The Albany Health Campus Crisis & The Health Minister Roger Cook's Silly Deflection

 So last week, there was a meeting, a public meeting about the disaster that's hit The Albany Health Campus. (Go here for more on the meeting Seriously Think for a minute: Public Meeting - Albany Health Campus. What Was What? )

In Parliament on Tuesday the 23rd of November 2021, just 5 days after meeting Libby Mettam the Opposition Health Spokesperson asked a question.

Now take note, there are 2 distinct parts to her question. Have a read then we'll crack open the Minister's reply.

Now just 2 parts, asking if he could confirm there were no beds available last Thursday & secondly why has there been no attempt to recitfy this by funding more beds.

And here's the Minister's reply...

So in order starting with (ARROW 1) "sad & sorrys" to Albany is not to the point, it's a personal swipe, I know they all do it, but it was my first red flag that he's not happy that he & the local member for Albany have an embarrassing mess and the local member is even more problematic because shes seem to not have a great clue before, during or after the meeting. She was silent at the public meeting & she's also been silent since the meeting. Her social media posts are intrigung. No calls for a WorkSafe Inquiry. What has she posted since the meeting? Go to below to *

 
But regarding the "fact of the matter is..." (ARROW 2) 

The minister said To the issue of the allegations from the mayor on the eighteenth, I think quote goes, “Not a single bed was available at AHC, Plantagenet or Denmark.”

My recollection is quite different from the minister's "thought" on what was said...oh and he wasn't there. I recall the Mayor Dennis Wellington saying that he can contacted a person in the Hospital System earlier that day & that there "were no beds available in the Great Southern" and then went onto say so don't have a car accident or something serious requiring an overnight stay. My impression was the Mayor said when he spoke to the un-named person, there were no beds available in the Great Southern.

What the minister should have said that was either correct or incorrect when the Mayor was informed the Great Southern had no beds.
There may well have been one bed in Denmark (50+km away) and 4 beds available in Plantagenet Cranbrook Medical Centre (50+ kms away in Mount Barker later but...

Albany Health Campus was full, there were no spare beds AT ALL.
So if you had a car accident or serious medical event in the Great Southern that night there were 5 hospital beds 50+kms from Albany...ALBANY WAS FULL. 
Reminder, 10-12 patients a week get are lifted to Perth.

Albany Health Campus had no beds & it services the Great Southern population of 60,000 people ** 

Now when you've let that sink in, re-read the Minister replying trying to belt & discredit the Shadow Health Spokesperson for getting things wrong. When the mayor said it, there were no beds in the Great Southern. How is it any better & ok having 5 beds 50+kms away and staff are over worked, over stressed, being bullied?

Can you just get the WorkSafe Inquiry running now before more people leave.

But no Roger Cook the minister went on in a rancid pork chop fashion in order to deflect and run from the problem hitting the Albany Health Campus.
1) It has a Toxic Culture, it needs a Worksafe Inquiry
2) Accusations of bullying, it needs a WorkSafe Inquiry
3) Staff are over worked, over stress and it needs a Worksafe Inquiry
3) Only 19% of staff think their organisation is "making the necessary improvements to meet future challenges" so it probably needs a WorkSafe Inquiry.
4) On the date of the Public meeting, the biggest hospital, the ONLY major hospital in the Great Southern was full.

Remember the Albany Health Campus is in Albany, population 38,296 (2020) & Mayor Wellington said it's expected to grow to 50,000 by 2030. It was only 35,000 when the hospital was completed in 2013 so capability wise the fantastic staff are seriously ham strung by the lack of expansion & the patients...well hope you all get beds when needed & survive.

And no, I am not sorry I do not support the minister's intellectually bankrupt claim that the hospital is suffering from "difficult COVID times"  BECAUSE THERE'S NO COVID IN ALBANY.

It's suffering from a lack of beds, a lack of staff and a lack of good management that should prevent bullying, over work, over stress and all many of other forms of avoidable ugliness that comes from a Toxic Workplace. As for the range of activities that support staff, Roger should list them if he's to repea this claim because clearly its not happening or it's totally ineffective. The staff & ex staff say so.

