October 2013
Saturday, 26 October 2013 12:06

Paynesville kinder expansion

Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull today officially opened the newly extended Paynesville Kindergarten.

The Victorian Coalition Government has invested $300,000 towards the redevelopment, which will enable the kindergarten to meet growing demand in the area.

The new kindergarten room provides places for 24 more children, and will enable the centre to deliver 15 hour programs for children in the year before school.  

Mr Bull acknowledged the $37,000 contribution towards the project from Paynesville Kindergarten.

“We all know how much effort goes into fundraising, so this is an impressive result for the kindergarten committee,” Mr Bull said.

“This wonderful effort has resulted in an increase of 24 places at the kindergarten, boosting services for students now and into the future.”

Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell said record investments in early childhood infrastructure will enable many more communities to follow Paynesville’s lead in 2013 and beyond.

“To ensure centres can keep up with growing populations and an increasing demand for services, the Coalition Government has allocated $106 million in state and national partnership funding since December 2010 to build or upgrade children’s services across the state,” Ms Lovell said.                        

“This funding has enabled the vast majority of Victorian services to offer 15 hour programs and more places.”

Ms Lovell said the benefits of investing in early years capital projects were shared across the whole community.

“So far, our investments have directly contributed to the creation of more than 300 construction jobs in Victoria,” Ms Lovell said.  

Published in Media
Thursday, 24 October 2013 12:05

A new chapter for early learning in Orbost

The Victorian Coalition Government has invested $166,400 towards the redevelopment, which has enabled the co-location of a range of services in Orbost and acknowledged the $180,000 contribution towards the project from Orbost Kindergarten.

“This is an outstanding effort from Orbost Kindergarten,” Mr Bull said.

“It is an investment in the children of our community, not just now, but well into the future.”

East Gippsland Shire committed $3,000 to the project with additional funding of $5,500 from community service agencies and $5,100 from local business.

The new kindergarten room means the centre can deliver 15 hour programs for children in the year before school, as well as providing a base for Orbost Regional Health Child and Maternal Health Services, the Koorie Mums and Bubs program and the Science and Technology Education in Primary Schools (STEPS) support for parents of disabled children.

Mr Bull said, since December 2010 the Coalition Government has invested just over $1 million into East Gippsland early learning centre locations including, Bairnsdale, Paynesville, Swan Reach, Orbost, Swifts Creek, Lakes Entrance and Mallacoota.

Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell said record investments in early childhood infrastructure will enable many more communities to follow Orbost’s lead in 2013 and beyond.

“To ensure centres can keep up with growing populations and an increasing demand for services, the Coalition Government has invested $93 million in state and national partnership funding since December 2010 to build or upgrade children’s services across the state,” Ms Lovell said.                            

“This funding has enabled the vast majority of Victorian services to offer 15 hour programs and more places.”

Ms Lovell said the benefits of investing in early years capital projects were shared across the whole community.

“So far, our investments have directly contributed to the creation of more than 300 construction jobs in Victoria,” Ms Lovell said.    

Published in Media
Wednesday, 09 October 2013 12:04

Heyfield sport infrastructure to receive $1.35 million upgrade

Basketballers, netballers, cricketers, and footballers are just some of the local sportspeople set to benefit from today’s Coalition Government announcement of a $629,400 funding boost towards upgrading the change rooms at the Gordon Street Recreation Reserve, Heyfield.  

Minister for Sport and Recreation Hugh Delahunty was joined by Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull and Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Cr Scott Rossetti, at the venue today to announce the funding as part of a facility funding package to build better facilities for local people across the State.  

“The Gordon Street Recreation Reserve is a much-loved community asset in the Heyfield district and it’s vital that we maintain it as a hub for all things sport,” Mr Bull said.  

“By providing funding to upgrade the Gordon Street Reserve, we’re delivering high quality community facilities that encourage local people to play the sports they love for many years to come.

“The Coalition Government is committed to investing in sustainable infrastructure that makes a difference to local people,” Mr Bull said.  

Specifically, the upgrade will involve: •    Redeveloped football/cricket change rooms •    New umpires change facilities and amenities •    New change facilities for netball and stadium users •    Extend the existing multi-purpose room to allow for a meeting room, office and administration space, and sufficient multipurpose space to cater for large functions/events •    Redeveloped kitchen and servery •    New accessible public toilets and shower facilities for reserve users •    New entrance passageway linking the basketball stadium and football/netball facilities

Wellington Shire Council, Mayor, Cr Scott Rossetti, said it’s important to Council that our facilities meet the needs of our community.

“In recent years, numbers of residents making use of the aging facilities at Gordon Street Recreation Reserve, in particular, the multi-purpose room, have increased significantly.

