The Local Paper. Yea Hospital Public Meeting Special Report. Sat., June 22, 2024

The Local Paper

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024

‘LOSING A LOCAL VOICE COULD COST LIVES’

Outer East games

■ Division 1. Round 11. Saturday, June 29. Healesville v Powelltown. Yarra Junction v Belgrave. ASlexandra v Waburton-Millgrove. Seville v Yea. Yarra Glen: Bye.

■ Premier Division. Round 11. Saturday, June 29. Upwey-ecoma v Narre Warren. Wandin v Officer. Mt Evelyn v Emerald. Woori Yallock v Olinda-Ferny Creek. Berwick Springs v monbulk. GembrookCockatoo v Pakenham.

Goulburn Murray

■ Goulburn Murray Under 14 Seymour. Round 10. Sunday, June 30. Seymour v Wanmdong. Yea v Tabilk. Alexandra; Bye. Broadford: Bye.

■ Murrindindi Shire Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher pleaded with Premier Jacinta Allan and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas`to not depart from the Labor Party’s core values, and to not proceed with the amalgmation of local hospitals including Yea, Alexandra and Mansfield.

“Please look after the little guy,” Cr Gallagher told the packled-to-capacity public meeting held at the Yea Shire Hall on Saturday morning (June 22), with 70 people outside.

“Losing a local voice could cost lives.”

He praised the efforts of Yea Hospital CEO Elizabeth Sinclair, and Murrindindi Shire CEO Livia Bonazzi.

Master of Ceremonies Neil Beer read a letter from the Returned Services League Victorian President Rob Webster which spoke of the gear of the Yea Hospital being subsumed into the Goulburn Valley Health organisation.

Mr Webster called on the name of ‘Yea and District Memorial Hospital’ to be retained. He noted the annual Dawn Service held as an ongoing memorial.

Mr Beer emphasised that Saturday’s meeting was not a political one, and no political party was involved.

He passed on apologies from Indi MHR Helen Haines, Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell, Premier Jacinta Allan and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas.

The meeting was told that the State Government had plans to establish six metro bodies, and six organisations regionally, to manage all the State’s hospitals currently handled by 75 boards.

Mr Beer said, under the plans, Yea Hospital would be managed from Melbourne.

■ Division 1. Round 11. Saturday, June 29. North Heidelberg v West Preston-Lakeisde. Banyule v Hurstbridge. Greensborough v Bundoora. Eltham v Macleod. Heidelberg v Montmorency.

■ Division 2. Round 12. Saturday, June 29. Panton Hill v St Marys. Lower Plenty v Northcote Park. Watsonia v Whittlesea. Thomastown v South Morang. Laurimar v Diamond Creek.

■ Division 3. Round 12. Saturday, June 29. Epping v Mernda. Heidelberg West v Old Paradians. Ivanhoe v Reservoir. Kilmore v Lalor. Old Eltham Collegians v Kinglake. Fitzroy Stars: Bye.

5 pages of local football - inside

The Local Paper

association with the Established September 14, 1969

in localised editions in 40 areas across Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula and some country areas.

Incorporating the traditions of the Evelyn Observer (Est. 1873), Seymour Express (Est. 1872), Yea Advertiser (Est. 1995), Yarra Valley Advertiser (Est. 1995), Whittlesea Advertiser (Est. 1995).

The Local Paper is published weekly online and printed fortnightly and circulates in local editions:

• Regional/’Dindi Local’ Edition: Murrindindi, Mansfield, Strathbogie, rural sections of Nillumbik and Whittlesea

• ‘Lilydale and Yarra Valley Express’ Edition: Yarra Ranges Shire

• Mitchell Shire Edition: Mitchell Shire

CONTACT US

Phone: 1800 231 311, 9489 2222, 9439 9927, 0450 399 932, 5797 2656.

