Re: Petition calls for Sunshine pool to be open all year (Weekly, June 18)
Congratulations to Kofi Osei for pulling together a petition to open Sunshine’s 25-metre outdoor heated pool year round.
The Sunshine community fought long and hard so its residents could access an outdoor swim at all times.
The state government provided the infrastructure for that purpose and a heated outdoor pool is available for use during the colder months.
But for operational reasons Brimbank council chooses to keep it closed. Surely it can find savings of $150,000 a year in its $100 million- plus budget to use the scarce capital infrastructure that has been provided for that purpose.
It seems council is not taking a long-term view. A thorough review of the costs and benefits of Brimbank council’s services in the short, medium and longer terms seems needed if this is how best-value is being assessed across its programs and services.
But for now, why not just open the Sunshine outdoor pool year-round and reap the associated community well-being benefits.
John Hedditch, Sunshine
Ambos under pressure
The current ambulance crisis is taking its toll across Melbourne’s west. Over the past weeks and months, we have seen more and more evidence that our hardworking paramedics are struggling to cope.
Response times from Altona to Werribee, and Essendon to Footscray, have all increased since the Liberal government came to power. In Sunshine, response times have increased by 33 per cent. Ambulances are being forced to back up outside hospitals, unable to transfer their patients because of gridlocked emergency departments. This is putting lives at risk. We have the best-trained paramedics in the country, but they are unable to do their job properly because of under-resourcing and mismanagement.
Worse still, Premier Denis Napthine and Health Minister David Davis refuse to even admit there’s a problem. They are attacking paramedics for even bringing the issue up.
Paramedics and volunteers are all saying the same thing: it’s never been as bad as it is under Mr Napthine and this Liberal government.
Residents across Melbourne’s west deserve better.
Cesar Melhem, Western Metropolitan Labor MP
