Congratulations to all the award winners and thanks to Nyngan Rotary Club for the barbecue breakfast, and to all the others who have helped organise the day.  

Australia Day 2015 is probably a bit more special as we move toward the centenary of ANZAC this year. 

We always welcome any suggestions for changes or improvements to our program.

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Many residents would be aware that we are currently experiencing an increase in costly vandalism with a joint council, police media release elsewhere in the Nyngan Observer. 

It is suspected that some of these actions are carried out by juveniles late at night, making it very hard for police to catch them.  

Once offenders are arrested and charged, strict bail conditions can be imposed by police to keep the offenders off the streets at night. 

It is therefore very important that residents report to local police any suspicious actions they observe, as little bits of information all pieced together can lead to a final arrest.

 A strong community standard that rejects vandalism, drug trafficking, domestic violence, assaults and other like crimes is the best defence against these, and will keep our town, shire and streets a safe place to live.

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As the NSW State Election moves closer, due to be held at the end of March, it’s probably time to start a focus on some of the major issues that affect our shire in the state seat of Barwon, currently held by the National’s Kevin Humphreys. 

Early predictions seem to indicate that the state Coalition will be returned with a decreased majority, with a lot of promised funding for rural and regional areas depending on a mandate to sell 49 per cent of the state’s poles and wires (with our

area serviced by Essential Energy exempted). 

A number of policy issues need to be addressed by candidates in our large electorate, some of which remain from the last state election campaign.

Winding back daylight saving to four core months, a new Native Vegetation Act, Drought assistance, adequate funding for health and education, road funding and retaining government services probably head the list. 

We are still waiting to hear about the future of our court house, with moves last year to close it down put on hold, a permanent cloud seems to hang over the operations of our Roads and Maritime Service Office, formally the RTA. 

Both these offices provide services to our shire residents, and a large adjoining region, and if lost would mean trips to Dubbo. 

State (and federal) funding for a new medical centre would be welcomed, as we need this facility to retain and attract medical services to Bogan shire. 

A number of local residents still need to travel to Dubbo for dialysis treatment.

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Our Fit of the Future submission needs political attention by candidates, as well as assurances by them that the new 

government will understand the need to retain viable local government in centres like ours. 

The need for extra road funding to maintain our local road network, which is always the major part of our shire budget, will help us fund the required depreciation and help meet the bureaucratic ratios in our FFF submission, ratios set by people in the office of Local Government, many of whom would not understand the realities of rural local government.

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A recent meeting of the local Rural Fire Service Local Government liaison committee considered the bids and estimates for the RFS office in Nyngan for 15/16. 

We are one of four shires in Region West centred on Coonamble. 

The estimate to fund the operations of the local office is $1,096,686 of which council pays 12.5 per cent or $128,312. 

This money funds local wages, administration, equipment, vehicles, maintenance etc.

 A political issue for the next election must be changing the way the RFS is funded, so that all ratepayers contribute to our emergency services levy, and not continue 70 per cent of the costs being funded from those with insurance policies.

RL Donald

Mayor