Today marks International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) which strives to end overdoses and remember those who have lost their lives due to drug overdose. Overdoses should not have to result in death, Cigdem Watson, acting CEO of Family Drug Support  Australia based in Narrabri says. "It's really important to focus on harm reduction initiatives. Families don't want their people to be on substances but they also don't want their person to overdose," she said. "What we know is that people often come out at the other end of substance use but that's why it's important to try to keep them safe and alive and that's what harm reduction services are for." The first IOAD occurred in 2001 when Sally Finn from the Salvation Army in St Kilda Melbourne initiated the event. "International Overdose Awareness Day is a crucial moment for our community to reflect on the lives lost and the families impacted by overdose," Clinical Director of Lives Lived Well James Curtain said.  According to research released in 2022 by the University of NSW (UNSW), remote and very remote areas have an age-standardised drug-induced death rate of 4.6 deaths per 100,000 people.  Having access to medications such as Naloxone which is used to reduce or reverse the effects of opioids is crucial to stop preventable deaths due to drug overdose from occurring. Ms Watson said safe places for people to use drugs such as injecting rooms are vital to reducing overdose deaths because people affected by drug addiction are getting better access to Naloxone and other opioid reversals.  "We do regular surveys among families and over 80 percent want harm reduction programs and support initiatives such as pill testing, medically supervised injecting centres, and naloxone," said Ms Watson. "Overdoses are reversible. It's not something that should result in death."  She said the greater distance to health centres could be a hurdle in getting people who have overdosed the care they need in rural areas.  The Australian government launched a take-home Naloxone program in 2022 which allows for people who are at risk of an opioid overdose and approved providers to take home naloxone to avoid a drug-induced death.  Naloxone is available through the Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) sites. Locations include Walgett, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gulargambone, Baradine, Nyngan, Gilgandra, Cobar, Warren, Lightning Ridge, Coolah, Goodooga and Collanerenbri.  Naloxone can also be accessed through participating local pharmacies.  -If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, please reach out to one of the numbers below.  Family Drug Support Australia (FDS) - 1300 368 186 FDS is a national service for families dealing with drug and alcohol and provides a toll free, 24hr national telephone support line, as well as support groups, education programs, counselling and bereavement services for families. National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline - 1800 250 015 The states and territories operate local alcohol and other drug telephone services that offer support, information, counselling and referrals to services. The hotline number will automatically direct callers to the 24hr Alcohol and Drug Information Service in their state or territory. Harm Reduction Australia (HRA) –  https://www.harmreductionaustralia.org.au/get-help/ The HRA link provides a comprehensive list of national and jurisdictional contact details for people seeking assistance on a range of drug and related issues.

Three neighbouring properties near Tottenham - Marooba, Mogal Plain and NILOC - are now up for sale. Ray White Rural agent Paddy Ward said it is possible the properties will go to the same buyer.  "There's a chance someone will buy two, if not three," Mr Ward said. Together they would make a holding of 7,500 hectares, predominately on red loam soil. The average rainfall in Tottenham, between Nyngan and Condobolin, is 494mm.  Phillipa and Daniel Jones have listed their 2,460 hectare Mogal Plain property for $6.5 million, located on the Nyngan Road, 46 kilometres west of Tottenham and 93 kilometres north of Condobolin.  The Jones' have owned the property for five years and are looking to sell the property to pursue interests closer to home.  "They've developed the land, tidied up the timber, and done some works to the earth and house as well," Mr Ward said.  It has been on the market for less than two weeks.  The property is currently run as a broadacre cropping operation and is watered by 14 dams. It also has a Boyd automated lamb feeding system with three feed sources and 54 sheep feeders.  Ninety-four percent, or 5,700 acres of the area, is suitable for farming.  The Mogal Plain property boasts one homestead with a recently renovated open-plan kitchen/dining room with a cool room, butcher area, and saltwater pool. There are seven silos in total on the property, four of them are grain, one fertiliser and two seed.  Potential buyers have no need to worry about storage as the property has three machinery sheds, one workshop with concrete flooring, a double garage and a 40,000 litre Diesel tank.  The 2,557 hectares Marooba mixed farming operation property is also located on the Nyngan Road, situated 48 kilometres west of Tottenham and 90 kilometres northwest of Condobolin, and is going for $6 million.  Martin, Tanya, and Tim Hewitt have been farming 85 percent of the property for cereal and oilseed production for the past 10 years and are now looking to downsize. Marooba. Photo credit: MCC Chudleigh DobellThe property is subdivided into nine farming paddocks and includes nine dams.  It features a three-bedroom homestead built in 2005, with three stand shearing sheds, large machinery sheds and steel sheep yards.  In total, there is 1,750 tonne grain storage available divided into a 1,000 tonne shed and three 250 tonne silos.  MCC Chudleigh Dobell has listed the property since February.  The NILOC property located on Bobadah Road, with a total of 2490 hectares, is listed for between $5.5 and $6 million by Scott Petersen from McGrath Rural.  Greg and Heather Weber ran the mixed farming operation, located 45 kilometres west of Tottenham and 92 kilometres north of Nyngan, for the past 17 years.  NILOC. Photo Credit: McGrath Rural Around 85 per cent of the country is arable.  The property has a three-bedroom home and a two-bedroom cottage.  Nineteen dams water the 17 paddocks.  NILOC features 60 kilometres of new and nearly new fencing, 1,750 tonnes of grain storage, and a three-stand shearing shed."We've had a good inquiry and a number of inspections. One offer early on that wasn't quite we wanted it to be, but we're just going to keep going and hopefully find the right hire," McGarth Rural agent Scott Petersen said.

