Junee Shire Council have been successful in securing over $900,000 to deliver two projects which will support the residents and visitors to Junee through Round Five of the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund.
The street beautification project which involves new playground equipment in Memorial Park and the Inclusion Action Plan will see $733,636 invested in the shire.
With $169,087 allocated to undertake upgrades to the bathrooms at Junee Junction Recreation and Aquatic Centre.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said it is fantastic to see that the community and visitors will have new playground equipment to enjoy at Memorial Park along with modernised facilities at the Aquatic Centre.
“The new play equipment will enhance the enjoyment for locals and visitors to the park encourage socialising, recreation and spending time in nature, which we know is good for health and wellbeing,” Ms Cooke said.
“It’s great to know that Council are taking steps to ensure everyone has access to services, improved facilities, events and information as part of their Inclusion Action Plan.”
Junee Council’s General Manager James Davis said the Stronger Country Community Program continues to support residents right across the Shire.
“This program hits the bullseye in terms of positively impacting and improving community wellbeing,” Mr Davis said.
“With our Shire’s population on the rise, this round of funding delivers much-needed upgrades to the Recreation Centre bathrooms and new playground equipment in Memorial Park.”
“In addition, the funding will implement our Inclusion Action Plan for accessible and inclusive community spaces and facilities that our residents are genuinely proud of,” he said.
Junee Local Government Area has seen over $5.2 million invested for 25 projects since 2017 under the Stronger Country Communities Fund as part of the NSW Government’s $3.3 billion Regional Growth Fund.
Steph Cooke | 22 Dec 2022 | Community Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Emergency Services Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire
Five new probationary constables from ‘Class 356’ will commence duties across the region following their Police Academy attestation and formal ceremony held at the Goulburn Police Academy on Friday, 9 December.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has congratulated the new recruits as they embark on their policing careers from Junee, Cootamundra, Narrandera and Young Police stations.
“I welcome all our newest police officers to the region and wish them every success in such an honourable role,” Ms Cooke said.
“Being sworn in as a police officer is a great honour and I commend these recruits for their commitment to their communities.”
“These new officers will play major roles in keeping our communities safe and it is great to see more and more officers gaining experience in our rural areas”
NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole joined NSW Police Commissioner, Karen Webb APM, to welcome the enthusiastic new recruits, who come from diverse backgrounds and professional experience.
“I am proud to welcome the 151 new recruits into the NSW Police Force, who have taken up the incredibly challenging but rewarding responsibility of serving and protecting the people of NSW,” Minister Toole said.
“These probationary constables are among 1,046 recruits to NSW Police this year, helping strengthen the ranks of our modern and world-class Police Force.”
“The NSW Government recognises the role of a police officer is like no other, which is why we’re rolling out landmark reforms to help recruit, retain and take better care of every member of the Force throughout their career, whether they’re probationary constables or those with decades of experience.” The recruits of Class 356 including 116 men and 35 women have completed eight months of foundational training before putting their feet on the beat.
Steph Cooke | 21 Dec 2022 | Community Grants Junee Shire News
Community organisations in Junee have been successful in securing funding totalling over $29,000 for three projects through the NSW Government’s 2022 Community Building Partnership Program.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the State Government funds will deliver much-needed improvements and equipment to local facilities.
“I congratulate all the organisations that were successful in their application and look forward to seeing how these projects make difference for community groups in Junee,” Ms Cooke said.
The successful organisations to receive funding are:
Junee Junior Rugby League Football Club Inc
Junee Motor Club Inc
St Vincent De Paul Society
Junee Junior Rugby League Football Club are receiving $5,000 to purchase a new freestanding commercial deep fryer.
Junee Motor Club has been successful in receiving $16,278 to purchase maintenance equipment and a storage shed.
The local St Vincent De Paul Society has been successful in receiving $8,557 to install solar panels on their Junee building.
The Community Building Partnership program has funded more than 18,000 community projects since it commenced in 2009. For more information about the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership Program, visit www.nsw.gov.au/cpb
Junee Shire Council have been successful in receiving $1,075,000 boost for their Canola Trail Activation Program thanks to Round Two of the NSW Government’s Regional Tourism Activation Fund.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the Canola Trail Activation Program is a collective initiative of Junee, Coolamon and Temora shires.
“Visitors come from far and wide to visit the simply breathtaking blankets of yellow canola,” Ms Cooke said.
“To see our golden triangle receive this boost to further promote and enhance the experience for visitors to the region is just fantastic.”
“This won’t only support Junee by increasing visitation, it will also boost the local economy and local jobs.”
Junee Shire Council Mayor Cr Neil Smith said they welcome this funding which will further promote the “Canola Trail” experience by providing wonderful vantage points for viewing our fields of golden canola.
“In addition it will address the increased popularity of the Bethungra Dam camping grounds including accessible walking and bike trails and additional camping areas which have been on Council’s collective mind for some time,” Mr Smith said.
