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May 06, 2005
only a god can save us now
Nice. The can do Carr Labor Government in the state of NSW reckons that it has all the hot issues nicely under control, except for water.
Their fingers are crossed because they are waiting for the rains to fall to solve Sydney's growing water shortage. Nothing that a bit of spin won't fix.
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at May 6, 2005 01:57 PM
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Comments
They could always grab some water fom the Murray and pump it north.
Posted by: wbb at May 6, 2005 02:36 PM
Yeah they could even pipe it with Pratt Pipes and say they are upgrading the infrastructure, making savings from evaporation losses, and use the water savings for environmental flows.
NSW leads the way to sustainability. The other states merely follow.
That is the spin.
Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson at May 6, 2005 11:48 PM
South Oz could add hospitals and police to fingers crossed for water.
Posted by: observa at May 7, 2005 02:07 PM
Observa,
more hospitals than police I would have thought, given the big political emphasis on law and order by ALP state governments to retain the conservative blue collar votes.
Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson at May 7, 2005 07:36 PM
I probably meant 'policing' in the broader sense rather than 'talking' tough on law and order as you point out Gary. It's easy to hiss and spit at the odd public villain, rather than face the broader resourcing issues of the DPP's office, mental health and the fact we don't have enough locals who want to be coppers anymore.
This story from the mum on radio this morning encapsualtes the problem. Her paranoid schizo son was having an episode and she desperately took him to Noarlunga Hospital seeking help and hospitalisation. Sorry mum no bed available. A couple of days later at home the lad went troppo, grabbed a knife and said he was going to Christies Beach police station to kill someone. She rang the police general number to warn them but the message didn't get passed on and in the fracas at the station an officer was stabbed in the arm. Charges, court, and custody in general hospital with 3 police officers guarding him for a few days before getting treatment in mental custody institution. Any wonder they're not queuing up to be a 'pig' anymore?
Posted by: observa at May 9, 2005 12:05 PM
Observa,
one reason why policing plays such a large role in mental health is the failure of the SA Government (Olsen and RAnn) to put in the resources to make the de-institutionalization of mental health work.
SA has a very bad reputation re this neglect.
Treasury just sees big costs and thinks that it is cheaper to put all those suffering from mental illness back back in Glenside.
Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson at May 9, 2005 12:30 PM