Tammy Jones from Narromine has been awarded Staff Member of the Year by the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) for her dedicated service and trailblazing approach. She received the award at a gala dinner in Dubbo on 22 August.  "When I got the email last month saying I made it to the finals I was gobsmacked," Ms Jones said "And then when they picked me on the night I couldn't believe it. I asked the lady sitting next to me if they actually said my name."  The support services manager was awarded for her efforts in putting together a managers' startup package that features the contacts for all the healthcare staff in Western NSW that a manager could ask for.  Ms Jones has been working at the Narromine Health Service for the past 12 years, and has been in her current role for the last three years.  "I'm in charge of the non-medical end of the hospital. That means the cleaners, kitchen, security and making sure the patients get all the right nutrition," she said. We've got some great support service staff. We get a lot of compliments at our little hospital. People say it's the cleanest they have ever seen."  Growing up, she watched her Nan work at the hospital too.  "When I was little I used to always say I wanted to grow up and work at the hospital like my nanny and here I am."  Another reason that drove Ms Jones towards a career in healthcare was the stability. "I'd worked casual and seasonal jobs all my life. So when I found out they were looking for workers, I went for it," she said.  The supportive staff around her makes the job pleasant as well.  "We've got the best manager anyone could ask for. He is supportive and encouraging. He doesn't care who you are or where you come from; he's going to treat you the same," she told The Western Plains App. Ms Jones says working in healthcare can be rewarding.  "I enjoy the comments and compliments we get from the patients. And I like to know that we made a difference because we get a lot of patients from Dubbo who don't have family this way. It's a really good feeling."  The biggest challenge for the staff at the Narromine Health Service was when there was a staff shortage of doctors.  Luckily, Narromine Hospital is now back at full house. "They're here every day of the week and they're the most beautiful doctors you could come across," said Ms Jones. She has not yet had the chance to hang up her award.  "I've been taking it around with me," she joked.  At the awards ceremony, 18 different teams, projects and individual categories received a certificate to commemorate their efforts. 

Dugald Saunders has criticized the NSW Government’s delay in installing an independent Agriculture Commissioner.The Member for Dubbo and Shadow Minister for Regional NSW and Agriculture, said Labor was out of touch with the needs of primary producers in the timing of new legislation to support an independent conduit between agriculture and the government, and a lack of urgency in appointing a new commissioner had shown complete disregard for farmers and regional NSW.This follows the Minns Government announcement that it would follow through on an election promise to appoint an independent commissioner dedicated to the agriculture industry, with legislation to support the move mooted for Parliament’s September sitting.The Commissioner will provide dedicated oversight and advice to the Minister for Agriculture on issues relating to agriculture, land use, food security and agricultural productivity, in a placement which the government said will ensure regional communities continue to thrive.  The Government said the growing impact of climate change on farmers means it is more vital than ever they receive independent, expert advice on policies and issues facing the state’s primary industries.The Commissioner will undertake the following functions:  provide advice, conduct reviews and make recommendations on issues relating to agriculture, agricultural productivity, land use and food security when requested by the Minister   monitor trends and issues relating to agriculture, land use and food security, and to identify opportunities to improve agricultural productivity   promote a coordinated and collaborative approach across all tiers of Government   engage experts and stakeholders in matters relating to the exercise of the Commissioner’s functions  Once legislation passes Parliament work will begin to appoint the new Commissioner, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.  Not moving fast enough - SaundersBut Mr Saunders said the Government was not moving fast enough to support the bush.“The implementation of the Agriculture Commissioner role has been bungled by Tara Moriarty and the Minns Labor Government for the past 18 months.“It was a commitment that was taken to the 2023 state election, and despite applications opening last year, the role is still yet to be filled,” Mr Saunders said.“When it comes to cutting regional projects and infrastructure it seems to happen overnight, but this significant role is still on the to-do list.“If we were talking about an important appointment in the city, I’m sure it would have been made a top priority,” he said.Important milestone - MoriartyMeanwhile Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty welcomed the creation of the new role and supporting legislation.“Farmers are the lifeblood of New South Wales, from the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, and it is important there is an independent commissioner advising Government on how we can enhance farmers’ productivity.   “The advice of the Commissioner to me will be used to inform evidence-based decisions on policy and programs that can best promote our agricultural sector.”   

