Enews

In this edition

• Take part in migration seminars in south east
• GERDS provides dollars for local projects
• Ravensthorpe mine opens with fanfare
• Better telecommunications for Lands communities
• GEDC provides regional perspective for port
• Strong links with resources sector
• Call to enter industry and export awards
• Time to dig inventions out of back shed

A major mining project is officially opened in the Goldfields-Esperance region, and community groups throughout the region now have more pennies for their important projects.

Take part in migration seminars in south east

Farmers and other business people in the Esperance and Hopetoun areas can hear more about employing overseas workers at workshops this week.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship is holding the free seminars on skilled migration options for employers and their employees.

The seminars will help answer questions including:

• How do I employ a skilled migrant?
• What does it cost and what is expected of the employer?
• How do I go about the sponsorship process?
• How long can a Working Holiday Maker be employed for the same employer?
• How do I find out if someone’s visa allows them to work in Australia?
• What are my rights on a working visa?
• How do I become a permanent resident and/or citizen?

The seminars will cover Working Holiday Visas; Long Stay Temporary Business (457); Permanent Residency Visa options and Citizenship.

The seminar in Hopetoun is on Tuesday, June 10 at the Wave Crest Village function room from 6-8pm.

The seminar for farmers and their employees will be held in Esperance on Thursday, June 12 from 10am-noon at the St John Ambulance Centre on Windich Street.

To register, email or phone +61 8 9083 2201.

GERDS provides dollars for local projects

Organisations across the Goldfields-Esperance region have received vital support for projects through the Goldfields-Esperance Regional Development Scheme.

GERDS, which is administered by the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission, is designed to improve the social and economic development of the Goldfields-Esperance region by funding a range of locally important projects.

The successful applicants for 2007-2008 are:

• Ravensthorpe & Districts Rural Communities Program Inc. for the Australian Country Information Service (ACIS);
• Shire of Menzies for the Menzies Caravan Park upgrade and extension;
• Shire of Dundas for the Norseman Tourism/Heritage Precinct Rejuvenation - Phase 4;
• Hopetoun Telecentre Inc for the Hopetoun Telecentre relocation and refurbishment;
• Kalgoorlie-Boulder PCYC for the PCYC upgrade and extension;
• Shire of Leonora for the "Sporting Chance" Northern Goldfields Sport and Recreation Program;
• Esperance Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the restoration of the organisational and financial sustainability of the organisation;
• Laverton Leonora Cross Cultural Association for the three-year strategic plan for future direction of the association;
• Eastern Goldfields-Historical Society Inc for the Integrated Collections Management System;
• Kalgoorlie-Boulder Lotteries House for the purchase of new conference room tables;
• Kalgoorlie-Boulder Cemetery Board for new cremator auxiliary equipment;
• Shire of Coolgardie for the Coolgardie Town Hall Museum;
• Scaddan Pioneer Park Committee for the Scaddan Pioneer Park Project (second stage).
  

Ravensthorpe mine opens with fanfare

Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission staff and board members were in full force to witness the official opening of the AU$US2.2 billion Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine recently.

The BHP Billiton mine was opened on May 23 after years of feasibility studies and construction work.

The GEDC has played a large part in helping to secure hard and soft infrastructure for communities on the south coast over the last few years.

In particular, GEDC board member Tony Bright has helped the Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun communities deal with the changes.

Mr Bright worked as a GEDC project officer in Ravensthorpe for two-and-a-half years.

He was initially contracted for a year in March 2004 but his term was extended twice to cater for the demands placed on the position by local government and community infrastructure development during the busy period.

At the opening, the GEDC was represented by GEDC southern region manager Shayne Flanagan, chief executive Robert Hicks, board members Karen Jamvold, Tim Dobson, Brenda Tilbrook, Tony Bright and chairman Graham Thomson.

Better telecommunications for Lands communities

Formative work by the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission to secure improvements to phone and internet services in remote parts of the Goldfields has paid off.

Six remote Aboriginal communities are now enjoying high speed broadband and improved telecommunications.

