Sep30-09

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IN THIS

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Swine

Merv

Opal

Page 3

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Page 5

flu vaccine here

edition

Volume 5, Wednesday September 30th, 2009

Hughes to visit Roxby

Festival on again

Done and dusted!

Dust Storms shroud the Far North

Tim Burford pictured at the Sandvik Depot during the height of last Monday’s storm

By Celeste Lustosa The worst dust storm in years has brought some orange days to Roxby Downs in the last week.

Sandstorms are unpredictable, dangerous storms that result from high winds throwing sand particles into the air making it difficult to see, move or even breathe.

According to information by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, sandstorms are typical in our region at this time of the year, but not as strong as they ones we have seen lately.

When they hit, it’s in your eyes, your

hair, all over you and your house. If you’re inside, you just sit it out, all the time watching fine particles settling on each piece of furniture despite the locked windows and the door snakes.

Roxby Downs State Emergency Service (SES) officer Stephen Moss said the storm days are quite busy and demand total alert. “We only had two volunteers on duty on the storm days, but we had some extra assisance from other volunteers that teamed up to help the community,” Mr Moss said.

“During the storms people have to be aware of what surrounds them because

trees and big objects fly everywhere and can hit and injure people.

“We advise everyone to try and stay inside during the storms and drive safe, not to overtake and keep the speed low.”

The SES in Roxby Downs covers a circle area of 150km and counts on the hard work of 14 active members.

Another problem the dust brings is for people with asthma or any respiratory disease they need to be aware of early warning signs especially if their condition does not respond to their usual medication.

It is always best to keep your children and yourself inside even for the healthiest people.

Sport activities at the Leisure Centre in Roxby Downs were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday due to the storm, as sand took over the indoor courts and made the floors slippery and dangerous for people to use.

The shops in Roxby Downs had a very distasteful amount of dust

to deal with, apart from the lack of clients since those were days people wouldn’t choose to shop around.

“We had a lot of cleaning up to do after the storm and it might take days or even a week to get everything fully clean again,” said Alison Speirs, Roxby Central Liaison Officer.

Ms Speirs also added that “some businesses closed earlier on the storm days and had to spend long hours just cleaning. Also, not many people were around to buy things.”

Police urged motorists to slow down and put their lights on due to the extreme dust levels.

Adding to the trouble the storms have brought to Roxby residents flights at Olympic Dam Airport were cancelled on Monday (21st) and Tuesday (22nd) and since we have many contractors flying in and out to work in this region many could not make it to work until Wednesday.

Australian Bureau of Meteorology say storms can be predicted

Instructions for those who need to stay outside during a sand storm: Step 1 - Wear spectacles.

Cover your nose and mouth with a respirator or mask that is able to filter out sand particles or use a moistened handkerchief or bandanna.

Step 2 - Outrun the storm. If you are driving and the storm is at a reasonable distance it may be possible to get away from it. If it seems you will be caught in the storm, stop and ride it out.

Step 3 - Seek shelter. Find cover if at all possible. If no shelter is available, lie down and wait if the storm gets really bad. Keep eyes, nose and mouth covered at all times. Cover your head with your arms or a backpack to protect against any objects being hurled by the wind.

Step 4 - Get to higher ground, if possible. The highest concentration of blowing sand is closest to the ground.

NEWS

Crashes keep police busy

WEATHER conditions

FROM WED 30 SEPTEMBER TO SUN 4 OCTOBER

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Police photos of a crash in the streets of Roxby Downs.

This car rolled over and brought down a light pole.

On Monday, September 21, 2009 Police attended the scene of a road crash on Blinman Road, Olympic Dam outside the main entrance to Olympic Village. The crash involved a van and bus hitting head on. Roxby Downs CFS, SES and Ambulance responded to assist the BHPBilliton ESO responders after dealing with a fire alarm activation at the Roxby Downs Shopping complex. A male driver of the van was cut out of the vehicle and conveyed to Roxby Downs Hospital with minor injuries.

The crash occurred in strong winds and a major dust storm as the bus was making a left hand turn out of Olympic Village. The van was classified as a “write off” from the collision with minor damage sustained to the bus.

On Saturday, September 26 2009 another 19 year old male was arrested at the Roxby Downs Police Station for basic assault. This relates to an incident which occurred at the Roxby Downs Tavern on September 9, 2009. The male

was bailed to a court date in October with conditions.

Also on Saturday, September 26 Roxby Downs Police responded to three separate road crashes to which all drivers recorded high alcohol readings.

The first crash occurred at 8.30 a.m. in Mulga Court when a white Holden Commodore sedan lost control at speed striking the kerb and rolling over taking down a street light pole before coming to rest on the road. The 19 year old male driver from Roxby Downs returned an alleged breath analysis reading of 0.136 and received an immediate loss of licence notice for six months. The vehicle is a “write off” with total property value from the crash estimated at about $10,000.

The driver will appear in the Roxby Downs Magistrates Court at a later date.

The second crash occurred at about 6.24 p.m. on Alberrie Street, Roxby Downs when a blue Jaguar sedan is alleged to have collided with a fence and left the area without ex-

changing particulars with the householder. Police located the vehicle and driver in the car park at the rear of Woolworths.

The 23 year old driver returned an alleged breath analysis reading of 0.203 and received a twelve month immediate loss of licence notice.

Total property damage is estimated at about $1,500 and the local male driver will appear in the Roxby Downs Magistrates Court at a later date in relation to the matter.

Meanwhile the third crash occurred at about 9.15 p.m. in the car park of the Roxby Downs Tavern when a white Holden dual cab utility reversed into a parked Commodore sedan causing damage. The 46 year old male driver from Wattle Park SA returned an alleged breath analysis reading of 0.173 and received a twelve month immediate loss of licence notice.

The male will appear in the Roxby Downs Magistrates Court at a later date to answer charges in relation to the crash.

ROXBY DOWNS

18/34 13/17 09/21 10/23 12/26

Family Focus with Tom Beever

PORT AUGUSTA

20/33 12/15 09/21 10/23 11/26

COOBER PEDY

21/34 14/18 10/21 11/25 15/27

LEIGH CREEK

15/32 12/19 08/20 08/24 11/25

The Importance of Family Meal Time

ADELAIDE

12/20 09/12 08/15 07/15 06/19

Page 2 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

My children love their nana and pa and they love hearing about my growing up years. I remember telling them when they were a lot younger that I couldn’t remember a time as a boy, when we didn’t have dessert after an evening meal.

My children are obviously older now. But when they were younger, they would stare wide eyed at me and say. Really! After every evening meal you had a dessert!

And I would say, yep. I can’t ever remember a time when we didn’t.

I have told them about nanas delicious apple crumbles, her golden syrup dumplings, chocolate sago puddings, bread and butter puddings, plum puddings, trifles, lemon meringues and lots of other wonderful nana deserts. Cruel, aren’t I. Maybe you have similar childhood memories, but my children are a little deprived, because we hardly ever have dessert after dinner but we always have fun talking about my growing up days.

Good fun and friendly banter times are essential to healthy family living and in many respects; sitting around the dinner table at meal time is the perfect place for it.

As soon as my children were old enough they would sit at the dinner table in their highchair, which eventually progressed to their own chair when they became older and able to sit up safely.

Sitting around the dinner table with family at meal times has been a crucial aspect of family life for me for as long as I can remember and I know it has been for many of you as well, because I have been in many conversations about it.

But there are a lot more benefits to eating at the dinner table as a family than we perhaps realise. Because researchers have found that children who regularly sit with their family at dinner time will be more emotionally content and have healthier relationships with family

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and friends.

Researchers also found children who sit regularly with family at dinnertime are also more likely to enjoy good grades at school and have better health and selfesteem.

For example, girls who have five or more meals a week with their families are one-third less likely to develop unhealthy eating habits, which can range from skipping meals, abusing diet pills or developing anorexia.

Compared to teens that have frequent family dinners, those who rarely have family dinners are three-and- ahalf times more likely to have abused prescription drugs or an illegal drug other than marijuana.

Parental influence and involvement is an important tool in preventing substance abuse and regularly sitting down for a meal with our children is one way to connect with them and be involved with what is happening in their lives.

In fact, rarely is there something “better” we can do with our time than create a daily tradition with our family (or partner) that promotes tranquillity, laughter, communication or a sense of security.

I know shift work, long working hours and commuting doesn’t allow all families in our community to be able to sit together at every evening meal time, but we can all create a schedule that will allow quality time to meet for a meal.

Don’t worry, although friendly interaction around the dinner table is a vital component of healthy family dynamics, so too is the occasional “unfriendly” family banter.

I say that because my two brothers and I were often at it, (particularly when we thought one got more dessert than the other). Mum politely put it down to, “relationship-development.” And do you know what?

Mum was right.

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NEWS

Swine Flu vaccines available for Roxby residents

Staff from the Roxby Downs Health Services line up for their Swine Flu vaccination last Friday.

A

By Celeste Lustosa

ustralia’s biggest ever immunisation program begins nationally today, September 30.

The federal government has purchased 21 million doses of the swine flu vaccine.

