Bracks Watch

Red Cross

2007-01-15T02:35:00.000+11:00

Dear Sir
I went to the Premier's website and nearly choked on the first three words: Open and Accountable. Since 1999 I have stuck the boot into Bracks about that phrase, lying, total silence and cover-up must be the Bracks mantra because that's all I get if they deign to answer.

[Brackswatch: Follows an email sent by the author]

This morning I talked with a woman from the Red Cross who was begging for money to aid her organisation. You remember who they are, they are the people running the BLOOD BANK. I told her that I was sorry I could not help her as I have been un-employed for twelve months and living off my savings. But what I did promise to her was to tear an extra wide strip of hide off your backside over this appalling set of circumstances. Organizations such as the Red Cross should not have to beg on the streets. Hospitals should not have to beg for money on the streets. People should not have to beg, demonstrate, threaten, plead or coerce governments to increase aid to these vital organisations. The only reasons why your government would ignore helping Victorian aid organisations is because you don't care. You only act when you can't stand the pain of the many fires lit and fanned under you to get you to move on an issue, of course, it's different when there is an election coming. I have often said to you about us living in the third world up here in the Yarra Valley, today my letter box confirmed my worst suspicions. A circular put out by the Adventist relief agency for a sale of used goods stated the PROCEEDS FOR EMERGENCY FOOD IN LOCAL AREA. Have you contacted Medicins sans Frontieres about manning the Warburton Hospital? You had best call in the RED CROSS as well and get them up here. What's Tammy Lobato doing about this? I can answer that - - - NOTHING, because all the money has been spent on a scrappable swimming pool. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
Earl Downing

Guest Post: Peter King

2007-01-10T07:17:00.000+11:00

On the 29th of November 2006 a letter was published in the Whitehorse Leader newspaper regarding my experience at the Box Hill Hospital’s emergency department. Chief amongst the complaints were the long waiting times. I have since received a reply from the hospital and the Victorian Minister for Health which I find unsatisfactory and which I will be following up.

Of great concern to me were the letters in the paper the following week which appear to attempt to deflect this criticism by asserting that I shouldn’t have been at the emergency department in the first place and some went as far as to suggest that my actions were something akin to dole bludging or worse!

These respondents, some of who refuse to publish their names, not only appear to know more about my medical condition than I do but also appear not to have read my letter properly. I reported that I had a ‘head trauma’ and that this required an X-ray, a situation that any reasonable person would not consider a mere ‘cut’, ‘bump’, ‘lump’ or ‘bruise’ on the head. Further to this, I can also inform readers that Nurses-On-Call told me to go to an emergency department and that Box Hill Hospital concur with this decision after reading my original unedited letter. Finally my new GP, as I was about to board a plane for overseas, said on the telephone; “If you have any further problem, go to hospital” and not just “go to a doctor”.

Whilst I now understand the emotion that many people feel about criticism of our local hospital, I am not one that believes that doctors, nurses and hospitals are above reproach and I’m sure, given the Doctor Death scandal in Queensland (and others scandals), that many Australians would agree with me.

One of the many ironies that I see in the responses to my letter is that, by writing to the local paper, I was informing others of the long waiting times and, at the same time, informing them that there is an alternative in some cases. I mention that it cost me $40 to go to the Burwood HealthCare, ‘Name supplied, Blackburn’, not because I begrudge paying this but simply to let others know - particularly those who may not be able to afford the on-the-spot payment.

I was also motivated to write my letter because of the ABC’s Victorian Stateline program which criticized the long waiting list for elective surgery, the long delay in seeing a specialist just to get on the waiting list and, finally, the long waiting times in emergency departments. Indeed the triage nurse at Box Hill Hospital suggested to me that waiting times had worsened in recent months. This was something that was edited out of my letter along with the comment that, in my opinion, it was not the fault of nurses or doctors but what was happening was due to financial or political pressures. I have since spoken to a senior nurse about the crises in our hospitals and she agreed with me and further encouraged me to speak out by saying; “You know … one person can make a difference.”

Just as many of my detractors do not understand the purpose of an emergency department, which is sometimes called a ‘trauma’ or ‘casualty’ department by the way, some reacted to my use of the term ‘non-urgent patients’ to also suggest that my condition was not serious enough to be treated at the emergency department. My understanding of ‘non-urgent’ is anyone who does not have a life threatening condition requiring immediate attention and has to wait. I was speaking on behalf of all patients who have to wait for treatment in the emergency department.

