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The Age

Saturday August 12, 2006

BAD PRACTICE - AN AGE INVESTIGATION

Wrong point

JOHN Mendoza of the Mental Health Council of Australia has missed the point in defending its acceptance of sponsorship money from pharmaceutical companies (Letters, 10/8). The Age is to be congratulated for its expose, "Beating the blues" (8/8). It is inappropriate for advocacy bodies to accept money from companies that lobby governments to permit more of their products to be sold to the mentally ill. Whether the funding is disclosed or hidden is not the point. It should be rejected as a matter of principle.

Vern Hughes, People Power, Yarraville

First, no harm

THE oncologist on whom I depend to treat my advanced cancer is prescribing medication that costs $1006 for 10.08 milligrams. If a free meal or flight is the result, what harm is done? If, however, a breach of trust is involved by over-prescribing, then a specialist or GP is liable for de-registration. I note that the legislation governing ethics is made by politicians who receive these same benefits from the public purse and yet breach the public confidence daily.

Michael Zampatti, Frankston

Do without drugs

IT'S unbelievable that AMA president Mukesh Haikerwal can say pharmaceutical companies' marketing efforts have no influence on doctors' prescribing habits (The Age, 8/8). Does he think the industry would spend so much money on this if there was no impact? More worrying is that doctors prescribe at all when a non-drug treatment would be better. Patients are often not told about "dollar-less" options or given full information about a drug's toxicity (because research has been avoided or the findings obfuscated). This is a breach of their rights. As long as drugs and dollars are pulling our health system's strings, the health of all will suffer and doctors' professional standing will be diminished.

Jane Castles, Carlton North

Support for Hickie

THE suggestion that at last year's Pharmacy Australia Congress, Professor Ian Hickie was introduced as a "staunch supporter of pharmacy's complementary role with doctors" (The Age, 8/8) is misleading. He and I shared the dais. It was the Pharmacy Institute of Australia's annual conference - the conference of your local chemists! Professor Hickie and myself were supporting the role of local chemists in dealing with people with mental illnesses, part of which is working with their GP. Professor Hickie came from Sydney, on a Saturday, and spoke for nothing. A small donation to charity was made for my talk. The article omitted the extensive work he has done on alternative therapies, in particular cognitive behaviour therapy and training GPs in alternative therapies.

Associate Professor Neil Cole, Monash University

Filling the gap

IN LIEU of adequate government funding for mental health education and services, the gap has often been filled by pharmaceutical companies. Congratulations, rather than castigation, is in order for their work in depression awareness. Are Age readers so naive that they believe the development of medications and prudent business practice can be achieved without wooing consumers of psychiatric services?

James Goodin, Mental Health Foundation of Australia (Vic), Richmond

Honesty at last, but a difficult ask

JOHN Howard's ministry revamp (The Age, 10/8) comes with a surprising surge of honesty about the purpose of the new arrangements - not to provide another barrage of information about the WorkChoices reforms, but to distribute targeted information to counter the (apparently successful) union scare campaign. Mr Howard's press release does not refer to the (apparently unsuccessful) mantra of choice, simplicity and fairness. Instead, the task of Joe Hockey and the revived taskforce will be to "better inform the public how these changes will strengthen the Australian economy".

Whatever the slogan, it will be difficult to put a positive spin on stories appearing regularly in this paper, such as the young leukaemia patient refused his disability support pension and the Global Telesales workers pushed onto Australian Workplace Agreements with reduced guaranteed rates of pay, and a bonus scheme that discriminates against those who take sick or carers' leave. It is difficult to see how these outcomes can be transformed into indicators of a more prosperous Australia.

Carolyn Sutherland, lecturer in employment law, Monash University

In the Spotlight

KEVIN Andrews has failed miserably in his job to sell the dud WorkChoices legislation, which is a massive attack on the working conditions and living standards of ordinary Australians. But don't worry Kev, if you get the sack, there are positions available behind the counter at Spotlight.

Denis Evans, Brunswick

Not rocket science

EDUCATION Minister Julie Bishop is correct to say the high drop-out rate of school students from science subjects should be addressed (The Age, 10/8). However as a biomedical scientist for many years, I would suggest that the insecurity of careers in science may be a contributing factor. Who can blame students for not wanting to enter a discipline where government funding is inadequate? This leads to restricted, inflexible career paths and a lack of job security. This is particularly so for women, who may need to take time out for family reasons and take up part-time work for a while.

There is no point in improving science education in schools if there are not enough secure, well-paid jobs or career paths that encompass, in particular, the needs of women.

Dr Hilary Vaughan, Eaglemont

All too embarrassing

I DON'T know what is more embarrassing for Australia: John Howard adopting Pauline Hanson's refugee policy, an MP who proudly wears a nickname he got by battering an Aborigine with a blunt instrument, or an Opposition Leader who can't beat these extremists in a debate.

