Letter to Editor: Your opinion wanted on proposed public amenities at the HMAS Sydney II Memorial

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We would like to get the public’s opinion on the Proposed public amenities at the HMAS Sydney II Memorial as designed by the designers Joan Walsh-Smith and Charles Smith of Smith Sculptors.

The HMAS Sydney II Memorial is now recognised around the world and is in the top 1% of places to visit on Trip Advisor.

The Rotary Club of Geraldton is seeking support for this much needed project on behalf of the community and the 40,000 plus visitors of the site annually.

The Rotary Club of Geraldton

Aerial overview of proposed building

Bridge of the ship layout

Bridge of the ship layout

Bridge of the ship

Contemplation area

Front of building

Plan of layout of HMAS II Memorial

Public Wi-Fi undergoes re-configuration

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The City of Greater Geraldton wishes to advise that the free public Wi-Fi service in the CBD and at the QEII Centre, Queens Park Theatre, Aquarena and the Airport will be down intermittently on Thursday 23 June.

The Wi-Fi is being re-configured to improve service delivery but will be back running on Friday 24 June.

If you require further information please contact the City on 9956 6600 or email council@cgg.wa.gov.au.

Bishop’s soft approach to GST won’t fly in WA

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The Nationals WA Candidate for Durack Lisa Cole has called out Deputy Liberal Leader Julie Bishop for her soft approach to securing a fairer share of GST revenue for WA.

“Contrary to Ms Bishop’s comments at the weekend, it is the role of West Australian elected representatives to put the interests of their constituency before their personal political aspirations as Minister,” Ms Cole said.

“WA’s federal Liberal team should be pulling every lever available to them in order to deliver the best possible outcomes in their own state to secure a fair share of the GST back to WA and they have clearly failed to do this.

“Even Ms Bishop’s state colleague Treasurer Mike Nahan agrees WA needs a far stronger approach from WA’s federal Liberal representatives.”

Ms Cole said while WA’s share of GST revenue had plummeted over the past several years to a record low of 30 per cent, New South Wales would be virtually debt free by the end of the financial year largely as a result of the generous share of GST revenue it received.

“NSW received 97 cents in the dollar last financial year and is now in a position to pay down their debt, yet here in WA we are seeing unforeseen record debt levels due to an unfair distribution of GST,” Ms Cole said.

“At present we have a system which penalises economic success and rewards mediocrity. The current distribution formula set by the Commonwealth Grants Commission (CGC) is clearly flawed and must be fixed.

“If other State’s wish to share WA’s success during the good times, they must also share in the more challenging times, reforming the structure of our Federation will be key to achieving this.”

The Nationals WA team is encouraging West Australians to use the #fixourfederation hashtag online to send a strong message to Canberra.

“By using the hashtag #fixourfederation everyday West Australians will send a loud and clear message to our federal politicians that WA won’t continue to be ripped off on GST.”

Ms Cole said West Australians had an opportunity to send Canberra a message on July 2 by voting for The Nationals WA.

“While The Nationals WA are prepared to cross the floor to ensure WA is a priority in Canberra, the Liberal Party will toe a party line set by their colleagues in the eastern states,” Ms Cole said.

“The people of WA deserve better than self-serving politicians.” 

Works to begin at St Georges Beach

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The City of Greater Geraldton wishes to advise that works to mitigate erosion at St Georges Beach will begin on 21 June and are expected to take up to three weeks.

Works include the construction of a low level sandbag groyne and sand nourishment works.

Traffic management will be in place during this time. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to exercise caution and obey all warning signs and directions from authorised City personnel and contractors.

If you have any queries regarding this work please contact the City on 9956 6600 or email council@cgg.wa.gov.au.

Community Nursery sets new record

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Green Army member Richard Slater with Mayor Shane Van Styn at the Community Nursery.

Over 30,000 local native plants have been grown at the City of Greater Geraldton’s Community Nursery smashing a new record!

A total of 64 different native species make up the collection of plants grown during the 2016 season.

