Issue 731

Main News

Nursing Shortage Hits Crisis Point

A statewide shortage of nurses has reached crisis point for overworked and stressed nurses who will meet over the next week to consider industrial action. The chronic shortage of nurses has been blamed on poor wages and conditions, and the NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA) is now taking the fight for improvements to address the problem to the NSW Government.

Nurses at Lismore Base Hospital will meet on Friday at lunchtime to decide what sort of industrial action they will take. Lismore nurse and NSWNA Vice President Helen O'Donnell said that while a strike could not be ruled out, local nurses were more likely to consider bed closures and a ban on paperwork.

'In 25 years of nursing, I have never seen things so bad or nurses so angry. They're fed up with the excessive workloads and poor rates of pay forced on them by the NSW Government,' she said.

'There are around 10,000 nurses in NSW who are not working as nurses. They have been leaving in droves and the government needs to do something to improve safety, working conditions and wages to attract these people back into the profession.'

Ms O'Donnell said that the nursing shortage meant that Lismore Base Hospital currently had 35 temporary and permanent nursing positions unfilled.

'Hospital management are trying their best to attract nurses to work here – and the situation on the North Coast is not as bad as it is across the rest of the state. But until the government makes drastic changes to make nursing more attractive, this problem will worsen.'

Ms O'Donnell said many nurses were forced to work double shifts of up to 17 1/2 hours, and that agency nurses were coming from the Gold Coast in an effort to fill the gaps.

'Patient safety has been maintained by nurses working excessive hours, but one of the options for industrial action we will consider on Friday will be to close beds to maintain safe nurse/patient ratios so that exhausted nurses won't be forced to work overtime to provide care. The current situation puts incredible pressure on the nurses and they're angry because they feel their hard work is going unrewarded and unrecognised by the NSW Government,' she said.

'This dispute is not about Lismore Base Hospital or the Northern Rivers Area Health service. The problem lies with the Carr government and Health minister Craig Knowles, who admit there is a problem, but don't seem to want to do anything to fix it.'

The NSWNA had applied the Industrial Relations Minister, John Della Bosca, to initiate an urgent case before the Industrial Relations Commission to improve wages and conditions.

'Nursing wages have dropped, in comparison with others health industry workers, over the past 10 years. This is one of the reasons why people are turning away from nursing,' Ms O'Donnell said.

'Nursing is now a three year university degree, but nurses will make less money than other health professionals, such as occupational therapists. A registered nurse takes home $100 per week less than a dietician or social worker. All we're seeking is parity with other health professionals to make a skilled, high pressure and life saving job more attractive.'

Ms O'Donnell said the federal government also needed to look at abolishing the HECS fees on people studying nursing.

'The nursing shortage is a complex issue that needs to be addressed in a cooperative manner. But it's clear from the anger of nurses, which has built up from years of neglect, that this problem cannot be ignored by governments any more. Something has to be done or health care and patients will suffer.'

Ms O'Donnell said concerned people should write to the NSW Health Minister, Craig Knowles, Premier Bob Carr, and their local MP expressing their concerns.

Read about the Emergency Beds Shortage

Fire Destroys Soup Kitchen

Fitzroy House resident, John McDonald, who lives next to the Soup Kitchen and regularly went there for dinner, outside the burnt shell of the Lismore Soup Kitchen which burnt to the ground on Wednesday.

When John McDonald returned home to Fitzroy House early on Wednesday morning he was shocked to see the neighbouring Lismore Soup Kitchen ablaze.

For John and about 50 others who rely on the Soup Kitchen for food each day, the destruction of the building is a devastating blow.

'When I saw the fire I just couldn't believe it – it's more than just a Soup Kitchen, this is our home and the only place a lot of us felt wanted or safe,' he said.

'I'm lucky because I have a sister I can go to for help but most of the people who come here don't have any family and will be wandering around hungry.'

'It's the most disgusting, revolting, cowardly act I've ever seen. Whoever has done this has destroyed our livelihood and the hard work of a lot of wonderful volunteers – it's just absolutely disgraceful.

'The only thing we can hope for now is that the community rallies around and helps get it up and running again.'

Police say the Soup Kitchen, on Union Street in South Lismore, was set alight around 2.10am on Wednesday.

When police arrived, a witness said someone was still inside the premises. They attempted a rescue but were overcome with smoke and were forced to wait for the fire brigade.

Fire officers rescued the 43 year-old Lismore man from the front of the building. After receiving treatment for smoke inhalation the man was interviewed by police and charged with trespass. He will appear in Lismore Local Court on September 17.

