Grapevine News Online March 2024

NEWS ARCHIVES

27 March 2024

An electrical short circuit

Last week the energy regulator released its draft determination for what consumers in eastern Australia will pay to keep the lights on in 2024/25 – but will the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen’s announcement have any real benefit for Central Coast households, struggling to put food on the table and to keep the lights on?

27 March 2024

Better health and wellbeing for seniors

A new interagency dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of seniors in the Central Coast region has been established.

27 March 2024

Olympic and paralympic movement launched

The NSW Parliamentary Friends of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements launched in Sydney on Tuesday night this week, celebrating the important role of Olympic and Paralympic sports throughout the state.

27 March 2024

Removal of Salvinia weed on Wyong River

Central Coast Council Water and Sewer is working with the State Government to act quickly in removing Salvinia weed recently identified on Wyong River.

27 March 2024

Elle takes out downhill nationals

Central Coast Ellie Smith took out first place for the women’s Elite Downhill National Championships in the 2024 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships at Awaba Mountain Bike Park on March 16th.

27 March 2024

Peninsula anti-scams forum

Scams are a rising issue affecting millions of Australians every year, particularly older and more vulnerable people.

27 March 2024

Landmark environmental reforms pass NSW Parliament

The biggest changes to environment protection regulation in more than three decades have passed the NSW Parliament last week. This paves the way for higher penalties and stronger regulatory action for those that do the wrong thing.

27 March 2024

Free cinema under the stars

Central Coast Council is inviting the community to experience an outdoor cinema night nested in four beautiful locations around the Central Coast.

27 March 2024

Engaging young people

The Federal Government is ensuring young people have more opportunities to shape Australia’s future in the development of government policy.

27 March 2024

Her Cave celebrate eighth birthday

Local women’s organisation Her Cave at Kanwal celebrate their 8th anniversary with members and David Harris Member for Wyong.

27 March 2024

Crochet and knit for poppy day

Crafters on the Central Coast are being encouraged to knit a red poppy to help commemorate the centenary of historic sandstone war memorial, Gosford Cenotaph in Gosford Memorial Park.

20 March 2024

Dutton’s nuclear madness

Peter Dutton talking the talk on nuclear power as the saviour of the energy crisis will appeal to the LNP base, but it won’t appeal to those concerned about the cost of living – there is a lack of leadership and vision. But is the Federal Government’s answer - a mix of wind, solar and coal and gas – any better?

20 March 2024

New emergency beacons to help save lives

The NSW Government is investing in three new Emergency Response Beacons (ERBs) for Central Coast beaches, including Spoon Bay, Fraser Park and Forresters Beach, by the end of the year o help save lives on the Central Coast.

20 March 2024

Opportunities now available for sponsorship of major events

Central Coast Council has opened expressions of interest (EOI) for the sponsorship of six major community events featured across the region in 2025-2026.

20 March 2024

From hero to villain

When it comes to politics and looking after the interest of Australia’s citizens, there are more villains than there are heroes. Central Coast citizens, living in the north of the coast, beneath the shadow of coal ash-related cancers, have just been dealt a blow in their fight to protect human health from nearby ash dams.

20 March 2024

$200 million grant's program now open

The Federal Government’s $200 million Play Our Way Program is now open to eligible applicants, supporting local governments and community, not-for-profit and sporting organisations.

20 March 2024

New treatment for Essential Tremor available through Medicare

Australians living with essential tremor can now access Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) through Medicare, with the implementation of services funded through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).

20 March 2024

Wyong woman of the year

The Member for Wyong David Harris presented the Wyong Woman of the Year award to local resident Ricki-Lee Abrams at a ceremony on Thursday 7 March at the International Convention Centre, Sydney.

20 March 2024

$3 million for better wound care

The hidden epidemic of chronic wounds in Australia will be tackled through new initiatives funded with more than $3 million from the Federal Government.

20 March 2024

Boost for Wyoming Women’s Health Centre

The NSW Government has reached a major milestone in delivering on its commitment to boost funding for Women’s Health Centres across NSW to ensure they are properly resourced to provide essential health and wellbeing services.

