Letter of the Week
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LL Y O W N
ADVE AD VERT VE RTIS RT ISEM IS EMEN EM ENT EN T
Justine Elliot federal member for richmond
72654
FIGHTS FOR US
KEEP IN TOUCH
A local who understands the North Coast
(07) 5523 4371
Justine lives locally with her husband Craig and their two children. Justine is passionate about the North Coast and is working hard to make our community an even better place to live, work and raise a family. As our local Member of Parliament, Justine understands the North Coast and is always fighting to make sure we get our fair share.
justine.elliot.mp@aph.gov.au twitter.com/jelliotmp facebook.com/JustineElliotMP
Justine fights for us Before becoming our local MP, Justine was a police officer and cares about justice in our community. Justine supports a Gas Field Free North Coast and continues the fight against the Nationals’ pro-CSG policies. Justine fights for us in Canberra against the Liberal and Nationals’ agenda of unfair cuts, broken promises and cruel tax increases.
Gets results for our community Justine Elliot gets results for our community including: $900m for Pacific Hwy upgrades from Banora Point to Tintenbar; $115m invested in 205 projects in 90 local schools; Sporting projects: Tweed’s Arkinstall Park ($5m), Byron’s Regional Sports Complex ($9.5m), Casuarina’s Surfing Centre ($2m); and Community projects: Jack Evans Boat Harbour ($1.8m), Lennox Head Community Centre ($2.7m), Margaret Olley Centre ($1m), Murwillumbah Community Centre ($1.5m), GP SuperClinic ($7m). Authorised by Justine Elliot 107 Minjungbal Minjungb Drive Tweed Heads South
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Liberal / National Party Coalition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that he and his government are looking to increase the GST. The GST is a regressive and unfair tax that hits everybody, but hits low and middle income families and pensioners the hardest. Fact: Liberal / National Party Coalition Leader Malcolm Turnbull would rather tax hardworking Australians and pensioners, than tackle multinational tax avoidance. Labor will not support an increase to the GST, because increasing the tax would inflict the heaviest punishment on those least able to afford it. Instead, Labor has a fair and better plan to make multinationals pay their fair share of tax.
Justine Elliot MP Federal Member for Richmond
Email: justine.elliot.mp@aph.gov.au Phone: 1300 720 675 Office: 107 Minjungbal Drive, Tweed Heads South
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You can’t afford Mr Turnbull’s unfair GST increase!
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Authorised by J Elliot 107 Minjungbal Drive Tweed Heads South
72655
16
LOCAL NEWS
Thursday September 10, 2015
Spreading Christmas cheer
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AS THEY do every year, the Murwillumbah Philharmonic Choir will be sharing the joy of Christmas with visitors of Murwillumbah’s Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre.
Serving the Community since 1946
The Gallery’s Curator - Public Programs, Anouk Beck, said the free choir performance would be held on Sunday 13 December at 1pm.
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“Join the choir in the Gallery foyer for a beautiful rendition of selected Christmas favourites and seasonal songs, accompanied by Beth Brooks on piano,” Ms Beck said. “As the performance is an annual favourite for Gallery visitors, we provide some seating as many people enjoy listening for the duration of the performance. “The choir also provide song sheets so the community can join in.”
Speech to help stop cuts to penalty rates LOCAL MP Justine Elliot spoke in Federal Parliament last week condemning the Federal Government for what she says are unfair plans to cut penalty rates. “There have been increasing calls by many Liberal and National Party members for the reduction or abolition of penalty rates for workers, particularly in the retail and hospitality industries,” she said. “The Government’s review of workplace relations conducted by the Productivity Commission shows they are determined to bring back WorkChoices. “The interim report makes a number of recommendations including a twotier penalty rate system which would cut the penalty rates of every worker in the hospitality and retail sectors. “Many locals are employed in the
hospitality and the retail sector and they and their families rely on penalty rates to make ends meet. “The McKell Institute has undertaken research which has found the impact of the loss of penalty rates will fall disproportionately on those working and living in rural and regional areas. “They found there would be a staggering loss in income of $22.6 million a year collectively to the 6,700 retail workers in the electorate of Richmond. Those cuts to penalty rates would represent a 16.6 per cent loss in take-home pay for the average worker in the Richmond electorate. “The report also highlighted that cutting penalty rates to retail workers would mean a loss of $6.5 million to local businesses. This is a devastating flow-on impact for our local economy.”
