Plastic or real Christmas tree?

Posted to Waverley Leader (22/12/2010) on 25/12/2010 at 3:10 PM
Commenting on "Plastic or real Christmas tree?"
http://waverley-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/plastic-is-fantastic/

Adrian Jackson, buying a real Christmas tree also stimulates economy, too. A real tree is grown, watered, cut, sold, transported, etc. A real tree lasts more than more than just minutes - time taken to consume a cup of coffee.

A Christmas tree, real or plastic, is shared not by the purchaser, but also the family and friends. More money is spent on decorating it, electricity to run the lights, and it provides a place to put the presents. It gives many days of pleasure, provides a background to take photos with loved ones, and family members to gather around to share some wonderful memories.

Greg Male tipped to be mayor

Posted to Waverley Leader (14/12/2010) on 14/12/2010 at 4:26 PM
Commenting on “Greg Male tipped to be mayor”
http://waverley-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/greg-male-to-be-new-monash-mayor/

I hardly hear about the Councillors - they don't appear in or write to the local papers, talk to the traders, or meet the residents

What do they actually do for the City of Monash, except asking more and more for their pockets? Do they know about the City budgets and the wellbeing of their wards

Councillors do attend Council meetings as a formality, but do they contribute constructively, except rubber stamping proposals or discussions? However, when election draws close, they tell the ratepayers what fantastic jobs they have done, or why a particular one should be chosen as the next Mayor.

Local Council is the lowest of the three tier-government system in Australia. While Council structure is not the same as the State and Federal Governments, Councillors are in a way politicians in the making / waiting. Get your butts off and start working for the ratepayers!

Why are there shortages of beds?

Posted to Your News, Waverley Leader on 1/12/2010 at 2:11 PM
Title: Why are there shortages of beds?
http://waverley-leader.whereilive.com.au/your-news/story/why-are-there-shortages-of-bedsr/

Ted Baillieu has a tough job ahead, not only on health reform, but also on hospital culture reform.

There are wards in some hospitals not open, tying up many beds. There are no doctors and nursing staff to service them due to lack of funding. If remains at status quo, these wards will never be opened.

When Brumby opened "additional" new beds in hospitals, old beds were shut down, and the staff were reshuffled. In fact, there were hardly additional beds opened during election time.

New wings or buildings of hospitals were not well thought out and lack accommodation. In addition, some hospitals placed unnecessary emphasis on certain racial needs, wasting valuable funding resource.

Like many public services, unused monies before end of financial years are spent on unnecessary renovation or replacement of furniture.