Monthly Newsletter for the

Balranald Shire community and

friends

Balranald Shire Council Councilor Contact

Details

Mayor Steve O’Halloran

0428 201 301

Deputy Mayor Cr Leigh Byron

0418 530 782

Cr Lynda Cooke

03 5020 0471

Cr Elaine Campbell

0447 271 086

Cr Alan Purtill

0429 201 301

Cr Jeff Mannix

0409 783 075

Cr Trevor Jolliffe

03 5020 1597

Cr Ken Barnes

03 5038 2221

WHAT’S OPEN

Balranald Museum Open Monday, Wednesdays &

Fridays 10am to 12 noon

Balranald Library Monday & Friday

2pm - 5.30pm Wednesday

9am - 5.30pm

Day Care Monday 10am - 2pm

Thursday 10am - 2pm At the Day Centre at the Hospital

Phone Hospital 5071 9800

Seniors Club Meets every Friday 2pm

Senior Citizens Hall Phone Shirley 5020 1890

Hospital Auxiliary Meets 2nd Monday of the month

2.30pm at the Day Centre Phone Dawn 5020 1311

Health Advisory Council (HAC) 4th Monday of each month

at 7:00pm Contact Number 5071 9800

Swimming Pool Opening Hours Season Closed

Little Bunyips Playgroup Every Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 1pm - River Street Contact Lisa 0428 995 489

RMS Opening Hours 9.30am to 4pm

Tuesday to Friday Closed for lunch 1pm - 1.45pm

Call Centre 132 213

Newsletter Published by:

BALRANALD SHIRE COUNCIL

70 MARKET STREET (PO BOX 120)

BALRANALD NSW 2715

OFFICE HOURS 8.30AM TO 5.00PM

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

PH: 03 5020 1300 FAX: 03 5020 1620

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES 0418 322 902

ISS UE

May 2013

5

Balranald Shire Council Newsletter Issue 5, May 2013 www .ba lrana ld .nsw .gov .au

Coming Events NEWSLETTER

ICPA Balranald presents

Come along and be pampered while listening to new ideas. Catch up with old friends

and make new ones

Where: Hatfield Hall

When: Friday 31st May from 9.30am

Cost: $10 ICPA members or $15 non-members

(Includes morning/afternoon tea and lunch)

Subsidised Child Care with Broken Hill

Outback Mobile Resources

A bus from Balranald is available

Bookings Essential contact: Fleur Turner 03 5020 6897

www .ba lrana ld .nsw .gov .au

May-Aug Murray Cray Fishing Season Opening

31 May Hatfield Happening for Ladies, see advert

7 June 19 June 12 July 24 July

Hospital Bus Dates

Swan HIll MIldura Swan Hill MIldura

15 June Robinvale Country Market, Caix Square

18 June Euston Robinvale Historic Society Inc Meeting 10am, Euston Courthouse

26June Balranald Interagency Expo @ Theatre Royal

21July Field & Game, Homebush Recreation

Reserve. Refreshments & amenities

available. All welcome. Contact Chris

Camin 0408 053 903.

21 May 1 June 7 June 8 June

14 June 15 June 21 June 22 June

Euston Club Entertainment Chris Street Viktor Brank Kiera Smith Rob Syme Dan Reeves Dan Reeves Dave Routledge Viktor Brank CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ARE DUE BY JUNE 30th

COMMUNITY GENERAL INTEREST

Sing Australia Meets every Monday evening at the Presbyterian Church @ 7.30pm - all welcome

Men's Shed Tues & Thurs 10am Heritage Park Take Off Weight Naturally Club at R.S.L Function room Mondays 6pm Contact Kathy 0407 304 922

Optometrist (from Deniliquin) last Wednesday of the month, appointments @ Balranald Chemist

Balranald Wool Centre meet 3rd Friday of month, 11am till 3pm @ The Gallery. New members are most welcome to come and join in.

Balranald CWA Meet fourth Thursday in each month @ 10am Contact June Spinks (Secretary) 5020 1774

Balranald Hospital Auxiliary every 2nd Monday of the Month @ 2:30pm at Senior Citizens Centre

CanAssist Balranald Branch Every 2nd Mon of Month @ 4pm at Balranald Senior Citizens Centre

Sunraysia Hearing Clinic Every 4th Wednesday of the month @ Balranald Hospital call 1800432748

Robinvale & Dist. Aeromodellers Club Each Sunday 9am Wewak Rd Robinvale.

