NSW Liberals recommit to support Chinese cultural celebrations

The state’s Chinese communities will once again be supported to hold cultural celebrations and festivals by a re-elected Perrottet Liberal Government.

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said a re-elected Liberal Government will invest $900,000 over four years to help Chinese communities celebrate major events and festivals across the state.

“We believe in helping our state’s diverse communities be proud of who they are, and one of the ways we do that is by helping them celebrate their culture with everyone,” Mr Coure said. 

“We are once again committing to support to Chinese communities by providing $225,000 a year for four years to do just that.”

Over the past four years, the Perrottet Liberals invested more than $800,000 into Chinese community groups and organisations to host events and festivals throughout the state.

Liberal Member for Willoughby, Tim James, said it is only the Perrottet Liberal Government that continues to invest in local communities and support cultural celebrations.

“Holding major cultural festivals and events is one way to showcase that pride, but also to bring people together, share the spirit of many cultures and celebrate the great harmony and diversity we all treasure” Mr James said.

Liberal candidate for Davidson Matt Cross said the Chinese community has long been an integral part of the state’s multicultural society.

“For generations, the Chinese community has been helping build our state, especially in my local area, to be the great place it is today and has a lot to be proud of.” Mr Cross said.

NSW Liberals commit to support Easter Festival in 2024

A re-elected Perrottet Liberal Government will support The Christian Alliance Collective to host its inaugural Easter Festival with $50,000.

The event, which will be hosted by the alliance that’s made up of a collaboration of 70 different Christian groups all from different denominations and cultures across Sydney’s south, will aim to create a fun and family-friendly environment to celebrate Easter.

Liberal Candidate for Kogarah Craig Chung welcomed the commitment to support Sydney’s south region’s Christian groups.

“We have such a rich diversity within the Christian community and it is really pleasing to see this group wanting to bring everyone together to celebrate Easter,” Mr Chung said.

Minister for Multiculturalism said the collective of different Christian groups coming together to celebrate Easter with the whole community reflects how successful NSW is as a multicultural and multi-faith society.

“This coming together to celebrate the importance of Easter really shows that while we are all different, there is still a great deal that unites us all,” Mr Coure said. 

“It is this vision to bring everyone together in the spirit of Easter that the Perrottet Liberal Government is proud to commit $50,000 to running the event in 2024.”

Upgraded facilities across NSW waterways

Fishing and boating enthusiasts will have access to better community facilities with a re-elected Liberal and Nationals Government to deliver more than $25 million in upgrades across the state’s waterways and regions.

As part of the commitment, $20 million will be spent to upgrade boating ramps and build new fishing facilities including platforms, kayak ramps, parking, access paths, fish cleaning tables and interactive signage across the state.

An additional $5.5 million will be committed to open up more waterways in Western Sydney for recreational use and boost fishing facilities, including in the Penrith Lakes Parkland, and along the Georges and Parramatta Rivers.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said this will make the state’s lakes, rivers and waterways more accessible for fishers and families alike.

“NSW is home to the most spectacular outdoors experiences in the world, providing the perfect environment for fishing, boating, camping and exploring,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We want to make sure that fishers, boaties, campers and families have access to the facilities they need to enjoy the outdoors across NSW.

“That’s why we’re committing more than $25 million to upgrade boat ramps, jetties, and fishing facilities across our state but particularly in Western Sydney, where there is demand for more fishing spots.

“This is not only good news for those who love to explore the outdoors, but it will provide a boost to local economies by driving tourism, supporting local jobs and providing lifestyle benefits to families.”

Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said this commitment will provide a major boost to the State’s $3.4 billion recreational fishing sector by creating more opportunities to drop a line.

“NSW is a fishing state. Both up and down our coast, in our cities and our regions, one million people enjoy the popular past time,” Mr Saunders said.

“These significant upgrades will take the high quality fishing that NSW has to offer to the next level and encourage even more people to get involved including more women and children.

“No matter whether you want to catch a feed or just want to get outdoors and go for a fish with your family and friends, the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will continue to protect and improve our waterways for years to come.” 

The funding allocation will be managed by the Department of Primary Industries.

Top 5 Scandals Engulfing Queensland Labor

While much national attention has been on the corruption scandals invloving Daniel Andrew’s Victorian Labor Government, not as much attention has been given to the absolute chaos in Queensland under Annastacia Palaszczuk’s lack of sound governance.

