Updated May 06, 2018 21:36:58
![]() Outback racing has been given a makeover with the opening of the first turf track in western Queensland. A typical picture of horse racing in the bush is a combination of high fashion and punters covered in a cloud of dust as they cheer on their favourites to win. But in Barcaldine, 520 kilometres west of Rockhampton, the dirt track has been relegated to history. With the help of state and ratepayer funds, $750,000 has been poured into the newly refurbished track including fencing, laying turf and a new watering system. ![]() Mayor of Barcaldine Regional Council Rob Chandler said he was excited to see the track up and running. "It's the first turf track outside of Emerald and Dalby, so in rural or remote Queensland, we think it's pretty special," Cr Chandler said. "We'd like to think that rather than get blown away with dust when the horses go past the winning post it'll be a beautiful setting not only for racing, but social events such as weddings for example. "It's just going to add to the liveability of our community." ![]() Horse trainer Todd Austin said he was excited about the benefit the track would have on his horses' legs. "They get pretty muscle sore and couple of the older fellas, they're worse for wear," he said. "To put it simply, it's like wearing a new pair of sandshoes with a great cushion in them." Mr Austin said the turf track would attract trainers from across the state. ![]() Cr Chandler said maintenance bills would reach an estimated $100,000 a year. "We're using about 20 per cent of the town's licence to water the track," he said. "We believe once we get good summer seasons the usage for water will fall right away and I'm hoping we can convince the 50 per cent that are undecided about the track to take ownership of the facility." Even as the town rolls into its fifth year of drought, residents said they were not too worried about the usage of water and that living on top of the Artesian Basin helped. ![]() "We're blessed in Barcaldine, we have an amazing water supply being on the Artesian Basin and plenty of it so I don't think it's an issue," Barcaldine mother Elise Pierce said. Great opportunity for region Local pub owner Gerry Fogarty said he was hesitant about the track at first but has since come around. "A lot of people probably don't know that you had to use a lot of water on the sand track when it was here," Mr Fogarty said. Toni Deay, who lived in Barcaldine for 20 years before moving to Mackay, said she remembered the dirt tracks well. ![]() "I used to go walking on the dirt tracks when I lived here," she said "Coming out to see the grass track was amazing, the horses look great running on it and I think it's much better than the dirt tracks." Others commented that the atmosphere at the tracks were more inviting. "I think it's a great opportunity for the central west for people to come out and see something different in the outback," Jaylene Harrison said. ![]() Minister for Racing Stirling Hinchliffe said the track would give country racing a boost. "This is a tremendous opportunity, Barcaldine has the right soils, the right water supply, we know that turf racing is the for the top flight racing in this country," Mr Hinchliffe said. "This is a great way to give country gallopers, country jockeys, country trainers and their connections a chance to have exposure to these sort of great tracks." ![]() Mr Hinchliffe said the track would also provide opportunities in the tourism industry. "It's a great feature to have as part of our infrastructure here in Queensland delivering tremendous racing infrastructure right across the state," he said. "It will lift the game in country racing, lift the exposure and opportunity for those people in the Western areas, in particular, to be part of the broader game." ![]() The opening of the track coincided with the Tree of Knowledge Festival in Barcaldine. The festival started with a street party in Barcaldine's city centre on Friday night and speed shearing at the Tree of Knowledge on Saturday morning. The event commemorates the founding of the Australian Labor Party and is set to continue until Monday, finishing with a champagne breakfast and the May Day march. Topics:community-and-society,drought,sport,horse-racing,community-development,rural,people,human-interest,barcaldine-4725,gladstone-4680,brisbane-4000,qld,australia,rockhampton-4700,longreach-4730 First posted May 06, 2018 08:54:21 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-06/outback-racing-receives-makeover-in-western-queensland/9719928
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By Liz Clarkson
