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PETER DRAPER MP – INDEPENDENT MEMBER FOR TAMWORTH MEDIA RELEASES – DECEMBER 2004 Now is the time to make a donation that saves lives 23 December 2004 Independent Member for Tamworth Peter Draper is urging local people to donate blood “The holiday period is traditionally associated with an increase in the demand for blood and I would encourage anyone who is in a position to donate blood to consider making an appointment with the Australian Red Cross Blood Bank,” Mr Draper said. “The need for blood is a constant and Christmas is a good opportunity to take that first step to becoming a long-term donor. Ideally, answering the call for donations at such a critical time will inspire regular attendance at the blood bank. “The Tamworth blood bank is always looking for community members who can commit to donating blood every three months as blood has a limited shelf life. Mr Draper said the caring staff at the Tamworth Donor Centre at the Tamworth Base Hospital held donors’ health and well being paramount. “The screening process is very thorough. It is a painless process and gives you an opportunity to learn more about your own health with your blood pressure and haematology levels checked,” he said. The Tamworth Donor Centre on the grounds of Tamworth Base Hospital is open for collection on Monday 1.30pm to 7pm, Tuesday 8am to 2pm and on Thursdays and Fridays between 8am to 2pm. Donors should ring 6766 7422 to make an appointment. Mobile units also operate throughout the region with regular visits to Manilla and Gunnedah. Potential donors can contact 13 14 95 to find out dates and to make an appointment. Don’t waste your Christmas greetings 22 December 2004
Mr Draper is supporting a recycling campaign called ‘Cards 4 Planet Ark’ which in the past 11 years has resulted in around 500 million cards being recycled into new products such as cereal boxes and toilet paper. “After Christmas Australia Post is giving away one million ‘Cards 4 Planet Ark’ recycling envelopes which can be posted free of charge or placed into Planet Ark recycling bins at Coles Supermarkets,” Mr Draper said. “I have sent hundreds of Christmas Cards this year and I’m hopeful they will end up in ‘Cards 4 Planet Ark’ recycling envelopes rather than landfill. Mr Draper said Planet Ark guaranteed that people’s privacy was maintained during the collection service which opens from Boxing Day until the end of February. “Since the campaign was launched over 50,000 trees have been saved so for the sake of our environment I’m hopeful the recycling of Christmas cards will become as popular a tradition as their exchange,” he said. Caption: Peter Draper MP hopes the hundreds of greeting cards he posted this year will end up in a ‘Cards 4 Planet Ark’ envelope. Public comment opens on plans for $500,000 upgrade of Tamworth’s Manilla Road 21 December 2004
Mr Draper said the display had been prepared so that the community could view the proposed changes and make comment. “Road users will be pleased to see the $500,000, which was set aside in the 2004/2005 budget, being spent on improving the disgraceful state of this road. The proposed plan aims to improve traffic flow while safer intersection layouts have also been designed,” Mr Draper said. While welcoming the investment, Mr Draper said a substantial commitment was still needed from the Government to bring the remainder of Manilla Rd up to standard. “As the northern entry to Tamworth, Manilla Rd is becoming increasingly busy with traffic and I intend to maintain considerable pressure on the NSW Roads Minister, Carl Scully, to see the upgrade completed. Mr Draper said it was expected that construction on the section from Tribe Street to 100m north-west of Riverview Street would begin in March next year with the RTA aiming to have a minimal impact on property access. The overall concept to Johnston Street includes the following:
The proposed improvement plan will be available to view from Monday, 20 December to Friday, 28 January at the RTA Motor Registry in Tamworth, the Tamworth Regional Council, and Bi-lo Shopping Complex on Manilla Road. For further details on the improvement works, please call the RTA’s Project Manager, Monica Sirol, on (02) 6640 1300. Caption: NSW Roads Minister Carl Scully (left) committed $500,000 to improve Manilla Rd after the Independent Member for Tamworth Peter Draper invited him to Tamworth for an inspection earlier this year. The work is expected to get underway in March 2005. Extra vigilance needed around schools over holiday period 21 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper is urging communities in close proximity to schools to be eyes and ears for police over the holiday period and help them combat school holiday crime. “The school year has wrapped up for another year with all students finishing today. Our schools are community assets but unfortunately they can become targets of criminal activity in the absence of children and teaching staff,” Mr Draper said. Mr Draper said at a recent Oxley Local Area Command PACT (Police and Community Team) meeting, it was revealed the incidence of malicious damage to school grounds had increased slightly. “I am concerned these trends will continue over the holiday period when school grounds are relatively dormant,” he said. “Security officers are on duty and