Political capital

Can our health system handle the rollout?

The corona crisis has brought out the best in our nation’s leaders, both political and bureaucratic. But it has also exposed their weaknesses and shortcomings.

The National Cabinet has been a conspicuous success, raising the obvious question of why it has taken an international crisis to get federal and state decision-makers to sit around the one table and make real-time decisions in the national interest.

But not every decision has been made in the spirit of cooperation. Right now, a furious game of finger-pointing is underway regarding which level of government is responsible for delays in the vaccination rollout. Now is not the time to try to answer that question; that should await the national wash up once the pandemic is beaten.

What we do know with certainty is that our ACT health system was already creaking and groaning under the pressure of delivering standard services long before a man in central China ate a bat. This means we should be suspicious of claims that efficient local services were ready to deliver the vaccine but were frustrated by Commonwealth incompetence.

The ACT health system – our hospitals in particular – has languished at the bottom of the national performance tables for at least a decade. In many key areas it is the best funded but the worst performing of the nation’s health systems.

For example, a few months ago the ACT Audit Office published damning findings on the system’s management of chronic diseases like arthritis, cancer and diabetes. It found that four separate strategies rolled out over five years had been completely ineffective in improving the lot of people with these conditions. The report is a rollcall of failure and lost opportunity.

A $50 million expansion of the Hospital for Women and Children, due to be completed this year, now won’t be delivered until 2023, if we’re very lucky. Meanwhile, targets for seeing patients in our hospital emergency departments has been dropped from 90% within four hours to just 80% (perhaps a concession to the reality that only 57% are being seen within this timeframe anyway).

Our public health system has been staggering from one damning statistic to another for years, to such an extent that reports like the Auditor General’s barely register in the public consciousness anymore. People simply assume that services will be

WITH GARY HUMPHRIES AO, FORMER ACT CHIEF MINISTER AND ACT SENATOR

costly and ramshackle, but hope that they get lucky the next time they need to use the emergency department in the middle of the night.

So why would we imagine that a system in which poor standards and cost overruns are deeply ingrained will somehow perform magnificently now that a full-scale health crisis is washing over us?

But perhaps we get the health system that we deserve. It’s a mystery to me why a system this bad has been taken for granted for so many years by a well-educated, politically-aware Canberra community. Let’s hope the current crisis helps us see our health system with new eyes.

Open Day 2021 Open Day 2021

Thursday, 22 April 2021 Thursday, 22 April 2021

Get behind the scenes of our International Baccalaureate World Get behind the scenes of our School at the Canberra Girls International Baccalaureate World Grammar School 2021 Open Day. School at the Canberra Girls Grammar School 2021 Open Day. See the magic that happens within our classrooms and experience our teaching See the magic that happens within our and learning environment in action. classrooms and experience our teaching and learning environment in action. Register online and book your seat to attend special sessions with our Register online and book your seat Principal, Mrs Anna Owen as well as to attend special sessions with our the Dean of Music, Mr Joel Copeland. Principal, Mrs Anna Owen as well as the Dean of Music, Mr Joel Copeland. Visit cggs.act.edu.au/openday and book your spot today. Visit cggs.act.edu.au/openday and book your spot today.

More than a school tour! More than a school tour!

Early Learning Centre 9.30am–11.00am and Junior School Early Learning Centre 9.30am–11.00am Senior School and Junior School 4.30pm–7.00pm Senior School 4.30pm–7.00pm

‘Sanitise your heart’: Ramadan begins in Canberra

Relaxed social distancing requirements will allow the Canberra Islamic Centre (CIC) community to come closer together for the month of Ramadan, which began Tuesday 13 April.

Before COVID-19, the mosque in Monash hosted Iftar, the meal which breaks daily fast, every Saturday during Ramadan.

CIC president Shamsul Huda said each dinner was sponsored by a different group from within the CIC community, who catered for 1,200-strong crowds with food from their cultures – Bangladeshi, African, Mediterranean, Arab, Indonesian and Malaysian feasts.

The tradition began in 1998 and has grown in size and popularity year-on-year.

“It was to celebrate the diversity in our community,” Mr Huda said.