The communities are part of the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, which now has superior broadband services, a new training centre and better emergency response equipment.

For many years the Shire was plagued with phone and fax lines that often dropped out and limited internet capabilities.

The Ngaanyatjarra Lands Telecommunications Project is jointly funded by the WA Government, the Federal Government and the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku.

The communities of Wingellina, Warburton, Jameson, Blackstone, Wanarn and Warakurna are now connected to high-speed and reliable broadband.

GEDC infrastructure and planning manager Ray Ciantar said the GEDC had been involved with the project from 1999-2005.

The GEDC convened the first meetings in Warburton and Perth and urged a number of government agencies to take a co-ordinated approach to the provision of improved telecommunications service delivery and infrastructure upgrade in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands.

“At meetings with service providers, the GEDC argued the case for the extension of the optic fibre cable to all of the Lands communities.

“It is therefore very pleasing to see those collective efforts finally rewarded through the successful partnership of the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, various State Government agencies, the Federal Government and Telstra,” Mr Ciantar said.

“From the GEDC’s perspective, it is also heartening to know that it had a role to play in improving the quality of life for those living in one of our most disadvantaged shires.”

This has dramatically improved the health, education, justice and business services available to these remote communities.

So far, Telstra has laid 400km of optic fibre and installed the new transmission and DSL equipment.

The project’s second stage will start soon and will involve the communities of Cosmo Newberry, Patjarr, Kanpa, Tjirrkarli, Tjukurla and Kiwirrkurra.

GEDC provides regional perspective for port

The Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission has provided the Esperance Port Authority with its view on the priorities for the region.

GEDC chief executive Robert Hicks was the guest speaker at a recent port strategic planning dinner.

Mr Hicks shared regional statistics, trends and priorities with the group.

“The GEDC believes that the port is critical to the region’s future aspirations, particularly in agriculture and resource imports and exports,” he said.

“For the region to grow the port needs to grow – hence our emphasis on the development of the port access corridor and our close ties to the port.”

Strong links with resources sector

The Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission has contined building its strong relationship with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA.

GEDC chief executive Robert Hicks and chairman Graham Thomson both attended a dinner in Kalgoorlie-Boulder recently to welcome new CME chief executive Reg Howard-Smith.

Mr Hicks said the GEDC enjoyed a strong relationship with the CME.

“The GEDC will this year be a partner with the CME and the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the “What’s Down the Track” forum,” he said.

“The resource industry is the main industry sector for the region and therefore it is important that the GEDC continue to maintain those networks.”

Call to enter industry and export awards

Organisations in the Goldfields-Esperance region have just over a month left to enter the prestigious WA Industry and Export Awards.

In the 20th year of the awards, organisers are hoping to attract even more applications from regional Western Australia.

The awards reflect the importance of exports to the economic development of WA.

There are 15 industry and export categories as well as the Premier’s Award for Excellence.

The awards are open to exporters and companies with local markets.

This includes manufacturing and engineering companies; consultants and service providers.

Exports from WA are at an all-time high, accounting for more than one-third of Australia’s exports.

Applications close on July 16.

For more information go to http://www.doir.wa.gov.au/awards/ or phone June Phillips on +61 8 9222 3846.

Time to dig inventions out of back shed

The ABC’s popular New Inventors television program has contacted the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission to help find regional inventors.

The program celebrates the art of invention and design each week as three inventors pitch their prototypes to a panel of experts.

GEDC senior project officer Sarah Fletcher encouraged any inventors within the region to “speak up”.

“If you have something that you have invented for use in your workplace, your home or simply invented because it was just a good idea, let the New Inventors program know by logging onto their website and providing more information,” Mrs Fletcher said.

“You can also pass on your details to the GEDC and we can let the program know about you.”

It could be a great way to promote the innovative people from the region to the rest of Australia.

“If you aren’t an inventor yourself, but you know of a good invention in the region, you can also make a nomination through the GEDC and we will follow it up,” she said.

Go to http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/

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