NEWS DESK
Times cut, but ambulances still missing target EMERGENCY ambulance response times have improved across the Mornington Peninsula in the past 12 months, but are still falling short of best practice targets for emergency call-outs. Data released by Ambulance Victoria shows 70.6 per cent of code one calls in 2015-16 were responded to within 15 minutes. The average response time in 2015-16 to 10,057 incidents was 13 minutes, 11 seconds. This was an improvement on an average response time of 13 minutes, 43 seconds to 9380 incidents in 2014-15. The Ambulance Victoria target for under 15 minutes response times for areas with a population greater than 7500 is 90 per cent. The peninsula has more than 145,000 residents. Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy in April said the Labor state government included $144 million” in its first budget “to fix the ambulance system after four years of crisis. “With ambulance response times now the best they have been in five years, this shows what can be achieved by working together
with our paramedics – instead of declaring war on them like the Liberals did,” Ms Hennessy subsequently said in a statement this month. Liberal opposition health spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge said ambulance services are not improving in line with increased funding. “Before the last election, Daniel Andrews claimed ambulance response times were in crisis and said he would fix it,” Ms Wooldridge said. “After nearly two years as Premier, he is nowhere near his target, with response times similar to what they were under the previous government when Daniel Andrews claimed it was a crisis.” In 2014, when the previous Coalition state government was in power, Ambulance Victoria refused to release response times categorised by local government area and instead only provided statewide figures. Ambulance Victoria’s board was axed and replaced after Labor’s state election win in November 2014. Neil Walker
On show: Some of the planes that will be on display at Tyabb Airport on Sunday 27 November.
Open day for toy run THE Antique Aircraft Association of Australia will be holding its annual toy run at Tyabb Airport on Sunday 27 November. This open day for the public will be hosted by Peninsula Aero Club. Gates open 10.30am, with a sausage sizzle from noon. The aim of the event is to collect
unwrapped toys to be distributed to underprivileged children through the Food for All charity. Toys for 10 to 14 year old boys are the most in need. Unique and antique aircraft will be flying in from across Victoria to complement the collection of “warbirds” on display. Details: Ian Johnson, Peninsula Aero Club, call 0438 850 503.
Win for primary school walkers MORNINGTON Peninsula primary schools have put their feet first and taken out first and second prize in VicHealth’s 2016 Walk to School competition. Wallaroo Primary School, Hastings, took the lead for having the highest participant rate for the program over the month of October, followed closely by Mt Eliza North Primary School. Wallaroo will use the $1000 prize for a health and wellbeing initiative.
This year, 25 primary schools on the peninsula took part in the competition which encourages pupils to walk, ride, scoot or skate to and from school as often as possible throughout October. Walk to School highlights the benefits of walking for children and parents - such as improving health and fitness, increasing social connections and confidence in walking and reduces car emissions. To learn more about Walk to School month, visit walktoschool.vic.gov.au
Alliance head retires after 10 years THE executive officer of the South East Councils Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA) Greg Hunt has stepped down after 10 years. Mr Hunt, above, has been succeeded by Dominique La Fontaine. In an email to his many contacts last week Mr Hunt said his decade at executive officer of SECCCA had been “extremely rewarding … work that is of ever-increasing importance”. He apologised for “the impersonal nature of this group email”. “However, after 43 years in a range of jobs, each in areas that have allowed me to express personal passions as well as professional commitments, it is time to pass on the baton to my successor Dominique La Fontaine.” Mr Hunt said he was retiring from fulltime work and was setting up a personal website with tabs such as Birds, Ginkgos, Travel, Whimsy, Politics and Climate Change.
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Western Port News 22 November 2016
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