police step their patrols of school grounds particularly over the holiday periods, however, I am asking the community to help these efforts by being alert to trespass, suspicious noises and behaviour. “Any information the community can provide to police about suspects is invaluable, particularly if it leads to an arrest. Mr Draper said that consistent with NSW trends, crime across the whole command was down and while stealing was up slightly, one positive was a large drop in break and enters. “This does not mean we can be complacent over the holiday period and I would urge the community to take simple precautions to minimise theft. “Ask your neighbours to keep an eye on your house, arrange for someone to collect your mail and cancel your newspaper deliveries as an overflowing mailbox is like an invitation to thieves,” he said. Peel Valley development hinges on State Government investment in water storage 20 December 2004 The importance of a State Government commitment to expand the capacity of Chaffey Dam was made evident at a recent meeting of Dungowan Valley residents concerned about future water supplies, Member for Tamworth Peter Draper said today. Mr Draper was invited to attend the meeting of residents on Martins Lane, Piallamore, last week to hear concerns over a proposed 20-lot rural residential subdivision. A development application has been lodged for a proposed subdivision at the top end of Martins Lane with Tamworth Regional Council with approvals to be sought from the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources (DIPNR) and the Rural Fire Service. Mr Draper said the biggest concern raised by the 30 residents at the meeting was the potential long term effect the subdivision would have on existing domestic water supplies which were sourced from groundwater. “A common theme among residents was fear that the subdivision’s demand for water could lower the underground water table which is already under strain. Residents gave anecdotal evidence of the table having already dropped significantly with bores having to be sunk deeper due to demand. While the proposal is still going through the assessment process, Mr Draper said council’s acting director of planning and environment Paul Anderson advised the council could not approve the development unless DIPNR issued approval to a water supply and a licence was granted. “Mr Anderson also pointed out the Peel Valley would need the water storage capacity of Chaffey Dam to double to ensure council was able to meet the future demands of developers, industry, residents, irrigators and the environment,” Mr Draper said. “A safety upgrade of Chaffey Dam is already underway with the Department of Energy and Utilities recently completing the first stage of interim safety upgrade works. “The challenge will be finding and funding a long term solution. State Water, in consultation with the Chaffey Dam Upgrade Community Reference Panel, is developing a long term strategy but it will take a significant commitment from the Government to make the project a reality,” he said. “There is no getting away from the fact that water supply for residential and industry use is the main determinant of future development of the Peel Valley and I look forward to working with the Tamworth Regional Council to keep an expansion of Chaffey Dam’s storage capacity high on the Government’s list of priorities,” he said. Progress on Werris Creek’s Australian Railway Monument grinds to a halt 17 December 2004
The failure of RailCorp to issue leases of the Werris Creek Railway Station building and car park area to the Liverpool Plains Shire Council was raised at a meeting on site between the Member for Tamworth Peter Draper, the ARM Management Inc committee, Liverpool Plains Shire Council Mayor Ian Lobsey and the NSW Minister for Local Government, Tony Kelly, on Thursday. The committee, which is taking the monument’s growing collection of railway memorabilia and progressing the project alongside the Liverpool Plains Shire Council and RailCorp Heritage, asked Mr Draper to convey their concerns to the NSW Transport Minister Michael Costa as a matter of urgency. “Mr Kelly was inspecting the station during a tour of the region and although the matter falls outside his portfolios, he agreed the project is important for Werris Creek and has thrown his support behind getting it back on track,” Mr Draper said. “I plan to organise a meeting with Minister Kelly and Minister Costa as soon as is practicable in the New Year, “ he said. Mr Draper said the original concept of the Australian Railways Monument was put forward by the then State Rail (now RailCorp) to make use of the 1884 circa railway station building and surrounding land. State Rail was to restore the buildings inside and out and hand the complex over to the Local Government authority under a lease arrangement. “It seems the delays have come about due to a combination of factors including the council amalgamations and the Australian Rail Track Corporation’s lease and management of RailCorp’s interstate and Hunter Valley lines,” Mr Draper said. The monument project comprises two major entities – a monument and honour walls commemorating those killed on duty or as a result of injuries sustained on duty and ‘The Rail Journeys Exhibition’ of memorabilia and graphic displays. Stage One includes the restoration of the external