Poor Anglicare! In trouble again over Ginninderra Gardens aged-care facility. Let's not rush to blame Anglicare. (''Brindabella Gardens residents 'treated like dirt''', ( February 6, p1)
For too long the government and, through acquiescence, the community have assumed that aged-care and child-care workers don't need or deserve as much at the teachers, nurses and police who ''care for'' the rest of us under 65.
We have relied on the compassion and altruism of churches and welfare agencies and their workers to ''subsidise'' the system through low wages, fetes and donations. A $200 a week difference between nurses working in hospitals and those in nursing homes is unsatisfactory and unsustainable. Pay peanuts and eventually there'll be stuff-ups.
The public's capacity to pay more for these expensive and essential services has reached the upper limit, and the solution is more government funding, raised if necessary by higher taxation for all of us. Yet ''stop the taxes'' has become a mantra for both sides of politics.
A number of Scandinavian and other European countries have for decades levied taxes higher than ours to ensure good child and aged-care systems at a reasonable cost to their citizens. Australia should do the same. The good news last week was that Fair Work Australia awarded community workers a pay rise of between 19per cent and 41per cent.
John Brummell, Duffy
We can understand that people such as Jacqui Storrs and Lynn Russell, who have had distressing problems with aged-care facilities, might carry the pain for some years afterwards. We don't understand why Storrs, at least, chose now to raise problems that occurred 10 or more years ago about an establishment that from all we have heard is regarded as one of the better such facilities in Canberra.
Certainly, since our mother became a resident in Brindabella Gardens in August last year, we have been very satisfied with the care she has been receiving and that is not for want of raising many issues with staff and management. But these were the inevitable, minor problems that need to be sorted out when an aged, ill and sometimes confused person somewhat reluctantly comes into someone else's care. It would be unfortunate if the current problems in one establishment led to others having their deservedly good reputations sullied.
Angelika Dunker and Chris Ansted, Garran
MEMORIALS MESS
The memorials proposed for the Rond Terraces and submitted for environment protection and biodiversity conservation approval are no longer the winning design (''Govt to probe war memorials'', February 4, p6).
Sadly, the inquiry into the National Memorial Committee did not support the majority submissions that recommended rescinding the memorials. Instead, the National Capital Authority's advice was followed, that in the interest of procedural fairness and natural justice for the proponents, approvals should remain.
The new plans show the memorial monoliths linked by extensive straight paving that destroys the curve of the top terrace and is contrary to the series of curved landforms that radiate from the Parkes Way to the lake shore. The memorials also cut across the line of tree canopies that frame the vista from the lake to the Australia War Memorial.
The distressing memorials saga that was created by the NCA ignored the policies, plans and guidelines set out in its Griffin Legacy Plan, its heritage management plan, its guidelines for memorials and the heritage listings.
The public has suffered from a blatant lack of procedural fairness and natural justice in this decision-making mess.
Juliet Ramsay, Burra, NSW
VOLUNTEER TO CARE
The interesting article ''Officers weed out pest to let wildflowers flourish'' (February 1, p5) talked about the excellent work that ACT Parks and Conservation does in removing invasive weeds. Some Canberrans may not be aware that they can help with caring for our splendid reserves that give Canberra its bush capital character.
On the website tams.act.gov.au, follow the links about ''parkcare'' (volunteer) information to enjoy landcare.
E. Smith, Page
.gif)
