Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says the Liberal and Nationals’ Government continues to deliver on improving regional communications services. Mr McCormack attended the official opening of the new mobile base station at Wantabadgery, which is Telstra’s 550th site to benefit from the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program.

“I am delighted to have helped deliver a mobile base station as well as a small cell for the Wantabadgery community,” Mr McCormack said.

“But I know there is more to be done to continue delivering improved coverage for rural and regional Australians, which is why the Government has invested a further $160 million to secure two more rounds of the successful program which will build on the more than 1,000 towers across regional Australia,” continued Mr McCormack.

“I strongly encourage people to identify mobile black spot areas and to engage with their local council, state MPs and my office so mobile network operators and infrastructure providers can be effectively lobbied,” Mr McCormack said.

“Councils and local stakeholders can also financially support applications for mobile black spots within their regions, so I also encourage a proactive and collaborative approach to engage telecommunication providers so our region receives the service we need and deserve.”

Mobile network operators and infrastructure providers have until 26 July 2019 to submit their applications for Round 5 of the program.

Applications will be assessed through a competitive process conducted by the Department of Communications and the Arts. For more information, visit: www.communications.gov.au/mbsp.

Nadine Muller visiting from Germany caught this Murray Cod on the Lachlan River near Bedgerabong.

The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards have grown to become one of the largest celebrations of volunteering across the country.

The Awards are now in their 13th year and celebrate the efforts of the state’s volunteers across seven different award categories.

More than 2,500 special guests, families and friends attend ceremonies at 20 locations across regional and suburban centres to celebrate the regional winners of the volunteer awards.

Finalists are invited to the Gala State Ceremony in Sydney to announce the final winners and overall NSW Volunteer of the Year.

More than 112,000 people from over 500 organisations were recognised with awards and certificates at last year’s awards, with special messages of support received from the NSW Governor, our Prime Minister and the NSW Premier.

“Please nominate those special volunteers in our communities so they might be recognised for all they do for us,” said Member for Orange, Phil Donato.

Award Categories:
• Young Volunteer of the Year
• Adult Volunteer of the Year
• Senior Volunteer of the Year
• Volunteer Team of the Year
• Corporate Volunteer of the Year (Individual)
• Corporate Volunteer Team of the Year
• Excellence in Volunteer Management

People or teams can be nominated for judging or just for recognition in the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.

All volunteers in the recognition stream will be acknowledged with a certificate at one of 20 regional ceremonies to celebrate their contribution to their local community.

You can also nominate your local volunteer or volunteer team for inclusion in the final judging for a Regional and State Volunteer of the Year Award. Nominations close Friday 12 July, 2019. For more information head to www.volunteering.com.au/volunteer-awards/

The NSW Government announced a further $185 million to continue the NSW Emergency Drought Relief Package last week, to help farmers manage the effects of the drought. Included is:• $70 million to continue Drought Transport Subsidies for fodder, stock and water
• $50 million to waive Local Land Services rates
• $30 million to waive fixed water charges in rural and regional areas
• $10 million to waive Farm Innovation Fund interest fees
• $15 million for emergency town water supply assistance
• $10 million to reduce the cost of farming, including apiary fee waivers, wild dog fence fee waivers, stock welfare panels and donated fodder

The NSW Government committed to new programs and increased funding in other critical areas, including:
• $7 million for exemptions for agricultural vehicle registration fees
• $8.2 million for counselling and mental health programs
• $5.2 million to support preschool children and their families facing hardship due to drought
• $5 million for training to upskill farmers and contractors
• $1 million in grants to local sports organisations

The package comes into effect on 1 July 2019.

The Forbes and Parkes community is called on to rise up today for a rally at the Parkes Hospital at 12:30pm to stop the downgrading of maternity services. The Parkes Hospital has been in the news all week after a decision to temporarily close the maternity service due to an alleged shortage of medical proceduralists.

Residents can also sign a petition of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Union at the rally and at local businesses to get to 10,000 signatures to present it to Parliament.

Parkes Shire Mayor, Councillor Ken Keith OAM also expressed alarm and frustration over the decision and said: “It is exasperating that the situation has reached a crisis point. This dilemma has long been foreseen, as our long serving proceduralist neared retirement and should have been proactively planned and managed by Western NSW Local Health District.”

Member for Orange Phil Donato reacted to ‘the genuine concern brewing in Parkes and Forbes’ on his Facebook page saying: “I want to reassure the communities of Forbes and Parkes that I will be working feverishly to get to the bottom of this.” On Tuesday he delivered a notice of motion in the Legislative Assembly that he would move the house to demand that the Government immediately restore maternity services and maintain level 3 birthing at the Parkes Hospital, and he would call on the Government to urgently source and locate obstetric and anaesthetic services to Parkes Hospital, and implement contingency and succession planning for future resignations or retirement of medical practitioners.

The Western NSW Local Health District released a statement saying there is a shortage of medical practitioners to support maternity services at both Parkes and Forbes. “The WNSWLHD is working hard to find ways to attract doctors to our communities. It is the intention to continue to provide birthing services at both Parkes and Forbes.

To maintain safe maternity services the right medical, nursing and midwifery staff need to be available; there must be sufficient numbers of births to maintain skills and experience.”

By Maggi Barnard and Beth Thomas

Felicity McLean’s book The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone has been chosen for an innovative program in the Central West that takes the traditional book club concept to the next level. Named One Library One Book, the program aims to have everyone in the region read and discuss the same book.

Central West Libraries will distribute 200 copies of The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone across the Central West Libraries footprint – Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes and Orange. These copies have been added to the catalogues of the Library’s branches with the rest distributed throughout regional towns for the community to take, read and pass on.

Author Felicity McLean will be a guest speaker at the Orange Readers and Writers Festival on Saturday 3rd August at the Hotel Canobolas to talk about her book.

Felicity will also be attending local libraries to meet with readers in the first week of August to discuss the book with audiences.

“I’m thrilled The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone has been chosen for the One Library, One Book initiative,” Felicity said.

“It’s a fantastic program, in a special part of the world, and I’m grateful to everyone involved for encouraging reading throughout the community,” she said.

Central West Libraries Manager Jan Richards encouraged residents to read The Van Apfel Girls are Gone and pass it on to a friend or colleague.

“The One Library, One Book program takes the idea of a book club and expands it to cover an entire region,” Jan said.

“The book is blackly comic, sharply observed and wonderfully endearing. We think it will resonate with the community and reflect connections our library service has with local organisations,” continued Jan.

“We are thrilled to bring this book to readers of the Central West. It is also available via ebook and audiobook through Central West Libraries,” she said.

It is hoped One Library One Book will be widely embraced on social media with readers of The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone posting discussions about the book and photos of themselves with the book on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CentralWestLibraries and #onelibraryonebook.

Young people face many life challenges, one of them being school, and particularly exam periods. These can be stressful. It is important to note, however, that stress is different to anxiety.

Many young people are able to manage stressful life events and stressful periods in their life without experiencing a mental illness. Current statistics show that:
• 75% of mental health difficulties first onset is before the age of 25.
• Anxiety disorders first onset is predominantly younger in age, under 16 years old.

When a young person is supported by their school and family to work through times of difficulty, this can build resilience. A supportive school and family environment provides information and resources that help young people feel in control, and help young people build a range of strategies that support them to do the things they want to do, even in times of stress and difficulty.

Headspace Senior Clinical Advisor Nick Duigan advises those in need to go to the headspace website www.headspace.org.au for Centre details, as well as factsheets and resources for young people and their families and friends.