Snippets

Community Groups Invited To Apply For NSW Government Infrastructure Grants

Organisations in the Cootamundra electorate can now apply for funding to support local community projects thanks to the NSW Governments Clubgrants Category 3 Infrastructure Grants opening. Since 2015, the NSW Liberals and Nationals in Government have funded more than 520 community projects worth $81 million under the Infrastructure Grants program.

These grants are made possible by the Clubgrants Category 3 Fund which re-invests profits from registered clubs’ gaming machines into community projects. Funding is available for infrastructure projects in four key areas:

Arts & Culture
Community Infrastructure
Disaster Readiness
Sport & Recreation

Applications for the first round of funding for 2022/23 are open from 27 June to 18 July.

To find out more information or to apply, please visit nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/clubgrants-infrastructure

Cowra Early Childhood Services Name As Finalist at Western NSW Business Awards

Business NSW is pleased to announce Cowra Early Childhood Services as a finalist for the 2022 Western NSW Busi-ness Awards.

It has been nominated under the cate-gory ‘Outstanding Community Organisation’.

Now in its 10th year, the Western NSW Business Awards recognise growth, entrepreneurship, and celebrates business success and resilience.

Winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Award Celebration on Friday 22 July in Dubbo at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Vicki Seccombe, Regional Manager – Western NSW, at Business NSW, said this year’s finalists represent a fantastic cross section of businesses from right across the region.

Winners of the 2022 Western NSW Business Awards, will then represent the region at the State Business Awards to be held in November.

Service NSW App: The Home For Tradie Licences

NSW tradies can now spend more time getting on with the job, with the full suite of trade licences now digitised and available in the Service NSW app, making it easier than ever to prove they are qualified when on a work site.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said about 25,000 physical trade licences are re-placed each year which meant these tradies were unable to easily prove their right to be on a worksite when required for up to two weeks while their card was replaced.

While physical cards are still currently required, the digital licence can take the pressure off tradespeople when they first realise it is missing while they organise for a new card to be replaced. Funded by the NSW Government’s Digital Restart Fund, the Digitising Trade Licences Program is working to digitise more than 40 licence categories.

For more information, please visit: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/add-your-digital-high-risk-work-licence-service-nsw-app

NSW Seniors Festival Grants Now Open

Local organisations and community groups can now apply for grant funding to host events and activities as part of the 65th annual NSW Seniors Festival. Minister for Seniors Mark Coure said organisations can apply for grants up to $10,000 to help see their event be part of the largest celebration of seniors in the Southern Hemisphere.

Local councils, community groups and not-for-profit organisations across NSW are among those who can apply for a grant. The Seniors Festival will run from 1 to 12 February 2023. Applications for grants are open from 4 July to 1 August 2022. To apply and for more information about the grants, visit www.nsw.gov.au/seniors-festival

Local Businesses Benefit From Dine & Discover Voucher Program

The State Government’s popular Dine & Discover NSW program has closed with almost $1 billion in direct spend injected into the economy during the 16-month lifespan of the program, which ended with a record-breaking final week.

Many local businesses in Cowra benefitted from the program, including the Cowra Japanese Garden, which recorded one of its busiest days of the program last Thursday on its final day.

Minister for Customer Service and Digi-tal Government Victor Dominello said about 23,642,000 vouchers had been redeemed by customers since March 2021, with more than 1.1 million redemptions on the final day.

Redemption uptake was strong with 95.2 per cent of users cashing in at least one voucher, 67.3 per cent redeeming at least four and 38.9 per cent scanning all six.

Free Flu Shots For All Extended To 17 July

Free flu shots for NSW residents will be extended until 17 July amid concerns vaccination rates are still not where they should be.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the latest data shows only one in four children aged under five has had a flu shot, while the figures are even lower for kids aged five to 15.

Mr Hazzard urged families to use the school holidays to book in for a free flu shot.

The uptake of the influenza vaccine in adults is equally worrying, with less than 40 per cent of 50 to 65 year olds and only 64 per cent of those aged over 65 having a flu jab.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urged more people to come forward for their influenza vaccination to prevent unnecessary hospitalisations.

The low uptake in Sydney’s west and south-west continues to be of concern, so too in parts of far northern NSW and the State’s central west.