The Morrison Government will invest $11.4 million to expand and redevelop the Whyalla Hospital & Health Services accident and emergency department.
Funding from the Government’s Community Health and Hospitals Program (CHHP) will help reduce operational pressures and enable the hospital to meet the growing demand in the region.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the Government is committed to improving health services throughout Australia and building a world class health system.
“Australians living in rural areas face unique challenges brought on by distance,” Minister Hunt said.
“From our investment, regional communities will have improved access to essential health care services closer to home.”
The high dependency ward at Whyalla Hospital will also be relocated closer to the accident and emergency area, improving safety and ensuring nursing and medical staff can be utilised effectively across both areas according to clinical need and patient demand.
Federal Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey said the new facility will mean more emergency treatment spaces and an improved patient experience.
“The Government’s investment will enable the relocation of the high dependency unit which will deliver significant efficiencies with in the hospital,” Mr Ramsey said.
“This is particularly important in growing areas such as Whyalla.”
“Through locally targeted funding support, we can ensure SA is better equipped to tackle key health challenges of concern to people in Whyalla,” Mr Ramsey said.
Joining Mr Ramsey in Whyalla for the announcement, South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the investment comes at a critical time – ahead of an expected boom in Whyalla’s population.
“As Whyalla embarks on an ambitious upgrade to its steelworks and local infrastructure thanks to billionaire Sanjeev Gupta, it’s clear the Whyalla Hospital & Health Services needs expanded and contemporary facilities to meet the needs of the growing population.
“Over the past eight years, emergency presentations have increased by 15 per cent, and presentations per capita have increased by 21 per cent.
“Compared to industry benchmarks, the number of treatment spaces is around a third below the number needed for the current demand.
“It’s clear that an upgrade of the emergency department is desperately overdue so I’m extremely grateful to the Morrison Government for this much-needed investment.
Established in 2018, the Liberal National Government’s $1.25 billion Community Health and Hospitals Fund supports:

• Specialist hospital services such as cancer treatment, rural health and hospital infrastructure
• Drug and alcohol treatment
• Preventive, primary and chronic disease management
• Mental health

The Government’s strong economic management ensures the continued record investment into vital health initiatives including mental health, life-saving medicines, Medicare and hospitals.

The Greens’ are putting protecting and restoring our environment front and centre for the 2019 election campaign.
“The Government would have you believe that we face a choice between our economy and our environment,” Leader of the Australian Greens, Dr Richard Di Natale said.
“But we all know that in the long-term a strong economy and thriving community depend on a safe environment and stable climate.
“Climate change and the environment should be at the centre of this election campaign but the other parties are offering little more than half-hearted, half-baked policies. The Greens are the only party with a comprehensive plan to protect our environment and save our threatened species,” Di Natale said.
Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said: “Our environment is at breaking point. Australians are crying out for a solution to our extinction crisis, to clean up the plastics in our oceans and to act on climate. They have been ignored by the Labor and Liberal Parties, but the Greens will act.”
“Greens in the Senate will hold the Labor party to its promises on the environment. Real action on climate change, including stopping things like the Adani coal mine and stopping drilling in the Bight must play a key role in preserving our environment.
“Nearly 2,000 of Australia’s native species are facing extinction. The Greens have a plan to bring them back from the brink, and help our unique wildlife and landscapes thrive. The Greens’ Nature Fund will protect Australian flora and fauna from invasive species, create new safe havens for threatened mammals and properly fund the development of recovery plans for every species at risk.
“Under The Greens fully-costed plan, the big polluters are held responsible with a price on carbon, for the part their industries have played in the degradation of our environment. The Greens’ Nature Fund invests $2 billion a year to save our threatened species, like the koala and the Australian sea lion.
“It will create a workforce of more than 10,000 qualified environment managers, including scaling up the number of Indigenous Rangers. This will be the biggest investment in biodiversity and protecting nature in our nation’s history.
“We’ve seen millions of fish die in our Murray Darling Basin, we’ve had the first confirmed climate change extinction, while successive Governments have cut conservation funding and refuse to hold big polluters to account. We need to get down to the business of restoring ecosystems, addressing climate breakdown and making sure we leave a thriving planet.”

 
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has positively identified a World War Two Catalina aircraft A24-64 following a successful reconnaissance mission in the Philippines.
In March 2019, RAAF conducted an inspection of a crash site south-east of Cape Calavite on the north-west end of Mindoro Island, after they became aware of several artefacts at this location in 2014. These artefacts consisted of a small metal tube engraved with the aircraft manufacturer’s logo, a brass crown identified by the RAAF Museum as part of an early RAAF officer’s cap badge, and .303 ammunition.
Although little remained of the aircraft, a number of small items of wreckage were found with metal detectors on this recent visit. Several items were subsequently identified as unique to the Catalina, which when combined with other evidence, confirmed the wreck site was the missing aircraft.
On 14 December 1944, Catalina A24-64 together with 22 other Catalina aircraft departed on a mission to Manila Bay with orders to rendezvous in the vicinity of Cape Calavite outbound from the target. All aircraft except A24-64 returned safely from the mission. A24-64 has not been seen or heard from since its departure from Leyte Gulf.
The recent visit provided an opportunity to assess the logistic requirements and local support available for any planned search and recovery mission. A search and recovery mission is now planned for early 2020.

The first of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) new Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft arrived in Canberra today.
The new aircraft, being leased by RAAF, replace the Bombardier CL604 Challengers and provide a larger passenger load, modern communication and increased range and endurance.
Wing Commander Jason Pont, Commanding Officer of 34 Squadron said the Falcon complements RAAF’s larger Boeing 737 Business Jets.
“The Falcon 7X is an advanced business jet designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation,” Wing Commander Pont said.
“The jet has a standard crew of three (pilot, co-pilot and crew attendant) and can carry up to 14 passengers.
“With a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.9 and a range of up to 11,000 km, the aircraft can fly from Canberra to anywhere in the world with only one stop. Its ability to land at almost any airfield provides notable regional and remote airfield accessibility.”
The Falcon features a high-tech wing, an advanced ‘glass cockpit’ with a heads-up display and an infrared enhanced vision system. It also has satellite communications to support Government business while airborne.
The aircraft will be operated by Number 34 Squadron as part of the Special Purpose Aircraft fleet, based at Defence Establishment Fairbairn in the Australian Capital Territory.
The fleet will continue to be maintained by Northrop Grumman.