Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton cut the cake for the 50th birthday of the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran last week.
Local councils disadvantaged
I’m calling on the Labor Government to extend the deadline for applications for Round 2 of the Growing Regions Program which closes this Thursday 10 October.
Applications opened on 5 September, when New South Wales councils were already in caretaker mode ahead of Local Government elections on 14 September. Election results were only announced last week and many of our local councils will not have even had a chance to meet before the 10 October deadline, let alone apply for the largest regional grant funding opportunity.
Considering local councils are the predominant applicant for the Growing Regions Program – four of the five recipients in the Parkes electorate from round one were councils – it is incomprehensible that the Labor Government would restrict applications to a time when councils cannot meet and authorise the lodgement of projects that will provide so many community benefits.
Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Catherine King is also the Local Government Minister, so she should know when the Local Government elections are held in New South Wales, and yet she still chose to open this round of funding at a time when councils cannot apply.
I can’t help but think this is just another way for Labor to starve the regions of funding.
Anniversaries, openings and upgrades
Last week it was a great honour to take part in the 50th birthday celebration of the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) at Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran, with Nationals candidate for Parkes Jamie Chaffey.
The AAT is the largest optical telescope in Australia. It was opened by His Royal Highness Prince Charles (now King) on 16 October 1974 and since then has contributed greatly contributed to astronomical science and outstanding research. We’re so lucky to have such an incredible and important piece of technology right here in our own backyard, so it was wonderful to be able to celebrate this significant milestone.
Jamie and I also attended the opening of the Regional Education Training Centre (RETC) in Dubbo last week. The state-of-the-art police training facility is the first of its kind in NSW and will allow our country cops to be trained and retrained in the bush, meaning less time away from their communities.
While in Dubbo, I inspected the progress on the New Dubbo Bridge now that one third of the concrete deck has been completed. Construction is also underway for the network of roads that will link the bridge to the Dubbo road network.
The former Federal Coalition Government recognised the need for this upgrade and invested $176.2 million into the project initially, so it’s great to see it progressing. The now $263.2 million project is due to be completed in late 2026.
New heavy vehicle rest area
I’m pleased that a new heavy vehicle rest area on the Bourke to Milparinka Road is being funded by the Australian Government. It’s one of six projects funded under the third tranche of the Federal Government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative.
Bourke Shire Council has received $67,200 to construct the heavy vehicle rest area on the road reserve at Goonary on the north side of the carriageway. The $84,000 project will include gravel pavement and bitumen seal.
The Bouke to Milparinka Road is a long stretch with few places to stop, so I’m sure this new rest area will be welcomed by truck drivers who regularly travel that way, as well as tourists. For more information about the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative, visit: https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/about/local-initiatives/safer-local-roads-and-infrastructure-program
Early childhood wage increase
Early childhood education providers in the Parkes electorate can this week apply to opt-in to receive the new Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment.
The worker retention payment will support a 15 per cent wage increase for the early childhood education and care workforce over two years. Providers opt-in by applying for the payment. The payment will be issued to eligible providers through a grant agreement and delivered via the Child Care Subsidy System and then providers must pass the payment on to eligible ECEC workers.
Applications open on Tuesday 8 October and the wage increase will take effect on 2 December 2024 before payments start in January 2025. A webinar is being held at 2pm AEDT on Thursday 10 October to learn more about the payment. For more information, visit: https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/workforce/wages
