The Power of Voice

When you think of the Arts what comes to mind? Beauty, awe, inspiration, intrigue, and passion perhaps. How about the power of the message, or the voice of the arts and what is conveys about our community? The Tin Shed Singers certainly have the power of voice, singing ‘The Warrnambool Anthem’ and ‘We are the Sheddies’ with conviction, vigour and joy. The camaraderie of what it means to be in a local men’s singing group was strong. The Sheddies are one of eighteen singing groups in the Warrnambool region and Phil Shaw expressed beautifully the power of community voice to transform lives and it made me wonder how strong our community voice is to do just that – transform lives.

As community leaders are we using our voice with conviction, vigour and joy to transform lives in our community? Are we harnessing the creativity and innovation within to ensure we have a thriving, vibrant, resilient community that embraces individuality and connects people through unique experiences? The Warrnambool region is certainly creating opportunity to do just that. The street art, singing groups, live performances, exhibitions and creative textiles are examples of how local, and further afield artists, are bringing a sense of pride and identity to our community. Using the arts to tell our story and to build the future narrative of who and what we are as community is to be embraced.

As leaders lets unite and gather, bring in and embrace the many voices to share the rhythm, beat and vibe; to embrace the unique, creative and innovative; to tell the stories and build a rich, thriving, resilient and connected community that transforms lives.

Kate Roache, 2019 Program Particpant

Keeping Our Community Safe

Everyone has their day in court…thankfully, mine wasn’t as a contestant it was as a LGSC reporter, I felt somewhat remote but none-the-less embedded in what seemed to me to be an often depressing and difficult scenario. LGSC 2019 Participants were privileged to visit the Warrnambool law Courts and see Peter Mellas’s Magistrates Court in session for several Contest Mention appearances. This provided an insight into how the criminal justice system works in Victoria and the challenging range of issues that are presented.

Outside the court, Magistrate Mellas spoke to us providing a wider appreciation of how the legal system represents a third arm of Government. We were also privileged to see the Koori Court with Registrar, Carla Sudholz who explained the significance of the layout and processes used. We all walked away understanding more about the diversity of issues within our community legal system and the challenges magistrates face in providing protection and support to the community.

Family violence against women and children was discussed providing both context and background for some of the deliberations seen in the Magistrates court. The figures on sexual assault are staggering. One in four women are sexually assaulted by the time they are 18 years old. This is not a stranger danger warning as 95% of all assaults are perpetrated in the family home.

Gender inequality is at the core of much family violence and the mistreatment of women. The responsibility for stopping family violence rests with everyone in the community. As a father / stepfather for five men between 22 and 24 years old, I feel a particular responsibility to challenge their view and ensure them some solid advice to help them evolve more balanced and ethical behaviors.

Our Speakers reinforced that we must be always alert to family violence and if we hear or see something untoward with a friend or colleague, we should never brush it off. The sobering thought is, that it takes 33 significant incidents of family violence before women may take action. Your concern and support can immediately save a life and / or provide the opportunity for children to grow up in a normal and healthy environment.

The source of much family violence and other crimes appears to be well researched and lays at the foot of either substance abuse or mental health issues. We learnt how widespread methamphetamine (Ice) is around the Great South Coast region. This insidious drug reduces inhibitions and brazen crimes are committed without the inner self control that we all have.

The role of keeping our community safe should not fall on the police or courts. In the case of family violence there may be few symptoms that something is wrong until the matter has escalated. It is everyone’s responsibility so we all need to step up and do our part and we should never allow it to become just another day in court.

Anthony Dufty, 2019 Program Particpant

Taking an Industry Perspective

Industry, economy, community and a sustainable future are all interrelated.

Having lived in Portland for the past 13 years I thought I had a firm understanding of the industries that reside in our town. Via our Taking an Industry Perspective Program Day I gained a greater insight into the extensive services and the scope of that various industries provide and the inter connectivity of them, their economic input and our community.

Keppel Prince, Portland Aluminium, Port of Portland and Yumbah are all local industries that are in Portland for many different reasons.They each play an important role in the local, national and global markets. Each work independently to produce different products and supply different services.

The Port of Portland serviced over 300 ships last financial year. Steve Garner shared the story and growth of Keppel Prince of the last 40 years and its links with Portland Aluminium and wind tower development.Portland Aluminium a subsidiary of Alcoa, manufactures 300000 tonnes of aluminium ingot yearly, majority of which is shipped to Asia. Yumbah produces 200 tonnes of abalone a year. 70% exported to the international market. They plan to expand their business which will increase local production to 1000 tonnes.

These statistics are significant for our community with each company being a large employer, the economic input to our region is significant.

We need a sustainable future for our region, could this be creating renewable energy source in the area. Could this be achieved through improvements to infrastructure such as road and rail?

It is the combined voice of industry and community that we to need harness as leaders. Let’s create the conversation both locally and at a political level to work towards providing a sustainable future for our region.

Nikki Edwards, 2019 Program Participant

Flipping the Iceberg

Imagine if we didn’t need as many facilities and medical services to treat the sick – Imagine if the overall health of our community improved.

If Governments stopped focusing on the ‘sexy’ issues, then this could well be a reality. The current states of health within the Great South Coast are very concerning, yet Governments continue to support a health system that is set up to treat disease. Only 5% of funding is directed towards Preventative Health measures, i.e. keeping healthy people healthy, while the remaining 95% is spent on treating the sick.

We need to start addressing patients’ ‘upstream’ social needs to improve their health and reduce costs ‘downstream’. Lynda Smith, Population Health Coordinator at South West Primary Care Partnership, introduced a resource to do just that – the social determinants of health. While medical care can prolong survival and improve prognosis after some serious diseases, more important for the health of the population as a whole are the social and economic conditions that make people ill and in need of medical care in the first place.

Taking a holistic approach is understandably complex, and early adopters shoulder the burden of proof when it comes to measuring its impact. However, on paper, it’s a no brainer. We are currently focusing on the tip of the ‘health iceberg’ (the states of health) instead of focusing on what lies beneath the surface (the underlying conditions affecting physical health and longevity). Why are we not flipping the iceberg, and using our funding more efficiently?

Sophie Baulch , 2019 Participant

Thank you to our speakers Lynda Smith, Population Health Coordinator South West Primary Care Partnership , Chris Healey, Research Fellow/Clinical Simulation Educator Deakin Rural Health Warrnambool and Darren Dorey, Peer Support, South West Health Care.