A ruling by federal government that Magnetic Island , named by Captain Cook due to a wrong diagnosis in the l770s , his ship running aground on the Great Barrier Reef soon after , is not such a remote location has resulted in deep concern about the future of the island's medical services.
The busy Latitude 19 privately owned health centre has been informed that the Bureau of Statistics whipped out the office sextant and discovered that the island , measured from Townsville, is not far away enough to qualify for a remote location $20,000 payment for medicos .
While it is eight kilometres from Townsville to the Nelly Bay ferry terminal , it was discovered by manipulating the theodolite and other navigation equipment, that it is only five kilometres from Pallarenda , a mainland seaside suburb, to the nearest Maggie outcrop .
This reduction in nautical knots apparently affected the island's standing in the Monash Model for declaring remote region entitlements.
Latitude 19 issued a brief social media statement that it would , using a Captain Cook expression , endeavour to carry on , but may have to reduce services.
This has raised community concerns that the centre , sailing into stormy economic seas under the feds , will be forced to trim its service sails. Magnetic Island , described as Townsville's Jewel in the Crown , with a population of 2500 , attracts a large number of tourists .
This has raised community concerns that the centre , sailing into stormy economic seas under the feds , will be forced to trim its service sails. Magnetic Island , described as Townsville's Jewel in the Crown , with a population of 2500 , attracts a large number of tourists .
The unsatisfactory situation makes islanders , especially those not in the pink , fearful the much used Latitude 19 centre could end up getting the chop like Captain Cook in the not so Friendly Islands . Federal Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen has come aboard , while the Townsville Liberal office seems adrift .
