Students, teachers and staff members of Naracoorte Primary School marked the Book Week parade last week by dressing up in their favourite characters from a book. Picture: Naracoorte Primary School Facebook Page.

By Nasik Swami and Chris Oldfield: Health Minister Chris Picton claims the Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) has implemented several changes to improve the care being provided to the people of Lucindale, following input from the community. But the Lucindale community disagrees with the minister and after being excluded from several meetings, says it still has not been consulted. Many residents report nursing services still have not returned to previous reliable or adequate capacity. Earlier this year the State Government cut phone lines, removed vaccines and virtually shut down the Lucindale Health Centre nursing services – as previously reported by The News. It did so without warning and without consulting the community, forcing elderly, sick and frail people with no driving ability to travel 80 kms round trips and more for nursing services. A high-level meeting was held at Parliament House last March between Mr Picton, his LCLHN representatives, […]

By Chris Oldfield: AROUND 5,000 or so grey-headed flying foxes, often called fruit bats, currently have two main camps – one near Naracoorte and the other around Mount Burr. The flying foxes can carry the deadly Lyssavirus and Hendra virus – anyone scratched or bitten must seek urgent medical attention. Even dead bats are considered too dangerous to touch, particularly as the highly fatal Lyssavirus has been found in SA bat populations. With a wingspan of up to one metre, they can weigh as much as one kilogram. During the day bats can be seen roosting upside down in their “camps”. At dusk they leave their camp to forage for food up to 20 kms away, sometimes much more, returning at dawn. They usually like to feed on nectar from flowering gums. One of the main camps for flying foxes locally is in pines near the Naracoorte Caves. But readers […]

Minister defends his position on radiation therapy By Nasik Swami: Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton, has confirmed his position for no radiation service in the South East. Following the recent release of the independent feasibility study report, which scrapped the establishment of the service despite $4.3 million of federal funding, The News asked Mr Picton the following questions: The chairman of Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN), Dr Saies, is a fly-in, fly-out doctor at Mt Gambier. Why is that okay for him and most SE hospitals to have fly-in and fly-out staff, but it is not okay for any radiation staff?  Icon Cancer Care said it would provide staff – isn’t it their responsibility, not the LCLHN? Do you find it suspicious that a $110,000 report (radiation therapy report) finds what the LCLHN wanted it to find, given its February 2022 minutes? Avoiding our questions, the minister […]

By Chris Oldfield: LOCAL police are seeking further information regarding several incidents throughout Naracoorte Lucindale and Tatiara districts. Naracoorte Sergeant Simon Haebich said he was particularly concerned about a break-in at Keith last month. During the night or early morning of July 14-15, while occupants slept an offender entered through an unlocked door and stole car keys. The offender then used them to steal the car parked outside in the driveway.   “A short time later that vehicle was captured on CCTV at a business premises on Bordertown’s Western Services Road where it rammed a cyclone gate, and then drove off,” Sgt Haebich said. “It is also suspected of being involved in some other `unlawfully on premises’ matters in the Bordertown light industrial area that morning. “Entry was gained in some business premises but there were no actual thefts.  “Nobody has been apprehended yet. The big thing for us is security […]

By Nasik Swami: The establishment of a radiation therapy service in Mount Gambier for the South East has been scrapped. An independent feasibility study has found that the establishment of a radiation therapy service in Mount Gambier for the South East to deliver cancer care is not “currently a safe, sustainable, or financially viable option”. The design and planning of the new Mount Gambier Cancer Care Centre have been on hold while the feasibility study into radiation therapy services was undertaken. The feasibility study has recommended changes to how cancer care is delivered in the region. The Limestone Coast Local Health Network Governing Board announced that it would pursue changes to the cancer treatment regimen, reduced requirements for travel, and the establishment of dedicated local cancer leadership, as well as advocate for adequate compensation for travel. LCLHN governing board chair, Dr Andrew Saies, welcomed the report’s findings and thanked everyone […]

By Chris Oldfield: NARACOORTE based radiotherapy working group chairman Lachlan Haynes has vowed “we won’t give up” following a $110,000 feasibility study rejecting South East radiation services. Meanwhile, the $243million Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) is aiming to spend $4.3 million of federal funding for radiation services on a Cancer Consult Suite at the Mount Gambier Hospital. According to the LCLHN’s meeting minutes, it decided to do that in February 2022, before it hired Health Q to do a feasibility study. “This is a decision that treats us in regional South Australia as second-class citizens, especially those with cancer,” Mr Haynes said. “The former Coalition Federal Government put $4.3 million into a radiation therapy service for the South East. “The Malinauskas Government can’t even put $1.3 million towards running it. “But it can spend $42 million on a football oval at Lyndoch. Where is the sense in that? “Other […]

By Nasik Swami: It was a lucky escape for a truck driver in Frances, outside of Naracoorte. This after the truck he was driving, loaded with hay, caught fire on July 25. According to the Country Fire Service (CFS) 17 firefighters on four CFS trucks had to attend the tray-top truck fire.  “The truck was driving along Frances Road at just before 5pm, when its load of hay burst into flames, CFS confirmed.  “The driver pulled over, and a nearby farmer who witnessed the incident drove his tractor over and helped by unloading the burning hay, which prevented further damages to the $500,000 rig.” CFS crews worked hard to extinguish the fire, however, the 30 large hay bales and parts of the tray top were destroyed.   According to CFS, total loss is estimated to be at $130,000. Investigations into the incident continue.

By Chris Oldfield: NARACOORTE based radiotherapy working group chairman Lachlan Haynes has vowed “we won’t give up” following a $110,000 feasibility study rejecting South East radiation services. Meanwhile, the $243million Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN)...

By Chris Oldfield: LOCAL police are seeking further information regarding several incidents throughout Naracoorte Lucindale and Tatiara districts. Naracoorte Sergeant Simon Haebich said he was particularly concerned about a break-in at Keith last month. During the...

By Nasik Swami: It was a lucky escape for a truck driver in Frances, outside of Naracoorte. This after the truck he was driving, loaded with hay, caught fire on July 25. According to the Country Fire Service (CFS) 17 firefighters on four CFS trucks had to attend the...

By Chris Oldfield: SA LIBERAL leader David Speirs has cancelled plans to return to Scotland for another family wedding. But speculation continues as the State Government urges a leadership challenge. In a statement issued at deadline for press last week, a spokesperson for the Leader of the Opposition said the Liberal Party was “incredibly united” under his leadership. The comments came in the wake of claims Mr Speirs had issued an ultimatum to his colleagues, urging them to mount a challenge to his leadership. Mr Speirs had returned to Scotland for a cousin’s wedding when the State Budget was released, and was hoping to return for another family wedding soon.  But that meant possibly missing the first week of Parliament on top of missing the release of the Budget.  As a result, disgruntled Liberals had leaked to several media outlets, including The News. Labor then seized on comments Mr Speirs […]