THE TWEED Seniors Volume 3 #27 NSW WEEK Thursday, March 17, 2011 Advertising and news enquiries: LIFT-OUT Phone: (02) 6672 2280 SPECIAL! [email protected] [email protected] PAGE 13 www.tweedecho.com.au LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Village sewerage hits funding snag Murray Simpson But Cr Polglase said the letter did not amount to much. Tweed villages of Mooball and Burr- ‘Mr Costa won’t be around in two ingbar will be carrying the can for a weeks [aft er the state election],’ he said. while yet aft er Tweed Shire Council Mr Oxenham warned a deferral deferred a start to their long-awaited might lead to a cost blow-out in the sewerage scheme for four months. scheme. In a heated debate at Tuesday’s Th e council fi rst approved the sew- council meeting, the deferral was op- erage scheme in February last year but, posed by councillors Warren Polglase more than a year later, not a sod has and Phil Youngblutt who demanded been turned. an immediate start, saying villagers Further delays had waited ten years for the scheme and overfl owing septics were causing Tenders have been received and as- environmental damage and endanger- sessed but cannot be awarded till the ing the local platypus population. council gives the fi nal go-ahead. The hitch has been in a funding Mr Oxenham said further delays grant from the NSW Offi ce of Water would be badly received in the com- under the country towns water supply munity; contractors may have to in- Local musician Jessie Vintila is hoping to start a gospel choir in the Tweed. and sewerage program which was to crease their prices and they may not Photo Jeff ‘Tin Tonsils’ Dawson Th e gospel have contributed up to $2.8 million of have the resources or key personnel the $9 million project. available if work does not start till Western Australia, which went by the Th e band was well received on a 40- But the Offi ce of Water has told the July. according to name ‘Th e Serious Rebels’. date national tour last year and was council there is no money available What’s more, the loan funding has As the granddaughter of free- one of six local acts selected to take till June 2014 and successful applica- been obtained for the project and Jessie thinking atheists, starting a gospel part in Arts Northern Rivers’ indus- tions for funding may not see a cent drawn down and interest will be paid choir marked somewhat of a depar- try brokerage program, which aims till 2018. on it during the four-month delay. Kate McIntosh ture for Jessie. to provide professional development Six months to process Mr Oxenham said there was a good ‘I felt quite rebellious starting a and industry networking opportuni- chance of the grant funds not being For Northern Rivers musician Jessie Sunday morning gospel choir in their ties. Th e Offi ce said it was currently tak- available and even if they were, by the Vintila the gospel is something worth town,’ she says. After a hiatus to concentrate on ing six months to even process a fund- time they were received in 2018, the singing about. ‘I’m not religious either, but I am other musical projects, Jessie says ing application. $2.8 million asked for may be worth Th e singer-songwriter fi rst fell in very open to spirituality and fi nd this she is now looking forward to get- The council narrowly (with a only $2.4 million in today’s terms. love with the uplift ing musical style music incredibly uplift ing.’ ting back into gospel and has already 4-3vote) overturned a motion from Council general manager Mike nine years ago and is now hoping to Jessie has been performing since started a weekly choir in Byron Bay. Cr Polglase for an immedate start and Rayner said villagers had been levied start a weekly gospel choir in Tweed. the age of two, when she began sing- ‘I’m so excited to be getting back opted for a deferral till July by which about $300 a year for the past ten years Jessie said anyone was welcome to ing German nursery rhymes at her into gospel singing. I still think it’s time it is hoped the funding applica- in anticipation of the scheme. join, adding choirs helped provide mother’s folk gigs in Germany. one of the best musical highs there tion would be complete and the avail- But this only covered a small pro- safety in numbers. Growing up she studied classical is,’ she says. ability of funding would be known. portion of the cost and reticulation ‘It brings back the tradition of sing- and jazz fl ute and performed along- Jessie plans to run the Tweed choir Th e council’s director of community would still cost $70,000 per tenement ing together, which is lovely way to side her mother and grandfather – a on Tuesdays from 11am, or on Mon- resources David Oxenham said a letter – a cost to be carried