Current Issues
(This Month’s Newsletter)
GREY POWER NEWSLETTER
GREY POWER BANKING etc.
A motion closing the St. George current and investment accounts was passed at the February meeting and the name “Grey Power Association Incorporated” agreed upon as the name of our organisation.
There is a current account at the St. George Bank that held the State monies and this account will be closed at the earliest possible time. An amount of $5000.00 is invested with St. George and this sum will be re-invested with The Greater Building Society when the current investment term expires.
One active account and one investment account should serve Grey Power for years to come.
A financial statement will be included with the April Newsletter with notation as to the source of various sums listed and any expenditure limitations on those funds.
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PHOTO COPIER
A motion was passed at the February meeting to purchase a photo copier suitable for printing the newsletter. This requires a A3\A4 size machine that will accept printing on the reverse side. Capacity needed would be around 20 copies per minute without any direct hook-up to a computer for immediate print access etc.
There are plenty of copiers available that have all the whistles and brass knobs that are very impressive but these features are
not really required to print the newsletter.
Doug A. has been given the job of sourcing a new machine from a Tamworth supplier with a price around $1800.00. Four or five firms handle the equipment in Tamworth and service is readily available. Presumably a service contract will be available to hedge against future maintenance and repairs.
LIESURE TIME
As technology expanded and became more relevant to our lifestyles, we were told of the advantage to the worker by being able to reduce working hours.
Technology would enable each person to be more productive in a shorter time frame and so we could enjoy more family\leisure time without affecting income. There were predictions of three or four day working weeks with a great reduction in the actual manual labour needed to earn a reasonable screw.
How to fill in leisure time was the subject of numerous inquiries but current work practices and expectations have made such studies obsolete.
The efficiencies of to-days workplaces has reduced the need for labour but makes the employee work harder and longer for fear of being made redundant.
The advances in communications, by way of mobile phones, now see an individual being tied to his work on a 24/7 basis. Instead of a more leisurely lifestyle, the mobile phone now controls a workers life with the boss expecting productivity on a continuous basis.
The family unit now has to have all members working in order to keep a roof over their heads and the roof free from leaks. Instead of one breadwinner, we now have mum doing her mum things with the house and kids plus the added burden of providing around half the family income.
Just how good are the advances in technology when leisure time is reduced and the individual working longer hours for no real improvement in lifestyle. All households like to have toys to play with, the boat, the skis, home theatres, swimming pool and holiday destinations galore but these are of little use when the leisure energy is diverted into money making pursuits rather than quality, family time together.
China is operating a mobile town-to-town execution service. The country, which executed four times as many convicts as the rest of the world combined last year, is slowly phasing out public execution by firing squad in favour of lethal injection. A fleet of vans travels the country offering a fast efficient service to the condemned. Perhaps this is involving the takeaway service syndrome a little too far.
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MENTAL HEALTH
There has not been any real progress on the mental health scheme since the disappointing forum held in last December.
One problem is now overcoming the public perception that nothing can be done because of the shortage of professional staff for a small respite unit. The whole purpose of the December meeting was to offer an alternative plan that did not rely on highly qualified professional staff but more of the contributions available from non government organisations in a voluntary admission environment.
Everyone who attended the December meeting was well aware of the staff position and the majority of speakers raised the shortage issues rather than look at viable alternatives.
Any chance of a respite centre in Gunnedah has been set back twelve months or more with much of the leg work done needing to be re-visited.
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More people are killed by donkeys each year than those who die in air crashes.
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ORGAN HARVESTING
The re-cycling of bodily organs is probably one of the most generous things that a person can do with benefits flowing on to a dozen or more people.
Those recipients who have had their lives saved by the transplants are living proof of the soundness of the scheme.
There are more pleasant subjects to discuss than transplants but the gift of life to another must bear examination with the benefits far outweighing the disadvantages. Personal preference must be respected but, on balance, it is difficult to argue that saving life is less of a factor than invading the privacy of a dead person.
There is, as usual, a large block of people who take the DIMBY approach but the DIMBY theory is soon countered when a family member needs a transplant.