Free doses of the vaccine will initially be made available to 440,000 SA adults at GP clinics, council clinics and hospitals across the state.

Roxby Downs Health Services and Roxby Downs Family Practice will be providing the vaccines from September 30 as well.

“People from the Roxby region will be able to get the vaccine either from the Health Service or Roxby Downs Family Practice but we advise everyone to talk to a health professional if they have any doubts or enquires whether they need the vaccine or not,” said the Roxby Downs Health Services Executive Officer/ Director of Nursing Janine Connell.

Ms Connell said Roxby Downs will have as

many vaccine doses as needed. “We are getting a good amount now but more can be ordered and provided if needed, so people don’t have to worry about us running out of doses,” she clarifies.

The H1N1 pandemic has so far hospitalised thousands of Australians and killed over 200 Australians and 3,500 people worldwide.

A total of 25 people have died from swine flu in South Australia, with five of the deaths occurring in July and August. None of the deaths happened in Roxby Downs.

The vaccine was developed in South Australia and was supplied to SA. The vaccine will not be made available to children under the age of nine until trials are complete, according to SA Health Office.

“The initial rollout of the vaccine will concentrate on front-line health workers and vulnerable people who may experience complications from H1N1,” Ms Connell said.

The wider population will also be able to access the vaccine but it is advised to contact their local health service or doctor for further information.

Chinese blocked from Woomera mining venture Mineral company Western Plains Resources says a Defence Department decision to reject Chinese investment in its magnetite deposit in outback South Australia is an overreaction.

This view is supported by SA Mineral Resources Minister Paul Holloway who wants clarification on foreign investment.

The ABC report said that in June, the China’s Wuhan Iron and Steel company (WISCO) entered a joint venture with Western Plains for its Hawks Nest tenements in the Woomera Prohibited Area.

But the Defence Department has blocked the venture on national security grounds.

Executive director of Western Plains, Heath Roberts, says the transaction was structured allowing for the constraints of foreign ownership within the Woomera Prohibited Area.

“I think our proposal, which would have seen the Chinese group WISCO acquire 50 per cent only of the project and which had some critical checks and balances to see that the Defence’s interests weren’t jeopardised, ought to have been considered differently,” he said.

“If there’s more the Defence would like to see in the way of changes, we’re very keen to negotiate.

“We had meaningful and very constructive discussions underway with Defence up until last week in fact, so this rather precipitous letter really did come out of the blue.”

Defence Minister John Faulkner has backed his department’s decision, saying the project was planned for the most dangerous part of what is an ideal weapons testing ground.

“It’s within the testing range’s centre line, so defence looked at all these issues, but

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the location of the Hawks Nest tenement is an inherrently dangerous and very sensitive, the most sensitive part, of the range,” he said.

SA Mineral Resources Development Minister Paul Holloway wants the Federal Government to clarify foreign investment conditions for mines in the Woomera Prohibited Area.

Mr Holloway says the project could have been a major economic contribution to SA. He says the Woomera Prohibited Area makes up 13 per cent of South Australia and some concessions need to be made.

“An area of this size in one of the most prospective areas of the world - clearly there should be a solution that allows both the defence activities and mining to co-exist in the area and that’s the outcome that the State Government wants to see,” he said.

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Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 3

NEWS

News in Brief Wider JP powers to ease magistrates’ load

Justices of the Peace will be given more powers under a South Australian Government plan to ease the workload of magistrates courts.

The SA Government says more than 3,000 minor cases per year are leading to significant delays in the legal system. Attorney-General Michael Atkinson says planned new powers would allow JPs to deal with minor offences that make up the bulk of the work for magistrates, such as bail applications, contested speeding fines and petty crimes.

“We are going to have special justices hearing cases up to a fine of $2,500, also we will have special magistrates dealing with bail applications which are uncontested and also variations to bail,” he said.

Govt urged to close coalfired power stations

Area School groundsman Steve Marsh shows some of the pavers that are lifting because of the tree roots.

Improvements to school grounds

By Sharon Reid Roxby Downs Area School students will benefit from improvements to the school grounds, some scheduled to take place as soon as next week.

School grounds-keeper, Steve Marsh explained the improvements would have a strong focus on safety and beautification.

“We are taking some brick walls down so teachers are better able to supervise the students at break times,” he said.

There are many places throughout the school grounds where the

paving has become uneven due to tree roots growing and disfiguring the pavers.

“Basically, there are trip hazards wherever there are tree roots…our number one priority at this stage is fixing all the safety hazards,” Steve said.

The school is also seeking government funding to redevelop particular areas in the grounds, with plans to create an outside learning area where outdoor education lessons can be held.

Eventually, seating in the grounds will be revamped, with a

mixture of plaster and oxide being used to create ochre coloured smooth-edged seats that blend better with the natural environment.

Native Australian plants will fill the garden beds around the grounds, with a focus on low maintenance gardening.

“We always look to use plants that don’t require a lot of water,” Steve said.

The Eucalyptus trees on the grounds will be lopped and trimmed to safe levels.

“The roots will also be cut and treated to stop them from grow-

ing and creating the same problem again,” Steve explained.

Some of the trees recently planted by students at the school were blown away in the sandstorms last week.

“We will have to re-plant the leftover trees when I’m certain the strong winds are gone!” Steve said.

The processes of beautifying seating areas will come after the key safety issues are addressed, with funding being the deciding factor in what improvements will take place.

Daylight saving begins next week

South Australia begins daylight saving time over the Labour Day long weekend.

SA Summer time 20092010 will start at 2am SA standard time, next Sunday, the 4th of October 2009.

People are asked to turn their clocks forward one hour at that time or before going to bed.

Industrial Relations Minister, Paul Caica, says SA will join with NSW, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania which all begin their daylight saving periods on the first weekend of October.

“In line with those states, daylight saving will end at 3am SA summer time on Sunday the 4th of April 2009,” Mr Caica said.

“This will allow South Australia to maintain its usual half hour time difference with the majority of eastern states for the entire

daylight saving period.”

The exception remains Queensland, which does not observe daylight saving. South Australia will be half an hour ahead of that state during the summer period.

Daylight saving in South Australia is now observed on an ongoing basis from the first Sunday in October each year to the first Sunday in April of the following year.

Further details are available on the SafeWork SA website: www.safework. sa.gov.au. Look for ‘Events’ in the drop down menu and click on ‘ Daylight Saving’.

Teddy Bears Picnic On Saturday, October 3 from 11am-3pm the Andamooka Opal Girl Guides will be holding a Teddy Bear’s Picnic and you are invited.

The major fundraiser for the guides will feature games, showbags, sausage sizzle, treasure hunts prizes lots of fun for all the family prizes for best dressed teddy, oldest teddy, cutest teddy etc.

The picnic will be at the community play ground Andamooka, so come along and don’t forget your teddy bear.

Page 4 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

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The group Climate Emergency Action Network wants the South Australian Government to shut the two coal-fired power stations in Port Augusta.

The group is hosting the state’s first climate camp in Port Augusta this week.

The spokesman, John Rice, says the aim of a series of workshops, presentations and demonstrations is to build a community movement towards lobbying for renewable energy supplies.

Mr Rice says the power station operator, Babcock and Brown, needs to respond to the early signs of the climate threat by making the transition to renewable energy in the next 10 years.

“That they would listen to us, that they would think seriously about shifting their capital into cleaner technologies,” he said.

“If it’s not them then it’s going to be somebody else ... this is the future, they are the past. If they want to continue to be profitable, we would suggest they move with the times.”

Community constable shortage frustrates APY board

The APY executive board says it is frustrated by the delays in filling the community constable positions on the remote Aboriginal lands.

The board’s general manager, Ken Newman, says no more than three or four positions have been filled at any one time in the five years the scheme has been in place.

He says Anangu, working alongside non-Aboriginal police officers, would go a long way in restoring order to the lands.

“We know that for non-Aboriginal people working on the APY Lands, there’s so much benefit and merit in having, we call them Melpas, working side-by-side with non-Aboriginal staff just for the language benefits involved,” he said.

“So if the police want their jobs to be easier on the lands, it would certainly be a benefit to have these community constable positions filled to work with them.”

A spokeswoman for Police Minister Michael Wright says despite SAPOL’s best efforts, very few Anangu meet the selection criteria to be community constables, often because of medical grounds, a lack of education or a criminal history.

Regional drink driving figures ‘scary’

The Motor Accident Commission says regional drink driving figures show the problem is almost twice as bad as it is in metropolitan areas.

Ben Tuffnell from the commission says a new anti-drink driving campaign is focused on curbing the rising road toll for all South Australians.

He says people in regional areas often cannot take a taxi or public transport but there are other options.

“The regional figures are quite scary,” he said.

“Between 2000 and 2007 - 128 drivers or riders have been killed in the country drink driving above 0.05 compared to just 68 in the metropolitan area, so it’s almost double the number in the regions and the campaign is also focusing on people in the regions.

“We are hoping people will sit up and take notice and if you are planning a night out don’t take the car.”

Centrex share price still surging

The share price of a company planning to mine iron ore on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula continues to soar.

