Irritation

GP1650474 BABIES exposed to Hazelwood coal mine fire smoke were overrepresented in emergency department visits for allergies, rashes, respiratory symptoms and infections, according to new research. The Hazelwood Health Study found that in-utero babies whose mums were exposed to mine fire smoke could have been affected by particles crossing the placental barrier into the foetal circulation. The study’s Latrobe Early Life Follow-up stream focussed on pregnant mums in the 2014 mine fire, and bubs aged 12 months or under. It found that babies were more likely to be taken to the emergency departments for allergies or skin rashes in their first year of life if their mums were exposed to the highest levels of smoke. This was compared with babies from mothers who had lesser or no exposure to mine fire smoke. Infants aged 12 months or less who were directly exposed to the smoke particles were more likely to be taken to the emergency department for respiratory conditions and infections in the 12 months following the mine fire. The Hazelwood Health Study carried out the study in collaboration with the CSIRO by measuring airborne PM2.5 particles in the mine fire smoke that were less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. The ELF stream obtained anonymous Victorian Emergency Department and hospital admission data for all babies born in the Latrobe Valley before, during and shortly after the 2014 mine fire. However, ELF study data analyst leader Myriam Ziou said that the findings need to be treated with some caution. “It’s not possible to know whether the smoke from the mine fire caused an increase in allergies, rashes, respiratory symptoms and infections in infants, or whether the parents of smoke exposed infants were more worried about their children’s health and more likely to seek emergency medical care for minor ailments,” she said.A separate part of the study included 500 families with smoke exposed children who were recruited in 2017 to participate in three rounds of clinical investigations looking at their lung and heart health.

Push for post-office bank

By MICHELLE SLATER

LATROBE City Council will be asking federal MPs to back a Bill that would establish a post office people’s bank, in the wake of branch closures across the region. Cr Melissa Ferguson raised a motion at Latrobe City’s November meeting to ask MPs to support the Commonwealth Postal Savings Bank Bill, which is being backed by the Katter Australia Party. The Bill will seek to establish a Commonwealth government-owned banking corporation that would be operated through post offices, and offer a full suite of banking services, including loans. It comes as ANZ has announced it will be closing its Moe branch in April next year, off the back of nearly every back branch being closed in Morwell and others disappearing from outlying towns. “It’s getting harder for people to access their cash and it’s so important for our community groups to do their banking on a local level,” Cr Ferguson said. “Little family-run businesses and markets all depend on these structures and the availability of cash, and not everyone has transport to get to these larger branches.” Cr Sharon Gibson pointed to the number of branch closures in the Valley. “This is not fair on businesses either but it’s happening as we don’t have banks open,” Cr Gibson said. “When you haven’t got access to a banking institution that you are a member of, it makes it very difficult.” However, the Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, said the Bill had not been introduced to parliament, and it would be “inappropriate” for him to make statement without first seeing it. Mr Chester said both the federal government and opposition supported a strong and well-regulated private banking system in Australia. “If the Bill is introduced to parliament I will review it and listen to the electorate before reaching any decision,” Mr Chester said. “I understand the concerns around accessibility to banking services with recent bank closures in the Latrobe Valley.”