THE shortage of staff in nursing homes is because it's the staff that get attacked and abused, and the pay is pathetic.
For those who don't work in the industry, believe me, the pressure heaped on AIN and PCA workers is unbearable. My partner has 25 years of experience in care, including winning awards for her compassion in end-of-life care, and many other duties which she performs selflessly.
In her time at this facility, she has only met a local member once when she was presented with a care and compassion award. It was the front page of the local paper, the local member taking the photo opportunity then disappearing like the road runner.
Sadly the public only hears one side of the story. They don't hear about the nurse who gets their hair torn out while showering a resident; they don't hear about being grabbed by the hair and having a penis forced into their face or having faeces thrown at them; the foul sex requests and filthy language; let alone being abused and chastised by visiting relatives.
The public and politicians have an image of frail, starving, old people and think that all the nurses do is serve cups of tea and have a chat. Nothing could be further from the truth. My partner of 30 years can't even talk to me about her horrid experiences, (even though she does and I hate to think what mental state she would be in if she didn't), because the nurses are forced to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Reports to management about violence and mistreatment fall on deaf ears. Put in a complaint form and hear nothing back. I can't put my name to this letter due to the confidentiality agreements, but as far as the election goes, I believe both the major parties are full of crap.
My partner has decided to leave the industry; we are currently taking time out. Packing shelves at the supermarket looks the way to go - more money, less stress. So everyone, tell your local member to do a couple of shifts in high care, not just turn up for a photo opportunity.
Name and address supplied
High cost of care
AS we have all heard, an important plank in the ALP policy platform for the election is the employment of a registered nurse on every shift, seven days a week, in every aged care facility in the country. All very noble and worthy.
However, when looked at, it soon becomes a little unrealistic. The figures tell. Currently there are 2672 such facilities throughout Australia. In order to operate a three-shift, seven-day roster an absolute minimum of four personnel are required plus holiday and sick relief. Therefore, about 13,360 RNs are required.
It is doubtful there are that number currently available so what is the timeline on this? Then there is the cost.
After checking many sites, it appears that average wage for an RN varies but $75,000 appears to be the norm. Therefore the wage bill only could be a little over $1 billion. Then the on-costs must be added - super, annual leave, long service leave, workers compensation, sick leave, shift allowance, penalty rates, clothing allowances, public holidays.
When the on-costs are added the actual cost of having an employee on the books goes a long way towards double the wage.
So as most would agree the additional nursing staff would make things more comfortable for the patients and make the operation much easier to run however once the figures are presented it becomes almost prohibitive.
As always, words are cheap and sometimes spoken to fools.
Raymond Stewart, Charlestown
Democracy depends on integrity
ALL those who know me will be surprised to hear that my No.1 priority in the coming election is not climate change. It's Integrity with a capital I.
I'll be asking the candidates their position and the position of their parties if they represent one, on reforms such as: a code of conduct for elected members, a federal corruption watchdog, limits on donations from the corporate sector and individuals and on spending on election campaigns, transparency around donations and lobbying, no revolving door between politics and industry and no lying.
These are all reasonable, straightforward and doable reforms.
I believe our democracy will only fully function and be truly representative and bring about the best outcomes for Australia when these matters are addressed.
I urge you to join me in reclaiming our democratic rights as citizens because all of us together still can. We can only then ensure that at least in the future only the very best people will have the responsibility and privilege of leading us. Ask the questions. Follow the money.
Nothing else to say but may the very best people win.
Frances Crane, Dungog
Crunching the numbers on tax
STEVEN Busch tries to tell us that battlers and struggling pensioners have paid one third of their income in tax, ('Pensions are an entitlement', Letters, 8/4). Then Marvyn Smith says the same thing, ('Taxation is not so simple', Letters, 8/4).
I would suggest both these men should get themselves a calculator. The first $18,200 of income is tax free, from $18,201 to $45,000 the rate is 19c, then over $45,001 the rate is 32.5c. So Mr Busch's tax on his $50,000 average income works out to be approx $6720 or about 13 per cent, nowhere near the 33 per cent these correspondents claim.
Ian King, Warners Bay
Time up for this government
WE now know the values of the Liberal-National Coalition. We were told this week by Scott Morrison on the ABC that Alan Tudge was still in cabinet and is able to stand for re-election as they did a very in-depth investigation, which said that Mr Tudge was cleared to stand for re-election.
But then why are paying Mr Tudge's staffer $500,000? One law for the LNP and one for everyone else. We need to vote out the LNP Coalition for lying, rorting and using taxpayers' money for their own use.
And it's about time the refugee family who were living in Biloela were given permanent visas so they can live in peace in Biloela. They have been tortured long enough by this government for the fantasy of stopping the boats.
Margrietha Owens, Cardiff
Give us vision, not numbers
POLITICIANS shouldn't be number drones. ('Albanese's gaffe gift to the government', Herald, 11/4). It just feeds into an irresponsible expectation of politicians to spout numbers on indexes at a moment's notice. This skill impresses barely anyone. We should be judging politicians on their vision, experience and integrity, not their ability to spontaneously conjure up calculations. Gotcha journalism like this is genuinely degrading the health of public debate in this country.
Thomas Levick, Elermore Vale
SHORT TAKES
DON Fraser, the Herald would need more than a two-page spread to report on Morrison's failures. Here are a few - Hawaii trip, vaccine rollout, Barnaby Joyce, Christian Porter, Linda Reynolds, Alan Tudge, Brittany Higgins etc etc.
Daryl Frost, Eleebana
NOW Anthony Albanese is telling us he was an "economics adviser" to the Hawke government when in fact he was a "research officer" to a hard-left minister Tom Uren and at the time was strongly opposed to the major reforms such as HECS and financial deregulation. Seems Albo does not only know the current national cash rate or the unemployment rate but has forgotten, or has enhanced, his own personal career "advancements".
John Cooper, Charlestown
ELECTION 2022 is only three days old and I'm already over ScoMo touring factories and workshops. One day, we saw him on a sewing machine. The day before he toured a factory in Western Sydney which has already stated that they will be laying off workers as they are sending at least 25 per cent offshore to Vietnam. What's next on the agenda? Three days and I'm over it.
Greg Parrey, Rutherford
I WATCHED enough of Morrison's speech upon calling the election to see the most important thing about it; his lips were moving.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
SO John Ure, ('Flood of information yet we're still building', Letters, 12/4), you say there were 12 major floods on the Hawkesbury-Nepean in 40 years before 1990 and evidence of a major flood as far back as 1791. Given your vehement climate alarmism so often expressed on this page, can we assume you believe climate change was responsible for these catastrophes as far back as 230 years ago?
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
I READ Siobhain O'Leary's article, ('The moral of the story: our boat is sinking', Opinion, 12/4), on "the threats and impacts of climate change". Doesn't she know anything about our history? Our greatest flood was in western NSW 1852, killing 89 people. Also Grafton in 1890 and1889 at Brunswick Heads killing eight. We have always been a land of extremes with fires, floods and droughts, but in those days there were no Greens spreading doom and gloom.
Don Fraser, Belmont North
IS there really a party with an agenda beyond the next election to vote for? Time for the parties to really look at infrastructure issues. Bypass inner Newcastle with a real rail link as well as address the bridge on the Hawkesbury. Forget about fast trains, time to address what is about to fall over.
Ian Reynolds, Forster
KEITH Pitt should remember who ended the Australian car making plants, shut our oil refineries, destroyed our Aussie coastal shipping by using foreign ships of shame - and then talk about local manufacturing. Just look at the overseas-built ferries and trains ordered by the state Liberal government. Not worth two bob.