façade of the Werris Creek Railway Station and associated buildings, landscaping of the monument site and the creation of six symbolic sculptures of rail personnel. It was anticipated the Monument in the station’s car park area and the stage one of the Museum would be officially opened in October 2005 to coincide with the 150th anniversary of rail in NSW. “The project has come to a standstill and it may be the case that the car park area will not be completed in time placing the opening of the monument in October in jeopardy,” Mr Draper said. “The committee is concerned that construction on the monument cannot begin and plans for the museum have been put on hold without the leases for the car park area and building being finalised. Despite repeated contact with the heritage arm of RailCorp they are in the dark as to where the project is proceeding. “This project is vital to the economic future of Werris Creek and I intend to secure some answers from the Mr Costa as to why this project seems to have been put on the back burner,” he said. Contact: ARM Management Inc president Chris Holley on 6768 7464 or secretary Peter Holloway 6768 7563 Photo: ARM Management Inc. President Chris Holley (right) discusses his concerns about the delays in leasing arrangements for Werris Creek’s Australian Railway Monument with (from left) Liverpool Plains Shire Council Mayor Ian Lobsey, Member for Tamworth Peter Draper and NSW Minister for Local Government Tony Kelly. North west medical infrastructure needs to be a direct recipient of merger savings 17 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has called on the NSW Health Minister, Morris Iemma, to commit funding to improve infrastructure in the region and at the Tamworth Base Hospital to shore up efforts to attract and retain medical staff. Mr Draper said a redevelopment of the region’s major health facility was necessary to keep pace with the delivery of modern medicine and the constant challenge of providing health services in a rural area. “As the official date of the merger of the New England and Hunter area health services draws near and the promised savings are realised, I believe it is imperative to secure a commitment from the Minister that improvements to infrastructure in the north west will be the priority,” he said. Mr Draper said the New England Area Health Service still included sites in dire need of upgrading, improvement and rebuilding. These include a redevelopment of the Tamworth Base Hospital, Multi Purpose Services at Werris Creek and Manilla and a new ambulance station for Gunnedah. “Our local facilities must be up to scratch and conducive to a medical workforce being able to carry out their role at the required standard of health service delivery. “The base hospital has a new accident and emergency centre but the greater complex is disjointed in layout having grown in a piece meal fashion over the years to meet demand. I don’t believe it lends itself to efficient service delivery. To give an example Mr Draper cited the hospital’s maternity ward which is located in a separate building and a considerable distance from operating theatres. “Should complications arise for expectant mothers and they require urgent surgery, the patient faces delays as staff must negotiate slow-to-operate lifts during the transportation process,” he said. Mr Draper said as the new year approached he would also be looking for evidence that any revenue generated from the Government’s increased gaming tax will indeed by channelled back into local health facilities and services. “This was an undertaking given by both the Treasurer, Michael Egan, and the Health Minister,” Mr Draper said. 16 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has extended his congratulations to Tamworth High School student Bryce Robinson who has achieved first place in the Higher School Certificate information technology examination. “I have written to Bryce congratulating him on emerging from this particular HSC examination at the top of his class which was no mean feat considering 66,000 students studied for the HSC this year,” Mr Draper said. Mr Draper said Bryce was among 106 students who achieved first place in 117 HSC courses and will receive a certificate from the NSW Minister for Education and Training Dr Andrew Refshauge. “Tamworth has a reputation for having excellent schools, talented teachers and subsequently a high standard of education. Bryce’s achievement, like students at local schools before him, is a testimony to his ability and the support networks available to students in this region,” Mr Draper said. Mr Draper said the award was a feather in the cap for Bryce and his school, Tamworth High. Minister’s visit to region to include Werris Creek’s national rail monument 16 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper will today meet the NSW Minister for Local Government, Tony Kelly, in Werris Creek, for an inspection of the first stage of the Werris Creek Australian Railway Monument. Mr Kelly, who is also the Minister for Emergency Services, for Lands and for Rural Affairs, is flying in to Quirindi for a day touring the Upper Hunter and Tamworth electorates to inspect new developments and officially open important new community and council projects relevant to his portfolios. “In Werris Creek the Minister will have the opportunity to view progress on