Macquarie Newsletter
From Susan's Desk 
 

Lockdown is gradually ending for the majority of people in our region, with more than 91 per cent of people across the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains Local Government Areas (LGAs) fully vaccinated at the beginning of November.

As we move out of lockdown, I would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to all our essential workers; the people who stocked our shelves, who cleaned our hospitals, who nursed our sick, who looked after our children, and who were in our police stations everyday keeping us safe.

Our teachers have gone above and beyond during this pandemic. Moving out of the classroom to online learning and back again has been no mean feat, and I know many parents and students were counting down the days to getting back to school again.

As we navigate our new normal, I’ve been particularly advocating for investment in rapid antigen self-testing kits to be made available as an extra tool to help build community confidence, and help local businesses get back on their feet. Here’s what I had to say about it in Parliament.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) allowed self-testing kits to be available for business from November 1, but the government has been slow to act – and mute – on this issue from the get-go.

The local pharmacies I spoke to this week had not yet received their supplies but were hopeful stock would arrive soon, and supermarkets are also in line to sell the kits.

You might be unsure how to best use them - the tests are not available on Medicare, there’s no information or an education campaign around them, and nothing about how they can best be used as part of a personal monitoring program.

In Canada, they are distributed free to small businesses and community organisations. In the UK, you can have self-test kits sent free to your home, or you can pick up two packs of seven from the pharmacy. In Germany, people with disabilities and elderly people living in residential care or receiving in-home care - and their staff and visitors - are given free tests. Since March, all citizens are also entitled to at least one rapid antigen test a week.

These kits can give people the confidence that they’re not taking COVID from the workplace to home or vice versa. They can reassure people gathering in large groups that the risk of being exposed to COVID is relatively low.

They show a high viral load, they’re as easy to use as a pregnancy test, and they could be made available in settings with highly-mobile workforces such as disability care to ensure a COVID scare doesn’t place additional strain on already-stretched staff.

While I trust public health advice on COVID vaccines, follow it, and encourage others to do the same, my view is that we are not looking hard enough at the opportunity rapid antigen testing affords, and I do wonder why it’s not been part of the plan here.

Around Macquarie
From top left, clockwise: Susan at Yarnish South Windsor, Susan and Albo with Mountains Culture Beer Co, advocating for the Tourism sector at Echo Point, chatting with Bligh Park locals about better public parks. 

COVID Information 


The NSW Government is responsible for the rules and regulations that affect how we can move around in the community. A number of changes to COVID restrictions came into effect from November 1, while others have been announced for November 8. More information about these changes is available here.
 
If you are aged 18 years and over and your second vaccination was more than six months ago, you can now
receive a booster vaccination. A booster vaccination is not mandatory. You can check when you received your second dose by looking at your immunisation history statement, or COVID-19 vaccination certificate. To download a copy of your COVID vaccination certificate, visit Services Australia.
 
To keep up with the latest information on COVID statistics, visit the NSW Health website.
 
An updated list of vaccination services for people with disability, family members, carers and disability workers is available here.

General COVID Links
  • The Australian Government - here
  • The Department of Health - here
  • The NSW Government - here
  • Nepean Blue Mountains Health District - here
  • Blue Mountains City Council - here
  • Hawkesbury City Council - here
  • Domestic travel - here
 

Community News 

Yellow Rock gets a tower!

It’s been a five-year battle, but the community of Yellow Rock has finally got a Telstra mobile tower.

In 2016 Labor committed that, if we won government, we would fund a mobile tower for Yellow Rock. However, continued pressure on the Government has seen it delivered five years on. The new tower was switched on on October 20. A few residents have told me the coverage has been patchy in certain areas, and my office’s subsequent enquiries to Telstra revealed while the tower went live, it was still in a phasing-in and testing period. I’ll be collating information and discussing it with Telstra, so if you’d like to get in touch about it, email me: susan.templeman.mp@aph.gov.au. I’m proud to have stood by the community of Yellow Rock to pressure the government to deliver this tower.
 

 
Hawkesbury communications

On October 11, I welcomed the lodgement of a Development Application (DA) for an Optus mobile tower at Bowen Mountain. Hopefully this will lead to much-needed improvements to mobile coverage for the area, and I will provide updates when I receive them.