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Mail: PO Box 1278, Research, Vic 3095

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Bissett-Johnson,

Editor: Ash Long

Features Editor: Peter Mac

Columnists: Len Baker, Matt Bissett-Johnson, Rob Foenander, Peter Kemp, Aaron Rourke, Ted Ryan, Cheryl Threadgold, Julie Houghton, Kevin Trask, John O’Keefe

Honorary Reviewers: Juliet Charles, Sherryn Danaher, Peter Green, Lyn Hurst, Kathryn Keeble, Beth Klein, David McLean, Graeme McCoubrie, Maggie Morrison, Peter Murphy, Jill Page, Elizabeth Semmel.

Logistics: Peter Dodd, Tim Granvillani, Erica Koldinsky

Credit Manager: Michael Conway OAM, Fast Action Debt Recovery, 0402 142 866

Ash on Wednesday Beware people power

■ The public meeting at Yea Shire Hall sent a clear message to Premier Jacinta Allan and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas: hands off our hospitals.

A number of resolutions were passed: the first being that the Yea Hospital and its Board be retained.

A second resolution, carried unanimously, was that the 30 per cent budget cut be reversed.

Convenor Jan Beer said “how dare politicians rip apart” local hospitals.

She called on the State Government to stop building tunnels at a cost of $200 billion, and return the funds to running services such as the Yea and District Memorial Hospital.

Mrs Beer said the Yea Hospital was a major trauma centre that catered not only ti local people but visitors.

Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Cr Damien Gallager said 51 per cent of local women had a propensity for anxiety and depression.

Some 70 per cent of Murrindindi Shire people were at the risk of alcohol harm.

Half the population would soon be aged 65 or over.

Neil Beer said local hospital management would be controlled from Melbourne.

Some 3648 signatures have been collected so far for a petition to be presented to State Parliament.

The meeting was told that Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas denied there was a 30 per cent budget cut at the Yea Hospital, but conceded that

Long Shots

“For

$1.3 million had been taken from its budget.

The meeting was told that the Transport Accident Commission regarded Murrindindi region as the worst for serious accident injuries and deaths.

Cr Gallagher called on the State Government tyo have “no more gags, no more secrets” about the plans.

The meeting was told that local Hospital boards had been made to sign non-

disclosure agreements, to keep details secret from the public.

Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish told the meeting that she was born at tghe Yea Hospital.

She said that she, Northern Victorian MLC Rikki Lee Tyrrell, and Euroa MLA Annabelle Cleeland had kept asking questions in Parliament of the State Goverment.

“We need to save the Yea and District Memorial Hospital,” Ms McLeish said.

Judy Hard, longtime life member of the Hospital and Rosebank, gave a history of the mammoth local fund-raising over the decades.

Dr Jennifer Keast spoke of the innovation, ideas and creativity of the Board and Shair Ian Marshman and CEO. They were only two years into their model.

Dr Martin Lowe spoke of the lack of discussion that the State Government had on its plans: “It’s hard to see how it will work.”

A similar public meeting is to be held this coming Saturday (June 29) at Alexandra.

Local Photo Flashback

Trivia Night at Hub

■ A Trivia Night will be held at the Murrindindi Woodburne Community Hub from 6pm, Saturday, July 6. The Hub is at 815 Murrindindi Rd, Murrindindi.

140th anniversary

■ Alexandra Football Netball Club will celebrate its 140-year anniversary on the weekend of Saturday, July 20.

Life celebration

■ The celebration of the life of David Frederick Purcell will be held at the Healesville Racecourse at 11am on Saturday, July 6.

125th year service

■ The 125th anniversary of Christ Church, Molesworth, will be held this Sunday (June 30) with Bishop Clarence Bester leading an 11am service followed by a luncheon in the Molesworth Hall. There will be no service at Marysville on this date, so parishioners can visit the Molesworth celebration.

Homes in Mitchell

■ An incorrect figure of the number of Mitchell Shire homes expected by the State Government in 2051 was published in last week’s online edition of The Local Paper. Mitchell Shire currently has 21,800. Another 68,000 homes are expected in the next 27 years, according to draft figures released by State Premier Jacinta Allan and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny.

Search for member

■ Applications closed last week with Murrindindi Shire Council for an Independent Member of its Audit and Risk Committee. An initial term of three years - until June 30, 2027 - was on offer.