One last note on the Plantagenet Cranbrook Health Service...you can no longer have a baby there or Katanning. You'll have to rush to Albany & hope there's a bed after you've given birth. 
Oh interesting fact, a family member was admitted to hospital, collapsed at home and was rushed to Albany Health Campus. It was full but there was a spare bed luckily, in the Maternity Ward. Only bed in the Hospital & that was over 2 years ago.
Wake up Roger or make way for someone who can cope because all this stress and inability to have beds is now BEFORE COVID GETS HERE...HOW DO YOU EXPECT STAFF AND PATIENTS CAN COPE, THERE'S NOT EVEN A ICU OR VENTILATOR IN ALBANY, ONLY A HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT.

But never mind, keep playing political games, use tactical replies instead of factual answer...I do hope that when COVID hits we don't have to set up temporary tent morgues Roger.

                                                 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

*   Rebecca Stephen's Social Media Posts since the public meeting
Nov 19 - Attending Graduation of Albany Secondary Education Support Centre
Nov 21 - Promotion of "Free Christmas Lights Bus Tour" (but not free, Gold Coin Donation going to un-named charity
Nov 22 - Congratulating 3 local groups on being awarded $1000 grants for International Day of People with Disabilities.
Nov 23 - Albany TAFE receiving $400,000 of funding
Nov 23 - Highlighting Albany reacjing 85% COVID first dose. The pop up Vax Site in the Old Bunnings Building, no appointment needed. 
Nov 23 - Highlighting a social event at Parliament & welcoming ADF Veterans with Legacy Australia and RSLWA.
Nov 24 - UWA Albany & Children's University Australasia 
Nov 24 - Turning the sod with Minister for Emergency Services Reece Whitby for the new SES Headquarters. We were lucky, Reece flew into Albany. He spent roughly 2 hours fly from Perth to Albany & back again. Stayed in Albany less than 3 hours.

That's it. Nothing to do with the Hospital. No requests for health staff to contact her with concerns because y'know...she said she regularly talks with Roger Cook. She like Roger, should probably step up or step down...

** Population of the Great Southern a-regional-profile-2018-great-southern.pdf (gsdc.wa.gov.au)

Below Albany Advertiser 23rd of November 2021

What the Tier 3 Rail Story on the WA Country Hour Showed & Some Might Miss...

Well on thing that won't be missed is the Transport Minister wasn't available to go on air on the Country Hour today 23/November 2021. She sent us all in a message about Tier 3 Rail

Also on a different issue another Minister wasn't available, sent in a message.

Send a message you cannot be questioned or held to a decent standard.

Also on a different issue another minister Stephen Dawson wouldn't go on the programme
This means the minister cannot even have his/her message taken to task.

Now with Tier 3, the Transport Minister's message followed critical comments from coalition MP Steve Thomas MLC where she said (and I'm paraphrasing closely).

Its pretty rich of Steve Thomas asking for it to be rebuilt as it was his party that shut down Tier 3 rail.

Well irony is, it's pretty rich Minister Saffiotti. It was your party that was fighting to keep it open year a ago. One might say...
Its pretty rich of Rita Saffiotti doing nothing as it was he party that wanted it protected...until now

If your mob wanted it then, Steve's mob want it now...MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW.

Interesting also I was in a meeting with the then minister Murray Criddle, opposition spokesperson Alannah McTiernan (who was vigorously trying to keep it open) who is now Agriculture Minister and kinda a bit silent on the whole thing.

Now a decision supporting or opposing something should never Theatre Bollocks which include "bit rich consider when you were in power you did x, y, z..."
Do what's best, stick to facts & data.

Now forget all Tier 3, just rebuild the line from Quairding to York. That then connects 2 large CBH Strategic Bins & gets between 250,000 & 300,000 tonnes annually off the road.

Meanwhile MetroNet, often called MetroDebt is looking at further cost blow outs and in 2017 the Labor MPs said the $2.5 Billion costings would not increase.

