A leading education academic says Australia’s classrooms are becoming increasingly disruptive and student’s mental health is suffering for it. Rates of disruption and challenging student behaviour in Australian classrooms are on the rise according to research from the University. As a result, they say students are also missing out on learning time and their academic achievement is negatively impacted “Research suggests that students who display disruptive or challenging behaviour at school are more likely to fall behind academically, and the students who are behind academically may be at risk of developing disruptive or challenging behaviour” said Dr. Erin Leif, Senior Lecturer in the School of Educational Psychology & Counselling, Faculty of Education, Monash University. “Experiencing academic and behavioural challenges at school may place students at an increased risk for social and emotional challenges such as anxiety, depression, peer rejection, and social isolation”.  Federal Parliament is currently investigating the problem through its senate inquiry into “The issue of increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms” due to report by July 2023.  “We note reports that there is a wide range of disorderly behaviour and disturbance in classrooms, ranging from small disruptions to more serious behaviours that endanger the safety of kids and school workers”, The Australian Council of State Schools wrote in its submission to the Inquiry.It pointed to a range of causes including “trauma, bullying, poor motivation, difficulty in understanding, tiredness, competing curriculum priorities and the ever-present cycles of assessment”. The Council noted that “Students who are not neurotypical will often express frustration through behaviour”. Not everyone agreesHowever, Stewart Vidler Principal of Coonamble High School told the Western Plains App that he thinks the idea that students are becoming more disruptive than previous generations may not necessarily be true. But he argues this generation of students has more challenges than any other to maintain attention in class – and the cause of that should come as no surprise; technology. “How do you regulate yourself when you are connected 24 hours a day and can communicate with so many people in an instant, no generation has ever dealt with this before,” Vidler told the Western Plains App.  Image: The Conversation. “The cleverest people in the world are being hired by new media companies to grab our attention and they are so damn good at it. So how does a young person keep a sense of who they are and how they relate to their family and friends with all this going on?" "We’ve gone for the phones in pouches policy where we ask kids to keep their phones in their pouches during the day and then it gets unlocked at the end of the school day”. The newly-elected NSW Labor Party is following up on their election promise to extend the mobile phone ban in public schools in NSW from primary to high school students. Meanwhile, the State Education Department told the Western Plains App their focus remains on dealing with more traditional forms of classroom disruption – from the students themselves. “Last year, we strengthened the Student Behaviour Policy and Procedures to enable schools to better manage a range of behavioural issues and to minimise the education lost for students who face a range of disadvantages including students with disability” a department spokesperson said. The stakes are high according to Dr. Leif from Monash University who says that disruptive classrooms are contributing to teacher burnout and a teacher shortage. “Creating multi-disciplinary teams within schools to explore the underlying causes of student disruption and to develop educational interventions to support improved student behaviour may be a useful first step in addressing this problem,” she said. 

News is in of a minor earthquake near Goodooga on Thursday afternoon and, if you felt it, Geoscience Australia would like to know.The tremor occurred just after 3:49pm on Thursday 6 April and was captured by seismic stations hundreds of kilometres away.At this early stage, it is estimated to be of a local magnitude of 3.1 on Australia's magnitude scale.The epicentre of the earthquake was more than 20 kilometres east south east of Goodooga towards Angledool Lake and thought to have occurred around 10 kilometres below ground.Geoscience Australia runs around one hundred seismic stations across the continent to locate and record earthquake magnitudes.The station closest to this quake is at Roma, Queensland 314 kilometres away, which measured the tremor at 3:50:20pm on Thursday 6 April, followed by the station at Cobar, 325 kilometres distant, just a couple of seconds later at 3:50:23pm.According to Senior Seismologist with Geoscience Australia, Tanja Pejic, the depth of a quake is one of the most difficult characteristics to estimate."We need stations to be really close to the epicentre and that's not the case here, with the closest in Roma hundreds of kilometres away," she said."However Australia commonly experiences shallow quakes of between five and ten kilometres so there's no reason why this should be any different."Ms Pejic says that earthquakes of this scale are not uncommon."We do get earthquakes of this magnitude all over the content," she told the Western Plains App. "We record about 100 per year across Australia."However quakes are not so common in the region around Goodooga."Since 2000 we've recorded only 22, so that's about one per year, which is not unusual," Ms Pejic said. "At magnitude 3 we would expect to see it recorded at stations 1000 kilometres away."The location of the epicentre of the earthquake on Thursday 6 April was longitude 147.68 and latitude -29.16. SOURCE: Geoscience AustraliaDid you feel it?As of Monday 10 April, there have been no reports to Geoscience Australia by people who noticed the earthquake on Thursday."Between magnitudes of 2.5 to 3 it would be a sudden jolt and a little shake of no more than five seconds," Ms Pejic said. "People often report noises. They say it sounded like a truck going by or a deep rumble in the earth.""We do like people to report them," she said. "We use what they report for hazard assessments across Australia so it is helpful for our research."If you were in the area and would like to report what you felt, go to Geoscience Australia and click on the button on the right hand side that says 'I felt this earthquake'."Questions will pop up, with about a dozen questions," Ms Pejic said. "People can submit any detail they can recall." Quake scaleThe Goodooga earthquake is considered to be minor and similar to most which occur in Australia.Earthquakes are measured on a scale of 0 - 9 and, although this quake is yet to be formally reviewed by Senior Analysts - who won't return to work until tomorrow (Tuesday 11 April) - 3.1 ML is the preliminary estimate.To put this in perspective, the Sumatran earthquake of 2004 which caused a devastating tsunami was measured at a magnitude of 9.2 and the Japanese earthquake of 2011 was around 9 to 9.1."These are very rare and only occur in certain tectonic conditions," Ms Pejic said. "Anything above a magnitude 6 is a pretty decent shake and in Australia we mostly have small earthquakes.""Magnitudes 3 are really common. They are just reported as 'felt' and rarely cause any damage," she said. "The Newcastle earthquake in 1989 was 5.4 - anything above 4 or 4.5 that is near a population area will be more damaging."If you were in the area around Goodooga, Angledool or Lightning Ridge on Thursday afternoon and have something to report please click here.If you would like to share your experience with the Western Plains App please Contact Us.