After reading government documents, freely available on the internet, I have also come to the conclusion that there is clearly an incentive for hospitals to not only invite patients to use the emergency department rather than go elsewhere but also for the hospital to classify as many patients as possible in the lowest priority category. I have since discovered others who have experienced the same. Namely, after waiting far longer than the estimated time they decide to leave and only then are they provided with a viable alternative - Burwood HealthCare which has X-ray facilities on the premises. I did ask, when I arrived, how long I would be waiting and then for any alternative. I was given no viable alternative. By the way, Nurses-On-Call would not suggest an alternative and insisted that I go to the emergency department!

To illustrate the seriousness of the crises in our hospitals, I have a friend who spent eight hours on a trolley in Royal Melbourne Hospital with a wrist broken in six places. He was then told that there was no surgeon available to operate on him for three days! Clearly, he was considered a non-urgent patient. His comment to me was “I can’t believe that this is happening in Australia”. “Nor can I”, I said … “Nor can I”.

Peter King, Burwood

Guest Post- Lori McLean

2007-01-02T06:37:00.000+11:00

The Bracks Government thinks it is going to fix the rail problem to Werribee by adding another station near Aircraft Station called Point Cook.Why Point Cook when point Cook residents do not live near it.

The most sensible solution would have been to give Altona their own line back amd extend it to Point Cook therby allowing an extension to be built at a later date when The Werribee South District is opened up to development.THe Altona line could then come through from Newport as I used to many years ago before the Govt of the day decided to send the Werribee Rail around through Altona. To do laps of the Western Suburbs. By the way the line through to Altona is still a single line.Trains have to wait till other trains clear the station before they can travel through. The need for the rail to be electrified to The Werribee Racecourse would make more sense .

Then the residents of Wyndamvale and Manor Lakes and Westleigh Gardens would not have to come into Werribee and block up the roads and Have no where to park at the Werribee Station. This seem a little too logical for them to understand. Instead they are doing research on what the hold up is at Cottrell Street and what theyshould do about it. You know what they can do about it come here and talk to me and I will show them how they can save a whole lot of money on consultancy fees.

More complaints from the country

2006-12-31T00:30:00.000+11:00

Again from the Border Mail, this time from Lucyvale:

SINCE the fire holocaust, Premier Bracks has promised to provide more firefighters by sending them to university for four years to learn how to fight fires, but a better idea is to fully compensate the CFA volunteers, the real firefighters, as other states do.

Let the cattlemen back on the high plains; farmers are the greatest conservationists, keeping growth down, destroying weeds and getting rid of feral animals.

If too stubborn to do this, employ a great many more Department of Sustainability and Environment workers to work in national parks full-time, keeping rubbish down and tracks clear, not just two or three clearing walking tracks, as happens now.

The neighbour from hell fines landowners if all weeds are not obliterated, which are then re-sown by seed from locked-up land in national parks.

Why should it always be rural communities that suffer because of Premier Bracks’ city-centric government?

— LOUISE A. COULSTON

Watershed submerges Bracks

2006-12-30T10:13:00.000+11:00

From the murky depths has emerged a story that developed prior to the November State Election. Bracks secretly considered building a dam over the Mitchell River, despite publicly announcing his opposition to any form of investment in dams. A report predicted ecological harm to the river.

The double speak does not end there. Bracks also made moves to establish a desalination plant at Westernport Bay, despite criticising the plan on environmental damage grounds. The plant, used to generate political capital, has been hijacked by the Premier, and is now at the feasibility study stage with the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

"The Government is proceeding with investigations into desalination despite dire environmental warnings in the study, including: damage to seagrass in UNESCO-listed Westernport Bay; damage to fish stocks in the bay; and problems disposing of salty brine."

Independent MP Craig Ingram comments:

"It's a shock to me that they would be considering the comparison when up to now they have used it politically and ruled it out. My view is that it's not negotiable and environmental damage would be disastrous."

P.S. The Premier of Victoria does not have an official residence.

