Innovative ‘staying at home’ program launched
Resthaven has launched a new government-funded program which aims to support older South Australians living with dementia to stay at home for as long as possible. The ‘Staying at Home in Regional South Australia’ ... aims to provide vital education and support to carers whilst their loved one is cared for in the same location by experienced staff.
$9.75m injection for Keith hospital
The Keith and District Hospital has officially joined SA Health with a $9.75 million boost from the SA State Government. After so many decades of uncertainty, it was a moment the Upper SE community had been waiting for. Sporting a new public healthcare model – the facility will be known as Keith and District Healthcare.
$4.3m on hold pending study
A regional health bureaucracy has been blocked from spending $4.3 million on hospital upgrades rather than radiation treatment services in the Limestone Coast. But only until a feasibility study for radiation therapy has been completed. Then SA Health Minister Chris Picton will make a decision.
Police are needed in country towns: McArthur
Victoria Police wants to take officers from one-person police stations in 98 small towns and roster them into regional centres and cities to fill police shortages. The rostering change is due to more than 800 police vacancies across the state ... Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said the move is alarming.
Buloke Times editorial: Shearers 2
This is a follow-up to the previous piece about the shortage of shearers. The numbers of Australian-based shearers have diminished by 30 per cent in the last decade, partly due to the drought, the pull of the mining sector, and Covid 19 restricting arrivals. New Zealand shearers also had a pay rise in 2018. In May 2023, at the end of the earlier editorial, the hope was expressed that the shortage would be relieved by progress with the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme (PALM). Provision had been made for a pilot round of a small number to be trained as shearers in southern NSW. That plan will not now go ahead.
Maldon Art kangaroos on the move”¦.
Felicity Howard. The reach of the Kangaroo Art Auction which closed on Monday 31 July as part of the Maldon Inc Maldon In Winter Festival, was far and wide ... The lovely June Kiff of Reservoir Melbourne was the highest bidder of ‘Goldie’ created by the Mount Alexander Girl Guides.
VFF”ˆcondemns incursion on to farm properties
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is dismayed by the recent actions of transmission network operator AusNet Services after its workers entered farm properties along the Ballarat to Bendigo transmission line, without any prior contact or seeking permission from landowners.
Labour hire team to the rescue for Ampilwatja essential services
A labour hire company has come to the rescue to help with essential services in the Ampilatwatja community. A struggle to hire locally has meant the Barkly Regional Council team has had to think outside the box by engaging the labour-hire company to fill the gaps to provide municipal services.
More support on the way for timber workers: Tierney
The Andrews Labor Government is scaling up support for timber workers, sawmill operators and their communities, as Victoria transitions away from native timber logging. Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney announced the expansion of the Victorian Forestry Worker Support Program...
Health service provides answers
Corryong Health welcomed community members to its first public Town Hall meeting last week which provided the opportunity to submit questions regarding the health service and hear directly from board directors and the interim CEO, Nicole Martin ... This is the busiest time of the year with flu and Covid still present and yet there are not enough doctors. Who is responsible for organising this and why hasn’t it been?
Methodist Ladies’ College attends Dowerin Machinery Field Days
The new MLC Principal, Rebecca Clarke, together with key staff members, will be attending the Dowerin Machinery Field Days. It is the school's first visit in recent years, but the Field Days are familiar territory for boarders, Addison Kellerberrin and Jodie Mukinbudin. “It’s a really good event that gets the whole Wheatbelt community together,” says Jodie.
Vision to start wool tourism attraction in our region
Restoration of the Riverina’s largest woolshed and its conversion into a museum and major tourist attraction is gaining momentum, with locals hopeful they will officially own five acres of land containing old shearers’ quarters and sheds within weeks. Toganmain Station, located between Darlington Point and Carrathool, was established in 1867 as one of the first grazing properties in the region.
Local artist to be showcased
Top Camp’s Damian McAleer is taking part in the first ever Toowoomba Studio Art Trail, a celebration of local artists that will take place over the four weekends of September. In just five years, Damian has transformed from someone who hadn’t picked up a paint brush since his youth to someone running out of space in his house for all his paintings.
Bonza adds Tassie to its route map, Launceston to Gold Coast on sale today from $79pp
Bonza takes a bite out of the ‘Apple Isle’ as it reveals Launceston as its newest destination with the first ever year round direct service from the Gold Coast* starting this November. Flights from just $79 per person (one way) are on sale today [24 August 2023] via the Fly Bonza app.
Cuts to hospital system a disaster for NSW Hospitals: AMA NSW
AMA NSW President Dr Michael Bonning has slammed the NSW Government for announcing a Special Commission of Inquiry focused on cuts to hospital care.
Fallout from native forestry decision continues: VFPA
The native hardwood industry welcomed announcement by Minister Tierney to offer additional support for workers, contractors, communities and new regional businesses but was disappointed that the mill exit package doubly punished those businesses that had acted in good faith, said Deb Kerr, CEO of the Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA).
Tourism: Need to turn figures from target to real
It’s enough to make your heart beat faster: Dollars and visitor numbers graphs shooting skywards, heading for $5.3 billion (yes – with a “b”) in earnings from 2.7 million visitors. Wow. Before your blood pressure too goes through the roof, note that the numbers are demand targets, as operators were told by the Department of Tourism last week, in an update of what’s snappily called the T2030 Strategy.
Doctor crisis hitting valley
A growing health crisis in the Clarence Valley which has locals waiting up to a month to see a doctor has seen the Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan call on the Albanese Government to “End the Rural Doctor Crisis now” … infrastructure and services in the Clarence Valley are insufficient to cope with the population growth, and the wait to get an appointment to see a doctor is increasing.
New tools in the fight to save the iconic koala: Plibersek
Chlamydia is a significant and widespread threat to the koala, impacting their reproductive health and causing infertility. This project will trial a new vaccine implant which would allow for koalas to receive their ‘booster’ dose of vaccine via the implant.
NAB lets down another regional community: Canavan, Brockman
Senators Matthew Canavan and Slade Brockman, have expressed their disgust in the cowardly decision of the National Australia Bank to close its Waroona branch just one week after a Senate inquiry on regional banking was in the region. NAB has announced that they will be closing their Waroona branch on 17 November this year, leaving the town without a bank.
Farmers rally against renewables in Brisbane: Littleproud
Farmers have rallied against reckless renewables outside Queensland Parliament House, urging Labor to rethink its plans to destroy prime agricultural land and pristine rainforest and animal habitat throughout Queensland ... Federal Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Labor’s reckless race to achieve 82 per cent renewables by 2030 needed a Senate Inquiry.
Locals needed for Yorke Peninsula health council
Michelle Daw. Community members are being urged to volunteer for five vacant roles on the Yorke Peninsula Health Advisory Council. Member for Narungga Fraser Ellis, who is the local MP representative on YPHAC, and retiring YPHAC member Rod Thomas have both encouraged local people to consider joining the group.
