LAWYERS' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS A 'NO-BRAINER'
As a retired Griffith solicitor I was interested to read in The Area News of 8 July of the introduction of the Solicitor Outreach Service by the Law Society of NSW.
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Some 20 years ago as a solicitor representing regional NSW I was appointed to a focus group, that included a professor of Medicine, to help prepare the Lawyers' Assistance Program for the Society.
The program offered free assistance and guidance for solicitors in difficulty from such problems as stress, discipline (for professional misconduct) or lack of work.
Help was available on a confidential basis from an experienced practitioner, or in appropriate cases, a trained counsellor.
The program was a no-brainer and commenced without any opposition in April 2001.
Allan Haggarty AM, Griffith
BURDEN IS BEING SHIFTED TO PATIENTS
I went to claim the travel from my health fund for a return trip from Griffith to Wagga to see a specialist. A value of approximately $50.
I received a reply from the fund stating that I needed to see my doctor to obtain a letter stating why I needed to see a specialist in Wagga.
After phoning the doctor's clinic and speaking with the assistant, I was told I was required to book a consultant with my GP, a consultation covered by Medicare.
Is it just my health fund that does this? I am concerned that if it is not, rural medical services are being stretched and Medicare is being bogged down as Australian health insurance companies adopt an American style attitudes of denying all claims to put greater burden on patients before paying.
Surely I shouldn't need to see a doctor to justify that specialists are not available in Griffith.
Greg Adamson, Griffith
FEDERAL NATIONALS LEADERSHIP LACKS COURAGE
Will the Nationals continue on their downward path, or do they have the courage to take action and reverse the trend?
It is a fascinating question that has hit the spotlight again following their poor showing in the Eden-Monaro by-election, and general discontent with the party which used to dominate our regional political landscape.
One national commentator stated this week that "Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack's incompetence has again been exposed ..." so, is this at the heart of the problem, or does it go deeper.
Why are so many previously 'rusted on' Nationals voting for other parties and independent candidates?
I believe the Nationals' federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum inadvertently provided the answer when he recently told us we were not getting essential changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan because the Liberal Party was concerned it may impact their vote in Adelaide.
If the Nationals are to regain lost ground they must stand up and be counted, which Mr McCormack does not seem prepared to do.
Another commentator at the weekend, talking about the Nationals', said that "... whenever we go cold on the party, it's because the leadership has rusted off the very base it represents". That is what has happened.
It is pointless having a small group of Nationals bemoaning the issues being faced in the communities they represent, but a leadership that doesn't have the courage to fix them.
If the party wants to re-emerge, it must stop being a Liberal lapdog. And this starts at the top.
Lindsay Marshall, Blighty
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