Andrew GEE MP

√ $2 billion for Great Western highway upgrade

√ $40 million for Mitchell Highway upgrades between Orange and Molong

√ $2.1 million for streetscape improvements in Molong and Canowindra

√ $15 million for a new Molong Multipurpose Service

√ $492,410 for construction of the Eugowra Community Centre

√ 24 hour rescue helicopter

√ $408,000 for childcare/early learning services in Molong

√ $700,000 for Bangaroo Bridge Replacement

√ $117,396 for resurfacing and new lighting at the East Molong Tennis Club

√ $60,000 for the Molong water tank artwork

√ $390,210 for new lighting and nets at Molong Rec Ground

√ $308,175 for an education and info centre at the Australian National Field Days site at Borenore

√ $2.5 million for an ambulance station in Molong

√ $2.59 million for new overtaking lanes on the Cargo Road

√ $185,764 for a new amenities block and support for the Molong Showground and Society

√ 47 mobile phone towers and base stations for Calare

Last week, I held a community meeting in Molong to hear from storm and floodaffected residents and business owners about how they have been treated by insurers following the November ’22 storm and flood event.

Overwhelmingly, locals shared devastating stories of being left high and dry by their insurers in the months since the devastation. We heard about claims being delayed, claims being denied, insurance company collusion on hydrology reports, and a very concerning story about what happened to one local business owner that warrants further investigation.

Appallingly, eight months on from the disaster, the insurance claims of many Molong locals are still up in the air.

That’s why I’m calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the response of insurers to natural disasters in Australia.

Time and time again after disasters, we have seen insurance companies weasel out of paying out claims. Enough is enough.

Thank you to everyone who came along, and opened up about how they have been treated by insurers. The heartbreaking stories shared at the community meeting reinforced the need for a lens to be turned insurance companies.

In Molong last week, it was great to catch up with Marc Mathews, Compensation and Rehabilitation Advocate at the Molong RSL Sub-Branch. Recently, the Sub-Branch received $19,000 across three different grants to support the amazing work they do for veterans in our local community.

It’s fantastic that the Molong RSL Sub-Branch received a Volunteer Grant, which will enable the group to update their office with new computers and office furniture to give their operations a boost!

The Sub-Branch also got the green light for a Building Excellence in Support and Training grant, which will provide the group with greater financial support to deliver wellbeing advocacy training to assist veterans and their families who are seeking compensation.

A massive congratulations to the group for also securing a Saluting Their Service grant, which will assist the group to construct a Memorial Garden to commemorate the servicemen and women who have served in modern conflicts, such as Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor. Once complete, this will be the first memorial in the Central West to mark contemporary conflict.

Recently, I caught up with local businesswoman, Kate Redfern, to have a chat about the ongoing insurance issues facing many businesses in Molong.

While Kate and Sal's insurance claim for the old cafe building on Bank Street was granted, they are still waiting for an official verdict on her new building - an astounding eight months since the storm and flood event in Molong! These delays are inexcusable.

Unfortunately for many businesses on Bank Street, it’s the same story… Disappointingly, insurers trying to do the right thing to help our local communities get back on their feet are few and far between.

After my chat with Kate, it’s clear that without people taking a degree of risk to purchase or open a business on the main street of Molong, the CBD would be non-existent. Future investors in this beautiful town need to feel confident to buy in Molong knowing they will be supported by insurers should the worst happen.

It's good to see that local businesses are still pressing on with their insurance claims, but insurers need to be doing more to make sure rural communities can stand on their own two feet after disaster strikes. Our residents deserve better.

It’s fantastic that Cabonne Council has received $1.5 million through the Disaster Ready Fund to go towards important disaster resilience and risk reduction projects in the region.

Cabonne Council will use the funds to deliver flood risk prevention and mitigation strategies, particularly after the devastating storm and flood event of November 2022.

Jointly-funded by the NSW and Federal government, the Disaster Ready Fund aims to help communities curb the devastating impacts of natural hazards.

A man is driving along a highway and sees a rabbit jump out across the middle of the road.

He swerves to avoid hitting it, But unfortunately the rabbit jumps right in front of the car.

