The Advocate, Tuesday 4 July 2023.

Murchison MLC independent Ruth Forrest said she was concerned that government information could benefit Font PR's other clients.
"I think it's very hard to have a solid wall between the two parts of her role ... there really should be an actual and visible separation between lobbyists and companies that work for lobbyists," Ms Forrest said.

"This could give them access to information that would benefit a whole range of their other customers."

You can read the full story, including my comments, by visiting the link below:

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/8256602/questions-raised-after-government-hires-lobbyist-with-liberal-ties/

THE SYSTEM IS FAILING US AND IT’S TIME FOR A NEW STRATEGY

Every time the Reserve Bank inflicts more pain to save us, I can’t help thinking of Galen and the old physicians who believed bleeding the body was a way to better health.

Once inflation is tamed the RBA wants us to be more productive. So does our state government. The $300m efficiency dividend in the latest budget is floated as a plan to produce the same for less. History shows lower cost usually means fewer services.

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 You can read my comments in The Advocate newspaper on Saturday 25 February 2023 regarding experiences high-profile whistleblowers and the real risks they take when they choose to report.

"A person often pays with either being completely ostracised in their workplace or losing their employment," she said.

"Andrea has been very passionate about this issue and took that risk... but the price has been high for her.

"It would absolutely put 99 per cent of people off".

... "a cultural shift is just as important as a legislative change.

"We need a shift around respecting these people and believing them".

Read the full article here:

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/8097527/local-government-can-lead-the-way-on-whistleblower-protection-councillor-says/?cs=87

A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry into the Tasmanian government's proposal to build a multipurpose stadium at Macquarie Point has attracted a near-record number of submissions, with public hearings set to begin next month.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee of Public Accounts, chaired by independent Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is looking at the feasibility planning for the stadium, which is considered a prerequisite for Tasmania to win an AFL licence.

The inquiry has received 926 public submissions, coming close to matching the 1162 submissions received by a 1998 parliamentary inquiry into voluntary assisted dying.

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You can read my comments published in The Advocate newspaper on Saturday 11 February 2023 relating to a first-time expectant mother already in labour who was allegedly unable to give birth in Burnie due to  staff shortages. 

 "I was informed of one woman who was a private patient who had prolonged ruptured membranes, and she ended up having to be transferred to the private hospital in Hobart after they could not look after her in Burnie because they did not have enough staff," 

"Thankfully, she didn't have other children to arrange for, and her husband could drive her down, which is what they had to do."

"It's not a reflection of the midwives and staff there; it's because there's not enough of them.

Read the full article here:

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/8080326/expectant-mum-turned-away-from-hospital/?cs=87

A committee dominated by non-government MPs will hold an inquiry into plans for an AFL stadium at Macquarie Point.

The inquiry was announced late Tuesday.

“The Parliamentary Standing Committee of Public Accounts Committee is undertaking a targeted inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s process into the feasibility planning for a new sporting and event stadium in Hobart,” the committee said in a statement.

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Bulk-billing is “on life support” in rural and regional Tasmania due to an “atrocious” lack of federal funding for general practice, the state’s peak doctors’ body says.

It comes after an upper house committee released its final report into rural health services, following an extensive inquiry.

The committee, chaired by independent Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, found that workforce shortages, recruitment challenges and “inflexible” funding arrangements were reducing the quality of health care in Tasmania, particularly in general practice.

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Independent Upper House MP Ruth Forrest is urging for a second bridge to built. "The community can now unite and focus on the important discussion.

After almost two weeks of traffic chaos a flood-damaged Tasmanian bridge has reopened but repairs could continue for weeks in other parts of the state.

The Bass Highway at the Cam River Bridge in the state's north-west was reduced to one lane in October after floodwater undermined a support pier.

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REMEMBER when the pandemic first struck, we dreamed of life where the welcome new spirit of cooperation would continue allowing us to start fixing all the problems that the pandemic ruthlessly exposed?

What happened? The rich seem to be getting richer and the poor a little poorer.

And all the front-line workers have been told to be a little more productive before wage rises can be contemplated.

We need to increase our productivity. In the old days when the economy consisted of making goods rather than producing services, it was easier to work out productivity per worker.

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AN INQUIRY into the Roy Fagan Centre following care controversies has found improvements in staffing levels at the centre.

The inquiry, undertaken by a Legislative Council committee earlier this year, found the findings of two coronial inquests had resulted in additional funding for medical, nursing and allied health staffing increases and for infrastructure uprades.

