Press Releases

www.breastscreen.org.au to get an appointment today.

Nationals Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp, is encouraging workers across the Mildura electorate to participate in the Walk to Work day on Friday 28th September.  

“This is the 14th year of Walk to Work Day and it is an annual event which helps employers and employees to build regular walking into their daily routine,” Mr Crisp said.  

“People who exercise regularly are generally healthier and experience less stress.  It can also help to relieve feelings of depression or anxiety and it is a positive way to improve heart health and build stronger muscles.”  

Mr Crisp said some suggestions for walking to work include leaving the car at home or parking away from your place of work and walk the rest of the way, take a half hour walk at lunch time, if you sit a lot at work, get up once every hour, and instead of sending an email get up and talk to a colleague. 

“Australia is today ranked as one of the fattest nations in the developed world. The prevalence of obesity in Australia has more than doubled in the past 20 years. 

“Obesity is a problem in both adults and children and combining regular physical activity with a healthy diet, the importance of walking is reinforced as a way to improve health and well-being, which also results in fewer sick days.” 

“We have glorious spring weather and this is an opportunity to get out into the fresh air and sunshine while exercising.  So come on, put the walking shoes on and Walk To Work on Friday 28th September,” Mr Crisp said.

New ambulance staff have hit the road in Mildura thanks to the Victorian Coalition Government’s $151 million commitment to boost ambulance services.

Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp, said 143 new ambulance staff had been deployed to ambulance stations across Victoria, including 113 paramedics and 30 patient transport officers.

“The Victorian Coalition Government is committed to ensuring all Victorians have access to the highest quality ambulance service delivering timely responses during emergencies,” Mr Crisp said.

“We are delivering on our $151 million election commitment to employ 310 additional paramedics and 30 patient transfer officers over five years.

“I am extremely proud that we have already fulfilled our promise for 30 patient transport officers, with new Non-Emergency Patient Transport crews now working in Geelong, Wonthaggi, Morwell, Ballarat, Wodonga, Seymour and Bendigo.”

Ambulance services in Mildura have received a MICA single responder unit which consists of six additional paramedics.

Mr Crisp said of the 113 new paramedics, 95 have been deployed to ambulance stations in rural Victoria.

“The Victorian Coalition Government is working with Ambulance Victoria to allocate new paramedics to areas of the state with the greatest need,” Mr Crisp said.

“This will be the biggest single increase in additional staffing for the ambulance service in the state’s history.”

Mr Crisp said the additional 30 patient transport officers across regional Victoria will relieve pressure on paramedics so that they are available to respond to life threatening emergencies.

Patient transport officers provide non-emergency patient transport (NEPT) services. NEPT crews undertake the non-emergency transfer of patients, typically between hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers, which in rural areas frees-up emergency ambulance crews.

http://swep.bhs.org.au or telephone 1300 74 7937.

How many people are aware of what the FAST Campaign is?

Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp, is well aware and is encouraging other members of the community to get on board as well.

The FAST Campaign has been launched by the National Stroke Foundation and is aimed at developing awareness amongst all community members of the key signs of stroke.

“Every 10 minutes someone, somewhere in Australia suffers a stroke,” Mr Crisp said.

“It is the nation’s second biggest killer and leaves thousands of survivors with a permanent disability.

“However, if you are able to recognise the signs of a stroke you can have a significant impact on these statistics,” he said.

The FAST test is the easy way to recognise and remember the key signs of stroke and to act quickly.

                 Face – check their face. Has their mouth dropped?

                 Arms – can they lift both arms?

                 Speech – is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?

                 Time – is critical. If you see any of the above signs call 000 immediately.

“If you remember and implement this very simple test you will have an enormous impact on the quality of life of someone who has suffered a stroke.

“Remember, a quick response can make all the difference,” Mr Crisp said.

It is not too late to register for the Premier’s Active Families Challenge, The Nationals Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp has stated today.

The challenge, which began on March 19, continues through until April 30, 2012 and is a key component of the Victorian Government’s commitment to getting more people, more active, more often.

A family focused initiative, the challenge encourages all Victorians to do 30 minutes of physical activity per day for 30 days.