The driver, a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, pulls over and gets out to see what has become of the rabbit.

Much to his dismay, the rabbit is dead.

The driver feels so awful that he begins to cry.

A beautiful blonde woman driving down the highway sees a man crying on the side of the road and pulls over.

She steps out of her car and asks the man what's wrong.

'I feel terrible,’! he explains, 'I accidentally hit this rabbit and killed it.'

The blonde says, 'Don't worry.'

She runs to her car and pulls out a spray can.

She walks over to the limp, dead rabbit, bends down and sprays the contents onto the rabbit.

The rabbit jumps up, waves its paw at the two of them and hops off down the road.

Ten feet away the rabbit stops, turns around and waves again, he hops down the road another 10 feet, turns and waves, hops another ten feet, turns and waves, and repeats this again and again and again, until he hops out of sight.

The man is astonished.

He runs over to the woman and demands, 'What is in that can? What did you spray on that rabbit?'

The woman turns the can around so that the man can read the label.

It says..

(Are you ready for this?)

(Are you sure?)

(This is bad!)

(OK, here it is)

It says, 'Hair Spray - Restores life to dead hair, and adds permanent wave'.

A guy sits down in a diner and asks for a bowl of hot chili…

The waitress says, “Sorry, but the guy next to you got the last bowl”.

He looks over and sees that the guy’s finished his meal, but the bowl of chili is still full. He asks, “Are you going to eat that chili?”

The other guy says, “No. Help yourself”. He slides the bowl of chili over and starts to eat. When he gets about half way down, his spoon hits something. He looks down, sees a dead mouse, and immediately vomits all the chili back into

the bowl.

The other guy says, “Yeah, that’s about as far as I got, too”.

Lucille decided to give herself a big treat for her 70th birthday by staying overnight in a really nice hotel.. When she checked out the next morning, the desk clerk handed her a bill for $250.00. She demanded to know why the charge was so high "I agree it's a nice hotel, but the rooms aren't worth $250..00 for just an overnight stay - I didn't even have breakfast!"

The clerk told her that $250.00 is the 'standard rate,' and breakfast had been included had she wanted it. She insisted on speaking to the Manager. The Manager appeared and, forewarned by the desk clerk, announced:

"This hotel has an Olympic-sized pool and a huge conference center which are available for use."

"But I didn't use them." ''Well, they are here, and you could have."

He went on to explain that she could also have seen one of the in-hotel shows for which they were so famous.

"We have the best entertainers from the world over performing here." "But I didn't go to any of those shows.."

"Well, we have them, and you could have."

No matter what amenity the Manager mentioned, she replied,

"But I didn't use it!" and the Manager countered with his standard response. After several minutes discussion, and with the Manager still unmoved, she decided to pay, wrote a check and gave it to him.

The Manager was surprised when he looked at the check. "But Madam, this check is for only $50.00

"That's correct I charged you $200.00 for sleeping with me."

"But I didn't!"

"Well, too bad, I was here, and you could have."

My mate Mick took 2 stuffed dogs to the Antiques Roadshow.

"Ooh!" said the presenter, "This is a very rare set, produced by the celebrated Johns Brothers taxidermists who operated in London at the turn of last century.

Do you have any idea what they would fetch if they were in good condition?"

"...Sticks!" Mick replied...

Across

1 Shed tears (4)

3 Branch of mathematics (8)

9 Petty (7)

10 Room at the Top? (5)

11 Come in (5)

12 Precious metal (6)

14 Dairy product (6)

16 Lots and lots (6)

19 Movement (6)

21 Correct (5)

24 Heavenly being (5)

25 Conciliate (7)

26 Able to read and write (8)

27 Border (4)

Down

1 Yorkshire racecourse (8)

2 "The Waste Land" poet (5)

