Ken Smith vs Greg Hunt

I often read, and I'm amazed at the difference of opinion between Ken Smith State government representative currently in power and the speaker of the house and Greg Hunt Federal representative in opposition; in matters regarding Bass. Amazed because they are both in the liberal party!

The environment::

Ken Smith:: Climate change "agnostic"

Greg Smtih:: "Convinced" of the science.

Development Ventnor::

Ken Smith:: Happy for it to go ahead (ignoring locals)

Greg Hunt:: Actively lobbied against it.

24 Medical clinic::

Ken Smith:: From this weeks Phillip Island advertiser didn't think Phillip island needed it.

Greg Hunt:: From this weeks Phillip Island advertiser, actively meeting with locals and is fighting for a 24hr medical clinic.

It is confusing to say the least. All I can hope for is Ken Smith to retire; It would probably be best for the Liberal Party. Then maybe we can get a representative who "represents" people on Phillip Island.

Phillip Island hospital

I read in the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser December 15th, 2010 our local state MP say

"As far as Warley hospital 'we are not going back'"

Interesting considering I never heard him say this as explicitly during the state election campaign!

It is even stranger just prior to the federal campaign our local federal representative was in front of 'Warley' pledging money to reopen it! This was in his 'Flinders News'

My conclusion is that the liberals have to start working together and getting policy consensus.
The good news is that Mr Smith in the Advertiser is pushing for a 24 hr emergency medical facility on the island. This is a good step. My only concern is that it will be attached to Phillip Island Medical Group. PIMG the  only real option on the island, where even if you are a local, during holiday seasons you can't make an appointment, you have to ring up that morning and there is no bulk billing.

Bass, Ken Smith, Victorian Election 2010

Image via Wikipedia

It was a bit of a surprise to me that our local liberal Ken Smith is going to be the speaker of the next parliament in Victoria.

Although it was a bit a disappointment that he is rather phobic to technology.  From the ABC::

Mr Smith was firm when asked if he would like to see a crackdown on MPs using Facebook and Twitter while in the Parliament.
"Yeah I would," he said.

Com'on Ken, get with it, like you colleagues Greg Hunt who also represents us federally, dripping us with his pearls of wisdom and government stuff ups (A bit predictable really). Occasionaly revealing that he is a human ::

Thank you @latikabourke and others for birthday wishes. Big thank you to my wife for the chocolate cake delivered here. Staff v. happy too!

So Ken, let a few tweets through, just to see that you lot are working and are human....

Bass, Victoria election 2010

Ken Smith easily won the seat of Bass for the liberals. Results from the Victorian Electoral commission::

LONERGAN, Gerry ALP  29.07% SMITH, Ken Liberal  56.96% RANKINE, Neil Greens  10.61%

It was a big win to Ken Smith. It was also worth noting that the Greens actually increased there vote from the last Victorian Election. The big looser was Labour.

Victoiran election 2010 :: Coaltion water policy

Image via Wikipedia

This week we received our water bill. After living in a situation in our last house where we survived totally on tank water. I was surprised at the the breakdown of costs of consumption. Out of a bill of $312, only $28 was for actual consumption.
The recommended water consumption per day for one person is 155 litres. Out of a family of four our total daily usage is 177 litres. We are using less than 50 litres per person.
What is frustrating in this situation is that you can be doing the right thing. Limiting your water usage and yet there is no reward or incentive for doing so.

So it was with relief that I read in 'The Age' Victorian Coalitions water policy::

Household water bills would be calculated so that at least 60 per cent of the cost would be determined by consumption, potentially reducing the impact of fixed costs on bills.

I think that its a good start but I would push the calculation to up to 80% to make a read differnce.
I also thought that the coalitions policy idea of using storm water instead of building more dams and desal plants as a really good initiative. No mention of the desal in Bass though...