Ummm...how's that going?
Well Tier 3 isn't getting a cent & the current cost of MetroNet is still cost billions and you can't use it at all yet after all these years. As for the 10,000+ jobs, not sure it that was reached

Solution, build it between Quairading & York, join the 2 CBH Strategic Bins and you will have to rebuild it. There's about 4 sections where the number of wagons has to be restricted because the bend curves suit much shorter length wagons and the new ones...
Well at one stage it was 12 wagons only & 10km/h speed or they literally just topple of the tracks.

So it's got to be rebuilt, the bridge over the Avon River has to be replaced. Call it 60 kilometres at a million per kilometre. $60Million spent and you take 250-300,000 tonnes of grain off th road every year. Multiply that with a minimum 30-40 year life span. For a cost of $60 Million plus maintenance...

7.5 Million to 12 Million Tonnes off the Road. About $5/tonne to save the roads.

Rita? Y'there Rita?

By the way, when the coalition government that privatised the Tier 3 Rail who was in the new Labor Government that's still in Parliament today?

Kate Doust

Sue Ellery

Mark McGowan

Alannah McTiernan

Michelle Roberts

Sally Talbot
David Templeman

Margaret Quirk

The list gets a good bit longer when you include WA Labor MPs who retired at the last election.

Why did they not revert & reinvest each they took power? Not on their Agenda?

How many times have they won government since it was privatised? Four times.

Alannah McTiernan was one of the loudest fighters for retention of Tier 3 Rail during it's approaching demise. I sat in meeting in Northam with her, 3 Pastoralist & Grazier Association members, 2 rail employees, 2 farmers & Murray Criddle.

Everything Alannnah & other Labor MPs ever said only lasted as valid until the finished as opposition MPs. Why?
Very likely they were on the campaign trail & doing what oppositions are supposed to do, find a fault and fight against it. Once the election was won it would have cost the Government an obscene amount of money to get out of the privatised deal, it would have cost money to upgrade the rail network above & beyond the operators input. Why spend money on the regions you don't really care about?
Leave it dead & spend the money elsewhere where it can consolidate WA Labor?

Well we'll wait n see...


Late Note - 
Tier 3 isn't a big part of the network and often misunderstood. I think it's well under 1000kms.
Also check out the Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance where the map below came from. Save Grain On Rail – Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance

Public Meeting - Albany Health Campus. What Was What?

Well short version, after reading below...there's a couple of things.

1) Will the Member for Albany Support A Worksafe Review Of The Albany Health Campus?

2) Will She Pen More Opinion Peices For The Local Newspaper, Including The Regions Now Losing Upper House Representatives & If She Supports It, Why?

3) Will She Recognise That The Role Of The Opposition Is To Test The Government & Hold It To Account and in this case, There Is A Lot To Account For?

Longer version is...

Upper House Member for the South West James Hayward MLC spoke with past and/or present health workers at the Albany Health Campus. He was made aware of a number of concerns. They were not at all trival and pointed to a possible "damaging to staff " workplace with a toxic culture, possible bullying, harassement, over worked staff, with under staffed under resourced areas.
All leading to a demanding workplace becoming even more stressful & staff leaving.

So Mr Hayward organised a Public Meeting at Retravision Stadium on Lockyer Avernue to hear concerns from staff, ex staff, other stakeholders & any community members. 
He had along side him, not just another MP but Libby Mettam MLA the Shadow Health Spokesperson.
Rare to get a public meeting with MPs, but to get two? Great.

Its rare to get public meetings with MPs for a number of reasons, it can get out of hand, it can get heated. There were emotions but it was reserved and calm. For some yes it was more than a little emotional but at the end, for some there appeared to be hope. They had been heard & some will hopefully speak again even if in private.
Add to that, whilst there were 2 MPs at the helm, from the opposition, they're from completely seperate parties and flew to Albany after a long day sitting in Parliament.

Now the call went out, I'll add the pre meeting write up in the Albany Advertiser below in case you missed the newspapers preview of the event. The newspaper edition is 18th November 2021, exact same date as the meeting, however it was advertised in newspapers, FaceBook & the Albany Show. 

Now also that same paper, same date  was an "opinion piece" from local member Rebecca Stephens MLA. I'll post it below so you can read it. You can read it now or after...