“We look forward to the work commencing and are very proud of the alliance with our neighbouring councils, it shows that when we work together as a team, we can achieve great benefits for the region,” he said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the Regional Tourism Activation Fund supports local economies and local jobs by backing unique tourism experiences that will attract visitors and showcase what regional NSW has to offer.
“We know regional NSW has Australia’s best tourist destinations and experiences. We want to amplify that by helping create new experiences and drawcards that put more heads on beds and attract more tourism dollars into regional communities,” Mr Toole said.
The $180 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund is part of the NSW Government’s $3.3 billion Regional Growth Fund, designed to support growing regional centres, activate local economies and improve services and community infrastructure for regional communities.
Steph Cooke | 28 Nov 2022 | Junee Shire News Roads and Transport
Junee Shire Council will soon start receiving funds totalling $301,004.35 for urgent pothole repairs, under the NSW Government’s $50 million Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the money was going straight into Junee Shire Council’s bank account to help them cover the extra costs and workload pressures following this year’s unprecedented rain and storms.
“These grants are a rapid injection of cash to help councils get on with the job of repairing potholes to get us through the wet summer ahead,” Ms Cooke said.
“This is on top of the ongoing investment in a stronger road network through Fixing Local Roads, Fixing Country Roads and Fixing Country Bridges.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said all 94 regional councils that applied for funding had been approved for grants.
“From December, councils across regional NSW will receive their share of $50 million to repair pothole-ravaged local and regional roads,” Mr Farraway said.
“This additional support will help councils to repair their most damaged roads, improving safety and reducing wear and tear on vehicles.
“The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is backing in our councils with this dedicated pothole repair funding which is the first of its kind in NSW.”
Junee Shire Council Mayor, Cr Neil Smith, welcomed the extra money announced under the Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round.
“We have nearly 900 kilometres of local and regional roads to manage across the Junee Shire. Every dollar counts towards ensuring they are repaired as quickly as possible,” Cr Smith said
“Junee Shire Council has always been very proud of the way it has maintained it’s road network. The damage that we have seen during the continued wet weather has been worse than anyone can remember. Combine this with the upcoming bumper harvest and the risk to our roads is very worrying,”
“The silver lining through these threatening clouds, has been something to brighten our outlook and is very much appreciated. That silver lining, shining brightly, is the once off grant being provided to many country councils by the NSW State Government for pothole repair work,”
“Council has been diligently trying to keep up with pothole repairs and these funds will enable us to continue to do so until proper repairs can occur when the weather eventually clears up and permits us to do so. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Minister for Transport, Sam Farraway and to our State member, Steph Cooke, for their advocacy and assistance.”
Nine firefighters have joined the ranks of Fire and Rescue NSW at Coolamon, Cootamundra, Cowra, Grenfell, Junee, Narrandera and Temora Fire Stations after completing weeks of intensive training at the Emergency Services Academy in Sydney.
Of the 227 new recruits, 60 are becoming permanent firefighters while 167 are becoming on-call, or part-time, firefighters. Made up of 161 men and 66 women are a welcome boost to Fire and Rescue NSW.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the nine firefighters are a welcome boost to the capability and capacity of emergency services in the region.
“I want to congratulate and thank each new recruit for putting service above self and making the decision to join Fire and Rescue NSW,” Ms Cooke said.
“Whether it’s responding to fires, chemical emergencies, car crashes or natural disasters, Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters are prepared for any situation.”
“Every day they answer the call to help, putting themselves on the frontline of danger to protect and save others. I’m very proud to see these new recruits joining that proud tradition.”
“Fire and Rescue NSW is widely known as one of the most professional and well-respected emergency services organisations in the world, and I am confident these 227 new recruits will serve their local community with distinction,” she said.
Each of the new firefighters has spent up to 14 weeks learning their trade, studying various techniques to deal with different emergencies, how to apply first aid, search and rescue skills, heavy vehicle driving and HAZMAT response know-how.
Some of the new firefighters have already been deployed to their new fire stations, while others will join from Monday onwards.
Steph Cooke | 22 Nov 2022 | Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Hilltops Council Junee Shire Local projects Narrandera Shire
Seniors living in our region now have more opportunities to get involved in the 2023 NSW Seniors Festival thanks to grant funding provided by the NSW Government.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said a number of events and programs have been successful in receiving funding as part of the festival, which is the largest celebration of seniors in the southern hemisphere.
“These community-led activities and events are a great way for seniors and help keep them connected with their local community during the NSW Seniors Festival,” Ms Cookesaid.
The local events to receive funding are:
Cootamundra Ukulele Festival Inc – Seniors Concert 2023 – $1,000
Hilltops Council – Seniors Expo – $1,000
Junee Shire Council – You, Me, Forever Young – $3,700
Narrandera Shire Council – Live Well Narrandera Expo – $972.00
Minister for Seniors Mark Coure said more than 80 community organisations across the state that have received a share in $200,000 provided by the NSW Government to host activities during the festival.