Updated May 06, 2018 10:32:00 Win or lose, since the Newcastle Jets secured a space in the 2018 A-League grand final, it was always going to be a fairy-tale evening. The city was awash in blue and red as 30,000 fans made their way to Hunter Stadium and thousands more braved the cold to enjoy the game at the various live sites throughout the region. At Speers Point Park families rugged up to see the game on the big screen as it lit up the water across Lake Macquarie. ![]() Back at the stadium, Melbourne Victory would not be making their way into town quietly. Five thousand fans were making themselves as known as is possible when you're the away team at a grand final. The energy during the pre-game entertainment was palpable. Fans were on their feet, scarves in the air as they waited for their heroes, the players, to take the field. As the two teams walked down the tunnel, there was a pause in the entertainment, an acknowledgement that history was about to be made. For the Newcastle Jets, the honour of hosting the grand final in their own backyard is something they don't take for granted. ![]() Earlier in the week, Jets striker Jason Hoffman remembered the 2008 grand final and reflected on the 10 years in between. "As a wide-eyed 18-year-old I may have taken it all a little bit for granted," he said. "As you realise now, I've had to wait ten long years of grinding away trying to get this close again. "I'll enjoy this occasion come Saturday because I know good players go throughout their career and they never make the final." The whistle blows It's a nervous wait but once the game began it was back to business for the players. It wasn't the start that the Jets were looking for. Victory scored in the ninth minute off a free kick. Victory's Leroy George kicked the ball long, it fell to Kosta Barbarouses and the ball deflected into the net off John Koutroumbis. It would end up being the winning goal of the evening as Melbourne Victory lived up to their name and took the championship from the Jets 1-0. ![]() "I'm absolutely gutted," said Jets fan Aaron, who was watching the game at the live site at King Edward Park in Newcastle. "We all tried to get a ticket and they sold out so quick so we thought this [live site] will be the next best thing and it was great to see the turn out but shocking [result]." Despite the loss, the crowds still enjoyed the community spirit. "It was a little disappointing but it was fun, good atmosphere. I've been following a little bit of soccer this season but it was just awesome to be out and doing something with the Newcastle community," said one fan at King Edward Park. ![]() First posted May 06, 2018 00:24:38 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-06/fairytale-grand-final-appearance-for-newcastle-ends-in-loss/9731558 Updated May 05, 2018 17:06:45
![]() Health authorities have moved to reassure the public the Perth Children's Hospital's planned opening remains on track, despite potentially deadly legionella bacteria being discovered in the $1.2 billion facility for the second time. However, Child and Adolescent Health Service chief executive Robyn Lawrence said she could not give a guarantee that it would not face further delays, with authorities reviewing the situation on a daily basis. "At this stage we remain on track, we will continue every single day right up to the final patient move day to consider the risks of remaining in our current hospital versus what's happening at our new hospital so that any move occurs only if it's safe to do so," Dr Lawrence said. "In any move there's a risk that we might have to change it, there could be a substantial event out in the community which could cause us to change our plans. "At this stage I reinforce we remain on schedule." In an email to senior staff sent on Friday, Dr Lawrence said legionella had been detected in 45 of 100 sampled locations and steps to rectify the problem were "immediately" taken, including turning off the water supply and raising the temperature of the hot water system. Another type of bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can cause serious infections in people with weak immune systems was detected at 11 locations. The samples were collected on April 16, just eight days after Premier Mark McGowan and Health Minister Roger Cook toured the facility and made a point of being seen drinking from fountains. "We have decided to temporarily stop using the water supply at PCH today, which will allow us to intensively treat the water," Dr Lawrence wrote. "Staff will be supplied with bottled water to enable this to occur and until we can confirm that the water is safe. "Please be assured the safety of our staff and future patients remains our priority." Staff changerooms were also closed and all shower heads were cleaned as a precaution. Legionella bacteria was first discovered in October last year at multiple sites throughout the hospital, including a shower head, warm water outlets and a drinking fountain. ![]() The detected levels of the Legionella bacteria are similar to those found last year. Opening date remains 'for now' The $1.2 billion hospital is due to begin a staged intake of patients in nine days, beginning with outpatient clinics. Legionella bacteria live in lakes and streams, but can also grow in pipes and other water infrastructure. If water containing the bacteria is inhaled, it can cause Legionnaires' disease a severe form of pneumonia. Dr Lawrence said the opening schedule for the hospital would remain in place for now, with authorities to reassess the situation early next week. Australian Medical Association WA president Omar Khorshid said he was disappointed to hear of the latest discovery of legionella bacteria, but believed it would not delay the hospital's opening. "We remain confident that following remedial action being taken by the Health Department, the planned dates for the treating of outpatients and the formal opening of the new hospital will still be met," Dr Khorshid said. "We have also been reassured by the CEO of the PCH that this is not an unusual