8/7/2019 Country Labor Dialogue - October 2009

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Country Labor diaLogue

c o n n e c t i n g c o u n t r y c o m m u n i t i e s o c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

P m ad P v c nsW

th pa h ha ah c La.

Congratulations to both the Wagga Wagga and Bathurst Branches or

their successul dinners that they held the Eddie Graham Dinner and

Annual Ben Chiey Memorial Light on the Hill Address.

I was ortunate enough to attend the Annual Ben Chiey Memorial

Light on the Hill Address, given this year by the Federal Treasurer,

the Hon Wayne Swan MP.

On the 60th anniversary o Chieys Light on the Hill speech, our current

Federal Treasurer reected upon the words o a previous Treasurer,

and how they still encapsulate the ideas we fght or today.

To read an excerpt o the speech, see page 4.

I look orward to seeing many o you at our Annual Conerence

on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November. For more details,

please visit www.nswalp.com/state-conerence-2009 or contact

Courtney on 1800 503 035.

ma thlhwaGENERAL SECRETARY

Over the past month, both the Prime Minister and Premier have visited Country

NSW, holding Community Cabinets and consultations around the State.

Both the Federal and State Cabinets took timeout to meet with local Branch Members.

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P m v nh carl, h P m hld ah h l c ca P maqa

h nh ca.

Minister or the Environment,

Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett,

and Minister or Agriculture, Fisheries

and Forestry Tony Burke, have

together announced a $5 million

program or local environmental and

land management groups to

support their work.

The Community Action Grants will

be unded through Caring or our

Country, and is expected to provide

up to 500 grants o between

$5,000 and $20,000.

To make it easier or the community

groups to apply, the on-line application

process and paperwork have been

simplifed. Applications and guidelines

will be announced in October.

$5 ll pa lal

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gv hav

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allw nsW l

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This will provide a clear plan

or uture water purchases in

NSW until 2012-13. The MOU

commits both governments

to eective water shepherdingarrangements. This enables

water to be delivered to

high priority environmental

assets, without enhancing or

diminishing the rights o water

users along the way.

This means that environmental

water purchases in the

northern Murray-Darling Basin

can be used to meet high

priority environmental needsright across the system.

For more inormation call

1300 363 079.

nsW a wa ad ld

F adad kk The Federal Government has reported that 42 kiosks are already operating under its

Broadband or Seniors Initiative. The $15 million program is designed at providing

up to 2,000 ree Internet kiosks across the country over the next three years.

In NSW, kiosks are now operating in Albury, Bateau Bay, Bowraville, Bulahdelah,

Buronga, Coonabarabran, Delegate, Eden, Lismore, Mungindi, Macksville,

Narromine, Port Macquarie, Sawtell, Sussex Inlet, Tingha, and Toormina.

Hwv, aa a ad h

kk. i aa d, pla a h

badad s hl 1300 795 897 www...a

ThePrime Minister recently visited theNorth Coast, meetingwith

BranchMembersinPort Macquarie andLismore. Heis pictured herewith

MemberorPage, Janelle Safn and local Branch Members.

Prior to the Cabinet meeting,

the Prime Minister and his

Cabinet colleagues attended

a lunch with local BranchMembers rom right along the

North Coast.

Congratulations to the Port

Macquarie Branch, and the

Duty Senator Mark Arbib or

organising such a great day!

Whilst on the North Coast,

the Prime Minister also visited

Lismore Base Hospital, with

local Member or Page, JanelleSafn. The Prime Minister

announced $8.3 million in

unding to establish an 8 bed

Medical Assessment Unit.

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P naha r ha

pd ak h p

Building the Country

Package, ad a cc nv 2008.

As part o the Program, grants have

been provided to 40 local Chambers

o Commerce or small projects, and

seven signifcant local inrastructure

projects in Dungog, Albury, Moree,

Scone, Blayney, Gloucester andWagga Wagga.

The Premier made the report back,

and the announcement to provide

$2.5 million to the Wagga City

Council or a new access road to

Bomen Industrial Park, at the

Eddie Graham Dinner.

For more details, see page 4.

m e

sv, sv Wha ha

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sv ha h wad

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The announcement means

that residents in these Local

Government Areas will require a

permit to burn, one month earlier

than they are usually required.

However, Steve Whan reported

that there had been an increase o

20% in the rate o hazard reduction

works completed over the last year.

Agencies across NSW are on

track to achieve more hazard

reduction and protect more

homes than we have seen in a

number o years, Mr Whan said.The Government knows we

can never be complacent about

hazard reduction, which is why we

have boosted unding or hazard

reduction and fre trails by $36

million over our years.

This years record $216 million

Rural Fire Fighting Fund also

includes a $6 million boost or

aerial fre fghting resources and

$31.3 million or more than 200bush fre tankers.

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gv apa

al aa had

xdd xpa,

v 500 p .

The NSW Government has thrown

its support behind the industry

through innovative campaigns to

drive visitor numbers to regional

NSW, Jodi McKay reported.

Programs such as the $1 childrens

are campaign on CountryLink, and

partnerships between CountryLink

and Dubbos Taronga Western Plains

Zoo were some o the greatest

success stories. There was also a

signifcant increase in pensioners

travelling as a result o the abolition

o the pensioner booking ee.

ThePremier,MinisterorRegional DevelopmentandMinisterorEmergency Servicesrecentlyinspectedsome othe preparations ortheupcoming bushfreseason.

South West Register31/07/09

Mudgee Guardian31/07/09

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