These latest figures are a significant jump in both the number and variety of native plants grown by the group, with this newest figure dwarfing the 16,500 plants that were grown in the 2015 season.

Plants that are grown are made up of species native to the Midwest region including the Geraldton Rose, Beach Spinifex and Cockie’s Tongue.

Playing a very significant role in the revegetation of many of our local natural areas, the dedicated volunteers at the Community Nursery as well as other organisations work tirelessly to ensure the rehabilitation of our natural bushland.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn acknowledged the hard work put in by volunteers and congratulated everyone involved in reaching the milestone.

“Protecting and managing our bushland is an ongoing challenge and having 30,000 native plants available to help with rehabilitation makes a big difference – something that can already be seen around the Chapman and Greenough river reserves as well as Devlin Pool and Bootenal Springs,” he said.

“I want to thank those volunteers and organisations who have put in the hard yards and contributed to the Community Nursery’s biggest season yet.

“Without these volunteers and the hard work of the Community Nursery, our beautiful natural areas could be under threat.”

Volunteers are the backbone of the Community Nursery and this year they have been helped by teams from several other organisations including Skill Hire, MEEDAC, Conservation Volunteers Australia and Green Army.

With plenty of leftover native plants, the Community Nursery will be holding an annual plant sale with local plants available to purchase for your garden.

The plant sale will take place on Saturday 16 July and Saturday 23 July from 9am to 1pm at the nursery located at 31 Adelaide Street Waggrakine.

SAY (Students Advising Youth) Project

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WA Police and The Lions Drug Education Foundation are calling on all WA students aged between 12 and 18 years to be Community Safety Champions as part of the SAY Project for 2016.

This year’s theme is “The impact of alcohol and other drug misuse on family violence.”

Applicants must have support of their school or a member of an established youth organisation to participate. Then compile a 90 – 105 second film to show how you can make your community aware of this year’s theme.

There are some great prizes and for more information visit WA Police Website or contact Senior Constable Jonine Harrison at Geraldton Police Station. 

Police Dog Bucky Assists In Arrest

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On Saturday 18 June 2016 at about 12.40am, Geraldton Police arrested a 16 year old female from Geraldton.

Police allege the 16 year old was the driver of a stolen Holden Commodore which became bogged in sand on the roadside after crashing into wooden bollards causing substantial damage to the vehicle.

It is further alleged, the female ran from the vehicle and was located shortly after by Geraldton Police Dog. She was found approximately 100 metres from the vehicle.

The 16 year old, who did not appear to have any injuries, was charged with the following:
1 x Steal Motor Vehicle
1 x Dangerous Driving
1 x Excess 0.08% and
1 x No Motor Drivers Licence (never held)

She will appear in Geraldton Children’s Court. 

Carriage Café will change hands, not close down

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The City of Greater Geraldton is currently examining alternatives for operation of the Carriage Café, located at the Visitor Centre.

City of Greater Geraldton CEO Ken Diehm said that the Carriage Café was gaining in popularity which is diverting resources away from the prime purpose of the Visitor Centre.

“The Carriage Café has proved to be popular and the City expects that it will continue to be the case, especially considering its vicinity to the Youth Precinct and the newly builty Geraldton Multipurpose Centre,” he said.

“The decision has been made to seek expressions of interest to run the café, which will free up Visitor Centre staff to focus on their main purpose.”

The City will be calling for expressions of interest from commercial and not-for-profit organisations in the near future.

It is expected that alternative arrangements will be made for operation of the Carriage Cafe from early July.

WALGA looking to enhance panel of suppliers

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WALGA is seeking tenders to enhance its panel of suppliers for road building materials and related services, and local businesses are encouraged to apply.

The City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said this was a great opportunity for local providers to be placed on WALGA’s panel.

“I urge local businesses to put in an application to become a WALGA preferred supplier,” Mayor Van Styn said.

“There are many benefits for businesses wishing to become a WALGA preferred supplier details of which are available on WALGA’s website.”