20 March 2024

The battle against scammers

The Federal Government has been working hard to protect Australians and people across the Central Coast as scam losses significantly fall as a result of their fight against scammers.

13 March 2024

Health care is not equal

Last week the Grapevine lifted the lid on the inequity of Medicare and the profiteering associated with the ever increasing costs of private health insurance. So, why are insurance premiums so high?

13 March 2024

Central Coast wins global green award

The Central Coast won First Place in the global Green Destinations Story Awards at the world’s leading travel trade show ITB Berlin on Wednesday 6 March.

13 March 2024

Volunteers encouraged to make waves

From boat fires and finding missing people to rescuing distressed or grounded vessels... there’s never a dull moment on the Central Coast waterways for the team at Marine Rescue Central Coast (MRCC).

13 March 2024

The Entrance local woman of the year

The Entrance Local Woman of the Year 2024 has been awarded to Miranda Browne in recognition of her significant work to actively support the community through The Entrance Food Hub.

13 March 2024

Tuggerah Station upgrade ramps up

A new pedestrian bridge is underway at Tuggerah Station in the next stage of the major project connecting one of the busiest stations on the Central Coast to the Pacific Highway and making the station safer and more inclusive for all passengers.

13 March 2024

Into the unknown

"Unfinished, Unanswered and Unidentified" - music’s unanswered questions. Why didn’t Schubert finish his B minor Symphony? What is Charles Ives asking in his Unanswered Question? What is the theme from Elgar’s Enigma Variations based on?

13 March 2024

Cervical cancer self-screening rates at record high

Thousands of Australian women are receiving a life-saving test for cervical cancer as new data shows the success of the self-collection screening option.

13 March 2024

Surfs up for over $11,000 for cancer research

The Central Coast ‘Kook Warriors’ celebrated the end of SurFebruary, after raising over $11,000 towards cancer research at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse after surfing every day at beaches across the Central Coast.

13 March 2024

Local Women's group celebrate

Member for Wyong David Harris celebrated Wyong Women’s Shed 5th Anniversary alongside President Kim Moylan, Vice President Colette Burton and active members, special guests from Lake Haven Bunnings, Wyong Leagues Club, Creightons Funerals and Creating for Charity.

13 March 2024

Community urged to tackle fishing litter

The NSW Government and Central Coast Council are asking the community to remove old fishing lines and nets following the recent death and injury of endangered birds.

6 March 2024

Who are the winners in the Medicare health-benefits lottery?

In January, the Grapevine’s story ‘Widening the Gap’ exposed that not all Australians are equal when it comes to health care. Now we are being told that we have a universal healthcare system, but if Australians think that they now have universal healthcare, then it’s time to ignore what the Minister for Health, Mark Butler and the Prime Minister ares telling them – because it is no longer true!

6 March 2024

Health funds set to propel Aussies into penury

The federal government has confirmed that Aussies will be hit with the biggest price hike to private health insurance premiums in five years – high inflation in insurance with high profits too.

6 March 2024

Publicly funded homebirth

Central Coast women who have a low-risk pregnancy now have the choice to birth at home through a publicly funded homebirth service.

6 March 2024

Wellbeing nurses to support more school children

More children on the Central Coast will have access to important wellbeing support at school as a result of the NSW Government committing $60 million over 4 years to continue the successful Wellbeing and Health In-reach Nurse (WHIN) Coordinator program.

6 March 2024

The next cohort of Y4Y Action Team

Council has announced ten new Y4Y (Youth for Youth) Action Team members, to represent young people on the coast.

6 March 2024

COVID continues to impact Aussies

The Australian Government has accepted the latest advice from from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on the National COVID-19 Vaccine Program for 2024.

6 March 2024

Wyoming wins with reserve upgrade

Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, has delivered for the residents of Wyoming, thanks to the Minns Labor Government’s Local Small Commitments Allocation Program.

6 March 2024

Clean energy projects up and running

The NSW Government is on track to deliver enough renewable energy to power more than 1.5 million NSW homes, following multiple NSW Government approvals of wind and solar projects in 2023.