4 Finally (2,4)

5 Swimming stroke

Across

1 Ploys to find precious stones behind layers of rock (10)

7 Well-liked university in part of London (7)

8 Cooking, Delia suffered (5)

10 Bring up what may be brought up (4)

11 Produce good food in Derbyshire (8)

13 No rest, oddly, for singers (6)

15 Splendid bottle opener. Splendid! (6)

17 Warning triangle, possibly (8)

18 Popular musicians become vague (4)

21 Select a number with no factors (5)

22 Is this worn on the head to displace the rain? (7)

23 Puzzles responsible for angry speech? (10)

Down

1 Is pea changing colour? (5)

2 Register for bread? (4)

3 Sailor gets brown, Scottish style (6)

4 Appreciative of a load of coal? (8)

5 Set meal prepared for islanders (7)

6 Ghostly light? (6,4)

9 Wilful leaders of dangerous enterprise get set free (10)

12 Pig's feet for Del Boy and Rodney? (8)

14 North-east editor that is right is more povertystricken (7)

16 An Arab boat? Very much so! (3,3)

19 Los Angeles has three quarters with narrow streets (5)

20 He fibs about a mode of transport (4)

SODUKU Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9, with no number repeated.

PHONE:

Government - Federal (Government & Defence)

Full time

$69,170 – $80,757 per year

Applications are invited for the ongoing fulltime position of Electorate Officer (EOB) in the Office of the Hon Andrew Gee MP, based in the Member’s Calare Electorate Office in Orange, NSW.

The responsibilities of the role are, but are not limited to:

• Assisting and responding to constituent matters across the electorate of Calare.

• Liaising with relevant Departments, Agencies and Opposition Offices on behalf of constituents regarding matters relating to the responsibilities of the Federal Government.

• Preparing representations on behalf of the Member.

• Data entry and database management.

• Attending community events in the Electorate as required.

• General administrative tasks within the Electorate Office.

• Occasional travel within the Electorate of Calare and interstate travel to Canberra during Parliamentary sitting weeks.

• Other duties as required.

Applicants should possess the following skills and experience:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and experience in producing targeted communications for a variety of audiences.

• Outstanding interpersonal skills.

• Excellent attention to detail and record keeping.

• Ability to self-manage and delegate.

• Well-developed organisational ability and time management skills.

• Ability to work independently and cohesively as part of a small team.

• An understanding of the Australian system of government and parliamentary processes.

• Well-developed IT skills including Microsoft Office.

• Preparedness to work overtime and on weekends when required.

Job details:

The position is offered under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 and conditions are outlined in the Commonwealth Members of Parliament Staff Enterprise Agreement 2020-23.

• A commencing salary between $69,170 and $80,757 will be negotiated depending on experience and relevant skills.

• An optional additional allowance may be considered in recognition of, and as compensation for, reasonable additional hours of work.

• Relocation assistance, studies assistance and paid study leave may also be available (subject to eligibility requirements).

• An employer superannuation contribution of 15.4% will be payable.

A probationary period of three months will apply and may be subject to extension. Applications should be forwarded to andrew.gee.mp@aph.gov.au and include a resume with the names of two referees and a cover letter addressing the relevant skills and experience required for the role.

Applications close on Friday 30 June 2023.

For further information please contact andrew.gee.mp@aph.gov.au.

RODNEY JAMES LEE CROCKET

23.08.53 - 16.06.22

The angels came to get you on this day. They saw how much pain you were in and decided to take you home.

It left a huge crater in my heart. But the memories we made together live long in my heart and not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you.

Your loving wife Diane

RODNEY JAMES LEE CROCKET

23.08.53 - 16.06.22

In loving memory of a loving father, step father, pop and great pop. Loved and remembered always Your loving family

Cabonne Council has the following positions vacant:

• Cleaner for Age of Fishes Museum and Cabonne Home Support Office

• Water & Waste Water Coordinator

• Senior Water and Waste Water Operator

• Plant Operator

Please visit Council’s website at www. cabonne.nsw.gov.au to find information about these positions and to begin your application, for confidential enquiries please contact Council’s Leader of People & Culture, Glenn Meehan on 63923218

P.O. Box 17 Bradley Byrnes MOLONG NSW 2866 General Manager

1 July Bush to Beach Canowindra vs Molong @ the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club Woollahra (Sydney)

22 July Old Boys Day Molong vs Coonabarabran @ Molong Rec.

22 July 70 Years of Molong Rugby Magpies Dinner @ the Telegraph Hotel Tickets via Humanix

23 July Walla Rugby Union Gala Day Molong.