National Wastewater Drug Monitoring report to help flush out the crooks
I welcome the release of the first National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program Report which will change the way our nation fights the scourge of ice.
The Coalition Government provided the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) with a $3.6 million boost to detect ice hotspots, and collect data on drugs being used within our communities, following a recommendation by the National Ice Taskforce.
The analysis tested for methamphetamine, or ice, and 12 other illicit and licit substances including cocaine, MDMA, tobacco and alcohol at 51 sites across the country.
Crimes relating to ice continue to be a concern for local police in the Parkes Electorate, with strong links between those who commit drug offences and those committing other violent crimes.
Drugs such as ice can have devastating consequences for entire communities, and putting a stop to it will require a whole of community response. I acknowledge that there is no “one size fits all” solution to tackling the scourge of ice in our community.
I believe that by developing a National Ice Action Strategy, the Government will be able to go some way to address this devastation. This new data will pinpoint targets for our law enforcement agencies so they can flush out the crooks responsible for this evil trade and protect the communities they are targeting.

Skills Training program for Parkes Electorate
Young people in the Parkes Electorate will soon be able to access the $188.3 million Employability Skills Training program to help improve their chances of finding and keeping a job.
I wish to congratulate the six training organisations on their new role and looked forward to the program starting this April.
These organisations include: Career Options Training Australia Pty Ltd, Griffith Skills Training Centre Inc., Joblink Plus Limited, The MTA Group Training Scheme Inc., The Quality Training and Hospitality College Pty Ltd and Train Australia Pty Ltd.
The Coalition Government is investing $188.3 million in Employability Skills Training (EST), to help more young Australians into work. This is a great initiative to help our young people get the skills they need to take up a job in the region.”
The six Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) will deliver training in the area under Youth Jobs PaTH (Prepare, Trial, Hire), to help young people aged 15-24 years gain the skills employers are looking for when hiring staff in entry-level positions.
The Government has committed $188.3 million over four years to the Employability Skills Training program, which is the ‘Prepare’ element of Youth Jobs PaTH.

Parkes Electorate residents encouraged to apply for NAIDOC funding
The history, culture and achievements of First Australians will be celebrated through a $1.4 million Coalition Government grants round that will support events to be held as part of NAIDOC Week activities in July.
NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity for people in the Parkes Electorate to come together to reflect on the enduring identity and unique place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s history.
This year’s national NAIDOC theme, Our Languages Matter, focuses on the importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.
For First Australians, language is a way of linking people to their land and water and it is how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history has been shared through generations. The Coalition recognises the importance of Indigenous language preservation and has committed more than $20 million annually to help preserve Indigenous languages.
NAIDOC Week 2017 will run nationally from 2-9 July. Details about the 2017 NAIDOC grants funding round are available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website. Applications opened on 27 March and close on 27 April.

On the lookout for Australia’s best fish and chips
Fish and chips lovers in the Parkes Electorate should step up to vote for the best fish and chips in Australia. Eating fish and chips is an iconic Australian experience. It’s part of our way of life.
The 2017 Australian Fish and Chips Awards were launched at Parliament House by Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Anne Ruston. The awards are coordinated by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) in partnership with state and territory fishing industry councils.
Of course, everyone knows the best fish and chips are in the Parkes Electorate, so let’s make sure the rest of Australia learns that too. Lodging a vote is easy. I encourage all fish and chips lovers to lodge a vote.
There are two categories: People’s Choice and The National Fish and Chips Award. Entries will be rated on taste, service, choice, information and labelling. The winner will be announced on 28 September 2017 at the National Seafood Industry Awards in Sydney.
Let’s make sure there’s strong support for our fish and chips shops in the Parkes Electorate.