Don’t bin your ba eries!

Eurobodalla Council urges residents to keep ba eries out of their bins following a fire at Moruya’s recycling facility last week.

On Thursday 29 June, a smouldering fire was discovered at Cleanaway’s Recycling Transfer Facility at Moruya.

Council’s waste services manager Nathan Ladmore said it was lucky recycling operators were quick to the scene and contacted the fire brigade. He said smoke was seen within the stockpile of the commingled-recycling shed.

“Before flames had the chance to break out, staff quickly separated the smouldering sec on away from the stockpile and began hosing down,” Mr Ladmore said.

Moruya Fire and Rescue a ended the scene, a lithium ba ery was the cause. Mr Ladmore said the situa on could have been much worse.

“It was great work by the recycling facility operators who acted quickly to mi gate a poten ally disastrous situa on - well done to them,” he said.

“Many modern devices contain lithium ba eries which need to be carefully disposed of. Damaged ba eries and devices can quickly cause fires and give off toxic smoke and vapours, flames, and metal projec les.”

Items not to be disposed in domes c waste includes:

 All types of ba eries

 BBQ gas bo les

 Fire ex nguishers, smoke detectors and fluorescent globes and tubes

 Oil drums, motor and cooking oils.

Ba eries can be disposed of for free at a community recycling centre or at Council’s waste management facili es. For convenience, there are also community recycling drop off points at Council’s admin building, Narooma and Batemans Bay libraires.

“We have designated sec ons at each waste facility for these high-risk items which can also be taken to drop-off points during the household chemical cleanout later this year,” Mr Ladmore said.

Unsure what items go where? Visit Council’s website to download the A-Z guide for waste and recycling www.iga.com.au/

In other waste news, Council’s annual kerbside hard-waste collec on begins on Monday 17 July. To see dates and details, visit Council’s website.

NSW Government announces appointment of Regional Health Deputy Secretary

For the first me in NSW, a Deputy Secretary for Regional Health has been appointed as part of the NSW Government’s commitment to improving health outcomes for regional communi es. Regional Health Minister Ryan Park said the crea on of this role fulfills an elec on commitment to ensure regional health issues remain front and centre of the decision-making process within the Ministry of Health.

Mr Park said Mr Luke Sloane, the former Coordinator General, Regional Health Division at NSW Health, has been elevated to the new role. “I’m determined to tackle some of the key healthcare issues facing our regional communi es including priori sing the regional health workforce,”

Mr Park said. “The Deputy Secretary for Regional Health will play an important role in this as a strong advocate for resources and staffing at the decision-making table.

“Luke Sloane has demonstrated his dedica on to improving health outcomes and access to health services for people living in regional, rural and remote NSW, while leading the Regional Health Division.”

The Deputy Secretary for Regional Health will be supported by the Regional Health Division which was established in April 2022 and is working to strengthen and promote regionally-based, pa ent-centred approaches to the delivery of health services in regional NSW.

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM said the new Deputy Secretary for Regional Health will work closely with the Ministry of Health, regional local health districts and stakeholders to progress ini a ves already underway. “The Deputy Secretary will have a key focus on community engagement, regional workforce, contribu on to primary care reform and access to transport and accommoda on,” Ms Pearce said.

It is not known if the Deputy Secretary will engage with the Eurobodalla and Bega residents and advocate on their behalf for the commitment of a radio therapy facility that already has a financial commitment of $8 million from the Federal Government and full support of the Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips and local Member for Bega, Dr Michael Holland.

On June 29th, 2023 Dr Michael Holland MP spoke to NSW Parliament in support of a No ce of Mo on for the establishment by the NSW Labor government of a Special Commi ee implemen ng the recommenda ons of the inquiry into Rural, Regional, and Remote Health Care.

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM said “Mr Sloane is perfectly placed to help build on the excellent work already being done as we strive to deliver the best possible health care for people living in regional NSW.”

Mr Sloane said the Regional Health Division has accomplished significant milestones, including the Regional Health Strategic Plan 2022-2032 and NSW Health’s commitment to the NSW Rural Health Inquiry.

“Over the past year, I’ve travelled to all parts of regional NSW to see and hear the challenges faced by communi es when it comes to accessing the quality health care they deserve,” Mr Sloane said.

“I’m confident as we con nue to implement the recommenda ons of the NSW Rural Health Inquiry we will con nue to see meaningful improvements in the provision of health care services to these important communi es.”

