Capri joins Jonny’s journey
When soldiers put their lives on the front line, long-term health challenges are almost inevitable, but assistance dogs are improving both the physical and mental wellbeing of those in need. Birchip resident Mr Jonathan (Jonny) Kemp has recently completed training with Integra Service Dogs Australia, becoming the custodian of an Integra-owned assistance dog named Capri.
Hard talk – Loss of essential services
Many essential service providers, including the government, are “abandoning” rural towns like Naracoorte in South Australia … We asked Naracoorte Lucindale Council mayor Patrick Ross, Minister for Regional Development Clare Scriven, Shadow Minister for Regional South Australia Nicola Centofanti, and Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin why our towns are losing essential service providers and what needs to be done to help our frustrated communities.
Council acts on Narrandera’s doctor recruitment crisis
Narrandera is said to be losing patients to adjoining towns for medical services due to a problem in recruiting doctors to the town. The Narrandera Shire Council has now stepped in to help overcome the problem by endorsing the actions of its Mayor Neville Kschenka in offering a recruitment incentive of $35,000 to the Medical Centre to cover the cost of subsidised rental of a suitable dwelling and enrolment fee for the next phase of doctor training.
Narrandera ready to welcome health staff into new accommodation units
Healthcare workers in the Murrumbidgee region are set to benefit from key worker accommodation, with new units at two hospital sites now complete. The modern accommodation units in Narrandera (pictured) and Finley have been installed on-site, with final touches being made to ensure the units are ready for the first residents to move in early next year.
Recognition for Honorary Ambo – 37 years later
Allan Japp is the first, and possible the only recipient in Hay to receive the Honorary Bearer Medal, some 47 years after he completed his last trip behind the wheel of an ambulance. Allan become an Honorary Ambulance Officer (Honorary Bearer as they were known then) in August 1963. His first case was taking a patient from Hay Hospital to the Royal Melbourne Hospital – a round trip of 917 kilometres which took just under 12 hours to complete.
RFDS garden party
Robyn Schinckel. Fact: At least twice a day a RFDS crew will land in the Limestone Coast to airlift a patient. Fact: Today, the RFDS deliver more than 380,000 episodes of care across Australia every year - equivalent to assisting someone every two minutes. The Foster Street Garden Party was an absolute triumph – a collective effort that raised $21,830. hese vital funds will help keep the RFDS flying.
Postcode discrimination
Country towns like Naracoorte are facing "postcode discrimination" when it comes to accessing mental health services and resources. That’s the view of SA Shadow Minister for Regional Health Services, Penny Pratt, who has attacked the State government for turning a blind eye to the Limestone Coast region and failing to understand the plight of families in need of mental health services.
Mason family helps make a difference for T1D
What does fifty million dollars’ worth of hope feel like? Just ask Allora’s Benjamin and James Mason who, along with parents, Hayley and Mark, recently joined a national delegate of one hundred brave Type 1 Diabetes advocates as part of JDRF’s "Kids in the House – KITH" program, to address members of parliament in Canberra.
CSIRO, Oxitec to tackle disease-spreading mosquitoes threatening mainland Australia
A new venture, Oxitec Australia, is taking on two of the deadliest virus-carrying mosquitos in the Pacific region – Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus – to fight the spread of diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives globally each year. Launched today, Oxitec Australia is a collaboration between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and UK-based Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests.
Farewell to the man with the magic hands
Together with family members, hundreds of friends and admirers packed the Donald Anglican Church and surrounds ... for the service celebrating the remarkable life of legendary sports therapist, the late Pat Allen. The service was conducted by the Rev. Judi Bird, who spoke feelingly of the difference made by Pat to the lives of people from near and far.
Families praise West Wimmera early years services
A West Wimmera Shire Council survey on maternal and child health and support playgroup services has highlighted the overwhelmingly positive experiences from families in the community. The survey, which gathered responses from parents and caregivers from across the shire, showed strong satisfaction with the support and care currently provided.
Drug and alcohol-related deaths in Western NSW tackled by new group of specialists
The Rural Applied Drug and Alcohol Research group (RADAR) will tackle the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse in Western NSW, which is higher than most other parts of NSW ... Core priorities of RADAR include addressing the specific, geographical issues those afflicted by substance misuse in western NSW often experience.
2025 Australian of the Year for Queensland
Allora born and bred Geoffrey Smith, was named Queensland Australian of the Year at the recent awards ceremony held in Brisbane. Proud parents Debbie and Alan Smith said Geoffrey was born in 1989 and went to Allora Kindergarten, Allora Pre-School and Allora P-10 School until Year 7 when he moved to Toowoomba Grammar.
MS Australia launches major EBV research platform to combat MS
MS Australia is bringing together the nation's top researchers to unlock the complex link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS); with the potential to revolutionise how we treat, prevent, and ultimately cure MS. The EBV in MS National Collaborative Platform, launched today at MS Australia's inaugural Frontiers in MS Research Symposium at the University of Sydney, aims to unify and strengthen Australian research efforts into EBV and MS.
“These were not vaccines; these were horrible gene therapies”
Emeritus Professor of Oncology at St Georges, University of London and Principal of The Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy (ICVI) Professor Angus Dalgleish didn’t mince his words this week in response to Australia’s response to Covid. “Why on earth did they do this?” said Professor Dalgleish in an interview on Sky this week.
Aged care reforms passes parliament: Neumann
The Albanese Labor Government’s Aged Care Bill has today passed Parliament, ensuring once-in-a-generation reforms to aged care ... Starting from 1 July 2025, the new Act will deliver a range of improvements including a tougher regulatory model, strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and a Statement of Rights to ensure older people and their needs are at the centre of the new aged care system.
Harry strides for a cause
Wilson McShane. Six-year-old Harry Rendell, from Moonta, is following in the footsteps of his running idols. Supported by his parents Kara and Nick, he is training for a five-kilometre event in Melbourne ... Throughout November, he and his running team RUNNEZ have been participating in Stride 4 Stroke, a fundraiser for the Stroke Foundation.
Move it or lose it
Rachel Hagan. Minlaton Family Centre is moving towards becoming the wellbeing hub of the lower Yorke Peninsula. However, these dreams may fall short if the community does not start using the new health services already available ... the family centre hosts GP Gaurang Prajapati and dietitian Bonnie Sanderson, who are currently not being utilised to their full capacity.
Specific ‘forever chemical’ found at unexpected levels in firefighting foam: UNSW Sydney
A new study has revealed there may be a significant underestimation of a specific type of PFAS ‘forever chemical’ in the environment. Researchers from UNSW Sydney found that branched perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was more prevalent than expected in firefighting foam.
$4m increase queried
Health Minister Chris Picton has defended the increase in budget allocation of $4million to the Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) last financial year ... “The fee-for-service expenditure for the Limestone Coast Local Health Network last financial year was $28,164,000, an increase of $4million from 2023. Can the minister explain exactly what fee-for-service relates to and whether that is the amount spent on employing locum doctors?” asked Independent Member for MacKillop Nick McBride.
Seven hundred thousand
Two salaried doctors in the region, employed by the Limestone Coast Local Health Network, are paid yearly salaries of around $700,000 each. But why, Independent Member for MacKillop Nick McBride questioned Health Minister Chris Picton in the House of Assembly last month. Mr McBride quizzed the minister about what these roles were that were paying that amount and where they were based.
End of an era at Japps
It was the end of an era ... when Hay’s pharmacist of close to 70 years finally passed on the baton. "The time has come," Allan Japp told The Riverine Grazier after signing over his share of Japp’s Pharmacy to Mina Malek who had been working with him for the past two-and-a-half years.
