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Central Coast Football has been de-registered by both Football Australia and Football NSW after failing to reach agreement with the two associations on fees and insurance.
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It is understood that Central Coast Football has secured its own insurances for the upcoming season in a move that will see all 24 football clubs and 15,000 active members on the Central Coast effectively become their own football association.
Correspondence was received on December 31, 2021 from Football Australia’s CEO James Johnson advising that CCF would be deregistered from organised football in Australia and cease to be a member of Football NSW.
The situation is not without precedent as footballers and clubs in Northern NSW have been unaffiliated with Football NSW for many years after disagreements decades ago.
Northern NSW Football is now a respected association affiliated with Football Australia.
What’s it all about?
From correspondence CCN has viewed it appears the disagreement started last year in relation to three points of contention.
The first was in relation to the overall high cost of insurance cover, the second had to do with extending the insurance cover to non-completion games, such as Soccer 5s and trial matches.
The third was about refunding some of last year’s registration fees due to COVID and matches not played.
In a statement to local clubs and players CCF management said: “Football Australia and Football NSW are not agreeable with our position, and we have met with CEOs and senior executives from both bodies several times.
“A temporary concession was granted from FA on point 1 (albeit with significant unacceptable conditions and FNSW indicated their preparedness to negotiate on point 2 (but provided nothing concrete albeit the 2022 season was imminent), however point 3 was totally unacceptable to both FA and FNSW.
FA sought advice from FIFA who directed that CCF must not be allowed to ‘fracture the football family’ and should our position not change we should not be allowed to participate in ‘organised football’.
As a result CCF is now no longer affiliated with either Football Australia and Football NSW.
Local players need not despair, the local football season between the local clubs will go ahead as normal.
CCF has secured the necessary insurances and maintains the organisational capacity to run the season.
Registrations for the 2022 season open this week and can be done through the usual online channels accessible through the Central Coast Football website.
Gosford Dragons in action at Pluim Park. Archive 2016
David Abrahams
COVID-19 concerns dominated the Central Coast over the Christmas-New Year holiday period, with residents queueing for many hours at testing clinics and a drastic shortage of homeadministered Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs).
As many residents reported queueing for five hours or more at testing clinics, some only to be turned away after the lengthy wait, the Federal Government announced changes on January 6 to encourage more use of RATs in an attempt to free up clinic queues.
It announced up to 10 Rapid Antigen Tests would be provided over three months to various concession card holders at
Reid calls for better supply of rapid tests
pharmacies and said only those with symptoms or who are close contacts should line up for a clinic test.
Those who test positive on a RAT no longer need to confirm with a clinic test and residents have been made more responsible for their own isolation periods.
The only problem was that even as we went to press, a huge shortage of RATs on the Coast has left many stranded with no means of self-testing.
Labor Candidate for the seat of Robertson, Dr. Gordon Reid, last week called on the Federal Government to ensure the Coast community has access to free RATs as a matter of urgency.
“The Australian Medical Association, our medical professionals and our health workers have been calling for increased testing capacity and availability for months,” Reid said.
“Once again, this government is not prepared.”
Reid said with RATs in short supply, he had heard reports of residents parking their cars at Central Coast clinics overnight in an attempt to secure a PCR test.
“People are wanting to do the right thing and are genuinely trying,” he said.
“However, with the inability to access or afford RATs, the inconceivable wait times for PCR tests and the unexpected closure of PCR testing sites, our community is feeling abandoned and vulnerable.”
Reid said small businesses are short-staffed with enforced isolation absences and medical and testing staff are under severe strain.
Meanwhile the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is calling for more RAT stocks for general practices and high risk locations such as aged care facilities.
“We must do everything possible to ensure that anyone can access a Rapid Antigen Test when they need one,” RACGP President, Dr Karen Price, said.
Catholic Health Australia (CHA) says RAT tests should be free for all Australians.
CHA Chief Executive Pat Garcia said subsidising RATs only for those already receiving government payments is flawed.
“Fully funding COVID-19 testing, as governments have done since the start of the pandemic, is a very cost-effective way to help manage the enormous public health challenge COVID-19 presents,” Garcia said.
“It is untenable to ask Australians to exercise personal responsibility for managing the risk of COVID-19 without ensuring they have the tools to do so.”
The call has been seconded by the National Council of the St Vincent de Paul Society.
National President, Claire Victory, said access to supply and cost are major issues for the Society with vulnerable people at increased risk of contracting COVID.
Up to 10 Rapid Antigen Tests will be provided free at pharmacies over three months (a maximum of five in a month) to people holding the following cards: • Pension Concession Card • Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold, White or
Orange Card • Health Care Card • Low Income Health Card
Terry Collins
Serving the Central Coast community with honesty and care ensuring that the Funeral Services we provide reflect the true meaning of someone's life.
Floral Services / Pre Paid Funerals / After Service Catering
Rescue flight did not locate man
On the afternoon of Wednesday, January 5 the NSW Police requested the assistance of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
The helicopter and its team were needed to provide an aerial search for a male in his 80s in the Bateau Bay area.
