YOUR SAY: It's time Albury Wodonga Health improved its transparency

Fast forward to the 2024-2028 strategic plan, touted as "transformative" and "once in a generation" without clear explanations.

As someone with a decade of academic governance experience, I question AWH's praise for involving over 500 individuals in consultations. Who are these 500 people? How many were coerced employees or influenced by consultants?

Collecting input from 500 individuals isn't daunting for a comprehensive health service, it's certainly not an effort to be lauded. AWH must engage people genuinely and transparently, especially in specialised healthcare areas. In academia, most highly specialised research projects can boast 500 participants.

AWH must extend engagement across its spectrum, involving employees and program participants, from mental health to kidney dialysis to cancer care. The lack of transparency and community engagement is concerning. AWH should clarify the specifics of its "transformative" plan and how it truly benefits the community. Transparency is essential for informed public judgement.

So far, AWH appears non-transparent, unengaged with the community, and resistant to criticism. It's time to change this approach for the better.

On Monday, December 18, I was so, so blessed that I experienced day surgery in our Albury Base Hospital.

Thanks to my specialist Mr Ken Davey. I was so impressed with the way the procedure went. We are so blessed to have so many skilled people around us and the great staff at the Albury Base were so wonderful, I was in great hands of Jackie. A big thank you all in your special, important work, may our God continue to bless you all. And thank you all.

Thank you to everyone trying to make what can be a challenging time of year just a little easier, through various charity appeals and Christmas Day lunches. Best wishes of the season to you all.

How many Australians have investigated their heritage prior to their ancestors arriving in Australia up to a mere 235 years ago? Where did they come from? What heritage are you proud of? Not proud of? Your breeding was from where?

Maybe only when Australians know their own countries of origin can Australia mature as a nation, a nation that will not be afraid to acknowledge and respect fully the descendants of the oldest continuous culture in the world, the Australian Indigenous peoples.

To become a truly multicultural Australia, that pulls our society together, I challenge everyone to make the discovery of their heritage identity as a resolution for 2024.

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The world is in a mess. Mob violence, stabbings, murder, domestic violence, corrupt politicians. Environmental disasters of all kinds. Suicides. Talk of "love thy neighbour" seems ridiculous with war broiling away in so many places.

"All wars are caused by religion," shout the people. Not so! Wars are caused by people who use religion as their excuse to go to war. Most religions, with our limited knowledge of them, promote peace, respect, tolerance, reconciliation, and above all, love. Leunig, the cartoonist, said it well when he asked God, "God, who are your chosen people?" and God answered, "You are all my chosen people, the humans, the fish, the birds, the bees, the bandicoots and all the creatures".

My God's request is simple, love me with all your heart, soul and mind and your neighbour as yourself. We can't change the world, but God can. We can only work on our little corner of it. Go find a church near you this Christmas Day and reacquaint yourself with your God. He loves you despite your neglect of him.

At this time in the season of goodwill to all people, we see love in action with the many organisations with their volunteers, endeavouring to see that no one is lonely on Christmas Day, and that all children get to receive a Santa present.

Have you seen this notice on a farm fence in our district?

No Jesus. No peace. Know Jesus. Know peace.

May you find peace, hope, joy and love in your Christmas.

Visiting family on Sunday, noticed the abandoned scooters all over the place. Then saw two teenagers double dinking, no helmets, and then three teenagers, the driver with a helmet texting on his phone, the next person steering, no helmet, and the third person holding on! Emergency department, here we come.