Train journey debacle
I ARRIVED at the station about 6.40am looking forward to a comfortable ride to Melbourne on the train for an appointment at 1pm in the city.
No train was waiting at the station. A bus turned up and we were on our way about 7.05am with stops at Kerang, Pyramid Hill and Mitiamo.
We arrived in Bendigo about 10.15am. meaning a number of people missing doctor’s appointments.
We were given the choice to continue to Melbourne on the bus or take the train which would leave at 10.40am. Decision time, train or bus? I think all of us chose the train, more comfort and space. Then a message comes across on the platform. Delays due to network issues.
Finally train departed at 11.45am, arrived in Melbourne at 1.15pm. Yes, late for my appointment with a specialist, had to cancel.
The question I asked at Swan Hill was: ‘what happened to the train?’
Answer was: ‘no drivers available’. (I did not expect that answer).
I hope our elected members will chase this issue up, a lot of people have been put out. I will be interested in any feedback.
Russ Wardle,
Swan Hill
Tread carefullyI
TAKE my Labrador to Ken Harrison Reserve, usually early morning and late afternoon.
My dog is a sniffer and sniffs the dog droppings left by others.
I consider myself expert now after long observation. Big dogs leave big droppings, little dogs leave little poos.
This is a beautiful complex with many sporting activities.
Who wants to stand in dog excrement?
Council has provided two collection sites with poo bags. Please use them.
Mavis Wardle,
Swan Hill
Act on ambulance report
THERE are 21 Victorian families mourning the loss of a loved one because an ambulance didn’t turn up in an emergency.
That’s 21 Victorians who may not have passed away if desperate calls to Triple-0 had been answered.
Or if our ambulance service wasn’t so overwhelmed that ambulances are stuck, ramped outside hospital emergency departments, instead of out on the road saving Victorian lives.
As late as Wednesday last week, the Premier and Health Minister still hadn’t read a report on the failures and neglect of Victoria’s emergency hotline, the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA), that was handed to them in March.
The report confirmed people have died as a result of Victoria’s health crisis.
The Labor Government has known of critical issues in Triple-0 since 2016, yet the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) call-taking staff continues to fall across fire, ambulance and police in the 12 months to June 2021.
With the surgery waitlist blowing out to nearly 90,000 Victorians it’s clear Labor’s spin, cover ups and broken promises are the last thing our state needs.
Labor has been in government for 19 of the past 23 years.
Daniel Andrews and his Labor Government caused this mess. The Health Minister has had eight years to fix the crisis, but has failed to act.
Only a change in Government in November will shift the focus to supporting sick Victorians to recover by cutting ballooning surgery waitlists and restoring confidence in the system.
Peter Walsh
Member for Murray Plains
Leader of The Nationals