But communal Iftar was not possible in 2020 and, for the first time, the Canberra Muslim community were forbidden from praying shoulder-to-shoulder.

CIC Imam Adam Konda said he came to the mosque alone last year and spoke to his community through Zoom.

This year, he’s looking forward to speaking to his community faceto-face and seeing worshippers pray side-by-side.

“When I look at the audience, just looking at them inspires what I say; when I look at people and talk, I don’t need any paper,” he said.

Although CIC decided against hosting Iftar due to continued risk of COVID-19, Mr Huda saw positive signs that things were slowly returning to “some level of normalcy” in 2021.

The mosque will be able to have larger crowds for worship, and conduct Taraweeh prayers, which are longer sessions of prayers at the end of each day of Ramadan.

“We pray 20 additional rakahs, and it has got significance – massive significance,” Mr Huda said.

“We are pretty happy to say to our people that we can do it sideby-side like we used to do.”

Imam Konda said he saw the holy month as a training season, and he applied what he learned from COVID-19 to his religion.

During the pandemic, he learned to sanitise his hands and keep distance from people he loved to protect them.

“Ramadan is the same but spiritually; sanitise your heart, learn how to love, learn how to kill racism, kill the idea of ‘I am better’, live for other people.”

Islam is the most prominent non-Christian religion in Australia, with over 600,000 Muslims recorded in the most recent census (2016).

“Ramadan is all about learning how to become a human being,” Imam Konda said. “It is about being the human being God intended when He created you.” - Rosa Ritchie

Canberra Islamic Centre president Shamsul Huda and Imam Adam Konda.

CANBERRA THEATRE CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE CENTRE SILVER IS GOLD SILVER IS GOLD

Concert Concert Concert Concert Thursday 29 April 2021, 12pm Thursday 29 April 2021, 12pmFREE!

Enjoy an afternoon of music conducted and curated by Enjoy an afternoon of music conducted and curated by Captain Shane Gillard from RMC Big Band especially Captain Shane Gillard from RMC Big Band especially for this event called Music of the Stage and Screen. for this event called Music of the Stage and Screen This wonderful performance will be performed by the . This wonderful performance will be performed by the RMC Big Band, which is made up of musicians from the RMC Big Band, which is made up of musicians from the Band of the Royal Military College- Duntroon. Band of the Royal Military College- Duntroon. Hear the big hits from your most loved musicals Hear the big hits from your most loved musicals including Westside Story and All that Jazz. Come and including Westside Story and All that Jazz. Come and experience an 18 piece band live as they play the Abba experience an 18 piece band live as they play the Abba medley and all your favourite Beatles songs. medley and all your favourite Beatles songs. Entry is free with a gold coin donation. Entry is free with a gold coin donation. All attendees will be required to register their details All attendees will be required to register their details prior to the performance with the Canberra prior to the performance with the Canberra Theatre Centre. Registration is FREE and is now open! Theatre Centre. Registration is FREE and is now open!Bookings can be made online or by phoning Canberra Theatre on 6275 2700

PRESENTED BY: ACT Chief Minister CATEGORY: Special Event

DURATION: Approximately 60 minutes, no interval SUIT CHILDREN?: This performance is suitable for children.

We’re looking for houses to rent in Canberra and Queanbeyan

Each year, DHA rents properties directly from investors to house Defence members and their families.

If your property meets our requirements, you could start enjoying the benefits offered by a DHA lease.

Long-term lease up to 6 years

Guaranteed* rental income Regular rent reviews to ensure market value

Property care including most non-structural repairs

Rent your property to DHA. Visit dha.gov.au/rentdirect

Disclaimer: *Rent may be subject to abatement under certain circumstances such as loss of enjoyment or amenity, or breach of lease terms. Rent is paid where the property is habitable. Should a property become uninhabitable during the term of the lease, or lessor breaches the lease terms, the rent may cease or abate and lease may be terminated by DHA. Guaranteed rent is subject to the terms of the lease. DHA does not take into account an investor’s objectives or financial needs. Investors should always seek appropriate independent advice before making any investment decisions with DHA.