“Each of these groups are helping make the festival even bigger, giving seniors more opportunities to get involved across the State,” Mr Coure said.
“Seniors are such an important part of our local communities and I am proud to see so many organisations want to help celebrate them.”
The activities hosted by the community groups will take place during the NSW Seniors Festival, which is scheduled to run from 1-12 February 2023.
Each of the 85 activities are to provide seniors an opportunity to get involved during the festival and connect them with their local community, no matter their background or abilities.
Steph Cooke | 10 Nov 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Weddin Shire
Abandoned shopping trolleys, vehicles and other unattended property will spend less time on streets and public spaces, and owners will be more accountable following the introduction of new rules strengthening impounding powers of councils across the electorate.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke welcomed the new regulations which are coming into effect today Tuesday 1 November 2022.
“The NSW Government has again made common-sense changes to rules around unattended property. The new rules put the onus back on owners where it belongs, will save council money and make our streets safer,” Ms Cooke said.
Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 replaces the Impounding Act 1993, and places more responsibility on individuals and businesses to better manage their property within reasonable timeframes or face much stronger penalties.
“We’ve developed these new laws following extensive consultation with stakeholders including local government, industry, advocacy groups, state agencies and the community,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“There will be a six-month grace period where warnings will be issued for unattended property in most cases, rather than fines. We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys notified after-hours.”
The PSUP Act includes special powers for authorities to deal with stock animals wandering on public roads and causing a risk to safety, which was widely welcomed by councils during consultation. These provisions will commence at a later date.
The rules also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers and caravans, share bikes, and personal watercraft. For full details of the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 please visit https://dpe.mysocialpinpoint.com.au/unattended-property
Steph Cooke | 25 Oct 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire Roads and Transport Temora Shire Weddin Shire
The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will invest $50 million to help regional and rural councils fix the increasing number of potholes brought on by this year’s extreme wet weather.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said under the new Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round, Councils across the electorate can apply for funding to help them address their highest priority pothole repairs.
“It is hard to drive anywhere on our road network without dodging potholes as a result of the wet weather we have experienced this year,” Ms Cooke said.
“We have heard the calls for help loud and clear and fixing the hundreds of potholes caused by recent heavy rains and flooding is a priority.
“This additional support will help ease the pressure local councils are facing and boost the resources they can draw upon to repair their most damaged roads to improve safety and reduce wear and tear on vehicles.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said NSW has had more than its fair share of natural disasters and extreme weather and that more than 135,000 potholes have been repaired on State roads in regional NSW since February.
“We certainly have plenty more potholes that still require attention, particularly on council-managed roads, which is why our Government is putting more money on the table for councils to repair potholes on the roads regional communities use every day,” Mr Farraway said.
“This funding is available to help every regional council across the state to carry out emergency repairs and would fix roughly more than 420,000 potholes on their roads.”
The new funding builds on the $500 million invested by the NSW Government through the Fixing Local Roads program to help regional councils repair, maintain and seal local roads across the state.
Funding under the Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round is available to 95 regional councils and authorities to help repair potholes on regional and local roads. Work must be completed between 1 January 2023 and 1 January 2024.
Applications for funding are open for two weeks from today with funding announced in November so councils can begin work as soon as possible.
Steph Cooke | 18 Oct 2022 | Bland Shire Community Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Environment and Heritage Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
Return and Earners in the region could be in for a massive update, with the NSW Government planning to expand the scheme so it includes containers like glass wine and spirits bottles and larger containers.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said this is an exciting opportunity to build on one of Australia’s most successful recycling initiatives and improve recycling practices in households across NSW.
“More than 8 billion bottles have been returned and given a new life since the scheme started in 2017, a huge achievement and I thank the regional communities for embracing this new way of thinking about beverage containers,” Ms Cooke said.
“Together we have driven down drink container litter rates by an impressive 52 per cent, increased recycling rates and donated funds to charities,”
“Return and Earn has achieved an enormous amount so far and now we’re looking to take the next step as we strive towards our vision for a circular economy in the region.”
Return and Earn locations across the Cootamundra Electorate are located at:
Consultation is now open on the Scheme’s expansion, which would see almost all beverage containers between 150 ml and 3 litres accepted for refund.
For example, this would include:
Wine and spirits in glass bottles
Cordials and juice concentrate
Larger containers up to 3 litres of beverages already in the scheme, such as flavoured milk, fruit and vegetable juice, cask wine and sachets.
Plain milk and health tonics would continue to be excluded from the scheme.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority will be holding targeted stakeholder information sessions and webinars in the coming months around NSW so a transition can be as smooth as possible for new suppliers to the scheme.
The discussion paper Driving NSW’s circular economy is available at https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/ and will be open for consultation until 5pm 2 December 2022.
