News - Bega Merimbula Eden Bermagui Tathra Pambula

The State Government has announced opening dates for community grants programs for sport and recreation projects across NSW.

The Member for Bega Andrew Constance is pressuring the NSW Minister for Health Carmel Tebutt to respond to the concerns raised by the Pambula Hospital Action Group following the meeting she held with them two weeks ago.
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Liberal MP Andrew Constance has launched a petition calling on the Federal Government to restore the rebate for cataract operations and in doing so has accused the Labor Member for Eden Monaro for failing in his duty of care to seniors in the South-east.
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Liberal MP Andrew Constance has called on Labor’s new Health Minister Carmel Tebutt to outline the services that have been returned at Pambula Hospital since the promises made by her predecessor John Della Bosca in February 2009.
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Bega Valley Shire Councillor Paul Pincini is encouraging local residents interested in fostering community and business leadership in the Shire to join a leaders’ program next year.
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Thousands of consumers stranded with wrong meters

The Rees Government’s backflip on solar rebates will rob thousands of consumers who have installed the wrong electricity meters for a gross feed in tariff system, the Member for Bega Andrew Constance said today.
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The Member for Bega Andrew Constance has today called on the NSW Nurses Association to confirm their position in relation to nursing profile changes at Moruya Hospital following yesterday's public meeting supporting local nurses.
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Bega Valley Shire Council has extended the exhibition period for the amended plans of the proposed supermarket in Main Street, Merimbula.
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Bega Valley Shire Council has finished the 2008-09 financial year with a surplus in all three of its funds.
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Local residents are the winners of the three prizes in the 2009 Bega Valley Shire Council “early bird” rates incentive scheme that was drawn this week by Mayor Tony Allen.
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Bega Valley Shire Council has lodged a Development Application for a central waste management facility at Wanatta Lane, near Wolumla.

Bega Valley Shire Council has removed signage warning against swimming or collecting shellfish around the southern end of Aslings Beach and Ross’s Bay, Eden.
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Today, the Government of Australia will move the following motion of apology in the Parliament of Australia.
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Well thank you very much Mr Speaker and Prime Minister thank you for your speech. The motion has the unqualified support of the Opposition.
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Three event-packed days at the Bega Valley Festival for communities in South East NSW will celebrate the 'Communities in Transition' story where people can learn about practical solutions for a future based on lower energy use, a better lifestyle, a more resilient community and a vibrant local economy.

Bega Valley Shire Council’s environmental scientist, water and sewerage services, Ken McLeod, says the flow of water in the Bega River through Bega has recharged the aquifer around the town bores.

He said there was sufficient runoff from the rain last week in the Bega River catchment to provide a flow of water past the borefield last Friday, fully recharging the groundwater around the bores as it passed through.

“The groundwater level is now above where it was this time last year and now means there are no concerns about the supply of water to the Bega-Tathra water supply system as we head into summer.

“The Bega-Tathra water supply system provides water to the towns and villages of Bega, North Bega, Tarraganda, Kalaru, Tathra and Mogareeka.

“Further south, Yellow Pinch Dam on the Tantawanglo-Kiah water supply system is at 69% capacity”.

“Yellow Pinch dam provides water to Merimbula, Tura Beach, Candelo, Wolumla and many rural customers with a connection to the trunk main network.

“The recent rain has provided some flow to Tantawanglo Creek, enabling Council to recommence extracting water in to Yellow Pinch Dam, however the flow is already dropping away again limiting the amount of water available.

“More rain is needed to replenish Tantawanglo Creek flows and enable Yellow Pinch Dam to be filled again.

“Council is continuing to monitor the situation in Brogo Dam where there has been some inflow and a rise in water level and also at Kiah where a flow in the Towamba River has recharged the aquifer, improving the situation for Eden and Pambula areas”.

The Member for Bega Andrew Constance held a community consultation meeting on Monday to listen to community feedback and suggestions based on the NSW Liberals social policy framework, which sets out goals to make NSW a smarter, stronger, healthier and safer place to live.

The community consultation meeting was attended by approximately 20 people including a wide array of community groups and interested local residents.

“Individuals and communities sit at the heart of our government and society – and to hear their ideas first hand about how to deliver a better community is an essential component of developing policies that can improve the Far South Coast,” Mr Constance said.

“A future NSW Liberal Government will adopt a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of social policy to make changes for the better to improve people’s quality of life.

“We heard a number of great ideas from the community, including support for the concept of individualised funding packages to help people with disabilities and their carers access the most appropriate support services for their needs; the need to take a whole of government approach to delivering community safety so that young people at risk of committing crime can be identified at an early stage and steered in the right direction; the need to empower doctors and nurses so they have the confidence to raise concerns about the delivery of local health services without fear of retribution and delivering support to volunteers as they provide an invaluable resource to the community.

