Removalists who travelled from Sydney to Molong among those still not complying with Public Health Orders

Three removalists who allegedly had knowledge they were COVID positive before travelling from metropolitan Sydney to regional NSW are among the latest people to breach the Public Health Order in the past 24 hours.
Just after 2.30pm yesterday (Friday 16 July 2021), officers from Central West Police District attended Speedy Street, Molong, and spoke with four men – aged 21, 49 and two aged 27 – after receiving information they had travelled there from West Hoxton.
Police established the men, who were working as removalists, had travelled from West Hoxton to Figtree, before travelling to Molong, stopping in regional areas including South Bowenfels and Orange along the way.
It will be alleged three of the men travelled to Molong after being notified they had tested positive to COVID-19.
Police escorted all the men and their vehicles back to Greater Sydney where they have been instructed to isolate for 14-days.
The younger three men were issued Court Attendance Notices for not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott was troubled by this significant breach of the Public Health Orders.
“This thoughtless act has now placed our regional communities in NSW at the greatest risk so far with this pandemic,” Mr Elliott said.
“We know that the delta variant is highly transmissible, and it is unfathomable to think that, with all the public information and health warnings, people could so blatantly ignore the health orders.”
State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys, said police will be increasing their response to ensure public safety is the number one priority.
“Currently, we are seeing millions of people right across this state doing the right thing being let down by a small minority who continue to be irresponsible and put themselves and their communities at risk,” Deputy Commissioner Worboys said.
“Today’s strengthening of the health orders means that people will have to change the way that they behave.
“The greater restrictions will see police ramping up our response across all of greater Sydney and regional areas to ensure people comply with the health orders and that public safety is the number one priority,” he said.
In total, police have issued 162 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) and charged 18 people for breaches of the Public Health Act in the past 24 hours.
Police attended more than 1,000 COVID-related jobs yesterday, with about 630 of those coming from reports to Crime Stoppers.
Incidents of note in Greater Sydney includes:

  • A 25-year-old man who worked in an aged care facility in south-western Sydney and had been informed that he had tested positive to COVID-19 and was directed to stay-at-home. About 10.30pm (Friday 16 July 2021), officers from the North West Region Operations Support Group discovered the man had left his Mr Druitt home and travelled by car to Blacktown to buy dumbbell weights. The man has since been issued a $1000 PIN for failing to comply with noticed direction – individual.

Other incidents of note in regional NSW includes:

  • Just before 11am (Friday 16 July 2021), officers attached to Tenterfield Traffic and Highway Patrol were conducting patrols when they stopped a Mitsubishi Lancer on the New England Highway, south of Guyra, and spoke to the driver, a 20-year-old man, and his male passenger. Inquiries revealed they were from Knawal and Charmhaven on the Central Coast and they were each issued $1000 PINs. Inquiries are continuing.
  • About 6.20pm (Friday 16 July 2021), officers attached to Tuggerah Lakes Police District observed a grey Audi sedan travelling at speed on the Pacific Highway, Doyalson. Police stopped the car on Scenic Drive and spoke to the driver, a 27-year-old man, and a male passenger, also aged 27. Following inquiries, both men were issued a $1000 PIN for not complying with current health orders as they do not reside in the same household and did not have a reasonable excuse to leave their homes.
  • At 12.40am today (Saturday 17 July 2021), police spoke to a man who was asleep in the rear of a white Volkswagen Tiguan on Booner Street, Hawks Nest. The 60-year-old man said he travelled from his Turramurra home to the area for some peace and quiet. After being reminded of the current stay-at-home order, he was issued a $1000 PIN before being directed to return home via the most direct route.