Australia’s only railway monument and to meet members of the Australian Railway Monument Steering Committee who have been instrumental in keeping this project on track,” Mr Draper said. Mr Draper said he was looking forward to discussing Werris Creek’s potential as a tourist destination and the contribution the community has made to honouring its rail history. Mr Kelly will be chaperoned by the Liverpool Plains Shire mayor, Ian Lobsey, and the council’s general manager, Robert Hunt. The Minister will inspect the Willow Tree Rural Fire Service headquarters, open the Quirindi Main Street Beautification and Quirindi Eastside Long Day Child Care Centre and inspect the First Fleet Memorial Gardens at Wallabadah before travelling to Werris Creek. Mr Draper expects to meet the Minister at the Werris Creek Australian Railway monument at the Werris Creek Railway Station at 2.15pm today. North west CountryLink Rail service expected to be back on track in the New Year 15 December 2004 The CountryLink Xplorer service between Werris Creek and Moree will be restored to a full rail service early in the New Year, Member for Tamworth said today, after a meeting with senior staff of the NSW Minister for Transport Michael Costa. Mr Draper raised this issue of regional concern in the Parliament last week and subsequently met with the Minister’s office which advised that repairs to the carriages were nearing completion. He sought the meeting in Sydney on Tuesday and was informed repairs to two train carriages damaged in a level crossing accident at Baan Baa in May were being carried out in Victoria. Mr Draper said CountryLink's Werris Creek to Moree service was currently operating as an Xplorer train on Monday, Thursday and Saturday and as a road coach on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The Moree to Werris Creek service is operating as an Xplorer on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday and as a road coach on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.” “Many north west residents are keen to know when the carriages will return to service. They are rightfully concerned that this situation may become permanent and have requested I maintain pressure on the Minister to resume normal operations,” Mr Draper said. “We need train services on the Werris Creek to Moree route seven days a week in both directions and for the bus service to be withdrawn permanently. The people of Gunnedah and other communities along this track want those carriages back as soon as possible and I was pleased to hear they will not have to wait too much longer. “It is now my understanding that CountryLink expects normal services to resume early in the New Year,” Mr Draper said. “Following the vigorous fight by the communities of Tamworth, Armidale, Walcha and Gunnedah to retain the Armidale sector, it seems that the Minister is prepared to listen to the concerns of this area and respond accordingly.” “I look forward to the service being operated entirely by trains, and the buses being retired from the sector.” “I thank the Minister for listening to the community and committing to a full service for the long term.” Tamworth poised to tap into natural gas 15 December 2004The economic development of Tamworth and district is poised to leap to an unprecedented level but it will depend on a commitment on behalf of the business community to use natural gas as an energy source Member for Tamworth Peter Draper said today. Mr Draper, who attended the launch of the Natural Gas Pipeline from Dubbo to Tamworth by the Central Ranges Natural Gas Pipeline Association in Tamworth today, reiterated the association’s mantra that the key to the project’s success depended on local businesses signing up as customers of the energy source. “Tamworth is the last regional centre in NSW to have access to natural gas and it is a great credit to the associated councils including the former Tamworth City Council together with the stakeholders and industry groups who have delivered this alternative energy source to our doorstep. “It is now up to the business community to consider the benefits of using natural gas which include cost savings and efficiencies leading to greater competitiveness, a clean product with positive environmental impacts, ease of use and in view of the bigger picture economic stimulation and job creation,” he said. Mr Draper said on behalf of the association and the former and current councils of Mudgee, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Coolah, Gunnedah, Quirindi, Parry and Tamworth he would deliver the message to the Premier Bob Carr and to the Minister for Local Government Tony Kelly that major infrastructure has been delivered to the region as a result of communities pulling together behind private enterprise for the economic benefit of their region. “The association has asked that this fact be recognised and I shall be happy to communicate this sentiment to the Government. Volunteers on the Association have been the driving force behind this pipeline and with assistance from the Federal Government to undertake feasibility studies, the pipeline is no longer a pipedream,” Mr Draper said. State Representative Certificates roll out to six young athletes this week 15 December 2004 The Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has been kept busy presenting State Representative Certificates to the cream of the region’s young athletes on behalf of the NSW Premier Bob Carr this week. The NSW Government issues the certificates in recognition of representation at a state level in competitive fields of dance, music, sport, the arts or academics. At a school assembly on Monday, Mr Draper presented a certificate to Oxley Vale Public School student Rosanna O’Neill who represented NSW in athletics as a member of the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association team in the 12-13 Girls Multi Event at the 2004 Interstate Exchange from 28 November to 2 December. Today, Mr Draper will present certificates to four Tamworth athletes including:
