The Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crew at Narrandera Fire Station are being trained to use state-of-the-art drone technology to assist in firefighting operations and a range of other emergencies.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said Narrandera is one of 25 locations across regional NSW to benefit from the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) rollout.
“Deploying these drones to Narrandera will give our firefighters an eye in the sky to more effectively perform their life-saving work and keep our local community as safe as possible,” Ms Cooke said.
“Each drone is connected to the FRNSW wireless and satellite communication network so that the images can be viewed and analysed in real time at the scene of an emergency. This will help our firefighters make quicker decisions and act faster.”
Ms Cooke said the RPAS are equipped with thermal imaging cameras and laser technology.
“These high-tech cameras can detect variable heat temperatures, identify people or animals under threat in a fire zone and measure the size of an area impacted by fire,”
“This is part of a $5.4 million investment from the Bushfire Inquiry which the NSW Government is proud to be funding.”
FRNSW Bushfire and Aviation Unit Commander Scott Donohoe said the drones can be activated at an emergency scene within minutes.
“The drones are stored in our vehicles and ready for immediate use, providing FRNSW commanders with aerial images that can help determine the safest and most effective places to position fire trucks and crews,” Superintendent Donohoe said.
A total of 200 firefighters, including those at Narrandera, are being trained to pilot the drones.
The drones can be used to assess bushfire risk, assist in hazard reduction operations, and find people missing in dense bushland.
Steph Cooke | 26 Aug 2022 | Bland Shire Hilltops Council Narrandera Shire News Roads and Transport
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has welcomed funding for projects in Bland, Hilltops and Narrandera under the NSW Government’s Get NSW Active program.
“We know improving connections in our towns and villages supports residents to get outdoors, to go for a walk or bike ride,” Ms Cooke said.
“This funding will support relevant councils to plan, design and deliver better pedestrian and cycling infrastructure for our communities.”
Local projects funded under this tranche include:
$59,980 for Bland Shire Council to develop a safe network of pedestrian and cycle activities,
$72,000 for Hilltops Council to identify gaps and opportunities within the existing pedestrian and cycleway network,
$70,000 for Narrandera Shire Council to develop a long-term strategy and action plan for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and
$30,000 for Narrandera Shire Council to construct a footpath at Barellan.
The projects will now be progressed and delivered by the relevant local council.
Narrandera Shire Mayor Cr Neville Kschenka said the project at Barellan will deliver a footpath on the southern side of Mulga Street, between Myall Street and Boree Street.
“The footpath will link the school with other footpaths in the Barellan township and completes council’s pedestrian access mobility plan,” Cr Kschenka said.
“Council is committed to providing safe pathways and pedestrian access throughout the Narrandera Shire.”
The 2022 Barellan Show, to be held on Saturday 27 August will be bigger and better than ever thanks to support from the NSW Government’s Country Shows Support Package.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the program has already delivered over $125,000 to country shows across the electorate, with the Barellan Show Society securing $15,000 to support their delivery of this year’s show.
“These grants provide certainty to show organisers to lock in suppliers, hire equipment and purchase goods, which is also great news for local businesses,” Ms Cooke said.
“Our local shows are a fantastic tradition, with this grant ensuring they continue to delight and be a part of our history for many generations to come.
“I encourage everyone to get behind the Barellan Show this year and see all the amazing things they have on offer.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the $5 million Country Shows Support Package provides a funding opportunity for the 190 agricultural shows planned across NSW in 2022.
“It’s been a tough few years for country shows, with drought, bushfires, storms, floods and COVID-19 disrupting plans, but as they say, the show must go on and these grants are helping make that happen,” Mr Toole said.
“Country shows are the heartbeat of so many rural communities – they not only celebrate the best of the best in the community but allow visitors to experience the tastes, sights and sounds of the bush.”
The $5 million Country Shows Support Package is part of the NSW Government’s $200 million Regional Recovery Package, which will deliver long-term support and certainty for the regions as the state reopens.
Steph Cooke | 05 Aug 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Community Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
Seniors in the region are continuing to embrace digital with more than 100,000 people across the state now taking advantage of the digital Seniors Card.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said while there would always be a non-digital version, it was great to see so many seniors taking advantage of the digital option to access discounts and benefits on dining out, entertainment and travel.
“This milestone shows the seniors of regional and rural areas are confidently using digital products and demonstrates the real impact and benefits these solutions can have in all age groups,” Ms Cooke said.
