Child care educators in Hunter are among more than 50,000 long day care educators across Australia set to benefit from a $200 million Federal Government investment in professional development.
The Nationals Duty Senator for Hunter John Williams says the Coalition Government’s Long Day Care Professional Development Programme will directly support 22 long day care services in Hunter to help with the cost of training and upskilling their educators.
He said this includes specific support for early childhood teachers and regional, rural and remote services to address respective skill shortages.
“We want to help as many long day care services as possible deliver high-quality education and care for local families by ensuring they can afford to train and educate staff up to the new national child care standards,” Senator Williams said.
This funding is now available until June 2017 to support long day care services and educators’ training costs related to National Quality Framework requirements.
If you believe you have the drive and initiative to make a difference in your region, you should consider nominating for a position on your local Regional Development Australia (RDA) committee.
From today Expressions of Interest are being accepted from local leaders who are prepared to volunteer their time and energy to develop solutions to local issues, according to the Nationals Senator for New South Wales John Williams.
He said RDA committees provide advice on critical issues affecting economic development in their region and enhance local awareness of Australian government programmes.
“Therefore we are looking people with skills, experience and knowledge to strengthen networks with the business community, education sector, local industry and all levels of government to help drive economic development.
The Federal government is making it easier for older Australians living in Hunter to access the care they need to remain living in their own home through new home support assessment arrangements.
The Nationals Duty Senator for Hunter John Williams says tenders are being called to deliver around 240,000 assessments to people throughout Australia who are seeking aged care support in their home from the 1st of July next year.
He said the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will act as a single, streamlined programme that rolls several existing programmes into one, including Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) and the National Respite for Carers Programme.
“Organisations who successfully tender will form part of a national network of My Aged Care Regional Assessment Services, undertaking face-to-face assessments of older people using a standardised framework.
Mullumbimby RSL Sub-branch is the beneficiary of funding under the Federal government’s Anzac Centenary Local Grants Programme.
The Nationals Duty Senator for Richmond John Williams says $2,058 has been announced for the Sub-branch for ceramic art workshops and exhibition as part of Remembering our Anzacs.
Senator Williams said the grants programme enables communities to support commemorations at a local level by giving them the opportunity to secure funding for projects that preserve the stories of local servicemen and women.
“The Centenary of Anzac will mark a century of service and sacrifice encompassing all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australians have been involved.
It will be the most significant period of commemoration in our nation’s history and the government is committed to providing opportunities for all Australians to participate”, Senator Williams said
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has committed to probing the reason for Armidale’s high fuel prices following intervention by the Nationals Senator for NSW John Williams.
Following an approach by the Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, Senator Williams was set to question the ACCC during Senate estimates on Wednesday night but time ran out before the agency appeared.
Senator Williams met ACCC officials privately and made it clear their response to Mr. Marshall’s original approach, which he described as lame, was unacceptable.
He said there may be nothing untoward in the Armidale situation but until the regulator steps in and takes a look we will never know, and he looks forward to the ACCC report.
Senator Williams said Mr. Marshall should be congratulated for raising the matter on behalf of Armidale motorists and refusing to accept the initial brush-off by the ACCC.
The Federal government’s Agricultural Competitiveness Green Paper is now available for public comment.
The Nationals Senator for NSW John Williams says the policy released by the Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce MP is focused on increasing returns at the farm gate.
He said the Green Paper has been built from the ground up drawing on the valuable input from farmers and industry and community representatives.
“There are 25 policy ideas that comment is being sought on.
Amongst them are transport, communications, competition laws, access to finance and foreign investment.
The Green Paper also lists water infrastructure projects that have been identified as having potential for Commonwealth involvement.
