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The Norfolk ISLANDER The World of Norfolk’s Community Newspaper for more than 44 Years FOUNDED 1965 Successors to - The Norfolk Island Pioneer c. 1885 The Weekly News c 1932 : The Norfolk Island Monthly News c. 1933 The N.I. Times c. 1935 : Norfolk Island Weekly c. 1943 : N.I.N.E. c. 1949 : W.I.N. c. 1951 : Norfolk News c. 1965 Volume 44, No. 19 SATURDAY, 16th MAY 2009 Price $2.75 incl GST The down-turn in visitor numbers booked to come to Norfolk during the traditional low season of June to September, has resulted in a reduction of airline services during these months. The Honourable Minister for Finance, Neville Christian MLA, returned to Norfolk Island on Wednesday this week, after meeting with representatives of Our Airline in Brisbane. In a Statement to the media, Minister Christian said “The purpose of these meetings was to discuss the need for Norfolk Air to reduce services over the next few months, the traditional low season for traffic from Australia to Norfolk Island, with a view to more closely aligning the available capacity on the routes ex Australia with the demand for seats between June and September in order to limit potential losses over this The ‘Advance’ is continuing to period.” ‘Advance’! The Minister added “A recent comprehensive review Our front-page picture this week shows Darren of operations by the Norfolk Air management taking Bates at the controls of his new Hennig designed 9 into account the increased capacity provided by the Our metre Noosa Cat ‘ADVANCE 2’ which arrived this Airline Boeing 737-300, looking at the forecast seat week on the ‘Norfolk Guardian’. loads on the respective routes from Brisbane, Sydney, The custom-built ‘ADVANCE 2’ follows in the Melbourne and Newcastle, has provided Norfolk Air wake of ‘ADVANCE’, the original 7 metre ‘Shark with several opportunities to reduce the overall flying Cat’ which Darren, at the age of 16, inherited from his and to mitigate the losses normally expected at this father, the late Brian Bates. time of the year.” It was Brian who established ‘Advance Fishing The Minister indicated that with the global economic in Cruising in 1983’. Darren’s new boat is not only downturn affecting tourism numbers to the Island the fulfilment of a 10-year dream, but the means of over the past 12 months, the reserves that usually carrying on the business much more efficiently and would have been accumulated over the better tourism with added comfort for the visitors who love to go months from October to May had not materialised fishing and cruising. sufficiently to fund the losses that can be attributed to The full story of ‘ADVANCE 2’ can be found (continued overleaf) elsewhere in this edition. There’s every reason to dine at ... PH 24400 QUEEN ELIZABETH AVENUE ~ Norfolk Air - continued Influenza A / H1N1 - Update maintaining a near full schedule between June and The Norfolk Island Influenza A/H1N1 Working September. The Airline management looked at several Party are monitoring the worldwide, Australian and scenarios before settling on two proposals for reduced New Zealand situation and should additional supplies flying that were put to our operating partner, Our of Tamiflu be required, arrangements are in place Airline, for their consideration. through the Administrators office to acquire those Clearly any reduced flying has a potential impact supplies. on the financial position of our operating partner and Tamiflu, the treatment for this strain of Influenza their circumstances also need to be considered.” should only be prescribed for those patients that really After further comprehensive review by both parties, need it. It is recommended by the WHO that Tamiflu it has been decided that Norfolk Air will reduce use be prioritized for the following: services as follows: 1. Highest Priority; Treatment of suspected and • With effect from 1st June until Monday 14th confirmed cases of H1N1 flu who are at risk of September inclusive, Norfolk Air will suspend severe illness its Monday Newcastle services. Current seat load 2. Middle Priority: Prophylaxis of persons with real factor forecasts do not warrant the continued exposure to H1N1 flu, who are also at risk of severe operations over this period, and the Newcastle illness passengers will be accommodated on the Sunday 3. Low Priority: treatment of other suspected and Sydney services. confirmed cases • There will be rationalisation of the double In the first instance patients are quarantined in their rotations to Brisbane and Sydney over the own home or hotel room, however, further quarantine weekends from Saturday 6th June until Sunday measures have been identified should the need arise. 