Related articles

• The desal cup runneth over with our cash. (theage.com.au)
• Water bills 'to double' (theage.com.au)

Victoiran Election:: Bass a political backwater

I've never lived in an area where services and infrastructure are so poor. I've written about the health issues on Phillip Island before::

It would be the largest town in the state without a proper medial coverage.
(Phillip Island has a population 7000,  in 2001, Wanthaggi has a hospital 6500 in 2001, Koorumbura a population 4500 has a hospital. In summer the population can be 50000 with all the tourists).

It makes me wonder why this is the case and one of the answers that seems to come up is that we live in a liberal strong hold. The liberals are the only one who make any promises of any infrastructure because labour has given up on these sort of seats.  I don't blame labour either. Why would you set aside any money for a region if you don't get any return.
When I lived in Bendigo,  a swinging seat, there where always new things on the go. A new police station, a new hospital. Money was promised everywhere from both sides of politics.

The other odd thing about Phillip Island is that the population estimates are 40,000 to 60,000 in Summer. Been conservative the council rates would be for 30,000 people. Yet the infrastructure is on barely for 10,000 people.

So In many ways I see the only way to get out of the rut that the electorates of Bass and Flinders is in is to get an independent or at least for the Labour vote to get to a whisker of winning.

Here is my short list of infurstucture which needs to take place::

Better medical system::
Hospital with at least a medical/surgical emergency ward
A bulk billing GP clinic that is opened at least 5 days a week
Secondary College
Gass on the island
Swimming pool. (We have the Ocean but no where to teach kids to swim)

Related articles

• Vic opposition outbids govt on hospital (news.theage.com.au)

Victorian Election 2010 :: Where do you live?

I've got to say this is a big one for me. I totally believe if a candidate is to represent you properly they need to live in the electorate. From the ABC::

An ABC survey has found Victorian Premier John Brumby and more than half of his Cabinet do not live in the electorates which they will be contesting on November 27.

Fourteen other Labor MPs also live outside their electorates - some of whom live on the opposite side of Melbourne to their seats.

About the Greens and the Coalition ::

All but two Coalition and all Green MPs live in their electorates.

How does the candidate know how public transport is running? What is the local driving conditions? The state of health care, could they get care quickly? Crime in the area?
They wouldn't it would be just told to them second hand.
I feel Labour is getting a bit complacent on this, it happened to us in the Federal Election in our electorate in Flinders as well...

Related articles

• Labor is getting desperate: Bob Brown (news.theage.com.au)
• Late Lib scratching in race to govern Vic (news.theage.com.au)

desal disaster

Bit of action down our way with the 'desal' according to the ABC::

A small group of protesters parked a caravan across a road this morning, preventing construction workers from entering part of the site.
The protesters are calling on the Government to release the full cost of desalination project.

I've got to say I think there where better ways than the desal route which the government took.
Coming off tank water you forget and don't monitor your water the same way. I'm actually surprised at the difference in connection costs rather than actual consumption cost. If it was the other way around I'm sure you would find a difference in how people consumed water.
Also had a friend who has resigned from the 'desal' he said Victorians are in for a big suprise because everything is running behind time and their have been lots of resignations.

It will be interesting the 'Libs' policy on the desal as the election looms. Water policy will be an important issue.

Related articles

• Money Pours Into Desalination Projects Despite Concerns (environment.change.org)
• Vic desal plant to cost $18 billion: AG (news.theage.com.au)
• Massive cost for desal plant revealed (news.theage.com.au)
• Desal plant a $570m-a-year drain (theage.com.au)

Politics :: Bass

With changing enrollment details, I received a welcome letter and a survey if I wanted to fill out by our local state memeber "Ken Smith". I filled out the survey noting I thought it was a concern with an elderly population which is growing that there were no 24hr emergency or bulk billing medical services on Phillip island. I got an answer to this question::

If the Liberal Party regain power in November this year, we will  be working with the Federal Government to set up a 24 emergency care facility at Cowes to cater for some of your urgent health needs

It sound positives but....
1) The Federal government is Labor. I couldn't imagine them working with the Libs on this one.
2) Health is a State responsibility.
3) I didn't do the typo "24 emergency", I suspect he means 24 hour emergency.  

Now the Federal election is also around the corner, so I wonder what the opposition environment member Mr Greg Hunt offers.