Thursday 8 October 2009

Bikies unite to fight anti-association laws

as posted here

The Attorney General, Christian Porter, says he is not concerned by plans to establish a council of bikie gangs in Western Australia.

Seven bikie gangs in Perth and the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club are expected to join forces next week as part of the United Motorcycle Club of WA.

The council is similar to those set up in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, and will be used to fight the State Government's proposed anti-association laws.

Mr Porter says the Government will push ahead with the legislation.

"These organisations can meet as often as they like, and make whatever arguments or noises they feel fit," he said.

"But this Government won't be reversing its position, which is to bring in legislation which will allow these organisations to be declared unlawful.

"I've got no surprise whatsoever that they're going to do whatever they can to oppose it, because it's bad news for bikie gangs, But that won't stop us. That's why we're doing it, we will progress this legislation."


as posted here

Pomersbach shouldn't be on the roads

as posted here

Luke Pomersbach is a privileged young man. He’s also a dill.
They are the only conclusions we can draw from yesterday’s court case, where the WA and international cricketer was granted an extraordinary driver’s licence after losing his regular licence for drunken driving.

Pomersbach was arrested in August after crashing a four-wheel-drive vehicle into a skip bin and a pergola in City Beach, and then pushing a police officer through a window.

He was subsequently fined $3500 by the court and $10,000 by the Western Australian Cricket Association, which also barred him from representing his State until 2010, dependent on his response to counselling. He was allowed to continue playing with his club Gosnells.

This week Pomersbach turned up in court again to apply for an extraordinary licence to allow him to travel from his home in Scarborough to training and games with the club.

He claimed he’d been forced to catch taxis when his father couldn’t drive him.

Questioned by the magistrate why he didn’t use public transport the elite sportsman claimed it was inconvenient waiting for buses in Gosnells.

Anyway, he reckoned he did not know how to catch public transport, having not used it since school.

Given that every day tens of thousands of Perth commuters use trains and buses to travel to and from their destinations and that Scarborough and Gosnells are on main routes, Pomersbach’s case had little credibility.

The court should also have taken into account his mammoth earnings from his contracts with Australian cricket and the Indian Premier League that would have easily covered taxi fares.

The decision that has allowed this irresponsible young man back on the road confirms there are different rules for the rich and famous.


as posted here

Wednesday 7 October 2009

Perth to expand Income Management programs with Centrelink

as posted here

Income Management for Child Protection and Voluntary Income Management will be expanded across Perth to help families better manage their budgets to meet the costs of essential everyday goods such as food, rent, clothing and utilities.

Currently, more than 220 families across Western Australia have voluntarily signed up to income management agreements with Centrelink – using the measure to allocate funds for essentials and reduce household debt.

Over the next few months, Centrelink will offer this free and confidential service on a voluntary basis to people in Armadale and Gosnells, Fremantle, Spearwood and Rockingham and Morley, Warwick Grove and Innaloo.

The new service will become available in Armadale and Gosnells on 19 October, Fremantle, Spearwood and Rockingham on 16 November and Morley, Warwick Grove and Innaloo on 7 December.

Centrelink will also start rolling out the Income Management for Child Protection initiative across these districts in early 2010.

This initiative gives the Western Australian Department for Child Protection the power to recommend to Centrelink that a family’s income support and family payments be quarantined to be used for the benefit of children.

The safety of children is a national priority for the Australian Government. These initiatives form a crucial part of our child-centred approach to protecting children from child abuse and neglect.

Currently, more than 60 families across Western Australia have been referred onto income management by the Western Australian Department for Child Protection.

Income managed families will have up to 70 per cent of welfare payments and 100 per cent of lump sum payments quarantined for use on essential needs.

Income managed funds cannot be used to buy alcohol, tobacco, pornography or gambling products.

Income Management commenced in Cannington and in the Kimberley in November 2008, and was expanded across Perth’s northern and eastern suburbs in late April 2009.

Today’s announcement highlights the Australian Government’s active role in assisting families to budget for their needs to enable them to provide for themselves and their children.