Federalising Water Flows? Bracks says no

2006-12-29T23:36:00.000+11:00

The Australian reports today that Steve Bracks has refused to discuss handing over cross-border water flows to the Federal Government, despite Victoria entering Stage 3 water restrictions from Jan 1 2007. “The states have patently failed over the years despite all of the warnings to institute practices and to build engineering works which would secure their long-term future" said Peter McGauran.

Bracks must fix gambling sector

2006-12-28T23:54:00.000+11:00

Ellen Whinnett comments on the history of the gambling shambles that has beset the Bracks government, reminding us it is not a problem that has emerged recently.

As previously noted, the extension of the Tattersalls license features large, and the potential legal action originating from Intralot for due process failure is also noted. An extended corporate law case, bringing sensitive documents into the public domain will be avoided at all costs by the Bracks government. Even if this means dealing Intralot in for a larger percentage than previously assumed.

A second action of note has been brought by a director of Tattersalls, Julien Playoust, who is claiming that former trustees (and now shareholders) who helped package the company for its float should be due a share of $35 million. There are damaging revelations emerging from this case, such as the lunch Steve Bracks had with David White, a former ALP health minister and consultant for Tattersalls through Hawker-Britton. Indeed, he apparently informed a meeting of Tatts representatives that the wheels of government could be greased in their favour.

This is above and beyond the issue of poker machine operations, separate from the lotteries monopoly discussed above, yet also involving Tattersalls, with Tabcorp joining in a cosy duopoly. Obviously involving other companies erodes profits, so the Tabcorp lobbyists will no doubt be working overtime to see things stay the way they are.

An Upper House enquiry would be a good starting point so that the entire process can be reviewed.

Note:
Have also included Blogger Labels for the most recent fifty posts to assist in navigating. So, if you want to read about a subject area, click on the corresponding word and the relevant posts will be displayed.

Bracks should listen to country people on fires

2006-12-28T02:41:00.000+11:00

A letter from Beechworth

HERE we go again, another summer another terrifying round of bushfires.

What will it take for governments to realise that ordinary country folk know what they are talking about when they say, if you insist on having all public land tied up in irrational parks this is what will happen.

Will someone tell Premier Steve Bracks that if you don’t have enough resources to keep hazards down in and around inhabited areas, stop creating more national parks.

We must insist that larger zones around private land abutting the “neighbours from hell” be of sufficient size (100m) to get bulldozers in to at least allow private owners to have a chance to save fences and assets.

The other advice would be to stop shutting up fire tracks; I have been told by firefighters that this is a great hindrance when trying to access fires.

The resources used to close fire tracks and put in huge humps and logs should be used for hazard reduction.

How much of our private land must be destroyed before the powers that be wake up that we can help save more assets by larger divisions between private and public land?

Perhaps if the surrounds of the Thompson Dam were to burn and the resultant silt were to invade the Melbourne water people would wake up and realise what country people go through after such huge fires and be a bit more wary of what and who they vote for.

WIN MORGAN

UPDATE- Mark Webster, also from Beechworth, writes about the changes that have occured over time with regards to fighting the fires.

Jackpot= Bracks mishandles gaming tender

2006-12-27T10:32:00.000+11:00

In this festive season, Bracks blunders may sneak under the radar of most. Not us, we're all eyes and ears.

News reports today confirm that the Victorian Lotteries licence granted to Tattersall's (operating games such as Tattslotto, Powerball and Oz Lotto) has been extended for a further year, following a botched review process, and the arrival on the scene of Intralot. This will represent an additional $1.2billion ($1,200,000,000) of income to the shareholders and trustees of "the man in the hat"from Victorian gamblers.

This is the second time that the Premier has asked the process of opening up the lotteries sector to competition. The committte appointed to review the who should be granted licences after the expiry of the Tattersall's one was given extra time to make a decision after "undisclosed probity concerns" emerged.

To compensate for the inconvenience, and the embarassment of a legal challenge into the license granting process, Bracks has apparently offered to give the Intralot a share of the state's gaming market, as well as allowing it to expand into Coles and Safeway supermarkets.

Goldfields waterlink just a Bracks pipe-dream

2006-12-27T09:16:00.000+11:00

The Country News reports that Steve Bracks is attempting to blame Canberra for his own mistakes in water infrastructure, demanding the Commonwealth pay out on its project, which links the water supplies of Ballarat and Bendigo, as soon as possible. Malcolm Turnbull is not having a bar of it, explaining that financial documents detailing the projects have not yet been lodged.