A report released last week by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), found that almost a fifth of police proceedings against people under the age of 18 in 2023 were for those in the 10 to 13 age group. This equates to 4,500 legal proceedings against young people below the age of 14.Other confronting statistics include that more than half the children facing court in this age cohort had been a victim of violence and about a third had accessed homelessness services. Aboriginal children and children living in regional and remote NSW are disproportionately affected.The rate of legal proceedings against young people under 14 years of age was more than three times as high in regional/remote/very remote areas compared with major cities (1171.6 per 100,000 population vs 371.2 per 100,000 population).The most common offences were theft, followed by violence, disorderly conduct (mostly trespass) and offences against justice procedures such as breach of bail. Gerard Lawson is based at Bourke and holds the role of Superintendent - District Commander of the Central North Police District. He said the report represents the reality of the situation.Superintendent Lawson has a huge area in his command and can speak from experience on the report findings, saying the majority of children between 10 and 13 who were subject to police proceedings in his region were Indigenous.“I cover 24 per cent of state, so it’s a large area, and I am involved in a range of juvenile offences” he said.“This age group has been a high demographic in the past but at the moment we are experiencing a hiatus. “This is because there have been interventions which include offenders being in custody and unable to mix within their cohort.”A look at BOSCAR statistics affirms Superintendent Lawson’s observations. Over the two years from April 2022 to March 2024, shires including Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Bogan, Lachlan, Coonamble, Warren, Warrumbungle, Gilgandra and Walgett were listed as being stable or showing no change in regard to theft offences. Narromine Shire is the exception, showing the worst increase in theft offences in the state, up 41.2 per cent.The BOCSAR report has reignited discussions about the minimum age of criminal responsibility. In NSW, the minimum age is 10 years, meaning that a child aged under 10 years cannot be found guilty of a criminal offence.In recent years there have been discussions across Australia about raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 or 14 years. Victoria, the ACT, and the Northern Territory have each made commitments to do this."While the number of young people offending at a very young age is small, these children have overwhelmingly experienced significant childhood trauma and disadvantage prior to their contact with the justice system,” Executive Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Jackie Fitzgerald, said. Key findings of the report state illustrate the adverse childhood experiences of young people aged 10 to 13 years with a court appearance. Of these, 82 per cent had been identified in a child protection report as at risk of significant harm (ROSH) while 60 per cent had received 10 or more ROSH reports. Displacement from home was also a contributing factor. The report found one in four children had been in Out of Home Care and more than a third had accessed specialist homelessness services. Of the child offenders, 56 per cent had been recorded by NSW Police as victim of violence and 66 per cent had a parent who had appeared in court, with 40 per cent having had a parent who had been in custody.“The challenge is to identify an appropriate response to their offending behaviours that can keep both the child and the community safe, while attempting to address the longer-term complex needs of these young people and prevent future offending," Ms Fitzgerald said.

What could be better than a 40th school reunion? Well winning over $270,000 at the reunion might do it and that’s exactly what happened to a Walgett man over the weekend.   While visiting Forbes, he played a winning Keno Classic 9 Spot entry in draw 537 last Friday taking home a total prize of $271,329.40.   And he was over the moon when a Keno representative called to confirm his win.   “I was at a 40-year school reunion when it happened,” he said. “I wasn’t watching the draw, but we all saw the screen which said someone in the venue had won. We couldn’t believe it when we realised it was me. “I’ve been playing the same numbers for over 15 years. I was almost thinking I should change them but I’m glad I didn’t! “It will come in good use. I’ll be able to pay off some bills and do some other nice things.”   The winning purchase was made at the Vandenburg Hotel in Forbes and Hotel Manager Nick Gunn couldn’t have been happier for the punter.   "We are thrilled," said Mr. Gunn. “The local school reunion was on, so the venue was already buzzing with excitement and that just made the night even better."   “It certainly livened up the weekend. I had a great weekend. We had a fun time acting young again,” said the happy winner. 