Request for tender documents will be available from WALGA’s website www.walga.asn.au on Saturday 18 June. Further information in regards to the request for tender can be obtained from Craig Grant on 9213 2037.

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the WALGA Provider Portal. Information on portal access is provided within the request document.

The deadline for tenders to be submitted is Thursday 14 July 2016, 3PM WST.

Utakarra getting "competitive priced" liquor store after appeal by business owners

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Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney says he is deeply disappointed that an appeal by Con’s Liquor against the decision to deny its application for a large discount liquor outlet is Utakarra, has been upheld by the Liquor Commission of Western Australia.

“I’m surprised this appeal has been upheld given the range and volume of submissions against this development.

“I remain of the view that the location and size of this particular liquor outlet is not in the best interest of the Geraldton community.

“The Commission has acknowledged that Geraldton is a city with a higher percentage of at risk persons than in other parts of Western Australia and that there are social issues within the town relating to the use of alcohol, and it yet has overturned the initial decision to prevent this development from occurring,” said Mr Blayney.

The liquor store, operating as Con’s Liquor Geraldton and owned by business man Mr Peter Jeffree’s company PDG Geraldton Pty Ltd, submitted that there is no liquor store of the size proposed currently operating in Geraldton and that as a result of existing arrangements consumers have been deprived of competitive prices and access to the multiple advantages of buying liquor as a bulk sale.

Mr Blayney said that the proposed site of this liquor store is near Bundiyarra and Geraldton Streetwork Aboriginal Corporations and both organisations had submitted applications against this proposal, as has many other organisations. Submissions opposing the proposal were also made by the Commissioner of Police and on behalf of the Executive Director of Public Health. 

“I think that the community has a right to expect that all undertakings given by the applicant Mr Peter Jeffree will apply to all subsequent owners and operators of this business. I would expect that the Liquor Commission will make the undertakings a condition of any sale or lease of the licence.

“I am advised that any further appeal must be to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, to determine whether there has been an error in law in reaching the decision to uphold this appeal,” said Mr Blayney.

10% to 40% off Everything at Batavia Furniture and Bedding – 3 Days Only!

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Batavia Furniture and Bedding is about to go crazy marking every single non catalogue item down from a genuine 10-40% off everything. 

There are heaps of goodies in the 20-40% range making them cheaper than Perth and cheaper than second hand in some cases!!

There will be great specials like – 

  • All cushions $15 each
  • Rugs and Manchester 40% off
  • Knick knacks and gifts all 50% off
  • All office furniture 15%off - perfect for tax time!

Plus HEAPS more in store.

Sale must finish this Saturday and once it's gone, it’s gone so don’t miss out! 

You will find Batavia Furniture and Bedding in the Homemaker Centre so make sure you get in because if you snooze you’ll lose!

 

Letter to the editor: Use the power of your vote.

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This is an invitation to my fellow Durack electors to use the power of their votes to effect change. I believe that the current incumbent, Melissa Price, should be voted out from office. Her advocacy of Geraldton as a trial site for the cashless welfare card and disinclination to publicly justify her reasons for this marks her out as unsuitable for the office she holds. I invite Liberal and other conservative party voters to switch to the Nationals candidate, Lisa Cole. She would still be a government backbencher and at least comes from a party with a country identity. I ask Labor and Greens voters to put her as their second preference. Between us we can make Durack truly Price-less.

Mark Gilligan

Letter to Editor: Our jobs going to cheap overseas workers

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A bit of information for Tradesmen out there who may be finding it a bit tough at the moment.
Are you aware that our Australian Government is actively seeking foreign workers to do YOUR job-STILL?
Linked here is the Skilled Occupation List, issued May 2016.
https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/SOL
On this list you will find
Electrician
Carpenter
Roof plumber
Fitter Turner
Brick layer
Cabinet maker
Shipwright
Tiler
Plasterer
Glazier
Panelbeater
Locksmith
Ships Office
Ships Engineer
Registered Nurse

