Silverton Road to be upgraded
I’m pleased to announce that work is this week beginning to seal and widen an 18-kilometre section of road that connects Broken Hill with the iconic Silverton.
The $1.4 million project to upgrade Silverton Road will provide reliable, all-weather access to the historic mining village.
Works involve widening the road and road shoulders and providing line marking to improve safety for locals, visitors and freight operators.
This upgrade is a major win for the local community and the thousands of tourists who visit the region each year, and a great example of the Federal and State Governments working together to deliver for the Parkes electorate.
The project is jointly funded, with the Australian Government committing $969,679 under the Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program and the NSW Government $500,000 under the Flexible Pavement Patching Program.
Works are expected to be completed within just 14 weeks, weather permitting.
Grants available for community groups
Applications are now open for up to $450,000 for community-based initiatives to encourage more Australians to register to become organ and tissue donors.
With COVID-19 having an adverse impact on the national organ donation program, the Community Awareness Grants provide an opportunity for local groups to help improve the chances of Australians receiving the organ or tissue they need.
As the Minister responsible for the Organ and Tissue Authority, I strongly encourage community groups, local businesses and not-for-profit organisations in the Parkes electorate to apply for a grant to help drive community awareness about the importance of donation, family discussion and increasing the number of registrations on the Australian Organ Donor Register.
Applications close at 5pm AEDT on Sunday 7 March 2021. For more information about the Community Awareness Grants, including the assessment criteria and the application process, visit www.donatelife.gov.au/grants
Three Heywire winners in the Parkes electorate
Last week the 2021 ABC Heywire winners were announced, and I was thrilled to see three talented young storytellers from the Parkes electorate amongst the list of 35 winners from across the country.
I would like to extend my congratulations to Alyssa from Moree, Ashlyn from Broken Hill and Kimi from Coonamble (now living in Wellington) who each provided a unique insight into what it’s like to live in their respective communities – for Alyssa and Ashlyn as inspiring young Indigenous women who hope to empower others, and Kimi who has had to adapt to life in rural Australia after her family moved from China.
Heywire continues to empower young regional, rural and remote Australians to share their stories, ensuring their voices are heard far and wide. It is why the Australian Government is proud to be an ongoing sponsor of the program.
Congratulations to all 35 winners for sharing their stories about what life is like in regional and rural and Australia and for putting their best foot forward to help drive change in their communities.
Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes and Minister responsible for the Organ and Tissue Authority, Mark Coulton pictured during the 2020 Gift of Life Walk with Gift of Life president David O’Leary and DonateLife CEO Cindy Barry.