Three grassroots community groups from the Western Plains Region were awarded a total of $22,300 through Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), a charitable foundation whose vision is for a vibrant, resilient and revitalised remote, rural and regional Australia.  They are the Lake Cargelligo District Community Children's Centre Association, the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Walgett, and the Cobar Public School Parent & Citizens (P&C) Association.  The grants are intended to give community groups the boost they need to tackle projects they otherwise might not have the chance to create. The Cobar P&C Association received $2,400 to enhance flood recovery and reduce volunteer fatigue in the run-up to the biennial Spring Fair on 13 September.  "The funding will help us secure extra resources from other community groups to help us run a safe and fun event," Kate Joss, President of the Cobar P&C said.  She added that the funding will also go towards running an incentive campaign this week to try to encourage more P&C volunteers to join the committee. "This is all with the aim to help the P&C to move from surviving to thriving, so we can generate more great things for the school and create a positive learning environment for the kids." The PCYC Walgett received $9,900 to fund a free school holiday program for Indigenous children and children experiencing disadvantage to enhance social connections.   The Lake Cargelligo District Community Children's Centre Association, which looks after 17 students, will receive $10,000 to give their three classrooms and four hallways a fresh new coat of paint.   "We are really excited to get the grant. It's great to see that come through," the Centre Director Kate said.  Overall, 79 community groups across Australia received a total of $730,000 through the Strengthening Rural Communities Program, with 28 of them were from NSW.  "The beauty of this program is that it is flexible and can respond to the priorities of each individual place," FRRR Place Portfolio Lead Jill Karena said.  "These kinds of facilities are critical to maintaining social connection, as well as being critical hubs from which visiting services such as mobile playgroups and regular exercise classes operate or host critical meetings, so ensuring they are fit for purpose is vital."

Three artists from our region were awarded for their efforts in turning trash into treasure, including Elka Trindall and Christine Young from Coonamble and Donna Pumpa from Nyngan.  Their artworks were displayed the recent 2024 Waste 2 Art Regional Showcase in Parkes. The Waste 2 Art competition is meant to inspire people to reuse items they would normally throw away and give them a second life.  This year 14 councils in the NetWaste Region participated in the competition, with over 120 entries were displayed at exhibition.  The motto was 'packaging', inspiring candidates to repurpose cardboard, paper, plastic, tin and other art materials.  Eight-year-old Elka Trindall, daughter of Outback Arts CEO Jamie-Lea Trindall, won the Highly Commended Award for her Primary Functional Entry, the 'School of Fun' dollhouse.The School of Fun The budding artist made her winning artwork from milk and egg cartons and wool within three hours after school.  Elka's mother said she made her first painting before she could walk when she accidentally rolled over into the paint her mother was using at the time.  "It was the first time she ever rolled over," her mother said.  Donna Pumpa, who wasn’t in Parkes for the exhibition, said she made her piece out of shearers' drill bits and horseshoes, with the loop taken from the metal ring of a wine barrel.  Her artwork, 'Under the Sea' won the community 2D Highly Commended recognition. Donna Pumpa's Under the SeaDonna has lived around the Nyngan area since December 1988, and the environment is close to her heart.  "I didn't expect to go through, it was such a surprise," she said. "I wanted to get across just a little bit of thought about how important our waterways and our fish in the environment are.  "I use a lot of horseshoes in my sculptures, it just makes the right size with fish. "I wanted to show people what a pristine environment could look like, so it was like a glimpse into the river system."  "I think the management of the river system can be improved. There's always room for improvement, especially with the carp. There needs to be a more consistent to rid the waterways of them," she said.  Coonamble's Christine Young took the Curator's Award for her sculpture 'Aegis of Medusa.'  Christine Young's Aegis of MedusaTo create it, she used materials including clothesline wire and foam pieces from furniture packaging, as well as plastic wrappers from period pads, food and drink packaging, cardboard boxes, newspaper, paint and glitter.  Outback Arts has already announced next year's theme will be the 'Year of the Toys'. Participants are encouraged to dig through their old toy boxes and find something they are able to repurpose. 

The NSW Government is calling all inspiring female community leaders to take part in the annual state Women of the Year Awards.With six categories up for grabs, the Government has put out the call for nominees that may fit the bill and they need your help.   “We're looking for the next ground-breaking thinkers, everyday heroes and social reformers. They're the innovative role models who challenge inequality and inspire us all,” according to the Women of the Year website.   Nominations for the high-profile awards close on September 15, 2024, 11:59pm and organisers are asking rural and regional communities particularly to spotlight the amazing women in their communities that are doing outstanding things.   With the following categories to choose from:   Premier’s NSW Woman of ExcellenceNSW Aboriginal Woman of the YearNSW Community Hero  NSW Regional Woman of the Year NSW Young Woman of the Year  Ones to Watch  Last year's winners showed the calibre of women in our state, including these women:Dr Casey Sullivan was named NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year. She is a proud Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi woman, is a General Practitioner (GP) who owns her own medical practice in Tamworth – the first Indigenous privately-owned and managed GP practice in NSW. She is committed to increasing medical accessibility and cultivating change in the North West NSW community.NSW Regional Woman of the Year 2024 Theresa Mitchell. Photo courtesy NSW Women of the YearTheresa Mitchell, the NSW Regional Woman of the Year founded Agape Outreach Inc, a charity that focuses on assisting the homeless and those in need, in 2009. Agape has grown substantially since then and is currently valued at almost $2 million.   NSW Woman of Excellence for 2024, Jess Hill. Photo courtesy NSW Women of the YearJess Hill, the 2024 NSW Woman of Excellence, is a Walkley Award–winning journalist, advocate and public speaker who specialises in the subjects of coercive control and gendered violence. Prior to this, she was a Middle East correspondent, and worked as both a producer and reporter for various current affairs programs on the ABC. Her reporting on gendered violence has been awarded two Walkley Awards, three Our Watch Awards and an award from Amnesty International. The 2025 award recipients will be announced at the NSW Women of the Year Awards ceremony on March 6, 2025 as part of NSW Women's Week, which will run from Sunday 2 March to Saturday 8 March.   To help recognise and celebrate their achievements and contributions, you can find the nomination form link for each award category here.  