Media publicity

■ Cheviot Hills (Yea) woman Jan Beer won almost half-a-page publicity on the ‘Hands Off Yea Hospital’ campaign in last Friday’s edition of The Age newspaper. The article was headlined ‘Country Victorians can smell a dead rat’.

Winter Wonders

■ Strathbogie Shire Council has announced the return of the Winter Wonderland event this August.

Jacobson’s Outlook, Nagambie; the old Gambles Nursery Site on Binney St, Euroa; and the newly added site at Jubilee Park, Avenel , will be transformed with winter magic.

The Winter Wonderland experience features an ice-skating rink complete with inflatable surrounds, skates, helmets, penguin trolleys for smaller children, and expert staff to assist with fitting skates and providing instruction.

Alongside ice skating, attendees can enjoy the Extreme Cloud Snowboarding Experience, hot chocolate, a photobooth, and live music, creating a family fun event for all to enjoy.

“This initiative is a key part of our community flood recovery efforts, using community events to build resilience and solidarity within the community,” said Strathbogie Shire Council Administrator, Peter Stephenson.

The Winter Wonderland will be held in: Nagambie Ice Skating Sat., August 3.11am – 7pm Sun., August 4. 11am – 4pm Jacobsons Outlook, High Street, Nagambie

Cindy McLeish MLA, Cr Damien Gallagher, Master of Ceremonies Neil Beer and Jan Beer.

Cheryl Threadgold, Local Theatre

Julie Houghton, The Arts

Kevin Trask, Entertainment Aaron Rourke, Film

Ted Ryan, Horse Racing Len Baker, Harness Racing Matt

Cartoonist Peter Kemp, Art Rob Foenander, Music

● ● ● ● A communications consultant for Murrindindi Shire Council?

✖

Until recent times, a media enquiry lodged with Murrindindi Shire Council on a Thursday morning would receive a reply by Friday afternoon deadline, in time for the next newspaper. In the most recent 2024 example, a request for comment to the Council took two weeks (“10 business days”) to process. Even then, the reply came at 5.19pm, after the Council’s own office hours. Perhaps that allowed for the staffer/s to claim overtime, on the ratepayers’ dime.

?Is editorial material in a regional newspaper (not us) being ghost-written by a person other than that shown on the byline? Is the material being used to settle political scores?

✖What is Murrindindi Shire Council doing to releive the rapidly increasing cost of living for its ratepayers? The seven Councillors have decided to apply the maximum possible rate increase of 2.75 per cent. This is at the highest possible level allowed by the Victorian State Government. The latest announcement came in a media release headed ‘Council adopts responsible Budget for 2024/25’. Really?

‘Hands Off Yea Hospital’ Mini Ads

■ Last Saturday morning’s ‘Hands Off Yea Hospital’ meeting at the Yea Shire Hall came several days after Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish peppered Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas with questions in State Parliament.

“For example, will maternity services, infusion scopes or dialysis in Mansfield be impacted?

“How about the visiting specialist surgeries at Alexandra? Will urgent care and mental health services be impacted?

“Yea have finally been able to deliver mental health services again. They have a fabulous men’s health program being run with the Murrindindi Council at the Yea Saleyards during the cattle sales.

“This is hugely successful and possibly the only program like it in the world. Research tells us we need to be agile, innovative and original in our approaches, but I fear that super clinics and super hospitals will do everything but this,” Ms McLeish said.

“I worry greatly too that the expert advisory committee which has been convened does not have direct experience with rural health services.

“The chair of the panel, the former Labor member for Bendigo West, Bob Cameron, might know regional hospitals, but he does not understand the ins and outs of the small hospitals.

“Communities have so many questions, and they want answers. Are all hospitals in my area going to be headquartered out of Shepparton or maybe Melbourne’s Eastern Health or Northern Health?

“Will services be rationalised? If so, which services?

“Will jobs be lost? How many of the small rural hospitals are subject to funding cuts –which ones?

“Is block funding going to be continued? Will hospitals be given additional funding once a new enterprise agreement is agreed to with the nurses and midwives?

“Are hospitals expected to draw down on cash surpluses? Are hospitals expected to dig into their reserves to get through the next six months, punishing them for being successful in the past?

