GateWAy Blog

Daylight Saving

Sunday October 26th 2008 is the third part of the daylight savings trial. Everyone has a strong opinion about if it does or doesn’t suit them.  On the plus side, it allows families to do more together after work and encourages more outside activities. Kids are playing outside more, which has to be better for their health instead of sitting in front of the TV or video games. The opportunity to go out and do a bit of gardening or play a game of cricket with the kids is popular with many workers that struggle to find quality time with the family.

Albany’s weather is more suited to daylight saving than many areas in the state as it doesn’t get as hot. Take a look at Middleton Beach during the daylight savings times. It’s packed with families enjoying the boardwalk, BBQ-ing, playing ball games and even swimming late into the evening.

Shift workers and Farmers tend to dislike daylight savings, along with mothers that have difficulty getting the kids to bed while it’s still daylight. After the final trial that ends March 29th 2009, we go to the polls. Have your say on Daylight Saving. What do you like or dislike? Will you be voting to can it or keep it?

New Hospital for Albany?

When Premier Alan Carpenter announced the State Government election date it was obvious that the next move would be to offer Albany a new hospital on a silver platter. While this is certainly a positive step forward after relentless community pressure, there are many people who are extremely cynical about the State Government’s recent arrogant performance on the hospital issue and view this sudden turnaround as an exercise in political expediency rather than an acknowledgement of concern.  

We must not rest on our laurels – we need to maintain momentum and make sure that the plans include the best facilities for this region. And there is also the ongoing vexed issue of how to attract and retain good staff and specialists for Albany. It is of some concern that agency nurses from ES are currently being employed.   

Albany remains a marginal seat and I suspect there will be another very close finish because this hollow victory will not rest comfortably with many voters

The Opposition has promised us a new hospital in four years so maybe we should now be exerting some pressure for the Government to go back to the drawing board and take another look at its proposed two-stage plan over seven years.

 How do you feel about this new development? Are we being fobbed off with a pre-election dress-up? Should the government look at speeding up the process instead of dragging it out in two stages? Will your vote endorse the Labor Government’s last minute change in direction or will you be sending a clear message that Albany does not appreciate being toyed with?

 Anne Simpson