On Friday, Mr Draper will travel to Moonbi Public School to present a State Representative Certificate to student Mykael Dawson. A Northern Inland Academy of Sport athlete, Mykeal captained the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association Boys Softball Team which contested the 2004 Australian Boys Softball Competition between November 21 and 26. Today’s presentation ceremony will take place at 3.30pm at Mr Draper’s Fitzroy St office. Industrial manslaughter laws dropped but tougher workplace fatality penalties in the pipeline 14 December 2004 A decision by the NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, John Della Bosca, to reject the introduction of industrial manslaughter legislation in NSW has been welcomed by Member for Tamworth Peter Draper. Mr Draper said employers concerned about proposed amendments have approached him regarding the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and the introduction of industrial manslaughter as an offence. “Employers were concerned that the creation of a new category of industrial manslaughter would lead to the demise of their organisations,” Mr Draper said. “The vast majority of employers train staff in safe work practices and do their best to oversee staff to prevent injury or death. It’s a matter of finding a balance between employers who do the right thing and appropriately penalising those guilty of negligence. “I was pleased to see Mr Della Bosca accept recommendations made by a panel of legal experts which unanimously ruled out industrial manslaughter laws generally and any new offence under the Crimes Act,” Mr Draper said. Mr Della Bosca appointed the panel in November 2003 to advise the Government on the best legal improvements it could make, particularly in regard to workplace fatalities. “The Government accepted the panel’s advice that industrial manslaughter legislation would be an unhelpful, retrograde step and would most likely not improve the occupational health and safety of workers,” Mr Draper said. In June this year the panel released its report advising against industrial manslaughter but recommending NSW introduce an additional offence in the OH&S Act specifically relating to workplace fatalities including higher penalties for first offenders. The death of a Tamworth teenager on a Sydney worksite in February 2000, and the subsequent fine imposed on his employer contributed to the call for tougher penalties on employers and the move to toughen the legislation. The Minister is now working toward introducing a bill of proposed legislative reforms to occupational health and safety laws. The Occupational Health and Safety Legislation Amendment (Workplace Fatalities) Bill is currently in draft form with the Department undergoing a consultation phase with worker and employer groups. The bill proposes a new offence with a higher penalty regime where an employer contravenes the Act causing the death of an employee. This would see penalties of up to $165,000 for individuals and $1.65 million for corporations that had previous convictions. First time offenders could also be imprisoned for up to two years with five years for repeat offenders. “The Department is working to accommodate union and community demand for jail sentences for employers guilty of not protecting their workers, however I would welcome feedback from stakeholders, employers, workers and the community on whether the amendments are appropriate,” Mr Draper said. A copy of the draft Occupational Health and Safety Legislation Amendment (Workplace Fatalities) Bill 2004 is available on WorkCover’s website www.workcover.nsw.gov.au Comments and submissions can still be tabled despite the date listed. Tamworth South Public School student excels in eight sports in 2004 10 December 2004 Tamworth South Public School student Kimberley Resch can truly claim to be an all round sportsperson having competed and represented her school, zone, region and state in an impressive array of sports this year. The highlight was her representation of NSW in athletics and touch football which has earned two State Representative Certificates to be presented by Member for Tamworth Peter Draper at a school assembly on Monday, 13 December, 2004 on behalf of the NSW Premier Bob Carr. “Kimberley’s athletic ability on the track, field and in the pool is astounding,” Mr Draper said. “2004 has been a phenomenal year for this young sports champion who has represented her school, the Tamworth zone and the north west region in various combinations of swimming, athletics, basketball, netball, soccer, touch football, hockey and cross country. Mr Draper said the State Certificates recognised representation at a state level in competitive fields of dance, music, sport, the arts or academically with Kimberley representing Tamworth South Public School in athletics and touch football. The details of Kimberley’s representation of NSW in 2004 include: NSW Primary Schools Sports Association
