Seven Days
The week’s top stories from around the region
Flying the flag for life in Dubbo
A BRAND new set of flags will soon be flying above Dubbo to promote the city as a great place to live, work and play.
Launched this week, the new flags are designed to showcase the City Development Partnership Program, Level One partners from the New Residents Guide.
The four partners from this round are Kevin Hockey and Associates, Brett Harvey Design and Construction, Laser Electrical and Dubbo Aquatic Leisure Centre.
The flags promote the array of investment, business and career growth opportunities available in Dubbo while promoting the quality of life that gives residents more time to do what they love.
Additionally, with new partner Charles Sturt University on board under the City Banner Program 2015/16, the flags showcase Dubbo as an integral educational hub in the region, and highlight the important role the New Residents guide can play when assisting our next generation of doctors, nurses and teachers settle in to life in Dubbo.
Driving small business success
SMALL businesses in Gulargambone, Collarenebri and Warren will have access to a hand-up next week when the Small Biz Bus rolls into town.
The free service provides operators with no-cost personalised advice from business experts.
Peter Croft, Chief Executive of the Business Enterprise Centre based in Dubbo, said the bus presented an excellent opportunity for local businesses to receive advice through the Small Biz Connect Program.
According to NSW Small Business Commissioner, Robyn Hobbs OAM, speaking to an advisor can help people take the next step, whether they’re just starting out, wanting to ensure their business is sustainable or hoping to grow.
The Office of the NSW Small Business Commissioner also helps small businesses by providing low-cost dispute resolution services, speaking up for small business within government and delivering quality business advice through Small Biz Connect. The Bus will be at: • Gulargambone on Wednesday, February 3, from 10am to 3pm
• Collarenebri Lions Park, Thursday, February 4, from 9am to 3pm
• Warren, Friday, February 5, Dubbo St, Warren, from 10am to 3pm
Bookings can be made by calling the Business Enterprise Centre on 1300 134 359 or visit www.smallbusiness.nsw. gov.au.
Date set for public Inquiry into merger
THE public inquiry on the merger proposal of Dubbo City and Wellington councils will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at the Wellington Soldiers from
9am to 12 noon and Club Dubbo between 3pm and 5pm, and, 7pm to 10pm.
Members of the public will be able to express their opinions on the merger proposal directly to the Office of Local Government delegate who is responsible for preparing the report for the Boundaries Commission and Local Government Minister Paul Toole, and who recommends proceeding or not proceeding with the proposed merger.
Registrations are essential and close by 12 noon this coming Friday, January 29. They can be made on line at www. councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au or by phoning 1300 813 020.
Dubbo City Council is also encouraging residents and ratepayers to read up on the merger proposal for Dubbo and Wellington councils and prepare a submission on the potential impacts.
The new council boundary would extend from Eumungerie to Kerrs Creek, a distance of more than 140kms, and have a combined population of 50,627.
The NSW government expects the proposed merger to net $17 million in savings over 20 years. These savings are expected to come primarily from streamlining senior management roles and savings on back office and administrative functions.
Public submissions can be made to the NSW government on the merger proposal and all residents and ratepayers should consider the impact on services, the financial issues associated with the merger and the interest to the community of the proposed merger.
The proposal is currently under a review being undertaken by Dr Ian Tiley (the Office of Local Government delegate). The delegate’s report must be structured around specific factors included in the Local Government Act. Therefore, public submissions should include information that fits within these criteria:
•Financial advantages or disadvantages
•The community of interest and geographic cohesion •Historical and traditional values •The attitude of residents and ratepayers
•Level of representation for residents and ratepayers •Service delivery and access •Employment impacts •Impact on rural communities •Dividing the area into wards •Effective representation to ensure opinions of diverse communities are heard
Residents and ratepayers may consider matters like the real value of savings, what impacts on service delivery may occur as a result of a merger, how outlying areas will be represented and
serviced appropriately and the redistribution of rates and other income across a larger Council area.
To make your submission go to www. councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au
Help to get your affairs in order
IF you’ve been meaning to get your affairs in order but never find the time, now’s the time, according to the NSW Trustee & Guardian (T&G)
Which is urging local residents to avail themselves of assistance that will be provided during Wills Day in Dubbo next week.on Tuesday, February 9, representatives of the NSW T&G will help make the process of drawing up a will a little easier for people who would like to take the important and necessary but sometimes daunting task of getting their affairs in order. Experts will be on hand to help people write a will or arrange Power of Attorney documents.