With flu season quickly approaching, NSW Health are among medical groups recommending influenza vaccinations, for anyone aged over six months of age. After low incidences of flu in 2020 and 2021 due to covid induced lockdowns, social distancing and a focus on sanitizing everything from hands to counter tops, last year's national flu numbers were higher but still considered low on average. Now, some say there are signs that 2023 may see flu cases flourish.In 2022, there were 225,332 notifications of confirmed influenza and 308 flu associated deaths across Australia. New South Wales had the second highest infection rates in the country with 1,387 people per 100,000 population contracting the flu. According to NSW Health, the 2022 flu season started early and was shorter than average. What will happen this year is anybody's guess but, even at this early stage, Colin Best, owner and pharmacist at Trangie Pharmacy has had people coming in to his business for immunisations for both influenza and also Covid boosters. Currently, he said he is immunising people aged over 18. "We definitely saw less flu cases during Covid but last year was challenging in regard to flu, particularly as we ran out of immunisation stocks and were unable to get more until later in the season," Mr Best said. Mr Best, moved to Trangie from Brisbane two years ago and said he loves the town."I wanted to move to a rural community," he said. "So when this business came up, I decided to make the move and I'm glad I did. The community here is great."Trangie Pharmacy, like others around the region, are already gearing up for the flu season. Mr Best said, along with the flu immunisation, it is important to get a covid booster. "There is an updated covid vaccination which offers better protection against the newest variant," he said. "I am more than happy to chat with people about what they might need." Free seasonal influenza vaccine is funded under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for the following groups at higher risk of complications from influenza:all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over all children aged 6 months to less than 5 years of age all individuals aged 5 years and over with medical risk conditions, namely: cardiac disease, including cyanotic congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure chronic respiratory conditions, including suppurative lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe asthma (for which frequent medical consultations or the use of multiple medications is required), cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and chronic emphysemachronic neurological conditions, including hereditary and degenerative central nervous system (CNS) diseases (including multiple sclerosis), neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injuries and seizure disorders, immunocompromising conditions, including immunocompromised due to disease or treatment (e.g. malignancy, transplantation and/or chronic steroid use), asplenia or splenic dysfunction and HIV infection, diabetes and other metabolic disorders, including Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and chronic metabolic disorders, chronic renal failure, haemoglobinopathies and children aged 6 months to 10 years on long term aspirin therapy pregnant women (influenza vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy) people aged 65 years and over (a vaccine that is specifically designed to produce a higher immune response is available for this group) "Thankfully we have had no issues with vaccine stock so far," Mr Best said. "And while its early in the season, now is a good time to get immunized before the cold weather sets in and the flu season peaks." If you have flu symptoms, or have been diagnosed with flu, it is important to stay home and avoid contact with others until your symptoms have gone. Trangie Pharmacy is just one of many health outlets across the Western Plains where flu and covid vaccines can be accessed. 

Amateur athletes who incur head injuries while playing sport are often left permanently impaired and uncompensated in games without clear concussion guidelines according to several high profile groups.The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says more than 2,300 sports head injuries led to hospitalisation in the 2019-20 period and 80% of those involved concussion.Sporting concussions exist in both a kind of legal, regulatory and medical no-man’s land - the long-term impacts of concussion are not entirely known, there are no national guidelines for sporting organisations on how to prevent or deal with concussions, while legally the question of liability remains somewhere between uncertain and uncompensatable.On 1 December 2022, the Senate referred an inquiry into concussions and repeated head trauma in contact sports to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry.Many have told that inquiry that of lack of accountability around sporting concussion is failing those injured.Concussion Australia told the inquiry that “At this stage all sporting associations (and stakeholders at large: governments, parents, coaches, society) have failed to support former players living with concussion”.The Royal Austalian College of GPs said that “Sport governing bodies need to adapt rules of contact sports, where relevant, to prioritise prevention of concussion in the first instance.”There is also concerns about whether a concussed athlete with possible long-term damage is given any coverage in the courts. Shine Lawyers told the inquiry “Despite the seriousness of the injury, the legal landscape in Australia has been stacked against players, meaning not only can they not afford access to treatment or to support their families; there is also little by way of consequence for sporting bodies to reform, inform, warn, or make the sports safer for Australians at all levels.”Concussion Australia agreed saying “The pending concern of associations and clubs in our view remains with legal liability compared to supporting current and former athletes with concussion and concussion related injuries”.A quarter of all hospitalisations for concussion caused by sport, were related to contact sports which include Australian rules football, basketball, combative sports, and rugby union and league.The NRL recently announced its previously more club-based discretionary concussion stand-down process would be replaced by a mandatory 11 days off-field for players who have been diagnosed with what they are calling “category one” concussion. While the AFL updated its concussion guidelines in 2021 and gave players a mandatory stand-down period of 12 days.A spokesperson from the Cobar Rugby League club told the Western Plains App that the issue of individual responsibility had been overlooked in this debate.“It’s not the game’s fault if someone has a head injury. You know that there a might be a chance that you could get a head injury when you agree to play the game. You’ve got to take personal responsibility. Rugby clubs are usually made up of volunteers after all.”He was worried that modified versions of rugby were making players less resilient to “hard knocks” and less skilled in regard to tackling.“Playing league tag, for example, means that young people are not learning how to tackle or fall properly” he said.“Learn how to tackle when you start playing when your five years old, then by the time you get to 12 that’s seven years and there is less of a chance a head injury will happen”.The inquiry is currently due to hold public hearings at the end of April with its report due in June.