“The Seniors Card has come a long way since it was first introduced in 1992, it is now the largest program of its kind in Australia.”
“After a successful pilot in March involving 4,000 people, we are currently seeing more than 30,000 people across the state getting their digital Seniors Card each month.
“It is great to see 100,000 people take up the digital option in just a few months.”
For 30 years, it has been helping ease the cost of living for card holders by providing access to discounts and rebates at shops, travel, entertainment, and professional services providers.
“There are more than 6,500 businesses and service providers across NSW with discounts, and I encourage more to follow.”
Steph Cooke | 04 Aug 2022 | Agriculture All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
The NSW Government’s Narrandera Fisheries Centre has played a vital role in freshwater fish breeding and stocking across the State.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said more than 5.3 million fish have been released in NSW in 2021-22, including a record 1.26 million Murray cod.
“The Murray cod fingerlings are part of the State’s largest-ever breeding program, aimed at sustaining populations in NSW lakes and rivers following years of drought,” Ms Cooke said.
“In addition to Murray cod, there are also golden perch, silver perch and endangered trout cod bred at the Centre and stocked throughout NSW.”
The Narrandera hatchery is currently undergoing a major upgrade to increase production capacity for native sportfish and threatened species.
The upgrade, which includes a new hatchery building fitted with state-of-the-art fish breeding technology, is part of a $6 million grant from the NSW Government.
The NSW Government is committed to breeding millions of native fish each year to keep our lakes and rivers well stocked.
Local and visiting recreational fishers will also benefit from hundreds of thousands of native sportfish stocked into local waterways.
Last season, 125,000 Murray cod were released into Wyangala Dam as well as 10,652 Golden perch and 2,955 Murray cod released into local waterways by the Jugiong and Narrandera Fishing Clubs, as part of the Dollar-for-Dollar program, supported by the Recreational Fishing Trusts.
These ongoing stocking events not only maintain and enhance recreational fisheries, but also benefit our local communities through tourism and economic opportunities.
The 2022-23 season has already commenced with broodstock collection and stocking already underway and this year’s season is expected to be one of the biggest yet.
For more information about fish stocking in NSW, visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Steph Cooke | 04 Aug 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
Entrepreneurs in new and emerging industries in regional NSW will be supported to grow their business, revenues, raise funds and create local jobs through the NSW Government’s $2 million Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said this is an opportunity for growth in both business and sustainable practices.
“Businesses across our region are known for adapting to hurdles presented to them,” Ms Cooke said.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is a perfect example where we saw local businesses implement new ways of supporting the region and this fund will only encourage further such innovation.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said regional entrepreneurs face additional challenges to their metropolitan counterparts, including ready access to supply chains, partners, funding, and even customers.
“We know our regional and rural areas are places where you can turn a dream into reality, and I’m so pleased this fund is helping these pipeline ideas come to life,” Mr Toole said.
“This new fund will assist businesses access the right expertise to improve their capability and competitiveness, drive economic growth and will equip regional entrepreneurs with the skills they need to lead change.”
The Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund will provide grants of between $300,000 and $700,000 to accelerator and incubator programs in regional NSW, Newcastle and Wollongong that support regional entrepreneuers and start-ups in emerging sectors and future industries.
The Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund supports the 20-year Economic Vision for Regional NSW and the NSW Government’s priorities and plans to achieve long-term economic success for regional NSW communities.
Applications open on 4 August 2022 and close on 30 September 2022 at 2pm.
For further information about the Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund, including program guidelines and eligibility criteria, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/ARIF
Steph Cooke | 03 Aug 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
Local community organisations planning events which foster community harmony are encouraged to apply for the next round of Multicultural NSW’s Stronger Together Program.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the NSW Government is committed to supporting eligible grassroots organisations with projects designed to celebrate our cultural diversity.
“Multicultural events and festivals are a great way to recognise the cultural diversity in our communities and bring people together in family-friendly environments,” Ms Cooke said.
“While bringing people together they will also help break down barriers between cultures and build mutual understanding and respect of each other.”
Funding of between $20,000 and $40,000 is now available to groups wanting to develop projects that help drive social cohesion in their local area.
Funding will be available for projects to be delivered between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.
Applications for these grants opened on Monday, 1 August and will close at 5pm Friday, 26 August.