Shares in Centrex have rocketed more than fivefold, from 12 cents a share in March to opening at 67 cents last week.

Recent jumps included a 13 per cent increase on Thursday, September 10 and a 15 per cent leap two days earlier.

Centrex is still waiting on a State Government decision on whether it can use Port Lincoln for exports from its Wilgerup iron ore mine.

It is a contentious issue - with strong opposition from many residents and the seafood industry over potential environmental impacts.

A Government spokesman says the decision is imminent.

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NEWS

Opal Festival on in Andamooka

A

ndamooka Opal Festival is an annual event that includes BBQ, music, talent quest, dance, opal hunt, displays, refreshments and entertainment.

This year’s festival happens on October 2 nd and 3 rd and it is definitely a good way to spend your long weekend.

Visitors from various locations in our region have already come for the Opal Festival in Andamooka and this year it won’t be any different.

On the Friday, October 2nd there will be a welcome barbecue at the

Cottages at 6pm. The barbecue is free for APOMA members, but you can’t forget to bring your membership card.

What a good start for the Festival as the barbecue will be a great opportunity to have a nice evening, good food and fellowship.

For the next day, the action starts at 8.30pm with a Saturday Morning Markets Open, at the Community Hall car park. From 9 until 11 am breakfast is available, so you can keep energy high to enjoy a day full of attractions.

A Wheel barrow race from ‘Castle to Cottages’ takes place at 9.30am.

There are attractions for the whole family, including the kids. Sack Race, Egg & Spoon, Baton Race are just some of the fun you and your family can have. It is a chance to become a kid again and just enjoy yourself.

Girl Guides ‘Teddy Bear Picnic’ happen on the playground from 11am until 3pm and sausage sizzle will be available from 11.30am onwards.

Tea, coffee, donuts and fairy floss will be available all day.

Enjoy the long weekend at Andamooka Opal Festival 2009. Fun for all the family!

Alert: People are not giving way to emergency vehicles

By Celeste Lustosa Roxby Road Safe Committee claims not everybody is giving way to emergency cars in our region and some people are even abusing the volunteer workers from the emergency services.

It is a shame but some people from our region don’t give way to emergency vehicles and obviously don’t realise that the service they provide can be saving their or their family’s lives one day “I don’t understand why people do something like that. Not only is it against the law, but by not giving way to an ambulance or the fire trucks you can actually be responsible for someone’s death,” said the chairperson for the Roxby Road Safe Committee, Tom Beever.

Not giving way to emergency vehicles is against the law and irresponsible, Roxby Road Safe advises. “People have to be aware that these services are mostly dealing with life and death situations where every minute can make a difference,” said Mr Beever.

Peta Giles from Roxby Downs Police Station believes most people that don’t give way do it because they are not paying attention to what’s happening on the roads.

“Sometimes people just don’t pay attention and quite often they hesitate when they see an emergency vehicle coming through, with the lights and sirens on.

“The hesitations are dangerous and can create confusion towards what actions people should take,” Ms Giles says.

The right thing to do when you notice an emergency vehicle approaching is to pull over to the left and just let them pass. It is just that simple!

For those people who simply can’t be bothered to give way to emergency cars or don’t understand the harm they are causing to the community, their registration number can be handed to the Police and they get a traffic infringement notice. If it gets more serious and by any chance they abuse the other drivers, they can be charged for driving without care.

Roxby Downs Police Contact: All hours on (08) 8671 0370 SES - Roxby Downs State Emergency Service Contact: All hours on 132 500 or Mobile: 0408 886 091 Roxby Downs CFS Brigade Contact: Station when manned (08) 8671 3158 or Mobile 0419 803 054 Email roxbydownscfs@ bigpond.com

The emphasis is on fun for all the family at the Opal Festival. Last year the lads had great fun with billy karts.

Moto-X attracts near capacity crowd

by Krystle Bower The annual Desert Moto-X Spectacular held last week lived up to all the hype and expectations of previous years and attracted a near capacity crowd.

With participation ranging from quads and junior 50s right through to the big six hundred bikes, the evening featured many events to entertain the crowd.

Riders took to the course to have practice sessions, hard core races and some freestyle fun.

Motor-X Club Vice President David Secker says the night was in his eyes a raging success.

“We had more than a hundred riders participate in the night, and the freestyle guys they just blew ever yone’s mind,” he said.

“I would say they stole the show, but we had amazing local performances and some good hard racing.”

David said the evening had attracted people from other towns, and even states.

“We had people up from Port Lincoln, Tumby Bay, Streaky Bay, even Melbourne,” he said.

David says he was impressed with the turnout on the evening, and the behaviour of the crowd.

“We were at capacity for the evening, which was great,” he said.

“I am amazed there was no major fighting or arguing, because when you put people together in one place with a large amount of alcohol consumed you come to expect some disruptions.

“Roxby behaved very well.”

Injuries on the evening were also at a minimum with one young man receiving only soft tissue damage, whilst another bloke broke his femur.

“You ride motorbikes, these things happen,” David said.

The only major downfall is that they needed more members to put their hands up, get involved and help out.

“It’s always the same people that put their hands up to help out, and the others just expect to turn up and ride on the night,” he said.

David says it is a lengthy process to name and thank all of their sponsors and says that in the next couple of weeks he would like to hold a night out on the track to say thank-you.

“There are too many to name, we plan to send a letter and a thank-you certificate,” he said.

David said it would be nice to have representatives from each sponsor attend the evening to properly thank them for a truly successful evening.

Cabaret music event not to be missed in Andamooka

By Celeste Lustosa Full Moon Bohemian Cabaret is a musical event that will happen in Andamooka City Hall on the 3rd of October from 9pm until late.

It is an event not to be missed as cabaret songs will be played by the Tear Drop band; Jack Mitchell will be performing original songs and local artists will also have their space to present.

“We want to make this event an annual music festival from now on

and we are already in touch with renamed producers to come and work with the locals in other amazing different performances,” said Rodney Mitchell.

As a full moon is expected on the night, there will be tables placed on the outside area, so people can enjoy the view and music at once.

Tickets are $7 for children, pensioners and unemployed and $10 for the normal ticket and they can be purchased at the APOMA Hall

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or on the day.

All profits will be donated to the Andamooka Hospital Auxillary and the Andamooka Emergency Services and the event will be sponsored by APOMA. On the night people need to bring their own drinks and finger food.

Edge2centre is a local arts business that is programming the event. For more information contact Rodney 0427 590 637 or visit ww.edge2centre. com.au. www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 5

COMMUNITY MATTERS

Free training courses in the Roxby Downs region In order to support community members in the Roxby Downs region to gain or build skills through increasing access to vocational education there are places available in the region for courses.

Two free training places will be available to community members in each unit contained within the Certificate III/IV in Training and Assessment and Certificate IV in Business (Frontline Management) courses. Both courses last for two days.

The Certificate III in Training and Assessment (TAA), provides classes in Train Small Groups lasting three days, where you learn basic skills and understanding of training techniques and methods and can be used as an elective towards Cert IV TAA. Also at the course students will get a two day unit about Workplace Assessor, showing basic

skills and understanding of assessment process and principles but does not qualify people to assess competence at a national standard (AQTF).

The Certificate IV in Business (Frontline Management) courses are designed to equip those working or seeking a career in the business, administration or general management areas with the knowledge, skills and attributes required to broaden their career paths by developing their leadership, team and business management skills.

Units delivered as part of this qualification include; monitor a safe workplace, promote team effectiveness, report on financial activity, make a presentation, show leadership in the workplace, among other interesting subjects.

Applications close October 7 and all courses will be held at TAFE SA Roxby

Downs Campus located on Richardson Place.

Any community member aged 15 years or over living or working in the Roxby Downs or surrounding areas (Pimba, Woomera, Olympic Dam and Andamooka) and not employed full-time are eligible.

Priority will be given to applicants who face the greatest barriers to accessing training and/or demonstrate the greatest need for skills development.

For further information or to discuss your eligibility, contact Juliette Demaine - Chair, Education and Workplace Training Forum, on 0417 826 285.

To apply, collect your Community Learning Places Application Form from The Roxby Downs Council, TAFE SA and it can be submitted by: E-mail halesm@roxbycouncil.com.au.

About the Program - The Community Learn-

ing Places program was established in October 2008 by the Education and Workplace Training Forum (a subcommittee of the Roxby Downs Community Board) to address barriers for community members in this region in accessing vocational and further education places.

The forum identified a gap in availability of adult learning opportunities in the region, specifically between those who were skilled and unskilled as well as those employed in the mining and related industries and those in the mainstream.

Provision of free training places was considered as one way of bridging this gap as well as building the skills and capacity of the community.

Community Learning Places is a partnership between the Education and Workplace Training Forum and BHP Billiton Olympic Dam.

Do you know what your child is drinking?

by Krystle Bower You know what they like to eat, their hobbies, their likes and dislikes, so why is it that so many parents don’t know what their kids are drinking, or worse yet, they just don’t care.

Energy drinks have become increasingly popular in the past couple of years with youths, who enjoy finding an immediate energy boost in a can.