Team Moorambilla has been back on the road visiting schools throughout the Warrumbungle region.Artistic Director of the award-winning Moorambilla Voices multi-arts program, Michelle Leonard and her team are selecting primary and secondary students from Baradine to Bourke, and all towns in-between, to participate in the annual residency camps, video recordings and tours.In August each year, over 300 students attend camp in Baradine, where they dance, sing, compose, create, play drums and learn about the cultural traditions and stories of their landscape. This is delivered in partnership with professional musicians, performers, composers, choreographers and visual artists.Now in its eighteenth year, Michelle says the workshops form the backbone of the creative music program and allow every child to experience some Moorambilla magic.“Connecting with schools and watching the children grow up is beautiful; you see them every year and you are watching them grow,” Michelle said. “Their voices and their lives are changing, but they know that I am going to come and cherish their skills and their joy and put them into an ensemble that will make them really happy.“Over the years, Moorambilla’s skill development workshops have been delivered for free in schools across NSW to over 42,000 children. Now that’s a lot of love, laughter and singing.” Designed for students from years 3 to 12, the workshops focus on music literacy and support the development of confidence, self-esteem, resilience, teamwork and creativity.ABOVE: Artistic Director of the award-winning Moorambilla Voices multi-arts program, Michelle Leonard Michelle says that a spectacular cultural shift has been the biggest change she has seen over the years.“We have really helped start conversations around inclusion and respect, not just for regional and remote children and communities to be respected and included in artistic conversations, but about how we connect to country, and how amazing and glorious the heritage and the worldview of this country is,” added Michelle. “What is more, we have done it all through the vehicle of arts. Positive“A lot of studies say that communities and children that sing together have better mental health outcomes; they have this collective pursuit for a common goal that is positive and beneficial to emotional and physical health.  “We sing when we want to express happiness, we sing and we dance; when we want to try and work through sadness We sing; it is a normal human thing that is believed to be pre-speech. “But to have the opportunity do it in the language from the area you grew up in and about what you know and to have that recognised and celebrated on stage to an audience is just wonderful. I wish I had had that when I was growing up in Coonamble.”From Saturday 1 April forty-five members of the high school MaxedOUT company spent four days in Baradine to collaborate with world-class artists to create a multi artform digital music video exploring connection to Country and featuring the artwork of long-term collaborator and Gamileroi visual-artist Frank Wright.Skills“Participants honed their skills in taiko drumming, choral and contemporary dance,” Michelle said.  “The distinctive sound of thunderous Taiko drumming resonates through the community as the energy and spirit of the Moorambilla MaxedOUT company is felt far and wide.“This workshop featured long-term Moorambilla artists Anton Lock and Ryuji Hamada, dance with Wiradjuri choreographer and NAISDA graduate Neville Williams-Boney, choral performance and artist Frank Wright.  “This Taiko intensive culminates in the filming of another fabulous video for the gala performance towards the end of the year.  We will be filming in some of the amazing landscapes in and around Baradine and the Pilliga Forest.“Here’s to a year of energy, excellence and excitement as we work with the region's children and youth to create Riversong 2023.”  

With just a couple of days left, Lachlan Shire Council is reminding local motorists that double demerit points will apply on NSW roads from Thursday 6 April until Monday 10 April 2023 (inclusive) as police encourage road users to look out for each over the Easter break.During these five days, double demerit points will apply for all speeding, seatbelt, motorcycle helmet and mobile phone offences.Parkes Highway Patrol Sergeant Adam Cornish has indicated that Police will also be targeting other high-risk behaviour including drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving."We are expecting roads to be busy with people travelling across NSW for the long weekend. Our message is to be patient, obey the road rules and drive to conditions. We want everyone to reach their destination safely and to enjoy the long weekend without tragedy."I ask all drivers to play their part in reducing crashes and risks. Remember to slow down, schedule plenty of breaks, limit distractions in the car, don't mix alcohol or drugs with driving and ensure you and all your passengers are wearing seatbelts," Sergeant Cornish said. Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils' Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, says that Police enforcement figures show that double demerit points do deter motorists from speeding and not wearing their seatbelt/helmet when roads are at their busiest."Double demerits were implemented 20 years ago, in a bid to encourage drivers to obey road rules during busy traffic periods," she said."They occur on select holiday periods and long weekends and have proven to be an effective deterrent. Statistics show that there's a 30 percent reduction in casualty crashes when double demerit points are operational.""Drivers are reminded that mobile phone detection cameras will be active over the Easter break to catch people illegally using their phone whilst driving. Drivers will face a $362 fine and accrue 10 demerit points for all licence classes during the double demerit long weekend," Ms Suitor said.

Excited youngsters joined equally excited young-at-heart rail enthusiasts at the Narromine Railway Station on April 3 as two heritage rail motors brought separate tour groups to town.   Four-year-old Logan McLeod was one of more than 50 people who welcomed the rail motors and their visitors. Mum Jesmond McLeod said they had detoured on the way to playgroup especially to see the rail motors arrive.  A similar love of trains and travel had also enticed young-at-hearts Peter and Daphne Johnson to the station as well as Robyn Masling.  "I just love trains," said Mrs Masling, who has travelled on the Indian Pacific and The Ghan.  First to arrive at 10 am was a two-car diesel rail motor carrying a sold-out Railway Adventures tour heading for the Narromine Aviation Museum. Scott McGregor is glad to be back in NarromineNow in its tenth year and helmed by former actor and television presenter Scott McGregor, Railway Adventures is a regular visitor to Narromine. The tourists headed off for their visit and morning tea at the Aviation Museum, while the locals took the opportunity to have a closer look at the 1961 600/700-class rail motor. Roma Everett, Robyn Masling, Karen Coffee, Valmai Dollery, Luca Roko with Emily Jones, and Judy Brennan enjoyed the rail motors' visit.  The enamoured locals didn't have to wait long for the second visiting tour to arrive. Operated by the Rail Motor Society from Paterson, NSW, the vintage 400-class single-car diesel rail motor rolled into the station to the delight of those waiting on the platform.  Malcolm Radburn, Robyn Masling and Daphne Johnson at Narromine Station. Photos: Sharon Bonthuys. Rail Motor Society secretary, Mick Walsh, said the immaculately maintained rail motor was built in 1938 and was carrying a charter organised by the Australian Historical Railway Society (AHRS).   "The tour will travel on to Parkes and Cootamundra before heading back to Paterson via Sydney," Mr Walsh said of the five-day tour.  Hailing from Sydney, rail enthusiast Peter Gray was one of the 18 passengers aboard the AHRS tour.   "I'm really enjoying the nostalgia of the train travel," he said.  "The best thing about this tour is that we get to relive the good old days when these type of trains used to travel on these lines," he said, indicating he takes as many rail tours as he can manage. Passenger Dennis Hinchliffe (centre) with tour staff Mick Walsh (left) and Michael Baczynskyj at Narromine. Nostalgia was one of the reasons that brought local young-at-heart Malcolm Radburn down to the station for the rail motors' visit to Narromine.  "In the early 1940s I used to catch the train from Ceres Siding to Trangie for school," he said.   He recalled that the train would stop to collect students from the Maynard, Moore and Barnett families at Mungeribar on the way, and they invariably arrived late for school each day.  "I used to miss the arithmetic of a morning," he said with a smile and a wink.  Seasoned traveller Valmai Dollery came down to view the arrivals with her friend Karen Coffee. Mrs Dollery said the heavy demand for popular long-haul train trips had prevented her from travelling on one, but she was inspired to take a shorter trip.   "I can't get on [the Indian Pacific]. It's booked out. They told me I could book in two years but I don't know where I'm going to be in two years.  "I love travelling and I'd love little trips like this," she said of the chartered tours visiting Narromine.  Mr McGregor was stunned by the transformation of the Narromine Railway Station since his previous visit.   "Look at this station, it's great! Not like last year," he said. Logan McLeod, 4, with mum Jesmond, waves to the Railway Adventures rail motor as it arrives in Narromine.  In April 2022 Mr McGregor's tour group was greeted by a distressed-looking heritage station that was overgrown with weeds, unemptied bins and unsightly graffiti tags on the station and its outbuildings.   Following significant work by asset owner Australian Rail Track Corporation over the past year, Narromine Railway Station is in good nick, well cared for and permanently tenanted by a community service organisation.  It is certainly a much warmer and welcoming space for the periodic rail motor tours and the visitors they bring to town. 

