Category Archives: 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.

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:

Bland LGA	V & L Machinery Railway Road, West Wyalong	Over the counter
Coolamon LGA	Coolamon Lions Club 59 Loughan Street, Coolamon	Over the counter
Cootamundra-Gundagai LGA	Gundagai Mitre 10, 1 Byron Street, Gundagai   Woolworths Cootamundra, 26 Bourke St, Cootamundra	Over the counter     Reverse vending machine
Cowra LGA	Woolworths Cowra, 3-9 Railway Lane, Cowra	Reverse vending machine
Hilltops LGA	Donges Supa IGA, 159 Boorowa Street, Young	Reverse vending machine
Junee LGA	Junee Supa IGA, 102 Broadway Street, Junee	Over the counter
Narrandera LGA	Narrandera Recycling 16 Red Hill Road Narrandera	Reverse vending machine
Temora LGA	IGA Temora, Victoria Street 7 Baker Street Temora	Reverse vending machine
Weddin LGA	Grenfell Furniture, 66 Main Street, Grenfell	Over the counter

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.

For more information about Return and Earn visit www.returnandearn.org.au

An innovative program that helps victim-survivors of domestic violence to stay safely in a home of their choice is being expanded to 14 additional local government areas across the state.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said that the expansion of this important program builds on the NSW Government’s strong response to supporting people impacted by domestic and family violence.

“The expansion of the Staying Home Leaving Violence program is an important addition to our community and will provide women with a safe location where they can receive the support they need,” Ms Cooke said.

“This program has a proven track record, and I am thrilled that the expansion to include additional areas within the region will mean more women will be able to access this vital service.”

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence, Natalie Ward, said the expansion of the Staying Home Leaving Violence program would provide support to more vulnerable women across NSW.

“The Staying Home Leaving Violence program provides support to women and children who have suffered domestic violence by allowing them to stay safely and heal in their own home while the perpetrator is removed,” Mrs Ward said.

“Earlier this year I announced phase one of the expansion, including $20 million for 28 existing Staying Home Leaving Violence service providers to extend their service reach from 33 locations to 70,

“Today we’re announcing $12.5 million to deliver phases two and three, to deliver 11 new locations and trial the program in three additional locations, to help even more victim-survivors.”

The Local Government Areas to have the program for the first time include:

• Junee and Wagga Wagga
• Cowra, Parkes, and Forbes
• Mid-Coast
• Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter
• Armidale, Uralla and Walcha
• Canterbury and Burwood
• Georges River
• Sutherland
• Bathurst and Lithgow
• Mid-Western
• Queanbeyan-Palerang

Under phase three, the program is being trialled across three Local Government Areas where demand is lower, or where there are geographical barriers to accessing mainstream services, including Weddin, Lachlan and the Blue Mountains, and Snowy Monaro Regional.

The trial will include combining technological solutions and outreach services to deliver safety planning and case management support.

Support available to victim-survivors through Staying Home Leaving Violence can include improved home security, intensive case management, legal assistance, and financial advice.

For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), The NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63), NSW Rape Crisis (1800 424 017) or Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491). In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Local students are set to benefit from improvements to their school facilities thanks to a $148 million investment across the State, earmarked in the 2022/23 NSW Budget.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has announced six projects will receive funding under the Minor Capital Works program to upgrade and improve facilities.

“School environments play a crucial role in students’ learning experience, so it is important that we provide quality teaching and learning spaces,” Ms Cooke said.

“This funding will help to ensure students have the facilities they deserve and the projects will also be a welcome boost to school pride.

“Local businesses will also be encouraged to bid for the works through the Local Trade Scheme so that they can also benefit from this funding. This will help ensure the investment supports our local tradies, particularly in regional communities.”

The Minor Capital Works program includes the following:

• Cowra High School – Solar Panels
• Grenfell Public School – Toilet and Playground Upgrade
• Illabo Public School – Covered Outdoor Learning Area
• Murrumburrah Public School – Covered Outdoor Learning Area
• Young Public School – Building Modifications for Special ED

During a recent visit to Grenfell Public School, Principal Michele Morley said they were excited about the upgrades announced for the school.

“They have been a long time coming and will add to all the great work we are doing here, like the our indigenous artwork installations that all year groups have been working on,” Mrs Morley said.

The NSW Government is investing $8.6 billion in school infrastructure over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 160 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This builds on the more than $9.1 billion invested in projects delivered since 2017, a program of $17.7 billion in public education infrastructure.

Significant electrical upgrades at Grenfell Showground have been completed thanks to $438,204 from the NSW Government’s Crown Reserves Improvement Fund (CRIF).

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said it was great to have had this crucial infrastructure transformed throughout the grounds.

“I am so pleased by what has been achieved here because when you are host to large community events, it is vital the power stays on,” Ms Cooke said.

“As well as improving the reliability and set-up of the electrical network, the upgrades are also important from a safety perspective given the age of some of the buildings.

Ms Cooke said the project has also injected funds into the local economy with the majority of work carried out by local businesses.

“I thank local electricians Aden Day and Gary Day who have worked alongside other local contractors to get this job done.

“It is also great to hear the materials have largely been sourced through Oliver’s Hardware in town.”

Completed in time for the 2022 Grenfell Show, the electrical upgrade is the latest project to be delivered thanks to funding from the NSW Government, in partnership with the Grenfell Showground Land Managers and Grenfell Show Society Inc.

“The pavilion supper room has had reverse cycle air conditioning, soundproofing and installation installed through the Showground Stimulus program, with repairs to the grandstand flooring and verandah also underway thanks to CRIF,” Ms Cooke said.

“This work ensures the showground facilities are more comfortable and practical for all patrons and user groups, supporting its success as a community hub well into the future.”

The 2022 Grenfell Show is to be held on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 of September, 2022. For more information, please visit http://www.grenfellshow.com.au/

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.”

To find instructions on how to add a digital Seniors or Senior Savers Card to the Service NSW app, or to learn more visit service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/nsw-seniors-card-program.

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

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

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.  

More information about the grants can be found at https://multicultural.nsw.gov.au/grants  

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.

Households can check their Bill Buster eligibility and apply from Monday, 1 August, 2022 at www.energysaver.nsw.gov.au/rebate-swap.