11 minute read
Gordon Reid
DECEMBER – JANUARy 2022 | 11 CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS UPDATE
We’re delivering for the Central Coast
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DR GORDON REID
AFTER six months of the Albanese Labor Government, we have wasted no time getting down to the business of building a better future for Australia and the Central Coast.
As the new Member for Robertson, it has been an honour and privilege meeting with so many amazing businesses, organisations, and individuals that make our Central Coast such a strong and dynamic region.
For example, recently I visited NAISDA, the world-renowned arts and dance college, right here on the Central Coast. I was there to officially announce the federal government’s commitment to invest $5 million towards its expansion and for the support of additional developing artists.
This excellent investment will ensure greater capacity in one of our region’s premier cultural and First Nations institutions.
This is exactly the type of nation building that creates a better future in our regions across Australia and I commend NAISDA for its high-quality education of our First Nations’ students.
Representing you in our federal parliament has been an incredible experience and I have appreciated advocating to Ministers including the Prime Minister on behalf of my constituents.
Our region has secured some excellent wins in the first six months of this new government, and I am proud to have been a part of delivering on these results for the Central Coast.
As an emergency doctor having worked in both Wyong and Gosford emergency departments, I am passionate about improving healthcare across the Central Coast.
I am acutely aware that people in our region are finding it hard to book in to see a GP and access healthcare.
In response to this growing issue, the Albanese Labor Government has reclassified the entire Central Coast a distribution priority area.
This means that general practices will be able to draw from a greater pool of available doctors. This policy change will ensure the Central Coast can secure more doctors for our region, because no one in Australia should have to schedule to be sick or wait weeks until they can see a doctor.
Strong and accessible primary healthcare is critical, essential, and is preventative healthcare.
Primary healthcare and the Central Coast’s health system are areas that I will continue to strengthen during my term and in my role as co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of General Practice.
Further, our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are powering forward and negotiations are now underway to identify suitable locations. The Central Coast will receive two Medicare Urgent Care Clinics; one in the south and one in the north.
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are gamechangers and will mean greater access to bulk-billed GPs, with extended opening hours.
The Albanese Government is committed to rolling Medicare Urgent Care Clinics out across the nation, and I will continue working inside the government to deliver practical solutions to strengthen our healthcare system and solve the issues that are holding it back.
In the first federal budget to be handed down by the Albanese Labor Government, I am pleased to have secured funding for every pre-election commitment that I made during the 2022 Federal Election.
Of note, is the funding for much-needed infrastructure projects that will support the economic growth of the Central Coast and our quality of life. During the election, I doorknocked, and phone called thousands of people.
The number one issue that would get raised with me was the condition of our region’s local road infrastructure. As a local, I understood and took immediate action.
I worked hard to secure a $40M Central Coast local roads package, alongside my colleague The Hon. Emma McBride MP.
I am proud to say that Central Coast Council will now use this funding to resurface and repair some of the Coast’s worst local roads over the coming months.
More investment in improving Avoca Drive
Coupled with this $40M is our investment in Avoca Drive. Residents in Kincumber and surrounding communities of Empire Bay, Bensville, Copacabana, Hardys Bay, Killcare, to name a few, will know that during peak morning and afternoon periods, Avoca Drive through Kincumber becomes a slow crawl. $30M has now been put aside to begin critical planning work to begin an upgrade of this important transport route.
This upgrade will mean quicker journey times and less time stuck in traffic. These investments will support the continued economic growth of our region and improve the quality of life for Coasties.
Of course, there is more to be done to build a better future on the Central Coast. Our region is expected to grow to more than 400,000 people by the year 2041.
Our region will require more housing, jobs, services, and infrastructure to meet the challenges this growth will pose, and I will never waver in my representation to get the attention of region deserves.
Importantly, I am a huge supporter of Gosford and its potential. The waterfront offers Gosford and our region the opportunity to re-invent itself as a thriving regional city, just like Newcastle has done with its waterfront.
The Gosford waterfront can be a major tourist draw card and support thousands of new jobs. Similarly, it can provide new open spaces, modern restaurants, bars, and recreational places for Central Coast residents to visit and enjoy.
I would strongly encourage residents to have their say on Gosford’s future to ensure plans meet the expectations and needs of all people in our region.
Over my term, I will always focus on delivering better infrastructure and services across the Central Coast, and ensure every town and suburb receives its fair share. The Central Coast is an amazing region of Australia and has a strong future ahead.
I will work every day making sure that our region stays on track and remains an outstanding place to live, work, and realise your potential.
I would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and happy and safe new year period.
Coast health care is a priority.
Dr Gordon Reid.
The NEW-AGE pelican experience
DALLAS SHERRINGHAM
THE days of the famed Pelican Feed at The Entrance may be over, but ‘new age’ pelicans will soon be entertaining visitors.
The original Pelican Feed started more than 30 years ago when the staff of a local fish and chips shop fed scraps to the birds daily.
The pelicans began demanding their food from the staff and the feeding was taken over by Jimbo’s Quality Seafoods.
As part of The Entrance’s revitalisation program, in 1996 a feeding platform was developed with the support of major sponsors and Town Centre Management making it possible to feed the pelicans fresh fish 365 days of the year rain hail or shine.