Residents are encouraged to attend a community consultation session at their local Centrelink office to learn more about Voluntary Income Management.

Australian Government funded financial management support services will also be available in the new locations to support families who begin income management.

Families on income management will have access to the BasicsCard for the purchase of day-to-day items, such as food and clothing and direct-debit arrangements will be used for major expenses, including rent and utility bills.

The Australian Government has committed $18.9 million over two years for the trial, which will be evaluated to provide evidence for the Government’s broader welfare reform agenda.


as posted here

Monday 5 October 2009

In a Nutshell - Simply no Soap for Kids YET!!!

I have contacted the Environmental Health Directorate regarding your query about the provision of hand cleaning supplies in schools.

They have kindly provided the information below:


Unfortunately, the Health Act 1911 is not binding on the Crown, so our legislation cannot be used to force government schools to provide soap, toilet paper and hand drying facilities in student toilets. We strongly recommend it.

The staff facilities are captured by Worksafe's legislation, which is binding on the Crown.

Hand washing is a primary defence against the spread of infectious disease and should be available in every toilet.

The Communicable Disease Control Directorate can provide further information on the efficacy of hand washing.


The Department of Education and Training may also be able to provide further information to you regarding this issue - www.det.wa.edu.au


Kind regards,

Judith
On behalf of DoH, PR Contact


AND


Mr Evans,

Thank you for your online query on 2nd October 2009. The subject of school hand hygiene has been a problem, not only in Western Australia, but in many first world countries, such as America and the U.K., and it has been discussed at many health forums of late, particularly in regard to reducing the spread of the H1N1 pandemic flu, as well as other contagious illnesses.

At present, hand hygiene in schools is managed by the Principal of the individual school, based on a Policy developed by the Department of Education & Training, or DET (attached). Unfortunately, as you have pointed out, paper towels and soap are often the first to go under budget cuts, and as toilets are often subject to vandalism, their loss can be justified. The antibacterial gels are also of concern, as they may kill bacteria and viruses, but do not remove dirt and oils, and they also work to improve resistance of pathogens to existing antibacterials.

The Department of Health (DOH) is currently involved in liaising with various agencies, governmental departments, universities involved in testing, as well as the hygiene industry (such as soap-makers, dispensers, and the like), in order to establish some solutions to this wide-spread problem.

I apologise for not being able to give you a more definite answer. The DOH has been aware of this problem for some time, however, a solution is yet to be found, not only in WA, but the whole of Australia, and it requires funds, resources, and backing of politicians. In fact the DOH and DET are currently researching a hand washing system which may solve many hygiene concerns in schools, and my colleagues are seeking support from senior politicians in the coming weeks. Unfortunately the system is seeking patenting, so I cannot elaborate.

If you have any further queries, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Regards,

Jaala Downes
Scientific Officer
Environmental Hazards Unit
Environmental Health Directorate
Grace Vaughan House
Ph: 9388 4950 Fax: 9388 4905


To all parents, do your kids attend a Public School, I know that they are on holiday at the moment, but you need to ask them something before they go back to school, when they use the toilet at school, can they wash their hands, do they have soap available, can they dry their hands, seems like a question you should not have to ask your kids, but you may be surprised by the answer you receive.

Local government wipeout: Castrilli to cull one-third of councils

as posted here

EXCLUSIVE: A once-in-a-century shakeup of local government in Western Australia is likely to see a swathe of shires stretching from the Northern Territory border to the Southern Ocean erased forever from the State's political map.

The revelation means a legion of candidates elected in the upcoming October 17 local government elections will not serve out their full four-year terms.

A list of condemned councils, penned by the powerful Local Government Reform Steering Committee and obtained exclusively by WAtoday.com.au, will see the State's least sustainable shires, cities and towns culled.

The committee was hand-picked by Local Government Minister John Castrilli.

The Department of Local Government has already told at least 45 shires on the secret list that amalgamation is "required".