Should there be concern for the health and welfare of Roxby youths?

Studies have proven that a majority of energy drinks exceed the .02% caffeine content generally recognised as safe by the US Food and Drugs Administration.

Principal for the Roxby Downs Area School Kath Macalister is concerned for the health and welfare of

MEETING DATES - Community Board 7 September 7.30pm

GENERAL INFORMATION BOARD MEETINGS

If you would like to do a presentation to the Community Board please contact Michelle Hales to organise a date and time to be placed on the agenda. Requests close on the Wednesday prior to the Board meeting. Board meetings usually take place on the last Monday of the month.

JOINING FORUMS

Members of the community are encouraged to join any of the forums or partnerships. If you would like to join the Arts and Culture Forum, Education and Workplace Training Forum, Family and Youth Forum, Environment Forum, Sport and Recreation Forum or Volunteering Partnership you are welcome to attend any of the meetings. Meeting times appear in The Monitor on a regular basis.

If you would like to join the Health Forum and/or Alcohol and Substance Abuse Partnership please contact Michelle Hales on 0418 833 818 or via email to: halesm@roxbycouncil.com. au to express your interest.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you would like to find out more about any of the forums visit the www.roxbydowns.com website or contact Michelle Hales - Executive Officer Roxby Downs Community Board Inc. Mobile: 0418 833 818 Phone: 8671 0010 Fax: 8671 0452 Email: halesm@roxbycouncil.com.au Page 6 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

her students after seeing an increase in energy drink consumption, and says she is attempting to remove the potentially dangerous drinks from the school.

“It’s not only our job to monitor what we are selling in the canteen, but also watch what the students consume in our time,” she said.

“We plan to implement a policy that will see energy drinks taken off of students whilst on school grounds, and they will not be returned.”

Mrs Macalister says the particular age group that are interested in the drinks are at a high risk of doing damage to their bodies.

Researchers have found a link between consumption of energy drinks and elevated blood pressure and heart rate, and although the drinks do not have an immediate effect on healthy young adults, in the long run the drink can cause serious harm, especially when consumed in large quantities by youths whose bodies have not had the chance to fully develop.

Mrs Macalister says she has had students complain of heart palpitations and contributes it to the consumption of energy drinks.

Sold at any local supermarket, fuel station, or deli, the sugar packed beverages promote a quick pick me up, however research suggests energy drinks have been linked to health risks, despite health conscious groups being targeted for the product.

There’s nothing to be gained by youths drinking artificial, chemical-laden products that are, in fact, quite harmful.

Just like soft drinks, energy drinks can make you fat, in fact in one can there is the equivalent to three or more teaspoons of sugar.

Mrs Macalister is looking for support from parents in encouraging the students to refrain from drinking energy drinks not only at school, but altogether.

“It is for their health and wellbeing,” she said.

The best drink for a growing body is a healthy dose of water; with more than 2 litres being recommended as the daily intake; it is more refreshing and better for your health.

Digital switchover presents opportunities for Far North TV

S

enator Simon Birmingham and the Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey, have met with Southern Cross Broadcasting executives to discuss television coverage issues facing South Australia’s north and west.

These included services to areas of South Australia’s west coast outside the Spencer Gulf TV1 licence area, but more broadly the opportunities and concerns relating to the coming digital switchover across the regions.

The meeting in Canberra last week followed representations made to both federal Liberal parliamentarians by the District Council of Kimba and others in regard to licence area boundaries and next year’s planned switch-off of analogue signals.

“Whilst ideally we believe licence areas should be adjusted, we recognise there is some resistance to this arising out of entrenched media markets having been developed

as a result of substantial investment,” Senator Birmingham said today.

Kimba and surrounding areas are currently served by SBS, Imparja and Seven Central, with their focus on Alice Springs and Mount Isa, through the District Council of Kimba’s retransmission facility supported by federal Black Spot funding. This is despite the South Australian based services of Southern Cross GTS/ BKN being broadcast to the north, east and south of Kimba.

“Significant opportunities do exist, through digital switchover, to i m p rove t h e r a n g e and local relevance of services broadcast to people across the west coast, including towns like Wudinna, Streaky Bay and Ceduna who similarly receive limited services with virtually no local content,” Senator Birmingham said.

“The Rudd Government should provide support for services to regional Australians, including these and other parts of the Remote Central licence area, to ensure coverage issues

and the receipt of a full suite of digital services are addressed,” Mr Ramsey said.

“In addition to the urgent need for improved services across the west coast, there is also a real risk as we move towards digital switchover that the Spencer Gulf broadcast area may miss out on the so-called digital dividend and will continue to receive only around four TV channels while much of the rest of Australia progresses to metropolitan levels of service with up to 15 channels.”

Mr Ramsey also presented in the Parliament last week, on behalf of residents of the Copper Coast, a petition on digital television seeking to ensure continuity of service after the analogue switch-off.

“These residents fear they may be disadvantaged and actually lose services in the digital switchover, let alone move towards metropolitan levels of service, and I urge the Government to address their concerns,” Mr Ramsey said.

Clean up Roxby Downs is here again

As expected it is that time of the year when volunteers arrive in masses to clean up their local community and you are welcome to come along.

Meeting at the Lions Park at 9.30am on Sunday, October 11 volunteers will then walk around the

town collecting rubbish to help clean up the town.

The rubbish will be separated and recycled and proceeds from bottles collected will be donated to a charity.

A BBQ lunch will be provided by the Roxby Downs Council, for all

the volunteers at 12pm at the Lions Park.

Volunteer and Coordinator Steve Moss says this is the chance to get out with the family and help to clean up the community.

Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!

An initiative of the Environment Forum

G reen tip

Things you should know about recycling – Glass

- All clear, green and amber bottles are recyclable. All glass jars are recyclable.

- Glass is accepted at the recycling centre on Gosse St. - Broken window and windscreen glass, heat-treated glass and laboratory glass are NOT recyclable.

www.themonitor.com.au

James Lill pulls bags of garbage from his car after cleaning up Roxby Downs THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

OPINION

TEXT TALK

TEX T Y OUR COMM E N TS T O THE ED ITOR O N

0408 267 358

EDITORIAL

A

fter a week of car accidents in and around Roxby, one has to wonder about the sense of some of the drivers around here.

Last Weeks Hot topic: Do you believe the CEO of BHP Billiton should be paid a reported $12 million a year? Do you believe anyone is worth that amount of money?

Outrageous. What they pay CEO’s is almost criminal especially when they get all the other perks like free travel and accommodation as part of their packages. But it doesn’t stop there – our top sports people are way overpaid too!

Young footy players being paid way too much and for what to play a game of footy! In the end what they do doesn’t really matter.

Ben, Roxby The amount of money these executives get paid is ridiculous. It is just such a massive difference from a normal salary paid in the same company.

I do understand this is a very qualified person, but even though, it’s too much money!

Tim I can see that Marius Kloppers has a great amount of responsibility that many of us don’t have, but come on! Throw a little bit to the employees who do the work and are the reason he still has a job!

Jack, Roxby It isn’t fair that the BHP BIG WIGS get a pay rise to sit on their lazy behinds, while I work my arse off to get a measly little pay rise that wouldn’t even amount to a months worth of house payments… something needs to be done.

Craig, Roxby Downs Sydney is complaining about our dust. Some whingers are even blaming it on Olympic Dam and say it will get worse with the expansion. Get real. Maybe now they know what it’s like to live in the outback!

MS, OD

Three of the four accidents attended to by police and some emergency services were allegedly drink driving offences and not just over the limit, some over by a considerable amount.

It is not as if we don’t get warnings through government advertising and constant police warnings right here in the area; and it is not as if you can’t walk to most places in Roxby.

So what does motivate people to get behind the wheel of a car when they must know they have been drinking and in a lot of cases drinking to excess?

LETTERS

to the editor

When will they ever learn?

To hold a driving licence is a privilege and not a right, so these offenders will pay the ultimate penalty and some cases their jobs may be in jepoardy if they are without wheels for an extended time.

To feel sorry for these people is wrong.

They are not only putting themselves in danger, they are putting all of us in danger and could well kill innocent people as they drive intoxicated.

Statistics show that drink driving in South Australia is a serious cause for concern.

In 2008, 36% of people who died had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05% or higher: most had BACs three times the legal limit: 55% of drivers aged between 16 - 25 years who died had a BAC of 0.05% or higher: Every 0.05% increase (BAC) above

zero doubles the risk of crashing.

Scary stuff if you are another road user just going about your business and doing the right thing. Then of course our children are also at risk. In Roxby there are numerous reports of kids playing on roads, or riding their bikes around the town. It is hard to imagine what could happen if one of these drunk drivers collided with children or anyone else for that matter.

The now infamous case where an elite bike rider was gaoled after colliding with a team mate after a drinking and drug session, shows the government and the courts are serious and are taking a very dim view of people who drink and drive and those that leave the scene of an accident.

Drink and drive! - You’re a bloody idiot!