Does Canberra have a mouse problem?

A plague of mice pillaging cropping farms in parts of NSW, SA and Queensland has ACT residents nervously watching for a flow-on effect in the number of critters around the house.

Anecdotal social media reports of dogs digging up mice in Tuggeranong, cats offering them up as gifts in Palmerston, full traps and the pitter patter of tiny claws inside ceilings across the Capital Territory has had local pest control services wondering whether they should expect an influx of calls this month.

Canberra Pest Control operations manager Brett Mitchell said there was an increase in the number of requests for rodent extermination recently; however, he didn’t believe Canberra was on the cusp of its own plague.

“Typically, you would receive more calls mid-autumn towards winter and over winter,” he said.

Although he takes calls about rodents year-round, Mr Mitchell conceded 2021 was a good year for mice and rats.

“It has seemed a little busier on those calls earlier than usual; Where there’s rain and growth there’s breeding.

“I’ll know more in probably a month or two, once I see what’s happening.”

Roger McMahon of A1 Bird and Possum Proofing – who also deals with mice – said he thought he would see more pests because of the plague out West, although they hadn’t reared their tiny heads yet.

“This time of year, there is a natural increase when the weather gets colder,” he said. “If I was a mouse, I’d choose a house over a hole in the ground.”

Despite being better acquainted with the house mouse than most, Mr McMahon said they were difficult to predict.

“I’d like to sit down and talk to them for half an hour or so, because I don’t quite understand their behaviour – they’re quite erratic.”

There is no specific monitoring program for mice and rodents at the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD).

Canberrans on the outskirts will be relied upon to sound the alarm if things change, and a spokesperson said EPSDD had not received reports of increased mouse activity.

“Despite not having a specific monitoring program, the Directorate does have extensive contact with the rural lessees who act as early surveillance for issues of concern such as mice,” a spokesperson said.

Similarly, staff operating in the

A mouse plague is threatening the livelihood of Australian farmers and Canberrans worry it will creep closer to the ACT. Image: CSIRO

national parks surrounding Canberra have not reported increased mice activity.

If mice make their way to the national capital to create a two-year quadfecta of fire, flood, pandemic and plague, the EPSDD will decide next steps on the fly.

“The Directorate will continue discussions with our interjurisdictional colleagues and consider what actions can be applied locally if required,” a spokesperson said.

- Rosa Ritchie

AN ADVENTURE OF the WILDEST KIND

Canberra’s Nati onal Zoo and Aquarium features a combined aquarium, metropolitan zoo and easily walked open range secti on, as well as our incredible AdventureLand playground. Come and experience amazing up-close and personal animal encounters and tours. You can also experience the unforgett able with an overnight stay at the internati onally recognised Jamala Wildlife Lodge. There is truly something for everyone at the Nati onal Zoo and Aquarium!

View from a Giraffe Treehouse!

Awesome Roarsome tour

Gift vouchers and memberships are available online through our website or over the counter.

Zoo 02 6287 8400 Jamala 02 6287 8444 www.nati onalzoo.com.au www.jamala.com.au

Public housing shortage an ‘absolute disgrace’

Standing outside a $2.6 million Braddon public housing complex that had been empty for five years, Canberra Liberal MLAs last week said the public housing shortage was “an absolute disgrace” for the ACT Government.

Thousands of Canberrans were waiting years for housing, while more than 400 properties remained unoccupied, they claimed.

“Not acceptable,” Shadow Minister for Housing, Mark Parton said on Friday 9 April. “Where is the will to say we are in the middle of a housing affordability crisis and let’s do whatever we possibly can to get these places back online?”

“We’re talking about vulnerable families; about women and children; about the Canberrans that are doing it tough already,” Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee said.

“This government needs to front up and take responsibility and explain to the Canberra community why they have allowed this situation to occur in our nation’s capital,” Ms Lee said.

The 10-apartment complex in Lowanna Street cost $2.6 million but was only occupied for five years. It was completed in 2012, but the building was deemed a fire risk, and the last tenant was moved out in 2017. Since then, it has remained derelict, fenced off.

