March 2012 Community News from Leslie Williams MP Member for Leslie with local fishermen at North Haven.

Leslie with residents of The Haven Retirement Village on a recent electorate tour. It is now 12 months since I was elected as Better Boating Facilities Electorate Tour the Member for Port Macquarie to Opening represent our community and in that time I believe we have seen some very good A number of local boat ramps are being Both existing boat ramps will be widened I’ll be undertaking another local results for our local electorate. upgraded following State Government with new on-ramp/down the middle electorate tour on Tuesday 24th April Westport Park is now very much in public Better Boating Program grants to Port pontoons installed. This is great news for to meet local residents at Kew, ownership and can never be developed, a Macquarie-Hastings Council. people who use these recreational facilities. , and public school will be built at Lake Cathie Lake Cathie. The grants of $81,300 were awarded to These grants are part of more than and will open in time for first term 2015, Council as part of the 50/50 funding grants $4.5 million in grants to provide new and Meetings will be held at the following the upgraded Oxley Highway is finally program. The funding included $44,500 improved boating facilities across NSW. locations: open to traffic, work has started on the to upgrade the North Haven Boat Ramp It is estimated that more than 1.5 million redevelopment of Port Macquarie Base and install a new pontoon with the Westport people go boating in NSW each year and 9.30am  Kew Hospital and we hosted the Premier and Park Boat Ramp also being upgraded making access to our waterways safer Kew Corner Store Ministers for a Community Cabinet and a new pontoon installed with the and more convenient is good news for meeting in Port Macquarie in July. State allocating $36,800 for the project. the community. 10.45am  Dunbogan Dunbogan Boat Shed These are all significant milestones that mean so much to so many people in our 12.30pm Bonny Hills community and I am very pleased with Improving Local In front of the Bonny these outcomes. I am also extremely Hills Surf Club pleased with the many smaller projects Transport Infrastructure 2.00pm  Lake Cathie my office staff and I have worked on At the Foreshore during the past year. Reserve picnic shelter Being a Local Member isn’t just about The NSW Government is delivering better delivering big dollar projects, it’s also local transport infrastructure services about representing the wishes of your with $120,000 provided to improve bus The opening of the Oxley Highway drew a big crowd! community, being the conduit between shelters through the Country Passenger Transport Infrastructure Grants Scheme. people and Parliament and it’s about The opening of the new Oxley Highway in early February has greatly reduced travelling achieving outcomes for the community, times to and from Port Macquarie. The new gateway to our area has been welcomed by The funding will help deliver 12 no matter how big or small they may seem. accessible weather-proof bus shelters in the local community as well as visitors to the Hastings. There is still a lot of work to be done right the Hastings area, as proposed by the This is a project which has been a long time coming and to see it finally open to traffic is across the Port Macquarie electorate, but Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. This is a big win for our community. The NSW Government funded the $115 million project good news for local public transport I think my staff and I have made a strong Port Macquarie-Hastings Council General Manager, which is a six kilometre upgrade of the Oxley Highway between Wrights Road and the start and I will continue to work hard for passengers as these improvements will Tony Hayward, Port Macquarie resident Betty Pacific Highway. When I was elected in March last year, one of the first things I Cleary and Leslie Williams in Morton Street. this community that I am so privileged provide benefits for years to come. requested was an inspection of the project to see how construction was taking shape. to represent. These projects provide practical public when waiting to use public transport. It was great to see the work in its final stages. transport improvements that local Bus stop locations include Bold St, Our community waited many years for this upgrade to come to fruition with everyone communities use every day. Each bus Laurieton, Ocean Drive at North Haven now saying the wait was worth it. The project has delivered major benefits to the stop will include a safe, weather-proof and Lake Cathie, and Fernhill Rd, Marian community through reduced travel times and improved road safety for motorists sheltered area which accommodates Drive, Morton St, Ocean Drive, Oxley Drive travelling from Wauchope and surrounding areas into Port Macquarie. wheelchair and mobility scooter users and Sherwood Rd in Port Macquarie. Leslie Williams The road was jointly opened on the 7th of February by the Hon Duncan Gay Member for Port Macquarie Minister for Roads and Ports and Hon Andrew Stoner Deputy Premier and Minister for Leslie Williams, Member for Port Macquarie Regional Infrastructure and Service. email [email protected] address Macquarie Business Centre, website www.parliament.nsw.gov.au Suite 6, 27 Grant Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 phone 02 6584 0977 fax 02 6584 0978 “We have seen some very good results for our local electorate.” Authorised by Leslie Williams. Printed by Uptin Print, 16-20 Milton Circuit, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Funded using parliamentary entitlements. Local Schools Blood Donors Save Lives Funding

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is urging people to book in now and become a blood donor, particularly with the Easter holidays approaching when there is often a greater need for blood products.

