COAST COMMUNITY PROJECTS with a HEART

POLITICIANS CAN ALL TALK ABOUT PROGRAMS THEY HAVE SUPPORTED OR FUNDED AND, SOMETIMES, THE RESULTS REFLECT THE VERY REASON THEY ENTERED PUBLIC LIFE. WE SPOKE TO ADAM CROUCH ABOUT HIS 12-YEAR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AS STATE MEMBER FOR TERRIGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR THE CENTRAL COAST.

‘WHEN I HEAR WHAT OUR FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS HAVE ACHIEVED,’ ADAM SAYS, ‘IT BRINGS HOME HOW PERSONAL IT IS. THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE, REAL COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST DOLLARS ON A CHEQUE. FOR ME, THERE’S NOTHING MORE SATISFYING.’

SAVE OUR KIDS FROM SUICIDE (SOKS)

What can be more personal and more rewarding than being able to fund an organisation like Save Our Kids from Suicide (SOKS) Lester Pearson, chairman of the Gosford North Rotary project says they received a crucial $130,000 in State Government funding last year.

‘Lifeline helped us track 903 young people contemplating suicide through the SOKS-funded programs – young people who were directly helped. That’s 903 lives saved!’ Luke says. soks.org.au

ELSIE'S RETREAT– PALLIATIVE CARE

Of all the programs Adam has been able to achieve funding for, Elsie’s Retreat (officially called Elsie’s Project) is the most personal to him. It is named after Elsie Green, a 51-year-old nurse who had to end her days in a nursing home because there were no palliative care centres on the Central Coast. On hearing of her plight, the Wyoming, Gosford Centennial Lions Club began a 10-year project to build a palliative care unit on the Coast.

‘When Gosford Hospital was rebuilt, the old maternity ward stood empty,’ says Lions Club member, Margaret Pearce. ‘So we began the long project of getting petitions signed, raising funds and getting government approval to turn it into a home-away-from-home palliative care unit. Adam has been our guiding light in all of this and helped us secure the approvals and government funding for infrastructure.

‘When Wyong Hospital was rebuilt, so began our campaign for a much needed second palliative care unit on the Coast, says Margaret. ‘$13.6 million has been signed off by the State Government on infrastructure to make this a reality with a planned opening in 12 months’ time.’ lionsclubs.org.au/news/lions-club-project-elsies-retreat-brings-first-ever-palliative-care-unit-to-gosford/

Central Coast Aero Club

Helping in the community doesn’t always mean direct funding. The Central Coast Aero Club at the Council-owned Warnervale Airport handles 300-500 aircraft movements on a busy day. But under a unique Act of Parliament, they were only permitted to conduct 88. Not only did this risk affecting emergency flights, bushfire fighting aircraft, etc. but, if the restriction had been enforced, the Club could have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars.

‘Adam Crouch is a bit of an aircraft nerd,’ says Andrew Smith, General Manager of the Club. ‘He fully understood and recognised the dilemma and was very instrumental in getting the Act quashed. It was an Act that, of all the airports in Australia, only applied to Warnervale.’ And Andrew proudly adds that the Aero Club has just won the CASA Wings Award as the 2022 Aero Club of the year!

ccac.com.au/

Peat Island

The island of Kooroowall-Undi, better known as Peat Island on Deerubbin, the Hawkesbury River, was home to the Darkinjung people before it became an asylum in the early 20th century. It was later used as a facility for people with intellectual and mental disabilities before being decommissioned in 2010.

In 2022, the State Government officially transferred its freehold ownership back to the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council.

‘Under Adam Crouch’s guidance we were able to get the transfer of ownership through Property NSW,’ says BJ Duncan, Chairman of the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council. ‘And he also helped us secure funding to begin the reactivation of the island. It’s a gateway to the Central Coast and a significant place for Indigenous people with the area steeped in ancient history. It’s a place where all people will be able to have a full cultural experience and we can get rid of some of the bad spirits around this island.’ alc.org.au/newsroom/a-new-life-for-peat-island