Narelle’s Driving School Ph 0402 782 597 email narellet08@y7mail.com web www.keys2drive.com.au

Girl Guides Victoria is now recruiting new members in Swan Hill for all ages 7 years & over. Visit Swan Hill Guide centre in High Street next to North Park on Wednesdays 4.30 - 6.00pm (7-10yrs) and Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm (10-15yrs). For more information call Sally 5037 2898

Rubbish Tip Hours

BALRANALD

1st May to 31st July

Tuesday 4.00 - 6.00pm

Thursday 4.00 - 6.00pm

Saturday 10.00am - 1.00pm

Sunday 10.00am - 3.00pm

EUSTON

Effective 1st April 2011

Tuesday 1.00pm - 6.00pm

Thursday 1.00pm - 6.00pm

Sunday 9.00am - 3.00pm

Workshop inspires local business

community

On Monday 20th May, Inland NSW Tourism, Destination NSW and Balranald Council conducted a practical customer service workshop for business operators within our Shire. The three hour session delivered information to participants on quality product knowledge, consumer expectations, local tourism, superior communication skills, business and consumer satisfaction, and how to deal with comments and complaints. Facilitator Bill Cameron from Aurora Research (Dubbo) provided feedback to the fourteen participants on a mystery shopping campaign which was conducted in Balranald Shire in late 2012. More detailed information on the Mystery Shopper campaign will be forwarded to individual businesses shortly. The session concluded with a round table discussion on ways to improve services within our towns. In June, three community workshops will be hosted to up-skill local operators in topics such as E-Marketing, Social Media, and Practical Digital Marketing. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

Last chance for Community Service

Directory listings

Council is finalising the Balranald Shire Community Service Directory. If you provide services within our Shire area we want to hear from you.

If you are involved with or coordinate a service, group or other facility within Balranald Shire, please contact Cherie Murphy, Community Development Officer on 5020 1300.

Once complete, this directory will be available to the community, businesses, agencies and service providers.

New Police Officers hit the beat

Get your Tip Tokens…… Residents are reminded that tip tokens can be purchased from Councils office, the Visitor Information Centre and CC’s Diner and Takeaway (Caltex, Market Street).

Balranald Shire Council is disappointed with the rhetoric that pervades the Independent Local Government Review Panel report. Starting with statements like “without extensive reform it is likely that the sector will see its powers, authority and credibility further eroded and that many councils will slide irrevocably into irrelevance”, is no way to prepare and present a professional report commissioned at no small expense. Balranald Shire has provided high levels of services and infrastructure for its residents since incorporation in 1957 despite significant cost shifting from the State Government. The Shire has been well managed with balanced budgets with no significant backlog of infrastructure improvements. (Unlike the State and Federal Governments.) Balranald Shire Council auditors have noted the Shire has a modest level of borrowings, another sign of community living within its means. The indicated benchmarks chosen by TCorp in their assessment of NSW Shires were impossible for the majority of rural Shires to achieve a pass mark. One should note that Balranald has been assessed as being in a better condition than a nearby major regional centre. The problems described in the report are a creation of the State Government. Rate pegging has limited

the revenue raising capacity of Councils to the extent that NSW is 22-25% behind other States in rating levels (2008/09 National Local Government Report). In the 40 years of rate pegging, about 4-5 years’ worth of rates has been forgone. Ask any Council in NSW if they were given 4-5 years of back rates and could charge up to 25% more in rates from now on, would they be sustainable? (cont page 2)

“LOCAL” Government under threat

Constables Kylie and Rowan Weekley have recently relocated from Deniliquin to take up two fulltime positions in Balranald. The husband and wife team are looking forward to developing good relationships with the local communities of Balranald, Euston, Kyalite and Tooleybuc, and have committed to a minimum four year tenure. Kylie and Rowan, together with their four children are settling into the community so please say hello and make them feel welcome.

Pictured above: Mayor Steve O’Halloran, Cst Kylie Weekley Sgt Narelle Tucker, Cst Rowan Weekley and Acting General Manager Robert Rayner.

Balranald

Visitor

Information

Centre

Cnr Market and River Streets

Open Daily

10.00am to 4.00pm

Phone 03 5020 1599

CountryLink tickets and

fishing licences can be

purchased from the

Visitor Information Centre

From the

Mayor’s Office

Mayor Steve O’Halloran

Deputy Mayor Leigh Byron

2013 NSW/ACT

Regional

Achievement &

Community

Awards are now

open

Individuals, businesses,

communities or

organisations that have

made a difference to the

economic, social or

environmental prosperity in

regional and rural NSW are

eligible for this award.

