Area Assistance Scheme

I trust everyone enjoyed the Easter break and participated in the Anzac Day remembrance gatherings in their communities.

Whilst in Sydney, I felt very proud when I visited the Royal Agricultural Society Show, seeing local produce and livestock exhibitors representing our area with tremendous success. I was also pleased to attend the presentation of food awards where the Vecchiet Small Goods Factory of Lismore and Mariani Foods of Casino received major awards.

As part of the National Party team, I was honoured attend a morning tea for showgirl finalists and rural achievers, who were a credit to their families and communities. These ambassadors again reinforced the future of agriculture in NSW.

Area Assistance Scheme

$92,505 has been awarded to Lismore Electorate organisations in the latest round of funding under the Area Assistance Scheme. Successful applicants were Far North Coast Domestic Violence Committee, Lismore Family Support Service, Chequerboard Hill Inc, Woodenbong Showground Facility Group and Eden Creek Fairymount Preschool. Congratulations.

Australian Sports Medal

A commemorative medal to celebrate Australia's sporting achievement has been produced by the Commonwealth Government, known as the Australian Sports Medal and will be issued only during the year 2000. It is not intended that the award be restricted to athletes and others connected with the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games or performance at the elite level only, but rather to celebrate the nation's wider sporting achievement. In NSW, the Sport Minister has received a quota of 2,704 medals for allocation to successful sportspeople of NSW. If you know a potential recipient and would like to know more about the nomination process, please contact my office.

Pesticides Act 1999

This Act becomes fully operational on 1 July 2000 and focus' on protection of health, the environment, property and trade while safeguarding responsible pesticide use. Three new informational leaflets have been released and anyone interested in obtaining copies can contact my office.

Countrylink Timetable Changes

Changes to the Countrylink timetable will create nightmares for North Coast travellers with significant waiting times between connecting services. In Question Time, Transport Minister, Carl Scully confirmed that the Countrylink timetable had been reviewed. I am concerned that travellers will be forced to wait nine hours in Sydney for a connection to Melbourne and possibly forced to stay overnight in Sydney if travelling to western destinations. Clearly this is illogical and will cause mass inconvenience for travellers because of the failure of Countrylink to provide connecting trains within a reasonable time frame. Timetable changes of this sort do nothing to improve services to travellers and will only serve to turn people away from using Countrylink.

Youth Suicide - A Very Important Seminar

This seminar is a one-day suicide prevention program being run in Lismore on Friday 12 May, from 9.30 to 3.30 pm. LifeForce is committed to working towards significantly reducing Australia's high suicide rate by implementing strategies that focus on prevention and intervention. Further details can be obtained from my office.

Parliament

The following matters were debated in Parliament over the last couple of weeks, anyone wishing to request a copy of Hansard extracts can do so by contacting my staff;
Cross-Border Commission Bill
Wilderness Amendment (Private Property Rights) Bill
Payroll Tax
Country Rail Services
Jubilee 2000 School Spectacular
Flood Plain Management

Application forms are also available for assistance under the 2000 Royal Australian Historical Society's History and Archives Grants Program.