District Council of Streaky Bay responds to misleading media coverage based on social media rant and rave page
The District Council of Streaky Bay is setting the record straight regarding a recent negative media article that inaccurately portrayed our organisation, citing content from an anonymous Facebook "Rant and Rave" page as a source. We want to address the misleading claims and clarify our position.
The article in question, published on 20th July 2023 by Eyre Peninsula Advocate, utilized quotes from an unverified Facebook "Rant and Rave" page, which lacks credibility and legitimacy as a reputable source of information. As a responsible and respected organization, we value transparent and fact-based reporting. It is deeply concerning that the media would rely on unverified and potentially biased social media content as the basis for their reporting.
Like many sections of our community, the District Council of Streaky Bay does not consider the Facebook "Rant and Rave" page as a legitimate source of community feedback as it is perceived as place of which harbours negativity, misinformation, rumours, and personal attacks. Therefore, Council does not monitor or respond to posts on the page.
In speaking about the article, Mayor Travis Barber felt personally aggrieved by the alleged quotations from himself and particularly denies stating that Council has committed to building a health, business, and community hub. He also questioned whether 45 comments made by 21 individuals on a notoriously negative Facebook page was an accurate reflection of the community’s sentiment, he stated “On a daily basis, I and the other Councillors are approached by community members about Council business and the feasibility study on the community hub was no different. Yes, I’ve had some people approach me with concerns, however after speaking to them. Nearly all of them were supportive of Council looking at whether such a hub would be feasible and whether it would be able to meet the needs of the community. I have since reviewed the post and it is clear to me that many of those who have commented haven’t actually read the initial feasibility study and are basing their options on the misinformation within the Facebook post. Ultimately 21 individuals on a rant and rave page, doesn’t reflect the views of a community with a population of 2,254 individuals”.
The concept of the feasibility study for a business, community and medical hub was developed from feedback from medical practitioners, allied health service providers and other stakeholders. This feedback included:
- Feedback from visiting practitioners and individuals that the aging existing healthcare facilities was a deterrent in coming to Streaky Bay to practice.
- Allied Health Service providers moving to the region can’t operate out of the existing medical centre and there were no commercial spaces available for them to operate from.
- There was a lack of spaces for the community to meet at, i.e., many community groups have to facilitate their meetings at the Streaky Bay hotel.
- Feedback from local police was that there was a need for a youth drop-in centre.
- Unihub would be interested in delivering services to Streaky Bay if it had an appropriate facility in place. This would assist in helping maintain Streaky Bay’s youth population.
- The currently Council owned dentist practice building is coming to its end of life and will not be fit for purpose in terms of being a facility that can offer dentist services in the future.
- Other considerations which drove Council to undertake the feasibility study were:
- The location of the existing medical centre being within a State Government owned building, limits the options for Council to upgrade the aging facility.
- In providing medical consultation facilities away from the State Government owned building provided flexibility in the way we can deliver GP services to the community.
- Multi-purpose service hubs, such a Medical, Community and Business hub have been extremely successful in delivering services to communities which are a similar size as Streaky Bay.
- Upgrades to medical facilities in Kimba and Wudinna, and the slated upgrade to facilities in Ceduna means Streaky Bay is being left behind in terms of being able to provide modern and suitable facilities to practice from.
- Community health hubs provide a wide range of healthcare services in one central location, making it convenient for individuals to access primary care, preventive services, specialized care, mental health support, and health education.
- Community health hubs act as a central point for coordinating care among various healthcare providers. They facilitate communication and collaboration between primary care physicians, specialists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals.
- Council needs to be proactive in providing preventive health services to lessen the burden on primary health services.
- Streaky Bay doesn’t have the population size which can facilitate the delivery of some full-time services, therefore by providing service providers with the option where they only have to hire a room for a limited time (i.e. one day a month) will make it easier to attract and facilitate service delivery in Streaky Bay.
- Despite having high fertility rates and a growing population, services such as the Child and Family Health nurse and an Early Childhood Development Officer have been withdrawn from Streaky Bay over the past few years. Hence, it’s important that Council is proactive in retaining and attracting services. Giving service agencies the ability where they can come to Streaky Bay to deliver services with less overheads will help with this endeavour.
- There is a lack of facilities to facilitate conferences and other events, i.e. the existing hall’s kitchen isn’t fit for catering for large numbers.
In speaking about the recent EP Advocate article and recent social media posts, Council CEO Damian Carter outlined his disappointment, he stated “I become aware of a post on a Social Media post on Monday which was based on misinformation and rumours and of particular concern was speculation about a meeting I had with a medical professional. It is so disappointing that in the face of the amount of work we and others are undertaking to try and attract medical professionals to the region, that this work is undermined by misinformation and the uninformed opinions of a few on social media. What is even more disappointing that media agencies such as the Eyre Peninsula Advocate are amplifying and emboldening such voices through their reporting.”
In relation to the feasibility study, Damian Carter continued in saying “At no stage has Council committed to building the hub and is only assessing its feasibility and whether it could assist in the facilitation of services to meet the demands of our growing community. Like any feasibility study if the business case doesn’t stack up, we don’t proceed. This is clear to anyone who read the Council reports and the initial feasibility study.”
We urge media outlets and the public to critically assess the sources and credibility of information before reporting or forming opinions. Social media platforms, including Facebook "Rant and Rave" pages, often serve as breeding grounds for misinformation, rumours, and personal attacks, which can significantly compromise the integrity of the information presented.
Our organization encourages open dialogue and constructive feedback from all stakeholders, including the media and the public. We are open to addressing any concerns through official channels and providing accurate information to ensure a fair and balanced representation of our organization's mission and values. In relation to this, Council encourages individuals to download the feasibility study from this link and if they have any additional questions or concerns to reach out to the CEO or Elected Members who are more than happy to speak to them about the matter.
We call upon Eyre Peninsula Advocate to retract the misleading article and issue an apology for relying on unverified sources that have tarnished our reputation and misled the public. We are more than willing to cooperate with the media in providing accurate information, verified by reliable sources, to ensure that they present an objective and truthful narrative to their audience.
In conclusion, The District Council of Streaky Bay remains committed to its mission and upholding the highest standards of integrity. We will continue to focus on delivering positive contributions to our community and serving the best interests of our ratepayers.