Radiotherapy essential
Radiotherapy for our region is essential, regardless of who forms government after the May 3, federal election. That is the key message from Limestone Coast Radiation Therapy Working Group chairman … "South Australia still remains an outlier as one of the only Australian states without the provision of radiation cancer treatment outside of its capital city, being Adelaide," Mr Haynes said.
Walking 1000 kilometres
Mandy McConnell is a well-known figure in the Barham community, in part for the many years she has taught at Barham High School. Now, the semi-retired teacher is taking on a mammoth task to raise money and awareness for endometriosis by walking 1000 kilometres in 52 days.
Safety concerns secured at GBH
With placards in their hands, smiles on their faces, and their fists triumphantly raised high in the air, staff and members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) Clarence Valley Branch at Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) had cause for celebration on April 3 after they finally received the news they had been fighting hard for throughout the past couple of years.
Health district review after cancer patient dies
The Northern NSW Local Health District has apologised to the family of a Grafton cancer patient who died last month just hours after leaving Grafton Base Hospital. Terminal cancer patient, 55-year-old Sandra Shipley died within hours of visiting Grafton Base Hospital on Saturday, March 22.
Life with Parkinson’s disease in Australia
An estimated 200,000 people live with Parkinson’s disease in Australia. One in five people are diagnosed before 50, and the disease is the second most common neurological condition after dementia.
Hearing young Riverlanders speak on current challenges
Madison Eastmond. The South Australian Youth Forum (SAYF) All Voices Tour made its most-recent stop in the Riverland last weekend, with their local workshop hoping to further understand the shared passions, hopes, and struggles of regional youth ... the afternoon workshop hosting conversations on climate resilience, mental health resources, and the importance of agricultural wellbeing.
RFDS shares its visions and aims as election draws closer
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has a long and proud history of delivering vital healthcare to Australians living in rural and remote areas for over 95 years. However, despite this enduring commitment, significant disparities in healthcare access persist, leading to worrying health outcomes for those living outside major cities.
RFDS aeromedical simulator visits Allora
Allora P-10 Students enjoyed the visit by the RFDS with their Aeromedical Simulator which was fully equipped with flight controls, indicators, communication headsets and two stretcher beds. Once onboard, students undertook an immersive experience as a patient and they could see how the crew operates these units in the sky.
Mayor tells of family tragedy
Towong mayor, Cr Andrew Whitehead, was front and centre when 500 people gathered at Albury's QEII Square on Saturday to rally for a new single site, greenfield hospital on the border ... Speaking at the rally, Cr Whitehead said that "a broken system" had contributed to his father's death ...
Floods devastate rural NSW & Queensland, cities to feel ripple effect: NRHA
The soul-destroying floods in rural New South Wales and Queensland are affecting rural people who matter to Australia’s very existence and who are the backbone of Australia’s economy ... this flood is an eye-opener for all political parties to make a commitment to the health of the economic powerhouse that rural Australia is for the rest of the country.
Trauma for hospital upgrade
Despite the $263.8 million investment to redevelop Grafton Base Hospital, major trauma patients will still be triaged to Lismore or Tweed Heads for treatment. At a recent community meeting concerning the paramedic roster changes at Yamba Ambulance station and the impacts they could have, Australian Paramedics Association members revealed that the upgraded Grafton Base Hospital will not be classed as a major trauma hospital.
Another cruel hoax
The Federal Government’s callous disregard for rural, regional and remote Australians is on full display in the final business hours before a potential federal election is called, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said, after the Aged Care Minister announced an impossible timeline to save regional aged care home care services.
Tragic death highlights health flaws
Michelle Daw. The harrowing story of an elderly man with a traumatic head injury who died after being sent home from hospital brought the problems plaguing local health into sharp relief at the health inquiry hearing in Wallaroo.
Health inquiry visits
Michelle Daw, Rachel Hagan. About 130 people attended the meeting held at Yorketown Town Hall ... and around 60 went to the Wallaroo Town Hall meeting ... with many individuals and representatives from organisations making passionate and sometimes heartbreaking presentations.Â
Hard Talk: Top election issues
Healthcare, infrastructure, the rising cost of living and government waste are among the key concerns impacting voters in regional towns like Naracoorte in the South East ... In this edition of Hard Talk, The [Naracoorte] News spoke with several political leaders to gain insight into the major election topics that could determine the outcome.
SA’s first full rural medical degree launched
For the first time in South Australia’s history, aspiring doctors can complete their entire medical degree in regional communities, thanks to Flinders University’s new South Australia Rural Medical Program. Sixty students – including 30 in Mount Gambier – have begun their studies in the landmark program, which is designed to address the critical shortage of doctors in regional, rural, and remote areas.
Road to research: Two dads – same mission
When positive change is needed in the world, it takes the most determined of characters and the most passionate of hearts to think big, then think bigger again, and then dig deep to make a difference. The two local Allora Dads have set one such bold challenge for themselves - in September this year, Max Mason and James Turner plan to cycle from Lourdes in France...
Haines gives tax cuts and health funding a tick
Independent Federal Member for Indi, Helen Haines, has welcomed tax cuts and funding to deliver more training places for doctors in regional Australia under key announcements in Tuesday’s federal Budget. Dr Haines’ advocacy for a Commonwealth injection of funding into the regional healthcare workforce was substantially reflected in the 2025-2026 budget.
New yarning circle for Narrandera District Hospital
New outdoor spaces created specifically for Aboriginal patients, staff and visitors have been completed at Narrandera District Hospital. Featuring a mural by Narrandera-based Wiradjuri artist Uncle Owen Lyons, the project included the creation of a yarning circle and Sorry Business area.
Brave Ava rings the bell after beating cancer twice
Last week, Nhill's own Ava returned home to a very special moment—ringing the bell to mark the end of her cancer treatment for the second time in four years. It was a hard-won milestone, celebrated with love and emotion at the Royal Children's Hospital, where staff gathered to honour her incredible bravery.
City-focused, country-funded; a budget that forgets its backbone: NRHA
The Federal Budget for 2025-26 is a mixed bag for rural, regional and remote Australia in terms of funding for healthcare. While certain aspects of the budget benefit rural populations, there is a lack of a targeted strategy to address the unique health challenges these communities face.
Co-op sector says Budget’s aged care and housing plans will help many Australians: BCCM
...statement from the chief executive of the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM), Melina Morrison, on the Federal Budget ... “The significant expansion of aged care and housing policies unveiled in the Federal Budget will ensure many Australians can now rightly expect a better quality of life.