Hope lies in prevention

Helping someone affected by drug abuse is more often than not, quite a difficult endeavour. For most it is not as simple as using or not using. There are a range of problems that go with it--substance abuse being central, but not the only problem to solve. As one put it, “It started with weed, then the pills [ecstasy] and acid, making cocktails of all sorts of drugs. I took copious amounts of these chemicals every day for two years until I had a bad trip and went into toxic psychosis.

I had voices in my head, had the shakes and couldn’t leave my home for six months. I became very withdrawn and thought everyone was watching me. I ended up homeless and on the streets, living and sleeping in a cardboard box, begging and struggling to find ways to get my next meal. I asked myself if this is rock bottom and I believe that it was.”

There are other great risks. 10th of September marked World Suicide Prevention Day and research tells us drug abuse increases the risk of suicide. When you are dealing with people who have hit rock bottom, they not very far from death, gruesomely enough, and many have come very close to it in their drug use. There are also terrible side effects from both illicit and prescription drugs that exacerbate the situation. My aunt was a victim of such adverse effects to psychiatric medication--it cost her life.

Why do people take drugs in the first place? Some of the main reasons are peer pressure, to escape, relieve boredom, experiment-but all have in common that the drugs are a solution to a problem.

One researcher wrote that man has, for thousands, eventually turned to drugs if he couldn’t find another solution to his pain.

But the solution eventually becomes a bigger problem. What may have been a slight relief from stress, or just a fun way to party, then

turns into the bane of their existence, taking away the dreams and happiness that life once held. One Australian commented to me that she first started taking speed thinking she would be alert and get more work done. But after 6 months on the drug, she found that it didn’t do it for her at all. She would get wired up, but have a lot of incomplete projects at home. Then she didn’t want to be out in public with other parents, for fear they would “know”. So she missed social functions and felt paranoia that goes with amphetamines.

There is hope to such a desperate situation. And our brightest hope lies in prevention, but education helps those who are wanting to be free of the grip of drugs too. There is a new DVD, The Truth about Drugs Documentary is being distributed by Drug Free Ambassadors Australia to all who want to help. Free copies are being given out, sponsored by the Church of Scientology, to very positive reviews.

Kelsey of Sydney says of the new TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS REAL PEOPLE, REAL STORIES documentary: “It shows the whole life cycle of someone who is a drug user and abuser. This (new DVD) is more their level, what you can relate to as a teenager. It’s something that you can relate to because it’s a first hand experience of someone that’s gone through it. It’s not authority telling you. It’s someone else who’s lived it. ‘This is what happened to me. And this is what shouldn’t happen to you.’” Should anyone want a copy, I’ll be happy to send it to them. Contact us on info@drugfreeambassadors.org.au and they can preview the video at www.drugfreeworld.org.

Cyrus Brooks President Drug Free Ambassadors Australia

Just want to express my disappointment with the Roxby Leisure Centre’s cinema. On Sunday Sept 20 I took my son to see a movie, we paid and lined up with the other families only for the person who runs the cinema not to rock up! I then had to deal with a very disgruntled 4 year old who had been looking forward to his movie all week. Not Happy Roxby Leisure.

Disgruntled parent, RD See the Fev has been at it again. When will footballers learn they are not gods and cannot get away with whatever they want to do and say?

JC. Pt. Augusta I was very happy to see the Woomera page on the paper, as I always thought Woomera deserved a page just as much as Andamooka.

Woomera Resident

It is always so good that our community helping the Flying Doctors and the kindy events to raise money. It makes me really proud to be a Roxby resident.

Casey

HOT C I TOP

What is your opinion about 16 year olds being given the option of voting?

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 7

NEWS

Seeking good news stories

The Chair of the National Rural Women’s Coalition, Darriea Turley, announced this week a major project to recognise the successes within communities in rural, regional and remote Australia.

The NRWC are calling for communities and individuals who have developed or identified projects or tools that have grown their community in these tough times, to share their stories with other communities through the National Rural Women’s Network and website.

The NRWC will invite the submission of these stories of successful regional community redevelopment and regeneration, and develop a template that other communities can practically use or modify to suit their particular needs.

“We will use the stories we receive as a source inspiration information for other communities who are concerned about their viability”, said Ms Turley, “because of the drought, the global financial crisis, rising unemployment and the need for young people to leave rural area for education, many communities are under severe stress”.

The project aims to inform communities in rural and regional locations about what has worked in other areas and link those communities together.

Rural communities include farmers and their families but also the small businesses and people who staff those farms and businesses. They are the teachers and medical staff who look after them and the young people who aspire to live and work in those rural areas.

Stories can be emailed to Karen Tully, Chair NRWC Sustainable Communities Project at karen@mulgasolutions.com.au or to the NRWC Secretariat at s.stoddart@ nrwc.com.cu

Trevor and Dawn Kroemer with Council Administrator, Bill Boehm.

‘It’s better to be a has been than a never was’

R

By Sharon Reid

oxby Downs couple Trevor and Dawn Kroemer believe ‘it’s better to be a has been than a never was’ a motto which has inspired them to volunteer their time and skills to the Roxby community for the last 20 years.

Trevor, who is currently the water and sewerage manager at the Roxby Downs Council, has recently celebrated 20 years of service to the community.

A morning tea was held on Thursday, September 17 to commemorate his contribution to the council.

Trevor was strongly involved in the Woomera and Districts Football League between 1991 and 2000 in roles such as treasurer and time-keeper.

“I used to take a car-load of kids down to Port Augusta every Saturday to play footy down there. At that stage, there was no junior team up here for them to play in,” he said.

Trevor’s support has allowed his wife Dawn to be involved with the SA Ambulance service for over 23 and a half years, 23 of which have been served in Roxby Downs.

Dawn currently holds the position of Volunteer Team Leader with SA Ambulance in Roxby Downs, a role which has afforded her many life changing experiences and learning curves.

Dawn reflects on the highlights of her time volunteering with the ambulance service, saying even being paged at 1am is worth it!

“I was there when a baby was delivered in the back of an ambulance at the airport…there wasn’t much room in there!” she said.

During her time in Roxby Downs, Dawn has been a worthy recipient of the Citizen of the Year award, was nominated for the Australian of the Year award and has earned a life membership with the SA Ambulance service.

Trevor remembers a time when he was called into action as Dawn’s pager had gone off whilst she had been in the middle of the grocery shopping.

“Dawn called me and told me she had abandoned her trolley in the shopping centre, I had to go down there and finish the shopping, but when I brought it home it ended up being all the wrong stuff…I had taken the wrong trolley!”

Trevor and Dawn believe volunteering is the key to a healthy community and said their volunteering careers will only be over when they leave Roxby Downs to retire.

Dawn says volunteering can improve confidence and teach valuable team skills.

“You put a lot into it, you get a lot out!” she said.

“You can live in a community and exist or you can volunteer in a community and then you belong.”

Statistics reveal rural roads are death traps Three out of every five lives lost on state roads this year and just more than half of all victims with serious injuries came from crashes in country areas.

Police and Transport Department figures show 51 people have died on rural roads this year, compared with 33 in the metropolitan area. Last year, 55 people lost their lives on rural roads.

Investigations indicated many

Page 8 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

www.themonitor.com.au

country fatalities again were a combination of speed, inattention and complacency, drink and drug driving, not wearing seatbelts and fatigue.

Rural crashes often affected whole communities. Responding emergency services all too often either knew, or knew of, those killed and injured.

Last year, 67 per cent of drivers who died or were seriously injured in rural areas were local or lived in country areas.

Police figures also show of last year’s road toll, 56 per cent of deaths (32) and 43 per cent of serious injuries (395) were on rural roads. Of the fatalities, 43 per cent were on straight sections of road. Thirty per cent of fatal crashes were on roads with a 100km/h speed limit.

At this time of year, with sporting finals, agricultural shows and events, police will be focusing their attention on these events.

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

NEWS Ian Sharam enjoyed his week learning a little more about the radio industry at Rox FM

Students gain valuable workplace experience

By Sharon Reid

The focus on vocational learning continues at Roxby Downs Area School with year 10 students completing a week of work experience as part of their SACE requirements for 2009.

Students at the school have the opportunity to complete their placement in a number of industries, including retail, hospitality, IT and a variety of trades.

The work experience program, known as RITE (Roxby Industry Training and Education) has been running for a number of years and is successful in assisting students when choosing their future career paths.

RDAS 7-12 Assistant Principal, Ann O’Sullivan says students return to school with inspired ideas and are able to evaluate the positives and negatives of possible career paths.

“Our local community supports our work experience students really well,” she said.

Ian Sharam is a Year 10 student from RDAS who completed his work experience at the community radio station, RoxFm. “I chose to do work experience here for 2 reasons: radio is a way into the music industry and I thought it would be a good way to harness my excessive talking!” Ian said.

Categorising music was one of Ian’s tasks last week and he also had the opportunity to do the community announcements.

“I was looking for an experience and to see what radio is like”, Ian said.

Overall, Ian was pleased with his placement at RoxFm and thinks he will continue working towards a career in radio.