Planning ahead for your future legal and financial decisions is an important part of life, according to NSW T&G, which says getting these important documents in place should be a priority for everyone over 18 years of age.
A team of legal specialists will be able to provide the expertise required to meet estate-planning needs at the specified Wills Day. An appointment involves talking to the local team from NSW T&G and getting your wishes down in writing by having your will and Power of Attorney in place, so that you are prepared in the event that you are no longer able to manage your financial affairs, or for when you die. Wills Day will take place at the Dubbo ADHC Offices in Brisbane Street, Dubbo on Tuesday, February 9. Bookings are essential, and can be made by calling 6626 5000 or online at www.tag.nsw.gov.au/wills-day
Have your say on pay for use parking
COUNCIL is proposing to introduce pay for use public parking during the 2016/17 financial year and public submissions are being sought before January 29, 2016.
Under the proposal parking will be free for the first four hours. A fee of $4.70 per day will apply after the first four hours.
“To continue to expand services and meet the public demand for an accessible regional airport a diverse stream of funding is required,” Mayor Mathew Dickerson said in a statement this week.
“Numbers for the financial year to the end of December 2015 have increased by 3,896 passengers compared to the previous year. This is a 3.9 per cent increase on the same six-month period in 2014,” Dickerson said.
“Passenger numbers for just the month of December reached 16,297 which is a record monthly total for any December, eclipsing the previous record of 15,240 recorded nine years ago in December 2007,” he said.
In December 2014 the airport had 14,428 passengers so 2015 saw an increase of 1,896 passengers or 13 per cent.
“Many of these additional passengers were as a result of the new JETGO services to Brisbane and Melbourne but the established carriers are also growing. Qantaslink recorded its best monthly total for a December with 10,504 passengers and Rex recorded an increase on December 2014 of 11 per cent.”
One resident who has already expressed his vehement opposition to the proposal is former councillor Peter Bartley, who has labelled the consultation period a “sham”.
Bartley believes council staff want next year’s budget for the airport prepared on the basis of the proposed parking fees, which he says proves any opposition raised by the public will be ignored.
“The staff’s report to council is seeking that the airport budget be prepared ‘ on the basis of funding being allocated for construction of pay for use car park facilities,” Bartley said in a widely circulated statement. “I have been stopped in the shops and on the street by dozens of people horrified by the council’s proposal. No one has talked to me about being in favour of it.”
The former councilor says can not understand the supposed need for extra money when, “on council’s own figures, the airport will generate an annual surplus from operations of $2,664,108 on average over the next nine years”.
“This whole proposal is just a joke. There’s no need for it – it can’t be justified. They’re not even listening to their own consultants and it’s just a big rip off.”
Bartley also took a swipe at the current crop of councilors, saying they have been “unusually quiet on the issue”. As further evidence of the unnecessary move to impose parking fees at the airport, Bartley says there are currently 345 free public car parking spaces available, of which some 134 are usually empty. “The odd occasion, such as a high profile football match, fills up the car park a bit more but on average throughout the year there is only a 61 per cent occupancy rate.”
Western Division councils embrace change
MAYORS, councillors and general managers from the 11 Western Division Councils will take part in the division’s annual Conference in Lightning Ridge in early March to discuss sharing of resources, telecommunications and the Crown Lands Review.
Representatives from eight of the Western Councils have been part of the Far West Initiative chaired by former Member for Murray Darling John Williams to discuss new models of service delivery as part of the NSW Government’s Local Government Reform Agenda. The councils are calling for a new way of delivering government services to their communities.
President of the Division and Mayor of Lachlan Council John Medcalf said the western councils were hoping the formation of the Far West Initiative would provide a more efficient way of delivering all government services to outback communities, not just council ones.
“Both the federal and state governments supply a large number of services into our communities and councils would like to see these delivered more efficiently. Integrating all of these services is an important part of any local government reform”.
“Local government is a constant part of life in western NSW and we are often frustrated by the intermittent and ad hoc arrangements of both governments in their service delivery to our communities.
“We have different and varied challenges to our city counterparts. We cover massive amounts of territory and provide a broad range of services including medical services, aged care, emergency accommodation, water, sewerage as well as maintaining a vast network of roads.”
Medcalf said councils needed to discuss with both Governments new ways to meet these challenge and it was important to take this opportunity to make a long lasting difference even if it took two or three years to find the right model.
