Local Government News

Larry Anthony
National News

Unemployment rate drops

I am very happy to see the latest Small Area Labour Market figures released recently show a marked decrease in the unemployment rate across the Northern Rivers over the past year.

The figures for the March Quarter 2004 showed a drop in the official unemployment rate from the March 2003 quarter in all local shires.

The unemployment rate for Ballina Shire dropped from 7.2 to 5.6 percent, Lismore Shire dropped from 25.1 percent to 16.1 percent and Kyogle Shire dropped from 13 percent to 8.5 percent.

These figures are very encouraging and recognition of the hard work that local communities are achieving in partnership with the Australian Government to deliver more job opportunities.

The downward trend has been greatly assisted by the federal Government's sound economic management, which is witnessing continued economic growth and interest rates at record low levels. Management of the Australian economy is something not to be taken lightly.

I do not want to see a return to the dark days of high unemployment on the Northern Rivers in the early nineties experienced under a federal Labor Government where poor economic management witnessed local youth unemployment hit almost 50 percent.

Much has been achieved to address unemployment by the federal Coalition but there is still more to be done and I will continue to work relentlessly to create and deliver more local jobs.

Health boom for Northern Rivers

Last week's major health announcements in Lismore by the Federal Minister for Health, Tony Abbot are wonderful news for people of all ages across the Northern Rivers.

The announcement that Lismore has been recognised as a priority for Medicare-funded Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines combined with the establishment of a new $16 million cancer treatment unit mark a massive investment into improving accessibility and affordability to vital health care.

An MRI machine is an important health facility, using strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency pulses to generate pictures of "slices" of the human body. It is very good for examining soft tissue injuries as well as the brain, spine and musculo-skeletal systems.

The Member for Page, Ian Causley and I have been pushing strongly for a Medicare-funded MRI in Lismore to service our electorates for some time and I am very happy that local communities will soon be able to benefit from such a facility.

Developing these vital health facilities will significantly enhance the speed of vital medical treatment and reduce the costs and travelling time for Northern Rivers patients.

Congratulations Tintenbar Hall

I would like to congratulate the Tintenbar Hall Committee President, Russell Kelly and his dedicated team of volunteers for their work in attaining $40,000 Australian Government Regional Partnerships funding for the restoration of the Tintenbar Hall.

I enjoyed a wonderful morning tea at the Tintenbar Hall last week and had great pleasure in officially announcing the funding.

I look forward to watching the continuing progress of the restorations to this great local community Hall.

Larry Anthony MP
Federal Member for Richmond
Minister for Children & Youth Affairs
PO Box 6996 Tweed Heads South 2486 ph: 07 5524 2466 fax: 07 5524 9366
www.larry.com.au Toll Free: 1800 812 125 larry.anthony.mp@aph.gov.au

Ian Causley
Canberra Connection

$200,000 in Indigenous help

Expert counselling organisation Interrelate will receive $200,000 under the Coalition Government's Stronger Families and Communities Strategy to continue its community service to Aborigines on the Northern Rivers.

Endorsed by Bundjalung Elders, Indigerelate - a culturally safe counselling, yarning, mediation and advocacy service for Aboriginal people - has become an integral part of the Northern Rivers community.

The program also incorporates parenting skills and anger management.

Indigerelate works in partnership with mainstream service providers to promote cultural awareness and support Aboriginal people through life transitions.

Aboriginal communities are often disadvantaged by cultural issues, rural isolation and a reluctance to access services. This funding will go a long way to help people in our community address local problems.

Also, two Aboriginal playgroups in Casino and Wardell received $33,718 in funding to undertake minor building repairs.

The Cabbage Tree Island Playgroup was given $24,500 to renovate its new site and the Bahbany Majum Playgroup in Casino will use its $9218 to build a verandah and shaded outdoor area.

The funding was made available under the Government's National Agenda for Early Childhood initiative.

More local GPs

As part of the Coalition Government's Strengthening Medicare initiative, more Northern Rivers communities will qualify for assistance in recruiting and retaining doctors.

Twenty-one communities have been identified as areas of need and these include: Blue Knob; Buckendoon; Dungarubba; East Coraki; Georgica; Green Forest; Kilgin; Larnook; Manifold; Mountain Top; Newbys Hill; Nightcap; Nimbin; Nimbin West; North Woodburn; Repentance Creek; Stony Chute; Terania; Terania Creek; Tuntable Falls; and Whian Whian.

Already many areas benefit from the Rural Other Medical Practitioners Program and the Rural Locum Relief Program. These programs provide additional incentives to doctors, including non-vocationally recognised medical practitioners, overseas-trained doctors and temporary resident doctors, to remain practising in, or relocate to, rural communities.

Now, if a community is more than 20 kilometres from a large rural centre, they will have access to these programs, regardless of their statistical local area classification.

Law hotline

The expansion of the Regional Law Hotline to all parts of Australia will give more people access to free legal advice.

The Regional Law Hotline is a telephone service providing free legal information and advice to people in rural and regional areas. Until recently the Hotline was only available in 14 regions, but from this month it has been expanded to cover all of regional Australia.

Previously the legal advice was provided by a number of community legal centres and legal aid commissions. However, legal aid commissions have taken over this role as they can provide the service more cost effectively.

Community legal centres are not losing any of their core funding. While they no longer received the additional resources provided for the Hotline function, their normal funding will continue.

The number for the Regional Law Hotline is 1800 050 400.

Medicare open Saturdays

Medicare offices in Ballina and Lismore will open on Saturday mornings, starting next month.

The Heath Insurance Commission has decided to extend opening hours of the busiest Medicare offices to include Saturday mornings to make it more convenient for people to claim Medicare rebates.

Starting from Saturday, August 7, the Ballina and Lismore Medicare offices will open from 9am until 12.30pm on an ongoing basis.

For further information please contact my electorate office on 1300 301 735, or send me an email: ian.causley.mp@aph.gov.au.