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THE CATALINA FLYING MEMORIAL LTD
The goal of relocating a WWII Catalina at Rathmines is a lot closer. A plane has been bought in Portugal and flown to Australia. It is now at Bankstown airport, where it will be restored to military condition.
The Catalina VH will be on display in conjunction with the Australian Air League and Aircraft Model Show in the Bankstown Airport passenger terminal over the weekend of the 9th & 10th May 2009
In exchange for a (tax deductible) donation of $20, visitors will be invited to climb aboard and sit in the pilot's seat. The Catalina Flying Memorial Ltd will also be selling copies of the excellent books by Bob Cleworth, "Cats at War" and "The Fabulous Catalina", as well as DVDs.
All donations received will help fund the work required to obtain an Australian Certificate of Airworthiness for VH-CAT. The achievement of this key milestone will mark a significant contribution to the return of the Catalina to Australian skies and seas.
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Posted 28 April 2009
Pensioners still drowning in Hunter Water ripoff
Member for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, is concerned that the weekend announcement of a $63 increase in rebate for water and sewerage charges for pensioners in the Hunter does not go far enough.
Mr Piper wrote to Phillip Costa, Minister for Water, earlier this year requesting an explanation for the substantial variation between Sydney and Hunter pensioner rebates.
"The Minister is supporting the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal's proposal for a $63 increase over four years, a mere $16 a year extra rebate which leaves our pensioners way behind in terms of equity."
"It increases the Hunter rebate to $199 next financial year, but still sees Hunter Water customers paying $87 a year more for their water and sewage connections than their Sydney counterparts."
"But if that's inequitable, spare a thought for the thousands of pensioners living in Hunter retirement villages who get no rebate at all," Mr Piper added.
Mr Piper has been following up a problem in which pensioners living in retirement villages with no separate water meters receive no rebate at all, although they pay full sewer connection and water usage fees through a village levy.
"Following my inquiry to Treasury last September, I have just received a letter from Minister Costa sympathising with the pensioners' plight but referring the matter back to Hunter Water through the Department of Water and Energy."
According to Mr Piper, the issue has been going around in circles for many years with lack of individual metering used as the excuse, even though it is the un-metered sewer connection fee which represents the biggest charge.
"I proposed a simple accounting solution to address the problem, but Hunter Water and its State Government share holders continue to treat our region's pensioners with indifference," Mr Piper said.
Posted 24 April 2009 Keep the Lotteries, says Greg Piper Greg Piper, Member for Lake Macquarie, says that the Government should abandon its plans to sell the NSW lotteries. According to Mr Piper, lotteries were introduced in 1930 to raise money for public hospitals. "Lotteries were started to pay for hospitals, so the Government could use the proceeds to provide one for the growing Morisset community." "Successive governments have diverted the income for other uses, but the need for hospitals is just as great today as it was in 1930," Mr Piper said. According to Mr Piper, the privatisation of lotteries was included in the Government's desperate mini-budget in the wake of the failed electricity privatisation. "Lotteries bring significant and ongoing revenue and the only logic in cashing in now would be to get a short term windfall to address years of fiscal mismanagement," he said. "Privatisation of services and assets isn't the way forward for NSW," Mr Piper said. "The Government shouldn't sell off an income stream when the money is needed to help build communities." Posted 17 April 2009 Local MP Promotes ANZAC Legend Greg Piper, Member for Lake Macquarie, has produced an informative eight-page booklet titled "Legend of ANZAC", which highlights the true meaning of ANZAC and the spirit that was born on April 25 1915 at Gallipoli. According to Mr Piper, ANZAC Day is a time to remember the sacrifices made by all men and women who have fought in Australia's name. "This important day of remembrance is a time for reflection and it gives us the opportunity to show pride in our nation," Mr Piper said. "It is a time for us to remember the men and women who have served and died in conflict to ensure the freedom and safety our country enjoys today." Mr Piper said he hopes young people in particular will read the stories highlighting the contribution of local people to the war effort. "The Anzac Legend - the pride, the courage and mateship - is carried into so many aspects of Australian life," Mr Piper said. The booklet has a feature article on the magnificent Catalina flying boats and their crews so highly regarded for their efforts in the Second World War. The importance of the Rathmines RAAF Base is highlighted in a special interview with two veterans, Gordon Wicks and Donald Lowe. There is also the remarkable story of Attie Wearne, who lost a leg in a shark attack in 1942 but continued to fly Catalinas during the war. It also a handy reference guide to various dawn services and marches in the Electorate on Saturday, April 25. According to Mr Piper, many who have received the booklet in the post have welcomed it. "If you don't yet have the booklet you can phone my electorate office at 49593200," he said. The booklet will also be posted in the Newsletters section on Mr Piper's web site, gregpiper1.com AUGER MINE PROPOSED FOR LAKE MACQUARIE Centennial Coal's proposed Olstan project near Blackalls Park would extract coal by auger mining, which is a process of drilling into coal seams often associated with open cut mining. The current proposal is based on a possible interpretation of underground mining operations allowable under the State Environmental Planning Policy prohibiting open cut mining in the city of Lake Macquarie. There has been a strong reaction from the local community over issues such as dust, noise, loss of bushland and damage to creeks. Information on the proposed auger mine is here. An example of an auger mining operation is at http://www.coalaugering.com/fassifern.pdf COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT EXPENDITURE Clubs that earn over $1 million annually in gaming machine revenue provide funding for community projects and services, and in turn receive dollar-for-dollar gaming tax deductions. Approximately $300,000 from registered clubs in Lake Macquarie is available to local community groups this year, with the closing date for applications being 1 May 2009. CDSE Guidelines and Funding Categories Full details on the operation of the scheme are contained within the CDSE Guidelines. Applicants should read the new guidelines to determine whether they are eligible for CDSE funding. There are two funding categories under the CDSE Scheme: |
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