“Therefore, redevelopment of this Recreation Reserve will help us meet both current demands, and future demands. Council is fully supportive of this project, and thanks both the community and the Coalition Government’s Community Facility Funding Program for enabling the community’s vision for Gordon Street to go ahead,” Mr Rossetti said.

“The improvements will be welcomed by Heyfield’s many football, cricketers, netballers, and basketballers, as well as coaches and umpires, who will be able to enjoy new change room facilities.  

“Importantly, the project will feature more accessible toilets and showers and an extension of the multipurpose community space to ensure even more people can enjoy the reserve,” Mr Delahunty said.  

The Coalition Government’s funding for the project is from the latest round of grants under the Community Facility Funding Program.  Mr Bull thanked Wellington Shire Council for providing $669,600 along with $50,000 from the Gordon Street Recreation Reserve Committee of Management towards the $1.349 million project.

“This project is the result of engagement with the local sport and recreation groups, State Sporting Organisations, schools and emergency services to ensure these new facilities best serve the needs of the reserve users,” Mr Bull said.

For more information about the Community Facility Funding Program go to www.sport.vic.gov.au

Published in Media
Wednesday, 09 October 2013 12:02

Orbost Pool to benefit from $150,000 upgrade

Local sporting participants are one step closer to better sporting facilities thanks to a $100,000 Coalition Government funding boost towards the upgrade of the Orbost Outdoor Pool.

In Orbost today, Minister for Sport and Recreation Hugh Delahunty was joined by Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull and East Gippsland Shire Council Mayor, Cr Richard Ellis, to announce the funding through the 2014/2015 Community Facility Funding Program.

“Local sport and recreation facilities are vital to their communities, especially here in Orbost,” Mr Bull said.  

“This $100,000 funding boost will go a long way to helping the Orbost Outdoor Pool cater for the increasing demand for swimming in the area.

“The Coalition Government is proud to invest in initiatives that bring even greater benefits to the community, encouraging more people to get together, be physically active and lead healthier lives,” Mr Bull said.

In thanking the State Government for its contribution to the Shire project, Cr Dick Ellis said it has been a long-time desire by Orbost residents to heat their swimming pool.

“Council has been working with members of the Orbost Heat the Pool Committee for some time on exploring heating options for the outdoor pool.

“The pool attracts approximately 6,000 attendances per season with the pool being widely used by the local and remote communities, from school swimming, to lap swimmers, family groups and particularly children,” Cr Ellis concluded.

Mr Bull said the project includes the installation of solar heating and shade structures at the Orbost Outdoor Pool.  

“This project will provide comfortable pool temperatures, provide vital shade infrastructure to protect patrons from the harsh summer sun, and reduce the running costs of this vital community gathering place,” Mr Bull said.   

“On completion, the pool will be an attractive option for locals who might not enjoy swimming in open water including in local lakes, rivers and the ocean.  

“We want to make it easier for the community to stay physically active and enjoy their local recreation facilities,” Mr Bull said.  

Mr Bull thanked the East Gippsland Shire Council for providing over $50,000 towards the project.  

For more information about the Community Facility Funding Program visit www.sport.vic.gov.au

Published in Media
Thursday, 03 October 2013 12:02

State Government works to wipe out environmental crime

The Victorian Coalition Government has undertaken a major clean-up of illegally dumped rubbish in the Colquhoun State Forest near Lakes Entrance, which has prompted a warning for people to do the right thing and dispose of their rubbish accordingly, or risk being prosecuted.

The Coalition Government is taking a tough stance on illegal dumping. Penalties of up to $6000 and/or imprisonment applies under the Environment Protection Act (1970) for illegally dumped rubbish and even more severe penalties apply for the dumping of industrial waste.

Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) crews from Nowa Nowa, with support from East Gippsland Shire Council, spent three days picking up rubbish from sites within the Colquhoun State Forest, and were shocked to see so much thoughtless damage to the forest environment.

Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull MP said, “Now we've cleaned the area up we want to keep it that way, so potential offenders be warned, there will be regular patrols and policing operations to prevent further dumping and bring offenders to justice.”

“We’ve picked up truckloads of garbage, including 10 tonnes of mixed rubbish and two tonnes of steel,” Mr Bull said.

“There was household rubbish, building and renovating materials, concrete, garden waste, car parts, piles of tyres, dumped cars, televisions, animal parts, mattresses, wire, glass and just about anything else you can think of that should never be dumped in our beautiful forests.”

“Most of this material can be recycled at the local tip, so illegal dumping of such items cannot be justified and will not be tolerated.”

“The cost to the taxpayer extends beyond the considerable expense of cleaning this mess up. It can also impact on environmental tourism and our local clean green image.”

Details were found amongst the rubbish that could help to identify offenders and anyone with information is asked to come forward.

Anyone with information or who has seen material being dumped in the forest should contact the Lakes Entrance or Bairnsdale DEPI office or the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

 
 
 
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