Australian Track and Field Exchange in Adelaide in early December:
NSW Touch Football team on the Gold Coast in October
The presentation will take place at the Tamworth South Public School assembly at 9.15am on Monday, 15 December, 2004. Bus services don’t count as rail in north west NSW 10 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has called on the NSW Government to restore a daily CountryLink Xplorer service between Tamworth and Moree with rail carriages as a matter or urgency. Mr Draper said communities in the north west would hold legitimate concerns over long term viability of rail services between Moree, Narrabri, Boggabri, Gunnedah, Werris Creek and Tamworth while ever buses were used on the line. In the NSW Parliament yesterday, he asked the Government to cancel the bus service that has been used to provide the CountryLink Xplorer service on the route since a fatal accident at a level crossing at Baan Baa. He asked for two CountryLink passenger rail carriages which were damaged in the accident on May 4 this year to be re-instated. “It has been more than six months since the collision and the rail reliant community deserves to begin a new year secure in the knowledge of restored rail services,” Mr Draper said. “The Government has attributed the use of buses to repairs being undertaken on the carriages, however, the longer buses replace trains, the easier it will be to replace the service altogether. “Coach transport is not in the interests of community members, particularly low income earners, the elderly and the infirmed for whom rail travel is the most comfortable and practical mode of transport. Last month, the NSW Transport Minister, Michael Costa, dismissed conjecture that the Countrylink Xplorer service would cease to operate in February 2005 after Mr Draper sought an assurance that the service would remain. “The absence of rail carriages, however, remains a concern,” Mr Draper said. Community support will deliver new Ambulance Station for Gunnedah 9 December 2004 The disgraceful state of the Gunnedah Ambulance Station was at the centre of talks between the Member for Tamworth, Peter Draper, and the NSW Health Minister, Morris Iemma, during a recent visit to health services in Gunnedah and Tamworth.
“I have lobbied the Minister’s office and raised this issue in Parliament over the past six months and I was delighted when Mr Iemma agreed to personally inspect the station. Mr Draper said when the Minister visited the site he observed $100,000 Ambulance vehicles with only their bonnets parked under the station’s garage due to the low ceiling entry. Mr Iemma experienced firsthand the lack of heating or cooling in the officers’ workspaces, observed significant structural damage to the building resulting from years of neglect and learned why the wash bay can no longer be used. “The community is taking positive steps toward improving local health services with the opening of the Gunnedah Medical Centre helping to attract more doctors to the region. The construction of the Hospital Chapel is well under way and the hospital itself is a credit to our medical, nursing and support staff,” he said. “It’s well and truly time our hardworking local Ambulance officers had a functional and comfortable working environment. “It is incumbent on the community to throw support behind such projects and demonstrate that Gunnedah is just as worthy of attracting State Government funding as other centres. “I am calling on the community to rally behind this worthwhile cause on behalf of our local Ambulance officers by writing or emailing my office,” Mr Draper said. “As the summer days heat up, so too should our campaign to convince the Minister that a new Ambulance Station is urgently needed in Gunnedah.” Mr Draper raised the issue in the NSW Parliament yesterday asking the Minister, who now has the benefit of having seen the problems with the current facility first hand, to commit funding to the project. Photo: NSW Health Minister Morris Iemma inspected the inadequate facilities at the Gunnedah Ambulance Station on Monday, 29 November, 2004, at the request of Gunnedah Shire Council and Peter Draper MP. From left: New England Area Health Service administrator Terry Clout, Gunnedah Shire Council deputy mayor Stephen Smith, ambulance officer Luis Luzuriaga, NSW Health Minister Morris Iemma, Peter Draper MP, ambulance officer Peter Patterson and Gunnedah Shire Council mayor Gae Swain. Clayton’s animation wins spot in 2004 HSC Design and Technology works exhibition 8 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has congratulated Tamworth’s Carinya Christian School student Clayton McIntosh on an animation project which has been chosen to feature in the 2004 DesignTECH Exhibition in Sydney. Mr Draper said Clayton’s project was one of 25 chosen from 4500 design works that were created by Year 12 Design and Technology students in NSW as part of their Higher School Certificate assessment this year. The exhibition opened at the Powerhouse Museum on Monday and while Clayton is currently travelling overseas, he was represented by his parents Phil