Warrumbungle Shire Council is calling on the public to stay vigilant and report any incidents of illegal dumping.This follows years of litter bugs leaving hazardous waste across the shire, causing harm to the environment and digging into council's pockets. Leanne Ryan, Director of Environment and Development Services said that although there has not been a significant increase, illegal dumping continues to be a persistent problem. The most popular locations, according to Ms Ryan, for illegal dumping were “out of the way areas”, on Crown Land, and road reserves. Illegal dumping includes large waste items, such as mattresses, tires, and furniture on land or in the water. It is not only harmful to the environment through contaminating soil and poisoning plants and animals, polluting waterways, and degrading culturally sensitive environments but can be dangerous for humans as well if they come in contact with hazardous material.  Illegal dumping can also taint the image of the region by creating an unappealing appearance. Ms Ryan said one of the reasons illegal dumping continues to be a problem is because people believe they can get away with it. “The real challenge is that many individuals don’t think they will face the consequences of their actions. We need everyone’s help to prevent illegal dumping and to hold those responsible accountable.” Ms Ryan encouraged the public to report any incidents on the Reporting Illegal Dumping online and if possible, take a picture of the litter.Illegal dumping continues to be a problem across our region. In the 2023/24 financial year, the Warrumbungle Shire Council received $20,000 in funding through the Illegal Dumping Prevention Grant from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). The Coonamble Shire Council recently obtained a $19,000 grant through the Dumping Prevention grant. “Illegal dumping is a very unfortunate problem that we must tackle. It creates clear dangers to the environment and health, not to mention the unnecessary cost to council to clean it up, at a cost to all ratepayers,” Coonamble Shire Mayor Tim Horan said. There are hefty fines for illegal dumping which can reach a maximum penalty of up to $50,000 for litter that is dumped in a sensitive place or $25,000 for litter that is dumped on public land or open private places for individuals. “By working together and staying vigilant, we can make a significant impact on reducing illegal dumping in our community,” Ms Ryan added.

A 53-year-old Parkes woman was arrested yesterday for possession of a prohibited substance. Police executed a search warrant at a home on Junction Street, Parkes at 10:30 am where officers found and seized a crystalised substance believed to be methylamphetamine, cannabis, a flick knife, and a mobile phone.  The woman was charged with possession of a prohibited drug, part supplying cannabis with a quantity over indictable and under commercial quantity, and supplying a prohibited drug over indictable and under commercial quality.  She was granted conditional bail and will appear in front of the Parkes Local Court on September 5.

Labour's Future Made in Australia Bill focussing on an economy driven by renewable energy overlooks gaping issues, according to Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton.The Bill forms part of the Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia policy announced as part of the 2024-25 Budget. It proposes to establish criteria and processes for decision-making and provide certainty for the private sector to attract private capital in areas of national interest. Within the Bill, the government suggests that the skills learned in the mining sector can be transferred to a clean-energy occupation, such as electricians.  But the local Federal Member is frustrated and spoke out against the Bill in Parliament last week. "This is just another example of the disconnect of our city-based MPs who think they're going to serve the environment while creating jobs without any real understanding of how it works," Mr Coulton said.  He said the $22.7 billion Bill does not factor in key questions. "We're struggling to find the people needed to fill current job vacancies, so I'm not sure where the workforce is going to come from for a renewable manufacturing sector." The skills learned in the mining sector cannot simply be transferred into the renewable energy sector, the Federal Member said.  "The Labour Government has mentioned transitioning former mine workers to the clean energy sector, however, there are some problems with that solution.  "Those who work in mining are highly skilled and highly paid and I don't believe the workforce needed for renewables would require the same level of skills or the same numbers once construction is complete.  The Future Made in Australia Bill highlights five industries to create a sustainable future: renewable hydrogen, critical minerals processing, green metals, low carbon liquid fuels, and clean energy manufacturing.  Mr Coulton said that many of the renewable energy technology is created with the help of critical minerals that are produced in the mining sector.  "The reality is that critical minerals and rare earths are essential for a range of clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries, so you can't have renewables without a mining sector.  "Australia needs to continue investing in mining if we're going to have enough raw materials to create clean energy technology as well as having the energy required to power these factories, so we need a balance of both." 

