News Updated Thursday 04-02-10
(Next "News Extra" Update Will Be Thursday 11-02-10).
Police Seek Public Assistance To Locate Missing Man – Molong. Media Release. Chopper And Royal Commission Both Need To Get Off The Ground. Media Release. Federal Member for Calare John Cobb today renewed his call for a Royal Commission into healthcare in New South Wales following startling revelations about the under equipped nature of the EC145 rescue helicopter. Mr Cobb’s calls come almost a year to the day after a 26 year old bushwalker died from severe heat stroke when a helicopter had to be called from Sydney because the local rescue helicopter was not adequately fitted with a winch. “Today’s revelations unfortunately come as no surprise when time and time again myself and the state opposition have pleaded for better services in the area”, Mr Cobb said. “Again we are seeing lives being put at risk around the region whilst the State Labor Government funnel resources into Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong and Kevin Rudd and Nicola Roxon stand idly by.” Mr Cobb first made a call for a Royal Commission into New South Wales Health in 2008 which included an examination of the running of the helicopter service. “The allocation of these helicopters continues to defy logic and the best interest of the public”, Mr Cobb said. “We need a larger, better equipped rescue helicopter service, yet we seem to going backwards with the current chopper unable to do some of the things the previous Bell 412 could do.” “This is simply putting lives at risk and it is high time Kevin Rudd and Nicola Roxon or Kristina Keneally and Carmel Tebbutt took ownership of this mess and did something about it”, Mr Cobb said. Residents Warned Against Insulation “Scammers” Targting Western Area. 3 February 2010. Media Release. Residents across the region should be wary of dodgy home insulation installers who are targeting homes in Dubbo, Gilgandra, Cobar and Mudgee. Member for Dubbo, Dawn Fardell, has received several complaints from local residents after sales people knocked on people’s doors and offered to provide a quote for the insulation. Ms Fardell said the quote was usually for $1200, the exact subsidy provided by the Federal Government so homeowners signed up on the basis they would not be out of pocket and the homeowner was then asked to sign the quote. She said the homeowner wasn’t given a copy of the paperwork which the installer then used to claim the subsidy from the Federal Government, regardless of whether the batts were installed. “In one instance the installers contacted a property owner in Gilgandra offering to quote for insulation in their rental homes,” Ms Fardell said. “When the installer didn’t phone to complete the paperwork the owner contacted him and the installer said there had been enough batts on hand to complete the job and the tenants signed off on the paperwork. “As a result, the installer walked away with $8400 for throwing a few packs of batts into the ceiling of four of the houses and none in the other two houses.” Ms Fardell said anyone considering insulating their home should contact a reputable local business rather than listen to dodgy door-to-door insulation salespeople who were obviously targeting western towns. “There is no obligation to allow traders into your home and anyone who feels threatened or unsure if someone turns up at their door should phone the Police,” she said. No Fuel No Fire: Pavey Congratulates Canobolas Project Hazard Reduction. Wednesday 3rd February 2010. Media Release. Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Melinda Pavey is in Orange today promoting the www.nofuelnofire.org website to pressure NSW Labor Government to take its responsibilities of bushfire hazard reduction seriously. The www.nofuelnofire.org website encourages people to fill in a survey about their stories and concerns relating to hazard reduction in their local community. No Fuel No Fire will help highlight those communities across NSW who are fearful their community has not been adequately prepared for the current and future fire seasons. “Given that at the rate NSW Labor is going, it will take approximately 214 years to hazard reduce all fire prone land in NSW, we must take action now to pressure the broken NSW Labor Government to speed up the process,” Mrs Pavey said. “Not enough is being done and No Fuel No Fire will provide me with evidence to force the incompetent Labor Government to stop sitting on their hands and to take action. “The Survey queries whether people have had issues getting hazard reduction done, whether they feel the fuel loads have accumulated to dangerous levels, and whether they believe the Government needs to do more to protect their community. “I am asking for residents from bushfire zones, fire fighters, national parks staff, council members, or anyone who shares an interest in protecting their community from fires, to log on to www.nofuelnofire.org and tell me their concerns. While in Orange Mrs Pavey will also be congratulating the excellent hazard production being done in the Central West by the Canobolas Zone Rural Fire Service. “The Canobolas Project which is being executed by the local Rural Fire Service is an excellent example of the kind of hazard reduction that should be taking place across the state,” Mrs Pavey said. “The Canobolas Project has exceeded it’s targets for three out of the last five years, completing almost 50,000 hectares of hazard reduction, achieving the highest audit result to date. “Hazard Reduction of this standard should be a top priority for NSW Labor across NSW in the coming year. “I