Winners can choose an

advertising package thanks

to PRIME7 or a share in

$40,000 from the

Commonwealth Bank.

Nominations close 2nd

August. For more

information on the

categories for the awards or

to nominate a worthy

contender, contact the

Awards office on 1300 735

455 or nominate online at

www.awardsaustralia.com

Balranald Early

Learning

Centre Inc

Hours of Operation are:

Monday to Friday

8.30am to 5.30pm

Full and Half days are

available

Open School Holidays

Services available:

Child Care, Pre-school

Program,

After School Care,

Vocational Care

For more information

please contact the

Centre on 50201221 or

drop in at

132 Harben St Balranald

Next Council Meeting 25 June 2013

Balranald and Euston Police

are urging the community to

come forward immediately if

they have heard or witnessed

something untoward or

suspicious and to not let

crimes go unreported.

Crime such as theft,

harassment, assault or

intimidation can not be

investigated unless a report

is made to Police.

Residents are also urged to

keep an eye on their

neighbouring properties and

surrounds for any unusual

occurrences or behaviour.

To report a crime call:

Balranald Police

03 50201404

Euston Police

03 50263101

Crime Stoppers

1800 333 000

or 000

Don’t Let Crime

Go Unreported

Champions in the making

Zachary Jolliffe, Daniel Woolhouse and Adam Simpson have been competing in the combined High School Lawn Bowls Championships.

After winning against Barham and Deniliquin, the boys travelled to Deniliquin on Wednesday 8th May to meet Corowa in the next round. This intrepid trio led all through their 15 end game with steady as he goes Zachary, amiable Adam and dark-horse Daniel showing great skill and communication to finish with a score of Balranald 15 to Corowa 6.

The boys wish to thank their coach, John Manning and the Deniliquin RSL Bowling Club for providing the green.

Zachary, Daniel and Adam, now in the top 16 of the state, are looking forward to their next challenge in North Haven, NSW on the 12th and 13th June. We wish you good luck and great bowling.

Pictured above: left to right are Zachary Jolliffe, Daniel Woolhouse, and Adam Simpson.

Swimming Pool Register

now online The State Government’s swimming pool register is now available for public use at www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au

Pool owners are required to register their pools before 29 October 2013. The details that are required to be entered into the register are:

Address of the pool/spa

The type of property such as a private

residence, multi-occupancy (units etc) or tourist and visitor accommodation

If the property is on a waterfront, with land

greater than 2 hectares or less than 230 square metres

When the pool/spa was built

If the pool barrier has been substantially

modified or rebuilt and when that took place The website also has checklists that can be used to assess the safety of a pool/spa and ensure it meets relevant requirements, as part of the registration process. If you have any queries or need assistance with the register or checklists, please contact Ray Mitchell, Health & Development Officer at Council’s Office. Is your food shop healthy?

Council will be conducting random spot checks on local food premises within the Shire in the near future to ensure compliance with Food Safety Standards, and to offer advice (as required) to keep your food business and your customers healthy.

If you have any queries, or would like to book an inspection to ensure you are meeting the Standards, please contact Ray Mitchell, Health & Development Officer at Council’s Office on 03 5020 1300.

“S” Box Rally raises $1.2m The 2013 “S” Box Rally to raise funds for the Cancer Council of Australia has been hailed a huge success. The 4000km trek travelled from Adelaide to Coober Pedy, Ayers Rock, Warakuna Reserve-Tjukayirla, Laverton and Kalgoorlie arriving in Fremantle on Friday 10th May – a great feat considering most of the vehicles in the rally were worth less than $1000. Balranald’s entry Team, DADFAs (Drunk and Disorderly Father and Son) entered by Ken and Ken Barnes, raised a massive $8200. A magnificent result thanks to the generosity of the Corporate sponsors, local clubs, the Balranald Shire Council, local businesses and individuals. Balranald is a very generous community, and during the fund raising period they were asked to dig deep to help little Halo Barrett, but still found good reason to support the Cancer Council. Team DADFAs vehicle, formerly an XF Falcon Ambulance handled all conditions extremely well and completed the distance without (too much) trouble. When asked how they handled the notorious Docker River Road, Ken said (tongue in cheek), “it was easy, as they trained for their bush driving in the Wentworth Shire”.