How did I come across this?
Someone posted a link on Facebook to an Indian website showing it with hundreds of enquiries from people who will in all likelihood, do your job (and mine) for a pittance.
I thought it was a joke, until I searched it up on the Immigration and Border Protection website.
Perhaps you need to write to your local member Melissa Price here
http://melissapricemp.com.au/Contact-Melissa
and ask why, and what she is going to do about this if anything?
Or are you just going to sit on your ass complaining, and do nothing?
Apathy will kill your job, and mine.
You have about a month to do something, to find out where your local member stands, and find out what they are actually going to do.
Just write who you are, what you do and your work situation and ask why foreigners are being sought to take your job.
Doesnt need to be War and Peace.

- Rob. 

Stories of Geraldton: "There was no help out there for me, so I drank myself silly"

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When I was 18 my Mum got diagnosed with breast cancer and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I was doing my apprenticeship so it was a stressful time trying to juggle everything. There was no help out there for me, so I drank myself silly. I didn’t know how to cope. I partied too much so I was left wondering what was wrong with me, because the lows were really low. A couple of years later the doctor told me I had depression and I went on medication. I weaned myself off and started to exercise, trying to get into a healthy lifestyle. Eventually I was back on meds and it wasn’t until I went back again and tried to tell them I was feeling worse that they realised I also had glandular fever and chronic fatigue. I fell pregnant with my second child and after that I just couldn’t recover. I was so tired some days I couldn’t even smile.

I’m trying to find balance in my life at the moment, but I work a lot and I need to find that happy medium. Financial stress is another massive burden on people and for me it’s a big thing, because we aren’t big money earners. My partner is very understanding that I do have chronic fatigue and I do need sleep and rest some days. I find that counselling has helped me on the path to recovery. Finding someone to talk to and to keep talking to friends with no judgement is the most important thing. Communication is important and I think we need to start working with each other to help one another out. As women we like to think we can get through fine and that we don’t have to talk to someone, but it’s so important. I often feel judged, I have people say to me ‘just get over it.’ Depression and chronic fatigue are lifelong illnesses with a high chance of relapsing, so it’s hard to just ‘get over.’ It really is one day at a time. Women should realise they are not alone and there are amazing resources out there to help.

#StoriesOfGeraldton

CTEK Charges on Special at Sun City Batteries

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This month at Sun City Batteries they have CTEK Charges up to 30% off.

Sun City Batteries pride themselves on giving good old fashion service. If you can’t get to them, they will come to you. Their customer support vehicle is always ready. The delivery and fitting service is free within 10kms of the CBD (some conditions may apply). 

Sun City Batteries carry but are not limited to the following Brands – Cobra, Stingray Marine and Neuton Power Batteries. They also carry AGM SSB Power Sport and Vision batteries, CTEK chargers and all associated accessories. 

New in store is the Amaron Silver technology long-life Batteries as well as Bosch AGM storage batteries. 

All brands have 18 to 36 months warranty, depending on the application.

Sun City Batteries are 100% locally owned and offer free battery health checks and obligation free quotes.

We might not be able to help with your Nan’s couch, but we just might be able to put a charge in her next outing, stocking a comprehensive range of mobility scooter batteries.

Sun City Batteries
When Reliability is Paramount

 

Harvey Norman Furniture’s Half Yearly Clearance

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It’s that time of year again, Harvey Norman Furniture are having their giant ½ Yearly Clearance with everything on sale, including up to 70% off Manchester. 

Now is the time to buy yourself that new bedroom suite or update the kids bedroom. Or maybe you’re setting your home office or changing the colour scheme in your lounge room. Harvey Norman Furniture can help you will all of this plus more! Everything is on sale, just ask.

For the full catalogue - http://www.harveynorman.com.au/catalogues/current-catalogue/#j=320249&r=V99&t=636004845620000000&v=spread&p=20,21

And why not take advantage of Harvey Norman Furniture’s 50 Months Interest Free – yes 50 Months! With no deposit and no interest until August 2020. To apply online before your head in store, click here - http://www.harveynorman.com.au/customer-service/finance-options/interest-free