Students in years 10 and 11 at RDAS are also in the process of choosing subjects for their next year of study, with guidance from the Senior School Coordinator, Science Coordinator and year 7-12 Assistant Principal.

Mrs O’Sullivan says current year 10 students will be the first group to be a part of the “new SACE” which has different requirements to previous years, including a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) that involves students researching and choosing subjects according to their strengths and weaknesses.

The students are asked to present the findings from their Personal Learning Plan to subject counsellors in an interview-style format, complete with video-recording for marking purposes.

“The PLP allows students to have more control over their learning,

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

achieving a more ‘child-centred’ approach,” Mrs O’Sullivan said.

“We consider the students’ organisational skills, their ability to learn independently and their possible career paths when subject counselling.”

Year 11 students will also have important decisions to make regarding the subjects for their final year of schooling, with the most popular choices being English Communications, Food and Hospitality, Photography and Art. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to be a part of the subject counselling process, attending meetings and voicing any questions or concerns they might have about their child’s education.

Jesse Innes gets hand-on experience in the mechanical trade

www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 9

NIPPY GYM

NIPPY GYM

Brooklyn 2 looks at all the action

Allesandra 19 months

NIPPY GYM

Alice 3 and Matilda 4

NIPPY GYM

Destiny 1 and Zion 2 had great fun

NIPPY GYM

ty Ben 3 had plen to smile about

Page 10 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

www.themonitor.com.au

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

AFL GRAND FINAL DAY Xavier and Belinda

MINERS PRESENTATION NIGHT Jan and Chris Kaminski

MINERS PRESENTATION NIGHT Ali and Des KnIghts

NIPPY GYM FUN

r Jenna and he son Brady 17 months

MINERS PRESENTATION NIGHT

, Elyse Kateland, Emma and Cassie

NIPPY GYM FUN

Nine and half month old Katoah

NIPPY GYM

Two year old Joycelyn loves gym

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 11

NEWS

Blockbuster can help you have exciting days while on your couch

By Celeste Lustosa

Y

ou can go anywhere during this long weekend, without leaving the comfort of your home or spending lots of money. All you have to do is visit the Blockbuster in Roxby Downs and choose movies to entertain you and the whole family.

‘17 Again’ is among the most seen new releases as Zac Efron is a teen sensation all over the world and has had great reviews for this movie. Matthew Perry’s performance is always good to watch for all

‘Friends’ fans.

As for the whole family to sit and enjoy together during the long weekend Roxby Blockbuster staff believes Pink Panther 2 is a wonderful choice as it’s a movie you can just watch over and over again. Laughter is guaranteed.

Mall Cop is also a good family comedy that everyone can enjoy.

As for the young teenagers who have just started school holiday Blockbuster has options for all your school-free days. There are hundreds of movies to keep your children entertained.

Race to Witch Mountain, and Dr Dolittle 5 are good fun.

And Dragonball Evolution brings the young warrior Son Goku on a quest, racing against time and the vengeful King Piccolo, to collect a set of seven magical orbs that will grant their wielder unlimited power. A not-to-miss for the Dragonball cartoon fans.

Young children’s holidays are going to be fun, even when they are at home with the new Scooby-Doo release and the Nutty Professor, where Jerry Lewis voices at least two charac-

U

ters in this animated version of The Nutty Professor, based on the 1963 Jekyll and Hyde spoof in which he starred.

The movie choices are so many at Roxby Blockbuster that the best thing to do is grab the whole family for

a visit.

On Saturdays and Sundays you can rent 2 new and 2 weekly releases for only $12.95.

My personal choices for the ladies would be ‘He’s just not that in to you’ and ‘Sex and the City – the

movie’.

It is also always great to rent some series and just have a whole day with your girlfriends watching a season of ‘Sex and the City’, ‘Friends’ or ‘Gilmore Girls’ – you choose and Blockbuster will have it for you.

Nullarbor fireball cameras find rare meteorite

sing cameras which capture fireballs streaking across the night sky and sophisticated mathematics, a world-wide team of scientists have managed to find not only a tiny meteorite on the vast Nullarbor Plain, but also its orbit and the asteroid it came from.

The research team, including CSIRO scientist Dr Rob Hough, was led by Professor Phil Bland of Imperial College London.

The remarkable “detective” work was detailed in a paper published in Science on September 18, 2009.

Meteorites discovered with known orbits are incredibly rare, so the achievement is a remarkable break-

through in planetary science.

The ability to track meteorites back to their asteroid home also means it is an incredibly cheap way of sampling that asteroid, rather than conducting an expensive space mission.

To find the meteorite, the team deployed three ‘all sky cameras’ on the Nullarbor Plain to form a fireball camera network.

The cameras take a single time lapse picture of the sky throughout the entire night to record any fireballs over the Plain.

Combined with some clever mathematics, researchers were then able to calculate the original orbit of the object and where to search for the meteorite on the ground.

Rob Collins, David Lomman and Iain Boehm proud to be part of the Roxby community.

Local construction business gives back to community

N

By Celeste Lustosa

ational Pipe & Civil Constructions (NPCC) is a local business who attend our region with an office in Roxby Downs and one in Port Pirie, but what they provide is not only good service.

The company has been since present in this region since 1986 and in the old days worked in the shopping and leisure areas of our town, as well as in Andamooka.

“We have four generations of our family living in Roxby and previously Page 12 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

www.themonitor.com.au

in Andamooka,” said David Lomman, Director of NPCC. As well as the family, the business has an amazingly successful history in this region, as might have been a little bit of their sweat in most of the constructions in town.

“We have been working here for so many years and we have always thought it was important to put money back to the community.

“We proudly sponsor the Andamooka Ambulance because we understand that is such an important service and they do need as much help as they can get,” added Mr Lomman.

NPCC also sponsors Andamooka

Football Club, Roxby Scouts and Netball and junior basketball.

But their work with the community doesn’t come only by donating money; they donated their time with volunteer work and get things done.

Amongst their services are landscaping, horticulture, paving, concreting and formwork.

“We have experienced workers with extenensive backgrounds,” affirms Mr Lomman.

For more information or a quote contact the NPCC staff on 8671 0645 or 0426 393 743. You can also email iain.npcc@bigpond.com .

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

2010 Clipsal 500 Adelaide race dates set A

“The date is also a good one in terms of the likelihood of more Gisbergen, Steve Richards, Lee Holdsworth, Tim Slade, Russell cting Deputy Premier Paul Holloway last week announced the dates for the 2010 Clipsal 500 Adelaide favourable weather conditions for both the drivers and spectators Ingall, James Courtney, and Steve Johnson.” alike.”

The promotion will run from 10am to 2pm on Thursday, 15 have been confirmed as March 11-14.

Mr. Holloway also announced that the 2010 Clipsal 500 Adelaide October with the official launch ceremony of the 2010 Clipsal 500

‘This was the date preferred by the South Australian Motor Sport Board and now has been signed off as a result of the Federation Nationale d’Automobile (FIA) and the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) ratifying the international Grand Prix calendar and the V8 Supercar Championship Series calendars,” Mr Holloway says.

‘This date next year (March 11-14, 2010) will maximise the benefit of the Clipsal 500 Adelaide race for the South Australian economy and lines up well with the rest of the State’s event calendar.

Merv Hughes to hit men’s health for six!

Cricket great to visit Roxby Australian Cricketing Legend Merv Hughes will be in Roxby Downs next weekend to help raise awareness for Mens Health.

In his role as Ambassador for Andrology Australia, Merv will play golf at the A Noble & Son Ltd. Mens Health Golf Day on Saturday October the 10th.

This will be the first event of it kind in Roxby, and will be a good step forward in changing the mindset of men when it comes to looking after their own health and wellbeing.

Whilst it is sure to be a fun event the message will be serious, challenging all men to take control of their health issues. Knowing more about your body, how it works, and what diseases can affect it is the first step towards prevention of health problems and a happier, healthier life.

The Golf Day is a two person ambrose, a fun golfing event that takes some of the pressure off those who don’t play regularly.

There is a limit of just 50 teams with players asked to sign on at 8 am for a 9 am tee off.

A spokesperson for the Golf Club said the second playing group will play with Merv Hughes and that privilege will be auctioned off on the day.

All monies raised by the day will be donated to Roxby Health Services to promote men’s health.

Team registration is essential and can be done by contacting Damien Condon via email on deece69@bigpond.com or Robert Charman on Robbo82@internode.on.net no later than October 7.

There will be no late entries or entries taken on the day.

THE MONITOR – Your Community Newspaper

official launch is to be held in Rundle Mall on Thursday, October 15.

‘The event will take over the entire Mall from Pulteney Street to King William Street with a mammoth display of Ford and Holden V8 Supercars, feature race vehicles, a V8 Supercar transporter, free amusement rides, and free face painting throughout ten active display zones,” Mr Holloway says.

The stars of the show will be there with V8 Supercar drivers including Will Davison, Dean Canto, Greg Murphy, Shane Van

Adelaide conducted in the Canopy area of the Mall at 12 noon.

The launch will provide information regarding racing categories, improved spectator amenities, the Jim Beam TrackSounds On-Circuit Concert Series, and the premiere of the 2010 Clipsal grid girl uniforms.

