Queen Street Medical Centre

At this federal election, change that tinkers at the edges is not good enough say The Lowitja Institute’s Janine Mohamed and Rosemary Smith.The full implementation of the Uluru Statement, and its call for Voice, Treaty and Truth would be a huge step forward. This would be an opportunity to address the health inequity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians.

Why are political parties and voters so apathetic to the health-care debate? Writing in The Conversation this month, Macquarie University’s Henry Cutler and Jeffrey Braithwaite ask why there isn’t more healthcare debate and what are the major parties offering?

According to The Medical Journal of Australia research published in April 2020 – Primary care is the single most significant contributor to positive health outcomes, but the number of general practitioners in Australia has been falling, a situation previously described for nations with poorer health outcomes.

In this feature appearing in The Medical Republic 27 April, Dr Louise Karran sums up the reality of general practice in Australia and why bulk-billing has become unsustainable.

New from our ABC – THE VIRUS – is your “one-stop weekly program keeping you up to date with everything you need to know about COVID-19. From healthcare, the economy, staff shortages, schools, vaccines, testing and isolation”.

Follow this link to THE VIRUS program on the ABC site to see all “must watch” episodes – with COVID cases at over 63,000 cases per day and rising and a new variant, it’s no time to be complacent, but NSW is starting to lag behind in third does of the COVID-19 vaccine – if you’re eligible, but haven’t yet had your booster shot, book your booster online now.

Congratulations and our collective thanks to the hard working volunteers and organisers of Moruya Celebrates – the Moruya Business Chamber, with Rotary, sponsors and our community groups and individuals.

And what a fine celebration of our community it was, with over 60 community groups flying their flags and banners in the Church Street parade which edged its way on 1pm on Saturday, to Riverside Park for an afternoon of music, food, and festivities. Then River Lights after dark, a flotilla of illuminated lanterns and lights on kayaks and boats drifting along the river.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and water, the people of the Yuin Nation.

“The devastating floods in Queensland and New South Wales highlight, yet again, Australia’s failure to plan for natural disasters. As we’re seeing now in heartbreaking detail, everyday Australians bear the enormous cost of this inaction.” writes Professor Barbara Norman – Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Research Network, University of Canberra in The Conversation.

“In just a few years, many Australian communities have weathered a series of natural disasters overlaid by the COVID pandemic. They are exhausted, and deserve better.

So what must Australia do to get ready for the harsher future that awaits?”

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is reminding people that face masks still need to be worn in general practice as rules are relaxed across Australia. The RACGP President also called for more support for general practice which is under unprecedented pressure after two years of pandemic. The RACGP is calling on the federal government to invest in a series of initiatives to improve patient care and health outcomes.