She mentions the personal experience of her family as a loved family member was cared for at the hospital before sadly passing away. She entions her sister, a registered nurse. She then speaks very highly of the Hospital staff, health workers to all the various support staff, speaks glowingly and who can argue that? Well no one and I gather no one actually has. 100% agree but nothing at all to do with the Public Meeting that's been arranged.
Then she says some would use the global pandemic & the difficult decisions the McGowan Government has made as a platform to score cheap political shots. 
Does she mean the meeting? The meeting came as a result of a survey & people complaining to James Hayward MLC. I do not think he or the complainants are trying to score cheap political shots. 
Then the clanger. Ms Stephens goes on to say...

"As your member in the McGowan Government I regularly talk to Roger Cook about the needs of our hospital. Together we have worked to find solutions and make improvements.
To our dedicated health workers thank you so much for the dedicated work you do under often difficult circumstances.
To those who seek to cause division and undermine community cofidence in our hospital, instead of playing these political games, please work with me to find a way forward"

Regarding the yellow highlighting, she has either tried to tell Roger Cook about the allegations of the toxic workplace, bullying, nepotism, over worked & over stressed staff, people quitting & the double shifts and the health minister has done nothing OR she's been talking about who knows what & she's oblivious to these problems in her own town. Either way, that's a massive failure by the local MP & the Health Minister. Its not a cheap political shot/point...its just a damn fact.

Regarding the orange highlighting, there was no promoting the Nationals nor the Liberals in advertising for the public meeting. No attacks on the Labor Party. The 2 speakers had their official titles used as they were appearing as members of parliament. They organised the meeting after having seen survey results & having been contacted by current and/or past staff with serious complaints of workplace abuse and over work.
The survey results were available to the local MP, I'm surprised if they weren't or if they were I'd be very disappoint if  she didn't read & worse read them & didn't worry about them. I can understand her embarassment but this is not a political attack on party lines if there is a major and deeply serious problem and staff are looking for help. 
At no point before, during nor after the meeting were organisers critical of staff at the hospital, in fact quite the opposite. At the meeting they applauded them for the work they give under trying circumstances at the best of times.
The speakers did not go after Labor, asked people be respectful of all speakers whether they agree or not. To not mention names or departments but speak only in general terms so they can gather a better understanding & for everyone to remind themselves there is no criticism of hospital workers or the huge service they deliver to the community. They were offered to contact the MPs privately if they need a discrete & confidential chat.
I think the local MP went on the blind saying some were trying to cause division and it was foolish.

Now the day before, on the Wednesday in State Parliament the Member for Albany asked the Health Minister a "Dorothy Dixer" question. Its usually a pre arranged question that a Government MP asks a Minister so the Minister can promote something. It's weird & clunky but every government of every stripe has always done it...and done it a lot. This is no different here but check the wording of the question.

779.  Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Health: I refer to the McGowan Labor government’s investment in Albany Health Campus and the work of its educated staff, who provided wonderful empathy and care for my dad. Can the minister update the house on this government’s investment in the services at Albany hospital and outline how this support is supporting those in my electorate who require medical treatment and care?

Regarding the yellow highlight, the staff are brilliant, everyone agrees. Everyone. 

Regarding the orange highlight. Well fair question. Funding is worth knowing in detail. Sadly it wasn't asking if there was a toxic culture, if there is bullying, harassment of staff, nepotism, staff overly stressed, if they're under staffed and overworked or the number of double shifts as well as staff leaving with some vowing to never return.
I think this was meant as a bit of a blind block but in any case it massively missed the mark & left the health workers grossly ignored. This actually looked like a cheap political point & ignored the staff at AHC.

Here comes the reply from Roger Cook MLA the Health Minister. Be aware the highlight comments with red highlight are my comments reflecting on the minster's comments. (Full unaltered Hansard page is attached below)

Mr R.H. COOK replied: I would like to thank the member for Albany for the question. Can I just pass on my thoughts to you on the recent passing of your father, and we wish you all the very best in this time.
Agreed 100% Well said.

