Snippets

Non-Urgent Elective Surgery Postponed

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and increasing number of local cases, the Western NSW Local Health District is temporarily postponing non-urgent elective surgery in our health services.

All emergency surgery and urgent elective surgery will continue to be performed during this challenging period.

The NSW Government is providing an additional $30 million to support private hospitals to undertake additional elective surgery on behalf of the NSW Health system. The NSW Government has committed more than $4 billion to the NSW health system to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.

More Grants For Murray-Darling Rivers, Wetlands

Applications for both small and large grants are now open and will close at 9pm on 6 October 2021. The Healthy Rivers Program is a key part of the Australian Government’s Murray-Darling Communities Investment Package, which is putting communities at the centre of the Basin Plan. To learn more about eligible activities or to apply, visit the Community Grants Hub:

For large grants (between $100,001 and $2,000,000): https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/murray-darling For smaller grants (between $5,000 and $100,000): https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/murray-darling-healthy-rivers-program-small-grants-round-2

Stay-At-Home Orders For Regional Areas Extended

The NSW Government announced that the Stay-At-Home Orders currently in place for regional NSW will be extended by two weeks, until at least 11:59pm on 10 September.

Rising case numbers and sewerage detection remain a concern in several regional LGAs outside the Cootamundra electorate. If an outbreak were to occur, it would place enormous pressure on our hospitals and on the hard working nurses and doctors who have worked around the clock to keep us safe for the past twenty months. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality of what we are facing.

The NSW Government has also foreshadowed the easing of restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated. Stated the road map to further freedoms, is that from 12.01am, Monday 13 September, for those who live outside the LGAs of concern, outdoor gatherings of up to five people (including children, all adults must be vaccinated) will be allowed in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home.

The State and Federal Government have issued a range of support measures to assist those in need while in lookdown.

Ellie Carpenter Named Player Of The Year

Cowra’s Ellie Carpenter has been named Australian Player of the Year by the Professional Footballers of Australia, the union that represents soccer players in Australia. It caps off a great year so far for Carpenter, who represented the Matildas at the recent Tokyo Olympics, helping them to fourth place overall. “I’m very honoured to be named Australian player of the year by PFA. This wouldn’t be possible without my teammates. I am so proud to be a part of such an amazing team and I hope this award inspires all young players out there to follow their dreams,” Carpenter wrote on her Facebook page.

Wyangala Dam Rises Over 100%Wyangala Dam rose to 101.7% last week, with all gates opened allowing the Lachlan River to reach levels not seen in five years. While an impressive sight, it has caused some minor flooding along the Lachlan Valley, with Cowra’s low level bridge currently closed due to being under water. The dam has now increased releases to a rate of 22 gigalitres per day. WaterNSW projections indicate that in the next 7-10 days inflows in excess of 200GL will make their way into the dam.