Services Australia’s Mobile Service Centre “Golden Wattle” to Visit Northern Rivers Region

Services Australia’s Mobile Service Centre, Golden Wattle, is set to visit towns in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, providing easy access to Centrelink, Medicare, National Disability Insurance Scheme, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs services.

Golden Wattle will visit:

• Nimbin: Wednesday, 17 July, opposite the neighbourhood centre, Cullen Street (9:30 am to 4:00 pm)
• Urbenville: Thursday, 18 July, near Captain Cook Park, Urben Street (9:30 am to 3:30 pm)
• Woodenbong: Friday, 19 July, in front of Woodenbong Hall, Unumgar Street (9:30 am to 4:00 pm)
• Kyogle: Monday, 22 July and Tuesday, 23 July, in the Kyogle visitor centre car park, Summerland Way (9:00 am to 4:00 pm)
• Bonalbo: Wednesday, 24 July, in front of Bonalbo Hall, Koreelah Street (9:30 am to 4:00 pm)
• Tabulam: Thursday, 25 July, opposite the hotel, Court Street (9:30 am to 3:00 pm)

About Mobile Services Centres: Mobile Services Centres are 20-tonne trucks operated by Services Australia staff, providing regional and rural Australians with friendly, face-to-face service and tailored support. On this trip, staff can assist with:

• Centrelink claims
• Medicare registrations
• Accessing online services

Additionally, information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Department of Veterans’ Affairs programs and support services will be available.

For more information, visit the Services Australia website.

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Council builds prosperity and bridges

Kyogle Council has been growing the prosperity of the local government area while completing a once-in-a-lifetime bridge building program, Kyogle Council Mayor Kylie Webster said today.

“As of today, Kyogle Council has replaced 89 bridges in three years, and physically built 81 new bridges,” Cr Webster said.

“That equates to almost three new bridges built every month.

“That is a truly amazing effort and one which the whole Council is incredibly proud of. It’s even more amazing when you consider that our staff have simultaneously been working to recover from the catastrophic flooding which occurred in 2022.

“I don’t know of another small rural council which could have achieved what this council has achieved.

“We are always saying that Kyogle Council punches above its weight, and this is proof of that.”

Council received $40.419 million through the State Government’s Fixing Country Bridges (FCB) Program to part-fund the replacement of 77 of the bridges (which included eight bridge to culvert projects) plus a multi-million-dollar funding package from the Australia Government to build other 12 new bridges.

Council also employed local contractors to design and construct another six bridges under the Fixing Country Bridges Program. Four of the six bridges have been completed so far.

“Council’s bridge renewal program has been incredibly successful, and it has meant that our residents and primary producers no longer have to contend with load limited bridges that impact their ability to run their farms” Cr Webster said.

“Back in 2020 before we started our bridge renewal program, Council had four bridges closed due to structural failures, 25 load limited bridges and 125 timber bridges, of which more than 70 were 70 plus years old.

“We now have just a handful of aging timber bridges to replace and our communities enjoy safer, more reliable transport routes.”

The completion of the new Suffolks bridge on Bean Creek Road this week means Council has finished 77 bridges it committed to build under Round 1 of the Fixing Country Bridges program.

However, the job’s not over yet.

Council has funding to replace another 16 bridges, including Montgomerys Bridge and the Risk Road Bridge, and when all those bridges are finished, Council will have no more aging timber bridges to replace.

“By delivering a safe, reliable bridge network, Council has provided community access and helped drive growth in the agriculture, rural industries and tourism sectors” Cr Webster said.

“We’ve helped build prosperity on the back of building bridges.”

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14 projects share in $300,000 Community Building Partnership pool

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin today (Friday, 7 June) announced that 14 projects had been successful under the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program for 2023.

Ms Saffin congratulated this round’s recipients and encouraged local organisations developing worthwhile projects to applicants to sign up for alerts about the CBP program so they are notified when information about the next round is confirmed.

“Remember that there is only $300,000 to be spread across the entire electorate each year so please be realistic with the amount of funding sought,” Ms Saffin says.

“The Premier’s Department has introduced strict probity measures around this grant program, including the overlay of independent assessment.”

Recipients of CBP funding for this 2023 round include:   

Lismore City LGA:

The Lismore Soup Kitchen Incorporated – towards improving amenities for volunteers and the hundreds of customers of The Good Pantry Lismore – new cool storage will be purchased and installed. — $33,350.

Lismore Memorial Amateur Swimming Club Incorporated – towards capacity building of competitive swimming in Lismore – $19,353.

Northern NSW Helicopter Rescue Service Limited – acquisition of night vision goggles (NVG) for its Lismore base – $18,970.

RSL LifeCare Limited – towards commissioning a local artist to install a mural as a war memorial/commemorative space at Chauvel Village Goonellabah, honouring Sir Harry Chauvel, of the Australian Lighthorse. — $5,000.

Tenterfield Shire LGA:

Tenterfield Chamber of Tourism Industry & Business Incorporated – new Tenterfield Visitors Information Centre – shopfront fitout, purchasing and installing free-standing equipment in a newly-leased building – $30,000.

Mingoola Hall Management Committee Incorporated – towards enhancing facilities at Mingoola Hall (fire exit side access to toilets to building code, installing a water tank) — $29,439.

Kyogle LGA:

Kyogle PA&H Society (Kyogle Show) – towards repairing the showground’s three arena surfaces to make them safe for competitors and exhibitors as the ground has become uneven and sloping. – $30,000.

Bonalbo and District Community Hall Association Incorporated – towards removal of ceiling tiles which pose a risk to volunteers and hall users, replacing them with new ones – $16,000.

Country Women’s Association of NSW – Tabulam Branch – towards supplying and installing a 4.5 kw grid connect solar system including panels, inverter, mounting rail and balance of system — $7,700.

The Girl Guides Association of NSW – Kyogle Girl Guide Hall kitchen upgrade (purchase stainless steel materials to replace a kitchen which was destroyed by flood – $5,500.

Tweed Shire LGA:

Uki Sporting Horse Association – towards all weather multi-purpose sand arena (to resurface arena with long-lasting road base and sand, providing a flood-free, safe, all-weather, multi-purpose facility – $30,000.

Coolangatta-Wollumbin (Mount Warning) Dragon Boat Club Incorporated – Wollumbin Transport Vehicle (purchase a vehicle for towing dragon boats to training and regattas. Current 4WD vehicle is old and near the end of its life – $29,000.

Tweed Regional Museum – towards accessible drinking water for Tweed Regional Museum (provision of two accessible drinking fountains, indoor and outdoor, for visitors to the museum – $11,175.

Byron Shire LGA hinterland:

Federal Community Children’s Centre Incorporated – outdoor blind installation and soft fall repair and extension – $34,513.

Electorate-wide total — $300,000.

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