situation in new buildings when water is sometimes stagnant for long periods." Opposition health spokesman Sean L'Estrange said the Government needed to be more transparent about problems at the hospital. "They set their standard of disclosure to be gold standard, that was Premier McGowan's commitment to the people of Western Australia when he took office," Mr L'Estrange said. "[Yet] here we are finding out 45 out of 100 samples have legionella bacteria and we're finding out about this through a leaked email, we're not finding out about this with open and transparent commentary from the Minister or the Premier." Litany of problems The discovery of the two bacteria both of which can cause serious illness in immunocompromised people is a major blow for the hospital, given the proximity to its opening and the litany of past problems that have delayed the project by almost three years. These include the discovery of asbestos in the roof panels, contractor disputes and faulty water piping. ![]() The main issue that prevented the hospital opening was lead contamination in the drinking water, which was finally resolved in March. The basement of the hospital has been flooded by a burst pipe, 900 fire doors have had to be ripped out and replaced, and key members of the hospital's leadership team have resigned. It has cost taxpayers $6 million a month to sit idle with no patients that includes about $6,000 a day in power bills and $700,000 a month to contractor Capella Parking for car bays that are sitting idle. There have also been a raft of other construction issues at the hospital, including problems at the on-site childcare facility, mental health unit, isolation rooms and with anaesthetic gas delivery. Nearly three years of delays to the opening have cost the state more than $115 million. That includes more than $20 million in compensation payments for the operators of the empty hospital car park. Topics:healthcare-facilities,government-and-politics,perth-6000,nedlands-6009 First posted May 05, 2018 12:04:48 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-05/perth-childrens-hospital-set-for-further-delay-amid-legionaella/9730918 This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-05/marius-(pirrawayingi)-puruntatameri/9729138 John McRoberts trial: Prosecutor warned that police request to review DPP advice was 'political'5/4/2018 Updated May 04, 2018 19:18:48
![]() A senior crown prosecutor warned the Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) a request to review his advice about a major travel agent fraud investigation was "political", a court has heard. Senior crown prosecutor David Morters has given evidence in the trial of former NT police commissioner John McRoberts, who has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. It is alleged Mr McRoberts tried to deflect an investigation into travel agents rorting the NT Health Department's pensioner concession scheme between May and November 2014 because he had a sexual relationship with its main target, Xana Kamitsis. Mr Morters told the court Kamitsis who was eventually convicted in 2015 had been selected as a "test" case to determine the likelihood for further prosecutions. The court heard Mr Morters advised NT Police in May 2014 there were reasonable prospects that prosecution of Kamitsis would be successful, but that NT Police then requested a review of this advice. Mr Morters warned his boss at the time, DPP head Jack Karczewski. "I said that I understand that you've been asked to review my advice and that you should be careful because this seems to be political," Mr Morters said. Prosecutor Michael McHugh SC asked Mr Morters in what circumstances police requested a review of DPP advice in his experience and he replied "when the police don't like the information they're provided with". He then added this had only everhappened when he advised not to prosecute. "This was the complete opposite," he said. ![]() The court heard an initial warrant for Kamitsis was approved and stamped for execution on June 5, 2014, but did not go ahead on this date. Mr Morters described fraud squad Detective Sergeant Jason Blake's reaction to the news, in response to questions from prosecutor Mr McHugh. "There might be swear words involved," Mr Morters said. "He was very disappointed that a search warrant was being prevented that he'd had approved by Supreme Court judge." "I'd never heard of any police officer being directed not to execute a search warrant that they'd obtained from a judicial officer." Mr Morters told court Detective Sergeant Blake said the warrant had been "prevented by people from above", but did not elaborate on this. During the earlier cross examination of NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw, Mr McRoberts' lawyer Anthony Elliot suggested his client was concerned about "big picture issues", including the impact of the investigation on tourism, police and government resources. "He certainly didn't say that this warrant would never proceed?" Mr Elliot asked. "Correct," Mr Kershaw replied. Topics:law-crime-and-justice,courts-and-trials,police,darwin-0800 First posted May 04, 2018 18:25:40 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-04/john-mcroberts-trial-prosecutor-warned-police-that-request/9729376 Updated May 04, 2018 10:44:01