The police believe the cause of the fire is suspicious and say it appears to have been lit at the back of the premises.

John believes he saw the man rescued from the fire at the Soup Kitchen earlier in the evening.

With their regular dinner venue now a blackened shell, Darcy Goodwin from the Five Loaves mobile soup kitchen has stepped in and last night was providing free meals to people outside the former Soup Kitchen. Tonight, Aug 9, Darcy will be in Nielsen Street, East Lismore, with free meals from 7pm (donations of fresh food are needed – phone Darcy on 6622 0318).

President of the Merriwa Soup Kitchen committee, Ridley Bell, said at present the plan is to rebuild the Soup Kitchen on the same site if it's feasible. At the moment he is simply concentrating on finding alternative arrangements to feed the 50 odd people who used the Soup Kitchen on a more permanent basis.

'We're working with the Lismore Neighbourhood Centre to try and provide a cooked lunch for people with something they can take home for dinner, but as yet nothing has been finalised and we're looking at the options,' he said.

'We're really starting from scratch again and at this point we calling for donations of food, money or kitchen equipment. We don't even have cutlery, not to mention pots or pans and if anyone has anything to give it would be greatly appreciated, no matter how small.'

Donations of all sorts can be dropped off at The Echo office, or to arrange a pick up phone Margaret on 6621 6936 or Ridley on 6624 6080.

Story & photos: Terra Sword

Second Bypass Protest Planned

Alstonville residents will hold a second blockade of the town's main street next Thursday, August 16, to protest against the NSW Government's lack of movement on the Alstonville-Wollongbar bypass.

The decision – made at a meeting of the Alstonville Ratepayers Association on Monday night – follows what association president Jane Gardiner described as an inadequate response to submissions made to NSW Roads Minister Carl Scully.

Mrs Gardiner said that the association had received a letter from the Minister's office following the July 4 blockade of Alstonville's main street, but it did nothing more than note the concerns of residents.

'Our members are angry that the Mr Scully has yet again failed to indicate when he will sign off on the EIS, or the likely time frame for the completion of the project,' she said. 'All the letter really did was confirm that the department has allocated $300,000 for the purchase of land in the path of the by-pass.

'However, we are concerned the money is just sitting there and that at the moment the department appears to be interested in only purchasing deceased estates, rather than actively seeking properties on the route.'

Mrs Gardiner said next Thursday afternoon's blockade would be held between 3.30pm and 4pm and would once again target the pedestrian crossing in the main street.

'We are hoping that many of the senior students from the high school will also take part.

'We are expecting a large roll up of residents, including secondary school students, and hope to get the same support from commuters that we did at the last protest,' she said.

'A bypass is just as necessary people who drive on the Bruxner Highway between Ballina and Lismore as it is for the residents of Alstonville.'

Dave Fawkner

Herb Festival Gets The Love Bug

Organiser of the inaugural Herbie Parade, Tamerlaine Oxford, with VW owners Neil and Marlene Gray, who will proudly display their 1964 golf blue beetle in the parade next Saturday.

When Neil and Marlene Gray bought their first car together in 1964 – a golf blue beetle – from Keen Motors in Woodlark Street the salesman told them it would last them a decade.

Thanks to plenty of TLC, their Beetle looks as dashing as ever 37 years later and Neil and Marlene are ready show it off duringit every day and it has done more than 700,000 miles but it's still going strong,' Neil said.

'We love owning a VW because it's like being part of a family – no matter where you are if you pass another VW they always wave. We encourage all Herbie owners – and it doesn't matter what condition the cars is in – to come along, join in the parade, have some fun and celebrate being a Herbie fan.'

The parade is being organised as part of the Northern Rivers Herb Festival, which starts this Saturday, August 11.

¡he parade will begin at 12pm in the Clyde Campbell carpark and proceed down Molesworth Street to Heritage Park where the cars will be on display until 2.30pm.

During the day people can vote for their favourite Herbie in four categories – Best Loved, Best Decorated and Most in Need of a Hug (beetles only) and there's also a Favourite Cousin category where people can vote for their favourite Golf, Kombi or other VW.

Some great prizes are up for grabs like a $150 full service from Lismore Service Centre for the ‘most in need of a hug' and three months worth of car washes from Car Lovers for the ‘best loved'. Other prizes have been donated by Gibbo's Auto Parts and BP Goonellabah and there's still plenty of time to register to be in the parade.

To register phone Tamerlaine on 6621 7197. For details about other Herb Festival events check out The Echo's Herb Festival feature on page 15 of this issue.