I was also joined for very productive discussions with Bilpin Region Advancement Group (BRAG) representative Marty Graham with a panel of senior Telstra technicians about the area’s ongoing mobile phone and landline issues. We’re awaiting further information on upcoming trials of a practical solution to the problems that Bilpin experiences when the power goes off.


NBN woes

Unfortunately the first really big storm of the season saw a cluster of residents around Winmalee, Springwood, Hawkesbury Heights and Bowen Mountain – all areas on Fibre To The Curb (FTTC) NBN – report their boxes had blown up. About 100 residents have contacted my office, some saying they were up to their ninth replacement box. NBN told my office earlier this year it had replaced about 10,000 boxes in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury, and has published information on its website stating devices should be replaced within 24 hours. If this hasn’t been your experience or if you have a problem, please email me noting your location and provider and I will add it to our case studies to continue the pressure for better service: susan.templeman.mp@aph.gov.au.

NBNCo and the Federal Government need to know this problem is continuing, and that it needs to be fixed.

Mobile offices

We can finally chat again in person, so I am coming to you! I’ll be holding “mobile offices” in the following locations – if you live in the area, come and say g’day. If not, I’ll be coming to your suburb very soon:
  • Glenbrook – 10:00AM to 11:00AM Sunday, November 7 Glenbrook Park near the Park Street pedestrian crossing;
  • East Blaxland – 11.30AM to 12.30PM Sunday, November 7 at Thomas Park near the Boorea Street pedestrian crossing;
  • Glossodia – 5:00PM to 6.30PM Friday, November 19 at the Golden Valley Drive shops;
  • North Richmond – 11:00AM to 12:00PM Saturday, November 20 at Keda Circuit near Patya Place
  • Bligh Park – 10:00AM to 10.30AM Sunday, November 21 at the Colonial Reserve play equipment on Neptune Crescent.

Look out for my signs and hope to see you there!

Have your say on parks

With Hawkesbury residents spending more time than ever in local parks, I’ve put together a
survey for the community to tell me what they would like to see in parks across the local area. I’ve had hundreds of responses already with suggestions ranging from simple shade and seating facilities, to more ambitious projects for bike riders. It doesn’t matter if you’re taking a toddler for some outdoor play, if you’re the parent of a teen, or if you’re my age and want to see some additional facilities, I’d like feedback from a range of park users.

Head to Health

Head to Health Pop Up services have been developed to support people’s mental health during extended lockdown. Nepean Blue Mountains PHN (Primary Health Network) has encouraged people to take the first steps to find mental health and wellbeing support to call 1800 595 212, Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5pm. A trained professional will take your call, give you advice, and if you need it connect you to the best support or service for you. For more information, click here.

Share tourism ideas

Blue Mountains businesses and residents are being asked to share their ideas to help shape the future of tourism in the area. Blue Mountains Tourism has created two online surveys; the first to gather ideas for a
new major event planned for March, the second to expand the number and quality of disabled accessible tourism offerings in the region.

Tourism businesses are also encouraged to make a request to join the Blue Mountains Tourism Industry group on Facebook and sign up to the BMT industry newsletter (send a request to communications@bmtourism.com.au).

Pension petition

Labor is taking the lead in the fight against the government’s plans to force pensioners onto the cashless debit card. The Morrison Government has
introduced legislation allowing the move however Labor MP Julian Hill has introduced a bill to stop it. An online petition has also been created to oppose it. Pensioners who have worked hard all their lives should have the freedom to manage their own money.

Hawkesbury Art Fair

Hawkesbury Regional Gallery will reopen on November 8, with the wonderful Hawkesbury Art Fair exhibition running until December 5. The exhibition features selected works from local art groups and artists, including Ferry Artists Gallery, Hawkesbury Artists and Artisans Trail, Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop, Hawkesbury Camera Club, Macquarie Towns Art Society and Piggery Lane Studios. All works are for sale.

Disability Expo

The Nepean Disability Expo is taking place over December 10 and 11 at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre (30 Herbert St, Cambridge Park), and will feature more than 100 service and product provers from a variety of categories. There will also be kids’ entertainment and presentations. Entry is free.

Support local music

It’s been a really tough 18 months for the Australian live music industry; in that time, Support Act has committed $22.8m in the form of 10,000 crisis relief grants to music and live performing arts workers in need, and provided mental health and wellbeing support to many thousands more. But there’s hundreds of new applications each week for crisis support. 

