Letters To The Editor

Arrogant Academic

It seems that once you have a degree you then have all the answers like Dr Andrew Binns (Echo, letters, Aug 11).  As a woman with a mouth full of fillings raised in Melbourne where fluoride was added to the water, I know your argument and it is lame.

It was honey on the dummy that apparently damaged my teeth, but not wanting to put all the blame on the bees, I think we'd do better to rid ourselves of the sugar industry rather than put toxic waste in our water supply.  Not a bad idea considering cane fields cause as much erosion to the Earth as sugar does to our teeth and bodies.

I realise academics often feel they know more than most due to years of having their heads in books, but I sense that many also lose touch with their innate ability to sense nature's truth.  

But hey, we live and learn so let's spray our schools for mozzies with DDT;  let's keep building our family homes with a deadly material; let's bring in a toxic toad to wipe out our native fauna; let's continue the caesarean onslaught and don't forget to pump those babies full of mercury and see if their brains still develop normally - and if not we'll just blame parents for their disruptive, aggressive children. 

Makes me wonder if there's any truth in the rumour that fluoride was used in the water supply of German concentration camps to subdue the inmates... anyone? 

All I know for sure is that nothing is ever clear cut in this world Dr Binns, and I find you arrogant for suggesting it is.

Mel Manar
Lismore

Health questions

At the meeting last Saturday in Lismore City Hall so much information came out that helped those present understand what is happening to local medical services.

The dispute between anaesthetists and Area Health is just one issue in a litany raised at the meeting, and I believe many more people need to understand what is happening, and what this means for every family living here. If you are currently well and healthy, you might think this really doesn't concern you. It does!

Lismore Base Hospital is recognised as a 'Centre of Excellence', because, during the 70s and 80s, a core of talented, committed medical specialists came to the area and worked long and hard to build the reputation of Lismore Base, to the point where it was valued on its merits.

This has taken decades to achieve, but services have been steadily undermined over recent years, as Health Service administration continually pruned, cut and chopped away, wherever they could.  The medical practitioners who attended the meeting last Saturday spoke with one voice. Their message was clear: "Death by a thousand cuts" means the hospital workplace for medicos is now unsafe, and not only unsafe, but dangerous - for staff and patients. Many specialist practices that include work within the public health system are on the verge of becoming unviable, with the reduction in operating time at Lismore and surrounding hospitals, and those specialists are leaving, and will continue to leave or retire.

Other messages to the community included: a current need for 50-60 extra beds; antiquated equipment, for example, a 50-year-old operating table; operating lists cancelled at short notice.

Cancelled lists mean the doctor comes in to operate, finds lists cancelled, and their day wasted - and who does the patient get upset with? The doctor, of course! No patient appointments have been made, because the doctor was to be operating, but the business overheads (around $150,000 pa) remain - and the mortgage! How frustrating for busy, committed, professional people. You begin to understand why Dr Sillar, a third generation Lismore practitioner, has decided to leave the area and go to Tweed Heads.

The CEO's response was predictable, to say the least: Mr Crawford read numerous figures about staff numbers, bed availability, dollars spent, funding increases, development plans. Not once did he acknowledge the serious issues raised by those working in the hospitals, or respond to the heartfelt concerns for patient welfare being expressed by the doctors.

Some questions that need to be answered:

Q. If the Area Health Service comes in under budget, is there any benefit to the Chief Executive Officer?

Q. How can Tweed hospital, in the same Area Health Service as Lismore, continue to attract Specialist Practitioners, and currently offer doctors full operating lists?

Q. What is the comparison in funding allocated to Tweed and Lismore hospitals for the 2004-05 year?

Q. How will an increase of around 28 beds by 2008 meet the needs of an area that needs 50-60 beds now?

Q. How is it advantageous to employ locum anaethetists at $3000 a day, over local anaethetists for around half that money?

Q.  Over what period of time has the AHS been employing locums to do the work of local anaethetists?

Q. Is there concern within the AHS that, without work within the public health system, anaethetists will leave the area, and new people will not come to the country?

Q. Why are you, Mr Crawford, not publically fighting tooth and nail for improved funding and resourcing of medical services in Lismore and surrounding area?

You see, having listened to doctors who have lived here, raised their children here, and worked here for many years, I believe them. Their message is vastly different to yours, Mr Crawford, but I believe them - simple as that!

Marilyn Perkins
Wollongbar

Traumatic system

Did you know the process of charging someone after a sexual assault is at times equally traumatic as the experience? Did you know that the process sometimes takes over two years and is often unsuccessful? It's because of these issues many victims don't have the energy to go ahead with the charges.

