What Australian newspapers say on Friday, August 3, 2007 =2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2007
What Australian newspapers say on Friday, August 3, 2007 =2

The Canberra Times says at the behest of Prime Minister John Howard, the Commonwealth
is shortly to take over the funding of a hospital in north-west Tasmania where specialist
services are being downgraded by the state Labor government.

Howard's abrupt intervention undoes all the planning in Tasmania after several independent
reports recommended an amalgamation of two regional hospitals to create one general hospital
in Burnie.

Some "are asking why Howard chose particularly to intervene in the affairs of the Mersey
Hospital when there are some 550 hospitals in regional, rural and remote communities said
to be at risk of closure or having their services downgraded," the paper says.

"The speed with which Howard has put his plan into action ... and his failure to consider
the big picture of health-care provision in Tasmania reinforces the view that he has rolled
out the pork barrel to shore up the coalition's electoral chances."

Brisbane's The Courier-Mail says Queensland Premier Peter Beattie should continue the
reform theme by increasing the fixed term of the state government to four years.

A referendum is needed to change the basis of government from three to four-year terms
but the Labor and Liberal parties support the four-year proposal.

"Queensland at present provides a prime example of the shortcomings of three-year terms,
apart from the cost of holding elections," the paper says.

"Mr Beattie has experienced the pain of inadequate terms."

The Australian Financial Review says that, although distracted by rumbling stock markets,
regional finance ministers meeting in Queensland have been given a relatively reassuring
outlook for the global economy from the global financial institutions.

The Asian Development Bank is considering upgrading its regional growth outlook in
September, and the International Monetary Fund is standing by its recently upgraded growth
outlook for the world.

"These institutions are not playing down the prospect of more of the recent turbulence,
which World Bank President Robert Zoellick notes follows a period of unusual low volatility
in world markets," the paper says.

"But the underlying reassurance from the top global financial institutions is that
the opportunity for efficiency improvements in regionial economies and markets should
not be lost."



Adelaide's The Advertiser says the federal government should proceed with extreme caution,
if at all, in offering to override state governments and fund regional hospitals.

While the generous provision of federal funds is no doubt welcomed by local communities
anxious to retain hospital services, the policy does not automatically create good health
planning or management.

"No one can blame authorities in a town like Devonport for accepting a $45 million
federal handout to retain their community hospital," the paper says.

"The implementation of health policy should benefit the widest number of people, not
the community and political ambitions of a few."

The Northern Territory News says it is a great blessing for the people of Darwin that
the federal seat of Solomon is marginal because it means Canberra will throw a lot of
money at it during an election year.

The latest promise is that Canberra will pay for closed-circuit TV cameras to be installed
in Darwin city centre.

"The pledge seems to have been made off the cuff by Solomon MHR Dave Tollner yesterday morning."

"He should be kept to it."

Hobart's The Mercury says the Tasmanian government should not underestimate the painful
effect of a 15 per cent electricity price hike.

People will need to become more energy efficient to reduce their power bills.

"Power is as basic as food in a climate like this," the paper says.

"Treasurer Michael Aird could have put it better this week when he said `rising prices
are the way of the world and that's why you have salary and wage increases'."

In Perth, The West Australian says the WA government needs a broad vision to capitalise
on the opportunity presented by a long-term mining boom.

Professor Ross Garnaut's prediction that the boom will last another 20 years is a signal
for the government to act.

"At the moment, the Carpenter government is consumed by local issues like health, education
and welfare," the paper says.

"There is precious little evidence of any real planning about how the fruits of this
boom, let alone an extended one, will be invested.

AAP ec/cmc

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