The Weekly Advertiser

College Pushes for Better Promotion

Weekly Advertiser — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:17:10 +0000

Longerenong College this week told a parliamentary enquiry into agriculture education that more needs to be done to attract young people to the industry.
College General Manager John Goldsmith told Nationals Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie that the industry’s career paths need to be better promoted.
Senator McKenzie says there are not enough graduates to fill vacant positions in the industry.
“We’re just not great at selling what a fantastic career ag is, and industry obviously needs to be involved in that conversation,” she said.
“It is our issue out in the region and we’ve got to promote it better, and we’ve had some great recommendations out of this inquiry on how to do that.”

Club’s reel windfall

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:24:04 +0000

Horsham District Orchid Society is among winners to pocket extra money for providing stewards at The Weekly Advertiser Horsham Fishing Competition over the Labour Day weekend. Contest committee members agreed to double the payment for stewards which took the orchid club’s payment to $2100. Club members Bradley Scott, left, and Ken Dix, who were part of a club group of 14 who worked as stewards during the contest, are pictured celebrating news of the windfall.
Picture: PETER MILLER

Get the full story on page 16 in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Concept designs set for highway bypass

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:22:16 +0000

A consultancy firm investigating Horsham bypass routes for the Western Highway has completed concept designs.
Independent consultant AECOM has completed a basic layout plan for four short-listed route options and is continuing studies into the project.
VicRoads plans to present final recommendations from the study at a community information session in November.
The concept plans follow a community consultation and feedback program last year.
VicRoads acting regional director David O’Sullivan said AECOM had investigated the land area required for intersections and overpasses, to accurately define and understand what was required for each of the alignments.
He said it was now investigating the options in more detail, examining traffic, the environment, potential social and economic impact; hydraulics and hydrology, land-use planning, ecology, Aboriginal heritage and agricultural aspects.
“Slight variations of these options will also form part of the investigations. These studies are labour intensive and may involve on-ground investigations,” he said.

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

WELL DONE

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:21:36 +0000

Sydney restauranteur Peter Doyle gives a congratulatory hug to Master Cook 2 winners Pam Marshman, left, and Cassy Kelly after a hotly contested final at Horsham Plaza on Thursday night. The celebrity chef and owner of popular waterside restaurant Peter Doyle @ The Quay was a guest judge for the Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation fund-raiser. The win was two in a row for Pam, who cooked her way to victory with team-mate Brooke Pay in the inaugural event. Master Cook 2 raised more than $73,000 for the foundation but organisers have yet to commit to the event continuing next year.
Picture: DEAN LAWSON

Get the full story on page 9 in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Godspell gets a bigger feather

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:59:21 +0000

ALL FOR THE BEST: Horsham Arts Council will revisit its highly acclaimed production of Godspell after being invited to perform for the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria in December. Picture: BELINDA ELLIOTT

By PETER MILLER
Still basking in the glory of its brilliant production of Godspell, Horsham Arts Council has received the biggest feather its cap could possibly hold.
The Music Theatre Guild of Victoria has asked the Godspell team to perform at its annual awards night at the Costa Hall Theatre in Geelong on December 8.
Godspell director Simon Dandy said the request was a massive honour for Horsham Arts Council.
“I couldn’t believe it when the guild called,” Dandy said.
“I’ve been to several of these awards nights and the standard of the performances is staggering,” he said.
“The guy on the phone said to me that they don’t just ask anyone. They ask the best.”
Dandy said there was a strong possibility of a nomination as well, though there are no guarantees.
“Nominations are announced later in the year and the fact we have been asked to perform is a good sign,” he said.
Horsham Arts Council president Belinda Elliott was nominated for an award at last year’s event and knows first-hand the high regard in which the evening is held.
Elliott was a nomination for the Gladys Moncrieff Award for best performance in a debut featured role for her part as Sandy in the council’s 2011 production of Grease.
Elliott said she hadn’t understood the distinction of the award until she attended the event.
“I realised how much an honour it was once I saw the quality of the shows there,” she said.
“You soon become aware of how much incredible talent there is in Victorian amateur theatre.
“The quality of the performances is quite humbling.”

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Gambling role is up to us all

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:56:00 +0000

By DEAN LAWSON
It is human nature to gamble or take risks. We do it every day – from taking on traffic at every intersection to placing ‘mystery’ ingredients in our mouths at the dinner table.
But as much as it is inherently human to gamble, being human also gives us the power to rationalise and make decisions – to mould this instinctive need to better ourselves.
Unfortunately gambling, as with any uncontrolled desire or whim, can be devastating and that’s why authorities are using this week to strongly promote a ‘responsible gambling’ message.
Many of us enjoy an occasional flutter. It can generate fun and excitement, get the blood pumping and make us feel on the edge and alive. Some consider that ‘having a punt’ is an essential part of Australian culture.
Technology
Where do we draw the line? Leanne Thomson of Wimmera Uniting Care is correct in her assessment that an evolution in social media has provided an avenue for a boom in the gambling industry.
Never before has such a broad cross section of the community, through advances in communication technology, had such easy finger-tip access to wagering. No longer do we need to be at the race track or visit the pokies for our gambling ‘fix’. We can achieve as much on our mobile phones.