- For Sale by Tender- In accordance with Clause 24 of the

Impounding Act 1993, Council offers for sale by tender a White 1993 ED Ford Falcon Sedan

VIN Number JGSWPD53159, in as is condition. The vehicle may be inspected by appointment only by contacting Ray Mitchell at the Council Office on

03 5020 1300 during business hours. Prospective tenders are strongly advised to inspect

the vehicle prior to submitting a tender. Tenders (must be hand delivered) will received up until 4pm, Tuesday 4th June 2013 and placed in the Tender Box at the Council Office, 70 Market St,

Balranald The tender price must be GST inclusive and the highest or any tender

may not necessarily be accepted.

Compound this deprivation of income with a huge increase of meaningless reports to every authority under the sun, rules and regulations that change every year, never ending audits and you have a recipe for Local Government in trouble; exactly what the report describes.

However, Balranald Shire Council has professional, experienced staff who meet all of the governance requirements and who will present a balanced budget to Council in the coming weeks. Council utterly refutes the proposition in the report that the model in our area is broken and intend to take this position to Minister Don Page and the Panel at the earliest opportunity.

Council is suspicious that at a time when Local Government is seeking Constitutional Recognition in order to stop the skimming by State Governments of Federal Grants intended to support Councils; ie so grants can be paid direct to Councils; that the NSW State Government is planning to merge (amalgamate) Councils. Some 70-80 are to disappear and the remainder to become regional authorities.

For Shire residents, the major issue will be

that rates will invariably rise and the “local” will

disappear from “Local Government”. People

will deal with bureaucrats from a regional

centre, effectively just another arm of State

Government.

“LOCAL” Government under threat (cont)

Cr Byron, the General Manager and I met briefly with Susan Ley MP Federal Member for Farrer and discussed water flows in rivers; in particular the implementation of the Water Act.

Council would like to thank Cr Ken and Vicki Barnes for the organisation and co-ordination of the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kyalite. There was a wonderful turn out at Balranald’s Anzac Day march and service. It was pleasing to see the school involved again this year, and a special mention must go to the Clare Public School students who travelled in to participate.

Council farewelled long standing staff member Mr Malcolm Campbell on May 16 . I would like to wish Yvonne and Malcolm all the best with their move, and their employment at their new Shire.

I would like to acknowledge the achievements of Mrs Pam Martin, Council’s Registered Nurse at Bidgee Haven Hostel. Pam was awarded the NSW Aged Care Services Employee of the Year. Congratulations to Pam, and all our dedicated staff who care for those at the Hostel.

Congratulations to Ms Kellie Williams and her Aerobics team, “Balranald Heatwaves” on their success in Sydney. The Central School team have progressed to the next level of the competition and will return to Sydney later in year to compete again. Council wish the students all the best when they next compete.

The General Manager and I recently attended a meeting of Riverina and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils (RAMROC) at Jerilderie. The meeting provided us with an opportunity to express our concerns with the State Government leading Local Government in our area of the State. The CEO and Officers of the Murray Darling Basic Commission also made a presentation.

The General Manager and I attended a Working Party meeting at Yanga Woolshed. It is pleasing to see that the repairs to the woolshed have been completed, and the shed is once again open to the public.

Myself, and 250 other people had the privilege of having lunch with our former State and Federal Member, Tim Fischer. Tim spoke about his experiences all over the World, and in his presentation advised people to “visit Mungo in Balranald Shire before you visit the rest of the World”.

A large crowd attended a presentation by Dr Sandra Cabot at the Balranald Ex-Servicemen’s Club on May 14. It was a wonderful opportunity to see and hear Dr Cabot in person. Thank you to all involved, especially the sponsors of the visit.

Congratulations to Emma Scott and her team of four, who successfully represented Australia.

A recent meeting in Deniliquin saw a presentation by the Independent Local Government Review Panel Chairman Professor Graham Samsum, with Department representation also in attendance. They, no doubt have an agenda for change and we will have a chance to put our case forward when the Chairman of the panel visits our Shire.

The meeting gave us an insight into the agenda of government, and our opportunity to put forward our points of view, and ask questions.

I personally am very disappointed it has come to this as the Minister and our State Member are both telling me unless we want change, no change will occur but we are confronted by lines