“And what about bequests? When in 153 years Mansfield has seen many bequests – and I know in Yea entire estates and houses have been left to hospitals – what should happen here?

“Is it the minister’s intent to force hospitals into financial difficulty so they have no option but to look at merging?” Ms McLeish asked.

TYRRELL MEETS AT MANSFIELD

Shire’s difficulties in keeping staff

■ Murrindinfi Shire Council, led by $250,000-a-year Chief Executive Officer Livia Bonazzi, appears to continue to have difficulty in attracting and keeping staff.

A Co-Ordinator Governance and Integrity remains unfilled despite being previously advertised, according to the Council website.

The Council is also trying to attract applications for a casual Aquatics Lifeguard, a casual Assistant Aquatic Operations and Facility Supervisor, a casual Aquatics Dity Manager - Lifeguard, a casual Library and Customer Service Officer, a part-time Resource Recovery Centre Operator, Day Care Educators and a full-time Strategic Planner.

40 YEARS SERVICE TO MURRINDINDI, YARRA RANGES WHITTLESEA AND MITCHELL

In April 1984, Ash Long purchased the Yea newspaper business from Tom Dignam. Exactly 40 years on, throughout 2024, Ash Long continues his lifetime of community service as Publisher of The Local Paper.

● ●

● ● Cindy McLeish, Eildon MLA

✖Eltham MLA Vicki Ward and Yan Yean MLA Lauren Kathage have let down the local community over plans for a new Eltham Hospital, Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish has told State Parliament. “A community hospital, the Eltham community hospital, is flagged for Diamond Creek. We know in 2018, six years ago, there were election commitments made about this: 10 new community hospitals. Five are under construction, none have opened, and the one in Eltham, in Diamond Creek, looks as though it has well and truly been parked. I think the members from Eltham and Yan Yean have really let their communities down here.”

?Yarra Ranges Council has finalised its revamped Housing Strategy, following engagement with the community about the future of residential development in the Yarra Ranges. Councillors this month unanimously endorsed the Housing Strategy and the supporting Neighbourhood Character Study. Both documents will guide the location, intensity and design of developments in Yarra Ranges for the coming 15 years.

■ Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, MLC for Northern Victoria Region (who attended Saturday’s public meeting at Yea ), has asked the Victorian Health Minister for information regarding a possible of merger of the Mansfield District Hospital with Goulburn Valley Health.

Mrs Tyrrell met with representatives of Manfield Shire Council where the topic of the merger was discussed.

Her question comes in the wake of a public rally where thousands of residents expressed concerns over the plans.

Mansfield General Practitioner Dr Ben Nally was delighted with the turnout at the rally held on Mansfield’s High Street and hopes that the community’s voice can be heard in a bid to stop the amalgamation.

“I think it touches everyone. The numbers that we got were just amazing. I couldn't even see how far back it was going from the stage there,”

“It just shows that we're a passionate town and obviously it's an issue that everyone's extremely passionate about,”

“Hopefully it makes noise and people take notice. I think it's important that we stood up and said something.”

Mrs Tyrrell said there was real apprehension in the Mansfield community that any merger involving the hospital will result in a decrease in health services in the town.

Times change. For some in the 1980s, the definition of ‘local’ was being between the two bridges in the Yea township. The local government mergers of the 1990s saw the new Murrindindi Shire widen the scope to take in parts of the Alexandra, Broadford, Eltham, Whittlesea and Yea municipalities.

The reconstruction and recovery from the 2009 ‘Black Saturday’ fires again broadened the meaning of ‘local’.

By the 1990s, Ash Long could see that the concept of a paid-circulation local newspaper was already outdated.

In the early 2000s, The Local Paper and its progenitors were already developing an online presence, as well as growing the free printed editions.

Tom

and

The Local Paper is still the largest local newspaper, with editions covering Mansfield, Mitchell Murrindindi,

(rural), part of Strathbogie, Whittlesea (rural) and Yarra Ranges. Decades on, Ash Long and his team remain committed to providing best possible service to readers and clients.

Dignam

Ash Long, 1984. Today,

Nillumbik

Mary-Anne Thomas, State Health Minister