WA has 139 councils and is the last state in Australia to embark on significant local government reform.

In August, Opposition spokesman Paul Papalia slammed the"bumbling" Mr Castrilli's refusal to release the list.

Under the sweeping reforms, Metropolitan Perth, and possibly the Kimberley, are the only two of WA's 10 regions to avoid the amalgamation spotlight.

Ominously for the Kimberley, the list fails to mention 28 shires, including that region's four councils - though it is known that at least the Shire of Broome has avoided endangered council status.

The department wants the world's largest municipality - the 380,000 square kilometre Shire of East Pilbara - to merge with one of its gigantic council neighbours.

Meanwhile, Australia's smallest shire - the 1.1 square kilometre Peppermint Grove, which sits in Premier Colin Barnett's leafy western Perth electorate of Cottesloe - has been spared the amalgamation axe.

Also in the Premier's electorate, the tiny Town of Cottesloe joins Peppermint Grove, East Fremantle, Mosman Park, Nedlands and Victoria Park as minute municipalities WAtoday.com.au understands have escaped mandatory mergers.

Other councils understood to have only been asked to "consider" mergers are Rockingham, Busselton, Albany, Esperance, Kalamunda, Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Denmark.

A string of Wheatbelt and Great Southern shires have also been placed in this category and are likely to escape the Castrilli cut.

The Perth councils of Subiaco, Vincent, Cambridge and Bassendean are understood to have been spared the amalgamation spectre altogether, achieving a coveted "Category One" rating, indicating they are meeting community needs.

WA's largest city by population, Stirling, and the state capital of Perth are also understood to have achieved this status.

Other Category One councils apparently let off the hook are Armadale, Augusta-Margaret River, Bassendean, Bayswater, Belmont, Joondalup, Gosnells, Harvey, Mandurah, Melville, Mundaring, Murray, Plantagenet, Serpentine-Jarrahdale and Swan.

The list of 45 councils the government wants culled from WA's political landscape is:

Boddington

Boyup Brook

Bruce Rock

Carnamah

Chapman Valley

Chittering

Coolgardie

Coorow

Corrigin

Cuballing

Cue

Cunderdin

Dalwallinu

East Pilbara

Katanning

Kellerberrin

Kent

Kondonin

Koorda

Lake Grace

Laverton

Leonora

Meekatharra

Menzies

Merredin

Mingenew

Morawa

Mukinbudin

Mount Magnet

Mount Marshall

Nannup

Narembeen

Narrogin (Shire)

Nungarin

Perenjori

Ravensthorpe

Sandstone

Three Springs

Toodyay

Upper Gascoyne

Victoria Plains

Wyalkatchem

Yalgoo

Yilgarn

Wiluna


as posted here

Friday 2 October 2009

Income scheme in Perth

as posted here

The Federal Government is expanding a scheme under which Perth families have part of their Centrelink payments quarantined.

More than 220 families have voluntarily signed up for the program which sets aside 70 per cent of their welfare payments to purchase essentials and pay bills.

The program has been trialled in the Kimberley and parts of Perth, and will be introduced in the suburbs of Armadale, Gosnells, Fremantle, Spearwood, Rockingham, Morley, Warwick and Innaloo over the next few months.

The Federal Families Minister Jenny Macklin says along with the hundreds of families that have signed up by choice, another 60 have been forced on to the program.

"This is us working with the child protection authorities, giving them an additional way of saying to parents you need to take responsibility use your money in the interests of your children.


as posted here

Toilets and Hand Washing ...

I would like to ask the following questions of the Health Services Department.

I quote the following as found in the word document downloaded from your site http://www.gosnells.wa.gov.au from the following link http://www.gosnells.wa.gov.au/scripts/documentredirect.asp?BID=7826&NID=789
PART 2 - SANITATION

Division 1 - Sanitary Conveniences

Premises other than a Dwelling House

6.