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Master Cook on back burner … for now

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:52:37 +0000

FINALE: Celebrity chef Peter Doyle is flanked by Master Cook 2 organisers Allison Roberts, left, and Denise Leembruggen at the event’s Sydney-themed gala dinner at Horsham RSL Club. Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Organisers of Horsham’s highly successful Master Cook 2 charity fund-raiser remain unwilling to commit to a third instalment of the event next year despite this year’s cooking challenge raising more than $73,000.
Allison Roberts said it was hard to say ‘never’ but the project, which raised money for Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation, had been all consuming.
“It’s been a great experience and a wonderful journey but it’s been part of our lives since August last year,” she said.
“I know you can never say ‘never’ but we always planned this to be the second and final Master Cook for the foundation.”
Master Cook 2 wound up with a gala dinner featuring celebratory chef Peter Doyle from Sydney at Horsham RSL Club on Saturday night. Patrons, who sat down to an al la carte dinner combining specialty dishes of Peter Doyle at the Quay restaurant with Wimmera produce, pushed the money raised well beyond a $51,000 target.
Among guests were Allied Appetisers team members Cassy Kelly and Pam Marshman who won the competition final cook-off from Michael Unwin and Don McRae from Our Kitchen Has No Rules in front of more than 200 people at Horsham Plaza two nights earlier.
Ms Roberts said she and fellow organiser Denise Leembruggen had been overwhelmed by the energy of cooking teams, support of sponsors, the willingness of the volunteers and ‘the amazing and generous’ Peter Doyle.

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Win for Warracknabeal hospital

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:32:34 +0000

Regional health leaders are confident the next stage of redevelopment work on Warracknabeal Hospital will start within six months and be finished in two years.
The Federal Government has committed $8.8-million in the 2012-2013 Federal Budget for the Rural Northwest Health project which started seven years ago.
The announcement last week that the health service’s latest application for money to complete stage two of the Warracknabeal campus had been successful represented the culmination of years of planning, negotiation and lobbying.
Contractors completed the first stage of the redevelopment project at the hospital, Rural Northwest Health’s main campus, in 2008. The health service drew up its project master plan in 2005.
Chief executive Catherine Morley said completion of stage two of the project would allow ‘an integrated campus of all services at Rural Northwest Health’ major campus Warracknabeal.’
“This integration will provide support for acute, urgent care, slow-stream rehabilitation, residential and community aged-care services, and community and primary-care services to be provided under one roof and the opportunity for the community to access a one-stop shop,” she said.
Ms Morley said an ability to run an ‘integrated’ service would allow for –
• Full range of health services – from health promotion, illness prevention and management, treatment of illness or injury, care for the aged and end-of-life care.
• Coordinated health services providing a single point of contact for the community.

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Plan to restore Horsham hotel

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:31:13 +0000

ON TAP: New tenants at Horsham’s Commercial Hotel in Wilson Street plan to restore the venue to its ‘former glory’. Picture: DEAN LAWSON

New tenants at Horsham’s Commercial Hotel in Wilson Street plan to restore the iconic entertainment venue to its ‘former glory’.
A Horsham group involving members who spent many years as patrons of the hotel during its halcyon days of the 1980s and ‘90s, are now busily renovated the building.
The hotel’s nominee, unwilling to divulge his name or others involved, said the project was in its infancy but would operate as a ‘pub’.
He said the group would pursue several ideas but the initial plan was to reopen as a licensed premises and then consider ways of providing meals and entertainment.
He added despite the building’s ‘considerable space’ upstairs that providing accommodation services was not part of plans.

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.

Call for sports groups to spread message

Weekly Advertiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:29:23 +0000

Wimmera Uniting Care is urging Wimmera sports club to help spread the ‘responsible gambling’ message as a part of an Australia-wide campaign.
The organisation has made the call as part of National Responsible Gambling Awareness Week which started on Monday and ends on Sunday.
Wimmera Uniting Care youth and community general manager Leeanne Thomson said spreading the word through sporting clubs was a key way of promoting responsible gambling.
“It’s all about being aware about the issues of gambling, knowing the limits and being able to recognise the signs of someone that may be in too deep,” she said.
“Or, if you are the one experiencing difficulties with gambling, being able to feel comfortable enough to confide in a mate. If people are well educated on the issue they may be able to help or support you in getting help,” Ms Thomson said
Ms Thomson said the horse-racing and sport-betting industry; which included TABs, on-course totes, bookmakers and wagering websites, was experiencing rapid growth.

Get the full story in the May 17, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.