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Your views: on a ‘degrading’ health clinic, cyclists and more

Today, readers comment on an Aboriginal health clinic desperate for an upgrade, the wait for child allergy specialists, and bicycle safety.

Jul 12, 2021, updated Jul 12, 2021
Yadu Health Aboriginal Corporation in Ceduna. Photo: Supplied

Yadu Health Aboriginal Corporation in Ceduna. Photo: Supplied

Commenting on the story: ‘Degrading’: Aboriginal health leaders plead to replace run-down clinic

Considering that this medical centre appears to suit the needs of the Indigenous population, it should have been fixed years ago.

In fact this building looks as if it is not at all suited to purpose for anything. The state and federal governments both need to get their acts together. This is yet another example of racist attitudes towards our Indigenous people. I am outraged, to put it mildly. – Kaye Bishop

“We’re trying to encourage our mob to take their health seriously, but we can’t bring them into a service which is condemned, doesn’t create safe space, is not culturally appropriate either,” he said.” So much for Close the Gap from the federal government, for absolutely essential needs like an asbestos and mould-free Aboriginal Health clinic.

Can’t get funding “due to the competitive process”. How bad do things have to get? Absolutely shameful is this situation. Appreciation to InDaily for making this local SA situation known in a lead article. Hopefully we readers will be kept further informed. – Michele Madigan

Commenting on the story: SA children face ‘enormous’ wait times for allergy specialists

The shortcomings in the clinical services at the WCH exposed in this article are just the tip of the iceberg.

They need urgent recognition and attention from the Minister down to the hospital administration. What the long suffering patients and staff do not need are the meaningless and unhelpful platitudes offered by Women’s and Children’s Network spokespersons in the last five paragraphs.

Claims such as ‘high quality service’, best possible care’ and ‘ensur(ing) the wellbeing of our staff’ are patently false and offensive, and do nothing to allay concerns or to resolve the problems. Professor Warren Jones.

Commenting on the opinion piece: Fatal cycle: the rising toll of rider deaths

I want to commend Morry Bailes for his article about the rising toll of cyclist deaths. It was timely and much more publicity needs to be given to this serious issue.

On 27 July last year I was riding a bicycle lawfully up William Street Norwood and going through a roundabout. A motor vehicle entered the roundabout from my left when it should have waited for me. My bicycle and I found ourselves on the bonnet and the windscreen of the motor vehicle until I was flung onto  the road.

I was lucky to have survived the accident, and had the driver been travelling more quickly I would not have survived. I suffered a broken left humerus and muscular damage to the left shoulder. My bicycle suffered a severely buckled front wheel.

That the insurer conceded that the driver of the motor vehicle was completely in the wrong was little comfort to me as I underwent months of rehabilitation and treatment.

I have now abandoned cycling completely, at least in the city – it is simply too dangerous to attempt to ride a bicycle when drivers of motor vehicles show such flagrant disregard to the basic rules of the road. Christopher J Charles

To lower the death toll we need to encourage more cyclists onto the road. Every bicycle is one less car contributing to danger and congestion.

Perhaps motorised vehicle operators would become more accustomed to sharing the road if cyclists were no longer the minority? Why not offer motorists a rebate on their registration for the days they ride their bicycles?

I would also suggest a more expensive and progressive licensing system, whereby one must first achieve competency on a bicycle or motorcycle in traffic before earning the privilege to drive a car. A similar system operates overseas where children are able to ride scooters and mopeds prior to obtaining their car license. It would encourage greater empathy with other road users and would surely increase the competence of licensed drivers overall. 

We must give priority on the roads to those who are most vulnerable. If you cannot operate a bicycle safely you will not be able to operate a car safely, let alone a larger vehicle like a 4×4 or SUV. The increasing use of 4x4s and SUVs is an additional hazard that may have contributed to the increase in cyclist’s deaths.

A stronger licensing system should be developed to ensure adequate competence for drivers of 4x4s and SUVS, or any vehicle over 2 tonnes to discourage inappropriate use. Heavier taxes, inner city tolls and registration loading should be imposed to discourage their use in general. In many instances they are an unnecessary luxury item that takes up additional space on the road, so why not let them fund safety improvements?

There are countless solutions that would raise revenue, improve safety and encourage a healthier environment. I think the issue we face is that it is a much easier path politically to mandate legislation that caters to popular opinion than it is to make the major dangers on our roads uncomfortable by hitting their hip pockets. Jonathan Draysey

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