These are sad facts in our community. As sexual assaults continue and I see perpetrators walk free to re-offend, I think about the responsibility of our legal system. Their responsibility to our community and if that isn't working, or if there are gaps in the service, the need to make a change. There must be a way for a victim friendly process. I am currently in the middle of laying charges and it is hard work, luckily I have strong will and good family support. It would be so much easier not to be doing this, I guess my sense of justice pushes me on. There are also great services like the Lismore Sexual Assault Counselling Service and the Court Support Program. The police have been great, supportive and informative. The problem is not at ground level. The problem lies within the legal system. Pretty paper stacks and real life abuse sometimes just don't match up.

Name withheld on request
Nimbin

Life meddlers

Even if all of the scientific evidence was indisputably in favour of fluoridation (and there are clearly dissenting views), there remains one major reason why public opposition to it is so strong - and that revolves around public resentment of excessively interventionist government.

I believe that the support for fluoridation from the dental and medical professions is motivated by a genuine belief that it will benefit public health. If there is a genuine benefit to public health, we then need to ask whether or not this benefit outweighs our civil liberties - that is, the right of individuals to not be compulsorily medicated against an affliction from which they may never suffer, and which the medication may not prevent. Does the community have the right to a clean water supply, or do the perceived needs of a minority in this case override a person's right to choose whether or not to receive medical treatment?

John Irving's response (Echo letters, Aug 11) to Ros Irwin does little to help his argument. Mr Irving should be reminded that Councillor Irwin is not simply a non-credible angry community member, but is in fact an elected representative of the people of Lismore - and I suspect that on this issue she enjoys the support of many people who often disagree with her, and not just the 3,000+ people who voted for her at the last election. Cr Irwin suggests (Echo letters, Aug 4) a referendum be held on this issue - surely this is a sensible idea for a free and democratic society. Opposition to such a proposal will only encourage the conspiracy theorists - and they're wrong... aren't they?

Whether or not the water supply of the Northern Rivers is fluoridated, whether or not the water supply of Brisbane is fluoridated, there will still be serious dental health problems in this country. Perhaps proponents of fluoridation could take a broader view, and look at measures that would create more targeted and effective benefits, such as a universal Medicare-style scheme to provide basic dental services.

Nick Casmirri
Wollongbar

Did we forget?

As one of the younger WWII veterans (RAN '43-'46) I was disappointed at the number of young people who did not know why I was wearing my medals on August 15.

After the service at Lismore I moved around town for about two hours with them on, to remind people of the momentous events of August 1945, but no-one asked why I had them on. After that I asked quite a few young people if they knew why and sadly, most did not.

Doug Myler
Lismore Heights

Time to act

In my job as a registered nurse dealing with aged people, I speak to many people who have restricted driver's licences, enabling them to drive for distances of 30-40km only. These people are only able to drive as far as Lismore for specialist medical services and treatment.

I wonder what will happen to these people if the current medical crisis isn't resolved and our specialists are forced to move away from this area. The closest specialty area is Tweed/Gold Coast and this will greatly disadvantage our elderly population as well as working people with frail elderly parents and generally people who are too sick to travel this greater distance comfortably.

Despite this being one of the most densely populated rural areas and highest growth areas in NSW, we may be forced to accept reduced medical services as if we are a remote area. It seems that the taxes from this area, if they are not being swallowed up by Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong, are going to be diverted by this Government to Labor seats like Tweed Heads rather than staying in Lismore/Ballina which are seen as safe National seats. We are already not receiving $5 million per annum according to the Health Dept. formula for funding rural areas.

As stated at the community meeting at Lismore City Hall last Saturday, people power is the only hope we have of saving this situation and changing the agenda of the politicians. We can't afford to be complacent. This potentially affects us all. There would be very few community members who have not needed the services for themselves or someone dear to them. We have such a fantastic team of specialists here on our doorstep and we are at serious risk of losing them. This isn't going to just blow over and sort itself out like so many people think. We all need to be behind this issue, signing petitions and writing letters to our local member etc. Now. Specialists are leaving this area beginning at the end of this week.

Michele McMillan
Ballina

Trash you own backyard, not ours

This letter is addressed to the beachgoers, picnickers, sightseers and fishers who use the beach access track at the end of Boundary Creek Road, between Wardell and Broadwater.

Firstly, to the bunch of guys who camped at the beach end of that track on the last weekend of July, it would be nice if you came back and cleaned up your campsite, ie. Remove the TV still perched in the tree and collect the other bits and pieces you left lying around. I'm sure if someone else wishes to use that spot they'd like to find it clean and tidy.

That same weekend, to the people who parked their blue car just inside the beginning of the track rather than at the end of the road, no-one else wants to clean up your drink bottles or used toilet paper!

I'm sure some of the rubbish (beer-bottles, six-pack plastic wrapping, takeaway food containers, plastic bags, drink cans, fish carcasses in string bags, etc) is not purposely thrown out the window either on the beach or en route to the beach. Maybe if you've got litter on the back of an open vehicle, put it in a plastic bag, secure it in some way and take it home with you. Be responsible!