A July 1 deadline requiring all aged care homes to have a Registered Nurse on-site 24 hours a day seven days a week has Nursing Homes across Central Western and Far West NSW under immense pressure.   With an already-critical shortage of available nurses, beds are closed in some of our region's facilities and local elderly residents are being forced to moved away from their family to seek accommodation, causing distress to both patients and families.   Despite actual beds being available in the centres, the crippling lack of nursing staff means they will remain empty until a solution can be found.Now there are fears that facilities will face closure if the new government enforces this policy.   Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton is calling on the Labor Government to immediately address whether they will require struggling aged care homes to meet rigid staffing requirements by July or risk closure.    The Labor Government announced an Aged Care Reform as part of its 2022 election commitments off the back of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which included a requirement that all aged care homes must have a Registered Nurse on-site 24 hours a day 7 days a week from 1 July 2023.   For an aged care sector already struggling with workforce shortages, Mr Coulton believes this announcement could see facilities face closure or financial penalties if they cannot meet the requirements by the set deadline.   ABOVE: Mark Coulton MP “The Government has caused serious distress and uncertainty for aged care providers, the older Australians they care for and their families by bringing forward the Royal Commission’s timeline and imposing these rigid requirements,” Mr. Coulton said.   “The Coalition supports older Australians receiving the best possible care, however imposing unrealistic requirements on aged care homes who are already suffering severe staffing shortages has only added to the pressures they face.    “This week Aged Care Minister Anika Wells acknowledged that the Government’s legislated policy is not deliverable due to the impacts of the workforce crisis, however vulnerable aged care homes remain in a state of uncertainty about what will happen to them if they cannot meet the current or any future deadlines imposed.   “Minister Wells has admitted that it is nursing homes in rural and remote areas who are most at risk of not being able to meet the July deadline. Much of the Parkes electorate fits this category; any closure of aged care homes in these areas has a serious and severe impact. It directly affects the ability of older people in rural towns to stay in the places where they have lived, worked and built connections over many years.    “I have had many older Australians and their families contact me because they have difficulty accessing aged care in their own towns. I have had aged care providers reach out because they are struggling to provide a service to their communities.    ABOVE: Anika Wells Aged Care Minister “I have written to Minister Wells on this matter. She and her colleagues should know that in this part of the world, the impact of the workforce crisis is deeper and more difficult to overcome. This has been made worse by the fact that delays in Visa processing put additional uncertainties on many staff currently working in the sector.    “We cannot afford to lose any of our aged care homes in the Parkes electorate. Often my constituents have hundreds of kilometres separating them from the next option if they cannot access care in their town. They cannot just skip over to the next suburb.    “I am calling on the Labor Government to make a clear guarantee to aged care homes in the Parkes electorate that none of our aged care facilities will be closed either now or in the future as a result of unrealistic policy requirements,” Mr. Coulton said.    ABOVE: Glen Neill Mayor of Bogan Shire Bogan Shire Mayor Glen Neill is disturbed with the news and says Bogan Shire Council will work hard to keep its local facility open for community members.    “Our hospital and nursing home Glennie Hostel are the life blood of our town. We will do everything in our power to keep our aged facility open and functioning for the benefit of our community members and their families,” he said. 

 Trangie residents will be thrilled to know the new fuel facility is on track to be opened by the end of April. Not only that, there are plenty of jobs on offer for locals from new owners, Inland Petroleum. Harry Mooring, Business Development & Sales Manager for Inland Petroleum, was excited to announce that site construction has started "big time". "We will be well and truly done by the end of April, although initially it will be a self-serve set up with bowsers and a card machine," he said. "The shop facility will then be built but we are advertising for staff now so we are ready to go." Jobs on offer include console operators, cooks and managers. "There are plenty of job opportunities for locals and we really want to hire people in the towns we service," Mr Mooring said. "Inland Petroleum have already re-employed the people who were at the Ampol facility when it shut in December because we really want to see local people staying in the region." Besides Trangie, Inland Petroleum owns several fuel stations across the Western Plains area including facilities at Gilgandra, Narromine, Cobar and Condobolin and will soon be operating in Coonamble as well. All up they employ 192 people in maintenance and logistics. Born and raised on the Western Plains, Mr Mooring himself is one such local employed by Inland Petroleum."I grew up on a family farm near Louth," he said. "When I was older I moved to Dubbo and now have worked for Inland Petroleum for five years." Mr Mooring said he regularly spoke to customers in the area and knew most of them personally. "We can chat about the local footy teams as well as what fuel they want." he said. Mr Mooring pointed out that Inland Petroleum were not about taking over from other local businesses in Trangie, but rather working with them."I've spoken to the café owners in Trangie and we're certainly not trying to take away from their business with the shop side of the fuel station, rather we will be the place to come late at night and other times like that." "As a local person myself, I don’t like to see people leaving our small towns so I encourage locals to apply for the positions we have available. We generally offer flexible shifts and find positions most suitable to those who apply," he said. Mr Mooring said the best place to check out the available positions was on seek.com.au.