Ausmusic T-Shirt Day is a chance for us to raise much-needed funds for artists and music workers experiencing financial hardship, ill health, injury or mental health issues. I’m raising money with my colleagues, and you can start your own team too! Donate to our team or visit SupportAct to find out more.

 

Business news 

 
New rules

Business owners who are unsure of post-lockdown rules around vaccination, mask-wearing and social distancing should visit the
website of the NSW Small Business Commissioner. The website also lists steps a business is expected to take to notify their customers of the rules and stay COVID safe.

Get ready for grants

Do you want to apply for government funding or an assistance program to help your business conduct research, grow or recover? Business.gov.au has developed the
"Check"  which can help with understanding the grant process and guidelines, develop a clear objective, and assist with writing an application.

Tendering help

Does your business need help with tendering for NSW Government contracts? New resources are now available to help small business
understand and navigate the tendering and contract process involved with working with the NSW Government that could help.

 

Grants news 

Stronger communities

Expressions of Interest are now open for Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury community groups to apply for grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 through the Stronger Communities program.  Groups can apply for funding for projects that benefit the community, like community gardens, inclusive access, sports equipment, or IT and software. A total of $150,000 will once again be available for up to 20 capital projects, and groups won’t need to match the funding they’re applying for. EOIs can be
submitted via my website by 5pm on November 22.

Community development workers 

Nepean Blue Mountains PHN has opened Expressions of Interest (EOI) for community organisations to engage community development workers to assist with flood and bushfire recovery. Applications opened on November 1 and will close on November 19. To find out more, click
here.

Preparing Australia Program

Grant opportunity guidelines have been released for round one of the Preparing Australian Program - Preparing Australian Communities for projects of local significance - which “aims to make Australia more resilient to natural hazards”. There is only a small window of opportunity to lodge applications, which formally open on December 10 and close at 5pm on January 6. For more information about the program, click here.

RISE changes

The RISE fund provides targeted funding assistance to help with presentation of cultural and creative projects, activities and events. A number of changes were announced in October due to COVID-19, and
revised guidelines have now been published. The closing date for the program has also been extended to May 2022, subject to the allocation of funds
 

Sports grants 

Not-for-profit incorporated sports clubs can now apply for funding under the Local Sport Grant Program, which aims to increase regular participation in sport, access for girls and women, and assist clubs to provide quality service to members. The program offers up to $2,000 for sport development, up to $5,000 for improving sport access or for a sport event, and up to $15,000 for a sport facility. Applications close November 19 and more information is available
here.

This is a NSW State Government Program so any questions should go to your local State MP’s office. For Hawkesbury please contact Robyn Preston MP – hawkesbury@parliament.nsw.gov.au, for Blue Mountains please contact Trish Doyle MP – bluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Confident Girls Foundation 

Many netball and community organisations across Australia directly affected by the variety of natural disasters and pandemic events during 2019 to 2021 may be eligible to receive a Community Response Grant from the Confident Girls Foundation. Supported by Suncorp, the objective of the Confident Girls Foundation Community Response Grant is to support netball and community organisations directly impacted by floods, fires, severe storms, cyclones, and health pandemics during 2019-2021. There will be two tiers of grant sizes, $1,500 and $10,000. More information is available
here.

Grants bulletin
Would your organisation be interested in hearing about some of the latest government grants available? Sign up to my
grants newsletter.


In the news
The seat of Macquarie in the media:
 
The government must provide disability service providers with
access to rapid antigen testing for disability support workers, to reduce the chance of COVID infection in people with disabilities.

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese used
a visit to the Blue Mountains to call for additional financial and workplace support for local tourism, which according to an industry spokesman is now "on its knees".

Western Sydney University (WSU) hopes to build an Australia-first agricultural technology hub in the Hawkesbury and is seeking an investment of $16.7 million from the Federal Government.

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I hope this information has been useful.  If there are specific issues you’d like information on, please do not hesitate to ask.

Kind regards,



Susan Templeman
Federal Member for Macquarie
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AUTHORISED BY S. TEMPLEMAN, ALP (NSW BRANCH), 299 GEORGE STREET, WINDSOR NSW 2756