COVID-19 response further strengthened to protect senior Australians

The Morrison Government is continuing to support residential aged care providers in Greater Sydney and across New South Wales with emergency preparedness and response activities and introducing more stringent reporting requirements to protect senior Australians.
Provisions to bolster residential aged care facilities amid the current COVID-19 outbreak include access to a second round of COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program grants and reimbursement for eligible expenses.
The program supports costs for additional or replacement staff, personal protective equipment, onsite testing, cleaning and infection control, waste management, and travel and accommodation.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Government is supporting any provider affected by the outbreak to access surge workforce staff.
“The Government has supported SummitCare Baulkham Hills with more than 130 staff since the current outbreak began, including registered nurses, assistants in nursing, administrative, cleaning and kitchen staff,” Minister Hunt said.
“The Government has also provided additional personal protective equipment including around 34,000 P2/N95 masks, 6,000 surgical masks, gowns, goggles and face shields, 330,000 gloves and
70 litres of hand sanitiser.”
A two-week trial of rapid antigen testing is underway for staff at a large facility in South-West Sydney, showcasing the commitment to early identification of COVID-19 and action to minimise the risk of transmission from staff to residents.
This trial will be evaluated and the findings will be shared with Government to inform future directions on the use of these tests in surveillance and infection prevention and control.
Arrangements to limit aged care workers to working at a single facility remain in place across Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour until at least 14 August 2021.
To ensure workers are not disadvantaged, the Australian Government is continuing to support providers through the Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 (SACWIC) Grant.
In light of the emerging situation in Melbourne, these single site workforce arrangements have been reintroduced and will remain in place in Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Borough of Queenscliff until at least 30 July 2021.
Providers in these areas will also have access to funding through the SACWIC Grant to cover additional costs incurred during this period. The SACWIC Grant remains open for applications until 31 December 2021.
COVID-19 vaccination reporting requirements for aged care providers are also being strengthened to provide greater health security for seniors receiving residential and in-home care.
Residential aged care providers nationally will be required to report on the COVID-19 vaccination status of residents in their care from 27 July 2021, in addition to reporting workforce vaccinations.
“It is important for all residential aged care facilities to report weekly on any changes to the COVID-19 vaccination status of residents, including new entrants, to ensure ongoing vaccine access can be supported for this most vulnerable group of Australians,” Minister Hunt said.
Also from 27 July, in-home aged care providers must report weekly on the COVID-19 vaccination status of their workforce, including contractors and volunteers.
This includes providers of Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care services in an in-home or community setting.
“Data reported by in-home aged care providers on the COVID-19 vaccination status of their workforce will further help us understand the risk each service faces in the event of an outbreak and how we can best support those providers, workers and the people they care for.”
De-identified data will be reported on the total number of residents and/or workers by service and, of those, the number who have received a single dose or all required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
This will help governments and aged care providers support public health measures on COVID-19 and inform any adjustments needed to support workers’ access to vaccination.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said aged care providers had quickly embraced the new workforce reporting requirements.
“As at 14 July, 98 per cent of residential aged care providers have reported on the COVID-19 vaccination status of their workforce. Of the total reported workforce of 276,159 to date, 115,566 workers or 42 per cent have received a COVID-19 vaccination,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Some 669 in-home aged care providers are already voluntarily reporting their workforce’s COVID-19 vaccination status through My Aged Care, ahead of it becoming mandatory.”
It is currently voluntary for aged care workers to get a COVID-19 vaccination and to notify their main employer if they have been vaccinated.
A first dose will be required as a condition of employment by 17 September.
Providers who have not reported on COVID-19 vaccination will be followed up by the Department initially, and ongoing failure to report will be referred to Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
In response to the current outbreak in New South Wales, roving Commonwealth vaccination clinics are returning to 236 aged care facilities in 18 Local Government Areas.
Similarly, the Commonwealth is deploying roving clinics to 145 residential aged care facilities in Tier 1 locations in Victoria, as defined by Victorian health authorities last month.
In addition to strengthening protection for residents and supporting aged care providers and workers, the Australian Government continues to support all senior Australians receiving Commonwealth-funded supports, including through wellbeing checks, grief and trauma counselling, support for families, and advocacy services through the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN).
A dedicated, free call support line (1800 171 866) continues to operate, supporting the mental health of senior Australians and their families impacted by COVID-19.
Established in conjunction with the Council on the Ageing Australia, National Seniors Australia, OPAN and Dementia Australia, the phone line is staffed with expert advisers who can listen and offer practical help and advice.

