Wellbeing, health and happiness. The privileged and the not so privileged.

Visualising 150 years of human #wellbeing https://t.co/poUgRULNRO #health #happiness pic.twitter.com/bgjdph5mAp

— World Economic Forum (@wef) December 17, 2015

Children in detention hospitalised under armed guard in Melbourne. Doctors refuse to discharge them back to detention.

Royal Children's Hospital doctors refuse to return children to detention http://t.co/x82zKckXeA pic.twitter.com/X2T1MQCKmx

— The Age (@theage) October 10, 2015

Royal Children's Hospital chairman Rob Knowles told News Corp he supported the doctors' stand to protect the health and safety of children.

"The work of RCH doctors and nurses is highly valued by the Victorian community, and has made this hospital a global leader in adolescent and child health," he said.

"It is not surprising these same specialists would be concerned about the detention of children, on the basis that detention can have severe detrimental impacts on children's health.

"Our staff have consistently acted responsibly and in a considered manner in relation to the treatment of children in detention, and I support their right to have a responsible, considered opinion on this significant matter of public interest."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/royal-childrens-hospital-doctors-refuse-to-return-children-to-detention-20151010-gk63xm.html#ixzz3oDHdrtBM 
Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook

Suicide among elderly men 3x higher than the national average

Rate of suicide amongst elderly men on the rise

·        Download audio

Wednesday 26 August 2015 8:06AM 

(view full episode)

Picture at left: Fran Kelly of ABC RN Breakfast

Mental health experts in New South Wales have highlighted a worrying trend: the rise in the number of men aged over 85 who are taking their own lives.

The rate of suicide in this age group is now three times higher than the national average.

The Council on the Ageing in New South Wales will hold a forum in Sydney today to try and get to the bottom of why this is happening.

Meanwhile, health professionals believe ageism may be blinding some doctors from recognising warning signs of mental illness.

If you are experiencing mental health issues you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78.

Shame, Australia, Shame. Australia cares more about money than people.

Our entire shameful #refugee policy of Australia explained in 4 Gosford Anglican Church signs. We can do much better. YES?#GoBackSBS

Posted by Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) on Saturday, 1 August 2015

Writing in protest to politicians re the gags on health professions on Manus and Nauru? Some information which might be of assistance

Brigid O'Carroll Walsh

8 mins · Ballarat · 

Are you protesting about the silencing by the Abbott Government of the health professionals on Manus and Nauru? Are you writing letters and social media? Below are links to media from the RACGP which might be helpful: 

http://www.racgp.org.au/…/news/media-rel…/world-refugee-day/  

http://www.racgp.org.au/…/medi…/australian-border-force-act/

RACGP - RACGP calls for gag on health professionals to be lifted on World Refugee Day

RACGP calls for gag on health professionals to be lifted on World Refugee Day | RACGP

RACGP.ORG.AU|BY THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

An ever-increasing problem: antibiotic resistance: restricting antibiotic and meat intake can be part of the solution

Post by Scientific American magazine.

Some sections of the Australian community can no longer find their heart. #PrayerCare

Please pray for John Grayson 

and the bureaucrats and politicians who are doing this to him. 

 If you are not too sure about prayer, 

please send kind and positive thoughts towards him and his circumstances.

Post by Newcastle Herald.

The G20 Summit occurring in Brisbane : voices of the Anglican Communion speak out : message from Philip Freier, Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia & Archbishop of Melbourne

Anglican Communion voices speak out ahead of the G20 summit 

Posted on: November 13, 2014 4:17 PM 

The G20 is a forum for the governments and central bank governors 

from 20 major economies 

Photo Credit: G20 

By ACNS staff

Leading figures from the Anglican Communion are speaking out before and during this weekend’s G20 meeting in Brisbane, Australia, on a range of economic and development issues.

The G20 is a forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies that are said to account for around 85% of the gross world product, 80% of world trade and two-thirds of the world population.

 On the sidelines of the meeting will be people from countries not all represented in the G20, reminding world leaders that global growth should not come at the expense of the world's poorest people.

(l to r) Tagolyn Kabekabe and Abp Winston Halapua 
Photo Credit: ABM
 The Anglican Board of Mission (ABM) reports that the Archbishop of Polynesia, Winston Halapua is asking the G20 to consider how they might co-operate to minimise the impacts of climate change which are already being felt by people in the Pacific Islands.

The Anglican Alliance Regional facilitator for the Pacific will also be in Brisbane during the event. Tagolyn Kabekabe works with communities in the Solomon Islands who are experiencing the erosion of their homelands, poisoning of their food gardens by salt water and increasing exposure to extreme weather events.

Tagolyn represented the Anglican Communion, in particular those in the Pacific directly affected by climate change, at the C20 meeting – a civil society forum that met in June to feed in to the G20 discussions.

The Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, Dr Philip Freier, has issued a statement in which he warns global leaders that “failure to address these issues of economic security and justice will lead to more international conflict and reduce the possibility of human flourishing”. [His full statement is below]

ABM's Greg Henderson has been organising opportunities for people in Brisbane to meet Archbishop Winston and Tagolyn Kabekabe. He says that it is important for Australians to recognise that climate change is a justice issue, "because its impact is being felt most seriously by communities who have the least power to address the causes of anthropogenic warming".

According to the G20 website, the meeting's agenda has been built around the key themes of

• promoting stronger economic growth and employment outcomes 
• making the global economy more resilient to deal with future shocks 
• strengthening global institutions to ensure they reflect the new realities of the global economy.

For more about the G20’s priorities visit  

https://www.g20.org/g20_priorities  

Statement by Dr Philip Freier, 

Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia and Archbishop of Melbourne: 

The G20 meeting of the world’s 20 largest economies in Brisbane this weekend takes place in increasingly uncertain times. There are growing fears of global recession, rising international tensions and growing economic inequality between countries and within countries. 

