2003-06-28

Today I attended a rally in my working class suburb. the rally was about the closure of the two docotor medical centre we have. Many of the people in my suburb are very poor (except for all the rich ones moving in lately, but we'll get to that), have no car and are elderly. 35% of our population (around 2000) are under 14, 35% are over 65. We kinda need a doctor in town. There have been 7 mnedical centre closures over the last few years, in our working class/poorer suburbs (like Raymondo, Mayfield, Beresfield). Most existng surgeries have closed books - that means they will take no one else. This means that the elderly, carless pensioners from Carrington must now take two buses (if you are sick and lamed? Forget it!), or a taxi (costing about $20 each way I reckon) or get a friend to drive all the ay across town to John Hunter Hospital to access bulk-billed medical care...nay, medical care of any kind! And as we know from the media, this is a story repeated all over the country.

There were about 60 people at this rally, not nearly enough. Most of them were the elderly that it would most profoundly effect immediately. There were a couple of women with young children. I was the only young, single sort of person there. My peers don't feel vulnerable, they are fit, have enough money (or their Mum) to drive to a doctor if required so can't really see the need for any action. Shit, its just a letter or one phone call to make a difference. Instead, we are all lying down, gleefully taking the shafting being doled out by those who would "govern". And then, no doubt whingeing. At the moment, they just glaze over when I speak of such things. Give them time, they will whinge...

So, I have written letters to Senator Kay Patterson and to Senator Tierney.

Our local Labor member, Shazza Grierson spoke today at the rally, of how inaccessible the Federal Health Member is. Apparently she does no local radio, and she is very hard to access for our Labor reps. Whether this is true or not, it is up to Kay Patterson to convice me otherwise. Get on my radio! Get on my TV! Its up to Kay Patterson to tell me why the medical centres are closing and poorer people are losing access to doctors and medical care. Its up to Kay Patterson to tell me real reasons, not political rubbish about budgets and figures and policies and who did what in the 90s to breed this situation. Its up to Kay Patterson to tell me straight that she can do nothing about this situation in our country. and if she can do something, do it now, do it bravely, do it boldly, do it publicly and save our people.

One firend's mother recently had to wait 6hrs after having a stroke, before she got attention.

Kay Patterson will probably never experience this, since she might be rich enough to be able to access medical care when required. Kay Patterson, and her boss John Howard, have no clue about the realities of surviving on under $20,000 a year. And becuase of this, people will die. And don't tell me they won't, cuz you are lying and being a croney.