Labour Force June 2021 – Unemployment rate drops to 4.9 per cent

Labour force figures released today by the ABS show that seasonally adjusted employment rose by 29,100 in June 2021, at the upper end of market expectations, to stand a record high of 13,154,200. Employment has now increased by 285,100 in 2021, the largest increase in the first six months of a calendar year on record, and is 159,400 (or 1.2 per cent) above its pre-COVID level in March 2020.
Encouragingly, the proportion of the Australian civilian population (aged 15 years and over) who were employed reached a record high of 63.0 per cent in June 2021.
The rise in employment over the month was due, entirely, to a robust increase in full-time employment, up by 51,600 (or 0.6 per cent) in June, to a record high of 9,016,800. Full-time employment is now 151,700 (or 1.7 per cent) higher than it was in March 2020.
Male employment rose by 29,500 in June, to a record high of 6,899,600, and is now 62,400 (or 0.9 per cent) above the level recorded in March 2020. The increase in male employment was due, entirely, to a rise in full-time employment, which increased by 51,000 (or 0.9 per cent) to a record high of 5,571,200 in June.
While female employment decreased marginally, by 400 in June, it remains 97,100 (or 1.6 per cent) above the level recorded in March 2020. Encouragingly, female full-time employment rose slightly, by 600, to a record high of 3,445,600 in June.
The level of unemployment in Australia fell by 22,000 over the month, to 679,100 in June 2021, and is now 44,400 (or 6.1 per cent) below the level recorded in March 2020.
The unemployment rate also declined over the month, by 0.2 percentage points, to 4.9 per cent, the eighth consecutive monthly decrease and the lowest rate recorded since December 2010.
The participation rate remained steady in June, at 66.2 per cent, and is 0.3 percentage points above the rate recorded in March 2020.
The youth unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 10.2 per cent in June, the lowest rate recorded since January 2009.
While Australia’s labour market rebound from the pandemic has beaten even the most optimistic of expectations, the Government remains acutely aware that 679,100 Australians remain out of work, and that the risk of ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 in the months ahead present a degree of uncertainty. Recent lockdowns are expected to have an impact on employment over coming months.
This is why the Government’s 2021-22 Budget measures have been designed to cement Australia’s economic recovery and secure our prosperity through initiatives including: a further $15.2 billion in infrastructure investment; additional tax cuts for businesses and individuals; a further $2.7 billion to extend the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program and; an additional $500 million to expand the JobTrainer Fund.
In addition, the Government has announced increased financial assistance to eligible households and businesses in order to minimise the impact of the current outbreak of COVID-19 cases on the labour market.
The Government has put in place a prudent macroeconomic policy framework to ensure that Australia continues to rebound strongly from the COVID-19 induced recession and creates sustainable jobs well into the future.

VIC COVID-19 Support Package

The Victorian Government today announced it was entering a five day lockdown.
Earlier today the Commonwealth Government announced proposed changes to the way economic support will be delivered to individuals and businesses, in partnership with States and Territories, in areas that are subject to a Commonwealth Hotspot declaration and to State or Territory lockdown restrictions.
This evening the Prime Minister and Premier of Victoria, supported by their Treasurers, agreed to these new arrangements with a further enhancement that where a lockdown has been imposed by a State or Territory Government for a period of less than seven days, (as has been announced by the Victorian Government), the Commonwealth will provide income support through the COVID-19 Disaster Payment as follows:
A) A Commonwealth Hotspot has been declared by the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer.
B) The Commonwealth Government will provide income support for those who work or live in the areas declared as a Commonwealth Hotspot. The provision of income support outside of these areas will be provided where requested and at the cost of the State or Territory Government.
C) Individuals will be eligible for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment if they have lost between 8 and less than 20 hours of work for a payment of $375, and for 20 or more hours of work for a payment of $600, during the period of the lockdown. There will be no liquid assets test applied to eligibility for these payments.
D) A commitment has been made by the State or Territory Government to provide significant economic support, for the same lockdown period, to ensure cost sharing between the Commonwealth and the State or Territory Government.
The outcome of this arrangement will have the following implications for the statewide lockdown announced by the Premier of Victoria effective at 11.59pm this evening and the declaration by the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer of Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliff and Surf Coast Shire as a COVID-19 Hotspot for the purposes of Commonwealth support, for an initial period of 5 days from 11.59pm 15 July 2021 until 11.59pm 20 July 2021.
Key information:
Eligibility for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be made available for the period of the Victorian lockdown (five days) as it applies to each area of the State.
The Commonwealth will fund the payment for those who live and/or work in the areas declared as a Commonwealth Hotspot and the State Government will fund payments provided to the balance of the State.
Payments will be made in arrears on application to Services Australia 7 days after the commencement of the lockdown (that is from Friday 23 July 2021).
Payments of $600 will be made to Individuals that lose 20 hours or more of work during the period of the lockdown (the next five days).
Payments of $375 will be made to Individuals that lose between 8 and up to 20 hours of work during the period of the lockdown (the next five days).
No liquid assets test will be applied to the payment at any time.
Information about the COVID-19 Disaster Payment can be found on the Services Australia website at www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/covid-19-disaster-payment.
In addition, the Victorian Government has agreed to provide significant additional economic support to businesses, from day one of this lockdown period, satisfying the Commonwealth’s cost sharing requirements for this arrangement.
Should the Victorian lockdown be extended, the additional features of the upgraded and revised economic support arrangements proposed by the Commonwealth will be activated by agreement.
The additional support being announced today comes on top of the $45.4 billion of Commonwealth support that has already been delivered to Victoria.