I have been a blood donor for many years and with the extra demand for blood supplies during the holidays I will again be donating blood. Every time you give blood you are helping to save three lives. I am encouraging people in our local Leslie Williams with students Harry Cassar, Jake community to also give up an hour of their day to give the gift Jackson, Abbie Davis and Principal Mike Roze of life. You never know when it may be a loved one in need of a blood transfusion. Harrington Public School was the first One in three Australians will need blood at some stage in their school in the Port Macquarie electorate life, but only one in 30 people actually donate. The need for Local Busways Manager, Tom Burton, Leslie Williams and Andrew Stoner to receive a building upgrade under the blood never takes a holiday. Every week more than 27,000 State Government’s $40 million Public donations are required to help patients in need. School Upgrade Program. Without donations of blood, risks running very low on Bus Services Review The school has received a total of $109,000 from the program which Happy Lord Howe Island residents receive funding grant. platelets which are crucial to help cancer patients, so making the effort to donate is a very worthwhile way of helping other was an election commitment made by the Liberal & Nationals Government. people in our local community. Last month the Minister for Transport, Some local residents feel they have to I’m very pleased the Government has Gladys Berejiklian announced that a walk too far to wait for a bus and with been able to start delivering on this review of bus services in the Port Port Macquarie’s hills I can understand Arts Funding promise so quickly. Macquarie region would be conducted that it may prove difficult for some people. and that it will be thorough and will So looking at which routes are being Harrington Public School was allocated for Lord Howe Island include community feedback. utilised and where improvements can be $106,000 for a toilet renovation project made is something I would like to see. and a further $3,051 for minor repairs. The Minister said the comprehensive Plans are now well underway for the review of bus services for Port Macquarie, While the review would look mainly at The Lord Howe Island Historical Society and Museum is upgrade which I inspected last month. benefiting from $60,000 in State Government funding for the operated by Busways, will take place in Busways services, I am also keen to hear creative development and public presentation of an interactive May and input from the community will from people in the southern part of the In line with the Government’s be integral to this process. electorate who are concerned with their display on the geology and biogeography of Lord Howe commitment to increase decision local bus services. making at a local level, the Principal and Island. I highlighted the need for a review to the community were able to identify Minister Berejiklian following a steady We want to make sure that bus services The funding is part of the $1.6 million allocation to support the facilities for upgrading with schools increase in concerns at the level of bus meet the needs of the community and I creation and presentation of works across NSW under the also able to self-manage the projects. services being offered to our local encourage everyone to provide 2012 Arts Funding Program. The grant will enable the With the Australian Red Cross calling for more people to help bolster blood supplies, I encourage anyone in our community suitable of giving blood to community. This is in no way a reflection feedback. The review will look at the Work on some projects will be carried Museum to develop and present an informative, dynamic, become a blood donor. on local Busways staff, it is simply the latest population figures, supplied from out during school holidays so students, interactive display depicting the volcanic formation of Lord For people living in Wauchope or the area, need for a review of the current services the 2011 Census, as well as current teachers and parents will start Howe Island, its sedimentary geology and associated fossil Busways provide a free bus pass to Port Macquarie for people being offered. numbers to ensure buses are running benefiting from these improvements in records including the giant horned turtle Meiolania platyceps. from those centres on the day they give blood which is a real frequently enough and are taking people the near future. incentive for people. Thank you Busways! It is important that we get the community’s to where they need to go. Lord Howe Island is such a unique paradise on our doorstep. views on all aspects of bus services I congratulate Principal Mike Roze Just two hours by plane, it is the perfect getaway and I To find out more information or to donate blood, please call 13 including all bus routes, timetabling, The community will be given ample and the teachers and students of encourage anyone thinking about a relaxing destination to 14 95 or visit www.donateblood.com.au school pick up and drop off times as well time to provide feedback during the Harrington Public School. consider exploring Lord Howe Island for their next holiday. as the school bus interchange locations. review process.