Coulton’s Catch up 25th August

 The safety of regional and rural students will receive a boost of $1.1 million through the Federal Government’s Regional School Busses programme. This programme will upgrade over 61 buses across the country to enable kids to buckle up on their way to and from school. Sadly around 25 people are killed in bus crashes each…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 1st September

 The Clontarf Foundation is making a difference in communities right across the Parkes Electorate. The Foundation operates through Academies which are associated with local schools and engages young aboriginal boys to keep them in school. Academies have been operating in Moree, Bourke, Coonamble and Brewarrina for the past couple of years and this year a…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 8th September

 While parts of NSW are experiencing an exceptional season there are areas in the North West of New South Wales which are still in the grips of severe drought. Areas in Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett are experiencing a one in one hundred year drought. There is assistance available to farmers and households who are suffering…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 22nd September

 On the advice of the relevant security and intelligence agencies the National Terrorism Public Alert level has been increased from medium to high. This means that the current situation in Australia has changed from medium – “terrorist attack could occur” to high- “terrorist attack is likely”. This system is designed to guide national preparation and…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 29th September

 Six local engagement officers, chosen from over 100 applicants, have been selected and will be located within communities in the Murray Darling Basin to assist with participation in decision making around Commonwealth environmental water. The local engagement officers will be based in Dubbo, Deniliquin, Leeton (NSW), Mildura (VIC), Berri (SA) and Goondiwindi (QLD). I welcome…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 6th October

 Last week the guidelines for the National Stronger Regions Fund were released by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss. The National Stronger Regions Fund will invest $1 billion over 5 years in economic development projects and small scale community infrastructure across Australia. The Fund will provide up to 50…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 13th October

 There is great potential in Australia for developing the production and marketing of industrial hemp. Traditionally there has been resistance to growing hemp because of its association with the cannabis plant. Hemp is similar in appearance to the Cannabis plant but does not possess the same characteristics which have caused Cannabis to be banned.  Hemp…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 20th

 Small business is not only the engine room for the national economy, it is also crucial to the long term viability of our regional communities. The Federal Coalition has announced a number of low cost measures to help small business as a part of the Abbott Government’s Australian Small Business Advisory Programme (ASBAS). The Government…

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Coulton’s Catch Up 27th October

 Scrapping the carbon tax has delivered families and businesses in New South Wales the biggest drop in electricity prices on record. The ABS has released the Consumer Price Index for the September Quarter 2014 -the first outcome since the Coalition scrapped Labor’s damaging carbon tax. These figures revealed that electricity prices had the largest fall…

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