encourage anyone concerned to log on to www.NoFuelNoFire.org and send a message to NSW Labor about the serious lack of hazard reduction across NSW,” Mrs Pavey said. Cataract rebates retained. Media Release. Cataract sufferers will no longer be hit with hundreds of dollars in extra costs when they undergo surgery. Federal Member for Calare, John Cobb said the Coalition supported by crossbench Senators had forced the Rudd Government to back-down from imposing the extra costs. Labor has confirmed that it would no longer seek to reduce Medicare rebates for cataract surgery by a staggering 51 per cent. After negotiations with ophthalmologists the rebates will be reduced by just 12 per cent and leading doctors have said its likely most practitioners will absorb that cost leaving few patients out of pocket. “This is great news for the estimated 120,000 Australians who undergo cataract surgery each year,” Mr Cobb said. “The Rudd Government and Health Minister Nicola Roxon have stubbornly attempted to impose these savage financial imposts on cataract sufferers without one thought for the impact their actions would have on patients.” Mr Cobb said Labor first outlined drastic reductions in Medicare rebates in last year’s Budget. “The Coalition told them it was the wrong thing to do, crossbench Senators told them it was the wrong thing to do, so too did doctors, pensioners and seniors’ groups, but they ploughed on and from November 1 last year rebates paid to patients dropped from just over $600 to around $300.” “That left patients – mostly our seniors – the very people who least can afford to pay more, to find several hundred dollars more from their own pockets to pay for this vital surgery,” Mr Cobb said. “We twice disallowed these cuts in the Senate, forcing the Government to twice increase the rebate. However we said from the start that it should be returned to its initial level and would have rejected the Government’s actions again when Parliament resumed this month.” Facing a third rejection in the Senate the Health Minister late last year began negotiations with specialists who carry out cataract surgery. “That was something she should have done at the outset,” Mr Cobb said. The Shadow Minister for Health Peter Dutton said the result was finally a commonsense outcome which would enable patients to afford cataract surgery. “It means people can stay living in their homes, continue to drive their cars and enjoy a normal social life – things the Rudd Government was prepared to deny people who could not afford to pay more for their healthcare,” Mr Dutton said. Special Honour For ‘Bowling Sensation From Down Under’. Media Release. Wednesday, 3 February 2010. Australia’s Jason Belmonte (Belmo) from Orange, is BJI’s PERSON OF THE YEAR for 2009. Bowling’s ‘bible’, Bowlers Journal International, announced this prestigious award in its latest issue. "BJI’s editors chose to honor a person who is working to have a positive impact on bowling not only in the United States, but around the world – and on several different levels ….the ‘two-handed’ bowling sensation from Down Under, Jason Belmonte of Orange, New South Wales," the article reads. Author Bob Johnson chronicles Belmo’s numerous media appearances on behalf of bowling including NBC’s "Today" show, ABC’s "Good Morning America", "Fox & Friends", The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, Boston Globe, and various ESPN platforms including ESPN.com, "E-60" and ESPN The Magazine. The 2009 PBA Rookie of the Year attracts media attention wherever he goes. One of the most successful and popular competitors on the European tour, Belmo also has a huge fan base in Asia, particularly in bowling’s strongholds of the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. At home, his regular appearances in the Australian media have elevated the profile of the sport to a level not seen since the iconic Cara Honeychurch won three Gold medals in Bowling at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. But as Johnson explains, "Belmonte has become a star not only because he can win against the greatest bowlers in the world, and not only because of his impossible-to-ignore delivery, but also because of his personality". For a glimpse of this personality, Belmo’s unique ‘footy-pass’ style and the excitement that Bowling offers tune into ESPN in Australia at 3.30 pm on Saturday, 13 February for the PBA Chris Paul Invitational – 1½ hours of entertaining bowling featuring Belmo and his PBA colleagues fiercely competing with NBA superstar Chris Paul and his pals from the New Orleans Hornets at a celebrity bowling fundraiser in Louisiana. Latest information on Belmo’s bowling career and tournament schedule can be found at www.jasonbelmonte.com
2010-02-01 13:32:56
Police from Orange are appealing for public assistance to locate a man who went missing last year.
47-year-old Peter Roger Mansell was last seen at his home - a caravan park in Molong - on the 28 September 2009 by the manager of the park.
Mr Mansell may have been going away to visit friends at the time. However he has not been seen since.
sequent inquiries by police and family members has failed to locate him.
Mr Mansell is described as being of white/European appearance, about 170-175cm tall, medium build with brown shoulder length hair. He is believed to be missing some of his upper teeth.
Police have concerns for the welfare of Mr Mansell as his disappearance is out of character.
Anyone with information about Mr Mansell’s whereabouts is asked to contact Canobolas Local Area Command on (02) 6363 6399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.