Page 8 Friday, 19 June, 2015
EPA orders data on refinery SO2 THE ENVIRONMENT Protection Authority will use a compliance notice to extract data on sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery. The notice follows Viva alerting the EPA last month that the refinery’s SO2 emissions were likely to breach its licence conditions. The EPA said it would analyse data of emissions over the previous 12 months. The authority warned it could issue further notices and undertake sanctions if Viva breached the refinery’s environmental obligations. Viva posted a community notification on its website showing its 2015 licence non-compliances were under review. The notice said Viva sought to operate the refinery in an “environmentally sustainable manner“. “We are committed to pursuing the goal of no harm to people and protecting the environment,“ Viva said. “We call this Goal Zero. This goal is outlined in Viva Energy’s ’Our Commitment to HSSE’ policy. Viva said the refinery sought to minimise environmental risks by: operating under an EPA environment licence; maintaining an independently accredited environmental management system; stakeholder engagement, including quarterly community advisory panel meetings.
Fury at call to discuss ‘impaired’ babies cost A HORRIFIED outcry has greeted a Geelong academic’s call for discussion on whether saving “impaired” babies is worth the cost. Deakin University’s Dr Neera Bathia said Australia must consider the sometimes-lifelong expense of saving “extremely premature” babies against rising pressures on the country’s healthcare system. The Law School academic outlined the case for debate in her new book, which asked whether some lives were “too expensive to treat”. “Just because we can save these babies born at 23 weeks does it mean we should, knowing that finite public resources could be spent on other patients, children and even babies born at a later gestational period and are likely to make a greater health improvement?” Dr Bhatia said. “The main premise of my book is that the allocation of finite healthcare resources should be a serious consideration in end-of-life decision-making for this select group of patients. With an ageing population and limited healthcare funds, these difficult questions need to be asked and answered. “I am not saying exclusively that these babies should be not kept alive. Rather, I am asking if we are doing the right thing by saving babies that are going to require a lifetime of ongoing health care given the fact that we have many competing priorities putting pressure on limited health care budgets.” Reaction was swift when the Independent reported Dr Bhatia’s call online this week. The paper’s Facebook followers posted comments almost universally opposed to ending the lives of any premature babies.
$50K beer spend LIQUOR giant Lion will spend $50,000 relocating its White Rabbit brewery from Healesville to the company’s Little Creatures site in South Geelong, according to planning documents. Ten jobs would flow from the new brewery, which the planning application said would help fill rising demand. “When operating on the same Geelong site as the Little Creatures Brewery, White Rabbit Brewery will add to the brewery village experience,” the application said. “There will be barrel fermenting, souring and developing of beer styles, using a range of new and old wine and spirit barrels, something we have not yet seen on a large commercial scale in Australia. “The new White Rabbit Brewery will enhance and extend the craft beer village atmosphere of the Swanston St site while driving additional tourism and visitor numbers to Geelong.”
Connecting people and communities
geelong.starcommunity.com.au
BIG CALL: Dr Neera Bhatia.
Debi Lloyd wondered how doctors could deny treatment to the parents of ill newborns, telling them “we are going to make you watch your baby die instead”. She also raised a slippery-slope argument. “Where would she like us to draw the line?” she posted. “Should we withdraw or refuse treatment to anybody who becomes physically disabled? Anybody with an aquired brain injury?” Other followers were concerned about denying care for babies who would otherwise overcome or adapt to their conditions. “Not all premature babies end up living a life with health problems,” Lisa Anderson posted. Katharine Gladman was among the few willing to consider Dr Bhatia’s argument, saying “these are issues that absolutely need to be discussed”. Dr Bhatia admitted the issue was “polarising” but said it needed “open and honest discussion”. “These are hard and very uncomfortable discussions to have but necessary. “What I am suggesting…is that end-of-life decisions for impaired and extremely premature infants should be driven by a more-objective, transparent and tangible approach. In this regard, resource allocation and quality of life should be important considerations. “Unfortunately, with limited health care budgets these hard questions have to be asked. While saving tiny babies from death may be considered by some as a moral duty or a benevolent act, we do not have limitless healthcare resources to provide these infants with the lifelong care and support that they require.”
SOLAR GAME CHANGER!! FRONIUS Inverters of Germany have recently announced their partnership with TESLA - the manufacturers of the newest Powerwall, bringing Lithium Battery Technology within the reach of ordinary Australians. Install your solar system now and have a solar system which is compatible with the Tesla Powerwall when it is launched in Australia in 2016. NO longer be a victim of the unfair and low feed in Tariffs in Australia. Greensaver Solar, through their strong industry relations have been able to negotiate an absolutely amazing deal as an introductory price for this top of the range system!!!!!!!!!! All size systems are available and include: • Tier 1 250W Solar Panels • Fronius 5KW Inverter manufactured and designed in Germany with built in web based monitoring • Factory backed 10 year warranty • And of course compatible with the Tesla Powerwall All this fully installed anywhere in the Geelong Region for the amazing low price
$7499 Phone Simon 1800 662 1800 NO BILLS
455
simon@greensaversolar.com.au•www.greensaversolar.com.au Simon - 0419 879 803
1189009-PB25-15
And of course as always Greensaver Solar are still offering fantastic deals on all their other Tier 1 Solar Systems!!!!!!