The ACT Government has lodged a Development Application to demolish the complex and redevelop the site with 10 Class C adaptable properties, a spokesperson said. The estimated cost of the demolition and rebuild is commercial in confidence, and the Government has yet to select a tenderer.

“It is totally unacceptable for the Government to have this relatively new complex sit empty and in squalor while there is a critical shortage of public housing in the ACT,” Ms Lee said.

“The Government has known about this for five years and has allowed this situation to continue.”

The ACT has a shortfall of almost 3,000 public housing dwellings. According to March 2021 figures, 953 Canberrans applied for standard housing, and wait on average three and a half years (1,340 days); 1,647 applied for high needs housing, and wait more than two years (867 days); and 183 applied for priority housing, and wait almost nine months (267 days).

Last month, Rebecca Vassarotti, Minister for Homelessness and Housing, stated that waiting lists for public housing could increase this year due to the economic impacts of COVID.

The ACT Government stated that on 6 April, 96% of the ACT’s 10,981 public housing dwellings were occupied (the optimal occupancy rate set by ACT Housing). Of the 406 unoccupied properties, 117 properties would be sold or redeveloped; 224 were being maintained, repaired, or improved; and 65 were ready to be allocated to tenants. This ebb and flow of vacant properties was expected during renewal programs, the Government stated.

Under its Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program, the Government has promised to renew more than 1,000 public houses and build 600 new ones, said Yvette Berry, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development. This year, for instance, 130 dwellings are being built, including 61 in Dickson.

- Nick Fuller Read an extended version of this story online at canberraweekly.com.au

The Canberra Liberals announced a and Shadow Minister for Climate Canberra Liberals reshuffle ACT theatres, cinemas return to full capacity cabinet reshuffle on 8 April following Action, Economic Development, Tourism Canberra’s theatres, cinemas capacity changes would mean Alistair Coe’s resignation and James and Major Policies, and also remains and indoor performance venues sustainability for the industry, Milligan’s return to the Legislative Shadow Attorney-General. returned to 100% capacity jobs in the arts and confidence for Assembly last month. In his new portfolios, Mr Milligan yesterday, 14 April, for the first the touring circuit.

Mr Coe’s shadow portfolios of said he was keen to meet the service time since restrictions were As well, the ACT Government Planning and Land Management and of providers, advocacy groups, businesses, introduced last year due to last week announced changes Sustainable Building and Construction organisations, and public to understand COVID-19. to the COVID event protocols, pass to Peter Cain and to Mark Parton. their needs and whether the government Venues with fixed, front-facing which will be updated to give Elizabeth Lee will take Mr Coe’s role as was underperforming. For instance, and tiered seating can now have a guidance to live music venues on Shadow Treasurer, assisted by Mr Cain. he considers bushfire preparedness a full house, and Canberra Theatre how to safely host events and seek

Mr Milligan resumes his previous government failure, and will focus on it Centre’s Gill Hugonnet said the exemptions for larger audiences. shadow portfolio of Sport and in the Emergency Services portfolio. Recreation, but also picks up Emergency Services, Vocational Training and As Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness since 2016, Mr $10k grants to elite athletes Skills, and Disability (previously Parton had developed a good network of Twelve University of Canberra of sporting areas including race Jeremy Hanson and Elizabeth Kikkert’s connections and been a strong advocate, (UC) students were last week walking, rugby 7’s, snow sports, responsibilities). Ms Lee said. awarded $10,000 scholarships swimming, hockey, rugby league,

The shadow cabinet reshuffle means “It makes sense that he would to help them balance their time para-athletics and, for the first that Ms Lee has the same portfolios as take on the Sustainable Building and studying and their elite sport time, AFL umpiring. UC director Chief Minister Andrew Barr. Mr Barr Construction portfolio as well.” pursuits. of sport Carrie Graff said the is Treasurer, and Minister for Climate - Nick Fuller The recipients of the Eldon funding can be put toward either Action, Economic Development, and Visit canberraweekly.com.au for more on and Anne Foote Elite Athlete sport equipment, travel to events, Tourism; Ms Lee is Shadow Treasurer, these stories and other news updates. Scholarships come from a variety training, or their studies.