Selwyn Johnston… Independent Advocate

Presented by Selwyn Johnston, Independent Candidate for Leichhardt 2007 on Wednesday 8 August 2007

Let me start off by saying that probably one of the greatest factors facing our so-called egalitarian society is the growing disparity in the distribution of income…and consequently wealth.

Our society believes that every person should have adequate food and shelter as a minimum and sadly that minimum is increasingly not being met.

Thirty years ago it was possible for a family to have a one-income earner, be able to pay off a house and raise a family at the same time, and, have what I would describe as a high happiness level.

Jobs were generally permanent, wage rises were gauged to maintain this position and education for the family was not only free but also compulsory and beneficial.

Something has happened.

With progress many people are worse off, not marginally but, considerably worse off. We have now reached the point where, for vast numbers of Australians, the choice is between a house and a family, and, for just as many, the daily food simply cannot be taken for granted.

What is even more alarming is that people’s “margin of safety” has decreased, which means that you can be going well today but with just one bad event… you are in trouble.

Just ask anyone who works with any of the charities and they will tell you that not only are the numbers seeking help on the rise but the kind of people turning up is also changing.  More and more previously self-sufficient people have now fallen on harder times and are seeking help.

Unfortunately the situation can only deteriorate, as we all know following today’s .25% interest rates increase, will bring more grief to those in debt. In addition, there is a real possibility of another .25% increase in November.

Australia [with 12.9%] presently has the record of being second only to the United States of America for the percentage of people below the income poverty line [US at 19.1%] with Canada a close third at 11.7%.  Lowest is Norway at 6.6% and Sweden 6.7%.

The question is what do we do about it or more importantly what can we do about it. Given that the situation is worsening, not improving, things need to be done to minimise the immediate harm.

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As a credible Leichhardt Independent Candidate for the forthcoming 2007 Federal election, I publicly announced my feelings about the 6.7% pay rise that Federal politicians have just voted themselves. I have already stated that I would, when elected, donate the 6.7% pay rise to the Committee for Oncology Unit Cairns Hospital [COUCH].

It now turns out that the Beattie government, which had verbally promised to match the community donations dollar for dollar, have reneged on the deal and have backed out on the promise. Apart from confirming my belief that political party promises are flexible to the point of reversal, this one does not even add up to grade 1 maths standards.

COUCH is trying to raise $850,000 for the purchase of a chemotherapy mixing vapour head. Queensland Health is presently loose a reported $40,000 worth of chemotherapy drugs every month because of spoilage, that is from being mixed elsewhere and transported to Cairns in an unstable state.

Twelve months loss amounts to $480,000. Without public contribution my estimate is that it would not take Queensland Health two years to get their money back, and from that point on it would be all profit, or reduced loss however they do their accounting. It is a matter of concern as to just who picked the team to administer Health in Queensland.

Presumably, the Minister is responsible, but as he has a crisis a day [at best] as a management style, it is no surprise that a place as far away from George Street as Cairns is not even on the radar. Perhaps it is time the Federal Government spent a portion of taxpayers annual Budget surpluses to upgrade Queenslands appalling Health care fiasco!

So we all might just have to work harder for COUCH locally among ourselves and, remember who not to forget at the next Federal election.

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