and Tina McIntosh and Carinya’s Design and Technology teacher Ian Woodley “The project titled ‘Purple People’ is featured on Clayton’s website address at www.morseldisruption.com which demonstrates his enormous creativity, innovation and talent in the fields of animation and website design,” Mr Draper said. “Clayton has obviously invested hundreds of hours in this project and I understand worked very hard to produce a project of such an exceptional standard. I have spent time on the website and enjoyed the humour and perspective on society revealed in the Purple People,” he said. Mr Woodley explained the project counted for 60% of students’ assessment with students engaging a cross section of mediums including textiles, engineering, graphic art and furniture. The exhibition will run until 6 March, 2005 while a number of the projects along with additional works will be exhibited in Armidale in May 2005 as part of a regional tour. Draper puts heat on Refshauge over Farrer’s air conditioning woes 7 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper today called on the NSW Minister for Education and Training, Dr Andrew Refshauge, to provide adequate levels of funding to air condition the dormitories at the Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School. In Parliament today, Mr Draper asked the Minister to recognise the fact that the health of many boarders was suffering as a result of the heat which last week reached 42 degrees Celsius in the unconditioned dormitories. “The heat is taking a toll on some boys’ health with the sick bay being overwhelmed by boarders suffering asthma and diabetes related complications,” Mr Draper said. “I have also been contacted by parents who are understandably concerned that nose bleeds are becoming a problem among the boys at night due to their inability to cool down. Mr Draper said during a recent heat wave in Tamworth, the boarders were given permission to drag their mattresses outside to sleep in the open air while others regularly sleep in boarding house corridors under wet towels. “Staff have informed me they are having to constantly check on the boys and in some cases move them from corridors as the mattresses block fire evacuation routes which is a serious concern. “It is clearly unacceptable that boys are forced to take such desperate but necessary actions to obtain an essential night’s sleep,” he said. Mr Draper said the Department had not delivered on its undertaking to outline what action it was prepared to take in regard to an electricity upgrade and air conditioning units. The Department had agreed to compile and forward a proposal after a meeting with school and NSW Teacher’s Federation representatives some weeks ago but came back on Friday stating it was “not in a position to outline a position”. “The Department does not appear to be treating this as a matter of urgency despite the onset of summer and the unbearable living conditions for the 340 boarders. It is inexcusable for the Department to ignore parents and students’ concerns, Dr Refshauge must find the funding and address this issue before boarders return next year,” he said. Mr Draper, who has previously spoken on the issue in Parliament, said numerous parents and boarders have contacted him in recent weeks asking for the Government to at least fund an upgrade of the electricity supply to the dormitories. “The Department is insisting that because the school has previously found funds to improve other facilities at the school, it is now not a Government responsibility to finance the upgrade of the electricity supply so air-conditioning can be installed. “Quite simply this is a blatant attempt by the Department to shirk its responsibility to provide a basic service to this State-owned school, and I shall continue to press the Department to provide the adequate funding levels to rectify this problem,” he said. Community gains greater access to work skills with launch of online learning platform 1 December 2004
The Online Learning Platform will be launched by the Member for Tamworth, Peter Draper, at the Walcha Community College with the Member for Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay, and representatives from the community and industry in attendance. According to Walcha Community College executive officer, Jan Hatton, the platform has been designed in partnership with Learningseat, a developer from Melbourne, and will be used by each of the 13 colleges which make up the cluster. The Colleges include Barraba, Bingara, Bourke, Gravesend, Gunnedah, Glen Innes, Guyra, Inverell, Narrabri, Quirindi, Tamworth, Tenterfield and Walcha with more than 11,000 people enrolled in courses per year. Mrs Hatton said over 100 courses would be available to learners 24-hours-a-day at their workplace or home with the format offering a greater range of courses and more flexibility in the pace of study. In 2005 the site will offer nationally accredited programs with assessment tasks completed at the end of the course and assessed by workplace assessors employed by the college. “The benefits to the New England north west include learning options becoming more accessible and affordable. Travel from remote areas is no longer necessary and the platform is great for parents of young children who wish to develop their skills without the cost of child care,” Mrs Hatton said. Mr Draper said