Here are the top five scandals engulfing Australia’s most haphazard and incompetent leader:

  1. Another Queensland Health Payroll disaster. In 2010 the Bligh government was partly brought down by a huge scandal that saw 100’s millions of taxpayer dollars being overpaid (and underpaid) to Queensland Health workers. Turns out the party hasn’t ended, with a recent audit showing Labor has learned nothing and continued for the last 8 YEARS overpaying staff throughout Queensland Health.
  2. The Crime Wave is brutal. There has been a 50% jump in Queensland youth crime, the highest in the nation. While national attention is on the suffering citizens of Alice Springs, little attention is given to Mt Isa, Townsville or Cairns, where youth offending is out of the ballpark.
  3. The Gabba Stadium’s 2032 Olympic overhaul was slated to cost $1billion. Turns out this initial amount, proposed on the back of a coaster, is nowhere near the real cost with new predictions showing costs north of $3 billion. That is a $2billon blunder, and that is staggering. 
  4. The Cross River Tunnel which connects The Gabba in Brisbane’s south to various stops underground and the North/CBD has blow-up from $5 billion to at least $8 billion now. Astonishingly money has been spent of full-scale mock-ups of the stations, so commuters can ‘touch and feel’ the stations and see what they’re like.
  5. Added taxes that were promised never to be introduced. The worst of these chaotic disasters is the GP tax, which has caused a raft of GPs to opt out of the bulk billing system.

Notice all the disasters (crime and payroll) adversely affect regional centres, and yet the infrastructure blowouts are for guided city projects that deliver little or no substance to infrastructure-poor regional areas? Queenslanders are unable to point to a single thing the Labor state government has gotten right. Disaster after disaster has plagued Labor, all the while our Premier struts red carpets up and down the state, desperate for social page attention.

OFFICIAL VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF SAMOA

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, the Hon Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, to Australia from 20 – 25 March as a guest of the Australian Government.

Australia and Samoa are close partners with a longstanding relationship that is underpinned by mutual respect and trust.

The Prime Ministers will discuss ways to strengthen our partnership and regional cooperation in support of a peaceful, prosperous and resilient Blue Pacific.

Australia acknowledges the scale of the climate change challenge  facing the Pacific, and is committed to keep working with Samoa on climate resilience and on sustainable development.

This will be the first official visit to Australia by a Prime Minister of Samoa since 2019.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“I am delighted to welcome Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa to Australia.

“As members of the Pacific family, Australia and Samoa share a special bond based on a long history of cooperation and kinship.

“Our countries enjoy strong personal links with nearly 98,000 people of Samoan descent calling Australia home.

“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Fiamē to Australia and strengthening our cooperation in areas including economic development, labour mobility, climate and regional security.”

Netball NSW Continue Partnerships with DOOLEYS and HART Sport

Netball NSW are delighted to announce that long standing partners DOOLEYS and HART Sport have renewed their partnerships with Netball NSW in multiyear agreements.

DOOLEYS have continued as naming rights partner of DOOLEYS Metro League for the next 2 years, while HART Sport renewed for 3 years as a major partner of Netball NSW, naming rights partner of the HART Junior and Senior State Titles and official ball and equipment partner of Netball NSW.

DOOLEYS Catholic Club in Lidcombe is a proud supporter of Metro League which has seen a host of NSW talent hone their skills before going on to higher honours in Netball NSW Premier League and subsequently Suncorp Super Netball via the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball.

HART Sport continues their connection with the Junior and Senior Titles, both flagship events within the Netball NSW pathway.

Netball NSW Executive General Manager of Communities and Pathways Tim Fava is excited to continue the relationships with both DOOLEYS and HART Sport.

‘Netball NSW recognises the fantastic support and commitment to grassroots and pathways to netball in NSW’ said Tim Fava, ‘and we look forward to working closely with both DOOLEYS and Hart Sport to help lead and support our netball community to grow and thrive’.

Yael Reed, Netball NSW Executive General Manager – Commercial & Marketing added
‘To continue our long-standing partnership with both DOOLEYS and HART Sport shows their commitment to the Netball NSW Pathway and we welcome their ongoing support’

DOOLEYS: https://www.dooleys.com/lidcombe

HART Sport: https://www.hartsport.com.au/

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR STUDENT DEBT FREEZE IN SENATE INQUIRY

Submissions to a Senate inquiry into a bill introduced by Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Education, which would freeze student debt and raise minimum repayment income thresholds, show overwhelming support for the measures. 

