Category Archives: Health

Fake Tahitian princes – from Joseph Banks’s time to today

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Along with many other Queenslanders I am stunned by Queensland Health’s failure to detect the $16 million fraud of the fake Tahitian prince until recently. Surely whoever is in Government after the next election will need to commission a forensic … Continue reading →

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Drunk walking increase suggests need for taxi industry reform

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Gene Tunny

This story in today’s Brisbane Times on the staggering rise in drunken accidents reminded me of the US finding in Levitt and Dubner’s SuperFreakonomics that: Doing the math, you find that, on a per-mile basis, a drunk walker is eight … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Transport | Leave a comment

Country living is dangerous – New ABS Social Trends report

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Sea changers and tree changers may well reconsider city life once they learn about the downsides of country and small town life, including higher fatality rates from heart attacks and traffic accidents. In part, the higher fatality rates are related … Continue reading →

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Cross River Rail or a Brisbane Metro?

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman may have a good idea in recommending that the Government scrap the Cross River Rail project and consider a new Brisbane subway system instead: Brisbane’s stalled $8 billion cross river rail project should be scrapped … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Transport | 2 Comments

Government can’t sell Medibank Private because it may not actually own it

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has called for the Commonwealth Government to sell Medibank Private, which was last proposed by the Howard Government in 2006, and which could raise around $4 billion: Oakeshott calls for Medibank Private sale Unfortunately it isn’t … Continue reading →

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Traffic congestion is deadly

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Here’s some bad news for Brisbane commuters who endure the slow crawl along Coronation Drive and our other major roads in peak hour – traffic congestion can cause heart attacks, according to a new study published in the pre-eminent medical journal … Continue reading →

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Queenslanders getting lazier

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Gene Tunny

It’s no wonder Queensland remains as the most obese State when our participation in sport and physical recreation is declining faster than participation in other States, as reported by the ABS today (Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, 2009-10): While … Continue reading →

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Australia has 4th highest obesity rate in OECD

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Gene Tunny

With 25% of the adult population obese, Australia ties with the UK as the fourth most obese OECD country.  In first place, of course, is the US (34%), in second place is Mexico (30%) and in third place is New … Continue reading →

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