It is an important question, because it is important to appreciate the incredible work that is going on at Albany Health Campus at the moment, with the staff, like those in many of our regional hospitals, doing great work on behalf of the people of Western Australia.
Agreed - We all appreciate the work of the over worked staff. Albany's population is around 35,000 and growing, the Great Southern that this hospital services as the Major Health Campus has a population of over 60,000 (Source listed below) and the Albany Health Campus has just 135 beds. No mention of the issues raised in a survey or reported to other MPs.

This fantastic health campus provides great care to many people in the great southern region.
Agreed, no one says otherwise. No one.

In fact, this year alone, it has conducted over 5 179 theatre procedures, and there have been 26 863 emergency department attendances and 63 651 outpatient service appointments.
I have no reason to doubt these stats, but they have nothing to do with the problems that the Health Minister is either ignoring or is unaware of. How he is able to be a minister in either case remains a great mystery. Is he deaf or his nearby senior staff mute?

It is going fantastically well.
Well not so much Roger. At the meeting the following night the Albany Mayor relayed that if you have a serious emergency like a car accident, THERE IS NO HOSPITAL BED FOR YOU. THERE ARE NO SPARE BEDS IN THE GREAT SOUTHERN, THEY'RE ALL TAKEN. IN FACT THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR AIRLIFTS 10-12 PEOPLE A WEEK OUT TO PERTH. 
So no, not going fantastically well at all. Its a life threatening death trap and the RFDS is virtually an airborne version of AMBULANCE RAMPING IN THE REGIONS.

In addition to that, 494 babies have been delivered in the Albany community.
Yup that's great too. No one has been critical of that at all though although good luck trying to find a mid wife in Geraldton or some other regional centres.

Albany Health Campus is also pulling its weight in the fight against the COVID pandemic, with over 3384 COVID tests having been conducted and over 6636 vaccinations having been delivered from that hospital.
Yup that's great too. No one has been critical of that at all though

It is disappointing to say the least to hear that the opposition, which as we know is constantly trying to undermine our hospital system and confidence in it in these unprecedented times, will tomorrow be holding an event to try to derive more division in the community — Several members interjected.
2 MPs held a public meeting asking for people to speak, they had no political imagery or colours or banners. They applauded staff & were not critical of staff, management, the system or the hospital or the hosptial system. They said they were there to listen to staff, ex staffers, stakeholders, community members and anyone that had a view on whether things weren't as they should be. If they were trying to "derive more division in the community" well...I was there and I'd say nope. Seemed to achieve the compelte opposite. No one was thrown under the bus, not even the Minister or the local member. In fact it's on the record, they even asked people to work with them & Rebecca to try & set things on a resolved path.
Is it the minsiter playing the "political games" that Rebecca Stephens was critical of?

The SPEAKER: Order, please!

Mr R.H. COOK: — and more anxiety, undermining community confidence in our great hospital system. The shadow Minister for Health is not going down there to hear people’s concerns.
Seems like she did. They collected views from stressed and depleted people. The Great Hospital System in WA is regularly has massive ambulance ramping, so many hospital code yellows they are not reported by the press. It used to be labelled a crisis by Roger Cook as opposition Health Spokesperson & its just got worse every year under his steerage.

She is going down there with preconceived and preloaded false assertions about how that hospital is failing the community, and it is not.
No the conviction is there were complaints that some in hospital management are failing people under their employment, causing double shifts, over working, stress, verbal & emotional abuse as well as bullying and possibly nepotism. So no, you're quite wrong Roger.

Several members interjected.

Mr R.H. COOK: As the member for Albany would be aware, great things are happening at Albany Health Campus.
But not aware of the Hospital survey nor the people under aprpeciated, over worked, over stressed and at breaking point. Not aware of those things at all.

The McGowan government is expanding the available clinical services in Albany.
But no increases in staff because for starters any health professional moving to Albany won't find a house. The Mayor outlined only 22 house available for rent & in Esperance just the one.
Another disaster in the progress, but we'll leave the Minister for Housing out of this for now.

