Treatment of refugees in detention deplorable
I would like to thank The Advertiser for their regular reporting on the gatherings to protest on the ongoing inhumane treatment of the refugees in detention. I applaud you.
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Bev Northey, Bendigo
Letter leaves writer gobsmacked
Well, I am just gobsmacked, again, by Bruce Phillips’ letter “Councillors, not council officers, hold the power”, (Bendigo Advertiser, February 8).
His letter demonstrates how, as a councillor, he was prepared to rubber stamp council officers’ reports because it appears council officers make “sensible decisions”.
Mr Phillips clearly does not understand the main thrusts of the purpose of the independent review, which was to increase efficiency, accountability and transparency.
The matter of the out of control 5 per cent, 6 per cent and 9 per cent overall rate increases in recent years also certainly needed to be reduced.
As soon as the review’s findings were announced, the CEO placed his iron fist on one recommendation that could have saved millions of dollars, saying there would be no changes to the operations of city futures business units. This was before councillors had even “considered any officer reports”, as Mr Phillips puts it.
As all should know, the officer report took almost two years to “cook up the figures”, ignoring savings and justifying the CEO’s position. All but two of the councillors meekly accepted the council officer report probably, according to Mr Phillips, “because it is the most sensible decision”.
The “modest stipend” and allowances for councillors and the mayor exceeds $450,000 a year. Of course, one councillor has access to a specially fitted-out vehicle 24 hours a day at ratepayer expense.
Councillors exercise absolutely no control over the extraordinary rate of growth in staff numbers and the consequent explosion in the salaries and benefits of council staff. That is the sole preserve of the CEO and senior officers.
That is who is in control of this council, Mr Phillips.
Colin Burns, Strathfieldsaye
Anti-vaxxers a danger to society
Thank you for the piece by Dr Donald Bourquin (“Vaccination: we must not let our guard down in Aust(ralia)”, Bendigo Advertiser, February 1).
As a registered nurse of more than 20 years, there are many clinical experiences which remain stark in my memory. Prominent amongst these is the harrowing footage of infants suffering whooping cough (pertussis) which my fellow critical care student nurses and I were required to watch and learn from in 2008.
I am lucky, however, compared to the emergency department and paediatric ICU nurses I know who will never forget the horror of actually nursing babies and children with this viciously cruel and often fatal disease. I have, though, seen adults die from this preventable illness over the course of my career.
Vaccination is a collective social responsibility. It is unfortunate that anti-vaccination groups such as “Healthy Families of Illawarra” and the misleadingly titled “Australian Vaccination Network” continue to find such a ready audience for their conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific sophistry.
New parents, please do not look for the specific and individualised expertise you need regarding any vaccination concerns you may have on the internet. Do not let doubt stop you from giving your children potentially life-saving and proven modern preventative healthcare.
The science and the evidence for vaccination is absolutely clear. Vaccination is safe. Please take any questions and concerns to your trusted and expert GP, rather than vociferous, fringe-dwelling charlatans.
