A service which for 35 years has allowed Launceston women to give birth in home-like surroundings is set to close because it cannot recruit enough independent midwives to keep operating. The Launceston Birth Centre, across the road from the Launceston General Hospital, also provides midwives to help women give birth in their own homes.
February 13, 2019
An Afghan asylum seeker will face a Sydney court this week after allegedly assaulting two nurses at Royal North Shore Hospital when he was transferred from Nauru for medical treatment last month.
February 13, 2019
A Robina Hospital maintenance worker has faced court accused of shoving his hand down the pants and up the shirt of a staff member. He also allegedly took the woman’s hand and placed it on his clothed groin area during an incident in June 2017. Anthony Alan Dixon pleaded not guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to two counts of sexual assault. In his opening, Crown Prosecutor Michael Mitchell outlined what the jury of five men and seven women would hear during the trial. He told the court the pair were working in the kitchen area of the doctors’ accommodation at the time of the alleged attack. Mr Mitchell told the jury Dixon said to the woman: “I can tell you haven’t had sex for a long time. Do you want me?” Dixon then grabbed her by the arm, shoved a hand down the woman’s pants, not quite to the genital area, before putting the same hand up her shirt, the court was told. Mr Mitchell said Dixon also grabbed the woman’s hand and put it on his clothed groin. The jury was told the woman tried to shake Dixon off and managed to move away. Mr Mitchell said Dixon kept asking the woman for a kiss. “She thought if she just let him kiss her once he would let her go,” he said. The court was told the woman left the area and finished work without telling anyone. The woman allegedly told her son that afternoon before repeating the allegations to her bosses two days after the incident. Mr Mitchell said it took the woman about six months to report the incident to police. The trial continues today.
February 13, 2019
Dr Curtis Walker was today elected chairperson of the Medical Council of New Zealand. He succeeds Mr Andrew Connolly who has been the Council’s chair since February 2014.
February 13, 2019
Former premier Jeff Kennett says he feels “let down” and has blamed alcohol and hubris for alleged inappropriate behaviour against women by Robert Doyle. Mr Kennett, who initially supported the ex-lord mayor, weighed into the issue as real estate agent Kharla Williams became the first woman to publicly identify herself as one of several women who have complained to Victoria Police about Mr Doyle. Ms Williams was allegedly touched inappropriately on the thigh at a Melbourne Health dinner in 2016, and said she went to police because investigations by the City of Melbourne and the Health Department could not be resolved. Mr Doyle has denied any wrongdoing. Mr Kennett said he felt “let down and disappointed”, and “terribly saddened” for the women. A City of Melbourne spokeswoman said the council had always sought to ensure its investigation proceeded as quickly as possible, having regard to the interests of all parties.
February 13, 2019
John Mohi, a rest home resident, was last seen wearing blue jeans and a blue jersey with green stripes on the chest. The 77-year old man with dementia is missing in the Bay of Plenty. Police are searching for John Mohi, known as “Johnny Moses”, who was last seen on Wilson Rd in Maketū at 1pm on Monday.
February 13, 2019
New stats show the Diploma of Nursing is the number-one most sought-after free TAFE course at Federation University, followed by the Certificate III in Agriculture and Diploma of Community Services. Other courses that can now been done free-of-charge locally include an electricians’ pre-apprenticeship, welding, accounting, aged care, disability services and alcohol/drug counselling. Western Victorian MLC Gayle Tierney is also the Minister for Training and Skills and says nursing students in particular are saving big bucks..
February 12, 2019
Ozcare has to answer a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) claim in front of Fair Work Commissioner Booth in his Brisbane chambers (Rhind)
