www.awnw.com.au
Issue #326 – Wednesday, 13 April, 2016
Albury Wodonga’s largest circulating newspaper
Lions grand give-away THE Lions Club of Lavington is calling for local initiatives to submit an application to be in the running for $1000 grant as a part of a new Community 100 program... FULL DETAILS PAGE 3
Ripping show Fifty-four competitors from throughout the region and as far away as Sydney and Melbourne, took to the Albury Entertainment Centre for the annual NSW Regional Physique and Fitness championships over the weekend. Run by the International Natural Body Building Association, the event is now in its third year. Photographer Adam Wilson captured images on the day. For full details, see Sport on page 23. Brittany Pilon, Ebony Reynolds, Sammie Brown and Lara Frieson in the Bikini Open. 152746 Picture: KATIE HARDMAN
Youth vote counts By MONIQUE KUZEFF “TO the young people in rural and regional Australia, now more than any other time, we need you, the country absolutely needs you.” This is what Indi MP Cathy McGowan said at a press conference last week after the striking out of fraud charges on two young Indi voters. Ms McGowan’s niece, Maggie McGowan, 27, and Sophie Fuchesen, 24, were recently caught up in an Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation after they changed their electoral details to vote in the 2013 Federal Election.
Following a thorough investigation by the AFP and the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) into systematic fraud of the two young women, charges were dropped in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 5 April. Prior to the 2013 election, the AEC had identified 109 instances across the 15 divisions where young people between the ages 20 to 24 had enrolled for a different division in the period leading up to and during the close of rolls. The AEC contacted a portion of the electors asking them to provide reason for their movement and they offered
explanations that provided no evidence of systematic fraud. Ms McGowan said she was pleased the matter regarding the vote fraud had been investigated and resolved and that the court ruled that there was no case to be answered. “In Australia we can trust the rural law, and I would like to compliment the AEC and Australian Federal Police who have certainly done their job thoroughly,” Ms McGowan said. “The courts have made a ruling that should give great confidence to rural young people and their families.”
Also at the press conference, Ms McGowan urged young voters not to be deterred by the recent fraud investigation. “Please don’t be disheartened by this, take your courage, regardless of what your political perspectives are,” Ms McGowan said. “We need your imagination, your skills, your involvement in politics. “Turn up, have your say and get involved, as it is going to be a very close election in Indi this year.” Ms McGowan said in 2013 the AEC had invested around $20 million as a part of the advertising budget to en-
courage young people to enrol through a number of initiatives. “The future belongs to young people in rural and regional Australia,” she said. “The Federal Election is coming up now, so it’s really timely for people to enrol and to really engage with their party of choice and to have their voices heard.” “We need young people to say here is how the world can be made better for us, here is how we can create the jobs, here is the infrastructure and education we need and I’m prepared to put my hand up and be involved.”
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