Interviews with the V8 Supercar drivers will also be conducted.

A Ticketek outlet will be available to allow fans to purchase tickets to the event.

Prostate and the PSDA test

For a small organ that doesn’t do much, the prostate sure generates a lot of controversy.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men (not counting skin cancer) and the second highest cause of cancerrelated deaths. That alone should make it one of the more talked-about organs by men of a certain age.

But what gets it so much space in the newspapers and airtime on TV is the controversy about how best to screen for it and treat it.

The only lab test we have for detecting possible prostate cancers is the notoriously unreliable blood chemical called prostate specific antigen (PSA), which first became widely available in 1988.

Released into the bloodstream by the prostate, PSA is thought to aid sperm movement. An abnormally high PSA level in the blood is a sign a man may have prostate cancer.

Trouble is, a high PSA level is not specific to prostate cancer – it can also indicate other prostate conditions. In fact about two thirds of cases of a high PSA turn out not to be prostate cancer at all but some other condition, usually benign prostatic hypertrophy.

So if a man has a raised PSA, he has to have a biopsy of the prostate to determine whether or not he does have prostate cancer.

In most cases, the biopsy will be negative, which means he’s put up with some pain and the (small) chance of complications. www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 13

LIFESTYLE

HAVE YOUR SAY . . .

What do you like the most about School Holidays?

PHOTO

“Going away on holidays in the caravan with the family” Hayley Martin

PHOTO

“You don’t have to go to school” Dee-Arna Bryant

PHOTO

“We can go somewhere, we don’t have school, we can have market day and dads and kids day.”

“No School, free time, and you get to have a lot of sleepovers.”

Amber GoldsworthySpiers

PHOTO

Flynn Noble

Page 14 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

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NEWS

Future-proofing the biodiversity of South Australia’s Arid Lands A new approach will be taken to protect the biodiversity of some of South Australia’s most iconic landscapes, including the sandy deserts, Lake Eyre and the Northern Flinders – just in time for Biodiversity Month.

The South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy has been prepared by the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) in partnership with the South Australian Arid Lands (SAAL) Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board.

Deb Agnew, Acting Manager SAAL NRM, said the strategy will provide direction on how to best to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity in this region.

“The goal of this strategy is to prevent further loss of native species,” she said.

“It is important that the rich biodiversity of the South Australian Arid Lands region, which

covers over 520,000km2 and 53% of our state, is managed for future generations to enjoy.

“This region is a haven for many plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, including the Gibber Dragon and the Archaringa Daisy.

“The strategy aims to conserve these unique species and halt their decline.”

DEH Regional Conservator Geoff Axford said there are a number of priority actions that will help to achieve the goals of the strategy.

“Improving our knowledge and reducing the impacts of climate change, pest species, total grazing pressure, and land use are all priority actions,” he said.

“For example, actions to protect the nationally threatened Slender-billed Thornbill include improving population numbers

by controlling feral animals and promoting appropriate grazing practices.

“Threatened waterbirds like the Banded Stilt rely on the filling of inland lakes for breeding, and we now have detailed information on how to increase the chance of breeding events when water reaches Lake Eyre.

“The strategy recognises the significant and continued effort by government, industries and communities to improve natural resources management.

“It has been developed with a regional focus, enabling local communities and industries to participate in conservation work in their local area.”

The South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy puts into practice the goals of the state-wide nature conservation strategy No Species Loss.

Krystle’s Reviews Resistance: Anita Shreve Touching and captivating

By Krystle Bower

Resistance by Anita Shreve is a novel that takes place during the Second World War in Belgium. The story is of an American pilot, Lt. Ted Brice, who crashed in German occupied Belgium in 1943. Rescued by a young boy and brought to a safe house that is part of the underground Resistance, Ted eventually finds himself hidden in a small attic space under the care of a young Belgian woman, Clair Daussois.

While recovering from his injuries, Ted falls in love with the married woman, and the events that follow deepen the bond between the two and blur the line between the commitment Clair has toward her husband and the physical and emotional attraction she discovers with Ted. The story is one of war, deprivation and sacrifice as well as love and romance, demonstrating the courage and survival of humankind under the most horrific conditions.

The Book is written so there is no single main character and although the story is centred around Ted and Clair and their time spent together, views and opinions of other people are added into the pages enabling Shreve to produce information for the reader that otherwise would not have been attainable.

To create an understanding of the way people thought and acted in those times, there was also the constant flashback and forwards amongst its pages.

Shreve has the ability to produce an mediate action must be taken at a federal level.

“For the Queensland Government to reactivate these water licences would be an act of environmental vandalism,” he said.

“The fact is if you take water out of the Cooper Creek upstream in Queensland, it will severely impact on the Cooper Creek in South Australia, on the Coongie Lakes which are Ramsar-protected under an international convention.”

ending to a story that despite not being a fairytale is still a happy ending, in what we could only describe as realistic and fair.

This story is so touching and captivating it was hard to put down at the best of times, leaving me always wanting to know what happened next.

Verdict:

8/10

Cooper Creek water plan a disaster A wildlife sanctuary manager says reactivating dormant water licences in Queensland would have disastrous effects on the Lake Eyre Basin.

The South Australian Government warns it would prevent billions of litres of water from reaching the Cooper Creek.

SA wants an emergency meeting of state and federal governments in a bid to stop Queensland from proceeding.

The SA Government says there have been no signs that Queensland will back down.

Mark MacLaren manages Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary on the northern edge of Lake Eyre in outback SA and says removing too much water would put at risk the sustainability of the Lake Eyre Basin.

“It would have a big impact on this area, especially biodiversity and changes of the flora and fauna of cen-

tral Australia and take away the livelihood of those who depend on it and the flows the pastoralists need,” he said.

A group of scientists has warned that important wetlands in South Australia, including the internationally-recognised Coongie Lakes would be put at risk.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says an emergency meeting would be just a first step and im-

Bikie control order laws ruled invalid

The Finks Motorcycle Club has struck a major blow last Friday against new laws in South Australia aimed at targeting organised crime.

The laws allow for control orders against recognised members of motorcycle clubs, to prevent them from associating with each another.

Lawyers for the Finks challenged the legislation in the South Australian Supreme Court.

The club was the first targeted under the SA legislation and the

lawyers argued the orders were unconstitutional because magistrates were given no choice but to impose them.

The Supreme Court has ruled that part of the legislation governing control orders is invalid.

A lawyer representing Finks members, Craig Caldicott, says they have been vindicated by the judgment.

“We’ve said from day one that section 14 of the Serious and Organised Crime Act is invalid, it’s draconian and it’s just basically

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un-Australian,” he said.

In light of the judgment, Adelaide Magistrates Court has dismissed seven control orders made against Finks members under the legislation and three other applications for orders.

The court has also ruled the Government should pay costs for the bikies’ lawyers.

South Australia was the first state to impose tougher laws aimed at outlaw bikie gangs and other states have made similar moves since.

www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 15

SPORTS Results Touch Footy: 22/09/2009 Was cancelled due to weather conditions

Wednesday Netball: 23/09/2009 Women’s: HSB 30 defeated Reds 25 DaFunk 29 defeated Pink Ladies 21 Hornridge 37 defeated Tango’s 30 Redbacks 42 defeated Roxby Milkshakes 12 Mixed Wedgies 23 defeated TLCU 16 Black Cats 26 defeated Goal Diggers 9

Nichols top scores in Stableford event

R

oxby Downs Golf Club sponsored a Stableford event last Saturday when 22 golfers took to the course.

Overall winner of the event was Div One player, Craig Nichols who finished the day with 40 Stableford points, just one ahead of fellow Div One players Robert Gray and Glen Mungur, who scored 39.

Nichols, one of the lower handicappers in the club played off 14, while Gray played off a handicap of 18 and Mungur 13, making it a close competition for top spot.

Gray was declared the Division One winner after a countback taking home the prize ahead of

NEWS

Mungur and Craig Smith who scored 35 points.

Division Two winner was Wayne Jordan with 36 Stableford points from Simon Gray on 35 and C. Botes on 34.

Jordan’s handicap of 30 could come under the scrutiny of the handicapper after such a good round.

Ladies/Junior winner was C. Brind who returned to the clubhouse with a score of 39.

Next week golfers will contest a par competition for Diehards and names are to be in by 8.30 am.

Don’t forget the Men’s Health Day nominations when we will have none other than Merv Hughes on course with us. Please put your nominations on the board.

Swim team members from 2008 putting their feet back in the water after the winter lay-off.

The Pool is Open!

O

n Monday, September 28 the pool opened its gates once more for an expected hot summer to come.

Just in time for School holidays, it was a great chance for families to get out and get wet, giving some relief from the more than unusual weather.

It’s a good time now to get in and get active as summer hits Roxby Downs.

The Swim Team is looking out for 2009 to 2010 Season Registration.

If you have not yet registered for the new season and are interested in swimming you should contact the club immediately as places are filling fast and new members are now being accepted.

