Hunt accuses Victoria of misleading claim on hospital funding cut
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By Paul Sakkal and Timna Jacks
May 12, 2021 â 7.32pm
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A claim by the Victorian government that $93 million was cut from Commonwealth hospital funding has been labelled misleading by the federal Health Minister, who says the state itself asked for less money.
The dispute came as the Grattan Institute argued Victoria was getting a raw deal on road and rail spending and would have received an extra $1 billion for transport infrastructure over the next four years if the federal funding allocation matched the stateâs population.
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Victorians have delivered their verdict on Tuesdayâs federal budget, with aged care, childcare and debt dominating the discussion in the shadow of the pandemic.
Many praised increases in funding for womenâs services but expressed scepticism and confusion about the lengthy rollouts attached to funding packages for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, mental health and aged care sector.
CBD restaurant owner Phawinee âTangâ Suwankamnerd; Property investors Antone and Eva Khoury with their children Chanel and Isaac; North-east Melbourne woman Cherie Scott.
Credit:The Age
Aged care resident Betty Huggins, 70, says the governmentâs fresh investment of $17.7 billion over five years in the aged care sector doesnât go far enough.
Buyers seek slice of heaven in regional church sales
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May 7, 2021 â 3.19pm
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When the local church was listed for sale in the north-west Victorian town of Carapooee, it seemed only a miracle could save it from falling into private hands.
Locals built the Pebble Church, as it is known locally, from nearby quartz stone and it opened for worship in 1870.
The church in Carapooee was acquired by residents last year.
Credit:Simon Schluter
But in 2019 dwindling attendance led to the churchâs deconsecration and closure to the public, sparking a local campaign to buy the much-loved Gothic-style building.
Single QR system to be rolled out as check-in compliance plummets
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Compliance with QR codes has plummeted across Victoria, with one government survey showing fewer than half the visitors to hospitality venues reported checking in every time in April.
The state government’s centralised coronavirus check-in system will become mandatory for many businesses from the end of May, in a push to boost usage and streamline the process.
NSW made it compulsory for restricted businesses to use a government QR service in January, the ACT made its app mandatory from March and Queensland mandated the use of its service from the start of this month.