Monday March 20, saw 250 "shitbox" vehicles roll into Cobar, raising money for cancer research, before driving out on Tuesday Mar 21 on their way to Tooleybuc.   The Summer 2023 Shitbox Rally started in Rockhampton on Saturday Mar 18, came via Tambo, Eulo into Cobar. From Cobar the cars went to Tooleybuc, then to the Spirit of Tasmania (Geelong), they offloaded at Devonport, onto Strahan before finishing on Friday March 24 in Hobart.   ABOVE: Some of the Summer 2023 Shitbox Rally participants parked in front of the iconic Cobar sign [Credit: Shitbox Rallies]  The object of the Shitbox Rally is not a race, rather a challenge to achieve the unthinkable. To drive cars worth just $1,500 across Australia via some of its most formidable roads, all in the name of charity. Each two person team is required to raise $5000, with proceeds going directly to the Cancer Council to fund cancer research.  A Shaw Thing The Autumn 2023 Shitbox Rally, Cobar will have a bit more of a personal connection, with one of the teams being partly based in Cobar. A-Shaw Thing is Justin Williams and Ben Ormsby's team name and they are doing the rally in the memory of "Amy Shaw, a beautiful soul, daughter, sister, amazing friend but most importantly a loving fiancé to my best friend and co-driver Justin Williams", Ben Ormsby told the Western Plains App.  ABOVE: Justin WIlliams and Amy Shaw. Amy is the inspiration for Justin and Ben's Shitbox Rally Team - A Shaw Thing [Image supplied]  "Amy was 27 years old and unfortunately lost her battle with Adrenal gland cancer last year only a month before her and Justin were due to be married," said Ben."I moved to Cobar a few years ago when I started working out here in the mines and met my partner and start a family.".  "I’m originally from Kiama on the south coast but love our small mining town community here. "We’ve been absolutely blown away by the donations that have come in not just from family and friends but also the locals from both our towns" Mr Ormsby told the Western Plains App.  ABOVE: Ben Ormsby posing with the A-Shaw Thing "shitbox", which is getting to participate in the Autumn 2023 Shitbox Rally [Image: Supplied]  At the time of writing, A-Shaw Thing have raised more than the required $5000, with almost $7000 raised. If you would like to follow or support the A-Shaw Thing team see their team page.  The Summer 2023 Shitbox Rally has so far raised in excess of $2 million dollars. If you want to find out more about the Shitbox Rallies, check out their website.  

Populations of Australia’s home-grown alternative to the Easter Bunny are growing.Recent Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) surveys have confirmed that populations of Bilbies, are experiencing a boom within five protected sites, including the conservation area located in the Pilliga Forest.  As a result of the annual Bilby Census, the overall estimated population at the AWC sanctuaries is at least 3,315, more than double the 1,480 estimated individuals in 2022 and 1,230 in 2021. The AWC says that the generous rainfall across most of Australia replenished the landscape and provided good conditions for breeding. Dr John Kanowski, AWC Chief Science Officer has welcomed the increase in the overall Bilby population, saying it reiterates AWC’s position as a global leader in successful threatened species reintroductions. “The Greater Bilby once occurred across 70% of mainland Australia, and sadly, is now only found within some 20% of its former range,” said Dr Kanowski. “This decline represents the loss of our natural heritage, the loss of cultural heritage for Indigenous people, and the disruption of important ecological processes. As ‘ecosystem engineers,’ Bilbies turn over several tonnes of soil per annum to create fertile pockets and perfect germination conditions for plants.  “Through fenced refuges, such as those established by AWC, we have been able to return the Bilby to six ecosystems from which they’ve become extinct and provide them with safe environments in which they can safely breed and fertilise their numbers.“Re-establishing the species across its former range is also important for maintaining long-term adaptive potential.”During surveys over the last year, ecologists were thrilled to encounter several juveniles and pouch young. In fact, 17 of 25 females captured during the Pilliga’s December survey were carrying pouch young.  The AWC says that detections of young animals are a significant measure of the Bilby’s ability to survive into adulthood within the safe havens. The process of breeding also means new recruitment of individuals for the protected populations which will contribute to larger population estimates in the near future. ReintroducedSince the Greater Bilby was reintroduced to the Pilliga State Conservation Area in 2018, the population has undergone boom and bust in line with weather conditions. Last year, despite the turmoil of two flood events, Bilbies maintained good numbers with a population estimate of 175 individuals and signs of successful reproductive recruitment. Bilbies were reintroduced to the Pilliga almost a century after disappearing from the north-west NSW landscape. AWC with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) released 60 individuals into a 680-hectare feral predator-free breeding area, where they have stayed until the final predator was recently declared removed from the wider 5,800 ha fenced area. Dr Vicki Stokes, AWC Senior Wildlife Ecologist, said survey results indicate that the population is doing well, and they are likely to thrive in the wider fenced area. “The Pilliga experienced two extreme weather events in October and November last year which we believe contributed to a discrepancy between survey results and population estimates in July and December 2022,” explained Dr Stokes. “High rainfall and flash flooding of creeks and forest areas may have resulted in mortality of some Bilbies, particularly if burrows were impacted by the floods. “However, the high proportion of females with pouch young encountered during the December survey, coupled with the healthy body weights and body condition of captured animals and sightings of numerous juveniles in February, suggest that the species continues to do well.”

It’s certainly the time to have a bit of a break and maybe in that time consider some of life’s big issues.Spiritual celebrations this time of year have their roots in the spring equinox for the pagans. An equinox is when the crosses the celestial equator and when day and night in the western hemisphere are roughly at equal life.  For pagans, this makes this time of year traditionally sacred.About 300 years after the death of Christ, a Roman governing group known as the Council of Nicaea decided that Easter’s celebration should all on the first full moon of the spring equinox. The celebration of nature’s rebirth and renewal merged with the notion of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.Easter in Coonamble sees the 'rise' of Jesus over the main street. The tradition, organised by parishioners of the Catholic Church, is to remind locals and visitors of the 'real meaning' of Easter. Cobar’s resident Anglican Minister Reverend James Daymond told the Western Plains App that “The Easter message is central to the Christian faith. What we know is that God has shown his love for us by sending his son to die on the cross. The resurrection shows us that everything that Jesus says is true. It assures that there is life after death for all of us who trust in Jesus”.“The New Testament shows we have a loving god not a harsh and punitive God. We know he is a loving God, but also not a God to be messed with”.“Jesus died for our sins – our greed, our envy, our thieving” he said.Image: Australian Imans CouncilThis time of year is also Ramadan - which for Muslims started on the 22 March and ends on April 21. During Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, often finishing each day with a celebratory dinner between friends.“In Ramadan, we show a collective act of worship in the presence of Allah as we wait for the divine invitation to the table of blessings at the time of breaking the fast” Keysar Trad from the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils told the Western Plains App.Ramadan a period where Muhammed is thought to have receive his first messages from an angel which led to him to write the Quran.“It shows us that there is more to life than the physical body. It tells us that we our spiritual beings” Trad said.He echoed Reverend Daymond’s suggestion that “we have a loving God” but added Ramadan is a time to reflect on the fact “God has certain expectations of us, including treating other human beings with kindness”.Maybe if there is one more link that draws those together it’s the tradition of lent.Lent is a religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan.“Lent season is a chance to grow closer to God and to think about Jesus’ sacrifices for us,” a spokesperson from the St Augustine Catholic Church in Narromine told the Western Plains App “It’s a chance to focus on God and less on ourselves.”