More than two dozen police officers have cleared homeless protesters from their camp at Hobart's Parliament lawns, with two arrested for refusing to move on. External Link:Rhiannon Shine Tweet Occupy Tasmania, a group of homeless Tasmanians, set up 15 tents outside Parliament on Tuesday in protest at the State Government's response to Hobart's housing crisis. About 20 uniformed police officers moved in to clear about 15 people just after 7:00am. Protester Stitch, who said he had been homeless for eight years, said some of the group were ordered not to return to the Parliament House grounds. He said he would return to protest, but not go on the lawns. "The issue isn't going to go away ... just because they've made us go away," he said. "Some of the people they tried to house to make them go away, good on them, they've got houses now, but it still hasn't changed the issue. "Their policies won't change, the Liberal policies you'll never change." ![]() Tasmania's Legislative Council president said yesterday that police would be asked to evict the group this morning if they had not left the site by then. On Wednesday, the new Speaker of the Upper House, Sue Hickey, told protesters they should leave an instruction that was met with derision by the group. In a statement, police said two people were arrested after they "failed to comply with a direction to leave by the Controller of Parliament House". "A small number of protesters complied with the direction that was issued at 7am in the presence of police and they were given time to pack up their belongings and leave," the statement read. "Police had been monitoring protest activity in relation to members identifying as 'Occupy Tasmania' who were camped on Parliament Lawns since Tuesday. "Discussions with the group, and liaison with Parliament House, continued throughout that time. "The two arrested people, aged 36 and 50, were taken to Hobart Police Station where they were charged with trespass and bailed to appear at the Hobart Magistrates Court at a later date." Tents and personal belongings were packed up by members of the group, with assistance from officers, police said. Police said Housing Connect had "assisted with a presence at Parliament Lawns in order to provide accommodation advice and options for persons that have been relocated". ![]() Upper House president Jim Wilkinson yesterday told ABC Hobart the protesters only had a permit for one day. "They'll be told again in no uncertain terms tomorrow that they have got to leave, and then what happens is directions given by myself and the Speaker and then the police are requested to evict them and I would hope that that is what will happen," he said at the time. The group are calling for housing solutions, as the rental crisis in Hobart and outer suburbs worsens due to increased demand pushing up prices. Homeless people were evicted from a site in Glenorchy, in Hobart's north on April 21, with a number of people taken to Hobart's showgrounds reserve. ![]() First posted May 04, 2018 07:12:32 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-04/homeless-campers-evicted-from-hobart-parliament-house-lawns/9723466 This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-03/reece-kershaw/9723488 Cobbler's pegs, thistles and soursob are weeds aren't they? Well not if you're talking to Kate Wall. Rather than pull them out this Brisbane-based garden consultant wants us all to munch on the edible weeds we find in our gardens. Kate Wall runs workshops several times a year to spread the edible weeds message, and says education is the key for both gardeners and consumers. Read more
http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-05-03/a-big-country-edible-weeds-fresh-from-the-garden/9722136 Updated May 02, 2018 20:36:08
![]() From next year the Victorian Government's announced it's picking up the tab for dozens of TAFE and pre-apprenticeship courses in industries set to boom. But what exactly does that mean and, more importantly, how do you get in on it? Say goodbye to course fees What is in the budget? From January 2019, the State Government will cover the cost of 30 TAFE courses and 18 pre-apprenticeship courses. The courses cover everything from accounting and agriculture to concreting, construction and nursing. Stepping-stone courses, known as pre-apprenticeship courses, will also be covered and include automotive body repair and furniture-making. They're all in infrastructure-heavy industries, which the Government is betting will boom in the coming years. The Government said it would also subsidise an additional 30,000 training places. So how much will I save? The short answer is between hundreds and thousands of dollars. Under the Government's plan, students will only pay for materials and amenities like books, meaning that cash you've squirreled away from your part-time job stays in your bank account. It's a serious consideration for a lot of students who have to pay for TAFE courses up-front, like Louise Scarcella. ![]() Ms Scarcella, 29, thought long and hard before committing to a two-year Diploma of Nursing at Holmesglen TAFE because it was about $12,000 up-front. "I basically used my savings, all my savings to pay for it so that I could afford it," she said. Even with living rent-free in her boyfriend's house, she's still searching for a part-time job to make ends meet. She said a free course would've had a huge impact on