One of the problems with donating organs is the time/distance factor that can hinder the scheme in rural areas. There is little point in being a registered donor when it may be impractical to harvest any sound organs. In time, there will be a wider coverage of the catchment area for successful collection and so it is very important for country folk to offer their bits and pieces for re-cycling.
Age is not a barrier to being a donor for many 'aged' parts are still functional and keenly sought after.
Talk to your family about your wishes in this area and perhaps a family decision could be made for all to participate in donating.
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CARPET IN OFFICE
Joy 'o Joy, a carpet square will be purchased to cover the holes in the office carpet. The covering has given long and meritorious service to the old Municipal Council\Grey Power for ages and now the present OH&S makes it necessary to splurge on some new carpet. Perhaps not new carpet, but new to the office.
We continue to enjoy a very reasonable monthly rent of $20.00 from our landlord, the Gunnedah Shire Council. However, we would not be surprised to see the rent probably double over the next few months but it is still very economical when electricity is included.
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SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Have you ever thought about writing a story on some of your adventures experienced throughout your life ? Why not set down some thoughts on your past life that will interest your grandchildren ? Here is an incentive to record some of your thoughts etc. by way of entering a competition that may result in your efforts being published. A published story means royalties and so we have another incentive for you to become an author. The subject matter is up to you but it must be original and you must agree to its publication, if so chosen.
A well respected firm in the publishing business, Avoca Press, Box 6790 P.O. Baulkham Hills BC, NSW, 2153 is organising the competition. The whole aim of the venture is to encourage those people over 50 years of age record their experiences for it is from these reminisces that the social history of Australia will be available to all.
Length of your contribution ?: anywhere from 50 words to a max of 10,000 words.
For further information phone Avoca Press on 0425 330 303.
Entries close on 30th. June 2007.
Email: competitions@avocapress.com.au
www.avocapress.com.au
____ * ____ His wife used to have a nice firm chin but now has taken on a couple of partners.
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STATE ELECTIONS
So many of the issues spoken about for the coming election are those which a community could reasonably expect to be part of normal government services. So many of the shortage in services, health, water, roads, power etc. are ongoing projects that need progressive development as the population increases.
The State planners, who do years of university study to identify need, probably do a good job in their forecasts but perhaps they are let down by political overrides. The core services, as mentioned above, is not an exhaustive list but represents areas that need constant monitoring and correction so that demand does not exceed supply.
There seems to be a catch up game being played where the core services funding, that should receive a regular supply of money, are juggled around according to political need.
We are constantly advised that households need a budget, in these days of large mortgages and high day to day living expenses, so that the income is spent intelligently and of benefit to all members of the household. It would seem that this basic advice is not being followed at a State level with budget papers perhaps only a reminder of what may have been.
Hindsight is cheap advice and yet the lessons available are not recognised and acted upon ..... private enterprise would go broke following this cavalier approach to help and yet these vague business principles are rife in government circles.
It is necessary to sift through the election material available and decide which group or individual can deliver their promises within a reasonable budget.
Many of the “sweeteners” offered for a particular electorate may depend on the assumption that other State governments and the Federal Coalition will co-operate fully. Other promises see the need to redistribute spending to gain a result but such ideas may upset the providers of party election funds.
Remember the old saying “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
Follow your reasoning for the election, blarney is cheap but four years is a long while to wait before any change can be introduced.
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The secret for longevity is deep breathing and keeping it up for at least eighty five years.
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DRIVING TESTS FOR THE
OLDER PERSON
Let's face it, there are plenty of older drivers who should not be on the road because of their inability to control a motor car. Some 90 year old persons drive with great skill and confidence while some of the youngsters of 55/60 years of age would be dangerous driving a wheelchair or a pogo stick.
Age has little to do with your ability to be a safe driver and it is up to the individual to make the decision to stop driving when the time comes. Ideally, the decision should be made before it becomes absolutely necessary but few people can be reasonably expected to banish themselves from the roads.
The majority of individuals regard themselves as being top class drivers with no slowness of reaction, through age, nor any eyesight or hearing problems that affects the control of their vehicle. The other fella is usually suspect but the older driver often drives oblivious to his/her short comings and gets easily offended if their ability is questioned.