It noted there had been a reported improvement in patient well-being and staff experience. If found there was a greated focus on staff professional development at the centre and that there had been an improvement of documentation processes.

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THERE are 356 new social housing properties scheduled for construction over the next 12 to 18 months.

But only 285 social housing properties have been built in the region over the past five years.

According to information tabled in the Legislation Council last week at the request of Murchison independent MLC Ruth Forrest, 79 of the new properties are to be built in Circular Head and 71 in the Waratah-Wynyard council area.

There will be 65 social housing properties built in Burnie, 62 on the Central Coast, and 41 in Devonport.

There have been 62 new housing dwellings completed in the North West over the past 12 months, with 25 of the properties based in East Devonport.

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LEGISLATIVE Council members are frustrated by a decision to again prorogue State Parliament leading to proceedings across both houses of government to a standstill.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff prorogued parliament to allow a new sitting member for Franklin to be present in the House of Assembly, with Parliament to sit again on August 16.

The move followed Liberal MP Jacquie Petrusma's resignation to spend more time with family, with a recount for her seat set to fall on August 15.

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Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest has accused all levels of government of a "lack of accountability", referring to a councillor's decision to remain in his role and the ongoing Commission of Inquiry.

Following a meeting between Waratah-Wynyard Council representatives and Local Government Minister Nic Street in relation to Darren Fairbrother's future, Ms Forrest weighed into the discussion.

"Community standards demand personal responsibility in the case of Cr Fairbrother - however we also need robust, rigourous and effective processes and legislative measures to require accountability, transparency and outcomes in line with community expectations," Ms Forrest said.

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TASMANIA'S Legislative Council should be restored to 19 seats, former president Jim Wilkinson says.

With the government set to introduce a Bill this year to restore the House of Assembly to 35 seats, he says it is timely to consider increasing numbers in the upper house from 15 to 19.

"It would be better to have the Legislative Council go back to 19 seats, but even by two to 17 would be a good first step and compromise," Mr Wilkinson said.

"More members in the upper house would add to debates and it would certainly add to the committee work which as a house of review is so highly important.

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Independent Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest says North-West Coasters have been let down by both the state and federal governments when it comes to COVID test result wait times and the availability of rapid antigen tests.

Ms Forrest said members of one North-West family isolated for seven days before the family member waiting for the test received a negative result.

"The recent decision to contract PCR testing to private provider North West Pathology has comprehensively failed those relying on timely test results," she said.

"For anyone to be required to isolate for a full seven days after the test, while waiting for a test result, is totally unacceptable.

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Independent MLCs broadly supported these measures as being evidence-based ways of decreasing harm to problem gamblers without impacting recreational players, and to allow venues to implement them by 2028.

Murchison independent MLC Ruth Forrest said she did not understand why the major parties would not support it, and that there was no guarantee of further harm minimisation by 2043.

The harm that these people experience is enormous in terms of the cost to our health system, to our social services system, to our justice system, that's where the costs are," she said.

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An upper house member has claimed Tasmanians still have little knowledge of what pokies reforms will look like in the community even after two elections, but the government and Labor have blocked a move for further scrutiny.

The Legislative Council voted eight to six against a motion to send the government's pokies reforms to a parliamentary committee where it would be subject to witness evidence, submissions and a report.
Independent Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney moved the motion which was supported by independents Ruth Forrest, Rob Valentine, Tania Rattray and Meg Webb, as well as outgoing Labor MLC Bastian Seidel.

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A Labor MLC representing the part of the state most heavily saturated with poker machines says the reform debate is no longer of much interest to his community as he signals his intention to vote in its favour.

Elwick MLC Josh Willie spoke in the Legislative Council on Wednesday after being heavily lobbied by pokies reform advocates over recent months, given his position as a representative covering Glenorchy, home to the state's largest pokies venues.

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House of Assembly speaker Mark Shelton has rejected a claim that some House of Assembly members may have been under the influence of alcohol during the final vote on gaming legislation last month.

Lower house members engaged in a 23-hour debate over separate sittings in October and passed the controversial gaming bill late at night before the chamber took a break for a week.

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There's hope the government will take the lead to implement legislative changes to protect intersex children from undergoing unnecessary, non-consenting medical intervention.

Intersex is an umbrella term for variations of sex characteristics that can be chromosomal, hormonal or structural.

In a recently released report, the Australian Human Rights Commission recommended all Australian states and territories pass legislation to prevent such medical interventions.

The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute made the recommendation to criminalise the practice in 2020.

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