I frequently walk that track armed with at least one large bag, planning to have a bit of a cleanup along the beach but find myself constantly picking up litter that someone else has just discarded on their way to the beach. None of the junk I've seen is biodegradable so throwing it into the bushes is not going to make it disappear.

Both the beach and the track through the trees, are busy wildlife habitats. If you're so keen on nature and the outdoor environment, please be responsible and look after it. Respect the right of others to enjoy a clean beach and pathway to it. Take your litter home with you.

Raewyn Macky
Wardell

Fluoride debate

In response to John Irving's letter (Echo, Aug 11) re fluoridation, first, it is simply not the case that virtually all clinicians support it, and I challenge him to produce evidence that they (rather than their organisations) do. There are many clinicians who do not support it at all, and my own is one, however standing up publicly to the Health Department is not wise if you are a clinician.

Second, John claims that 'more than half a century's evidence-based science proves it to be effective and safe'. How does this reconcile with evidence before the US Senate provided by Dr Hirzy, a Senior Scientist with the Environmental Protection Authority, that 'we do know that American children in large numbers are afflicted with hyperactivity-attention deficit disorder, that autism seems to be on the rise, that bone fractures in young athletes and military personnel are on the rise, that earlier onset of puberty in young women is occurring. There are biologically plausible mechanisms described in peer-reviewed research on fluoride that can link some of these effects to fluoride exposures'. In addition, he refers to 'epidemiological evidence (2a, 2b) showing elevated bone cancer in young men related to consumption of fluoridated drinking water'.  And this is only one of many examples of scientists and scientific research that challenges the Health Department's position.

Third, I note that rather than address all the issues I raised, John used a fairly common tactic to discredit people with different perspectives i.e. to suggest the opponents of fluoridation are just 'a few angry people', when indeed there are many thousands who oppose it and they are 'concerned' rather than angry.

In regard to Andrew Binns's letter (Echo, Aug 11), I understand he is concerned about the 'most disadvantaged people' who he claims need fluoride. Perhaps Andrew is unaware that there is a dental health crisis in Sydney, which has had fluoridated water for 37 years, and it is affecting those same groups of disadvantaged people. The message seems to be clear - those with poor dental hygiene and health do not drink water but prefer other, sugar-rich bottled drinks which simply exacerbate their problems. How does Andrew intend to ensure that these disadvantaged people will actually drink water?

Rather than 'balancing the benefits versus the risks', when faced with a substance about which there is such conflicting scientific evidence - if you choose to seek it out and have an open mind - in my opinion it is better by far to use the precautionary principle and simply not proceed with it. There are better and safer alternatives, including improved funding for public dental health.

Ros Irwin
Lismore

Tree free NSW

Well as it goes the last guy was not bad enough, now we have a Premier who is about to do the soft shoe shuffle over forests. Morris Iemma, the new kid on the block, has already shown his impeccable Labor credentials by giving property speculators a free kick with the abolition of the vendor tax and how is he going to overcome the shortfall in the budget? By selling off our state forests!

Yes the wonderful suited shysters of Macquarie Street are at it again and to hell with those of us who have chosen to live amongst the natural wonderland of NSW forests. Bad luck koalas, possums, lyrebirds and other assorted minions of the forests as Morris and his mates need to shore up their re-election possibilities and the obvious target is the most vulnerable of the natural order, all those cute little critters that the Japanese and European tourists like to think of as cuddly and sweet.

Morris, being a doctor, knows all about making hard decisions when it comes to trade offs. Like should I amputate the leg or the arm, hang on the arm is worth more on Medicare, we'll take the arm!! Who votes for these jokers? Why the land grabbing profiteers of NSW business and greed Inc of course. Do you live near a forest dying of dieback caused by logging? Then don't worry soon it won't be there if Morris and his cronies get their way. Write to them if you love the natural world and tell them hands off our forests!

Michael Mizzi
Tabulam

My turn next?

In last week's Echo I witnessed Dr Andrew Binns' second public support for fluoridation of the water supply. I am appalled. As a medical professional he must surely realise that the majority of Western Europe has banned such an unhealthy practice. Yes, they have said 'no' to the poison they were being forced to drink. His statements of "... science in favour of fluoridating our water supply" and "... disadvantaged people" appears to be an attitude of "I'm a doctor so I know better"; also, his motor vehicle safety analogies to discredit detractors such as Ros Irwin reeks of the "Reefer Madness" (1930s propaganda film) dogma:- if-you-smoke-marijuana-you-have-heroin-tendencies.

Ironically, despite being a doctor who is interested in science, he doesn't appear to have heard of dental fluorosis.

So why are SWAN and Ros Irwin et al against fluoridation? In short look up www.fluoridation.com and www.fluoridealet.org for the truth. Now shall I receive brickbats next week?

Tony Baron
Kyogle