the strength of the platform was that students in smaller centres could access nationally accredited programs and be assessed without having to leave their homes or communities. “Having a resume which includes accreditation in Occupational Health and Safety or Equal Employment Opportunities can give job applicants the edge and its important for people in the more remote communities to be equally competitive in the prospective workplace,” he said. “The launch of this platform is a major step forward for Adult and Community Education in the flexible delivery of its services to the region. I congratulate the sector for continually seeking better ways to provide quality education programs to the wider community,” he said. The Online Learning platform site is www.learningseat.com/public/northerninland. Photo: Attending the launch of the Adult and Community Education online learning platform at the Walcha Community College on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 were from back left Walcha Community College executive officer Jan Hatton, Walcha Shire Councillor Janelle Archer, Walcha Deputy Mayor Kevin Ferrier, Walcha Public School Principal Terry Sanders, National Parks and Wildlife Service Officer Sonia O’Hara. Seated in front from left are Member for Tamworth Peter Draper who launched the program and Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay. Contact: Walcha Community College executive officer Jan Hatton on 6777 1102 or mobile: 0427 359 458. NSW Department of Lands grant gets horse training back on track at Walcha 1 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has welcomed a $12,150 grant from the NSW Minister for Lands, Tony Kelly, to the Walcha Jockey Club to improve the condition of the Walcha Racecourse training track. Mr Draper said the club approached the Minister after a flash flood on January 17 this year washed away the sand surface of the course’s training track. “It’s my understanding that trainers have been using the car park as a training track. Alternatively, they have been transporting their horses to Tamworth or Armidale due to the deteriorated condition of the Walcha training track posing a significant risk of injury to horses,” Mr Draper said. Walcha Jockey Club secretary Kevin Ferrier said the funding meant the training track, upon which about 12 horses were regularly trained, would be restored to its original condition. He said the sand has been stockpiled in preparation and with the funding recently becoming available, the track should be open to horse trainers within a week. Mr Draper said the funding was made available through the Natural Disaster Relief Scheme which repaired, replaced or restored public property destroyed or damaged as a result of natural disasters. “The Walcha Racecourse is one of the State’s many Crown land reserves and I’m pleased to see the Department making grants available to trusts that do not have the financial capability to meet the costs from their own resources,” he said. Contact: Walcha Jockey Club secretary Kevin Ferrier on 0427 688 139. Regional Express Airlines future in regional NSW secure 1 December 2004 Member for Tamworth Peter Draper has welcomed a breakthrough in negotiations between Regional Express (Rex) Airlines and the Sydney Airport Corporation stating the pathway to secure an additional service for Tamworth remains open. Mr Draper will continue to work closely with Rex Airlines chief executive officer, Geoff Breust, to expand the airline to Tamworth. Rex began operating between Armidale and Sydney earlier this year introducing competitive pricing for customers. “The negotiations between Rex and the Sydney Airport Corporation were drawn out, however, Mr Breust believes the outcome is a good result for regional NSW,” Mr Draper said. “It’s now possible for Rex to plan well into the future with a degree of certainty with the corporation offering the airline a new lounge and gate facility at Gate 47 as an alternative to Gate 39 and a five-year lease with the option of another five years,” he said. “I raised this issue in the NSW Parliament and liaised closely with the airline operatives to ensure regional communities retained equitable access to Sydney airport. I intend working with the airline into the future to secure strong services for as many regional communities as possible,” he said. |
With a little effort, the tradition of exchanging Christmas greeting cards easily can be extended to help the environment, Member for Tamworth Peter Draper said today.
Moves toward improving the condition of Manilla Road in Tamworth are underway with a proposed plan to improve traffic flow from Tribe Street to Johnston Street now on display, Member for Tamworth Peter Draper said today.
Plans for Stage One of the Australian Railway Monument at Werris Creek have ground to a halt with fears the project may not meet its opening deadline due to the State Government’s failure to issue site leases.
“I raised this issue in Parliament in May this year after inspecting the facility with Gunnedah mayor Gae Swain and Gunnedah Shire Council general manager Max Kershaw,” Mr Draper said. 
The community will enjoy the convenience of greater access to Adult and Community Education vocational and work skills programs offered through the group of Northern Inland Community Colleges following the launch of a new online program today.