Voter apathy in local government polls

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The WA Local Government Association says the poor participation rate in this weekend's elections could reignite debate over compulsory voting.

Only about 25 per cent of people have returned their postal votes for the 101 council elections being held this weekend.

Voters have until until 6:00pm to lodge their ballot papers.

The president of the association Bill Mitchell says normally the voter participation rate is around 40 per cent.

Mr Mitchell says the apparent disinterest could be put down to apathy or the fact people are tired of discussions about local government reform.

He says it could be time to introduce compulsory voting.

"It's probably a legitimate call, all other, well the other two tiers of government are on a compulsory basis and therefore why shouldn't local government," he said.

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South-East growth “underestimated”

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16/Oct/2009

By Tim Slater, Comment News

THE State Government’s new planning blueprint has “dangerously underestimated” growth in Armadale, Serpentine-Jarrahdale and Gosnells, according to Armadale MLA Alannah MacTiernan.
“The Directions 2031 document has allowed for only 58,000 additional population but a proper analysis of urban zoned land and developer intention shows the real figure is 142,300,” Ms MacTiernan said.

This is spread across the region, with Armadale’s expected population increase 65,000, Serpentine-Jarrahdale 47,300 and Gosnells 30,000.

“The Government’s wrong estimates will also affect the bureaucracies planning schools, hospitals and community services and will mean our area will be short-changed in these facilities,” Ms MacTiernan said.

She said unless the error was recognised and amended, the south-east corridor would no longer attract high priority for infrastructure and job creation.

“It is going back to the bad old days of the Court Government which plunged Armadale and Gosnells into a black hole with its massive expansion of Carousel Shopping Centre in Cannington,” Ms MacTiernan said.

“We must work together to get this draft plan modified and the region’s status as a high-growth area recognised.”

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Washing hands with soap can prevent disease and save lives, stress UN experts

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Washing hands with soap can prevent disease and save lives, stress UN experts

People should wash their hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing as a precaution against influenza A(H1N1) virus

15 October 2009 – The simple act of washing hands with soap can drastically reduce deaths from preventable diseases, which are killing thousands of people everyday, a group of United Nations human rights experts stressed as they marked Global Handwashing Day.“While access to water and sanitation are critical to the protection of human health, we must remember that these are only effective when combined with good hygiene,” emphasized Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, the UN Independent Expert on human rights, water and sanitation.
She noted that washing hands with soap “at critical moments, especially after defecating, before handling food, and after coughing and sneezing,” is crucial for the prevention of disease, adding that promoting this life-saving activity is part of a State’s human rights obligations.
Anand Grover, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, emphasized that children face the greatest risks from bad hygiene, which can lead to potentially fatal diseases.
Good hand washing practices are said to be the single most effective way to avoid contracting diseases, such as acute respiratory illnesses and diarrhoea-related diseases like cholera and dysentery, he noted in a news release. These diseases cause 3.5 million deaths among children under five each year and they are preventable.
In addition, hand washing with soap will be a crucial way to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.
“Large sums of money are being spent as we speak on awareness-raising to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus – with similar prioritization, handwashing could reduce the spread of not only H1N1 virus, but many other equally dangerous communicable diseases. In fact, handwashing with soap could halve the number of children dying each year from diarrhoea,” said Mr. Grover.
“The school environment is a crucial place for hygiene promotion, since children will often take these lessons home, and it will influence other family members,” according to Mr.
Vernor Muñoz, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education, highlighted the fact that schools are crucial place for promoting good hygiene, since children can take these lessons home and influence family members.
“We have observed various projects which are based on this premise and are very successful. However, it is crucial that the school environment also provides adequate sanitation facilities,” he said.
The three experts stressed that promoting handwashing with soap must be a priority at the national level, and that States are obliged to ensure that public places, including public hospitals, schools and prisons, have appropriate facilities for good hygiene.
“Hygiene is a central part of the human rights obligations related to water, sanitation and health, and we call upon all States to comply with these obligations,” they stated.
The worldwide observance of Global Handwashing Day began in 2008 – which was also the UN International Year of Sanitation – and was spearheaded by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Day is an initiative of the Public Private Partnership for Handwashing which brings together multilateral organizations, local community groups and the private sector.