Two days of red dust, dirt bikes and rally cars kicked off the Easter season in Condobolin last weekend, with the Annual Condo 750 bringing in a large crowd of off-road enthusiasts from across the state.  The Condo 750 (seven-fifty) is an off-road navigational rally for cars, motorbikes, buggies, quad bikes and side cars that has been held in Condobolin since 1988 - enduring 31 years of racing before Covid-19 caused a three year hiatus.  This year the event was revved up and roaring to go with a fresh, enthusiastic committee who had poured many hours into the event well before the starting guns sounded. “There were some pretty scary times in the lead up to this event,” said President of the committee, Bruce Patton.  “After a few years off there were some fears that we might not be able to come back but thankfully we managed to pull this one off with great success,” he said.  Saturday April 1st and Sunday 2nd consisted of two days of racing whereby spectators and crews were able to follow the journey with multiple vantage points, and a common service and lunch stop both days at Vermont Hill complete with top-notch country catering provided for lunches.A presentation evening was held on Sunday where the results were celebrated. In the motorbike section, first place overall went to Condobolin’s own professional dirt bike racer Jacob Smith, with second place claimed by Lachlan Manwaring and third by Toby Hederics. IMAGE: Overall winners in the motorbike section (left-right) Lachlan Manwaring, 2nd, Jacob Smith, 1st, Toby Hederics, 3rd.In the Auto section, driver William Dunn and his navigator Gareth Evans finished first overall, while Geoff Olholm and John Doble made it across the line shortly after. Daniel Jones and navigator Bernard Weber claimed the third prize overall.IMAGE: Overall winners in the Auto section (left-right) Geoff Olholm and John Doble, 2nd, William Dunn and Gareth Evans, 1st, Bernard Weber and Daniel Jones, 3rd. Other awards included The Ray Davis Memorial Trophy which was presented to Geoff Smith & Bruce Broad in acknowledgment of their consistent and enthusiastic volunteer work throughout the year, and the Andrew “Butch” L’Estrange Memorial Trophy, which was awarded to Don Lark who came closest to the position where Butchy finished his last 750.IMAGE: The Ray Davis Memorial Trophy was presented to Geoff Smith and Bruce Broad for consistent and enthusiastic volunteer work throughout the year. (left-right) Geoff Smith, Grant Davis, Bruce Broad and Brayden Davis. A special mention was also given to Zac Manwaring who participated in his first race since a horrific motorbike accident in 2019. The accident left him with head traumas and placed him in an induced coma for a week. It has been a long journey to recovery over the past four years, but Zac says he couldn’t be happier to be back on the bike again. “This is my first race back on the bike and probably the biggest race I have ever done,” he said. “I would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their support over the last four years to get me back to where I am now, it really means a lot.”Zac achieved first in the H1 class and 7th overall in the motorbike section and was awarded Rookie of the Year. IMAGE: Geoff Smith presenting Zac Manwaring with Rookie of the Year Award.President Bruce Patton thanked all the volunteers, sponsors and competitors for all their effort in helping to make the weekend a success. “This event simply could not run without any of our volunteers, sponsors, competitors and generous landholders who let us access their properties for the race - we really appreciate it,” he said.“There aren’t a lot of communities around that could host an event like the 750 so to the community of condo across the board, thank you - you guys are incredible.”If enough volunteers and committee members can band together in 2024, the event should continue to be an annual one on the Condobolin calendar. 

Australians in sparsely populated rural and regional areas are about five times more likely to die in road crashes than those in urban areas, according to the peak body for Australia’s state-based motoring clubs. The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has found this alarming discrepancy by in data from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, but the AAA says there is needs to be more precise data for the problem to be better understood. It found the per capita road death rate for regional NSW in 2022 was 9.7 deaths per 100,000 people, while the corresponding rate for Sydney was 1.67 deaths per 100,000 people. All told, 1193 people died on the nation’s roads in 2022, an increase of more than 5 per cent on the previous year despite the ever-safer car fleet. This equates to a national per capita fatality rate of 4.59 deaths per 100,000 people. AAA managing director Michael Bradley said the numbers “present a picture that should be of great concern for people and families living across regional Australia". “We know deaths are continuing to rise, but we have no national data regarding serious injuries, road quality, crash causes, or details regarding the people and cars involved" he said. “It is not enough to know how many people were killed in road crashes – we also need to know how they were killed, and how to prevent these deaths in the future”. Image: NRMA. The NRMA has said that crashes on regional roads are more likely to be deadly because regional roads have a higher speed limit.  The National Road Safety Strategy says that more road crashes occur in regional and remote areas because "A number of roads in regional and remote areas are undivided, single carriageways with poorer surface conditions and design, and increased road side hazards (legacy road standard)". It says that while fatigue and longer driving distances contribute "The types of crashes and the speed at which they occur are particularly dangerous. 73 per cent of fatalities in regional areas were the result of lane departure (run-off-road and head-on) crashes." Head on fatalities are the next most common contributor to regional and remote road deaths. AAA's Michael Bradley says their to be more detailed data and AAA’s 2023-24 federal budget submission calls for Commonwealth road funding to states and territories to be linked to their provision of this road crash data, “so Australians can be satisfied that road spending is going where it is needed” it says. “There is so much we don’t know about road trauma in Australia, but one thing we do know is that if we keep making the same mistakes, we will continue to produce the same tragic outcomes,” Bradley said.  

