Forget
the desalination plant debacle – how about these poor sods who have invested in
an apartment block soon to be smack bang in the middle of the unwanted,
hideously expensive, hideous east west link…
-----------
The Fktn
hospital has been in the news again, a widely published photo showing how badly
the hospital is performing. I’m not sure suggestions the hospital is neglected
are fair, as a new, multi-story car park has recently been opened, and it’s a
corker.
YouTube
is awash with clips showing what happens [not] when people turn up at the
Franger ED looking for help. A great deal of the footage is recycled annually
for the holiday season.
A few
days ago The Age reported that because of its underperformance the Franger hospital
will miss out on a $12 million funding bonus.
Well,
that makes sense.
Thank God
our economy is being run by people with business savvy.
---------
The
2-speed economy I’ve been whingeing about for ages, the recession I’ve been
whingeing about - but which, officially at least, exists only in the mind of
the opposition leader – continues to bite.
A certain
recently deposed “leader” put in a good fight at the last election. No cheap,
negative 3 word slogans from her, she came up with a 2 word slogan; “Mervyn
Ford.” Prophetic, really, now that Ford are definitely Mervyn.
She also crapped
on endlessly about the hard working men and women of Orstaylya, not making the
point that anyone who had a chance to work was fortunate indeed, but implying they
were the only responsible people in the country.
She made
a good job of sucking up to the unemployed whenever there were mass layoffs, but seemed not to give a
rat’s when ‘only’ one or two lost their jobs. Make no mistake; the nearest
Centrelink office would be in Malaysia
The Queen
is dead, long live the King.
I’m not
sure what has been worse, her nibs blatantly denying Treasury reports that
things are dire in Victoria, or the Rabbit and his bellicose offsider doing
their darndest to talk the economy down.
If the
opposition live up to their title of opposition and start moving the military
about in an attempt to imitate Cnut and turn back the tide, I bet they accept
the best offer and privatise the supply of uniforms, arms, training and
operation. The chappies who run our offshore detention centres will have a
pretty good shot, with their track record. War is always good for business, but whose business will it be? Ours in moral terms only, I suspect.
----------
After a
frustratingly long period I finally gave in, last year, and accepted a 3 day a
week job in Thomastown – 75k drive in each direction.
That went
well til, say, May. I love the job, and love the people I work with. It’s a
small oasis of sanity and intelligent humour in an at times mediocre world. If
only there was some business.
Other employees
were cut back to 4 days a week, but I remain a casual and some weeks do not get
one day of work at all. Some days I have turned up and after 2 hours
volunteered to leave because I can’t bring myself to sit around doing nothing. Last
week two people were made redundant.
If there
are no problems in the manufacturing industry it is only because there no
longer seems to be a manufacturing industry.
I take
comfort, though, in knowing that I am doing less now to contribute to the cost
of eastlink. It also comforts me to know the local member for Franger has been
able to go on a fact-finding mission overseas without threatening Victoria
------------
Aunty’s
son sometimes sits in his employer’s office hoping there will be work, but most
of his income for the last year has come from one day a week of moonlighting as
a delivery driver, working for a minimum wage.
Aunty’s
oldest daughter, whose life story suggests she offended someone mightily – or quite a
few someones - in a previous incarnation, finally got a job 18 months
ago. Unfortunately, it involves processing payments for salary packaging.
--------------
We have a
federal government and a state government, each of them slices of not terribly
nourishing white bread, with a whole heap of people sandwiched between.
For a
long time my greatest wish was that Loathsome Labor could cobble together
another precarious government after the 2013 election. Bit of a bummer that all
the independents are retiring.
My only
immediate concern, however, is that an election date must be announced soon, an
election had soon and, whether the result be good or bad, some certainty be
restored to the economy.
Nobody is
going to invest in anything in this state til they know what sort of crap will
affect their bottom line for the next three years.
Well, maybe the state government will – the more stupid and expensive the idea the better.
Oh, and property developers. A fifth floor apartment with 360 degree views of freeway interchanges shouldn't be too hard to sell.
What can I say, you have said it all. I heard a comment on radio the other day that our problem is tat we only have two political parties with any clout. In most other developed democratic countries they have many parties and run the country together. Switzerland is a good example.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I do remember some lecturer providing an elegant mathematical proof that oligopoly can benefit consumers. I think one of the assumptions wascollusion.
DeleteIsn't the internet great enabling the apartments buyers to contact each other though? (in the comments after the linked article) The development is a slum waiting to happen. The first 4 levels will have no view but concrete.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you have such a long work commute - if the e-w thing opened tomorrow, would it be easier, or would the tolls drive you mad?
and hospitals? definitely no place for a sick person.
The long work commute would be welcome if it were required more often. I turn off at the chandler hwy and it's only 20 mins from there with little stress - then 2 minutes from the ring road [thus the route I already use when we head to the hume].
DeleteHospitals? Perhaps I'll have to write a post about our latest visit to the Franger hospital a week ago. Stay tuned.
As you say FC the drive to work however long is not the problem, its the quality and quantity of work that's awaiting at the end of the road! Not sure about the 'more' political parties, keeping up with the changes :)) is tricky enough already..a political game of who's what, why and where! I do enjoy the way you express your thoughts on life in general and politics in particular :)
ReplyDeleteYou always say nice things, Grace. Come back any time :)
DeleteThe tragedy is that whoever gets in will not stop the insanity, and therefore the 'certainty' of which you speak may be more negative than positive. I shudder with delicious anticipation of your hospital story.
ReplyDeleteNo Red, it won't stop the insanity, but I do hope that some people will be relieved to know what type of insanity they must account for and can work around.
DeleteSigh.