her. If it was free, I would've just jumped on it," she said. "I wouldn't have had to plan and save but it would mean that my savings for emergencies and stuff would still be there. "I would still have my comforting savings in the bank if anything went wrong." How do I get in? Nothing's changed on this front. You'll have to apply for these course like you normally would. But there's one caveat: only Australian residents who live in Victoria will be eligible for the courses. International students will continue to pay fees. Grant Dreher, the executive director of Victoria University Polytechnic, said it's a bold and positive move. "I think we can handle the capacity and I think as a sector, the TAFE sector in Victoria can definitely handle the increase in demand," Mr Dreher said. "We really think that this will change drastically the access to the type of jobs that lead people to employment." And, according to Ms Scarcella, drastically change their lives. "It would mean more people can follow their dreams and worry less about how they're going to pay for it," she said. The free TAFE coursesNon-apprenticeshipcoursesApprenticeshippathwaycoursesAccounting, Certificate IV/Diploma/Advanced DiplomaAutomotiveAirConditioningTechnology,CertificateIIAgeing Support, Certificate IVAutomotiveBodyRepairTechnology,CertificateII Agriculture, Certificate II/III/IVAutomotiveServicingTechnology,CertificateII Agriculture (Dairy Production), Certificate IIIAutomotiveVocationalPreparation,CertificateII Allied Health Assistance, Certificate III/IVConstructionPathways,CertificateIIBuilding and Construction (Building), Certificate IV/DiplomaElectrotechnology(Careerstart),CertificateIICivil Construction, Certificate IIIElectrotechnology(Pre-vocational),CertificateIICommunity Services, Certificate III/IV/DiplomaEngineeringPathways,CertificateIIConcreting, Certificate IIIEngineering Studies, Certificate IIConstruction Waterproofing, Certificate III Furniture Making, Certificate IIDental Assisting, Certificate II/IVGlass and Glazing, Certificate IIDisability, Certificate IVHorticulture, Certificate IIEducation Support, Certificate III/IVMeat Processing (Food services), Certificate IIEngineering, Certificate IVPlumbing (Pre-apprenticeship), Certificate IIHorticulture, Certificate IIIPrinting and Graphic Arts (General), Certificate IIHospitality, Certificate IIIRetail Baking Assistance, Certificate IIIndividual Support, Certificate IIISalon Assistant, Certificate IIMental Health, Certificate IVSignage and Graphics, Certificate IIDiploma of Nursing Plumbing and Services, Certificate IV Does this mean I'll have a better chance of getting a job? According to the industry, yes. Mr Dreher said the courses that the Government's footing the bill for have been pegged to the current employment market. Bosses were also consulted and have given their seal of approval. "I think it's making students much more attractive to employers but I also think it's making courses that lead to jobs much more attractive to students, because they won't have to pay their tuition fee," he said. "The training's all aligned with skills and jobs that are vacant and ready for people to undertake now so change your life, come and enrol in a TAFE course." Holmesglen TAFE's Joanna James is also excited about the changes. "This will support the Victorian economy, industry demand for skilled workers and give students greater access to education and training now and into the future," she said. But for Louise Scarcella, it's a bittersweet announcement. She's already paid for the first year of her diploma and is still forking out hundreds of dollars for textbooks. But she's wondering whether she'll benefit from the changes in her second year. "Hopefully if it could be free, that would be amazing. But if not, back to the saving board." Topics:education,government-and-politics,melbourne-3000,vic First posted May 02, 2018 05:01:23 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-02/free-tafe-course-student/9716470 Updated May 02, 2018 10:13:30
![]() A doctor who endorsed an alleged cult and secretly shared a patient's medical history with its leader has stood down from his role representing the Australian Medical Association (AMA). Dr Sam Kim withdrew from the AMA's Queensland council after an ABC investigation into his second case of professional misconduct in a year relating to his ties to the controversial group Universal Medicine (UM). UM, a multi-million-dollar enterprise that touts questionable treatments including "esoteric breast massage" and boasts 700 followers, has also drawn criticism for publicly revealing a former client's schizophrenia diagnosis. In March, the NSW Privacy Commissioner found Dr Kim had violated his patient's privacy by sharing his records with Serge Benhayon, the UM founder who claimed to be the reincarnation of Leonardo Da Vinci. 