It is a great way of engaging with the local community, especially families with school-aged children, and around 67,000 Victorians participated in the last challenge in 2010.

Participation is free and registration provides access to fantastic offers from challenge partners and an opportunity to go into the draw for fantastic prizes.

There is also a rewards program for schools.

One of the best ways of getting more active is reducing inactive leisure time by limiting television viewing time, cutting down on video games and reducing the time spent surfing the net.

Getting the right nutrition will complement your physical activity.

Further information is available from www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/challenge , Mr Crisp concluded.

The Nationals Member for Mildura Peter Crisp will join students and families in a walk from Washington Drive to Mildura West Primary School tomorrow morning (FRIDAY) at 8.30am. 

“Mildura West is an excellent example of how walk and ride to school programs have been promoted and utilised by both students and parents,” Mr Crisp said. 

“A feature is the participation of mums, dads, grandparents, younger children in strollers and their siblings on bikes, scooters and skateboards. 

“Last time, while the event started with about 15 it grew to about 60 by the time procession reached the school. 

“What is special is the good feeling and the laughter,” Mr Crisp said.

Mildura residents are being encouraged to determine the organ and tissue donation wishes of their loved ones during DonateLife Week which runs from 19 - 26 February 2012. 

Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp, said DonateLife Week was an opportunity for everyone to reflect on whether they would know what to say if asked one day, ‘Did they want to be an organ and tissue donor?’ 

“It is encouraging to know that more Australians are discussing organ and tissue donation with family members and 72 per cent believe their family knows their donation wishes. At the same time, only 57 per cent of Australians know the donation wishes of their loved ones,” Mr Crisp said. 

“Any day this week is a good day to have the conversation with your family and close friends. It’s a conversation that will help you be prepared, should you ever be asked to confirm a loved one’s donation wishes. 

“It will also help your family be prepared should they ever be asked to confirm your wishes. It’s a conversation that could one day save lives.” 

It is important to know a person’s wishes regarding organ donation as their family will always be asked to confirm the donation wishes of the deceased. Families that have discussed and know each other’s donation wishes are more likely to uphold them. 

“We can all do our part as individuals by discovering the facts about organ and tissue donation, registering our decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register and, most importantly, discussing our decisions with the people close to us,” Mr Crisp said. 

In 2011, a total of 337 organ donors saved or improved the lives of 1,001 people in need of an organ transplant. This is the highest annual total of deceased organ donors and transplant recipients in Australia's history. 

DonateLife Week is Australia’s national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation. It is led by the Organ and Tissue Authority as part of the national DonateLife campaign.

In a move that has been welcomed by the Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp, Victoria will soon have legislation that sets out clear expectations for organisations that engage with carers.

"The Coalition Government has honoured an election commitment with the introduction of the Carers Recognition Bill 2012 which recognises all carers, including young carers, kinship and foster carers and acknowledges the valued role of carers in Victoria,” Mr Crisp said.

“Over 700,000 Victorians are caring for a family member or friend with a disability, mental or chronic illness or someone frail aged and carers need to be recognised for the enormous contribution they are making to the community and deserve our full support.

“Family carers save the Australian Federal Government more than $40 billion every year and many struggle with the demands of the role. This legislation will help carers gain better support when dealing with agencies and organisations,” Mr Crisp said.

Community Services Minister, Mary Wooldridge said that the Bill which she outlined in Parliament this week, will raise the status of these carers and care relationships in the community and sets out principles recognising carers for their contribution.

Ms Wooldridge said the Bill would bring Victoria into line with legislation in other states and territories and the Commonwealth.

“However, the Bill is unique in recognising care relationships. Carers and the people they care for are in a shared arrangement and if the care relationship is strong, the carer and the person being cared for will have better lives,” Ms Wooldridge said.

“This approach to recognising the significance of care relationships has been the subject of extensive consultation.”

The legislation requires government and funded agencies to reflect the care relationship principles in the conduct of their business and report annually on the actions they have taken to comply with the principles.

The Victorian Charter ‘Supporting People in Care Relationships’ will be updated to reflect the new legislation and will support implementation of the Bill.