Thumbs up for local business Murwillumbah Collision Repair Centre can put the smile back on your face. the customer’s residence. What does everybody need to know when doing a smash repair insurance claim: An important part of the insurance claim is that the customer must know that he or she has ‘the choice of repairer’ and should not be talked into his or her car being taken out of local area for repairs, as you have your own award winning smash repairer right here: Murwillumbah Collision Repair Centre at corner Tweed Valley Way / Quarry Road, phone 02 6672 1555. Describe what your business does: MCRC is the only One Stop Smash Repair Shop in the region, offering five sections: 1.Smash repair and spray painting. 2.Mechanical car services and repairs by local in house mechanic.
3.Car wash, VAC & tyre shine from $ 35. 4.Towing 24 hours by local towing companies. 5.Crash Data Retrieval – first NSW business. What do you believe has contributed to your success? MCRC is the biggest, most modern and best equipped smash repair shop in the region. We are the only Recommended Insurance Smash Repairer in the area, working for all insurance companies. We do all Private and Insurance Work, offering Lifetime Warranty on all repairs. Describe your business values: As the industry and market leader our key values are: Professionalism, understanding the needs of our customers, integrity, reliability, honesty – doing only what is in the best interest of our customers. Tell us about your latest milestones achievements: 1. First green smash repairer in the region, with a new state of the art spray booth, using eco-friendly water based paint, releasing 85% less emissions in the atmosphere. 2. For the sake of the environment, everything is recycled. All metals e.g. smashed parts; all tyres; all pallets; all cardboards. In the workshop all waste goes in different bins: yellow, red, green and blue. www.tweedvalleyweekly.net.au
3. First business in the region fully compliant with the National Work Health Safety Act October 2012 Occupational Health and Safety Requirements and Environmental Act. What key lessons have you learned from successfully overcoming difficulties in your business: “There is always a better way”, this is our motto and for this reason we fix things if possible before they occur. Tell us about your partnerships with local business: MCRC work with many local businesses. Last year we bought over $ 600,000 worth of parts and whatever we can buy locally we do – this is our first commitment. Describe MCRC’s community support: MCRC provides local employment – all our qualified staff are locals. We have two apprentices on site, a young panel beater and a spray painter. Currently we have an opening for a very smart apprentice. MCRC offers one week’s work experience for students from year 10 to 12. We are a member of the Murwillumbah District Business Chamber.
(Find out more on Page 8)
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THE most surprising outcome of the wonderful December 2015 Gala evening at the Tweed Civic Centre in Tweed Heads was that a smart business woman was awarded two years in a row with a total of six awards for her Smash Repair business, an industry dominated by men. Nicoletta GM and owner of Murwillumbah Collision Repair Centre MCRC since 2009 said: “These awards mean, that we are doing excellent work for private customers and all insurance companies.” Tell us, what do these six awards mean to you? Our team is very happy having been chosen as a Winner , we are honored to accept these Awards for excellence and wear the winner’s badge with pride: 2015 Tweed Shire Access and Inclusion Award, Business Category, signed by the Mayor of Tweed. 2015 Tweed Shire Access and Inclusion Award, Belonging Award, signed by the Mayor of Tweed. 2015 Work Health & Safety Member of the Year of the most prestigious Motor Traders’ Association in Sydney. 2015 Excellence in Work, Health and Safety, BEATS Award, sponsored by Work Cover NSW. With this Award MCRC will represent NSW on the national level of Work Cover Award Australia in 2016. 2015 Most Accessible and Inclusive Tweed Business, BEATS Award, sponsored by Tweed Shire Council. 2014 Best Trade, Award for Excellence Tweed Shire, BEATS Award. Why did you win three awards ‘Most Accessible and Inclusive business’ by Tweed Shire Council? We are the business in the Tweed Shire which meets all criteria such as: There is universal access for anybody who wants to come to MCRC from the designated car parks to the wheel chair accessible customer’s toilet. All staff are trained in ‘meet and greet’ with attention to the needs of people with disabilities by accommodating their needs and assisting with all aspects of the insurance claims process. Staff will supervise children in the reception area with the toy box, so that the parents can focus on the claim. A desk with computer and telephone are available to all customers if they wish to launch their own claim at our business. If customers are not able to come in for a quote, our assessor does the quote where the vehicle is, we launch the claim for the customer, drive the car to our business for repairs and days later drive the fixed car sparkling like new, back to
18
LOCAL NEWS
Thursday December 10, 2015
