IN February 2022, the federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced senior Australians in residential aged care will have greater access to visitors and reduced lockdowns under new visitation guidelines in response to the pandemic.
NSW is not following these guidelines for aged care.
My mum lives in a Lake Macquarie aged care facility and has been in lockdown since mid March due to COVID cases. We don't know how many cases as communication with families is poor and written in a vague manner without facts, about once a week.
The facility was in lockdown at Christmas, in lockdown heading to Easter, Mother's Day is coming up in May, and mum will turn 90 in June. These occasions are missed by the aged. They look forward to the celebration with family and it's a big disappointment when it is cancelled because of lockdown.
This aged care facility has been in lockdown half of the time, August 2021 to April 2022. Mum feels like a prisoner and misses her family. She asks us to help her and wants to return to her home.
Outdoor visits would be a good solution as there is no contact with other residents. Facilities should be improving and building outdoor areas with cover for protection from sun and rain.
Cathy Fraser, Charlestown
Style over substance
WITH Scott Morrison announcing an election in May on Sunday, he has the time he wanted to get LNP politicians leaving the parliament well-paid positions in the public service. Positions from which they can play havoc should the Labor Party win government.
So now it will be up to the voters of Australia to make the decision which of the major parties will form government. Already we know the LNP is intent to have a "khaki-election" and to argue their economic credentials and leadership as opposed to those of the Labor Party. Their own record on all three, in a real-world scenario has seen even entrenched conservatives calling them out on each.
Australia was in economic decline years before the pandemic and will remain in a deficit position for decades to come. On leadership, well if the voters can be convinced to forget about the Hawaii holiday while Australia burned; the "I don't hold a hose mate!"; the disastrous "It's not a race" when the vaccine roll-out was stuffed up and his continuous blame shifting and blatant lying we will end up with the government we deserve.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
People are the heart of church
THERE are vast numbers of people, not only from Australia but from other countries, who will be devastated by Brian Houston's resignation ('Hillsong founder Brian Houston resigns', Herald, 24/3).
Houston founded the church back in 1983 and became its global senior pastor after church plants in 30 different countries.
You could say Brian and Bobbie Houston were like the god and goddess of a huge multinational organisation. That is how they lived and were looked upon.
Hillsong has always thought big and that is why it has so many businesses, vast amounts of real estate and plenty of cash in the coffers. And it doesn't pay tax.
So how did the church become the vast empire it is today? It couldn't have done any of it without its droves of faithful followers. People were always encouraged to give and keep giving. They were told they would reap the blessing but in fact it is the church itself that has benefitted.
I believe the church is what it is today because of the relentless giving of ordinary people, many of whom have little themselves, and voluntary labour.
Even though the Houstons are no longer attached to the church, I believe its management and board will do anything to protect the money and assets it has acquired at the expense and often hardship of its adherents. Where does God fit into all of this?
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
World peace isn't beyond us
I DON'T know why man was put on this planet. Man is no better than the cockroach. We are all people, regardless of our creed or colour. The amount of deaths due to wars over religious or political beliefs are unbelievable.
This planet is absolutely believable, why can't people realise this and work toward world peace?
The fact that most governments spend billions of dollars on defence is sickening. This money could be spent on relieving poverty in third-world countries and creating a better environment.
The main problem is that the general population is prepared to accept the government policies that are put to us. Why don't people rebel against these policies that only create more hardship and hate? Most politicians appear to be there to feather their own nests. Why don't people realise this?
I don't know where we go from here, but changes are definitely required.
Terrence Chedzey, Metford
Faith falls short on many fronts
IT'S that time of year again. Jews celebrate Passover; Christians Easter and Muslims Ramadan which goes to show religion is a useful invention. Believing in a supernatural power that looks after you is a great comfort. Add to this the promise of a happy afterlife and it's no wonder religion lingers on in the modern world. But the downside of religion is people abandon rational thinking. It is said of Jesus of Nazareth that he was born of a virgin, performed miracles, had a vicarious death, came back from the dead and disappeared into the sky. Can there be anything more irrational? Religion too is often the cause of intolerance and division as history shows from the Crusades onwards.
So why are people religious in their different forms? Basically because it provides psychological security, a support to get through life.
Perhaps the time will come when humanity will be mature enough to dispense with the concept of a God and focus on kindness making the world a better place?
Neville Aubrey, Wallsend
Tackling sport risks can be costly
IT seems the NRL is becoming rather nervous about concussion and head-knock injuries of their players. With recent news of an ex-players' head injuries (Herald, 28/3) and reports from his family of his changed demeanor, I can understand how the NRL is employing independent doctors to adjudicate on player fitness to continue playing.
On this page last year Groiden Schammell wrote about league players being urged to wear headgear like the American grid iron teams. I see a different scenario here. The NRL could change the rules of the game to prohibit players attacking their opposing team members and tackling them.
Spectators love "the biff" and watching players hit the deck. If this type of play is restricted by the new rules, I suspect the fans will gradually lose interest and attendances would fall away. As the fan base dwindles, the sponsorship will also fall. This in turn would further reduce the fan base to the point where the game would eventually come to an end. If this happens, we will no longer have to endure the tantric scrums.
Les Field, Wickham
SHORT TAKES
THE government is talking a lot about the economy and jobs on the campaign trail, matters of prime importance. But there are so many other extremely important matters, related to the environment, that somehow seem to not be on the radar. I expect that at the time of our coming federal election, on May 21, a great many Australians will see that although the economy and jobs are essential, so also is being able to have clean air to breathe, a stable climate and laws that properly protect our fragile and in many ways endangered environment.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
DON Fraser (Short Takes, 13/4) so Anthony Albanese didn't know the unemployment rate? And? Even the Liberal Party voters messiah John Howard said, "So what?" about this supposedly gargantuan gaffe. (Such questions can always be googled anyway). I'd argue that a large percentage of Aussies couldn't answer the questions Albo was asked off the top of their head, and that an even larger percentage of Aussies know the average price of bread, milk and petrol (and that such knowledge makes one a much more relatable Aussie). Oh, and apart from Scomo, I don't know of a single person on the planet who actually needs an empathy consultant. And he wants to continue to lead the country.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
I THINK Siobhain O'Leary's article ("The moral of the story: our boat is sinking", Opinion, 12/4), deserves strong condemnation. The outrageous statement in her piece "there are too many people in Brisbane and northern NSW who no longer have to imagine the threats and impacts of climate change" is equivalent to shouting "fire" in a crowded theatre. There is not a single climate scientist or climate authority anywhere in the world who would describe individual weather events as climate change. The IPCC do not claim it and the scientific evidence doesn't support such scaremongering. Counter claims such as "yes but such extreme events are now more numerous" is not backed up by the meteorological evidence.
Peter Devey, Merewether
In 2019 those working between four and six hours per week made up two per cent of the employed in workforce statistics. Post COVID that must be much more. So Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese got a few figures wrong, big whoop. Not an issue. Try asking ScoMo and chums how many of those "employed" people on the "employed" figures are five hours a week cleaners or console operators on minimum wage and then ask them how many of these "employed " persons can raise a family or buy groceries to feed their kids after they pay their rent. Seriously, these guys deserve to win government back for being the best political sleight of hand men in Australian political history. We are doomed.
