Concerns over iconic Telstra building continue

MAYOR of the Dubbo Region Ben Shields said there are still significant concerns about the state of Dubbo’s historic Clock Tower building and has said that Telstra should show the community they are serious about properly maintaining Dubbo’s most iconic building.

Council received a response from Telstra CEO Andrew Penn in January saying a review of previous cleaning of the building and additional bird proofing would be done to see what further steps need to be taken to ensure the building is properly maintained.

Councillor Dayne Gumley expressed frustration that from his perspective Telstra has not acted on previous commitments.

“The Clock Tower building is an iconic feature of Dubbo’s streetscape,” Cr Gumley said. “Its a prime location in the CBD, close to our major tourism attraction of the Old Dubbo Gaol and in a busy shopping area (which) means this building is one of the most important features of the city,” he said.

“Council is continuing to urge Telstra to take responsibility and complete the cleaning and repairs which are obviously needed,” Cr Gumley said.

Call for 40km/h zones during emergencies

DUBBO Regional Council will make representation to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Melinda Pavey, and the Minister for Emergency Services, Troy Grant, requesting consideration be given to the introduction of 40km/h speed zones at emergency events.

“The simple fact is, during a rescue, we don’t want to turn it into a double rescue,” councillor Greg Mohr said during the ordinary council meeting on Monday, February 26.

Councillor John Ryan added: “I’ve reported on many accident sights. I’ve seen a lot of near misses and, given that this council (has) such an emphasis on road safety, it’s something we should support wholeheartedly.”

Cr Dayne Gumley said, “There are probably lots of people in the community thinking to themselves, ‘Why would you need 40km/h speed zones?’ Before I worked in the safety of an office in the court house, I was in uniform in NSW Police and I spent some time in the highway patrol. The number of times I had stopped at an incident or trauma on the roadway, and myself or colleagues were almost killed by people travelling too quickly, were numerous.

“This is an extremely important opportunity for the government to respond and ensure the safety of our emergency services,” Cr Gumley said.

The NSW Rural Fire Service Association (RFSA) have also called on the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to urgently address a key