The man had been missing from late January 4.
After an intensive search of the area was undertaken the team were unable to locate the gentleman and returned to base.
Police and ground crews continued the search.
Source: Media release, Jan 5 WRHS
Swimmer in trouble
Late on the afternoon of December 22 NSW Ambulance tasked the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Bateau Bay.
It was reported that a 40-yearold woman got herself into trouble in the surf at Shelly Beach.
She was pulled from the water by onlookers.
Source: Media release, Dec 22 WRHS
Vale Paul Moseley
Paul Moseley was born in Wyong on January 28, 1944, the third child of Arthur (Meggs) Moseley and Ivy Moseley.
He was educated at Wyong Primary and Wyong High Schools. He joined the Police Cadets in 1961 and was appointed to the NSW Police Force in January 1963.
Paul served initially in Sydney, moving to Wee Waa in 1965, followed by transfers to Weston and then to Goulburn, as the Stock Investigator, with responsibility for the SouthEast portion of the state.
Paul then moved to Cootamundra in 1979 to take charge of the detectives, a position he held until 1986, when he came full circle, returning to his home town, Wyong, where he was in charge of the detectives.
A promotion resulted in his transfer to Sydney, where he served in various stations until he returned to the Coast as the officer in Charge of the Terrigal Police Station.
From that time Paul served in various roles on the Coast, and finally as Chief Inspector at Tuggerah Lakes Patrol until his retirement in January 2001.
Paul continued living in Wyong during his 20 years retirement, travelling widely within Australia and several overseas adventures during those years.
He was also active in the Weekday Walkers, where he served a term as President.
Sadly cancer claimed his life on November 13, 221 in the Palliative Care Unit of the Gosford Hospital, where he received wonderful care from the dedicated staff during the final 5 1/2 months of his life.
His funeral was held on 19th November, at Ourimbah, followed by internment at Narromine on November 24.
Paul is survived by wife Marcia, children Geoff and Helen (London) and Adrienne (Canberra), granddaughter Amber (London) and by siblings, Margaret and Mick Ryan (Point Clare), Rob (dec) and Gwen (Bribie Is), and John (Sydney), plus nieces & nephews.
Marcia Moseley, Wyong
Residents asked to prepare for rough weather
With major storms and bushfires likely to occur in the region in coming months, Central Coast Council is urging residents to start a conversation with their family, friends and neighbours about preparing for seasonal hazards.
Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said that being prepared for emergencies can save lives, property and help the community recover quicker from disaster events when they do occur.
“This year we’re facing La Niña climate conditions, which means we can expect to see above average rainfall and more severe and more frequent storms,” Hart said.
“The Central Coast is a beautiful place to live, work and holiday, but we must remember bushfires and storms happen every summer in Australia so we must be prepared.”
Commissioner of Resilience NSW, Shane Fitzsimmons, said conversations need to be had around being prepared for any emergency.
“Our emergency service organisations do an incredible job of keeping us safe, but they can only do so much,” he said.
“Being aware and prepared is everyone’s responsibility, whether you’re at home, at work or away on holidays.”
Five simple steps are recommended to get ready for whatever the coming months throw at us: know your risk; make a plan; get your home ready; be aware; and look out for each other.
Fitzsimmons said you need first to think about the area you’re in or the location of your holiday destination and the types of disasters that could affect you.
You should sit down and talk with your family and plan for what you will do if a disaster affects your area or when you are away on holidays.
Prepare your home by doing general home maintenance and checking your insurance coverage.
Find out how to prepare, what to do if there is a disaster in your area or while you are away on holidays.
Connect with NSW emergency services or keep on top of news reports if travelling so you can stay informed.
Share information with your family, friends, neighbours and those who may need assistance.
Community members can download their copy of the Central Coast Get Ready Guide to create a detailed plan to prepare for emergencies.
Visit the Central Coast Emergency Dashboard for more information on how you can get ready and to see live updates from lead emergency services for the Central Coast.
Central Coast Council is part of Get Ready, a community preparedness program coordinated by Resilience NSW.
Source: Media release, Jan 10 Central Coast Council
As the newly elected Premier of NSW decides on who around him can be carefully shaped or easily persuaded into following his dreams of a Mega City, he has appointed nine novice or career politicians to his cabinet.
One of whom once lost a vote of no confidence within her own party with most holding positions on internal committees for an average of 25 months and these nine will be making decisions on the future of the Central Coast.
Most tradespeople need to serve at least 48 months to receive a Trade Certificate, many go on to do Building Certificates or the like for several more years.
Doctors can take a decade
FORUM
before they are allowed to make life threatening decisions from their built knowledge and experiences and yet these nine newly appointed apprentice Ministers will be intricate on making decisions for our coastal future.
