Local Government News

Don Page
State Matters

Rural Lands Protection Act

NSW Agriculture is seeking submissions for the Review of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998. I encourage all interested members of the community to take advantage of the opportunity to have their say.

The review is being undertaken as a consequence of the National Competition Policy Agreement requirement to review legislative constraints on competition. Section 248 of the Act requires a review to determine if its objectives and terms are still valid.

One of the issues that the review will focus on is equity between ratepayers, particularly between industries and standard and minimum rate payers.

I have received many representations from minimum ratepayers questioning whether they receive value for money from their Rural Lands Protection Board. This Review provides an opportunity for people to have their say and recommend changes.

Further information and a copy of the Issues Paper can be viewed at www.agric.nsw.gov.au. Submissions must be made by 15 May 2004.

Sports Grants

Ballina electorate has received $36,631 in funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation's 2003/2004 Capital Assistance Grants program.

Some of the successful recipients in the electorate include;

• The Ballina and District Equestrian Club $4,587 for portable fence panels and horse wash bays at the Equestrian Club grounds.
• Far North Coast Water Polo Inc. $1,925 for the supply of floating water polo goals.
• Spaghetti Circus Inc. $2,545 for the provision of an aerial frame.
• Ballina Shire Council $3,000 for the upgrade of three synthetic practice cricket wickets at Geoff Watt Oval.

Congratulations to this year's successful recipients across the electorate. I encourage all local sporting groups to consider applying for next years funding program.

Beware Email Scams

NSW residents have recently reported receiving emails stating their credit card has either been stolen or used by someone else. The message then asks the customer to forward their card details on another website so the "incident" can be checked.

All Echo readers should be careful about revealing their credit card information, in the wake of this latest email scam. Whoever is behind the scam is a fraud and is attempting to collect personal information. Banks and other credit providers don't investigate credit card theft in this way.

Unfortunately these kinds of scam appear to be on the increase. It is recommended that such e-mails are deleted and reported to the financial service provider.

I can be contacted by writing to PO Box 1018, Ballina 2478 or by telephoning my Electorate Office on 6686 7522 or faxing 6686 7470. For those on-line my e-mail address is Don.Page@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Thomas George
Canberra Connection

Regional gulf

The Nationals Leader, Andrew Stoner raised a Matter of Public Importance in Parliament last week following the release of a major report, Community Adversity and Resilience.

Based on the application of key indicators of disadvantage, Professor Tony Vinson found that the most disadvantaged postcodes were in rural and regional areas.

Mr Stoner slammed the government for their "lack of will... to meaningfully address these issues in our country and coastal communities".

Cross Border Commission

Recently the NSW Nationals re-introduced the Cross-Border Commission Bill to State Parliament, demonstrating their on-going commitment towards establishing such a Commission and to also highlight Sydney Labor's failure to act on cross-border anomalies.

A Bill to set up a Cross-Border Commission was introduced by The Nationals in the NSW Parliament before last year's State Election. The ALP failed to support this excellent initiative, but The Nationals commitment to the establishment of this body means that we are going to have another go at it. The Carr Labor Government is under siege on many fronts - club pokies tax, hospitals, trains, ferries, police, forced local government amalgamations.

The Cross-Border Commission Bill proposes a small body with the power to call witnesses, take evidence and make recommendations on solving cross-border solutions.

For example, in NSW the 6% payroll tax cuts in above $600,000. Queensland's payroll tax rate is 4.75% with a $850,000 threshold. We know that businesses are being forced out of the Lismore Electorate because of higher cost burdens in NSW.

Isolated patients support

Over 7000 people, including residents from the Lismore electorate had joined The Nationals' petition to reduce the overly stringent eligibility criteria for country and coastal patients to access State Government financial assistance.

The Nationals have started presenting the petitions in NSW Parliament. In NSW, cancer and other patients requiring specialist medical treatment are forced to meet the toughest criteria in Australia before the Sydney Labor Government will provide financial assistance towards the cost of travel and accommodation through the Isolated Patients' Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS).

Cancer patients and others had to travel more than 200km one way - a return trip of 400km - before the government deemed them eligible for financial assistance.

This compares unfavourably to every other State. This means that a patient from Lismore attending John Flynn Hospital at Tugun would be denied assistance with travel and accommodation costs, which they would otherwise receive if they lived in other States.

The Scheme also only allowed patients see their nearest treating specialist, denying them access to the medical specialist of their choice. This greatly restricts patients' access to the best available treatment and fails to take into account that the waiting times for the nearest specialist are often sky high. The Nationals' petition calls on Sydney Labor to reduce the IPTAAS distance criterion in line with other states.

The current overly stringent eligibility criteria means seriously ill rural and regional patients are being forced to shoulder an unfair financial burden at a time when they are least able to cope.

Trustee Members wanted

Applications are being invited from persons interested in being considered for appointment as a member of the Trust Board to manage the affairs of the Dorroughby Grass Reserve Trust. Prospective trust board members will be selected on merit related to the skills they possess and the skills necessary to manage this reserve.

Applications should be lodged with the Land Access Unit of the Department of Land & Water Conservation, for further information, phone 6640 2061 or my office, before Monday, April 19.

Schooling prize

The 2004 National Awards for Quality Schooling (NAQS) are now open, giving schools, principals and teachers the opportunity to showcase their school improvement project and win a share in $1 million prize money. In 2004 three new award categories have been established;

• Best National Achievement in School Improvement by a School/s or Team - $65,000
• Best National Achievement by a Principal - $30,000
• Best National Achievement by a Teacher - $30,000

Applicants are required to tell their school improvement story and demonstrate with evidence that a significant and sustainable outcome for students has been achieved. The Awards are open to all pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, teachers and principals from all Australian non-government and government schools.

Application forms, judging criteria and more information about the NAQS are available from the National Quality Schooling Framework (NQSF) at www.nqsf.edu.au, or further information by phoning 1800 131 323.

Stories of the 2003 winners are available at: http://www.dest.gov.au/schools/naqs/stories.htm and applications close July 20.

Email Scam

Shadow Fair Trading Minister, Katrina Hodgkinson, is warning consumers to be careful whom they provide their credit card information to, in the wake of the latest email scam.

Consumers have been getting emails saying their credit card has either been stolen or used by someone else. The message then asks the customer to forward their card details on another website so the "incident" can be checked. Consumers should not be fooled - personal information is being collected. It is recommended that customers call their credit provider and report the scam.

Senior Card Local Business Directory

The new revised version of the 2004 Local Business Directory is available. Anyone who has not already received a copy direct, should contact my office.

I welcome and invite your feedback in relation to any of the above matters, please do not hesitate to contact my office regarding any matters on (ph) 6621 3624, (f) 6622 1403, by writing to PO Box 52 Lismore, e-mail; thomas.george@parliament.nsw.gov.au or www.thomasgeorge.com.au