“These ideas will all play a direct role in the development of the NSW Liberals positive and practical plans to deliver a smarter, stronger, healthier and safer community.

“Our social policy framework is about ensuring our children can read and write, that everyone in NSW receive the best possible hospital care, our families are safe walking the streets, and our disadvantaged are assisted.

“I encourage everyone who wasn’t able to attend to log on to www.sshs.com.au and make a submission,” Mr Constance said.

The recent rains that fell in the Shire came at the perfect time for the germination of Paterson’s curse, allowing seedling plants to get a head start on pasture and native species, according to Bega Valley Shire Council weeds manager, Ann Herbert.

“We are seeing Paterson’s curse appearing in many areas where it has not been sighted for some years’,” she said.
“In fact, some hills in the Shire have taken on a definite mauve tinge.

”Paterson’s curse (also known as Salvation Jane) and viper’s bugloss are Class 4 noxious weeds in the Shire and must be prevented from seeding to minimise their impact on the economy, community and environment.

“Many graziers argue that this weed reduces the growth of preferred species and therefore reduces carrying capacity.

“It can also affect areas managed for conservation purposes and affect their conservation value.”

Ms Herbert said various controls, such as chemical, mechanical, physical or a combination of these methods, should be used to manage these species and prevent them outcompeting desirable species.

”Anyone with infestations on their land should be controlling them now. If this weed is allowed to go to seed the problem will only increase in coming years,” she said.

For more information phone Council’s weeds officers on 6499 2222.

Families in the Bega Valley Shire with children who are hearing impaired now have a new resource, thanks to the Bega Valley Shire Library Service and the Bega Valley Early Childhood Intervention Co-ordination Program (ECICP).

The ECICP ran a number of workshops on Makaton Key Word Signing in the shire throughout the last year and has donated a number of books on the subject to the library service.

“Makaton is a term used for a set of principles of how to use Auslan signs to support people who have communication difficulties,” children’s’ librarian, Anne Moore, said.

“Auslan signs were developed for people who are hearing impaired and Makaton ‘borrows' these signs.

“However, the signs are always used in conjunction with the spoken word. Visual symbols and/or photos are often used as well to provide a total communication system.

“Over the last few years the ECICP committee has donated a number of Makaton-related resources to the Shire's library branches to help provide easier access for families to this information,” Ms Moore said

The growing success of Seniors Week across the Bega Valley has prompted the Bega Valley Shire Council once again to provide funds for community groups to run events as part of the 2010 celebrations.

Council’s community development officer Melissa Blain-Woodley will co-ordinate next year’s activities and encourages non-profit community groups to apply for funding up to $500 to host an event.

“Seniors Week is designed to offer a range of activities that focus on the issues and concerns of older people in the local area, as well as encouraging and celebrating the positive contributions older people make to the community. The theme for Seniors Week 2009 is ‘Live Life’,” she said.

“Funds a wide range of activities promoting positive community attitudes towards older people, as well as activities that encourage the participation of older people.

“The aim of Seniors Week is to:

• Raise issues, ideas and concerns of older people;

• Develop strategies to address the issues important to older people;

• Increase the community’s awareness of older people and the issues that are important to them;

• Promote older people’s contributions to the community;

• Share information and resources; and

• Have some fun

“The grants need to reflect the main aims of Seniors Week and will be assessed in meeting program objectives, as outlined in the application form.

“Previously, Council has supported a number of successful events such as art exhibitions, photography competitions, music events and workshops,” Ms Blain-Woodley said.

Seniors Week will again feature the very popular Golden Gig with the Senior of the Year award a highlight. Information about these will be available shortly.

Application guidelines are available at Council’s website, www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au

Applications must be received by 5pm on Friday, November 20, 2009 and successful organisations will be notified by late December 2009.

For further information phone Melissa Blain-Woodley at Council on 6499 2317.

Eleven people became our newest citizens today at an Australian Citizenship Day ceremony at Bega Valley Shire Council. Add a comment

Education Minister Julia Gillard condemned the Liberal Party for opposing funding going to small country schools.
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Following on from the very popular Stargazing event held earlier in the year, Bega Valley Shire Library is pleased to join with David Faulkner, local amateur astronomer, in hosting another Stargazing evening. David has been an avid astronomer for 25 years and says that we should be able to see the moon and Jupiter on Thursday 24 September.
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The Southern Councils Group Mayors met yesterday with the NSW Treasurer Eric Roosendaal to discuss the need for funding for major projects on the Princes Highway over the coming years.
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