The attitude, she'll be right mate, I've been doing this for fifty years seems to prevail and unfortunately these can be famous last words for some. The difference between life and death is only a split second; a couple of blinks can make you an ex. and one blink may qualify you for a wheelchair for the rest of your life.
Do the world a favour and take notice of those “senior moments” where the momentary break in concentration could cause death and serious injury to your family and also to a family of complete strangers.
Be honest with yourself on the next visit to the doctor and confess any concerns about lapses in any sensitive area and be man/woman enough to recognise that you could be a danger on the road.
The retention of your licence should not be regarded as a contest between you and the authorities but more of a partnership to quietly access the situation.
One generally readily accepts the doctor's sound advice regarding the treatment of, say, cancer but where he offers an opinion on your ability to drive, the doctor suddenly becomes a complete fool, perhaps even a nincompoop.
Take notice of your doctor's advice and turn in your brief otherwise the good doctor may have to rely on your postmortem to help decide the cause of death.
The fact that you have been driving for donkey years without an accident proves that your share of luck is still with you, but unluckily, the reserve stocks must be dwindling.
Give yourself and all your relatives some peace of mind by surrendering your licence while you are still in one piece and not after being splattered around a guide post.
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Indecision: The key to flexibility.
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SMART – AUSTRALIAN – ID CARD
Call it what you wish but it appears that some sort of card will come into being that will adequately identify you anywhere such verification is now needed.
While we now have a tremendous amount of information stored in various data bases, it is important that the information is correct.
If medical records are stored then it is essential that they be accurate. To be reliable, it would be necessary for a medically trained professional to enter such data for dodgy data could put a life at risk. Similarly, any alteration to the records must be done under secure circumstances; all these protective conditions would come at a cost and who would bear the charges ? The data must be up to date so will hospitals be responsible for the card entries or will there be a centre that will cater for any type of entry update ?
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Monologue: A discussion between a man and a woman.
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SENIOR'S WEEK
Programmes for Gunnedah’s Senior Week are available from the Grey Power office. The programme is roughly the same as past years with some venues limited to audience/participation numbers. Book early at the Marquis Street Community Centre to avoid disappointment.
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Remember the golden rule: Those with the gold rule.
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The above website will enable you to get connected to a very efficient Internet service that gives you all the advantages of more expensive systems. For $5.50 per month, plus a one off establishment fee, you can join this worry free plan.
Also available is a broadband service, again no frills, but a very good option at economical rates. Go to the website and save yourself oodles of cash plus enjoy a trouble free service.
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Income: what you have to make first, because you can't make it last.
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FREE PHRAMACEUTICALS
FREE TREATMENT
Each month we see increases in the user contribution for medicines on the PBS. The usual $4.90 fee varies with many items now costing $10 or $12. The cost is now becoming a large item in the pensioner monthly budget with no recognition being noted when the base pension rate is established.
All sorts of day to day living expenses such as council rates, fuel costs, dental procedures, doctors fees and pensioner utility rebates are not reimbursed in any way. The pension is adequate for most people but when the subtle, and not so subtle, increases are factored in, then the benefit is far from satisfactory.
Any family that is involved with mental health issues knows full well the virtual hopelessness of a situation when mum and dad etc. have incomes below the average without any added investments or black income.
The majority of people seem happy with the pension benefits on paper but when the actual delivery of services is calculated, then the disposable dollar, especially in the health care area, is far from adequate.
We need value to be put back into the benefit but as more and more retirees qualify for entitlements, the amount of cash available for distribution, per head, is slowly being eroded.
The user pay principal is a great idea but it is difficult for well paid bureaucrats to grasp the value of $20.00 to a pensioner or low income earner.
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My uncle is an espionage agent for the government at the mint. He's a mint spy.
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THE GST
The GST was supposed to cut out many dubious dealings that would enable income to bypass a business till. There are many businesses that do not issue receipts or dockets with apparently only the receipted sales being shown to the tax man. No paperwork generally indicates that a sale is not recorded and the cash is diverted to a wad of notes in the proverbial back pocket.