Training for Senior Squads commenced from Monday, Sep-

tember 28 and Junior Squads will commence training on Thursday, October 15. All swimmers (Senior and Junior Squads) are asked to attend Come and Try Day as this will double as grading to ensure you are assigned to the most suitable squad.

Tuesday, October 13 will be the season’s come and try day, any interested swimmers may attend this session to see what swim club is all about and those swimmers joining for the season will be assigned a training squad.

On the come and try day training will begin at 4.00pm for all swimmers and a BBQ dinner will be supplied at the end of training.

There will be free swimming so that families can meet the coaches and committee and ask any questions about the upcoming season.

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If you are interested in being a part of the local swim club please contact Phillipa Weltner on 0437 426 474 so that sessions can be organised.

Club Secretary Required Please note: The club can not run without a secretary. Please contact Tony McGauchie as soon as possible if you are able to take on this role. A big thankyou to Christine Abbott who is filling in this role until we can find a new secretary.

Official Club Photographer Required The club is seeking anyone who may be interested in taking photos at our club events for the season. So if you want to help the club out and like to take photos please get in touch with Tony McGauchie to find out more about the role.

www.themonitor.com.au

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 17

2009 JUNIOR NETBALL

and the Winners are....

Awards

LAUREN KRUSHKA 11&U: Best on Court in Grand Final 11&U: Association Best & Fairest Winner 11&U: Bullets Best & Fairest

DANIELLE WEIR 13&U: T-Birds Best & Fairest CAITLIN ABBOTT 17&U: Shooters Most Consistent

TORI McGAUCHIE TEGAN PAULL 17&U: T-Birds Best & Fairest

ZOEY MALE 13&U: Association Best & Fairest Winner 13&U: Bullets Best & Fairest

BONNIE MORONEY 17&U: Association Best & Fairest Runner-Up 17&U: Bullets Best & Fairest

PAREWAI THOMAS 11&U: Association Best & Fairest Runner-Up 11&U: Shooters Best & Fairest

ALEX LOWE 13&U: T-Birds Most Consistent

AMY RIGG 11&U: T-Birds Best & Fairest

CASSIE WEIR 17&U: Association Best & Fairest Winner 17&U: Shooters Best & Fairest

GEORGIA MADIGAN 11&U: Bullets Most Consistent

MADDISON CORDY 11&U: Shooters Most Consistent

RENEE ROHRALCH 17&U: Bullets Most Consistent

JESSICA HASSETT 17&U: Best on Court in Grand Final

ALIX MOEAHU 11&U: T-Birds Most Consistent

HANNAH WURFEL 13&U: Best on Court 13&U: Association Best & Fairest Runner-Up 13&U: Rockets Best & Fairest

Page 18 – Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

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SPORT

The youngest dart player in the club, Brendan Cross.

Al Lucas concentrates as he takes aim during last week’s games.

Darts summer season begins

F

by Jennie Hall

ollowing a very successful winter season, which saw 11 teams registered, Darts is back in full swing for their summer season, which runs through to the first week in December.

At the moment, six teams meet every Wednesday evening for a friendly, yet competitive darts competition.

Throughout the season, teams can expect to play one of their

evening matches in Andamooka, whilst the rest are played at the Golf Club in Roxby Downs.

Occasionally players chose to make the trip to either Port Augusta or Port Pirie to compete in various darts tournaments.

Membership, costing $10, is open to all interested persons 13 years and over. Currently, Brendan Cross is the only Junior in the competition, and at 13 years, he encourages other young players to join.

The Darts Association boasts their own fully stocked darts

supplies box, so all equipment can be purchased for a reasonable price upon arrival.

A ‘Come & Try’ Darts event will be held in the near future.

Those who have never played will be teamed with an experienced player in a mystery doubles competition. This event has been successful in the past, and is a great way to learn the aspects of the game.

All those interested in joining this season, should head along to the Roxby Downs Golf Club at 7pm on a Wednesday evening, or contact Steph Asplin on 0439 874 277.

Cricket will launch season with a double header Wednesday night Netball was shifted outdoors because of the dust storms. The indoor courts became too slippery with a fine coating of dust across the playing surface.

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The Roxby Downs Cricket Association is about to start for another season and is looking for more people to get involved.

Returning on Saturday, October 17 the first game is a double header held in Woomera.

With changes implemented in the season it will see new association president Alan Woolford take over from long time member Yogi Secker.

Association member Damian Smith says they are attempting to lift the profile of cricket in Roxby Downs.

“We want to get more people involved,”

he said.

“Not only just players either, we would also like people who might be interested in umpiring or scoring.”

After a successful win at the Adelaide Cricket Carnival last year, the Roxby Downs Cricket association is hoping to participate again in this year’s event.

The association has already welcomed a new team from Andamooka and is positive it will be a great thing for the sport.

“The association itself is moving ahead really well,” Damian said.

“Anyone can come along and be a part, you are all welcome.”

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 – Page 19

SPORT www.themonitor.com.au

Phone (08) 8671 2683

Fax (08) 8671 2843

Get ready, get set, get bowling!

T

by Rob Hutchinson

he Roxby Bowling Club is set to kick off a new season of Night Owls, commencing Friday, October 9 at 6.30pm with a sausage sizzle.

This season, more club improvements will welcome players and their families and changes to the competition should create an interesting spice for all teams.

Following a successful AGM on June 15 the restructured and slightly larger management committee has been looking at ways to further improve the club facilities and night owls.

The old faithful members such as President Tony Jordan, Secretary Robert Hutchinson, Facility Hire Manager Simon James, Bar Manager Steve Stokes, newly appointed night owls coordinators Denise Fitzpatrick and Tony Weir as well as Treasurer Fiona Pillar are keen to build a bigger and more successful club.

Newly appointed as the treasurer, Fiona has been a huge support to the treasurer’s position for the past two years.

Long term committee members Phil Lovelock, Fiona Bilney, Anne Gray and Wendy Williams welcome new members Zane West, Stephen Traeger and Mick Gilmore to the team.

Secretary Rob says that once they finalise the restructuring in terms of sub committee responsibilities they will be able to achieve much more.

“This is a good committee, a great mix of skills and ideas and we have the capability of achieving much for bowls this year,” he said.

“Our future success, however, will be measured by the willingness and commitment of each member to be involved, it is the little things that count and we are a very busy club with much to do.”

Bowlers this year will enjoy improved facilities including new and brighter lighting on the green, a renovated bar complete with outside serving area and an improved modern toilet block.

Changes to the outside area will include new signage from club sponsors and special notices detailing the Protocols and Rules of the Green.

In bowls it is essential to have a level, true and smooth green, and at $150,000 to replace, this synthetic surface represents a considerable financial outlay to the club.

It is therefore important that all bowlers adhere to the guidelines in order to extend the life and maintain the playing surface.

Secretary Rob says it is great that social users of the club can have a roll and feel the thrill of getting a bowl close to the kitty.

“It’s relaxing and fun and as a club we love the atmosphere, this year we will add plastic balls and

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skittles for the kids for those social days so they can play too,” he said.

“The green can suffer if all bowlers don’t follow a few simple rules so that’s why the protocols are necessary.

“The Club would like to resume playing serious competitions including our major tournaments in June and August when bowlers have previously come from all over the state, for these competitions, it’s simple, if your greens aren’t good they won’t come to play.”

President Tony Jordan said having the surface in a true condition is paramount to playing bowls well.

“We have arranged for an independent world bowls green tester to come to Roxby and report on our green, we have had trouble since the initial laying and thought it best to get an outside opinion,” he said.

Denise Fitzpatrick and Tony Weir are taking over the reins for night owls and have put a lot of thought into improving the team experience this year.

The night owls competition will run for 15 weeks, from October 9 through until March 12, 2010 with a break for Christmas.

The last game before the Christmas break will be November 27, recommencing January 29, 2010.

“Having a single season will enable all teams to test their skills against each other, a much fairer option,” said Denise Fitzpatrick.

“All the teams from last season have been notified, the card is full and the draw was done last Sunday.

“I would like to ask all teams to be early each week, especially to register and pay your team fees and for the sausage sizzle on the first night.”

Denise said they have organised great weekly suppers, mystery prizes for teams, giveaways from sponsors and naturally the glasses.

“Starting on time at 7.45pm is vital so that we can all enjoy the after game fun,” said Denise.

On the bowling scene, congratulations to members Steve Stokes, Simon James, Mark Beenham and Rob Hutchinson who represented Roxby Downs at Port Pirie Spring carnival on the weekend of September 10 to 13.

“These guys bowled really well and surprised a few teams who probably wouldn’t have rated us very highly,” Rob said.

Rob Hutchinson, Sue Bennet, Tony Jordan, and Tony Weir have already planned to make visits to Port Pirie every Saturday to play in the Pennant Competition.

The management and members would like to extend a special thanks to existing and new sponsors for their support this year, Big Sky Finance (new) for yearly sponsorship money. Beenham Elite and Raine & Horne for night owls prize money and Coates Hire for EWP use.

Rexel for the new green lights, Mono’s for the stainless steel oven top cover, and Alliance Finance (new) terms yet to be finalised.Let the bowls commence!

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