More interest rate pain is hard to bear

Tuesday's widely predicted decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to raise interest rates by another 0.5 of a percentage point will have millions of Australians asking just how much more pain they are expected to take.

While interest rate increases, long recognised by economists as the best way to counter rising inflation, are necessary given RBA projections inflation will top 7 per cent by the end of the year, the reality is consumer demand is already being suppressed by the increase in the price of petrol.

This drain on family finances will only get worse when the fuel excise rebate jumps 22 cents a litre come September.

That raises questions about just how effective this latest round of rate rises will be in reining in inflation.

The Standard reported this week the number of south-west residents "sleeping rough" was increasing, due to a lack of affordable housing and the rising cost of living.

Anglicare Australia is calling for a rental reform to address the crisis.

The RBA's assumption most households are sitting on a large pile of savings and can afford to pay a bit more on their home loans deserves closer examination.

It is estimated the combined rate rises to date will increase repayments on a $500,000 mortgage by about $300 per month.

If the RBA follows the trajectory predicted by some economists this could reach $500 or $600 per month by the end of the year. That will be a bitter pill to swallow for many.

In other news, a stoush between medical heavyweights has left the public health system in Warrnambool without a urologist.

Talks between South West Healthcare and urologist Adee-Jonathan Davidson have failed to successfully negotiate terms going forward.

Patient William Hickey says his visit to South West Healthcare's emergency department should not have ended with a rushed flight to Melbourne, after he was told Mr Davidson had left the region, which was not true.

"I was advised that all my treatment could have taken place in Warrnambool, including my follow up, which Adee is now taking care of," he said.

Meanwhile, the first step in a new hospital for Warrnambool has cleared a planning hurdle despite concerns the development's car parking requirements fall short by 60 spaces.

Eight objections were lodged to the proposal for an off-site supply and logistics centre for the hospital over the car parking issue.

A forum held to discuss the location of the city's art gallery has heard an "overwhelming majority" are opposed to it moving from its current site to Cannon Hill.

The Warrnambool City Council hosted a public forum on Tuesday night to gauge opinion on two site options for a new gallery which The Standard revealed in April would cost about $40 million.

A fiery exchange broke out when about 15 objectors met with council representatives on Tuesday to address plans to turn one of Warrnambool's waste transfer stations into a 24-hour operation.

Two south-west destinations have taken out gold and silver in Victoria's Top Tourism Towns Awards in what one pleased mayor describes as a major boon for the region after a pandemic bust.

Port Fairy won gold for the second year in a row and will go on to compete at the national level in the coming months while Timboon also took silver.

Delighted children aboard woolly ponies let out shrieks of joy at the reinvigorated Western District Pony Club rally on Sunday (pictured above).

Twelve riders had the honour of being the first equestrians to attend the rallies that will be held on the first Sunday of each month.

Budding doctors from across the country are touring Warrnambool and the south-west in the hopes an immersion program will convince them to live and work in the region.

Fourteen first-year students from Deakin University's pilot Rural Training Stream are on a three-day tour of the city, visiting both clinical facilities and tourist sites.

A Corangamite district man, with an extensive criminal history, brought his 11-year-old son along to a burglary at a south-west sports club, a court has heard.

South-west farmers are celebrating after 121.6mm of rain fell in June.

Bureau of Meteorology data shows the rainfall was an increase on last year's rainfall for the month, which was 89mm.

NAIDOC Week was also celebrated with plenty of events across the region.

Tiny hands and hearts left a big impression as the city's kindergarten children hosted their first-ever public art exhibition at the Lighthouse Theatre Atrium.

Until next week,

Rachael Houlihan, deputy editor, The Standard