Cleaning out the dead wood is one thing, yet knowing where Perrottet wants to go with planning NSW is a frightening prospect when the state government dismisses our democratically elected Councillors, appoints an Administrator and allows faceless Local and Regional Planning Panels to make most of the larger development decisions, without understanding or caring about the community’s wishes.
Four Zoom meetings do not constitute “Community Consultation”, yet this is what is proposed for early 2022.
Most residents have no idea that the proposal to link Wollongong, Sydney, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie with Newcastle is on the table.
The current Central Coast Regional Plan 2041 is a bamboozling document now on display on the Planning NSW website.
The 120-page document full of mother statements and faceless bureaucratic wish lists is naturally supported by the Liberal’s only local member on the Central Coast.
I have lived in Lake Munmorah for close to 15 years and have been active in my community yet have never seen or heard from the Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast at any northern gathering.
The proposed new 2041 plan is full of objectives and principles that were part of the previous 2008 Central Coast Strategy, the 2012 North Wyong Structure Plan, the 2015-2017 Central Coast Regional Plan, leading onto the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036 of which we are some 14 years from its scheduled conclusion, yet now we change the goal posts once again by a further five years till 2041.
Most of those previous objectives have never come to fruition, yet approvals for nonsustainable, unwanted and destructive developments continue to infest our region.
Developers run rampant whilst those who pay rates and taxes have very little say in our future direction.
Democracy has been totally eradicated whilst a dictatorial state government pushes their desire for the Central Coast and are not concerned about what the people want.
What the State Government doesn’t understand is that not all, in fact most of the Central Coast residents like what currently exists and that is why they live here.
They realise that growth will happen naturally, yet what is proposed is far from natural.
High rise developments, subdivisions of our suburban blocks adding extra pressure on every part of our coastal infrastructure, bushlands and lakes, whilst our council struggled to service and maintain what we currently have or simply strive and toil to pay their staff wages each week.
The 2041 plan indicates a focus for more housing density with Dual occupancies, Terraces, Manor houses and Residential flat buildings.
I’m in favour of well thought out developments working on permaculture principles which have minimal impact on our natural landscapes and not the entire Pacific Highway being a continual array of four story high rise developments, fast food outlets and service stations mixed with toxic ash dams and impacting power stations.
Why we live here
Email Dec 27 Gary Blaschke, Lake Munmorah
Common sense ‘suspended’?
On September 1, 2021, I was placed on a waiting list at St Vincent’s Hospital for elective surgery on my prostate (wince/ouch).
My doctor had hoped for November/December although the hospital said any time up to a year.
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On October 12 I was advised by the hospital that the Prime Minister had announced that all non-urgent elective surgery was temporarily suspended.
So a longer waiting time was to be expected.
It makes me wonder if the NSW Premier knows what he is talking about when he suspended elective surgery until February.
In fact, do any politicians know anything about anything?
Email, Jan 10 Gary Balzola, Halekulani
Time for a banana republic
They say you can’t compare oranges and apples.
You can compare bananas and politcians.
They both start off green and
FORUM
hang together.
When the heat is on both go yellow.
As they mature some go rotten.
Email, Jan 10 Peter Killen, Kanwal
Responsible pet ownership
Walkies? Better get the lead!
When exercising your furry friend in public, you must keep your dog on a lead and under the control of a competent person. If you walk your dog without a lead in a public space other than a designated off-leash area, fines may apply. Search 'Responsible pet ownership' at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au to learn more.
Survey writing Russian style
Central Coast Council’s latest public consultation is little more than spin and propaganda in support of further rate hikes, rather than an objective attempt to ascertain community feedback (“Hart asks for feedback on rates and services (CCC 266).
The online survey is blatantly biased.
It is the sort of thing Vladimir Putin might come up when seeking popular support for something in Russia.
The centre piece of the survey is a loaded question offering respondents a binary choice between further rate hikes or further service cuts.
No other options are offered, such as reducing the costs of bureaucracy, or improving productivity or efficiency.
The survey is riddled with spin and misleading information.
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In one place it actually states: “The money (from past overspending) was not lost rather it was spent on infrastructure such as roads and a range of services that directly benefited the community.”
In fact, most of the money wasn’t spent on infrastructure at all but on salaries and other perks within the bureaucracy.
This is clear from the Administrator’s 30 day report which showed that between 2017 and 2020, employee numbers increased 13 per cent but employee costs (salaries and other benefits) increased two and a half times faster at 33 per cent.
The survey also claims “Council has done everything they can behind the scenes to reduce costs without largely impacting on the services to the community.”
The first part of that is mere assertion. The second part is inaccurate because services have been extensively cut – for example over 50 service cuts were announced at just one Council meeting alone in March this year.
Bombarding respondents with one sided arguments before asking their opinions is a dishonourable survey methodology.
The results will have no credibility.
In fact, the biased methodology will tell us far more than the results.
Namely, that despite a new CEO, the Council’s underlying management culture – the root cause of its problems – still hasn’t changed.
Email, Dec 24 Kevin Brooks, Kincumber
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