Iain Lygo, Anglesea

Stripped of a fig leaf and a cocoon

WHY are people so enamoured of MPs such as Petro Georgiou? For a decade, the moderates in the Liberal Party have allowed John Howard to punish and demonise refugees, gays, young people and Muslims. For the first eight years, they let the Australian Democrats do all the work of blocking bad bills; only now that that fig leaf has been torn away are they forced to make some grudging steps to help the community. The moderate Liberals have shown themselves to be lazy and opportunistic - as soon as they no longer have to do the hard work, they will go back to their cosy backbench cocoons.

Luke Miller, Frankston

We're all refugees

THE refugee legislation is inhumane, un-Australian and does not take into account the fact that most, if not all of us or our ancestors, came here from other countries, through luck or good grace. We do not own this land, but camp here. We claim to espouse Christian ethics, while shooing away those who seek our refuge, back to lands where they are endangered. Are we to be ruled by fear, or by compassion and recognition that we can only survive by helping and understanding each other?

I came from South Africa, from an unjust system to a free, generous, kind Australia. The way it is headed makes me hang my head in sad recognition. Senators, please follow your consciences on this issue. Do not make us ashamed of this country.

Paula Polson, Surrey Hills

The naked travellers

HERE we go again . . . be alert but not alarmed. Airline security in Australia can't get much tighter without being any more intrusive and, short of travelling naked, there's not much more we can do. However, terrorists want to mix in society, and while the authorities may have busted a cell of 20 or 30 "extremists", who is to say that another cell is not plotting to blow up Melbourne's or Sydney's rail systems? You only have to look at the security measures not in place on our train system during peak periods. What happened to air marshals on planes and the increased police presence on the transport system seen during the Commonwealth Games? Ah, as I thought, window dressing and spin by our governments.

Chris Campbell, Mitcham

What else is new?

THE bomb plot crisis in Britain is disturbing but predictable. As long as the US-sanctioned carnage is allowed to continue in Lebanon, Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq, terrorist activity will persist, with the US and her allies the main targets. The "war on terror" can never be won unless there is a major policy shift in the White House. However, this is unlikely given the current inept administration.

Kel Joaquin-Byrne, Randwick, NSW

Crying too, thanks to Hezbollah

RE DAYAN Youssef (Letters, 11/8). Fact: Lebanon supports Hezbollah - by allowing it to carry out terrorist acts from within Lebanon, and absurdly allowing its heinous members to be part of the Lebanese Government. Fact: Hezbollah deliberately hides within the civilian population so that when Israel targets infrastructure that is used by Hezbollah (after first warning civilians to leave), unfortunately civilians are killed. Fact: The Israelis too have a huge amount of honour for their land, and no amount of terrorism will force them to stand down.

Dayan, I too cry. I cry for your fellow country people and the "inconvenience" this war has caused your family in Australia.

But mainly I cry for those in Israel who must live in bomb shelters, those whose homes have been destroyed, and those who have been killed or lost their loved ones as a result of Hezbollah's targeting of Israeli civilians (Jewish and Arab).

Bradley Dean, Elsternwick

Israel its own demon

IN THE continuing disaster in the Middle East, both sides are claiming victimhood. As in any military conflict, each protagonist distorts its account of the numbers dead or injured on both sides. David Schulberg (Letters, 10/8) ought to know this. Israel is not being "demonised" by anything but its own massive over-reaction to the threat posed by Hezbollah and its backers. The Israeli Government is doing no service to its own people or to others in the area and beyond.

This, plus the news that Hezbollah is enjoying hero status in the Muslim/Arab world, may be seen by some as an unfortunately necessary price to pay for Israel's "defensive" actions. Is this what Mr Schulberg thinks?

Steve Brook, Elwood

We should all be better sports

NEVILLE Wright (Letters, 11/8) and all the other apologists for Dean Jones miss the point. It is not whether all (presumably Anglo-Celtic) Australians think it is humorous to call Muslims terrorists. It is about treating others with the respect we expect from them. Australia is a small drop in the world's ocean - our sporting representatives' words and actions often suggest a small-mindedness that reflects poorly on all of us. For that if nothing else, they should be accountable.

Bernie de Vries, Eltham

A sad ending

HOW sad it was to read that there is "no drama for our best and brightest", namely John Wood, Lisa McCune, Sigrid Thornton, Peter Rowsthorn and Georgie Parker, to work on (Arts & Culture, 11/8). These people represent our national treasures.

Still, when their time comes, we at least have them on video and DVD. Also, thank God, some of them are still on Foxtel.

Cliff Ellen, Rye

Lights, action and out, damn mobiles

DURING screenings at the Melbourne International Film Festival, the dark interiors have been transformed into a night club ambience with pockets of glowing light. Once inside, patrons ring friends to see where they're sitting. Some continue to talk until the film starts, like smokers getting one last drag. The socially responsible obsessives pull jumpers over their head to check their emails.

The brazen check openly - scrolling, reading, filing. One woman sent a text in the dark, then left. She was probably telling her friends in the audience she was leaving. The only checking permitted should be mobiles checking-in at the door.

Malcolm Just, East St Kilda

© 2006 The Age

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