NSW COVID-19 Support Package

The Morrison Government is upgrading its national response to COVID-19 outbreaks with increased weekly payments for households, and boosting business cash flow to get them through extended lockdowns.
The new national arrangements have been developed following close cooperation between the Commonwealth and NSW governments to ensure additional support is targeted and rolls out as quickly as possible under a new cost sharing agreement.
The support package will see an increase in the COVID-19 Disaster Payment from week four of a lockdown and a 50/50 cost sharing arrangement between the Commonwealth and the NSW Government for a new and expanded small to medium business support package, implemented and administered by NSW.
This level of support will apply nationally to any state or territory that experiences an extended lockdown beyond week three following the declaration of a Commonwealth hotspot.
COVID-19 Disaster Payment
The Commonwealth will enhance and expand the support available to NSW and other states that experience an extended lockdown.
Specifically, the Commonwealth will:

  • From week four of a lockdown because of a Commonwealth declared hotspot, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will increase from $500 to $600 each week if a person has lost 20 hours or more of work a week or $325 to $375 each week if a person has lost between 8 and 20 hours of work.
  • Make the COVID-19 Disaster Payment a recurring payment for approved recipients for as long as the Commonwealth declared hotspot and lockdown restrictions remain in place. This will remove the need for recipients to re-claim for each seven day period of a lockdown.
  • Amend the COVID-19 Disaster Payment so that a person would be eligible for the payment, including where they are still working, provided they have lost more than 8 hours or a full day of work.

From 18 July 2021 the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be available to those outside Commonwealth declared hotspots in NSW that meet the criteria for the payment.
The NSW Government will fund any payments outside a Commonwealth declared hotspot, with the Commonwealth continuing to fund payments to recipients in a Commonwealth declared hotspot.
This arrangement will be available to other states and territories for future lockdown as a result of a Commonwealth declared hotspot .
Information about how to apply for COVID-19 Disaster Payment can be found on the Services Australia website at www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/covid-19-disaster-payment
Small and medium business support payments
From week four of the lockdown, the Commonwealth will fund 50 per cent of the cost of a new small and medium business support payment to be implemented and administered by Service NSW.
Eligible entities will receive 40 per cent of their NSW payroll payments, at a minimum of $1500 and a maximum of $10,000 per week.
Entities will be eligible if their turnover is 30 per cent lower than an equivalent two week period in 2019.
The new small to medium business support payment will be available to non-employing and employing entities in NSW, including not for profits, with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million.
To receive the payment, entities will be required to maintain their full time, part time and long term casual staffing level as of 13 July 2021.
For non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, the payment will be set at $1,000 per week.
Businesses can register their interest from 14 July 2021 at www.service.nsw.gov.au
The assistance will cease when current lockdown restrictions are eased or when the Commonwealth hotspot declaration is removed.
Commonwealth business tax relief
The Commonwealth will also provide additional support through the tax system, by:

  • Making NSW small business grants, including the new small business payments, tax exempt.
  • Providing administrative relief to NSW taxpayers facing hardship, including reduced payment plans, no interest charged on late payments and varying instalments on request.