Story & photo: Terra ‘Ralph the Laser' Sword

Meet an Acclaimed Eco-Buddhist

Sulak Sivaraksa (pictured) a Thai Buddhist scholar and activist, is currently visiting Australia.

Last year, he invited John Seed of the Lismore-based Rainforest Information Centre to spend a month in Thailand giving workshops on ecology to Buddhist monks, aid workers and indigenous people.

Returning the favour, Sulak is now visiting Lismore to give a public talk at the Lismore Workers Club next Tuesday, August 14, at 7pm.

The talk is titled 'Very Simple Miracles – Sane Alternatives to the ‘Religions' of Greed, Consumption and Exploitation'. Entry is by donation with proceeds supporting Buddhist ecology projects in Thailand.

Now in his 70s, Sulak is an eco-activist as well as a scholar and last year was arrested yet again for blockading an oil pipeline that led to human rights abuses in Burma. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi described Sulak Sivaraksa as 'one of Asia's leading social thinkers. He sees the goals of Buddhist development as equality, love, freedom and liberation'.

For more than 30 years Sulak has had a close personal friendship with another famous Buddhist, the Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Sulak will also hold more in-depth discussion on Wednesday, August 15. For bookings call 6621 3294.

Improved Care Support in Astonville

Commonwealth Carelink coordinator Anita Mansfield and assistant coordinator, Peter Smith outside their new offices in Alstonville.

Local senior citizens now have better access information about community, disability, residential and other aged care services via a single phone call, thanks to the new Commonwealth Carelink centre in Alstonville.

'People can be put in touch with a wide variety of people and services, from somebody to help with household and personal care chores to podiatry, disability or meals services,' Carelink's coordinator, Anita Mansfield, said.

'It eliminates all the frustration and hassles associated with running around and trying to find services that suit the needs of each individual. People can simply ring up or drop into the office and in a matter of minutes they can get all the information they need on various services.'

Carelink can also provide entry period information, eligibility criteria and general information about the cost of services.

The Commonwealth Carelink centre is at Unit 1/106 Main Street. The freecall number is 1800 052 222.

Wanted: Talented Young Aussies

Launching Young Australian of the Year awards were awards coordinator Claire Isaac, Lismore's deputy mayor Merv King and former awards finalist, Ben Alcott.

Ben Alcott started his own business when he was just 14, made his first million at age 18 and now, at age 27, is a multi-millionaire and the proprietor of the thriving video production business, Black Sheep Productions.

So it comes at no surprise that Ben was a finalist in the Young Australian of the Year awards.

The awards pay tribute to outstanding young citizens ages of 14 and 27 who are achieving excellence in seven different categories – career achievement, arts, regional initiative, community service, science and technology, environment and sport.

Local youth are being encouraged to nominate them in the 2002 Northern NSW Young Australian of the Year Awards, which were launched in Lismore recently.

Ben has some good advice for young people starting out.

'In life, young people should never take no for an answer. There are so many talented young people, especially in regional areas, and they shouldn't be afraid to get out and have a go,' Ben said.

Awards coordinator Claire Isaac said people should nominate no matter their level of achievement.

'When there's people out there like Ian Thorpe and Ben Alcott people often get put off, but these awards are for all young Australians and it's great for their own personal confidence to be nominated,' Claire said.

'Whatever their achievement if you think they have worked hard, then nominate them, because being nominated encourages young people out there giving it a go to strive even further to reach their goals. It might just be that added extra boost they need to become a world record holder or a millionaire.'

The national winner of each category will receive a $4,000 account from the Commonwealth Bank and the Young Achiever of the Year, a further $4,000 plus a holiday package.

Q Nomination forms are available from the Commonwealth Bank branches. Phone 9899 7251 or visit www.nadc.com.au.

Students Learn Tricks of Trade

Trade minister Mark Vaile and Exporting for the Future web quest designer, Lucille Atkin, talk with Lismore High School students (l-r) Linda Murphy, Tenille Sawtell, Stevie Boy, Stacey O'Neill, Daniel Braithwaite and Amanda McLean.

A national campaign to teach high school students in international trade was launched at Lismore High School recently by Trade Minister Mark Vaile.

The Exporting for the Future campaign gives teachers overseas trade information to integrate into the school subjects for years nine to 12 students.

'The resources are designed to be inspirational and create a sense of innovation and entrepreneurship amongst students by using case studies of successful small businesses and exporters they can relate to,' Mr Vaile said.

