Editors Picks
15 November 2023
237 NEW CITIZENS WELCOMED TO THE HILLS SHIRE
237 people took the final step in their journey to becoming Australian citizens at a ceremony at The Hills Shire Council recently. The ceremony was held on Australian Citizenship Day, making the day even more special for the Hills Shire’s newest citizens. First established in 2001, Australian Citizenship Day allows all Australians to consider the meaning of Australian citizenship and their responsibilities and privileges as citizens. Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Peter Gangemi reflected on the day’s significance. “It was particularly special to welcome The Hills Shire’s newest citizens, who have come from all corners of the world on this meaningful day, which unites all Australians,” Mayor Gangemi said. The newest Australian citizens in The Hills came from 36 countries throughout the world including India, China, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt and the United Kingdom.
Featured
09 November 2023
TELSTRA UPGRADES PAY PHONES
Backup for communities affected by disaster
TELSTRA has announced it will upgrade local services and provide new equipment to help disaster-affected communities, in preparation for bushfire season.
TELSTRA has announced it will upgrade local services and provide new equipment to help disaster-affected communities, in preparation for bushfire season.
Featured
30 October 2023
HAWKESBURY-NEPEAN FLOOD UPGRADES
Evacuation routes funded over 10 years
THE NSW Government is investing $200 million over the next two years to develop and deliver major evacuation routes in the flood-prone Hawkesbury-Nepean.
29 October 2023
BENDIGO NAMED THE TOP BANK
BENDIGO Bank has been named Australia's most trusted bank for the second consecutive year, according to the Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards. The bank's CEO and Managing Director, Marnie Baker, expressed gratitude to their 2.4 million customers and attributed the recognition to the hard work of the bank's people, their customer-centered approach, quality products, friendly service, and digital offerings. Bendigo Bank's commitment to community prosperity and trust-building contributed to their back-to-back wins. The bank's customer numbers increased by 10% over the year, and it was also recognized as the most trusted agribusiness bank among Australian farmers by Roy Morgan.
29 October 2023
ADDRESSING OVERCROWDED EMERGENCY UNITS
THE NSW Government is addressing overcrowded emergency departments by creating Safe Assessment Units at Prince of Wales and Nepean hospitals. These units will support individuals with behavioral issues related to drugs and alcohol, providing a calm environment for assessment and treatment. A multidisciplinary team will handle patient care. This approach has been successful in improving patient outcomes, reducing sedation and restraint use, and shortening ED stays. The units are set to begin operation early next year, complementing St Vincent's Hospital's existing services, and will coordinate with the community health sector for post-discharge support.
29 October 2023
REDUCED ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE
THE Australian Dental Association New South Wales (ADA NSW) is warning about the potential consequences of applying payroll tax to dental practices. With over 23,000 people on the public dental waitlist in regional NSW and a shortage of dentists, the ADA NSW is concerned that imposing payroll tax could lead to increased fees and reduced access to dental care. The Federal Australian Dental Association has called on state leaders to grant dentists the same payroll tax amnesty given to doctors. The ADA NSW estimates that up to 60% of dental practices could be affected, leading to retrospective tax penalties and uncertainty for practice operators.
29 October 2023
CAMERAS TO ENFORCE SEATBELT COMPLIANCE
MOBILE phone detection cameras will start enforcing seatbelt compliance in a new safety push aimed at reducing needless deaths on NSW roads each year. The NSW Government will add seatbelt compliance to the work of the existing mobile phone detection camera network after a public awareness campaign and a nine-month period in which warning letters rather than fines will be issued. In the five years to 2022, 142 lives were lost on NSW roads in fatal crashes in which victims were travelling in a vehicle but not wearing a seatbelt. Despite five decades of enforcement and public awareness campaigns, more than 10,000 people a year are still fined for not wearing a seatbelt.