Mental health support
The Commonwealth and NSW governments will deliver a $17.35 million mental health support package for NSW including:

  • A boost for crisis and mental health services including for Lifeline, free 24 hour support via Sonder and counselling for perinatal depression and anxiety
  • Funding for mental health support for vulnerable and culturally and linguistically diverse communities
  • Assistance for young people through headspace, Kids Helpline and the Butterfly Foundation

The increase in support for states and territories experiencing extended lockdowns is part of the Government’s plan to secure Australia’s recovery from the COVID-19 recession.
The support comes in addition to existing Commonwealth programs such as HomeBuilder, the expanded instant asset write off, additional support for retaining and training apprentices as well as record support for mental health and women’s safety announced in the Budget.
As the pandemic evolves, so too does the Government’s support for Australians across the country.

Training programs to help local businesses and residents

City of Newcastle is investing almost $400,000 in training programs designed to help locals make the most of Newcastle’s emerging economic opportunities.
From assisting businesses to become more inclusive, to building resilience to market disruptions including COVID-19, the training programs seek to close skills gaps in the local workforce.
L-R-Clear-Paws-owner-Scott-Redman-with-trainee-Makenah-Wilkins-Deputy-Lord-Mayor-Declan-Clausen-and-Clear-Paws-staff.JPG
Funded under City of Newcastle’s NewSkills program, the training will be delivered by specialist training providers through workshops, self-paced learning, intensive programs and mentoring over the next 12 months.
NewSkills follows on from the City’s highly successful Product Development Mentoring Program which provided 15 local businesses with training and business to business mentoring on how to develop tourism products that leveraged Newcastle’s unique offering to appeal to visitors to sustain and grow Newcastle’s visitor economy.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said investing in people sits at the heart of City of Newcastle’s Economic Development Strategy and is the key to economic growth.
“Newcastle’s economic future will be built on the talent, skills and ingenuity of our people,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Business owners, workers and entrepreneurs with diverse skill sets will be better placed to capitalise on opportunities, invest money in the local community and create jobs.”
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said that City of Newcastle is proud to be providing strong investment towards skills training that will encourage economic diversification to further support local small business growth.
“This investment in training through our NewSkills program will provide tangible benefits to the wider Newcastle community, whether it’s encouraging residents to turn their side hustle ideas into fledgling start-ups, providing the digital skills needed to drive automation, innovation and growth through technology, or making Newcastle a more appealing destination for residents and visitors by encouraging businesses to improve the access, inclusion and culture of their service for people with disability,” Cr Clausen said.
Among the training programs to receive funding is a 12-week course delivered by Flare Access on adapting a business to be more inclusive.
Flare Access founder and occupational therapist, Sarah O’Mara said she is looking forward to supporting Newcastle businesses with the confidence and know-how required to improve the access of their services and to create better awareness around disability, accessibility and inclusion, as part of City of Newcastle’s NewSkills program.
“Our 12-week program provides businesses with the tools and solutions needed to incorporate low cost, high impact inclusive practices, which break down barriers and enable both economic growth for businesses and social inclusion for the disabled community, improving accessibility for all,” Ms O’Mara said.
This type of training has been welcomed by Clear Sky Australia, who operates Clear Paws in Adamstown, a registered disability service provider that offers opportunities for people living with a disability to be supported and assessed in a variety of employability skills.
Clear Paws owner Patrick Bellamy encourages more businesses in Newcastle to offer employment training opportunities to people living with disabilities.
“It’s great to see City of Newcastle investing in programs that encourage local businesses to be more inclusive to benefit of the whole community,” Mr Bellamy said.
“Employment training opportunities for people living with a disability are very limited in Newcastle, so we made the decision to open Clear Paws, which provides a supportive caring environment for those living with a disability to develop employability skills.
“People with disability bring a range of skills, talents and abilities to the workplace. We see Clear Paws as a launching pad for its participants to make the transition to employment.”
For more information, visit City of Newcastle’s NewSkills webpage
NEWSKILLS FUNDED TRAINING PROGRAMS
Springboard Digital Skills
An eight-week education program on how to use software tools to streamline operations, innovate for long-term growth, and make data-driven decisions.
Level up Learning in Newcastle
Microlearning platform to help deliver engaging and effective digital learning to Newcastle businesses, focussing on core areas including hospitality (customer service and wine skills), clean tech, energy skills and digital skills.
Future Fresh: Workshops for Small Migrant and Refugee-Run Businesses
To help small migrant- and refugee-run businesses recover from the effects of COVID-19 and build resilience for future events through a series of ongoing, hands-on and engaging workshops focussed on improving marketing, communications, business recovery and innovations.
Tourism Product Development Mentoring Program 2021/2022
Helping 10 local businesses through a mentoring program to elevate and optimise opportunities as the visitor economy returns across 2021 and 2022.
Side Hustle Bootcamp 2021
A 12-week intensive program for 15 Newcastle residents with a great side hustle idea who are having trouble finding the motivation, time and courage to make it a reality.
The City of Newcastle Sustainnovation Challenge
Crowdsourcing innovative solutions from Newcastle’s high school, TAFE and university students to problems posed by City of Newcastle’s teams, local businesses and community organisations from across the city.
Amplify Access and Achieve Purposeful Profit
A 12-week program teaching businesses how to open their doors to more customers and grow profits by transforming the access, inclusion and culture of their service for people with disability with personalised support and low-cost, high impact solutions.

