Since the days of former ACT Health Minister Kate Carnell in the late 1990s, the Zita Mary Clinic at Calvary Hospital has been treating northside cancer patients with chemo and other cancer treatments in a professional and friendly manner. With its eight treatment chairs and two beds, it has provided a dedicated treatment centre for cancer sufferers in a personalised, holistic way that is more patient-friendly than the very good but larger treatment centre in Building 15 at TCH.  

The Zita Mary Clinic is now set to close as the service is not able to be accredited as the facility needs money to be spent on its modernisation. Its patients will now have to go to Woden, which will strain that service and deprive thousands of northside Canberrans of a personalised, professional service north of the Lake. Thanks to James and all the staff for a great service over these past 25 years or so. Come on Mr Barr, how about spending some money to keep this great service going instead of proceeding with stage 2 of the tram? 

On another note, I had a great idea for the new Liberal/National federal opposition that hits several spots.

Peter Dutton should announce a major policy/educational/fact finding initiative, which combines massive consultation with all interested members of the community, industry, academia, business and government, together with educating the Australian people, who largely remain clueless about the risks, opportunities and pitfalls of climate change and energy security.  

He should convene in all states and territories a series of rolling, large-scale public forums to hear from all sections of our Australian community as to what medium- to long-term solutions and policies we as a nation should adopt. Professional experts should start each session by relating the scientific basis for what is occurring, where Australia sits, where China and other big emitters sit, what is happening worldwide over the next five to 10 years and what it all means for us, what things we need to look at, what we can do and the options we have. Then everyone else should have their say.

The media must be involved all the way and all these meetings must be open to the media. Meetings need to be held in all capital cities, major regional and county areas in all states and territories.  

I would imagine the process could take anything from 12 to 18 months, if it is to be done properly. It must be open, thorough, and warts and all. All sections of the population should be listened to, no matter how crazy some of their ideas may be. It must be inclusive.

At the end of the process, the new Opposition can spend a few months sifting through it all and come up with a detailed policy. The Albanese government would be free to adopt it or not. But the process alone would serve to educate and inform the population, as well as give the Opposition kudos for developing it.  

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Canberra Daily.

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