The delay in distribution of federal funds from the Growing Regions Grant Program will mean extensions in timeframes to get major projects completed.In May, the successful grant applicants were announced. Yet as of 28 August, no successful applicants have received their funding.One of the successful applicants was the Brewarrina Police-Citizens’ Youth Club (PCYC) which was promised $10 million to build a new sports centre and youth hub. Although the guidelines originally required the recipients to complete the projects by June 2025, Brewarrina Council General Manager David Kirby says the deadline for the finalisation of the Brewarrina PCYC has been extended to June 2026. The facility will include a community gymnasium, basketball and netball court, boxing facilities and general community space.Brewarrina General Manager David KirbyMr Kirby said although it would be nice to have the funding by now, Infrastructure Australia was consistently keeping them in the loop on any developments. “We haven’t had any trouble on our end because they have been in constant contact with us the whole time,” he said. Mr Kirby said they have started making preliminary designs for the Brewarrina PCYC and will take further steps once the funding is secured. Infrastructure Australia has told him that the deed would be finalised within the coming weeks. Federal Member Mark Coulton says the delay of the funding distribution will impact the completion date of the projects. “The Labor Government promised programs to support the regions, but after more than two years there is nothing to show for it,” Mr Coulton said. “There is no excuse for these ongoing delays given the Government’s program guidelines required regional organisations to commence projects no later than 15 May 2024.” Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton pictured with Gunida Gunyah Aboriginal Corporation CEO Jane Bender. Photo credit: Marck Coulton MPOther western NSW recipients of the Growing Regions Program included the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre, the Wiradjuri Cultural Tourism Centre, the Gunida Gunyah Community Cultural Hub and the Narrabri Shire Tourism and Cultural Precinct. 

Warrumbungle Shire has undertaken an uncontested election for the upcoming local government elections which are scheduled for September 14. This comes after the Electoral Commission received nine nominations to fill nine positions for the next four year term.Current Mayor, Ambrose Doolan, who has held the position since 2020, did not stand for re-election and said time pressures played a part in his decision to step down. “It’s a great job and I'm very honoured to have held it, but I'm a farmer, and that's a full-time job as well. There are not enough hours in the day and also a fair bit of stress. At times I will be out spraying and wondering how many more laps I can fit in before I have to head off to a council meeting.”A promise to his wife also played a part in Mr Doolan’s decision not to continue on council.“The previous council election was on my wife’s birthday, and she said the best present she could get would be to not see my name on the ballot paper,” Mr Doolan said. “I made a deal that I would do one more term and a deal is a deal. One night, I came home from meetings, and she was still out working in the cattle yards and that’s really not fair.”Nine new councillorsThe newly elected councillors for Warrumbungle Shire Council are Zoe Holcombe, Ray Lewis, Debra Bell, Kathryn Rindfleish, Dale Hogden, Kodi Brady, Denis Todd, Naomi Taylor and Jason Newton.Mr Doolan said the new council provides a good mix of experience and enthusiasm.“It's a good blend, we have six people who were already on council and one who has been on council previously,” Mr Doolan said. “Naomi Taylor and Deborah Bell are the new councillors and I congratulate them, and everyone else, for putting their hands up.”“If I could offer advice, it would be that things take time, you can't change the world on the first day. And it also pays to be able to count to five as with a council of nine, that’s how many votes are needed to get something through.Mr Doolan said that during his tenure, the resilience of the region had really impressed him.“We have bounced back quite well from some natural disasters,” he said. “Floods and fires caused a lot of damage in the Shire, particularly to roads and infrastructure. Disaster funding has been put to good use to bring things back into shape.”Council’s General Manager Roger Bailey said an extraordinary meeting of Council will be held on September 19 at 5pm in Coonabarabran where councillors will take an oath or affirmation, followed by the Mayoral Election.And although Mr Doolan can now concentrate fully on his farm business, he is still excited about things to come for Warrumbungle Shire.“The Renewable Energy Zone is a huge topic around the area,” he said. “In the southern part of the Shire, where the REZ will be based, we’re talking about having an incoming workforce which is half the current size of our Shire. There are some huge projects in the pipeline that will totally transform our part of the world. It will be exciting for the newly elected council to be part of it all.”