Property crime at Bourke was reduced by 52 per cent over the summer school holiday period, thanks to a community program called "Operation Safe" which involved police and the PCYC. Organisers say that, as a result, the number of youth charged with property offences also decreased by 68 per cent during the operation. Central North Police District Commander, Superintendent Tim Chinn, praised the effective working relationship between local police, officers from Youth Command and regional community organisations. “We are all committed to working together to encourage our local youth to reach their potential and divert them from crime," Supt Chinn said. “This includes PCYC (now) extending their evening programs for up to four nights a week for youth in Bourke with the involvement of local police and Youth Command." Bourke PCYC George Dickson agreed the program which ran from December 1 until the end of February was a great success in diverting youth crime. "We had local police involved plus a couple from the Gosford area which allowed PCYC to stay open over the Christmas period where we would have normally had a closure. While we are generally open four days a week, over this time, we opened every day except Christmas Day," he said.There were plenty of firsts on the Breath for Life trip. PHOTO: PCYC Bourke facebook Mr Dickson said this was the second year of running the Operation Safe program and it had been even more successful than the first. "The police helped run a Breath for Life program where we were visited by a professional diver who works for National Geographic. We took the kids snorkelling in the local pool and they learned breathing techniques which they can also use as a tool when struggling in stressful situations in everyday life." The local youth taught the visiting police some things also, taking the visiting officers yabbying for the first time."It was very successful in creating relationships," Mr Dickson said. "With extra funding, we were even able to take a small group to Shelly Beach on the coast where they could snorkel in the ocean and check out all the marine life."Marine life! PHOTO: PCYC Bourke facebookSprt Chinn said the PCYC was a fantastic place where the kids come to meet others and learn new skills, such as teamwork through sports and games. “Following the success of this operation, we intend to continue this work moving forward with the assistance of local community organisations in coming months,” Supt Chinn said. Mr Dickson praised the police and their contribution to the Bourke community."The police put in a lot of work for the community and do a great job which is not always recognised as it should be," he said.

Make sure there's fuel in your car and coins in your wallet before you head to Lightning Ridge this weekend for the annual Easter Festival on 7-9 April.The three-day program is jam-packed with events, ranging from bucking bulls and horse racing to treasure hunts and mining challenges.And of course, it wouldn’t truly be Lightning Ridge without opals around every corner all weekend long.But with barely a bed to spare in town and the surrounds, organisers of the event say that a day trip out to the ridge for the festival is the best option."The accommodation is nearly fully booked," said Andrew Kemeny."There is primitive camping at Collarenebri and Walgett, as well as Nakadoo in Coonamble though.""The Hebel caravan park has sites and dongas too."But realistically, the only problem people will run into is picking the best day to venture out to the opal capital of New South Wales!ABOVE: The Bucking Bulls and Broncs are always a fan favourite over Easter. Photo supplied.Friday 7 AprilKicking off us off on Friday is the Black Opal Bull and Bronc Ride!Tickets for the rodeo are available on the day, with gates opening at 4 pmBut remember; it's an entirely cash-only event, so make sure your wallet is chock full of pineapples and lobsters for a great night out at the rodeo.Tickets are available for just $30, or $10 if you're under 12 - young ones under five get in for free.For anyone not a fan of bucking bulls and broncs, the 'Wise Guys' will be singing the house down at the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club from 8:30 till late.ABOVE: People are welcome to step up to the Miner's Rickshaw Challenge to see if 'Kingy' will be dethroned in 2023. Photo supplied.Saturday 8 AprilMake sure to get to the ridge nice and early on Saturday, with a few big events starting early in town in the morning.The Milan Dhiiyan dancers will be giving a welcome to country accompanied by dancing to kick off the day's proceedings.The first event is the Miner's Rickshaw Challenge, "it's hot, heavy and hard work," said Andrew."There's usually a few scrapes and pile-ups."Entrants are tasked with a few mining-related challenges including shovelling and wheelbarrowing, and strength and endurance tests along the way.It's also one of the biggest prize pools for the event to date, with shares of $3500 up for grabs.Andrew Kemeny is encouraging as many people to get involved in the challenge to try and dethrone the current champion Mark King."Kingy is a part-time opal miner and has been the reigning champ for the past six years," said Andrew."All these guys go up against him, our hope is that someone will finally beat him."But more than anything the event is fast-paced and perfect for spectators if you don’t feel like getting your hands dirty.ABOVE: The Egg and Spoon race is always popular during Easter in the Ridge. Photo supplied.For the younger generations, there's the ever-popular egg and spoon race, a mainstay of the easter festival."It’s pretty simple and very popular," said Andrew."Every year we run out of eggs, every year we get more and every year more kids want to do it.""It's an amazing event."There's also a strength challenge on offer for the children too, with boys and girls tested to see how long they can hold on to a bag of opal tailings.Of course, there are the big and little opal digs, with $35,000 dollars' worth of opals up for grabs to the lucky ones that find them, and Playstations, Nintendo switches, tablets, and speakers among other prizes on offer for the little dig.Photo opportunities with the TV stars on Outback Opal Hunters are also available all day long in town, along with far too many street stalls to count! Selling everything and anything.ABOVE: Last Year's "Big Dig" winners walked away with huge cash prizes. Photo Supplied.Live reptile shows courtesy of Andrew Melrose will be on from 9:30 in the morning too.But as always it's important to remember cash is king in the ridge, and most stalls and events are cash only.And as the morning wraps up, the excitement moves to the Lighting Ridge Jockey Club, where the annual easter races will take place.The six-race program will also feature fashions on the field, but organisers say that "togs and thongs" are more than appropriate if that’s more your style.And following the races more live music will be on at the Bowling Club, and to finish up on Saturday will be a fireworks spectacular behind the Crocodile Caravan Park at 8:30.Sunday 9 AprilEaster Sunday is a bit more lowkey than Saturday, with more markets in the main street on the menu, along with the Easter Egg Float parade down the main street at 12:30 pm."There are all sorts of things happening around town too, entertainment at the local watering holes and bush pubs," said Andrew.And at 5 pm the weekend-long treasure hunt comes to a close and the winners are drawn.But regardless of which day you go to, or even how many you go to, one thing is for sure; you don’t want to miss it.Details about the weekend can be accessed here and here.

