A risk to the highly vulnerable
I refer to your story "Control Process Ensures Security" of 26 July. Corrections Victoria had a convicted sex offender placed ( and since removed ) in a dedicated dementia ward of the most vulnerable and defenceless patients. The Deputy Commissioner said, "If we thought in any facility there were any risks, we would not place an individual there". The presence of this person in a dementia ward was detected by the families of other residents.
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I am attorney for my wife who can no longer walk or talk and lived metres away in that ward. I do not accept the risk assessment by Corrections Victoria. I do not accept it is their legitimate role to assess the risk to my wife. I do not accept this individual has a right to placement in this scarce and specialised nursing home with a waiting list of deserving patients.
The Deputy Commissioner was quoted as saying, "We would not place an individual near a cohort similar to their victims". My wife has a mental age below one, many other residents have child-like cognition. The "control processes" of Corrections Victoria have failed repeatedly to protect the community from this predator. If Corrections Victoria is short of accommodation at Corella Place, let them hasten to correct that, because there is nothing correct about this case.
Glen Davis, Durham Lead
Safeguards cannot prevent self coercion
Rather than relieving suffering, the mooted changes to euthanasia laws threaten to introduce a whole new cause of anguish to the experience of dying from a terminal disease. This is because the great fear of the dying is that they could be a burden to others. No so-called 'safeguards' can control for this factor.
Try to imagine the horror of this new element introduced to a bedside vigil, as the dying person looks into the faces of their loved ones and considers how long they can afford to linger before patience runs out. Daniel Andrews rushed changes to the laws that forbid the state from helping us to kill ourselves have no place in this nation.
Pat Hockey, Clunes
Not strong enough
On Wednesday night, Ballarat Council approved a submission to Heritage Victoria about the Ballarat station redevelopment. Heritage Victoria has a role in ensuring designated heritage precincts are protected, however council's submission placed stress upon supposed economic benefits of the developments.
"The redevelopment of the Ballarat Railway Precinct by the State Government and significant private sector investment from Pellicano Group is strongly supported." Many issues raised in the submission are not heritage issues and not strictly relevant to Heritage Victoria - disability access, parking for 'kiss and ride', relocating bike storage, signals on Nolan street. The major heritage issues - use of the historic bluestone goods shed and construction of a five level hotel/apartment complex are lightly brushed over, "The applicant has indicated there are design cues between the goods shed and Quest hotel design" and "the design intent to expose the original features of the [Goods shed] building, minimise internal intrusions and external additions is strongly supported".
No mention is made of the excessive height of the five storey hotel which will apparently tower over Lydiard Street North by over 14 metres, or of the roadway and strangely paved 'Plaza' between the goods shed and the main station buildings. In approving this weak submission, the Council has once again largely abrogated its responsibility to protect the heritage values of Ballarat.
Stuart Kelly, Ballarat