Knitting Nannas arrested at Pilliga protest
KNITTING Nannas Against Gas from the Northern Rivers were arrested on Monday January 18, and taken to Narrabri after their lock on protest at Santos Leewood Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The Knitting Nannas Against Gas Dubbo Region joined the protest in the Pilliga alongside supporters from around the state to protest the development of the Santos Leewood Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The 850-well project is slated to use 46 thousand megalitres of water.
Local protester Sally Forsstrom travelled to the Pilliga Forest on Sunday, to join over 120 others to walk on to the Santos site at the proposed Leewood Waste Water Facility.
The Gamilaraay sang the protestors in and spoke about protecting country from CSG wells.
A Pilliga Protest camp has been located at the Coonabarabran Showgrounds since Thursday, January 14 due to bushfire in the area.
They support non-violent direction action.
Knitting Nannas Against Gas Dubbo are located at Church Street every Wednesday from 9am-12 noon.
Boost for Peak Hill health
THE $12M Peak Hill Multi-purpose Service (MPS) was officially opened this week by NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant, Health Minister Jillian Skinner and Orange MP Andrew Gee.
The facility was jointly funded by the NSW Government ($6 million) and the Commonwealth ($6 million, through the Health and Hospitals Fund).
Grant said the MPS, which became operational last year, has significantly improved the health outcomes of patients and aged-care residents.
“The Peak Hill MPS is a fantastic example of what we can do on a smaller healthcare scale - delivering tailored services to meet the needs of the community.”
Skinner said an extensive consultation; planning and construction process ensured the Peak Hill MPS will meet the needs of the community now and into the future.
“Multi-purpose Services play such an important role in the health system, ensuring patients receive quality care closer to home.”
Woman dies in Eumungerie crash
A BRIEF is being prepared for the information of the Coroner, following a fatal crash near Dubbo in western New South Wales on Monday, January 18.
At about 1pm when a 2004 model silver Holden Commodore sedan was travelling in south along the Newell Highway near Eumungerie, when it appears the car has left the road and hit a tree.
Emergency services attended and a crime scene was established.
A teenage girl, a passenger travelling in the rear of the car, died at the scene. The driver, a 62 year old woman and the front seat passenger, a 42 year old woman, were taken to Dubbo Base Hospital, while a 14 year old boy, travelling in the back seat was airlifted to the Westmead Children’s Hspital in a critical condition. All are from Craigieburn in Victoria.
The Newell Highway was closed in both directions for a number of hours as investigations continued.
Late this week, police investigating the crash issued an appeal for help to find the driver of a truck, who they believe may have information vital to their inquiry.
Police spoke with the driver of the truck at the scene and believe he may have further information which could assist with the investigation; however, the man left before his contact details were obtained.
The truck is described as being a ‘cab over’ International T-line with an attached dog trailer. A white Bobcat is on the trailer.
Investigators are not suggesting the truck was involved in the crash; however, they believe the driver may have seen the car in the minutes leading up to the incident.
Anyone who knows the driver is urged to contact Dubbo Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Telehealth brings care closer to home
HEALTHCARE for residents of the state’s west is one step closer to home this week, thanks to a new telehealth strategy.
Telehealth features a range of health services and activities delivered by technology and secure high-speed internet. Often mistaken for telemedicine - which focuses on consultation and treatment by technology - Telehealth includes staff training, mentoring and improving professional connectivity and research.
NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant and Health Minister Jillian Skinner launched the strategy this week as part of their tour of the west to open a number of new hospital developments.
While in Dubbo, the pair saw a demonstration on how Telehealth is rolling out across the Western NSW Local Health District and improving access to care, especially in remote areas, seeing a renal dialysis patient in Walgett being examined by a specialist in Dubbo via a wireless and portable video monitor device at the patient’s bedside.
Skinner said telehealth will benefit western residents because of the vast distances and the costs associated with travelling between facilities for appointments.
“It can mean the difference between an improvement and an adverse outcome for patients presenting at rural hospitals with increasingly urgent symptoms. A staff specialist in a major rural or tertiary hospital can access Telehealth to speak to the patient and their clinicians to determine the best course of action.
The Western NSW LHD has been working on Telehealth for the past two years, setting up systems and procedures and acquiring equipment and infrastructure. A number of disciplines are in trial operation, including a pain clinic, obstetrics and gynaecology, renal care, acute care, orthopaedics, mental health and midwifery.