Compomise over Roys Rd detour debacle

A COMPROMISE has been reached over a road upgrade that would have seen residents of Roys Rd forced to take a 16-km detour just to get home.

Member for Caloundra, Jason Hunt, met with Stockland and the Department of Transport and Main Roads last week following concerns from residents about the upgrade of the Bells Creek Arterial Rd and Roys Rd intersection.

An issue was the construction of barriers that would have denied drivers the ability to turn right in and out of Roys Road.

Mr Hunt said he was pleased to say following those discussions residents will be able to turn right into Roys Rd, although they will still be unable to turn right leaving Roys Road.

Although residents would prefer right turns from both ways on their street, Mr Hunt said people seem to be happy with the decision as it’s a step in the right direction. “I think it was important for me to speak to residents to let them know of the compromise,” he said.

“I think some of the angst from the community, which was justified, was because there was a lack of consultation from TMR about what residents wanted.”

The meeting also discussed long term plans to maximise accessibility on Bells Creek Arterial Road and Roys Road, including the potential installation of traffic lights installed on both highway exits onto Roys Road.

By Sonia Isaacs

OVER the last few years there has been increasing speculation around the sustainability of our aged care system. Recent government, industry and media reports suggest an escalating crisis, with a shortage of staffing levels a key area of concern for the sector.

Like many aged care service providers, Glasshouse Country Care have found it challenging to employ enough staff to meet the needs of clients.

Speaking with GC&M News, Glasshouse Country Care general manager Clare Mullins said the aged care staffing crisis was real, with the situation unfortunately exacerbated by the negative publicity surrounding the aged care sector.

“Recruiting new staff over the last few years has not been easy, and this has meant that delivery of some services has not been as robust as we would have liked. We would love to have more ‘feet on the ground’ and we encourage interest from our local area in what can be an incredibly valuable and rewarding long term career,” said Clare.

there were numerous benefits including full training, job variety, security and flexibility, and the prospect for career development. She said one of the biggest drawcards was the genuine opportunity to have a well-paid rewarding career where every day was different, and staff members were truly able to make a positive difference to the lives of others on a daily basis.

“People may think aged care is not a happy or energising environment; and this is simply not true. It is often a joyous job – we have many staff who have been in the industry for years, and we have a lot of fun as a team, as well as a lot of fun alongside our clients. The value of explained Clare.

Clare said while a Certificate III qualification was required for Personal Care work, no formal qualifications were required to perform Domestic Assistant roles. She said Certificate III – Individual Support qualifications were currently highly subsidised by the Australian Government with the possibility of the practical hours required to complete the qualification, achievable whilst employed as a Domestic Assistant with an aged care provider. For those interested in a career start or change, more information can be found at www.ghcare.org.au or resumes can be dropped off or sent to the Glasshouse Country Care Beerwah office.