Apart from entertaining the tourists, the feeding had other benefits. There were often injuries caused to the pelicans due to rubbish such as plastic bags, fishing lines and hooks and the volunteers were able to keep a watchful eye out during the daily feeding and capture sick pelicans to remove tangled lines and ensure the birds remain healthy.
Flash forward to post covid The Entrance and the suspended Pelican Feed is now closed.
Council is currently reviewing applicants in response to a call for tenders to operate an educationally focused, environmentally friendly and sustainable Pelican Experience at The Entrance.
The long-term view is to deliver a unique local and visitor experience focusing on education and the natural environment that works with the natural feeding behaviors of pelicans, in a sustainable and Eco-friendly way.
An announcement will be made once the review is finalised. Meanwhile, the modern face of pelican progress is on display at The Entrance for the next 12 months.
The project, featuring eight remarkable Pelican sculptures initiated by Central Coast Council, but led by school
children on the Coast give pelicans a whole new image. Project Pelican is a fusion of environmental education and creative art to inspire students and the community to connect with the challenges and solutions involved in protecting and restoring the Tuggerah Lakes estuary. Developed and delivered by Council’s Estuary Management team, in collaboration with Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre, with funding from the The Entrance pelican experience 2022 style. Australian Government, the project has involved art students in years nine and 10, from eight secondary schools. The aim of The Project Pelican is to help students increase their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the Tuggerah Lakes system and what is needed to protect and restore this fragile environment. The Pelican Project is seen as an opportunity to bring the community and Council together to share the challenges of managing a sensitive coastal lake and to empower and inspire people to help make a change.
Steps for dealing with IR changes
BUSINESSES are being encouraged to take four steps to prepare themselves for flagged changes to Australia’s industrial relations system, after the bill passed the Senate.
Business NSW Senior Director Regions, Paula Martin said businesses need to prepare for these changes as soon as possible.
“Whilst Business NSW advocated against many of these changes, as NSW’s peak body for business, we will now help and guide small and medium businesses to navigate these changes,” Ms Martin said.
Employment Minister Tony Burke and ACT Senator David Pocock this week struck a deal on the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill.
“Unions have the power to force multiple, barely connected employers to the bargaining table and employers will be sent to the Fair Work Commission to arbitrate over flexible work conditions.
“As a result of these changes, businesses will be required to spend significantly more time dealing with industrial relations issues. Disputes which would otherwise be handled between employers and unions would be quickly referred to compulsory arbitration., Ms Martin said.
“Whilst we maintain our objection to this legislation in its current form, enterprises need to get out in front of this issue.”
Ms Martin said businesses need to: • Change their approach to using fixed term or maximum term contracts, as the ability to use these without appointing permanently is likely to be significantly limited in future. • Guarantee that pay secrecy clauses – which prevent employees talking about their salaries – are removed from contracts going forward; • Ensure they have robust protocols in place around responding to flexible work requests, including working from home, so they are not dealt with flippantly. Responding to these requests requires compliance with a prescriptive process and companies need to ensure they have objective reasons to support any refusals to accept flexible working requests. • Seek strategic advice in relation to enterprise bargaining, which is likely to be significantly increased in many sectors under the new laws. With the introduction of multi-employer bargaining across businesses in an industry, businesses need to consider what steps they can take to insulate their existing employment arrangements from being replaced with an industry-wide industrial instrument.
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA), owned by Business NSW, Luis Izzo, ABLA’s Sydney Workplace Managing Director, said: “Businesses need to recognise that we are moving back to an arbitration-based system that reflects the industrial relations framework from pre-2006.”
“In an arbitration-based world, there will be a greater focus on compromise and ensuring that employer positions on workplace disputes (whether they relate to bargaining or flexible working) are sound and defensible.
“Otherwise, businesses will face outcomes being imposed on them by a third party, being the Fair Work Commission,” Mr Izzo said.
Paula Martin.
Labor promises fairer rent rules
THE Entrance MP David Mehan has called for fairer rental rules for renters on the Central Coast by providing more certainty as well as reducing the upfront moving costs for renters.
He said a NSW Labor Government would allow renters to directly transfer bonds from one property to another.
These changes will also provide greater clarity on the circumstances in which a lease can end. “A NSW Labor Government would streamline the rental bond process to allow renters to directly transfer bonds from one property to another, while ensuring owners still have access to funds they may need,“ Mr Mehan said. Currently, many renters must find thousands of dollars for a bond for a new property before their existing bond has been refunded.
This leaves renters out of pocket up to several thousand dollars, for up to several weeks. It places many renters in financial stress and forces some to take out personal loans.
Mr Mehan said Labor would clearly outline the grounds on which a lease may be terminated and in effect bring an end to no-ground evictions.
“A NSW Labor Government will work closely with stakeholder and advocacy groups to develop a list of reasonable grounds for an owner to end a tenancy, including minimum notice to vacate a property,” he said.
Owners will retain common sense rights to evict those who are breaking the law, damaging property or not paying rent.
Reasonable grounds for eviction are already in place in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT – and these changes would modernise New South rental laws. Median rent in the state has increase almost ten per cent between 2016 and 2021 – from $386 to $420. There are over David Mehan. 8,000 renters in The Entrance electorate who pay are paying a median rent of $546. More than 39% of tenanted households in NSW were in rental stress. They had rent payments greater than 30%of household income.