We have already provided a teleneurology service to allow patients flexibility with their appointments, which means less travel. In June this year, the government opened the new permanent breast screen clinic.
But no beds available the day of the meeting for any serious accidents or illensses. NONE

The McGowan government is also currently building a $13.1 million radiotherapy suite so that literally hundreds of cancer patients can now have treatment closer to home in the community in which they live, surrounded by the family that they love. 
That's great but staff will continue to leave if the toxic culture isn't fixed and the City is growing fast and 135 beds to service between 35,000 & 60,000 people is going to fail. REMEMBER ALBANY IS COVID FREE AND THIS IS THE LOWEST IMPACTING FLU SEASON THE CITY & THE STATE HAS SEEN IN YEARS...AND THE HOSPITAL IS FULL & THE RFDS IS AIRLIFTING PEOPLE TO PERTH. 
We have aerial ambulance ramping Roger.

We are also future-planning for the hospital, with a master plan currently underway to determine the future needs of Albany Health Campus and the community it services.
That's great Roger, that is encouraging but can you say when that actually started, who's involved. Call me cynical but was that begun this week? Also Albany is not even present proof and you think there's no problems. Something that is clearly lost on you and the local MP. Not to mention the departmental managers & bureaucrats who should be reporting to you...or it they are, you should be listening to and actioning upon it long ago.

Finally, we are undertaking further costing and planning of our election commitment to double the number of chairs in the Albany dental clinic.
Great, if one were to have a serious car accident and as a result suffer only a cavity all will be good...if the doubling of dental chairs happens. Of course there are 19 private dental proactices in Albany. No word on them having toxic cultures, bullying etc...

The McGowan government is backing Albany Health Campus because the campus is supporting the people of Albany.
Yeah, are you really? Supporting in so much as you can whilst not knowing whats happening there, how few beds there are, how all beds are taken, extra patients are air lifted to Perth & staff are over stressed, over worked and leaving.

It is time that everyone in this place got behind the doctors, nurses, allied health staff and leaders at that hospital,
Agreed, but they already are behind the health workers. The 2 visiting MPs are trying to identify problems, to get them rectified because you and the local Albany MP speak to one another regularly and kind of not know what is going on & how bad it actually is...

and we should be thankful for the great work that they do every day on behalf of the people of Western Australia
Again, 100% agree but that is not disputed, no visiting MP has ever been found yet to be critical of doctors, nurses, allied heath staff and leaders. They've actually visited and held a public meeting allowing these people and other stakeholders to actually be heard.

Roger...call a meeting in Albany yourself. Ask people to speak and listen to them. No political division. Fix It.

Great Southern Population Source -
a-regional-profile-2018-great-southern.pdf (gsdc.wa.gov.au)

The Current Electoral Reform That Was A Rammed Through Lowering of Representation

Well the pictorial comparision (below) to what the WA Labor is doing is by no means over selling the over reach & determiniation to stitch up the regions. It is a 100+ year old ideological aim coming to fruition.

If you're in any doubt, or you think it's about time & very much in line with what should be done answer yourself a few questions before checking Hansard and hearing speeches on this legislation.

1) Mr Tucker MLC, the fellow elected to the Upper House hasn't actually been a bad member. If getting elected legally, lawfully by the book with 98 votes is such an issue that the rules have to change, it's been pointed out MANY times, you can prevent vastly under representative representation WITHOUT going to One Vote One Value. 
In fact the electoral reforms are only partially aimed at low vote election results...so why change the other parts that provide less regional representation?

2) If we were to adopt the identical principles and by identical...I mean identical, one vote one value to the federal upper house, The Senate guess what?
Most senators will come from NSW, Victoria & Queensland effectively 2 states could control the Senate. It's fully equal, but no equity. Do we push for equality everywhere and change the senate. Think WA would be down to just 2 Senators. That good?

3) This legislation is not rammed through, its smashed through. Why? There was no announcement it was coming, in fact the Premier kept repeating it was not on the agenda but somehow, straight after the election its a COVID Priority Bill. 
It will come into effect as soon as it is passed & made ascent but won't be used for another 3 1/2 years.
Why was this pushed through now, so it's ancient history when it delivers a gerrymander?

4) So far, the view is commonly held that the expert committee had extremely narrow terms of reference & the result the delivered is pretty much as it could ever have been with the terms of reference? Why do that?

5) The Upper House pushed for a special committee to look into it, the will of the House said no. All Labor voted not to have an Upper House Committee dig deeper into it. Why?