Eight public sector nurses and midwives in Gilgandra held stop-work action today to fight stagnant wage conditions.The protest was part of broader industrial action in which nurses and midwives across NSW demanded a 15.2 percent pay rise and increased penalty rates for night shifts, comparable to the awards of their counterparts in other states. Over the course of this week, more than 100 NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) members will participate in similar actions to raise awareness for the union's pay claim.  The NSWNMA says that the wages of nurses and midwives are not keeping pace with inflation and have fallen over 10 percent since 2020.  The union says the 15.2 percent pay rise consists of a 4.2 percent increase due to anticipated inflation and the remaining 11 percent to restore purchasing power and equally distribute the cumulative national productivity improvements of recent decades.  "The state government needs to know we are serious and we are fed up. Wages for the state's largest female workforce have been suppressed for more than a decade," NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish said.  “NSW nurses and midwives are the lowest paid in the country." "Male-dominated industries often get paid a higher wage," Sheree Staggs, NSWNMA Gilgandra District Hospital Branch President said.  "We've gone to university but we're not getting paid like other people that have university degrees," Ms Staggs said. Entry-level positions in NSW are renumerated 18 percent less than their counterparts in Queensland.  "A new graduate makes $12,000 more a year," she said. "If the state government wants to rebuild the nursing and midwifery workforce, and is serious about retaining its hardworking and dedicated staff, it must step up and pay nurses and midwives a wage that reflects their incredible contribution." The Gilgandra NSWNMA branch decided against any further industrial action moving forward, but will be holding community engagement sessions at the Gilgandra Country Women's Association (CWA) stall at the local market next month.  "We don't want to impact the community and that's who would be impacted the most (if further action was taken). We are in a caring profession so we care for our patients. "We might ramp up industrial action if we feel it's appropriate," Ms Staggs said. 

Strong commodity prices have led to the resurgent fortunes of one of Cobar’s ‘big three’ mines.Robust metal prices led Polymetals Resources to review its forecast earnings to bring their Endeavor Mine, 40km north west of Cobar, out of care and maintenance.The lead, silver and zinc mine has been in care and maintenance for five years, but will be scaled back up after a restart study demonstrated better than anticipated profitability and an increased present value of $414 million from $201 million.The silver price has risen rapidly this year and is currently sitting at $30 USD an ounce, with pundits predicting it could rise to $100 USD in coming years.Tight global supply is also driving the zinc price up, with a 14 per cent rise in value since the beginning of 2024.Both of these increases have provided renewed enthusiasm for the metals across Australia, including a reassessment of the viability of Endeavor, which is the second largest mine (behind the CSA Copper mine, 30km south) in Australia’s richest polymetallic region known as the Cobar Basin.Preference for residential workforceCompany spokesperson, Linden Sproule said Polymetals would build up its workforce to around 240 people over a period of 12 months.“We are doing our best to maximise our residential workforce but it’s a competitive market for workers at this point and not easy to attract talent.“But we’ve already put a highly experienced General Manager in place, in Matthew Gill. Matthew comes to us with over 40-years of experience, working in many metalliferous underground mines in Australia and overseas, most notably being GM at Beaconsfield Mine in Tasmania. He has already moved to Cobar with his partner and is looking forward to leading at Endeavor,” Mr Sproule said.He said the company was currently attracting investment which would move the project further.“We are conscious of the significance of the Endeavor Mine in the Cobar region. It opened 40 years ago and has a big impact on the economic growth of the region.”The underground mine, originally known as Elura first opened In 1983 and was re-named Endeavor in 2003. 

Scam Awareness Week, which begins today, is a stark reminder to be super vigilant around all forms of banking security as social media scamming hits new heights.The week aims to raise awareness to save more people falling prey to unscrupulous scammers. This year's theme is 'Share a story, stop a scam', to encourage Australians to speak up and report scams. Australians reported losses of $80.2 million to social media scams last year – up 43 per cent on the year before, according to ScamWatch, a government agency. Bendigo Bank’s head of Customer Protection, Jason Gordon, warns scammers are working around the clock targeting potential victims on social media sites and apps causing untold heartache and costing victims millions of dollars.  “Social media is a primary origination point of online shopping scams, impersonation scams, investment scams, romance scams, and employment scams, and they are costing Australians dearly,” Mr Gordon said.Bendigo Bank's Jason Gordon Photo: Mortgage BusinessAn elderly rural woman (who did not wish to be named) told the Western Plains App she had been saved from being scammed thousands of dollars via her facebook messenger page. “I received what I thought was a desperate plea from my cousin, who I am really close to, telling me she needed $50,000. I told her I could only give her $10,000 as that was all I had.” She was given details about where to deposit it and not once thought it wasn’t her cousin. Luckily she told her daughter about it, who alerted her mother to it being a scam. “I have never felt so stupid in my life, but I just trusted it was her. It has left me a bit frightened and questioning everything,” she said. ScamWatch’s advice is:  STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure.  Scammers will offer to help you or ask you to verify who you are. They will pretend to be from organisations you know and trust like Services Australia, police, government, or a fraud service.   THINK – Ask yourself could the message or call be fake?  Never click a link in a message. Only contact us, businesses or government using contact information from their official website or through their secure apps. If you’re not sure, say no, hang up or delete.   PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong.   According to statistics banks are stopping over $100,000 worth of potential scammers per day so customers are advised to work closely with their banks and institutions to avoid the incidence of scams and fraud and are advised to immediately contact the bank if anything feels wrong.  “Scammers can learn a lot about you from details you share on your social media accounts. They may also create quizzes, competitions or posts designed to harvest sensitive or personal information that they can then use to guess your account passwords or target you with other scams,” said Mr Gordon. “Always be wary of the amount of personal information you share online that could be used by scammers and NEVER share PINs and passwords with anyone online.”

