Parkes Phoenix Editor

Forbes Shire Council would like to assure residents the Shires water supply is safe despite recent reports in the Sunday Telegraph, 15th September, saying Forbes will be out of water by March 2020. The
Lachlan River water supply condition is closely being monitored by Council and if needed an increase in the level of restriction will be implemented.

“Conditions will be closely monitored in the coming months,” says Forbes Shire General Manager, Steve Loane. “If necessary the level of water restrictions will be increased. Forbes currently sits on 100% allocation from the Lachlan River by WaterNSW, if the situation declines we will look to increasing the level of restrictions.”

“The story claims are unfounded as Forbes’ situation hasn’t been fully considered in the article. The town has access to supply from the Lachlan River and three bores.”

“Forbes is in a very fortunate situation,” says Mr Loane. “Careful usage from residents ensures demand doesn’t exceed our supply. Forbes Shire Council is also committed to using water responsibly and we all have a role to play.”

If residents have concerns they can contact Council on 6850 2300

Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says tough new farm trespass laws passed in the Federal Parliament last week will further protect farmers from unlawful activity.

“We will always be on the side of our farmers,” Mr McCormack said.

“We have delivered on our election commitment to bolster these laws which will ensure the actions of extreme activists will be held accountable by the law.”

Mr McCormack said the Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection) Bill has made it a criminal offence to publish material, via a carriage service such as the internet, if the intent is to incite trespass, property damage or theft on agricultural land.

“Animal activists who use the personal information of family farmers to incite trespass risk imprisonment of up to five years,” Mr McCormack said.

“These extremists do not understand the vast majority of farmers do the right thing and care for their animals while looking after the environment and using water and soil to the best of their ability to produce the very best food and fibre.”

“This is not about protecting animal abusers from the spotlight or banning protests; it is about preventing farmers and their families having their lives and businesses invaded by extreme activists. We cannot afford to put at risk the $60 billion agriculture industry which employs many throughout the Riverina and Central West. The Liberals and Nationals are standing up to protect our farmers and the agriculture sector and this Bill ensures extreme activists will be held to account for their unacceptable behaviour,” concluded Mr McCormack.

Congratulations to the 2020 College Leaders:
• College Captains: Olivia Beasley and Antez Varghese
• Boarding Captains: Breanna Carey and Bradley Matthews
• Boarding Liturgy Captain: Matilda Cruickshank
• Basil House Captains: Ruby Stitt and Cody Crisp
• Basil Liturgy Captain: Claire Barrott
• Chisholm House Captains: Rebecca Smith and Jacob Bell
• Chisholm Liturgy Captain: Hannah Mattiske
• Denis House Captains: Grace Osborne and Matt Dillon
• Denis Liturgy Captain: Emmie Searl
• Loyola House Captains: Madeline Hayes and Thomas Phillips
• Loyola Liturgy Captain: Olivia Twyford
• McAuley House Captain: Courtney Hodge and Noah Hamilton
• McAuley Liturgy Captain: Bethany Burton
• Xavier House Captains: Ashleigh Ward and Jade Page
• Xavier Liturgy Captain: Sophie Heraghty

The Junior Student Representative Council members in alphabetical order are: Ronald Barker, Madeleine Cannon, Marty Davies, Elizabeth Drewes, Vienna Farrell, Emily Gordon, Illerose Haydon, Riley Hough, Aria Johnson, Hunter Kriedemann, Patrick Kupkee, Sophie McGrath and Bella Neville.

The Senior Student Representative Council members in alphabetical order are: Ella Burke, Reed Cavallaro, Alex Drewes, James Finn, Stuart Gordon, Claire Houghton, Abbey Kennedy, Maddison Lewin-Howard, Jasper Mackay, Jorja Mann, Shaianne Metzeling, Bridget Mrak, Jack Nadin, Hamish Neville, Maisy Osborne, Georgia Sideris, Claire Simpson, Isabella Thomson, Georgia Tincknell, Naomi Turner, Sophie Wright and Sue Wu.

Certain people continually issue more than a usual number of statements of claim summons, writs or other court documents, usually against those in close proximity to them. These actions are sometimes started either in bad faith, or deliberately designed to settle an old score or to annoy or embarrass a neighbour.

Someone who habitually drags defendants to court with frivolous claims, which are more of a nuisance to the defendants than of benefit to themselves, is referred to as a “vexatious litigant.” Such a person is a nuisance to society.

The court will not listen to a person who makes trivial or scandalous claims. If someone is declared a “vexatious litigant”, he or she may not continue with the claim or start a new court action, without getting permission from the court beforehand. This may well be refused.

The medical profession has recently become aware of a particular character trait in people who display this uncontrollable urge to fight in court. The phrase is “querulous paranoia” and it is used to describe such types of people.

It is sometimes difficult for a person receiving a summons from, say, an unfriendly neighbour, to know whether the claim is frivolous or vexatious. A solicitor will be able to advise you of this.

If we at Matthews Williams can help you on any legal matter, feel free to call us.

Since 1929, Rotary International has been sending young people around the world to experience new cultures. Currently, there are about 9,000 students being sponsored throughout the world by Rotary International to spend a year in another country’s school and being housed by three or four host families in succession during their stay overseas.

Over the years since the 1970’s, the Forbes Rotary Club has been involved in sending out some eighteen exchange students from both the Forbes High School and the Red Bend Catholic College.

As a result, inward bound students have come from many countries including Japan, USA, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Belgium and New Zealand.

It has been unofficially conditional that for every successful outward bound student leaving Forbes for overseas, the Forbes Rotary Club are committed to arrange schooling and host families for an inbound student from another country.

Forbes High School student, Jessica Ashcroft is currently on an exchange student visit in Belgium, this is why Lea Selosse from Belgium is currently enjoying her stay with us in Forbes.

“I come from Belgium, the southern part of the country where we speak French, but I also speak our other national language which is Dutch. I come from a town called Mouscron, in the west of the country, right on the border with France,” said Lea.

“For Belgium, I live in an average size town with 60,000 inhabitants. So Forbes is very different for me as it is very small, but it is very friendly,” continued Lea.

“I arrived on 8th August, and I stay till early July 2020 with four different families. I am doing Year 11 at Forbes High School. The school environment is very different from school back in Belgium, less strict and a lot more communication. We also don’t have school uniforms in Belgium,” Lea said.