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School flu risk alert

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FORMER Gosnells Primary School P&C president Peter Evans has urged parents to check if their children have access to hand cleaning supplies at public schools following the swine flu pandemic.

“It seems like a question you should not have to ask your kids, but you may be surprised by the answer you receive,” Mr Evans said.

“We teach our kids to wash their hands when they go to the toilet at home but they don’t have soap available at school.

“Now, with swine flu around, people are getting quite worried that their kids aren’t protected when they are at school.”

Mr Evans said a public high school that his daughter attended did not even have soap dispensers installed.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said hand washing was a primary defence against the spread of infectious disease and should be available in every toilet.

“The subject of school hand hygiene 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.”

She said the department had been aware of the 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 the backing of politicians.”

The spokeswoman said the Health Act 1911 was not binding on government.

“So our legislation cannot be used to force government schools to provide soap, toilet paper and hand drying facilities in student toilets.”

She said hand hygiene was managed by school principals.

“Unfortunately… 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.”

She said research was under way for a hand washing system which may solve many hygiene concerns in schools.


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Pomersbach's journey off limits with Moody

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Tim Clarke
October 12, 2009 - 1:43PM
Understandably happy with an opening day-night win in the one day game, Warriors coach Tom Moody also sees green shoots of recovery in Luke Pomersbach's return to cricket over the weekend - although how he got there was off limits.

Following WA's nail-biting two-wicket win over Queensland in the Ford Ranger Cup yesterday, the Warriors will go into tomorrow's four-day clash with the Bulls in good spirits.

While Ashley Noffke's debut form was the highlight of the weekend, Pomersbach's 75 for club side Gosnells was another bright note after his nightmare off season saw him banned from driving and playing after a drunken night of madness.

Moody said today he was pleased to see his enfant terrible getting back on track - despite the controversy over his being handed an extraordinary driving licence last week after telling a court he was unable to use public transport.

"Luke is doing exceptionally well, he is working very hard outside the group and it was good to see him get amongst the runs at the weekend," Moody said.

"I am sure he is looking to build on that and get a few three figures on the board."

Asked whether he was relieved Pomersbach's issues with Transperth had not affected his form, Moody walked away.

With Luke Towers to come into the Warriors squad for Theo Doropoulos, Steve Magoffin comes into the 12 and likely to replace either Brad Knowles or Michael Hogan in the line-up

While Noffke's performance with bat and ball steered WA home, Moody was not backing away from the early brittle signs from the WA batsmen which dogged their season in all forms last year.

"It is nice to win in any circumstance, in a way an ugly win like that is nice to get under your belt," Moody said

"We knew very well we can play a lot better than that - I think we bowled and fielded very well, our batting is something we can improve on.

"I hope the top six or top seven players today can take more responsibility as the season goes forward. We need our senior players to stand up."

Queensland ruled out all-rounder James Hopes for the clash, after he missed Sunday's Ford Ranger Cup loss to the Warriors due to a glute injury.

He will sit out the four-day fixture in order to regain full fitness ahead of Australia's one-day tour of India.

The Bulls have recalled left-arm quick Scott Walter into the 12-man squad, with the 20-year-old almost certain to be named in the XI for what would be just his second first-class fixture.

Walter made his first-class debut against WA last year but managed just eight overs before succumbing to a hamstring injury.

Queensland are expected to unleash a four-pronged pace attack of Walter, Ben Laughlin, Ben Cutting and Grant Sullivan to complement spinner Chris Simpson.

Leg-spinner Daniel Doran was omitted from the original 13-man squad.

Batsmen Glen Batticciotto and Wade Townsend remain in contention to make their first-class debuts for the Bulls.

Queensland squad: Chris Simpson (capt), Glen Batticciotto, Ryan Broad, Lee Carseldine, Ben Cutting, Chris Hartley, Nick Kruger, Ben Laughlin, Nathan Reardon, Grant Sullivan, Wade Townsend, Scott Walter (12th man to be named).

WA squad: Marcus North (capt), David Bandy, Brett Dorey, Michael Hogan, Brad Knowles, Steve Magoffin, Shaun Marsh, Ashley Noffke, Wes Robinson, Luke Ronchi, Luke Towers, Adam Voges. (12th Man to be named).

with AAP


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