Being a regional woman working in media (or in any sector!) can be isolating, so when scholarships were offered by Women NSW to attend the national Women in Media conference in Sydney early this month, three Western Plains newspaper editors jumped at the chance.Taking a break from the newsrooms at the Coonamble Times, newspapers at Gilgandra, Narromine, Warren and Nyngan, and from the Coonabarabran Times and Wattle magazine were Lee O’Conner, Lucie Peart and Kait Britton.They were part of a 13-woman cohort from across regional, rural and remote NSW who attended the conference and heard from renowned speakers including Liz Hayes, who was interviewed by actor, Rachel Griffiths, and Ita Buttrose.Attracting 150 delegates, the conference covered topics such as women's storytelling, the media's influence on men's violence against women, the intersection between press freedom and the law, using AI for good, challenges to media trust, and the balance between online opportunities and safety for women in the digital realm. Lucie Peart said it was the first time she had attended the conference, but and it had been worthwhile.“It was kind of like being in a zoo with all these famous people, but you're also in the same zoo, like you're on the same level,” she said.Ms Peart said industry heavyweight, Caroline Jones acknowledged the contribution of women in media.“It was a welcoming environment for those of us from the regions to join with our metropolitan counterparts and more broadly, our media heroes. There was a lot of diversity in terms of the media businesses that were represented there.”Ms Peart said it was pleasing to see that issues for regional media were discussed."There was actually a lot of interest in how the regions would potentially suffer first under the collapse of the deals with Meta (formerly Facebook) and if anything happened with Google or other digital providers. There was a real concern that the regions are a barometer for change and we would perhaps be the first to suffer with limited resources."

The inaugural Men's Forum in Bourke, held 13-15 August, was so successful that the organisers are hoping to turn the event into an annual experience. Based on a formula developed in the Northern Territory, the Men's Forum was an initiative of the Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (BACHS), with the support of Catholic Care, Aboriginal Legal Services, Community Corrections, Maranguka and REDI.E. Around 20 men of all ages participated - ranging from teenagers to those in their 50s. Issues discussed ranged from wellbeing, trauma, healing and grief, to family, domestic, and sexual violence.Opening up and sharing was a crucial part of the process. "The safety to talk about those topics was set in the room by our presenters who spoke from a place of lived experience," BACHS Chair James Moore said. "Every night we had dinner together to reflect and debrief about the day. "For many men, it's hard to open up about their feelings, let alone their traumas. "This is having long-term health impacts on how they see themselves and how they're viewed by others, including their family members."Keynote speaker Joe Williams at the Men in Bourke Forum Photo Credit: Sheila Bartley PhotographyThe key note speakers included: Lukas Williams, a recipient of the Northern Territory Government Aboriginal Medical Services Remote Worker of the Year Award in 2018Uncle Ivan Clarke, a group leader in the Strong Aboriginal Men's Group and a member of the Stolen GenerationJoe Williams, who played in the National Rugby League and now focuses on hosting workshops centred around mental health. Lucas Williams explained why the Men's Forum model has worked in the Northern Territory. "Men have stories and when we gather around with other men and share those stories, we recognise them within our bodies and brains," he said. "This is something universal to all men, not just Aboriginal men, and what I saw at this forum is that men in Bourke have stories and have a safe space to share them." Corey Anderson, a local youth worker, was the guest speaker at the youth forum component which focused on healthy relationships and improving communication. Participants of the Men in Bourke Forum Photo Credit: Sheila Bartley Photography"The topics we covered were hard-hitting but necessary topics such as trauma and identifying how they impacted all men, but importantly Aboriginal men," BACHS CEO John Fetuani said. Mr Fetuani said Uncle Ivan Clarke spoke about the stigmatisation of Aboriginal men as bad men, adding, "He later rephrased this to say that in fact Aboriginal men are traumatised men - as a result impacting Aboriginal men through attitudinal and lifestyle choices." The formats of the sessions were varied, with the men participating in a yoga session on one of the days. For many of them this was for the first time, but Mr Moore said the session was well-received by everyone. On the last night, the Forum wrapped up with a corroboree where the men had the opportunity to participate in traditional dance with children from the local community.Mr Moore sees this is the start of something more significant for the men living in Bourke and surrounding townships, as it will help deliver a more rounded and holistic approach to the healthcare needs of men, which will have a positive flow-on effect for families.BACHS CEO John Fetuani taking part in a smoking ceremony during the Men in Bourke forum Photo Credit: Sheila Bartley Photography