by the ratepayers connect with other people and enjoy professional opera singer – at folk fes- day evenings, depending on which from state water minister Phillip Costa in general. Th at was why it was felt making music, without the pressure tivals across WA. time gets the most interest from the made it clear if the council went ahead important by the staff to make a pitch of getting up on a stage,’ she said. She currently fronts the Northern community. For more information and called tenders without the minis- for the grant funds. Jessie started her fi rst gospel choir Rivers-based folk/pop four-piece ‘Th e contact Jessie on 0417 277 211 or con- ter’s approval then the council would Grant money is also being sought in her hometown of Denmark in Lucky Wonders’. [email protected]. not be eligible for the funding grant. continued on page 5 @E?DDEMWdZ][j)cedj^i<H;;HeWZi_Z[7ii_ijWdY[ 7iWC[cX[hoekYWd][jheWZi_Z[ Wii_ijWdY[7kijhWb_Wm_Z["(*%-$ Ie_\oekbeYaoekha[oi_dj^[YWh Hkdekje\\k[b 9WdÊj][jj^[YWhijWhj[Z >Wl[WÔWjjoh[ >[bf_i`kijWf^ed[YWbbWmWo Kingscliff 02 6674 8131 Tweed Heads 07 5536 4811 Murwillumbah 02 6672 8222 <echowebsection=Local News> Local News Marginal seat ‘best bet’ for rail: senator Luis Feliu A federal senator told a rally for Lightforce rail transport in the Tweed this week that the best chance to get Computers a commuter train service up and running was for the elector- Authorised Service Provider ate to become a marginal seat in Authorised Reseller this month’s state election. Senator-elect Lee Rhiannon, ‘Supporting Tweed Shire’s Mac Users’ a former NSW Greens MLC, told the latest Trains on our Tracks (TOOT) rally at Mur- If you’re a Mac Owner, and you want The Best willumbah railway station that Service for your Computer, Come to Lightforce. the coalition parties had bro- Our team of Apple Certified Technicians Provide ken their promise on restoring The Finest Mac Service & Warranty Experience rail services to the Tweed and Northern Rivers and a new tac- Available... And we’re FAST! tic was needed to fi ght for them If you can’t travel, pickups and deliveries can be ‘because there’ll be government arranged by courier too. Call for details. promises broken’. Senator-elect Lee Rhiannon with Greens’ candidates Simon Richardson (Ballina) and Andrea Ms Rhiannon told the 60- Vickers (Tweed) at Murwillumbah railway station on Monday. The overgrown rail tracks make plus people at the rally, includ- their own statement. Photo Luis Feliu We also have Several Apple Product Professionals ing Nationals’ Tweed MP Geoff just the way to go,’ she urged. from this government which and running; now all we have -Available on Your Schedule to Help You- Provest, who holds the seat by ‘Th ese are broken promises as a result missed out on Infra- is $1 million for a study. We a three per cent margin, that 25 with the Entire Range of Apple Products. by the Coalition on the major structure Australia funds, yet should be very, very alarmed if years ago the two major parties issue of public transport, so a over the border they got $300 we’re now not getting this com- had fought over the seat of Bal- from iPads, to iPods, to iMacs, great deal of cynicism is needed million for the beginning of a mitment,’ he said. main believing the Greens were when they promise yet another light rail service,’ he said. Cr Richardson said youth in Our Expert Advice is Always Free... poised to win ‘but suddenly you study. Mr Provest said the issue was the region were greatly disad- And had one [a light commuter rail] ‘How many times now have now more important because vantaged with no decent public built in the area’. We Beat Apple’s Everyday Prices – Everyday. you heard about another study? Tweed Council had approved transport system with many ‘Why? Because it was mar- Th e best bet is if you’re a mar- around 15,000 new homes for parents struggling to drive their ginal and the Greens were likely ginal seat.’ the area over the next ten years children to sport training and Lightforce Computers to win,’ she said. and the Tweed would ‘lose its other activities. ‘Strong community action is Greens ‘clear’ 02 6685 8796 competitive advantage’ without needed; it’s a huge social-justice No transport access She said unlike the Nationals’ a vital infrastructure connec- (NEW Shop!) 3/84 Centennial Circuit issue with environmental ben- broken promise a state election tion and that was why he was Greens candidate for Tweed, in the Byron Arts & Industry Estate efi ts; local business gets a boost; ago (of $100 million for a light ‘committed’ to rail services for Andrea Vickers, told the rally Call Us or See Our Website for easy Directions and it allows people, students rail service linked to the Gold the Tweed.