'For example we've included a case study of Ocean Culture, which started from an idea by a school-aged surfer to develop a sandboard to use on sand dunes on days when the surf was flat. Now 28, this woman is exporting her boards overseas and will gain 20-25 per cent of her income from overseas sales.

'The campaign will also present students with the facts on issues such as globalisation so they are able to develop their own informed views in the context of wider community debates.'

The campaign also includes an Internet-based learning component, which is being designed by Byron Bay resident Lucille Atkin.

Lucille will be designing ‘web-quests', where students have to complete structured assignments on exporting and international trade.

Story & photo: Terra Sword

Lismore Hospital Still Short of Emergency Beds

Lismore Base hospital's emergency department nurse unit manager Vicki Martin, with the director of emergency services, Dr Chris Gavaghan, on one of the new $12,000 Australian-made resuscitation trolleys in the department.

Up until a few months ago, every time the busy doors to Lismore Base Hospital's emergency department opened with a new patient from an ambulance, cold air and leaves from the outside wind blew straight on to patients in the most critical condition in resuscitation beds.

Now, thanks to a $300,000 extension to the department, there are three new resuscitation beds, a paediatric isolation room and improved surroundings.

But as the director of emergency services, Dr Chris Gavaghan, pointed out when the new area was opened this week, it's nowhere near enough for an emergency department which now has 14 beds to see an average of 55 a day.

Under the NSW Government's own formula, and despite the extra two beds, Lismore base only has 63 per cent of the required beds for the 21,000 patients it sees every year.

Dr Gavaghan said that as a result, his department suffers ‘access block' – a lack of beds to deal with patients – every day.

'The simple fact is there aren't enough beds and we have nowhere to see the patients who present at the emergency department,' Dr Gavaghan said.

He said that when it was built only nine years ago, the emergency department was based on a 70s design and was quickly outdated as its role evolved to become the regional trauma centre.

'We're grateful for the extra beds, but this is a temporary measure and not something solve the emergency department issues facing the whole area,' Dr Gavaghan said.

Lismore-based MLC Janelle Saffin, representing the Health Minister to open the extension, built by local company Bennett Constructions, was frank in acknowledging that the hospital was shortchanged of beds.

'There are now 14 beds and it should have 22,' she said, vowing to press her Government colleagues for more funding.

But it seems even the current improvements had been a struggle to achieve. Area Health Service CEO Chris Crawford said the NRAHS had to 'rejiggle the budget to get this done'.

And while a third emergency staff specialist has been appointed to the team, the nursing shortage is also critical in emergency, where a lack of funding meant that critical care beds had only half the nursing staff required, leaving nurses to juggle responsibilities between patients requiring one-on-one care.

The NRAHS is looking at a submission to increase nurse-to-bed ratios.

Story & photo: Simon Thomsen

Seniors Show The Write Stuff

National Living Treasure and travel author Margaret Whitlam got to meet some local treasures last week when she launched the third edition of Lismore City Council's annual Senior's Week short story and poetry anthology, The Write Stuff at the Byron Bay Writers Festival.

The book features more than 100 stories written by North Coast seniors and the winning writers are pictured with the wife of the former prime minister (centre).

Anne Paterson of North Codrington won the $500 first prize with ‘The Arrangement', a clever tale of marriage with a bittersweet, amusing, yet subversive twist.

The Ed Gaskell encouragement award, named in honour of last years winner, former Mullumbimby school principal Ed Gaskell, who died soon after last year's book was launched, went to Robert West.

But the age criteria – 55 and over – for ‘seniors' entering the writing competition did cause some consternation for Mrs Whitlam.

'That means my son is already a senior and I'm not sure I'm ready for that!' the octogenarian quipped.

Auction is a Fair Cop

Sergeant Cliff McPherson and police auction coordinator with one of the 15 bikes that will be up for auction this Saturday.

If you're looking for a new mountain bike or just like hunting for bargains, head down to the Police Auction this Saturday, August 11, at the Lismore Police Station.

The police will auction off a range of unclaimed property, items forfeited to the Crown by the courts and some second-hand equipment from the station.

This includes more than 15 bicycles, surfboards, tools, fishing gear, chairs and tables, computers and lots of other odds and ends.

'There's a great variety of items – whether you're six or 60 you're bound to find something useful,' auction coordinator, Sgt Cliff McPherson, said. 'I don't know what the bidding's going to be like but going on previous years people can probably pick up some good bargains. However, what you see is what you buy and there are no guarantees or warranties.

Buyers must pay cash to the auctioneer on the day.

Viewing of items to be auctioned starts at 9am with the auction to begin at 10am sharp.

Story & photo: Terra Sword