Knees up in Thailand

Gold Coast MP to have Thai knee op
From: www.news.com.au
February 17, 2006

QUEENSLAND Labor MP Robert Poole is to have a knee replacement
operation in Thailand and will spend three months in the country
recovering under the care of his Thai wife.

Mr Poole, the member for the Gold Coast seat of Gaven, last year came
under criticism after it was revealed he had spent months in the
south-east Asian county where his wife and two young sons live.
Premier Peter Beattie today confirmed he had approved Mr Poole's leave.

"People get sick. It's unfortunate, but they do," Mr Beattie said.

"I will be taking a personal interest in his electorate like I always
do."

In a letter to Mr Beattie, Mr Poole said the operation would leave him
incapacitated and he needed his wife to look after him.

He said it also presented an "important opportunity" to spend time with
his family.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said he did not know Mr Poole's
personal circumstances, but questioned whether spending three months in
Thailand was a better place to recover than the Gold Coast hinterland.

"The people of Gaven are really starting to be concerned now about the
type of representation they are getting from their local member and
their lack of interest," he said.

"Mr Poole has to decide if he wants to be a member of parliament and
represent the people of Gaven or go and live somewhere overseas."

Mr Springborg said one of his staff returned to work a week after
having a knee operation.

"I don't know the seriousness of this, but one would think that three
months is quite an extended period of time for recovery," he said.

Last year, Mr Beattie was forced to defend Mr Poole against suggestions
he was not committed to representing his electorate.

He said he was confident Mr Poole was committed to his job and would
stand again at the next election, due in 2007.

At the time Mr Poole said his wife did not want to return to Australia
and would remain in Thailand living in a house he had built for his
mother-in-law.

Ipswich Labor MP Don Livingstone will look after the Gaven electorate
in Mr Poole's absence.
แซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซซนนนนนดี้

What a great idea, he has his knee done, probably at Bumrungraad far
away from the disastrous Queensland Health system which he and his
party are administering and spends three months in LoS with his wife
recuperating. Good luck to him.

Unfortunately for him Aust has mostly efficient opposition parties and
voters have notoriously long memories, so I don't like his chances of
re-election next time.

Sandy
Huay Khwaang

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