The Senate Inquiry hearing will be held in Sydney tomorrow.

Senator Faruqi said:

“The Inquiry has received submissions from a large number of  individuals about how inflation-driven indexation will impact them if the Government does not step in and scrap it.”

“Rising student debt is impacting people’s mental health, causing young people to re-think further study and making it harder for them to access personal loans for a car or their first home.”

“Rising student debt is making things worse for people already doing it tough.”

“Rising student debt will further entrench inequality, with women and young people who earn less than men bearing the brunt of soaring student debt”

“There is no time to waste. The Government needs to urgently take the first step in relieving this unfair economic burden by scrapping indexation and raising the minimum repayment income.”

GOVERNMENT MUST RECKON WITH ISLAMOPHOBIA

Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has urged the Government to reckon with the ugly reality of racism in this country, noting that 15 March is the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque shooting.

Senator Faruqi said:

‘Four years ago, racism killed 51 people in the Christchurch Mosque massacre.

“The Christchurch shooter was a product of Australia and far right extremism continues to threaten our safety and well being. 

“We must reckon with the R-word and acknowledge the scale of racism in this country which seeps into every day lives, policies, and practices.

“Report after report tells us that Muslims in Australia continue to experience horrific levels of racism and hate. 

“Disturbingly, Muslim women and children bear the brunt of Islamophobia.

“Racist and Islamophobic prejudice feeds into the cruel immigration system that detains, dehumanises and deports people seeking asylum.

“For too long politicians have fanned the flames of racism, stood quietly on the sidelines or gaslighted people like me who dare to call it out.

“As a start, let’s mandate anti-racism training for all politicians so they are forced to confront their privilege, bias and prejudice.

“Let’s  ditch the name ‘Harmony Day’ for 21st March and revert to the original purpose and name of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. 

“The time to trivialise and whitewash racism is over.

“We need proper data collection on hate crimes and racial discrimination and we need to strengthen and enforce hate speech laws.”

First Lap vouchers boost water safety in Londonderry

Liberal candidate for Londonderry, Samantha Talakola, welcomed local families saving more than $154,000 on swimming lessons to boost water safety and relieve budgets, as part of the Perrottet Liberal Government’s First Lap voucher scheme.
 
Ms Talakola said the program was delivering huge results for Londonderry families.
 
“A total of 1,541 vouchers have been redeemed for swimming lessons meaning young children are more confident in the water and there is less of a strain on family expenses,” Mr Talakola said.
 
“A $100 voucher goes a long way when you are managing your budget and having this relief takes a bit of pressure off the family while improving a child’s swimming skills.
 
“Only Premier Dominic Perrottet and the NSW Liberals have a long-term plan to keeping NSW moving forward.”
 
A total of 75,075 vouchers have been redeemed to the value of more than $7,400,000.
 
For more information about First Lap vouchers visit the Service NSW website here.

$200,000 committed to supporting let’s go Greek Festival in Parramatta

Liberal candidate for Parramatta, Katie Mullens, welcomes the announcement that a re-elected NSW Liberal Government will invest $200,000 over four years into the running of the Let’s Go Greek Festival in Parramatta.

“This is a wonderful initiative for the Greek community in Parramatta and across New South Wales,” Ms Mullens said.

“It is only the Perrottet Liberal Government that continues to invest in people, enhancing local communities and celebrating diversity in Parramatta in beyond.”

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the commitment represents the NSW Liberal Government’s belief in supporting communities across the state to celebrate their culture with everyone.

“The Greek community certainly knows how to bring people from all walks of life together, and this festival is a perfect example of that,” Mr Coure said.

“We are proud to help the Greek community celebrate such a vibrant culture and share it with $50,000 a year for four years.”

Let’s Go Greek Festival organiser John Bris welcomed the announcement.

“This investment ensures we can continue to deliver a remarkable event that brings everyone together to celebrate all things Greek in the heart of Parramatta,” Mr Bris said. 

“Each year, this one-day festival attracts over 35,000 people, and we look forward to continuing to share the best that Greek culture and cuisine have to offer.”