6) Debate has been limited. So this has small window to look at it...possibly a small window so Labor passed it regardless.

7) Calls to hold a referendum rejected. Why?

8) A motion to refer the bill to a Parliamentary Committee of Legislation was voted down. Utterly bizarre that anyone could support this when it vastly reduces the sunlight & integrity able to be poured into the matter.

9) 2.6 Million Square Kilometres of WA will have less representation than it had before and it NEVER could over vote the metro area which is around 7000 square kilometres. Now more representation in the Upper House will come from the metro area as the regional representation is reduced.
Just let that sink in then let this sink in...

Voters in an area that comprises only 0.26% of the WA land mass will control & possess more power than over 99% of the WA land mass. 
Here's the thing, that's always been the case...ALWAYS
But now its even less in the Upper House which is the House of Review.
This is a legislative priority in the COVID, State of Emergency Parliament...will come in now but can't even be used for 3 plus years.

Ideology & a Gerrymander. Nothing more

10) In the final Upper House sitting on this matter the (Labor) Parliamentary Secretary contradicted the Attorney General in the Lower house. One stated that discretionary powers of the electoral commissoner would be removed, the other say the opposite. It took ages to get that rectified and the Parliamentary Secretary in the Upper House had to conceded the opposition was correct & he was wrong. Yet another another fully clear example this legislation was rushed through as quickly as possible.

Remember the Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation in the Last Parliament?
Labor passed in the Lower House and condemned any efforts to slow it down in the Upper House saying it needed absolutely no amendments at all. The Upper House wasn't controlled by the Labor cabinet so imagine my surprise when the Upper House found many faults which resulted in 55 amendments.

Not this time, complete control of both houses. Ideology driven over reach is on the march.

Here's the voting in the Lower House.

Its passed, here's the voting in the Upper House

Now ask yourself those questions above, try not to think about the reported rumour that a Senior Minister who bragged about something about Labor being to powerful its like North Korea.

Go back into Hansard either video or written  & take in the speeches.
Start with Hon Tjorn Sibma, then Hon Martin Aldridge. Martin cracked open this nut & shone light inside the shell & exposed some of the rot within. 

Then follow of with Hon Steve Thomas, Hon James Hayward, Hon Nick Goiran, Hon Peter Collier

Grilling A Minister Many Years Ago Opened My Eyes. Grill Yours.

At a public meeting many years ago I asked a then MP, a member of cabinet no less
“On what issue would you cross the floor in the best interests of your election &/or the state of WA?”

I also recall 3 people sharply turning around & looking at me with a bit of shock.
I assume they understood the can of worms that I was opening.

The question was met not with a clear answer but a tactical political reply.
I'm naming the Minister & I'm paraphrasing to get as close as I can to what was said (not a an actual quote)

‘ I fight hard in cabinet, I think it’s better to stay in cabinet and voice the opinions that want to be heard & keep trying, never giving up '

What I never told people since was my follow up...
“So with a battle ground type assessment of everyone’s potential, if the Premier knows he has the numbers, lets you have a token say, knows you'll never resign so he can ignore you. All is locked up in cabinet papers for 30 years marked confidential ”

He then told me it’s far more nuanced and complicated, the number of interworking parts at play as well as the longer strategic game being played is immense, too much to explain tonight. Add to that that he'd potentially violate cabinet regulations...yada yada

I think there's good grounds for reducing the 30 year rule on Cabinet Papers & when they are released they should be 100% NON-REDACTED in any way. Be full & complete.

I often think Cabinet's hide behind the bogus force field of "commercial in confidence"
I think if you use this sheild from scrutiny then it should go before 3 senior judges for a judgement. If its legitimately "Commercial in Confidence" it will be kept so by the judge's ruling...fair bump play on. Currently MPs, Ministers, Premiers & of course senior bureaucrats have deep layers of bullet teflon in the shadows that they can rely on as a safe harbour.
If we're to trust our ruling class, then they are to be tested to ensure they look to have the highest integrity & actually are proven to have the highest integrity.