Finalists revealed as KILGOUR PRIZE 2021 attracts record entries

Three local artists have made the cut from a record number of entries vying for honours in this year’s prestigious KILGOUR PRIZE.
Newcastle Art Gallery received 476 works from artists across every state and territory in Australia, an increase of more than 100 entries from 2020 and the highest number overall in the 16-year history of one of Australia’s major art prizes. Almost 2900 works have been entered into the KILGOUR PRIZE since it was established in 2006.
The field has been narrowed to just 30 finalists, whose works will be judged by a panel of experts including Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton, Campbelltown Arts Centre Head of Curatorial Adam Porter and the Head Teacher of Fine Art at Newcastle Art School, David Trout.
The KILGOUR PRIZE awards $50,000 for the most outstanding work entered into the annual competition, which is administered by Newcastle Art Gallery and funded by a bequest from artist Jack Noel Kilgour. An additional $5,000 is awarded to the painting voted most popular by the general public.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the record entries are testament to the esteem in which the prize and Newcastle Art Gallery are held within the artistic community.
“Since the KILGOUR PRIZE was established in 2006 its reputation within the art community has grown significantly,” Cr Nelmes.
“Attracting almost 500 entries for this year’s prize is an amazing achievement, with the diversity and quality of the works as impressive as ever.
“The COVID-19 global pandemic continues to impact those within our visual arts community, which makes the $50,000 prize and the opportunity to have their works showcased at Newcastle Art Gallery all the more valuable for the talented finalists.”
Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton said the KILGOUR PRIZE presents some of the best examples of contemporary Australian portrait and figurative painting.
“The KILGOUR PRIZE encourages Australian artists to pursue and push the boundaries of portraiture and figurative painting,” Ms Morton said.
“This year’s selected artists present diverse interpretations of the brief, resulting in a very dynamic exhibition with works focussing on everything from experiences in lockdown through to scenes of everyday life.
“The quality of the works will make the selection process all the more difficult, but that is a wonderful challenge to have.”
Carrington resident Gillian Adamson has been named a finalist in her first year entering the KILGOUR PRIZE, with Merewether-based artists Nick Fintan and John Earle also on the list.
New South Wales and Victorian artists make up more than half of the 30 finalists, with works also coming from Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
The exhibition will be on display from 13 August until 31 October, with People’s Choice voting open until 6 October.
The winner of the KILGOUR PRIZE 2021 will be announced on 13 August, with the People’s Choice prize awarded on 11 October.
2021 FINALISTS:
Lisa Adams, Gillian Adamson, Matteo Bernasconi, Jackson Booth, Catherine Boreham, Julie-Ann Brown, Simon Brown, Daniel Butterworth, Emily Jayne Carroll, John Dahlsen, Archer Davies, Rachelle Dusting, John Earle, David Fairbairn, Nick Fintan, Christine Fontana, Miriam Fraser, Michael Lindeman, Nunzio Miano, Robert O’Connor, Nathan Paddison, Lori Pensini, Alice Pulvers, James R Randall, Zeljka Reljan-Music, Grace Kemarre Robinya, Paul Ryan, Jason Tolmie, Mick Turner and Mark Tweedie.
2021 JUDGES:
Lauretta Morton, Director Newcastle Art Gallery
Adam Porter, Head of Curatorial, Campbelltown Arts Centre
David Trout, Visual Artist, Head Teacher Fine Art, Newcastle Art School.
ABOUT THE KILGOUR PRIZE
Jack Noel Kilgour (1900–1987) was an Australian artist well-known for his academic approach to landscape and portrait painting. In 1987 Kilgour bequeathed funds for the creation of a major figurative and portrait art competition to be run in perpetuity. As one of Australia’s major art prizes, Newcastle Art Gallery is proud to be the home of the KILGOUR PRIZE.
More information: https://www.nag.org.au/Kilgour-Prize