'Why does he need this information?' Business owner Riley Martin consulted Dr Kim, a thoracic physician who practises in Brisbane and at UM headquarters in Lismore, for a lung condition in 2010. Mr Martin had already received "energetic treatments" from Mr Benhayon but had grown sceptical about their value. ![]() (ABC News: Joshua Robertson) He stopped the treatments and later criticised UM in the media, but only learned last year that his medical history had been shared. Mr Martin said he was surprised to discover the privacy breach when his GP looked up his records. "Of course I must say at that time I was very shocked," he said. "I felt very aggrieved that my private medical information had been passed on to Mr Benhayon, who has no medical qualifications whatsoever. "It raises questions why does he need to have this information?" The privacy report said it was "unclear ... why it was necessary for Dr Kim to provide such a summary of what appears to be Mr Martin's entire medical history to Mr Benhayon". The privacy commissioner did not accept Dr Kim's claim that he had verbal consent to share the records, or that Mr Martin would reasonably expect this after telling Dr Kim about his consultations with Mr Benhayon. Mr Martin could use the findings to take legal action against Dr Kim but said he would prefer an assurance that other patients' information would not be shared. Following questions by the ABC, AMA Queensland chairman Dr Shaun Rudd said Dr Kim had "decided to stand down from the council pending resolution of his current situation". Dr Rudd said the council had "a robust conflict of interest policy and AMA Queensland has full confidence in Dr Kim's ability to serve as a councillor". Dr Kim was elected last year as a greater Brisbane area representative on the AMA Queensland council, which makes "by-laws about ethical considerations (including handling complaints related to the profession)". Last May, shortly before his election, a medical professional standards committee of the NSW Medical Council found Dr Kim made "significant ethical errors and failings in respect of proper professional standards" in another case of referring a patient to UM practitioners, including Mr Benhayon. The professional standards committee found that Dr Kim, who told the patient that "deep-seated grief is a major driving factor in lung disease", failed to disclose his ties to UM to the patient or explain there was "no clinical evidence" its treatments worked. UQ confirmed Dr Kim also holds an academic title as a senior lecturer. ![]() He is one of three members of UQ's faculty of medicine who have publicly promoted UM, which University of NSW medical educator Professor John Dwyer has called a "cult" that could put its followers' health and wellbeing at risk. Last month, the ABC revealed UQ had begun an academic misconduct probe into studies by faculty researcher Christoph Schnelle and eight other UM promoters. Schizophrenia diagnosis published online In a separate case last month, a former UM client's full name, image and schizophrenia diagnosis were published on a webpage run by UM's "facts team". It appeared weeks after the man wrote an online blog under a pseudonym in which he criticised Universal Medicine, while being open about his diagnosis. "I was preparing for a job interview and wanted to know what a possible employer finds when he googles my name," he said. "Finding UM's article was shocking. My privacy in respect to that diagnosis is very important. I'm worried about not finding a job because of that." Former Queensland mental health commissioner Lesley van Schoubroeck said it was "entirely inappropriate for any organisation, particularly one purporting to be a health organisation, to publicly reveal identifying information of anyone's diagnosis, be it mental health or physical health". "It's certainly the case that people with schizophrenia suffer stigma and discrimination in the workplace and in the community," she said. The UM "facts team", which responds to those who publicly criticise the organisation, includes former legal academic Alison Greig. Her husband, Brisbane barrister Charles Wilson, was also on the "facts team" until last year, but was not part of it when the man's details were published. ![]() UM has denied it is a cult, citing the large number of health professionals among its membership. Eight doctors have publicly endorsed UM, along with four dentists and 17 allied health practitioners across pharmacy, physiotherapy and psychology. Mr Benhayon encourages followers to adopt strict lifestyle measures around diet, sleep, sex and even books and music. External Link:Universal Medicine Lennox Head Retreat 2015 - Celebration Night Dr Kim has written online about consulting Mr Benhayon over the underlying cause of a minor eye condition. "I felt that there was a deeper meaning to this so I consulted Serge Benhayon who generously offered his Reading (sic)," he said. Professor Dwyer, a former head of immunology at Yale University, said it was "fascinating just to see the range of individuals who can be attracted to cults and this sort of thinking". He said health professionals reprimanded in relation to UM had been given "very wishy-washy-type penalties and to date there's evidence that they ... continue to support Universal Medicine". Mr Wilson declined to comment. Ms Greig and Dr Kim did not respond to the ABC. Mr Benhayon told the ABC: "I've got nothing to say to you". Topics:people,human-interest,university-and-further-education,religion-and-beliefs,community-and-society,education,brisbane-4000,qld,australia,university-of-queensland-4072,lismore-2480,nsw First posted May 02, 2018 05:46:07 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-02/doctor-gave-patient-medical-history-to-universal-medicine/9710412 |
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