Some of this harks back to having proper systems of provable integrity within the ruling classes & some of it harks back to an MP not knowing to whom they owe a fiduciary duty & relying upon you not asking them. The answering (accurate, plain & honest or a tactical political reply) will tell you a lot they maybe don't want you know.

How many masters can you serve and which first or which solely whilst you pretend to the others??

1. Their own personal ambitions, prestige positions & earnings
   
   
2. Their electorate as best as a reasonable person might
   
   
3. Their party & actually represent their party in the electorate instead of representing the electorate's best interests in the Parliament and/ or Cabinet?
   
   
4. Their faction within the party & just "play the game" to their electorate, other factions?
   
   

Recently looked at our own new Labor MP & in the last 4 weeks we've searched the local newspapers & her FaceBook feed. It's all about appearances. Delivering biscuit hampers to local school staff rooms on "International Teachers Day". Selling red poppies outside the bank for charity. Going to charity & fund raiser events. And yes, reaching out to community groups to push the profile higher. The local monthly car event was contacted to see if the MP could hold a regular Sausage Sizzle with money raised going to charity, a different charity each month. The regular thing was her, Labor volunteers and Labor colours. She was told the event was meant to be apolitical. She was apparently asked to consult with the nearby coffee shop because they had held fund raisers there for charities & they might end up cutting their grass which isn't a good look. The next event (only a week later) they didn't come & went to an Alziemer's Event instead.
Now we get it. They have to do local fluff n puff stuff. That's fine.

The dud part is that new MP, with less than 6 months in the job in the last 6 weeks not posted anything online or in local newspapers about legislation passed or policy being pushed. NONE.

Nothing on the electoral reform bill which was "not on the agenda" before the election but straight after was & it will reduce regional representation. Had the rules proposed been in at the last election Labor would have picked up several seats, Nationals & indpendants would have lost some & the Liberals no change. Its a near on 100 year old ideological gerrymander.

At present there's several that don't represent us in Parliament & they don't even represent their party in the electorate because she only wants to be photographed at fund raisers or "International Day of..." celebrations. Pretty sure her party want her visible but as silent as possible.

This highlights that Public Servants in the actual Public Service must serve the public's best interests & they should be on contracts with serious performance reviews.
MPs should have serious performance reviews & perhaps they & the senior bureacrats should have "The Big Five" personality tests before entering politics and in each seat the party must have 3 candidates running. If one is elected and falls well below standard, refer them to a higher court & if deemed substandard at the halfway point of their term, replace them with number 2 on the ticket. Or release the findings so they all have a score at the next election.

Let me guess...every MP in unison will sing together like a choir that "It’s far more nuanced and complicated, the number of interworking parts at play as well as the longer strategic game being played is immense, too much to explain"

How Does Mandatory Vaccinations Really Work?

 No, not at all interested if COVID came from a bat or a lab or if the vaccines work or not...No

Its the Mandatory side of things, the whole "No Jab, No Job" thing & how does it actually work?

1) When you get the jab you have to sign a consent form.

• If you're getting the jab to keep your job, if that's your decision that's your call, but why sign the consent form?
  
  
• What is the consent are you actually consenting to?
  
  
• Does your signature release anyone from legal liability or is it purely a record from you, of you getting the jab??

2) What are the legalities?

• Do employers (who's employees are required to have the jab) have the legal authority to request a staff member's medical records?
  
  
• Do those employers possess the lawful ability to sack them if they refuse to produce their records 
  
  
• Why do employers have to police their employees medical status?
  
  
• Are employers legally bound to police their employees vaccination status and are they legally bound to sack anyone who isn't vaccinated?
  
  
• Some businesses like Spotlight are not saying "No Jab, No Job" because there's a probabilty of losing a percentage of their staff. Instead their solution was to say if you do not get the jab, no End Of Year Bonus. Is that legal, lawful & fair?

You can stay unvaccinated but you will miss out on your bonus, but is there legal liability that the injected employee stuck with, the person who is cash strapped and took the jab because there was a finanical incentive.


No I'm not anti vaccination, this is not about the effectiveness or dangers of the vaccinations, its what is the legal landscape of "Mandatory Vaccinations"

And I'm searching and not fiding clear answers.