City extends COVID-19 hardship support

City of Newcastle is extending hardship support to businesses and residents in the community affected by the latest restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said local businesses are likely to see a further slowdown in economic activity given the current COVID-19 restrictions in place across regional New South Wales, in addition to supply chain issues as a direct result of the Sydney lockdown.
“We understand that many people and small businesses in our community are facing an extremely challenging time,” said Cr Nelmes.
“City of Newcastle will offer hardship support to residents and business owners experiencing financial hardship through interest free payment plans, upon application, for the upcoming 2021/22 Rates Notice period.
“With 2021/22 Rates Notices arriving in mailboxes from mid-July, we encourage those experiencing financial hardship to reach out and contact City of Newcastle to discuss a payment plan. The next rates instalment is due on 31 August, so there is plenty of time to organise a plan.”
Ratepayers can enter into a flexible payment option including weekly, fortnightly and monthly instalments as well as other tailored plans. Financial planning and counselling assistance through one of City of Newcastle’s appointed community welfare agencies is also available to ratepayers experiencing hardship.
“In July 2020, during the height of COVID-19, we saw a large take-up from residents and businesses experiencing hardship and helped set up appropriate arrangements. $1.64 million in rates were deferred during the peak period, and City of Newcastle is extending the same support to help the community through this challenging time,” Cr Nelmes said.
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said the City’s $5.5 million COVID Community and Economic Resilience Package is continuing and is also focused on creating new economic opportunities by upskilling local talent and increasing business resilience to events like COVID-19 in the medium to long-term.
“City of Newcastle has called on businesses to develop training packages that address the skills gaps in the local economy, with a range of NewSkills training programs soon to be on offer. Target areas include identifying how businesses in the hospitality and tourism sectors can build a more resilient business model and support emerging industries,” Cr Clausen said.
“City of Newcastle has invested $100,000 into e-Library resources under the Community and Economic Development Resilience Package, building on its existing repertoire of free adult and children’s e-books, newspapers, magazines, music and movie streaming services as well as online learning with the community able to access 5,800 additional e-book and audiobook titles, plus a new video streaming platform ‘Medici TV’ for those who don’t subscribe to Netflix, Stan, Foxtel and the like.”
We have also extended indefinitely our decision to waive library fines to encourage a more positive member experience and provide additional means for the community to access free resources for continued learning.
Newcastle Libraries’ members can also access more than 8,000 e-learning courses and 13,000 video tutorials free of charge on topics such as resume writing, skills for retraining, and how to start a business, via an online learning platform.
The benefit of these courses is the upskilling of the local workforce during a period of economic downturn, empowering people to learn while improving community wellbeing.
Ratepayers experiencing financial difficulties are encouraged to seek assistance by contacting City of Newcastle’s Rates Team on 02 4974 2307 or rates@ncc.nsw.gov.au
For more information, visit City of Newcastle’s Pay Your Rates webpage.