"Mr Bracks should reserve the sharp edge of his tongue for his own bureaucrats and get them to hurry up," Mr Turnbull said. "Victoria is dragging the chain. "The delay makes me wonder whether they have committed to this project without any detailed financial analysis at all."

Turnbull also explored the options that exist for Victoria, and each of the other States and Territories have in respect to future water planning:

build more dams
buy water from Goulburn/Murray irrigators
build desalination plants
recycle more water.

A belated Merry Christmas to our readers.

UPDATE The Sydney Morning Herald also has the story here, although with less colourful quoting.

Parliament, we hardly knew ye

2006-12-21T03:33:00.000+11:00

The Bracks government has opened the new parliamentary session by announcing that it will sit for "at least 50 days". As Paul Austin opines, this is subject to the Legislative Council sitting a number of Fridays "as required", and at a minimum will be 48 days, in the Legislative Assembly. The reforms make it very difficult for a Government to answer questions about its policies, behaviour and progress.

The other incident relates to the failure to release a report, detailing plans for a water exchange between the Latrobe Valley power stations and Melbourne. Although John Thwaites had proclaimed it released on the Stateline episode on the 11th November 2006, just over a month later the Deputy Premier admitted releasing only details:

At the time we released our central region strategy we released details of that project — details from the feasibility report. We indicated at the time that certain matters were commercial in confidence and were not appropriate to be released. This is a very positive proposal that deserves proper investigation, and that is what we will do.
Assembly Hansard 19/12/06 P.10

Team Brackswatch is very happy with the efforts of parliamentarians keeping the Government accountable, going as far as using their Maiden Speeches to attach Bracks Government policies. These include the Bernie Finn, former member for Tullamarine and now representing the Western Metropolitan Region, and Matthew Guy, representing the Northern Metropolitan Region. Greg Barber from the Greens is also worth watching, attacking a Bracks government on different issues.

A transport review post-election?

2006-12-13T18:23:00.000+11:00

Announced today is an investigation into Transport Infrastructure to be headed by Sir Rod Eddington (former BA CEO), so that the Bracks government can find the "correct mix" of public transport, acknowledging long term planning is needed for public transport.
In that case, why was this not a central part of election policy, and indeed, why has this report been started so late, when much of the development in the outer reaches of Melbourne, has already occurred?

Guest Post- Anon

2006-12-13T14:37:00.000+11:00

Just wonderful – Another four years for this do nothing government. Unbelievable. We desperately need more dams and roads but all this pathetic lot do is talk about it. I notice the government paid advertising is back on the radio full bore again. Last year they spent something like $290 million on that crap. I guess the high country people really appreciate Brack’s banning the maintain cattle men now. The extra fuel load in the bush the cattle would have eaten is helping them keep there mind off not having much water or the fact Brack’s lot are releasing lots of it into rivers to keep the greenies happy.Still there is one ray of sun shine in all of this I can say “Don’t blame me I voted for Ted for the next four years” assuming I don’t move North and escape. :-)

Lower House Swing

2006-12-13T13:02:00.000+11:00

When results are released for the lower house, Steve Bracks is expected to have lost six seats, five to the Liberals and one to the Nationals, after a 4.6% swing against the government. Ferntree Gully is the closest, with Nick Wakeling getting over the line by 27 votes. Although the increase in primary vote for the Liberal Party was minimal, the preference votes of Family First have come into play, especially in those outer eastern Melbourne suburbs where seats have changed hands.

Steve Bracks must be prepared to face more scrutiny from all parties for his decisions from now on. It Begins.

Hubris?

2006-12-13T12:47:00.000+11:00

Days after the election, Steve Bracks announced a rejuvinated Cabinet, which included the number two candidate for the Southern Metropolitan Region; Evan Thornley.
So confidant of Thornley's eventual election (which has been validated only today) Bracks made him a Parliamentary Secretary, with special responsibility for National Reform Agenda.
If this is how overconfident the Premier is now, we can only until next year to see how he turns out, for the worse no doubt.

Guest Post- John Modra

2006-12-13T12:31:00.000+11:00

Don Quixote’s cabinet

“His Ministers love nothing more challenging than chasing after something you can’t see.