13th September inclusive, with only one David McCowan service to each port, Norfolk/Brisbane return Director (continued overleaf) SATURDAY A few showers. NE/NW winds 5/15 MONDAY A few showers. S/SE winds 15/20 knots. Min: 17 Max: 22 knots. Min: 16 Max: 21 SUNDAY Showers. NW/SW winds 10/20 knots. Min: 17 Max: 21 POPULATION STATISTICS - PEOPLE ON ISLAND FOR WEEK ENDING RESIDENTS GEP TEP OTHER TOURISTS TOTAL 3rd April 2009 1320 152 361 17 521 2371 10th April 2009 1335 148 358 13 508 2362 17th April 2009 1301 139 346 14 793 2593 24th April 2009 1309 148 356 12 652 2477 1st May 2009 1319 153 354 21 535 2382 8th May 2009 1311 152 370 24 496 2353 Visitors to Norfolk! We are Norfolk Island’s Largest Department Store with everything at Duty Free Prices PLACE Ceramic Nail Files from Germany Norfolk Island’s MOST INTERESTING STORE HALF MAINLAND PRICE 10% OFF POTS AND PLANTERS Good range of Norfolk Island Shapes, Beach Towels Sizes and Colours MADE FOR US! in Decor range $14.95 or 2 for $25.00 Salt & Pepper Mills WORLD CLASS PRODUCTS Warm Slippers Lifetime HALF MAINLAND PRICES Guarantee KNIVES on Grinding HUGE RANGE Mechanism Individual and Sets SCISSORS Huge Range Manicure • Fabric Mens • Ladies • Kids Half Mainland Price Kitchen • Household DON’T MISS OUT! BEAUTY Tweezer • Files Samsung Manicure Scissors • Clippers TELEVISIONS KITCHEN Range of Set Utensils • Saucepans sizes 3 Piece Cutlery • Cutting boards IN STOCK High Quality NOW! $24.95 Zwilling JA Henckels From Germany FROM GERMANY Dining Chair Cushions Keyring Torch Long life LED Low Battery Comfortable $7.95 Non-skid Backing Use LOTS OF COLOURS From Germany Email [email protected] • Ph (Int+6723) 22405 • Fax (Int+6723) 23098 R.S.L. end of town... Norfolk Air - continued GST and Customs Import Duty on Saturday, and Norfolk/Sydney on Sunday. Upon the return from Sydney on Sunday, the aircraft refunds on solar power generation will operate commercially one way to Brisbane. equipment • On Wednesday, the aircraft will return from Minister for Finance Neville Christian said today Brisbane to Norfolk as currently scheduled, that the Norfolk Island Government has been pleased then operate to Sydney and return before again that many householders have taken up the opportunity operating one way back to Brisbane arriving to purchase and install solar power generation there at 10.15pm. equipment, with the ability for surplus power to be fed • In a variation to this Wednesday pattern, the back into the electricity grid. Sydney rotation will be suspended from 15th Mr Christian said that in accordance with a July to 12th August inclusive, as demand is commitment made last year, householders who insufficient to justify the operation of the 5 flights purchased complying equipment from local retailers over this period of 4 weeks. or importers would be able to obtain a refund of Goods • The aircraft will operate one way from Brisbane and Service Tax or Customs Import Duty paid. He said to Norfolk on Thursday evening, planned to that to obtain:- depart Brisbane at 4.00pm, arriving Norfolk at The GST Refund 7.35pm, then departing for Melbourne on Friday The purchaser should complete the GST application morning at 9:00am and returning to Norfolk as form and supply the following to the GST Office in per the current schedule at 5:20pm. Burnt Pine: The major impact of these revisions is the suspension • A certificate from the Electricity Undertaking that of the Sydney Saturday afternoon service, suspension the equipment has been installed and is operational; of the return from Brisbane Sunday evening, and the and suspension of Newcastle flights for the entire low • An invoice and receipt from the local supplier season period. showing the amount of GST actually paid on the Under the revised flying, Norfolk Air will proceed purchase of the equipment. with a revised cabin crew recruitment programme Once the amount of the payment of GST has which, subject to agreement, will see several of the new been verified, the Administration will make a recruits manning a number of the services emanating recommendation to the Minister for an ex gratia from Norfolk Island. During the training period, Our payment of the amount and a refund will be issued. Airline will supply crew on a joint basis clearing the The Customs Import Duty Refund way for fully locally crewed flights in a few months The purchaser should complete the Customs Duty time. refund application form available from the Customs In closing, Minister Christian said, “ I wish to thank Office and supply the following to the Customs Office Our Airline for their assistance and cooperation in this in Burnt Pine: process. This underlines the strength of the partnership • Invoices from the supply company together with a and augurs well for the future where we are confident Customs Import Entry that tourism to Norfolk Island will again flourish”. • A certificate from the Electricity Undertaking that the equipment has been installed and is operational.