Vital support for NSW Visitor Economy

The NSW Government is providing targeted support for the state’s accommodation sector to ease the pain of lost bookings over the winter school holiday period.
The cash-flow boosting funding will enable eligible accommodation premises that have lost room nights between 25 June and 11 July inclusive to apply for grants up to $5,000.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said this $26 million initiative was critically important for accommodation providers with occupancy rates plummeting over the past month.
“It is heartbreaking that this recent outbreak of COVID-19 occurred right on the cusp of the winter school holidays, meaning Sydneysiders, NSW residents and interstate visitors were not able to fulfil their travel plans across the State,” Mr Ayres said.
“The sector has reported a dramatic decline in occupancy rates, with some Sydney properties reporting only two per cent occupancy in July 2021.
“This program is for all eligible accommodation premises across NSW, as the current restrictions not only affect Greater Sydney operators but also those in regional NSW who lost their main source market from metropolitan Sydney or interstate.
“There are more than 38,000 accommodation providers in NSW – from hotels and motels to holiday home rentals. I encourage all businesses to look at the Service NSW website for more information – including detailed eligibility criteria – as it’s published in the coming weeks.”
“The $5.1 billion support package, including up to $4.1 billion from the State Government, announced by the Prime Minister, NSW Premier and NSW Treasurer yesterday will come as a huge relief to many businesses involved in the State’s visitor economy, allowing them to keep staff on and doors open in preparation for our recovery.
“Now it is up to all of us to stop the spread of the virus so we can get back to travelling and enjoying our state’s experiences and attractions as soon as possible, which is what businesses really need.”
There will be two tiers of grants available to accommodation premises through the initiative:
– Tier 1: For accommodation premises that have had a cancellation of 10 room nights or less, there is a grant of $2,000
– Tier 2: For accommodation premises that have had a cancellation of 11 room nights or more, there is a grant of $5,000
To be eligible, businesses must be registered for GST and/or hold an ABN, be located in NSW and the accommodation premises must be an entire property, i.e. not holiday letting of a spare room in a residence.
Where an owner/operator owns multiple accommodation premises (identifiable by differentiated street addresses), each accommodation premises is eligible for the grant.
Accommodation providers can apply for this grant and other support measures such as the COVID-19 Business Grant and business and employee support program. Details of all support initiatives are available on the Service NSW website.

Childcare gap-fee waiver for NSW families in COVID-affected areas

The Morrison Government will provide additional support for New South Wales by allowing childcare services to waive gap-fees for parents keeping their children at home due to current COVID-19 restrictions.
Under current NSW restrictions child care services can remain open to provide care for those who need it, but we know that many parents choose to keep their children home.
From Monday July 19, childcare centres in New South Wales Local Government Areas subject to stay at home orders can waive gap-fees on the days that parents choose to keep their children at home. The gap fee is the difference between the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) the Government pays to a service and the remaining fee paid by the family.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said around 216,000 families across Greater Sydney that access childcare services could benefit from this measure.
“When gap-fees are waived families will not have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for those days that their children are at home during the current stay at home period,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is another measure that will make life easier for many families in Greater Sydney during these challenging times.
“This adds to the significant financial support we have already announced in conjunction with the NSW Government to back families and businesses, and provide additional mental health support.”
Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said many in the sector had been asking for this change and were expected to offer the gap-fee waiver.
“This opt-in measure ensures children remain enrolled in care and the Commonwealth childcare subsidy continues to flow to the centre, providing a valuable, stable and certain source of revenue during this time,” Minister Tudge said.
“Previous lockdowns show that even when child care remains open, there is an understandably strong preference to keep kids at home.
“We are easing some of the pressure on families and encouraging them to keep their children enrolled, guaranteeing the continued flow of child care subsidy to service providers.
“Importantly, this means providers can keep their staff employed so business can continue as usual when the stay at home orders end.
“Today’s decision will also support Outside School Hours Care sector, which is under particular pressure while school students are learning from home.”
The measure builds on the existing gap fee waiver that is currently in place until 31 December 2021, where gap fees can be waived if a service is directed to close due to public health advice.
Families experiencing a loss of income, such as casual workers or those in self-isolation, may also be eligible for support through the Additional Child Care Subsidy (temporary financial hardship).
The Morrison Government has committed around $3 billion to support the early childhood education and care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Local Government Areas are: Bayside, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Inner West, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Liverpool, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Penrith, Randwick, Ryde, Shellharbour, Strathfield, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, The Hills Shire, Waverley, Willoughby, Wollondilly, Wollongong and Woollahra.