Skimming has been around in Australia since 1788 and shows no sign of abating. In some circles it seems to be a badge of dubious honour to ignore the tax laws. As Kerry Packer was reported to have said ”anyone who doesn't take advantage of the tax laws is a fool”. There is a difference between utilising the tax laws and downright illegal manipulation of one's affairs.
It does seem that the more wealthy a family may be, then there is greater opportunity to take advantage of tax benefits. The cost of setting up a series of quasi legal companies can be justified when the volume of business permits but the strict PAYG worker must pay his/her full tax rate without any relief from the weighted system.
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If you keep your mouth shut you can deceive a lot of people.
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BLOOD PROCESSING OVERSEAS
We have found it very difficult to get information from any government source about the tendering for processing Australia's blood needs overseas.
A number of emails and faxes have been ignored which makes one wonder if there is some sort of secrecy about opening up the market. The Oz/American Free Trade Agreement is behind calling tenders for the processing when there appears to be little, or no, reason for change.
The present system, operated through the Red Cross, appears to be very efficient and the voluntary donations of blood shows that the service has wide public approval.
Medical supply firms, such as the Baxter Corporation of America, can see vast profits in cornering the Australian market and a low tender price will be lapped up by the government of the day.
In every charity there are many people who have dedicated their leisure time to supporting a particular worthy cause and it is disturbing to think that a company would be able to profit via a volunteers efforts.
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Misers are not much fun to live with, but they sure do make wonderful ancestors.
THE KIDS and FANTASIES
Crikey, we have lost a lot of fun for the kids and the oldies are losing the magic of their story telling art. The subtle twist of fact interacting between the fiction and speculation of a sort of factual tale will always fascinate children but the kids are getting too smart, too early and perhaps have missed some of the simple lessons learnt at Grandma's knee.
Fanciful, but captivating, stories regarding cows leaping over the moon have been discounted as the astronauts have not reported any lunar grazing activity just as we have found the charm of fairies at the bottom of the garden being exposed as static electricity in the mist. Because of various OH & S regulations, pigs would have to be very careful in their house construction while Bob the Builder would be dicey to work for, or engage. The OH & S regulations prevent many tales being told simply because the disclaimers needed at the start of a story would take the interest from any tale.
“Don’t be silly Mum reading us those fairy tales, Harry Potter is the new kid on the block”, ..…… the same fantasy material but embellished with modern technology. The simplest of expectations now need to be qualified with tangible events, once covered by magic and sorcery, are now partially explained by bytes, www, laser beams, digital manipulation and, horrors, logic.
The sheer mastery of line or crayon drawings cannot compare with the digital/pixel image of to-day/to-morrow ….. the Magic Pudding and Dad and Dave sketches relied on the subtle, warm pencil/charcoal strokes that gave each character their unique place in Australian literature. The name Lindsay was synonymous with the pixie/puddin’ culture while May Gibbs added life to the Aussie fauna and flora via the Gumnuts. Oh ! those horrible, fearsome, and hated, Banksia Men ………….
Banjo Patterson showed how Noah forgot many animals when doing the passenger list for the Ark …….. probably just as well for who would have believed stories of the platypus, wombat [hairy and non hairy nosed] or the kangaroo had they appeared in the first edition of the Bible ? Banjo would have found his writings the subject of a McCarthyism type investigation. In those days the populace was trying to get their minds around the flat earth policy and the Australian fauna theories would have been just too much.
The Round Table Knights became a little too boastful in conquering various dragons species who were about to devour young damsels in distress with the public sceptical of the deeds when no witnesses were forthcoming. All dragons were dispatched to the dragon heaven/hell in isolated places after grim and tireless battles by the lone Knight to uphold the honour of their code. Plenty of line drawings exist of the Knight’s struggles as proof but just one Polaroid would have proved the legends to be fact. The struggles between the Knights and fire breathing dragons seem to be the start of not letting the facts interfere with a good story.
It seems quite careless by the parents of the day for so many young damsels, usually maidens, to be left to fend for themselves in hostile lands with only the occasional traveling knight to keep their bodies/virtues intact. Is there any evidence that young gentlemen, approaching their years of manhood, were in danger of the dragons ? Apparently not, therefore we must assume that the dragons were heterosexual which is a slight plus in their favour.
