Friday 19 September 2008

Police seize drugs, scales and cash

as posted on TheWest

A 46-year-old Beckenham man was arrested last night after he allegedly tried to break into Canning Vale house and was found with a quantity of drugs and cash.

At about 11.30am police searched a man they saw running down Barraberry Retreat, near the site of an attempted break-in.

Police allege they found clip seal bags of drugs, tablets, a set of scales, a smoking implement and cash.

In his car parked in nearby Dowarn Green police allegedly found cannabis.

The man was charged with two counts of drug possession with intent to sell or supply; trespass, possessing prescribed medication without prescription and possessing a smoking implement.

He received bail and will appear in the Armadale Magistrates Court on September 23.

PERTH
ALEISHA PREEDY

as posted on TheWest


and ...


as posted in PerthNow


POLICE said a man they caught allegedly trying to break into a house in Canning Vale on Wednesday was carrying drugs and cash.

They were called when a man was spotted on a property in Barraberry Retreat around 11.30am.

They caught him as he ran off and found clip seal bags of methylamphetamine, tablets, a set of scales, a glass pipe and an amount of cash.

The man’s car was parked in nearby Dowarn Green where officers discovered a bag containing cannabis and three GPS units.

A 46-year-old Beckenham man was charged with possession of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply, possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply; trespass, possessing prescribed medication without prescription and possession of a smoking implement.

He is due to appear in Armadale Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.




as posted in PerthNow

Gosnells man in court over alleged burglaries

as posted on TheWest

A 43-year-old Gosnells man has appeared in the Armadale Magistrates Court today to face a string of burglary charges in the southern suburbs.

The man was arrested yesterday after police stopped and searched a Ford Falcon in Corfield Street and allegedly found items stolen from houses in the Gosnells area.

He was charged with two counts of burglary, three counts of stealing, carrying an article with intent to cause fear and a driving offence.

The matter was adjourned until Friday.

PERTH
ALEISHA PREEDY

as posted on TheWest

Wednesday 17 September 2008

Perth commuters warned of train stoppages

as posted on TheWest

Train services across the Perth metropolitan area will be disrupted from 8.30am today.

Stop-work meetings will interrupt Transperth services until 4.30pm.

Train replacement bus services will collect passengers at stops near train stations during the disruption.

However, Transperth has recommended passengers find alternative transport today if possible.

Passengers are also advised to allow extra travelling time as the replacement bus services might not connect with normal bus and train services.

Limited bus services will be available for the Joondalup, Armadale, Fremantle, Mandurah, Midland and Thornlie lines.

PERTH
LISA CALAUTTI

as posted on TheWest

Tuesday 16 September 2008

Aged care at risk with too few beds and staff


as posted on TheWest

The staff shortage gripping aged care in WA is set to worsen because of a lack of government funding, putting residents at risk of injury, according to industry leaders.

And with up to 60 per cent of nursing homes operating at a loss, the shortage of beds in the industry will continue, with waiting lists likely to grow.

Investigations by The West Australian have revealed that staff shortages are forcing some nursing homes to operate with one carer for up to 50 residents.

There are no government staffing limits for the industry.

Chief executive of Amaroo Village nursing home in Gosnells, David Fenwick, said yesterday he had closed beds and refused to take more patients in the past to ensure staff ratios were maintained for the safety of residents and to ensure staff were not overworked. “Families are not fully aware of the staffing shortages in the industry,” he said.

Mr Fenwick said there were serious implications from even one employee becoming sick.

“If you can’t get short-term agency staff to fill the gap, you are operating short-staffed and that puts residents at some risk,” he said.

Amaroo employs a dedicated roster manager to ensure that shortages are kept to a minimum.

Chief executive of Aged and Community Services WA, Stephen Kobelke, said a survey of the industry last year by consultants Grant Thornton revealed about 40 per cent of the nation’s nursing homes were losing money. Mr Kobelke said the figure was closer to 60 per cent now, meaning that without more funding from government the pressures on the industry would increase.

Mr Fenwick said the Federal Government relied on the goodwill of charities — which operate 65 per cent of Australia’s nursing homes — and carers who did the job for love not money. “We have a shortage of 2000 nursing home beds in WA and it will only get worse; we have a waiting list of 150,” he said.

“There are fewer providers willing to take the risk and build rooms because there is little incentive and little ability to make money, especially as the costs of building and running a facility are rising.”

Mr Fenwick said the industry was relying on people with “passion” to do the job as carer wages struggled to compete with pay in fast-food restaurants.

Carers Kate O’Dowd, Jane Robins and Milica Stojkovic at the Amaroo Village McMahon Caring Centre said despite the challenges they loved their jobs because it gave them a chance to “make a difference”.

“One smile on a person’s face is worth it,” Ms O’Dowd said.

They all wanted more funding for the industry, telling of chronic shortages in basic equipment, such as shower chairs and walking frames.

PETER KERR


as posted on TheWest

Sunday 14 September 2008

Perth hoons risk lives in wet weather

as posted on PerthNow

Jon Bassett
September 13, 2008 08:00am

A 22-YEAR-OLD driver who had his car for less than 18 hours after a hoon seizure had it confiscated a second time overnight for allegedly doing burnouts in Rockingham.

The Holden Commodore ute with two passengers was one of 10 high-powered vehicles seized in a hoon haul overnight - and two were taken for a second time by police.

Most the cars were driven by teenagers in wet conditions.

The drivers have been charged with reckless driving and first offenders will lose their cars for a week.

Inspector Maria Coyne said the hoons were doing burnouts and included a 17-year-old P-plater in Beldon who was driving recklessly in the rain about 4am.

"If you put the rain and driving behaviour together it's a miracle no one was killed,'' Insp Coyne said.

At 7pm last night, a 19-year-old man had his Ford Falcon XR6 seized for travelling at 139km/h in a 90km/h zone in the Pinjarra area, south of Perth.

A 17-year-old male P-plater was caught doing burnouts on Spencer Rd, Thornlie about 8pm.

A 23-year-old woman had her XR6 taken, and 31-year-old man's ute was seized for a second time when the pair allegedly raced along the west end of Hay St, Perth, about 9.30pm.

In the next two hours police, confiscated four other cars driven by male teenagers - one a P-plater - for reckless driving at the Kingsway Shopping Centre, the others in Kwinana, Greenwood and Mandurah.

The teenagers were driving Holden Commodores, a Commodore ute and a Holden Rodeo ute.

At 1am, a 17-year-old Margaret River P-plater had his Ford Falcon confiscated for doing "doughnuts".

How long police keep the vehicles seized for a second time depends if the initial confiscations were before new anti-hoon laws were introduced, it is understood.

as posted on PerthNow

Day one ..

the following reply was given ...

Thankyou for your enquiry. Council meetings are conducted under the provisions of the City of Gosnells Standing Orders Local Law 2003, a co...