Mr Bracks has every reason to feel nervous --as he was on ABC Friday night ; He’s done nothing to ensure his advisors are driving vehicles with an actual working history . He ‘s got plenty of cars, horses and jousting poles, but the cars are all in bits and the horses are only as willing as the tight reigns and the touting at windmills allows. More on http://thestockade.blogspot.com"

Guest Post- Lori McLean

2006-12-13T12:30:00.000+11:00

Why is this Bracks Government spending so much money on the Health system in the Eastern suburbs when the West are crying out for funding and not getting their share. Even the safest seat will fall in time . People in the West are sick of the neglect. One Hospital from Altona to Geelong. No Childrens Hospital in one of the largest growing areas in Victoria and the third Largest growth area in Australia.Where are the Dental Facilities not everyone has been born with a silver spoon in their mouth to afford to go to the Dentist. I see young men and women in the district with really bad teeth I feel for them as they can not afford dental health for themselves when they have young families. These young families are our future.Also they must be suffering terrible pain.

It is disgusting when we have politians on huge salaries and benefits for life when the backbone of the country is suffering.

Yes you going to but millions into fixing the mistake of the Geelong Ring road but I am sure people would rather have a better health system in the West. More Doctors. The one Hospital we have on many occasions has one doctor on in Emergency. This has been a problem for a long time . We were told it was fixed. Bull. Why are the ambulance continually on BY Pass. They must think we love travelling on the poor public transport to go to other suburbs to see Specialists who we cannot get in Werribee.WE have one diabetic Specialist here. He is so snowed under its incredible, To see a rheumotoligist you have to go to Footscray.or East Melbourne. Why haven"t we got these facilities here. This is were your 2030 plan is to build High density housing well what about some bloody services.
Lori McLean

An Upper House to Watch Bracks

2006-12-13T12:16:00.000+11:00

Reports in newspapers today suggest that the Victorian Legislative Council will not be controlled by a Bracks Labor Government. Instead, the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and the Greens will hold the balance of power in the upper chamber, something that can only be good news for those wanting to see scrutiny of government. In addition to a revitalised Opposition, we can only hope that Steve Bracks is exposed for what he has done, or more likely, failed to do for Victoria despite having served as Premier long enough to have a Bronze statue outside Treasury Place, with John Cain jnr, Rupert Hamer, Henry Bolte and Albert Dunstan .

Brackswatch BIT

2006-08-25T12:32:00.000+10:00

Due to pressing commitments relating to the State Election itself, Brackswatch has not been updated in a long while. This said we intend to continue until 2010 to keep Steve Bracks accountable, regardless of the anonymous quips that flood our comment sections.
The battle has already begun.

Bracks Listens, Denies, Does It Anyway?

2006-08-21T23:20:00.000+10:00

Brackswatch received the following submission from a member of the public:

Some weeks ago when the Opposition suggested rail cars parks would become fee paying there where immediate denials from the Bracks government.

Seems however that exactly such a development may now be in the works for after the November election.

You will find this in the Connex contract via www.contracts.vic.gov.au

Franchise Agreement - Train - Public Release.doc

Section 10.6 Car parking page 93

a) Upon completion of the works in accordance with the Car Park Security Design Brief, the Franchisee may charge a maximum of $2.00 per day escalated by the CPI Multiplier each calendar year for use of a car park at the Stations where security works have been completed in accordance with the Car Park Security Design Brief.

(b) The Franchisee may submit a proposal to the Director to charge passengers intending to use the Passenger Services a reasonable charge (which shall be no more than the maximum charge set by the Director) for car parking spaces in addition to those required to be upgraded under paragraphs (c) to (g) where:

(i) the Franchisee can establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director that those car parking spaces are in excess of the number of car parking spaces at that Station at the Franchise Commencement Date and in addition to those required to be upgraded under paragraph (c) to (g); or

(ii) the car parking spaces comprise up to 50% of the car parking at a Station at the Franchise Commencement Date (provided that that Station is not the subject of an upgrade under paragraphs (c) to (g)) and those car parking spaces are:

(A) situated within a fenced area that has a boom gate controlling the entry to and exit from those car parking spaces; and

(B) staffed at all times on Weekdays when trains are scheduled to stop at the relevant Station (including for a reasonable time before and after the first and last scheduled train);

or satisfy other security requirements agreed with the Director.