Kids are starting to question things too much, heck they need some acceptable proof of this and that happening and the lily white heroes, as exemplified by John Wayne, Hoppalong Cassidy and Superman, are now being doubted. A few years ago nobody really cared how Hoppalong kept his white hat, white, and on the top of his head during fisticuffs/gunfights/gallops on the prairie or even questioned his life experiences. The Duke had multiple careers in the various armed forces, Injun fighting, rustler/good guy, Texas Rangers etc. and a distinct lack of success with the fairer sex. The Duke would need to have lived for two hundred and seventy two years to fit all occupations/situations into one life-time.
Time is now important to the kids to-day while the kids of yesteryear enjoyed long summer holidays crammed with outdoor pursuits governed by daylight and empty stomach pains. The kids were expected to be home by dark, no ifs .. no buts and this was generally adhered to as the stomach pains also triggered the homing device.
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GREY POWER NEWSLETTER
This issue is rather skinny and any improvement will depend on the future input from members. Without contributions from the readers, we cannot get any idea of the way Grey Power should be moving or issues to be promoted.
The present writer cannot carry on without substantial help from members. We need comments about matters that concern YOU but we certainly do not need reams of plagiarized, pre-published copyrighted articles.
There is a diverse range of topics covered in the newsletter but only once in a blue moon do we receive an informed comment of any value.
Your organisation is available to promote matters that affect your lifestyle but, without receiving some feedback, it is difficult initiate effective lobbying.
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Our church welcomes all denominations ........ $100.00, $50.00, and even $5.00 notes or cheques.
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MEET THE CANDIDATES
MARCH STATE ELECTION
The five candidates offering themselves for election in the forthcoming State polls have accepted an invitation to speak in Gunnedah on Sunday 4th. March 2007.
A forum will be held in the Smithurst Theatre at 2 pm. and all members of the public is invited to attend.
There is no need to pre-book your seat or be vetted over the phone for your eligibility to attend. It will be a pleasure to welcome you to the forum that is open to all comers.
The forum is important in that it enables one to “size up” the candidates by eye-balling them and reading their body language when questioned on mainstream issues. Their presentations will guide many on their eventual voting decision ...... the electors are getting smarter at every election and twaddle/waffle promises will be reflected at the ballot box. All the candidates have expressed a desire to speak to all interested people in the electorate rather than make a presentation to a invited/approved select audience.
Come and hear Peter Draper MP, Independent; Neville Mammen, Christian Democrats; Denise McHugh, Labor; Kevin Anderson Nationals and Bruce Taylor, Greens, offer their views on why you should vote for them in the seat of Tamworth.
Everyone is welcome and also join the candidates for a cup of tea afterwards.
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The clever woman is the one who knows how to give a man her own way.
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HUNTER NEW ENGLAND HEALTH
A meeting has been arranged for Wednesday 14th. March, at 9am., to meet a Ms. Julie Huxley from the Newcastle Mental Health Unit.
Jim Coombes arranged the opportunity to meet Ms. Huxley at Tamworth Hospital and put before her some matters regarding the concept of the Respite Centre at Gunnedah.
The visit to Tamworth will be discussed at the Mental Health Meeting on Thursday 1st. March in the Day Care Centre, Reservoir Street at 5.30 pm.
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Sow your wild oats on a Friday night and then pray for a crop failure on Monday.
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THE WEE WATER ISSUE
Little has come out of all the recent talk about the shortage of water and reticulation. Recycled sewerage is either good or bad while tank water, the salvation of Australia for a couple of hundred years is, also, either good or bad. Desalinated water is too dear as is dam construction with irrigation water being traded for profit. Traded for profit but not necessarily for the benefit to agriculture.
Hindsight has shown that water supplies have been a continuing community issue since the establishment of Busby's Bore in Centennial Park and the knowledge of hindsight is apparently cheap to acquire but difficult to act upon.
Soon private bores will be under the control of three or four dealers and they will, like the fuel companies, have their wicked way with those who enjoy drinking water. Would it be economical, and of more use, to fill the Lane Cove tunnel with water to service that area ?