Steph Cooke | 02 Aug 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Community Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Water and Energy Weddin Shire
Applications for the NSW Government’s Energy Bill Buster program to help households slash their power bills by up to $600 a year opened this week.
The 2022-23 NSW Budget included $128 million to help up to an initial 30,000 eligible households install solar or replace appliances with more energy efficient ones.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has welcomed the NSW Government’s announcement of the program and encouraged eligible households to apply.
“The NSW Government is committed to supporting families with the cost of living and help them reduce their energy bills across the region,” Ms Cooke said.
“This program is designed to help take the pressure off families and put more money back into household budgets.”
The Energy Bill Buster program provides eligible households with more choice on how they manage their energy bills.
The program enables households to make decisions that will deliver long term savings on their energy bills while making clean energy improvements to their homes.
Those renting or living in apartments who are unable to have solar installed may be eligible to swap their current annual rebate for a suite of energy efficient upgrades, helping to reduce demand on the grid and lower power prices for everyone.
Appliances available in the package include energy efficient fridges, dryers, air-conditioners, and hot water systems as well as upgrades such as window shading and draught sealing valued at up to $4000.
The benefits are not just for private homeowners and tenants. The solar swap will also be offered to eligible land and housing corporation tenants later this year.
Eligible households include pensioners and Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card holders receiving the Low-Income Household Rebate who can receive ten years’ worth of rebates upfront to put towards solar or appliance upgrades.
Steph Cooke | 27 Jul 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Education Employment Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
The number of apprentices and trainees in jobs across the state increased 11 per cent in the year to December 2021, off the back of the NSW Government’s unprecedented investment in fee-free training.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) report shows NSW continues to lead the nation, with more apprentices and trainees than any other state or territory.
“The NSW Government is investing in fee-free apprenticeships and traineeships to create a pipeline of skilled workers for jobs in industries that are experiencing high demand for employees,” Ms Cooke said.
“It’s great to see the number of apprentices and trainees continuing to grow in NSW, but we want more people to make the most of free training so that they can get a first job, a new job or a better job.”
The report shows that 106,445 apprentices and trainees were in training at the end of 2021, with both commencements and completions up overall on the year before.
The number of women undertaking apprenticeships and traineeships in NSW continues to surge, with a 21 per cent increase in 2021 compared with the year before.
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the NSW Government is removing barriers to vocational education and training and creating more opportunities than ever before for people to get skilled or upskill.
“The NSW Government’s push to turbocharge the take-up of vocational education and training is securing a brighter future for NSW, with more people getting skilled, finding jobs and growing the economy,” Mr Henskens said.
“Our record skills investment is helping people boost their budget through free training, allowing them to find in-demand jobs and contribute to historically low unemployment rates in NSW.”
Steph Cooke | 26 Jul 2022 | All LGAs Bland Shire Coolamon Shire Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council Cowra Shire Hilltops Council Junee Shire Narrandera Shire News Roads and Transport Temora Shire Uncategorized Weddin Shire
More roads in the Cootamundra electorate are in line for vital repair, maintenance and sealing work with Round Four of the NSW Government’s Fixing Local Roads program now open.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said previous rounds of the program have allocated over $45 million to deliver road projects across the nine local government areas of the Cootamundra electorate.
“We have seen crucial road projects supported through every round of Fixing Local Roads and with the fourth round now open, councils in our region have the chance to apply for funding to deliver more,” Ms Cooke said.
“Works may include sealing, resurfacing, gravel road maintenance, drainage improvement and patching, leading to more reliable, safer journeys with less wear and tear on vehicles.”
“These improvements help stimulate our regional economy and contribute to the social wellbeing of families, farmers and freight who rely on these roads to get to work, education and services.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads said the NSW Government has already funded almost 500 Fixing Local Roads projects across 95 regional councils and now with Round Four opening, even more projects will get underway.
“NSW has certainly had its fair share of natural disasters and extreme weather, and while we cannot control Mother Nature, we can control our response by improving the standard of our local road network,” Mr Farraway said.
So far, the Fixing Local Roads program has provided $547 million for 498 projects over three rounds. Of these, 203 are now completed with a further 295 in the planning and construction phases.
“After 16 years, the former Labor Government left NSW with a $30 billion infrastructure backlog, our Government is building our way forward with a $19.4 billion regional roads and transport infrastructure pipeline.”
