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.
Steph Cooke | 04 Oct 2022 | Emergency Services Health Narrandera Shire News Uncategorized
NSW Ambulance staff in Narrandera are now even better equipped to serve the community thanks to a $680,000 upgrade to the local ambulance station as part of the Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration Program.
The funding has supported improvements and upgrades that have been carried out at the station, including a new kitchen and bathroom, better storage, increased office space, a dedicated training room and a new roof.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said she is delighted to see this investment providing a more pleasant work environment for the hardworking staff.
“These improvements will make coming to work far more comfortable for our hardworking paramedics who are busy serving our community day and night,” Ms Cooke said.
“The project has managed to modernise the building without losing its unique and original feel.”
Minister for Regional Health, Bronnie Taylor said the upgrades were a welcome boost to the overall station operations.
“These upgrades will mean our diligent ambulance staff have access to improved amenities that will allow them to continue to deliver high-quality lifesaving care to people living in the Riverina region,” Minister Taylor said.
On June 5 2022, the NSW Government announced a $1.76 billion investment over four years to fund 1,856 paramedics, 210 ambulance support staff, 52 nurses, eight doctors and 30 new ambulance stations over the coming years.
Eight stations have already been announced across NSW. In addition, recruitment and on-boarding has begun for the paramedic workforce enhancement. To date, 103 graduate and credentialled paramedics have completed induction and have been on-road from mid-August of this year.
The ‘Good Old Days Festival’ is back again this October long weekend, with the event bigger and better than ever before thanks to the NSW Government’s Regional Events Acceleration Fund.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said it was fantastic for the Barellan Working Clydesdales Committee to have secured $56,835 in funding to support this iconic event.
“I know locals and visitors alike will come out in droves to support this year’s event, which is such a major drawcard for the community of Barellan, and the region more broadly,” Ms Cooke said.
“It provides a welcome boost to the local economy by bringing in tourists and supporting local jobs, not to mention our community also knows how to have a great time, which makes for a really festive atmosphere.
“It will also be my special privilege to officially open the festival as part of the program.”
The ‘Good Old Days Festival’ at Barellan is renowned for its unique and authentic celebration of pioneer heritage, while also being the largest gathering of harnessed draught animals in Australia including horses, bullocks, camels, donkeys and goats.
The NSW Mounted Police will also be attending the event with two of their horses, with Clydesdale cross horses traditionally used for duty as part of the oldest continuous Mounted Police Unit in the world.
As part of the NSW Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the $40 million Regional Events Acceleration Fund helps organisations to bring new major events to their region and make existing events bigger and better.
Narrandera Shire Council has been successful in securing funding of $239,651 as part of the NSW Government’s Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said it is an exciting time for the community to reconnect and these events provide the perfect opportunity to do so.
“These events enable people to reconnect while helping communities thrive. Programs like these bolster the local economy, create new jobs, and encourage tourism,” Ms Cooke said.
The events to receive funds through the Community Events Program and Narrandera Shire Council are:
Narrandera Wellness Day by Soroptomists
Bonanza for Narrandera by the Narrandera Business Group
Family Fun Day in the Park by Lions Club
Narrandera International Food Fair by CWA
Narrandera Picnic Showcase Race Day by Narrandera Race Club
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the Community Events Program will support the state’s events and hospitality sectors while bolstering economic recovery.
“The NSW Nationals in Government are backing events that bring local communities together and this funding will help contribute to a sense of improved wellbeing and connectedness in 2022 and beyond.”
The $25 million Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program is part of the $200 million Regional Recovery Package, designed to support economic and social recovery across regional NSW that will create new jobs and support community events, shows and festivals to boost tourism.
Murrumbidgee Local Health District has introduced 25 newly graduated Registered Nurses who have commenced work across the District.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has welcomed these nurses and thanked them for choosing to begin their careers in a regional community.
“A majority of graduates are from outside the area, so it’s great to see our communities grow as they potentially bring their families and even friends with them too,” Ms Cooke said.
