP are stuffed and are flushing our money down the dunny.

There is a difference between pledging and spending

 

[dmc333]

So why not spend the money on the roads?

Nothing wrong with the road, Abbott was trying to sell it as a big imposition to get to Burnie, the whole stretch has been massively upgraded over the past 5 years.

However, if you're a patient on the West Coast trying to get to Burnie, it's between a 2-3 hr wild ride. Unfortunately they don't live in a marginal.

You wouldn't want a mining accident on the West Coast, especially after buying votes for a less severe situation on the North-West.

 

[dmc333]

 

[Androo]

good work

 

[Dippers Donuts]

I believe its not an election stunt when the old rodent PM spends money on needy hospitals in SAFE labor seats say like the Western hospital in Footscray.Pure vote buying from a desperate stale government.

This is exactly what the ALP should do. Find a run down hospital in a safe labor seat that mirrors the conditions of Mersey Hospital, ie due to be close/downgraded etc. Then present the detail to the rodent and ask him to do the same as he is doing in Tassie.

Then watch the rodent squirm.

 

[stickman11]

Seriously, the mersy hospital is 40 minutes from the Launceston General Hospital...

All hospitals are in need of funding atm... the mersey hospital really should be a last resort

The Challenge is on for Howard to fund all country hospitals.

 

[Tasmaniac]

Seriously, the mersy hospital is 40 minutes from the Launceston General Hospital...

All hospitals are in need of funding atm... the mersey hospital really should be a last resort

The Challenge is on for Howard to fund all country hospitals.

40 minutes? You must drive fast!

More like an hour. Still I get your point.

Nice for us living in the local area though.

 

[dmc333]

Hook. Line. Sinker.

Interesting that the local paper has this as their front page on the web, yet the actual front, which looks like an AFL Grand Final souvenir edition, reads:

SAVED
With a massive picture of two grannies hugging.

And inside the front page:

THE SECOND COMING
With a gushing reaction.

 

[sherb]

Hook. Line. Sinker.

Interesting that the local paper has this as their front page on the web, yet the actual front, which looks like an AFL Grand Final souvenir edition, reads:

SAVED
With a massive picture of two grannies hugging.

And inside the front page:

THE SECOND COMING
With a gushing reaction.

It isn't nicknamed the Aggravate for nothing.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

John Howard has gone fishing with some expensive bait.

I just hope the stupid fish don't bite

 

[leapinglanny]

Tasmanias labor governementr has been trodding on Tasmanias for years now and has been neglecting their hospitals.

It is refreshing to see Howard listening to the people and trying to fix a health system destroyed by labor.

 

[Dry Rot]

Tasmanias labor governementr has been trodding on Tasmanias for years now and has been neglecting their hospitals.

Please elaborate - didn't know you were an expert on Tasmanian politics.

 

[dmc333]

Local Liberal Senator Stephen Parry put his foot in it.

AN EMBARRASSING split has emerged in the Liberal Party after Burnie-based Senator Stephen Parry reportedly rubbished the Federal Government's Mersey hospital takeover. "It's a disaster, it should be closed," Senator Parry reportedly said of the Mersey in a conversation with two journalists and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's press secretary in a Parliament House lift.
In a statement released last night, Senator Parry did not deny the comments, but said he was taken out of context.
He did not return calls to The Advocate to clarify exactly what he did say.
Senator Parry is reported to have made the comments to well-known political journalist Matt Price, of The Australian newspaper, with The Sunday Age's Jason Koutsoukis and Lachlan Harris, of Mr Rudd's office, the others in the lift.
Mr Harris wrote Senator Parry's offending comments on his hand, it is claimed.
In Burnie yesterday, Health Minister Tony Abbott said he had spoken to Senator Parry, and that: "Those are not his views."
Senator Parry said in his statement he supported the Government's plans to "deliver a sustainable, safe and viable health system for the people of Tasmania".
Labor yesterday questioned Government Ministers in the Senate over Senator Parry's reported comments.
In his statement, Senator Parry said the Labor Party was mischievously using a remark from a private conversation to achieve political mileage.
The controversy has undermined the Mersey plan and may hurt the Liberals' standing with voters in the lead-up to the election.
Braddon Liberal MHR Mark Baker's re-election hopes hinge largely on the $45million a year Mersey takeover.
Public acceptance may be starting to wither under sustained fire from Burnie civic leaders, clinicians and the State Government.
The reported comments will fuel increasingly bitter feelings between North- West Liberals.
Senator Parry is described as the "Senator for Burnie" in some Liberal circles, with a view among some that his focus is entirely on Burnie and points west of the city.
State Liberal health spokesman, and Burnie- based Braddon MHA, Brett Whiteley may have added fuel to the fire yesterday.
Before a meeting with Mr Abbot, Mr Whiteley said comments by senior intensive care specialists on Monday about the unsustainability of two ICUs on the Coast "rang true".
And Mr Whiteley said he believed the Mersey had a "bright future" as a day surgery centre.
Mr Whiteley's comments seem to be at odds with the Federal Government's stated plans for a community-trust run Mersey Community Hospital, which would include an intensive care unit.

http://nwtasmania.yourguide.com.au/...ass=general&story_id=1033696&category=general

Even better, after this was released the state Labor Health Minister, Lara Giddings, came out with a letter from Parry to her, saying services should be centralised in Burnie.