Health Minister ducks for cover on country health crisis

Health Minister Jim McGinty has used Labor's numbers in the Parliament to evade debate on Western Australia's country health crisis.

The Minister refused the opportunity to provide answers to a list of disturbing criticisms of the WA country health system from its former chief executive Christine O'Farrell.

Mrs O'Farrell commented in The West Australian newspaper last week that parts of the system were "blatantly bloody unsafe".

Party leader Brendon Grylls moved for the debate as a matter of urgency to give the Minister the opportunity to restore public confidence in the country health system. [more]
 
In addition Member for the Agricultural Region Wendy Duncan has called for the establishment of a Select Committee to scrutinize WA's country health service.

Ms Duncan said the Select Committee would examine the ability of the service to provide emergency and primary healthcare services.

Redman welcomes Denmark water announcement

Stirling MLA Terry Redman has welcomed this week's announcement by the Water Corporation that it plans to install a small desalination plant at Denmark to address the town's water quality issues.

The announcement comes after a summer during which Denmark residents endured Level 5 water restrictions and a marked decline in water quality.

Mr Redman said it was a pleasing outcome as the Denmark community will finally have security and confidence in terms of their water quality. [more]

Sand bypass essential for Esperance foreshore

The best long term solution for foreshore erosion in Esperance would be to construct a sand bypassing system from behind the Port of Esperance, according to Agricultural Region MLC Wendy Duncan.

Ms Duncan, who had an active involvement in both the Essence of Esperance strategic planning process as well as the Esperance Foreshore Master Plan, said Esperance residents had clearly stated that they did not want the continued dumping of sand on the foreshore by shire trucks.

The beaches along the Esperance foreshore had exquisite white sand that thrilled visitors and made locals proud but now has dirty, contaminated sand being dumped by unsightly and disruptive trucks.

Ms Duncan asked the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure in Parliament this week to commit to sand bypassing as the long term solution for foreshore erosion. [more]