Ex-Mayor with insight on cash split row
Rural and remote pharmacist Adam Hogan, Mt Garnet Indigenous Health Worker Jedda Geesu with Mt Garnet nurse Deborah Kelly.
By Justin Fris
FORMER Mareeba Shire Mayor Mick Borzi has provided further insight into the recent de-amalgamation cash split between Mareeba Shire Council and the Tablelands Regional Council. Mr Borzi, who enjoyed two significant stints as Mareeba Shire Mayor, has kept a keen interest in council matters in recent years and points to some key information released during 2008. A few days out from de-amalgamation of the old Mareeba Shire, a full page advertisement was printed and distributed on March 12, 2008, within the local media. The activity report makes for interesting reading, especially in light of recent comparison of figures released by both the MSC and TRC. It reads: “In the demise of Mareeba Shire to be amalgamated with others, the following is a brief report which will be of interest to shire residents. Shire assets (to be transferred) total $456 million Shire debt (as of December 31, 2007) total $6,518,918 Cash reserves (to be transferred) are estimated at around $12 million Cash held (in bank accounts and investments) as of May 7, total $23, 079,535.” Mr Borzi believes the final decision should take these figures into account, in order to attain fairness for the MSC region. “If amalgamation was the huge success as claimed by others and given that there has not been any substantial investment or commitment in the former Mareeba Shire area over the past five years, the above amounts plus interest, should be returned to the former Mareeba Shire as a matter of course and fairness,” he said. TRC Mayor Rosa Lee Long was contacted and provided an opportunity to respond to the data. She disagreed with the figures provided and reaffirmed her commitment to appeal the decision in due course.
New era in medicine ATHERTON District Hospital’s pharmacy will take its place on the national stage at the 13th National Rural Health Conference in Darwin. Senior Pharmacist Michelle Rothwell will speak at the event, which will focus on how the facility has grasped innovative techniques and shared them in the region. Ms Rothwell said she had noticed certain ‘holes’ in key services across the Tablelands and sought to improve the situation. The ‘Telehealth’-based technology won’t just benefit Atherton; once funding
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David Mete 0408 793 050 | Peter Acha 0417 006 698 www.mareebamazda.com.au www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au
had been secured through the ‘Rural and Regional Revitalisation’ fund. “This funding allowed us to introduce a pharmacy service via Telehealth technology to our Herberton, Malanda, Millaa Millaa, Ravenshoe, Mt Garnet, Georgetown, Croydon and Forsyth facilities covering an area of around 160,000 kilometres,” she said. “This new service allows our patients and clinicians direct access to a pharmacist and as a result patient medication reviews can be done quickly and easily.” The Telehealth-based initiative has also
helped put patients’ minds at ease, with Mt Garnet’s own Aileen Johnstone in favour of the treatment. “I found it great to be able to talk to the pharmacist and actually see the person I was having a conversation with,” she said. “The convenience of using Telehealth has saved me having to travel from Atherton to Mt Garnet which can be very tiring. “I am now confident that I am taking my medication in the correct order and at the right time.” The service is expected to be highly popular throughout the Tablelands.
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David Mete 0408 793 050 | Peter Acha 0417 006 698 www.mareebamitsubishi.com.au The Express, Wednesday, May 20, 2015 PAGE 9