Jul 8th - Square Peg Duo at Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

Jul 8th - Rick Bamford – Moruya Golf Club (2pm)

Jul 8th - Dave Berry – Tomakin Club (7.30pm)

Jul 8th - Pearlerz – Club Catalina (7.30pm)

Jul 8th - Morri at Broulee Brewhouse 1-4

Jul 8th - Karake at Club Tuross (Every 2nd Saturday of the month)

Jul 9th - Rhys Duursma at Broulee

Brewhouse 1-4

Jul 15th - Tony Jaggers at Broulee Brewhouse 1-4

Jul 16th - Giaan Caif at Broulee Brewhouse 14

Jul 16th - ELM at Moruya Golfy 12:30pm

Jul 22nd - The Vallies at Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

Jul 22nd - Chris Oconner at Broulee

Brewhouse 1-4

Jul 23rd - Damon Davies at Broulee Brewhouse 1-4

Jul 29th - Min Ha at Broulee Brewhouse 1-4

Jul 29 - Affinity String Quartet 2:30 pm St Paul’s Anglican Church, Narooma

Jul 30th - Mark Smith at Broulee Brewhouse 1-4

Aug 12th - 19-Twenty & Sunday Lemonade at Moruya Waterfront Hotel Motel 3:00 pm6:00 pm

Aug 18th - Geoff Achison at Narooma Kinema

Sep 2nd - The 4th NelliJam 'Winter Breaker Country Party' is back post-COVID. The only dedicated country fes val on the far south coast. @ The Steampacket Hotel, Nelligen.

Sept 16th - One night in Memphis Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

Sept 23rd - Running in the Shadows Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

Batemans Bay’s Premier Entertainment venue

Gadfly 293 By Robert Macklin

Upon taking the Speaker’s Chair each sitting day Milton Dick, the Labor MP for Oxley makes the following declaration: ‘I acknowledge the Nunnawaal and Ngambri peoples who are the traditional custodians of the Canberra area and pay respect to the elders, past and present, of all Australia’s indigenous peoples.’

It’s a 2010 addition to the opening ritual and quite a nice idea. Trouble is, since the debate about the Voice to Parliament, it’s obvious that many of Mr Speaker’s fellow MPs – yes, I’m looking at you Peter Dutton and David Littleproud – don’t share his sentiments.

It’s a rite that’s supposed to make us feel good, but if it doesn’t reflect our MPs’ true sympathies, it debases the notion to a silly fiction and makes a mockery of the Parliament.

But that’s just the beginning of the daily recitation. Milton Dick then intones something that, if you listen closely, can make your hair stand on end.

He addresses an imaginary entity he calls ‘Almighty God,’ and he ‘humbly beseeches’ said entity ‘to vouchsafe Thy blessing upon this Parliament. Direct and prosper our deliberations to the advancement of Thy glory, and the true welfare of the people of Australia.’

If you didn’t know better, you’d think Mr Dick had lost his marbles. So who is this virtual Entity and why should it be bothered with the joint Matthew Flinders christened long before the Aboriginal people even heard of its existence. Yes, I know it’s a version of the Christian ‘Lord’s Prayer’ and there are shaky claims that it was ‘written’ (in the unlikely event that he could write Greek) by the figure they call Jesus.

It found its way into the Parliamentary ritual, I discovered, when researching THE BIG FELLA – the BHP Story, which I wrote with Peter Thompson in 2009. It was introduced in 1901 by the first Member for Kooyong, a certain William Knox, the former BHP accountant.

At the time, Parliament had just passed the White Australia Policy thus alienating the Aboriginal people from the land they had occupied for roughly 60,000 years. So it undoubtedly reflected the views of the electors. And since paternalism was all the go they were perfectly happy for the Speaker to address the entity as, ‘Our Father, which are in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name,’

‘Thy Kingdom come,’ Mr Speaker continues. ‘Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven!’ So, no need for an ICAC in those days. The socialists are not forgotten, as Mr Speaker says, ‘Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.’ robert@robertmacklin.com

Forgiving trespasses has never been Peter Dutton’s favoured policy since he became a police cadet straight out of High School and a Liberal candidate at 19, but Mr Dick, has already moved on. ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ he demands (respectfully); but deliver us from evil.’ And in anticipation of a lordly nod, he wraps it up with the diplomatic niceties: ‘For Thine is the kingdom,’ he cries, ‘and the power and the glory, for ever and ever, Amen.’ Okay, now it’s on with business as usual.

But wait a minute. Doesn’t the ritual offend he very basis of our democratic system which requires the clear separation of Church and State? And why exclusively Christian? What of all the other churches, mosques and temples? What of the third of us who mark ‘no religion’ on the census form?

Not good enough Mr Dick. Malcolm Fraser changed the National Anthem. Perhaps it’s time for a nationwide competition for a new Mission Statement – one that not only inspires the Parliamentarians but reflects the aspirations of the community they serve. What do you say, Albo?