A community survey conducted prior to Christmas 2006 has found that residents of Calwell see Health, Water and High Petrol Costs as the three issues that matter to them most.
The survey was included in a newsletter distributed by Maria Vamvakinou in December 2006.
The survey asked residents to rate in order of importance those issues that mattered to them most, and also gave them an opportunity to raise other concerns and make additional comments.
“The response to the survey was very positive, and I thank those local residents who took the time to complete it. Their input has been extremely helpful” Ms Vamvakinou said.
“Overall, access to affordable healthcare and the rising cost of medicines topped the list of concerns for local residents.”
“Ongoing doctor shortages and the lack of any after hour’s health care services in the area remain two of the biggest concerns for local residents.”
The results of the survey also show that more local doctors need to be encouraged to provide bulk billing services to their patients.
"I’m a strong believer in the idea of introducing higher rebates for bulk billing doctors in order to encourage more local GP’s to bulk bill their patients” Ms Vamvakinou said.
“In addition, the Howard government must provide the necessary funds to allow for an after hour’s health clinic service to reopen at the Dianella Community Health centre. This is something that I have been actively lobbying for in federal parliament for some time now” Ms Vamvakinou said.
Concern over the regions future water supply came in second in the survey.
“Most people are rightly frustrated and increasingly angry that Australia’s looming water crisis has been left in the ‘too hard’ basket for too long” Ms Vamvakinou said.
“Any solution to our water crisis must be sustainable in the long term, and yet give short term relief. It needs to reflect the reality that weather patterns in Australia have irrevocably changed, and it needs to link Australia’s decreasing water supplies with the broader question of tackling climate change.”
“The simple fact is that the Howard government needs to invest in Australia’s national water infrastructure in order to better conserve Australia’s fresh water supplies, and better utilize the huge volumes of wastewater that currently go down the drain.”
“My own belief is that water recycling, both for domestic and commercial use, will play a critical role in changing the fortunes of Australia’s water crisis.”
“For this reason, I support setting a national target for 30% of Australia’s wastewater to be recycled by 2015.”
“What we lack is a set of clear and comprehensive national guidelines for water recycling in Australia. I believe that a set of national guidelines would go a long way towards building public confidence in water recycling.”
The high cost of petrol was the third issue of most concern to local residents.
“Soaring petrol prices continue to eat into household budgets” Ms Vamvakinou said.
“Quite simply, the law of petrol pricing in this country remains the law of putting company profits ahead of the interests of Australian motorists.”
“Oil producers are always quick to raise the cost of petrol whenever the price of crude oil goes up, but mercilessly slow to reduce the price of petrol when crude oil prices fall.”
“Responsibility for the situation that Australian motorists now find themselves in, falls squarely on the shoulders of the Howard government. If it actually cared about the dramatic impact high petrol prices were having on the average household budget, it would direct the ACCC to undertake a formal price inquiry into the high cost of petrol.”
“A formal price inquiry, rather than a name and shame campaign, is the only way to make sure that the oil industry provides all the information needed to determine what is really happening with petrol prices in this country, and why Australian motorists still have to pay so much every time they visit the bowser.”
Contact: Alex Kouttab 0417 541 465
