Parents and carers of children enrolled in all primary schools in NSW will benefit from a new $155 million program for Before and After School Care (BASC) services to provide greater support and access to BASC services. The $500 voucher will assist families who use BASC services by covering the parent gap fee component of their session fees.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said that both providers and users of BASC would benefit from this announcement. “These vouchers are all about providing affordable access to care for families,” Ms Mitchell said. “Every family with children at a NSW primary school is eligible for one voucher per child, which will provide each child with approximately 60 sessions of free BASC.”

Premier Dominic Perrottet said BASC services were more important than ever as families returned to work following the holidays.

“It’s been a challenging past couple of years for parents of school-aged children. Many have had to juggle the demands of supervising their kids’ education at home while working remotely, or even foregoing paid work,” Mr Perrottet said.

“These vouchers for before and after school care will help alleviate some of the financial pressures on NSW families and provide greater flexibility and more options for those who need to work.”

Some $20,000 Why Leave Town dollars have been given away as part of the Forbes Business Chambers Find it in AMAZING Forbes promotion on December 24. $5,000 prize draw winners were Leanne Paringa, Molly Hanns and Tori Bull while Lynette Doyle won $1,500. $500 winners were – Phyllis Miller, Patrick Tulaga, Taylor Lennon, Jayden Scott, Renee Percival, Teigan Miles, Karen Banks, Brodie Hughes, Jane Mattiski, Sue Uphill, Annette Jones, Bev Green, Angela Paddison, Gaye Bailey, Joyce McKenzie and Heidi Andrews.

Businesses, workers and the performing arts across NSW are all set to benefit from a major financial support package of more than $1 billion to help those that have been hardest hit by the Omicron wave.

The package includes financial support for small businesses to buy rapid antigen tests (RATs) to help keep their workers safe and a new Small Business Support Program to assist businesses to help keep their workers employed. Premier Dominic Perrottet said while case numbers are now declining, the NSW Government is determined to support those businesses that have been most affected during this wave of the pandemic.

“As part of the package, we are introducing the Small Business Support Program to help support businesses that experienced the worst effects of the Omicron wave,” Mr Perrottet said.

“This targeted package provides support for businesses who experienced cash flow issues and the immediate economic

impacts of the Omicron outbreak,” he said.

“NSW is tracking better than expected and confidence is returning. We’ve got the backs of businesses, as we have throughout this entire pandemic.”

The Small Business Support Program provides eligible businesses a lump sum payment of 20 percent of weekly payroll with a minimum payment of $500 per week and a maximum payment of $5,000 per week.

In addition, the existing Small Business Fees, Charges and RAT Rebate will be increased by 50% from the current $2,000 limit to $3,000 and employing businesses will be able to use the rebate to obtain RATs. This will support worker availability by helping reduce costs to small businesses and enabling healthy staff who have been exposed to COVID-19, but test negative, to return to work.

For more information on the Small Business Support Program please visit nsw.gov.au.

This year on Australia Day, over 16,000 people from 150 nations participated in hundreds of citizenship ceremonies across the country. While the number is down from 2020-21, when a total of 140,748 people became Australian citizens by conferral, representing over 200 different nationalities, many are still deciding to permanently call Australia home like Marlo and Jian Terrado.

In 1949, during the inaugural year of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948, Australian citizenship was granted to 2,493 people from just over 35 different nationalities. Back then, many were Italian, Greek and Polish though today many more come from Asia – especially India and the Philippines, looking for a fresh start in a new country.

Forbes, like many locales, is no different and welcomed two new people this year – Marlo and Jian Terrado.

Marlo has been in the region since 2016 while daughter Jian relocated from the Philippines two years later. The pair made their citizenship vows and became Australian Citizens in an intimate ceremony at Forbes Shire Council Chambers on Australia Day.

The Terrado’s were joined by Member for Riverina and federal National Party representative Michael McCormack along with Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM, councillors, friends and staff for the official welcoming of Forbes newest citizens.

Marlo and Jian though were pleased to become Australian citizens and are looking forward to living and working in the community.

A big Forbes welcome to the Terrado family and all the best in your new country!

A new support package announced by the NSW Government will keep the doors of many businesses open, according to the state’s peak business organisation, Business NSW.

The NSW Government has announced the package in the wake of the Omicron surge, with businesses of turnover between $75,000 and $50 million set to benefit. The package commences from February 1st.

“Business has been crying out for support because of the dramatic impacts that Omicron has had on their operations, especially in what many hoped would be their busiest time of the year,” said Business NSW, Regional Manager – Western NSW, Vicki Seccombe.

“The Government has really done a great job in designing a package that will help a wide variety of business owners who’ve suffered a downturn in their operations through no fault of their own,” Ms Seccombe said.

“Western NSW businesses are doing the right thing in ensuring their staff are healthy before commencing shifts – together our local economy can roar back into life if we abide by the rules and return to our favourite businesses,” she said.

Work will begin on the new Driver Reviver site this week. Investigations have identified the old bird aviary in Victoria Park does in fact contain asbestos. Forbes Shire Council will ensure the safe removal of this product and have engaged Central West Asbestos Removal to conduct the work from Wednesday 2nd February. The site will be securely fenced off whilst the work is being completed, please take care when in the area.