(2) The occupier of premises other than a dwelling house shall ensure that -

(a) clean toilet paper is available at all times in each cubicle;

(b) a sanitary napkin disposal facility is provided and maintained in each toilet provided for the use of females; and

(c) each hand wash basin is provided with -

(i) an adequate supply of soap or other hand cleaning substances; and

(ii) hand drying facilities, situated adjacent to and visible from the hand basin.



My question is "Does the above apply to Public Toilets and Toilets in Schools within the City of Gosnells, and if not, what part of the CITY OF GOSNELLS HEALTH LOCAL-LAWS 1999 does cover these Public Toilets and/or School toilets?"

Peter Evans
8 McNamara Drive
Thornlie

REPLY GIVEN

Hi Peter,

Thankyou for your recent email regarding sanitary conveniences in premises other than dwellings.

Part 2, Division 1, Section 6 of City of Gosnells Health Local Laws 1999 refers to the requirements of sanitary conveniences in premises other than dwellings. This will include private school toilets and public toilets located on private land. However, state schools and public toilets located on public land are not covered by these local laws. The jurisdiction of these facilities lies with the state health department.

I hope this answers your question.
If you had an enquiry for a particular location, or i can assist you further please don't hesitate to contact me on the details below, i would be happy to discuss the matter with you.

Kind Regards,

Emma Smith
Environmental Health Officer
City of Gosnells
PO Box 662 Gosnells WA 6990
2120 Albany Highway Gosnells WA 6110
Ph: 08 9391 3274 Fax: 08 9398 2922
Email: esmith@gosnells.wa.gov.au


AND

The toilets located at Harmony Fields and Pioneer Park would be the City's responsibility. The Gosnells Train Station would fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Transport Authority.
Is there a problem with these facilities?

Kind Regards,

Emma Smith


AND


Thank you for contacting WA Health. We welcome your opinions and comments.

Your email has been sent to a member of our staff who will review it and take action as needed. If you have requested a response to your email please be aware that this may take a little time. Thanks for your patience.

Please print a copy of this page for your records.

Name: Peter Evans
Email: webyter@gmail.com
Subject: Public School Toilets
Message: Are there any requirements for sanitation in Public School Toilets, ie should they provide soap, toilet paper and adequate drying facilities or are they allowed to not provide anything in these Toilets, is there any legislation covering these facilities as they appear to be outside the Local Government control and most schools tend to cut costs and not supply soap or adequate drying materials due to wastage by students, given that we as parents teach our children to wash their hands immediately after using the toilet, seems that public schools don't provide the facilities to allow the students to do this, how is it that this situation can be allowed to exist, by example I submit that Thornlie Senior High School does not even have soap dispensers fitted, and Thornlie Primary School has a policy that the students use antiseptic cream when they return to their classroom, which does not help when the children are on a break as they have to wait to get back to class to clean their hands, given the senerio that a child goes to lunch, the fist thing they do is use the toilet, they cant clean their hands other than with cold water, then they eat their lunch, and then when their classroom finally reopens they can, if they remember wash their hands (this is the case in Thornlie Primary) and as mentioned in Thornlie High they simply do not provide anything, and I would suggest that this is the case with many other Public schools as they are not specifically supplied with a budget to cater for this expense, does the Health Department have any policy covering Public Schools or does the Department simply not care!



AND

I have tried repeatedly to contact the Education Department to find out what their policy is on toilets within Public Schools

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

Jeremy.Martin@det.wa.edu.au




Final-Recipient: rfc822;Jeremy.Martin@det.wa.edu.au
Action: failed
Status: 5.2.2
X-Display-Name: MARTIN Jeremy [School Innovation and Reform]



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: webyter
To: Jeremy.Martin@det.wa.edu.au
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 07:14:56 +0800
Subject: Public School Toilets
Is there a policy that relates to toilets within schools in relation to the sanitation requirements ie supply of soap and adequate drying facilities, do schools receive a budget allowance to cater for these items

Peter Evans
0433 307 645

AND

--- The following addresses had delivery problems ---

(RCPT TO: User unknown)


Seems their servers are down or just on holidays in support of the teaching staff : (

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...