 In the longer term there are vast challenges, such as managing climate change, global population growth and movement, international conflict, food security, water, and potential epidemics. 

It is essential that the countries taking part look beyond their own short-term national interests and seek to address these challenges in a concerted and effective way. I echo Pope Francis, who urged last week that the discussions move beyond declarations of principle to real improvements in the living conditions of poorer families and the reduction of all forms of unacceptable inequality. 

It will require good will and trust on all sides if the G20 summit is to achieve real progress, and it is the nature of international politics that no one wants to go first on such a path. Yet without a clear-sighted optimism, real change will be impossible. 

Failure to address these issues of economic security and justice will lead to more international conflict and reduce the possibility of human flourishing. They cannot be left to fester. The Anglican Church of Australia urges the G20 leaders to search for new and cooperative solutions that can work across the globe. To that end, we offer our support and prayers. 

 +Philip, Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia

Of interest to #Ballarat people: Catherine King, the Member for Ballarat, is on the ABC's Q&A to-night

To-night's Q&A program on ABCTV includes Ballarat's Federal Member of Parliament, Catherine King who is the Shadow Minister for Health in the Labor Opposition. Ballarat is fortunate to have such a highly qualified woman to represent its interests in the Federal Parliament in Canberra.

Health services are a major part of Australian society.  We have had a universal health care system since 1975.  There have been many changes across significant portfolio areas under the first budget of the Abbott Government. The Federal Budget has not been passed in its entirety.  It has been marooned in a backwash of the government's own making.  Part of the controversial changes in the budget, is the introduction of a co-payment for visits to the doctor and other heal professionals.  This is seen as an erosion of universal health care and re-introducing inequities which Medicare had long since abolished.

So Ballarat, please consider tuning in to-night to hear what your local member of the Federal Parliament has to say.

In the photo above:
Sharon Knight - State MLA running for election in the seat of Wendouree
Catherine King and Marianna Hubbard of #Pinarc
The program being supported and campaigned for is the
#National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Sanitation - not just a health issue but an 'inequality for women' issue ... in India and in Australia. #Blogaction14, #Inequality, #Oct16, #Ballarat

We, in supposedly comfortable Australia,

often forget that what we regard as "the basics" 

are not always available everywhere.

Sanitation is not only a matter of health and hygiene,

it is also a women's issue of great importance.

Some women on this planet, because of culture and poverty,

 can only "go"under cover of darkness to a communal dump.

Sanitation is an issue in Australia too -

for many Aboriginal communities in remote Australia.

Please update your knowledge at the links below.

Please consider.

Water and sanitation are human rights for women and girls

Women, safe water and sanitation

...and the situation in Australia?

Sanitation in Australian Aboriginal communities

 Indigenous Plumbing & Sanitation Foundation

This post is being cross posted at The Network for Blog Action Day 2014

Health Advocacy Organisations call on Australian Government & Parliament to show leadership...

Health groups call for leadership in healthcare funding   Tuesday September 23, 2014As a new AIHW report showing declining health spending is released, a wide range of health advocacy organisations have joined together today to call on the Government and Parliament to show leadership in relation to health funding, and ensure that decisions take into account the health of everyone in the community, particularly the most vulnerable. A wide range of health advocacy organisations have joined together today to call on the Government and Parliament to show leadership in relation to health funding, and ensure that decisions take into account the health of everyone in the community, particularly the most vulnerable. "Good health is a fundamental building block to the well-being of individuals, communities and the economy. There is a need for considered and evidence based approaches to healthcare funding and services," CEO of ACOSS, Dr Cassandra Goldie said today while launching the statement. "Community organisations with a deep interest in health are growing increasingly alarmed about the significant changes that are being proposed in the area of health, without significant community discussion about the implications, particularly on those who are most vulnerable and most likely to be impacted by changes such as the proposed GP co-payment. "Organisations who have signed up to today's statement remain opposed to any form of GP co-payment, even one with exemptions as this does not go far enough to ensure that those who most need healthcare are not faced with cost barriers. "Any changes in healthcare funding needs to protect those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Current proposals on the table do not adequately address the impacts on groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those with chronic illness, and older members of our community. We also know that those who are poorer are more likely to be sick. So, it is those who are least likely to be able to afford it who are going to be most impacted by measures such as new or increased co-payments. "In addition to proposals such as the GP co-payment, and increases to the co-payment for PBS medicines, there are other adverse changes being made through the budget, such as the reduction of funding to health promotion and preventative health. It's hard to see how this will help improve people's health and take off pressure in the health system. "There is strong evidence that supports investing in preventive health as the most long-term, cost effective and ethical approach to maintaining and improving Australia's universal health care system. Investing in a healthy Australia takes strong leadership and a vision for a better future for all people and communities in Australia. "The groups who have come together today stand ready to work with Government to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the health system. We call on the Government and the Parliament to focus on evidence, and not be tempted to introduce short term fixes to expenditure which will only cost more in the long term," Dr Goldie concluded. A copy of the Joint Community Statement on Health and signatories can be found here Sign on Organisations Media Contacts: Australian Association of Social Workers - 0400 613 516 Australian Council of Social Service - 0419 626 155 Australian Federation of Aids Organisations - 0421 040 538 Australian Men's Health Forum - 0437 571 130 Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation - 0411 254 390 Catholic Social Services Australia - 0400 576 917 Consumers Health Forum of Australia - 0414 358 091 MS Australia - 0427959972 National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations - 02-6246 9347 Public Health Association of Australia - 0417 249 731