Future of Lot 490 in the hand of Land Council JUST AS soon as Lot 490 at Kingscliff proposed for tourism development. was granted an Aboriginal land claim by the state government, local residents raised fresh concerns as to whether the Indigenous community would sell or allow development at the contentious site. Long-time campaigner for the site and the organiser of Our 490 Ron Cooper told The Weekly that his concerns remain for the future use of the site. “I am still concerned that Lot 490 will be commercially developed,” he said. Mr Cooper said he hoped the Indigenous Land Council acknowledges the hopes of more than 16000 petitioners, who signed a petition calling for the lot to remain a green space for local flora and fauna. “Residents have already done so much,” he said. “Along with the 16000 signatures they have completed 1250 survey forms with 98 per cent wanting no commercial development. They should insist that the state government approve Tweed Shire Council’s draft rezoning that would protect Lot 490 from commercial development with the local state member Geoff Provost MP.” The 38 hectare of land south of Kingscliff has been eyed for development as prime position to the beach and as being some of the last beach frontage in the region. Member for Tweed, Geoff Provest, said the Aboriginal land claim over the Crown land known as Lot 490 at Kingscliff was granted. “The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Niall Blair, granted the claim after an investigation by his department concluded it was claimable Crown land under the Aboriginal Lands Rights Act 1983,” Mr Provest said. “Once the property is transferred to the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council it will be up to the Land Council to decide on the future of the site. “The claim was granted over both lots within Lot 490, including the area that had been
“The investigation found the fact that the land had been vested in Government Property NSW did not affect the land being claimable under the Act as the date that the claim was lodged was prior to the land being vested. “The claim was determined in accordance with S36 of the he Aboriginal Land Rights Act.” Labor’s Richmond MP Justine Elliot told The Weekly she hoped the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council would work with the community to reach an agreement. “I’d encourage the Land Council to work with the community to reach the best outcome,” she said. Mrs Elliot said Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council had handled previous sites at Fingal Heads and other with respect to the local communities by avoiding their development. Tweed Shire Councillor Gary Bagnall said he believes the Land Council will stick by the community. “The Land Council has looked after the interests of Fingal Heads, which was culturally significant,” he said. “I believe Lot 490 has some culturally significant value, but it’s a matter of time to determine where the site goes from here.” Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Leslie Williams recently met with the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council, who identified the determination of Lot 490 as a key priority. “This decision is welcome as the land claims process exists as a compensatory measure to provide economic, social and cultural benefit to Aboriginal Communities”, she said. The Tweed Valley Weekly has attempted to contact the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council for comment on the future use of Lot 490 and we expect a response in the coming weeks. YOUR THOUGHTS: What would you like to see the Land Council do with Lot 490? Send your emails and letters to editor@ theweekly.net.au
Tweed MP Geoff Provest, left, with TBLALC’s Lowena and Des Williams and aboriginal affairs minister Lesley Williams Aerial photo of Lot 490 looking north to Kingscliff
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24
LOCAL NEWS
Thursday December 10, 2015
NEWS BRIEFS
Black Rocks remains issue for koalas THREATENED SPECIES Conservation Society of Council’s responsibilities to koala conservation in the
“The Tweed Coast Koala Habitat Study 2015 (TCKHS) has found that the Black Rocks/Pottsville Wetlands koala source population is stable. In other words, the level of koala activity is as low as it was in 2010,” he said. “In the last one and a half years there have been five known Black Rocks koala deaths (four from stressrelated disease) with no Council report into these deaths. “Koala expert Dr Steve Phillips has recently conducted a study which provides evidence that koalas respond adversely to loud noise and has established a link between disturbance and stress-related disease. This study has been peer-reviewed and will be published next year. “Dr Phillips believes that 30-60 per cent of koalas may have perished in the Christmas Day 2014 Pottsville Wetlands bush fire. TCKHS states that there was no evidence of koala death from this fire, but Dr Phillips states that this is not uncommon after a fire of such intensity.” Mr Norris said that in March 2015 Dr Phillips declared that the Black Rocks sports field and surrounding areas of habitat (which were not affected by the fire) are the last stronghold from where recolonisation can occur and