Last Friday afternoon, 31 March 2023 Lachlan Shire Council took possession of the Melrose Medical Centre. At the March Council meeting held on 22 March 2023, Council resolved to terminate the lease with Brenshaw Medical due to the continuing substantial breaches of the lease by Brenshaw, despite attempts for more than a year to resolve the issues. Lachlan Shire Council General Manager, Greg Tory, said that the decision was not made lightly, but given the circumstances was a necessary cause of action. “The issue had been ongoing for over 12 months and we had been working with the medical centre to try to resolve those issues unsuccessfully,” said Mr Tory.  “The decision was also supported by direct comments from some members of the community about the unsatisfactory service being provided,” he said.  While Condobolin is not left without a medical centre, as the Condobolin Aboriginal Health Service and the Condobolin District Hospital both have doctors and nursing staff available, it is a temporary inconvenience for patients of the practice.  Though, Mr Tory says the community shouldn’t have to wait too long for a new practice to become established.   “Council is in communication and conversation with other medical service providers who are interested in establishing a practice at that location,” he said.  Many members of the community, however, have raised concerns around access to medical records held by Brenshaw Medical.  “The legislation around medical records is that they must be held by a registered medical service provider so they’re not something that council can own or manage for the community, it’s a responsibility of the practice to keep those records,” informed Mr Tory.  Mr Tory also said that the transition of the centre to a new service provider may include some discussion and negotiation around the transfer of those records, but that council has no authority over that proceeding.  “We’ve been suggesting that people should contact other medical centres operated by Brenshaw medical to try and get some information regarding access to those records,” he said.  The Lachlan Shire Council have apologised to the community for taking this action, but have advised that arrangements will be made for Laverty Pathology to continue operating from the building.  

Equestrian enthusiasts throughout the region will be pleased to learn that work on the Western Plains Equestrian Arena is officially complete, with the $1,275,000 facility at Warren Showground Racecourse now ready for use. The 80m x 42m covered, sand-based structure is a much-anticipated development at the racecourse complex and as Warren Shire Council Infrastructure Projects Manager, Joe Joseph says, will mean the Shire is well-equipped to host a broad range of local, regional, state and national equestrian events. “This state-of-the-art-facility is set to enhance Warren’s reputation as a regional sporting and recreational hub,” Mr Joseph said. “Funded by the NSW Government's Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund and Phase 3 of the Australian Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, this new asset will not only support health and social outcomes for the region as a whole, but will also provide a significant economic boost for local businesses.” The original grant application was a collaboration between Council and a number of user groups including the Central West Adult Riding Club, Warren Pony Club, Warren Rodeo (Campdraft) Inc, Warren Jockey Club, Warren P&A Association, Warren Polocrosse Association and St Mary’s P&F.   According to former WSC Economic Development Officer, Alison Ruskin Rowe, the application was a huge undertaking. In October 2018 when the successful grant application was announced she said, "The application process commenced a year ago and nearly 100 pages of documentation were put together for the final submission.”  ABOVE: Jo O'Brien says the new arena is a very safe and secure area for beginners and those with a young horse.   With the funding secured, co-ordinating what the user groups wanted was another challenge, with Council stepping in as project facilitator. Once the plans were in place, close to 20 contractors, including eight from Warren, were engaged on the project.   Speaking after the announcement that the facility was completed, Warren Shire Council Mayor Milton Quigley, said it would be a valuable asset to the region.  "Warren is now well on its way to becoming a regional equestrian destination. This is an exciting milestone for the Showground/Racecourse Improvement Program and guaranteed to be beneficial to our community," Mr Quigley said.   User groups have tested out the arena in recent weeks with members of the Central West Adult Riding Club and Warren Pony Club using it at a number of trial events.   ABOVE: The 80m x 42m covered, sand-based structure adds to the facilities at the Warren Showground Racecourse One rider, Jo O’Brien, is a CWARC member and also part of the equestrian sub-committee that is negotiating a management plan in consultation with Council.    “I have been fortunate enough to ride twice on the undercover arena, it is a very safe and secure area for beginners and those with a young horse. There’s also a large space for the more advanced horse/rider combinations to really test themselves,” Mrs O’Brien said.   “It’s great to ride on but I think it needs a little more work to be an ideal riding facility,” Mrs O’Brien said.   “The surface needs some fine-tuning before it is at the ideal depth, though this is a common issue with equestrian surfaces.”  The next planned event is the Warren Pony Club annual camp which will run over three and a half days in the upcoming school holidays.   “Riding in the arena throughout camp will help us address any management issues as they arise,” Mrs O’Brien said.    “There has already been a lot of interest in the facility from different equestrian clubs and individuals, which is a great sign of its potential.”   ABOVE: The new $1,275,000 facility is ready for action. Secretary of Warren Pony Club, Jo Hooper also complimented the facility. “I loved riding on it, and so did my kids. It’s a very safe environment for the beginner rider,” Mrs Hooper said. “It’s so exciting to have such a fantastic centre in our area, I’m sure it will get a lot of use.”   Warren Council is now working with the main user groups to finetune operational and maintenance requirements for the facility. 

In a move that has shocked the community and sharply divided its elected members, Walgett Shire Council has sacked its General Manager Michael Urquhart who has served as Walgett General Manager since August 2020.Walgett Shire Councilors were split five to four at the resolution made last Tuesday 28 March, but the majority ultimately decided to terminate Urquhart’s employment.  The Western Plains App understands that Councillor Colin Hundy has been behind the move to sack Michael Urquhart. Sources indicate that Hundy “believed he had a mandate from those who voted him in to get rid of Urquhart”. The Western Plains App understands that Hundy has been lobbying other councilors to terminate Urquhart’s employment since he was elected in December 2021. Councillor Hundy was vocal in media interviews leading up to his election in December 2021 that he would “get rid of” Urquhart if elected. At last Tuesday’s meeting Councillors Colin Hundy, Daniel Walford, Michael Cook, Jason Ramien and Alf Seaton all voted in favour of voting out the veteran council executive. Hundy’s agenda, however, was not supported by all councillors.   The councillors who voted against dismissing Urquhart were Ian Woodcock and Sue Currey as well as Deputy Mayor Greg Rummery and Mayor Jane Keir. Councillor Rummery told the Western Plains App Urquhart “acted in the best interests of the council and had my full support”. The Deputy Mayor said he thought that Urquhart’s sacking was a “disgraceful decision” and “will be of absolutely no benefit to the community.” The council held an Extraordinary General Meeting on the morning on Tuesday April 4 to appoint interim General Manager Hugh Percy. Councillor Hundy told the Western Plains App that “speaking to the media was a breach of the Local Government Act” because councillors were not permitted to speak to the media without approval from the general manager. Acting General Manager Hugh Percy then also declined to comment and thus far Walgett Shire Council has not put out comment on why Urquhart has been stood down. Mayor Keir told the Western Plains App “General Managers can be dismissed by councillors for very little reason if there is a majority”. “I can assure you that our General Manager who has been dismissed has not done anything wrong”. Urquhart told the Western Plains App he would soon be issuing a public comment expressing gratitude to the Walgett Shire community for “their support.”