THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #04 TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2005 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Anaesthetists’ dispute threatens surgery Alex McAuley The Northern Rivers region will face a shortage of emergency and elective surgery options next month unless a contract dispute between anaesthetists and the North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) can be resolved. Dr Megan Gray, chairperson of the Department of Anaesthetics at Lismore Base Hospital, has some serious concerns regarding contract issues for local anaesthetists. The contracts are issued over ďŹ ve years and expire at the end of this month. At this stage, there have been no new contracts sighted, yet she says NCAHS has been aware of the problems for a considerable length of time. ‘There has been ongoing discontent among the anaesthetists over employment conditions for the past ďŹ ve years resulting in much resentment and loss of good will,’ said Dr Gray. ‘At Lismore Base Hospital we
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Seed Savers open garden bears fruit
are fortunate in having an enthusiastic and dedicated group of anaesthetic specialists. This is being continually eroded due to the disadvantages of practising anaesthesia in rural areas.’ The disadvantages include unacceptably long working hours for limited financial reward, fewer opportunities for career advancement or private practice. The long working hours are of particular concern, with 15 hour days being commonplace as well as a far heavier on call commitment than in cities. ‘For us to cover our roster at Lismore Base Hospital we really need to do a one in ďŹ ve roster [one day on call out of every ďŹ ve]. In the city areas most people are doing a one in 30,’ said Dr Gray. ‘General Practitioners receive a rural loading to make rural pracGardening enthusiasts flocked to the Seed Savers Garden in Byron Bay over the weekend including Tully Paddon from tice more attractive to them. The Cudgen, pictured above right. Seed Savers’ Michel Fanton, above left, explained the finer points of organic woven fencing, same should be offered to anaes- providing a little more detail than the 21-month-old had bargained for. Photo Jeff ‘Seedy’ Dawson continued on page 2
Jazz festival swings Bangalow
Local alto saxophonist, Dave Addes, in a soulful moment at the inaugural Bangalow Jazz Festival on the weekend. Roddi and the Fellas, Paul Williamson’s Hammond Combo and Grace Knight were among the highlights of the many top line acts entertaining the crowds. Jeff ‘Jazz party discharge hats’ Dawson
Highway inquiry widens its scope A parliamentary inquiry into the impact of the proposed upgrades of the PaciďŹ c Highway has started with a call for public submissions. While the impetus for the inquiry was to investigate the reasons for expanding the study area between Ewingsdale and Tintenbar, the terms of reference identify a much wider subject area including the impact of B-doubles and the role of the PaciďŹ c Highway as the interstate heavy transport route. Greens MLC Ian Cohen and Ballina MP Don Page jointly drafted the terms of reference for the inquiry, which will be chaired by Nationals MP Jenny Gardiner. The impacts of mixing interstate and local heavy transport on the Pacific Highway; the impacts of interstate truck transport on the New England Highway; and the signiďŹ cance of the New England highway as a designated national
transport route will be considered by the Legislative Council’s General Purpose Standing Committee Number Four. ‘Not only will the inquiry provide an opportunity for community input, its recommendations could provide valuable feedback to the State and Federal Government on both speciďŹ c and strategic issues,’ Mr Page said. Concerns about the upgrade between Ballina and Woodburn will also be covered by the inquiry which is set to look at issues such as ooding, the effect on prime agricultural land and on the communities of Broadwater and Woodburn. ‘The inquiry will not delay the PaciďŹ c Highway upgrade because there is no construction money on the table to build these two section of road anyway,’ Mr Page said. Greens MLC Ian Cohen asked NSW Roads Minister Michael
Costa in Parliament to travel to the affected areas and hear of the ‘fear, insecurity and depression’ generated by the RTA’s expanded study areas of the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale, Ballina to Woodburn, and Ulmarra to Grafton sections of the PaciďŹ c Highway upgrade. ‘There is enormous concern among residents that the RTA has failed to consult properly but so far Michael Costa has ignored the sentiments being expressed at community meetings throughout the affected areas. ‘I will continue to request him directly to come and meet with residents. This is not an issue the RTA or the minister can afford to simply ignore or pretend to have properly consulted on. ‘The next state election is less than two years away and north coast seats are among the most continued on page 4
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