Medical records
Frustrated patients such as Merrill Moore (Letters, May 12), who have been denied access to their medical records and have sought to keep the issue alive in the media, might wish to reconsider their tactics.
We were recently faced with a similar problem with my husband's records, which were held at a privately owned bulk-billing clinic. He was told the clinic's policy was not provide patients or their new doctor with copies of their records, but only to provide notes on specific issues. We knew this was not good enough, and were able to confirm that these policies were inconsistent with ACT and Commonwealth legislation as well as with AMA codes of practice and advice from the Medical Defence Association.
After consulting the office of the Health Services Commissioner, we prepared and delivered a letter to the clinic making it clear that we were aware of the patient's legal rights and giving them 14 days to make the records available. That ended the discussion, and the records were duly provided.
Karina Morris, Weetangera
Broulee damage
Phil Armstrong's defence of development by Banksia Retirement Village at Broulee (Letters, May 11) states that people choose to live in Broulee (and Mossy Point) rather than Moruya because they are ''special places''.
In that case perhaps he can explain why Banksia Village chose in all its development stages to date to obliterate the existing environment and replace it with suburbia similar to that in Moruya. How special is that? Not even a single tree has been left standing.
The original natural character of western Broulee is being progressively destroyed as ''development'' plans, approved decades before today's environmental consciousness, continue to be rolled out. Unfortunately Eurobodalla Council appears to pay lip service to its tree preservation policies in approving the various stages. It doesn't even seem to require that remnant patches of forest be left in residential areas to preserve some of the original character of the landscape.
Council could at least pay more than lip service to its sustainability goals by requiring developers to pay for as much new forest planting elsewhere as is necessary to replace the carbon sinks destroyed by the bulldozers.
Visitors to Broulee must also be amazed that massive destruction of unique mature littoral forest continues to occur in Broulee (and elsewhere along the ''Nature Coast'') when only a few hundred metres further inland large expanses of land cleared long ago are left undeveloped.
Don Beattie, Broulee, NSW
Assembly size
George Williams (''Wanted: a workable system'', 20 years of self-government souvenir supplement, May 11, p12) talks about making a workable system without examining current Assembly practices or mechanisms to tap into the expertise available beyond MLAs and ACT administration.
His hankering for five five-member electorates would short-change voters who have enjoyed the greater levels of competition in Molonglo and the closer reflection in outcomes of differences in party support levels. In addition, greater proportions of women have been elected in the seven-member electorate.
If the Federal Government were to hand over power over the size of the Assembly, any increase in size would have to be approved by either about 60per cent of those voting at referendum, or a two-thirds Assembly majority. There is of course no prospect of the former occurring.
Would the Federal Government legislate in the middle of a recession for the greatest percentage increase in the size of an Australian legislature in over a century before handing over such power? First, that would require an Assembly resolution seeking such an increase, and last, Senate passage of any proposed amendment. Best for the Assembly to systematically explore how better use can be made of available resources, and perhaps look to making a public case for a more modest increase to 21 members in three electorates at some point.
Bogey Musidlak, convenor, Proportional Representation Society of Australia (ACT branch)
Ugly scene
I was shocked to read the article ''Taunted woman found not guilty of assaulting boy, 7'' (May 9, p1).
It is hard to believe that this ugly scene took place in a Canberra suburb.
My question to the parents involved is: Why aren't you teaching your children respect for themselves and others, respect for other people's property, kindness, patience, tolerance, etc all the virtues they need to practise to live peacefully in suburbia? Instead, the parents are apparently are aiding and abetting the children taking photos of the boy's alleged injuries to make a complaint to the police.
A neighbour said she saw Lynnette Laurenz shake the boy.
She obviously did nothing to defuse the situation. but what on earth were the police and prosecutor's office thinking in taking this charge to the courts?
Surely they should have been counselling the parents on their responsibilities as parents.
A good start would be to curb the children's foul language and to apologise to Laurenz for terrorising her.
Rita Duncan, Yarralumla
Lacking at lake
After three decades, regularly using the various exercise facilities around Lake Burley Griffin on my daily walks and bike rides, I am saddened at the way they have been allowed to fall into disrepair.
These exercise bars and sit-up planks have become almost an institution for many of us, both the elderly and youngsters.
I am 89 years of age and need a regular exercise routine to keep me going to my 100th year, and to receive my letters from the queens of England and Holland.
Surely the ACT Government can find enough funds to maintain this equipment.
Canberra is not just an arts and cultural centre, after all. Real people live here and have to be looked after from our rates and taxes.
Max van Apeldoorn, Yarralumla
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