called for a moratorium on development and future use of the sports field. “Until this critical koala cell recovers to more sustainable levels. Council refused to implement this moratorium,” Mr Norris said. “Instead council has reduced koala protection by continuing to leave the vehicle access gates at the sports field entrance open during the day against the recommendations of their Koala Advisory Committee, and is now set to remove them. “The Development Application for a Men’s Shed on the Black Rocks sports field is set to be approved before the completion of the Black Rocks precinct koala study, which was to inform decisions re access and use of the sports field, as recommended by the Office of Environment & Heritage. Dr Phillips (30/9/2014) states: The increasing development pressure being placed on the sports field locality is paramount to an abrogation
Tweed. “If this DA is approved, it will pave the way for a high order sporting facility in the middle of a koala corridor, exposing 1.5km of koala habitat to impactive activities linked with stress-related disturbance and disease, with no opportunity to rehabilitate the sports field with koala habitat/food trees, as recommended by Dr Phillips and other ecologists. “Unless Council significantly increases koala protection and adopts the precautionary principle, the Black Rocks/ Pottsville Wetlands koalas are destined to follow the same spiralling rate of decline as the koalas north of Koala Beach. “The findings of the TCKHS 2015 (ie the number of sites displaying significant koala activity has halved) reveal that Council has failed in fulfilling the primary objective of TCKHS 2011 which is that the primary focus of conservation and management efforts must be to maintain residency (p60) and there are no grounds for complacency and it will only be by effectively managing and recovering the remaining source populations that the whole will be preserved (p62). “This week the Threatened Species Conservation Society has contacted the NSW Minister for Environment the Hon Mark Speakman, Minister for Planning the Hon Rob Stokes, the Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage Mr Terry Bailey and Geoff Provest MP, requesting the State Government to intervene because the Tweed Shire Council does not have the ability or will to protect, and is dysfunctional in protecting, the Tweed Coast’s koala source populations.” YOUR THOUGHTS: Do you support the Tweed Shire Council’s approach towards protecting and assisting the Tweed coastal koala population? Send your view or letters to editor@theweekly.net.au
NSW Health has advised that from last week it is against the law to use an e-cigarette in a car while a child under the age of 16 is present. Drivers caught breaking the law will be fined $250 by NSW Police who will have the power to issue on the spot fines. NSW Health has also written to retailers and key industry organisations to raise awareness about the new bans regarding the display and advertising of e-cigarettes and accessories. For further details call the Tobacco Information Line on 1800 357 412 or visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco THIS Christmas, after buying for family and friends consider one more gift to support the work of Red Cross. “One more gift can be a daily phone call to check on the welfare of an older or isolated person living alone,” says actress and Red Cross Ambassador, Kate Ritchie. “Christmas is not always a joyful occasion many will be lonely or separated from their families over the festive season.” “One more gift to Red Cross can be a hot meal for a homeless teenager on Christmas Eve, clean drinking water for a young child in Myanmar or support for a community trying to rebuild after a fire or flood.” To give one more gift call 1800 811 700 or donate online at redcross.org.au MURWILLUMBAH Cricket Club will be hosting 12 current and past NSW and International players in January for an Invitational game between Tweed XII & Ballina XII. The visit will feature a Legends Dinner at Haven Bar in town with guest speakers Jeff Thomson and Lennie Pascoe @ Tues 19/1 from 6.30pm. Information and ticketing details can be found at our website. http://murwillumbahcc.nsw.cricket.com.au/ There will be significant costs associated in hosting this event for the club in terms of covering player accommodation/ promotional/event costs etc. We would appreciate if you can email a reply or ring myself 0412 084105 if you could assist in the lead up and/or during the event. We will be having an initial meeting tomorrow night Mon 7/12 @ 6pm at the clubhouse with the intent of setting up some sub committees to assist in organising and running the event. Would appreciate every one’s assistance whether small or large for this unique opportunity.
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president Dave Norris has given his views of the Black Rocks/Pottsville Wetlands, after the Tweed Shire Council’s repor revealed little change in koala numbers to the region.
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15% GST ON FRESH FOOD?
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You can’t afford Mr Turnbull’s WARNING
15% GST on everything Authorised by Justine Elliot 107 Minjungbal Drive Tweed Heads South