Heathcote in the 1980s

By the late 1980s the McIvor Times was taking a fearless approach to reporting on council matters.

Escalating costs had led to a decision to charge for library services, but the paper’s coverage resulted in vigorous public opposition and a swift U-turn.

The antagonism between editor Peter Turley and the local council grew, and the situation reached boiling point when the paper published a cartoon showing councillors in an unfavourable light.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister made a flying visit to town, a new medical centre was approved, and the local population was on the rise.

 

VIP visitor

Prime Minister Bob Hawke visited Heathcote in November 1989.

The coverage was short on words, but there was an abundance of pictures to tell the story.

 

Published 8 November 1989

Prime Minister to Visit Heathcote

Prime Minister Mr Bob Hawke will be making a visit to Heathcote on Friday afternoon. He wishes to visit as many local people as possible and will stopping over at the Bicentennial Park between 3.00pm and 4.00pm.

Any person who wishes to meet Mr Hawke should come along to the park.

Mr Hawke will be accompanied on his visit by the member for McEwen Mr Peter Cleeland.

 

Library services on the line

In October 1989 the Shire of McIvor council voted to adopt a user pays system in response to the rising costs of library services.

One of the councillors supporting the move was scathing in his description of library users.

He said the reading habits of a many people would not improve their knowledge if one judged by the books they were borrowing.

“People can get an arm full of books every week and you don’t know if they have even looked at them,” he said.

McIvor Times readers reacted angrily to this proposed changed and the following month the item was on the agenda again in a successful bid to reverse the previous unpopular decision.

 

Published 8 November 1989

User Pay for Library Before Council Again Thursday

The issue of the user pay principle being applied to the library services will surface again this week when the McIvor Shire Council meets on Thursday afternoon.

Cr Ron Mason has moved a notice of motion calling on the council to advise the North Central Goldfields Regional Library that the council is not in favour of a direct user pay system for library services.

Since the last council meeting there has been an enormous amount of public comment since the council voted in favour of the user pay system being applied to library services.

Many people wrote letters to the editor since the issue was reported in the paper.

No one supported the user pay principle being applied to library books.

Should people wish to have an input regarding this motion they could contact relevant counsellors and or attend the meeting.

 

Playing safe

The late 20th century had arrived with a vengeance when councillors debated the merits of installing a condom vending machine in Heathcote’s public toilets in late 1989.

The McIvor Times published the notice of motion along with a cartoon showing the councillors shrouded in giant condoms.

The following week it described the discussion as “enlightening, if not overly progressive,” and reported one councillor having said “I’m old fashioned, we shouldn’t have anything to do with condoms.”

Another opposed any mention of the issue.

“When I was young, these things were never talked about,” he said. “Installation only encourages people.”

A rumbling stand-off between the paper and the council erupted in response both the publication of the agenda item and the cartoon, and punitive measures were taken.

An unrepentant editorial defended the McIvor Times actions.

 

Published 8 November 1989

Condom Vending Machines

Another notice of motion to be presented at the council meeting has been moved by Councillor Bert Candusio.

This motion deals with the installation of condom vending machines and needle disposal facilities in the public toilets near the Barrack Reserve.

Cr Candusio has called for the matter to be subject  to an investigation by the Properties Committee.

Numerous reports have been received about the prevalence of needles and syringes being discarded near the toilets and having facilities where needles could be disposed of safely would be seen as reducing the risk to innocent people coming across the needles.

It is well documented how condoms are an effective means of controlling sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhoea, syphilis or AIDS.

In making their availability less difficult could be a way where council could play a role in hindering the spread of the diseases.

Generally notices of motions come up after question time should anyone wish to attend the meeting to observe the debate they would be made most welcome.

 

Published 15 November 1989

Editorial Comment (edited extract)

At monthly McIvor Shire Council meetings, the representative of the McIvor Times, who attends to report on the activities of that body, has been granted a dinner with members of the Council at no cost to the newspaper. The last Council meeting this was withdrawn as a punitive measure.

The members of council bubbled with righteous indignation at the cartoon on the condom issue but more than that they disagreed with this paper reporting the notice of motion about the installation of condom machines in the public lavatories in Heathcote.

The purpose of any paper is to draw attention to matters that affect the community, and, on this issue, future communities.

A free press cannot be muzzled. It cannot be bought. It must be fearless, informed and critical.

 

Health matters

A new matron and a proposed medical centre were reported in 1982, with the latter taking until the 1990s to be completed.

 

Published 21 April 1982

New Matron for Hospital

 

A new matron, Mrs Patricia Snowball, has been appointed to the Heathcote hospital replacing Matron Alice Wilson who resigned recently.

Mrs Snowball trained at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne and later in Obstetrics at St Margaret’s Hospital in Sydney.

In later years Matron Snowball worked in Community Health in New South Wales. The last two years she has worked at the Bendigo Base Hospital.

Matron Snowball, who lives in Axedale, took up her duties on March 24.

Published 19 May 1982

Approval Given for Heathcote Medical Centre to go Ahead (edited extract)

The Health Commission of Victoria has advised the Heathcote Hospital Committee that approval has been given to its proposal for the construction of a Medical Centre in Heathcote.

The project concept was initiated through the Committee’s concern over the uncertain future of the present facilities and their ability to maintain a coordinated health care service in Heathcote.

In light of this it was proposed that a new clinic be constructed which would service two resident General Practitioners, a visiting Dentist and regional ancillary professions such as Podiatrists etc.

There will also be a reception area and car parking facilities.

 

Facts and figures

Reporting on census data is a perennial activity for newspapers.

The McIvor Times took its turn when it looked at the sudden growth in Heathcote’s population between 1976 and 1981.

 

Published 2 June 1982

Population Increase of 12.8%

Have you often wondered why the population figure of Heathcote, as seen on the board as you enter the town, has not changed for many years?

According to the statistics the population of Heathcote has been declining steadily over a number of years.

Statistics taken in the 1961 census showed the population of Heathcote as 1287;  in 1976 the figure was 1076.

However in preliminary figures of last year’s census just released by The Bureau of Statistics, the population of Heathcote is now 1214, and increase of 12.8 per cent.

This figure is made up of 618 males and 596 females.

Figures for the Shire of McIvor reveal similar statistics.

Since 1966 the population has declined from 2140 to 1789 in 1976.

Again a dramatic increase of 19.6% shows in the 1981 census result of a population of 2141.

Younger Population

In a breakdown of these figures, some very interesting facts emerged.

Many people believe that Heathcote has a high proportion of older people, as many people are retiring in the area.

However in the 60 years and over group there are 417 people or 19.47 per cent of the total population in the Shire.

On the other and 33.16 per cent (703 people)  population is under 20, with a greater proportion of these in the younger age groups.

As can be expected of many small towns the number of people between 20-30 years shows a marked decrease, because the availability of work in the area is limited.