A Cabcharge for Bracks

2006-08-14T23:30:00.000+10:00

The refusal of Steve Bracks to meet with Melbourne's Taxi drivers, and listen to their concerns regarding safety and conditions is shameful. Those who work the hardest to get us home, long after public transport has dried up, are being ignored. The Victorian Taxi Directorate (the industry regulator), the State Government must meet with the drivers and listen seriously. We must start to value those who provide a very important service to society.

UPDATE
How about this suggestion from our friends in Indianapolis?

Cops will be posing as cabbies in an effort to stop a deadly crime wave plaguing Indianapolis. Fifteen people have been killed in ten days. There's also been a spate of robberies, with taxi drivers being frequent targets. One cabbie was shot to death. So authorities say officers will be driving cabs, sometimes in uniform, sometimes in plain clothes.

REVEALED: How Bracks' Treasurer Brumby massages the numbers to hide up to two thirds of his taxation splurge.

2006-08-05T21:01:00.000+10:00

Bracks' Treasurer Brumby is using accounting trickery to hide the real magnitude of his tax increases on Victorian families and businesses.

Read the table above, which is from the Bracks Treasurer Brumby's latest State Budget and you would get the impression that Brumby is going to all lengths to keep our taxes low - after all, taxes are up only 1.9% according to the helpfully provided calculation in the right column, despite total revenue increasing by 4%.

Yet this analysis is deceptive, as Brumby is comparing the 2006-07 "Budgeted" figures with the 2005-06 "Revised" figures. The difference is significant. Whereas "Budgeted" figures are what the government planned, the "Revised" ones are what they actually did. In 2005-06, for instance, the Bracks government took 4.5% more tax than it had "budgeted" to. So when Brumby "budgets" to increase taxes by another 1.9%, the real increase, year-on-year, works out to 6.1% - significantly less responsible than Brumby would like to appear. Even worse, that's only the "Budget", who knows what "Revisions" Bracks' bag man has in store for us this year as well.

Victorians on the slow train to nowhere

2006-08-04T07:28:00.000+10:00

The ludicrous plan by Steve Bracks to improve rail links in rural Victoria has proven to be just that, ludicrous. Like any Bracks plan, on the surface, this new timetable looks pristine.

Nine minutes saved travelling to Traralgon,
Ten minutes saved travelling to Geelong,
Seventeen minutes saved travelling to Bendigo and
Twenty-three minutes saved travelling to Ballarat.

Unfortunately, as you dig a little deeper, you find that only 6 services daily out of 160 will be able to deliver time savings as measured by the Bracks Government.

An express service on the Traralgon line has been dumped, adding 11 minutes to each journey.

For $750 million, over time and overbudget, Victorian taxpayers have a right to feel like the wheels have fallen off public transport infrastructure. Another $550 million is planned for new trains.

Update
If only Terry Mulder was as quick as Brackswatch in being critical of Steve Bracks.

BALLARAT'S civic leaders would have preferred the State Government invested in health services, police resources and water storages ahead of a faster train service, according to Opposition Transport spokesperson Terry Mulder.

Mr Mulder said the new V/Line timetable, which was unveiled by Premier Steve Bracks in Ballarat on Wednesday, proved the government's $750 million investment in regional rail had been a "total waste of money".

Bad Boys, whatcha gonna do when they don't vote for you?

2006-08-01T10:34:00.000+10:00

Lose marginal seats in the south eastern metropolitan region it seems.

Paul Mullett, who always has an opinion, will lobby the Bracks Government for a 15% pay rise over the next three years. Should this fall through, or if Tim Holding decides to play the dangerous game of industrial politics, Michael Davis suggests that the effect could be significant.

The River Runs Red, Bracks Takes Falls

2006-08-01T10:22:00.000+10:00

After seven years in power, Bracks and his environment minister John Thwaites must take responsabilty for failing to clean up the Yarra.

THOUSANDS of E coli organisms are flowing into the Yarra River, pushing the number of bacteria up to 70 times higher than the recommended safe level.

Only one testing site along the river between Millgrove and the city in the latest survey had an average reading below the safe level.

Data released by Melbourne Water this month showed the highest reading in the Yarra was at Warrandyte, with 14,000 E coli organisms per 100ml. The recommended safe level for swimming and other water sports is 200 organisms per 100ml
(From the Townsville Bulletin).

For the recreational users of the Yarra River, the situation is out of control.