“These nurses will make a big difference, with a number from this intake joining the teams at local facilities including Junee District Hospital, West Wyalong District Hospital and Young Hospital.
“This is a major boost to our local health workforce, ensuring our communities can live healthy, full lives.”
The Cootamundra electorate has benefited from three nursing intakes so far this year, with nurses placed at Narrandera District Hospital, Junee District Hospital, West Wyalong District Hospital and Young Hospital.
Ms Cooke was pleased to meet Ms Sita Rana recently, who is six months into her program joining the dedicated team at Narrandera District Hospital.
Joined by Health Facility Manager Kate Williams, Ms Rana said she is excited to have joined the team at Narrandera and is looking forward to working and living in a regional community.
Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said 140 graduate nurses have commenced work in the District this year, with 2022 marking the largest number of graduate nurses employed in the District to date.
“Being a nurse in regional and rural NSW is one of the most rewarding experiences, and I have no doubt that the skills these new nurses will learn while working in Murrumbidgee will set them up for the rest of their careers,” Mrs Taylor said.
“I congratulate Murrumbidgee Local Health District on its comprehensive education and mentoring program that ensures these nurses receive the support they need as they make the transition from university to the workplace.”
District Director of Nursing and Midwifery Christine Stephens said the additional graduate nurses will support the existing committed and dedicated nurses and midwives.
“We are excited to be able to offer great working opportunities to so many graduates, from both the region and other parts of the state including Sydney,” Ms Stephens said.
Throughout their first year, graduates are provided with opportunities in a variety of clinical settings to ensure they gain a range of experience and consolidate skills and knowledge developed whilst at university.
Between mid-2012 and mid-2022 the Murrumbidgee Local Health District increased its workforce by an additional 680 full time equivalent staff – an increase of 24.9% including 64 more doctors, 326 more nurses and midwives, and 111 more allied health staff.
The NSW Government is investing $4.5 billion to recruit 10,148 full time equivalent (FTE) staff to hospitals and health services over the next four years as part of the 2022-23 Budget, with 3,800 of those positions in rural and regional areas.
Steph Cooke | 02 Sep 2022 | Bland Shire Community Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Health Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized
Pensioners and other concession card holders in the region can now pick up free rapid antigen tests (RATs) from any Service NSW Service Centre, Mobile Service Centre or Disaster Recovery Centre.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said eligible customers in NSW will now have access to up to 10 free RATs through Service NSW Centres, in addition to existing distribution points at more than 200 neighbourhood and community centres located across the State.
“Although we are heading out of winter, the risk of COVID-19 remains and we want to ensure RATs are easily accessible for pensioners and concession card holders in our community,” Ms Cooke said.
“We are committed to supporting our local communities and helping to drive down the cost of living where we can for vulnerable people.”
List of locations:
Cootamundra Service Centre
Cowra Information & Neighbourhood Centre Inc
Cowra Service Centre
Junee Community Centre Inc
Gundagai Neighbourhood Centre Inc
Narrandera Service Centre
Temora Community Centre Inc
West Wyalong Service Centre
Young Neighbourhood Centre Inc
Young Service Centre
The roll-out is part of the NSW Government’s program to provide millions of free rapid antigen tests to ensure they are readily available to support our state’s most vulnerable.
Eligible customers need to show Service NSW staff their Commonwealth concession card at any one of our 113 Service Centres, four Mobile Service Centres or Disaster Recovery Centres across the State.
This once again shows the NSW Government is ensuring no one is left behind, especially seniors.
This builds upon our earlier commitment to pick up the Federal Government’s Concessional Access Program, which it dropped at the end of last month.
The program will run until the end of October 2022. Eligible Commonwealth Concession Card holders in NSW include:
Pensioner Concession card
Commonwealth Seniors Health Care card
Health Care Card (including Low Income Health Care card)
Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold, White or Orange cards.
