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ALL OF THE NEWS from around the Shire on One Page below for your convenience

The Beagle
- Jul 3, 2019
Mackay Unveils New Shadow Ministry
NSW Opposition Leader Jodi McKay has brought in eight new faces and promoted another four MPs to senior portfolios marking a significant refresh of the NSW Labor frontbench. Half of the Labor Shadow Cabinet are now either new or have been given significant promotions. Daniel Mookhey, Trish Doyle, Greg Warren, Jo Haylen, Paul Scully, Julia Finn, Tara Moriarty and Jodie Harrison all make their debut in a McKay Shadow Cabinet. Meanwhile Prue Car, John Graham, Kate Washington and

The Beagle
- Jun 17, 2019
This is a start but does not go far enough
In an opinion piece on the Batemans Bay Boaters Association's page their spokesperson Harry Watson Smith said "The local Member for Bega and Minister of Transport announced last week the closing down of the Bay Bridge Foreshore Advisory Committee (FAC) holding a large photo of the proposed concrete T-Wharf and pontoons. This was a great disappointment for many of the community members of FAC. We have seen better alternatives at a FAC meetings earlier in the year."
This is

The Beagle
- Jun 14, 2019
Have Your Say On The Foreshore Designs For The New Batemans Bay Bridge
Member for Bega Andrew Constance today launched the designs for the new southern and northern foreshores as part of the Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project. Above: Member for Bega, Andrew Constance with the new foreshore designs. Mr Constance said that the designs will now be available for the community to provide feedback and I hope that they take the opportunity to do so. “The NSW Government provided $274 million for the project to improve freight access, reduce traffic
The Beagle
- Jun 12, 2019
BHI Results Promising For The Health District
Emergency departments across Southern NSW Local Health District continued to experience increased demand in 2019, with 2442 more presentations compared to the same quarter last year, an 8.8 per cent increase.
Chief Executive of Southern NSW Local Health District, Andrew Newton said despite this increase, 83.3 per cent of patients left the region’s emergency departments within four hours, 12.7 percentage points above the State average.
Mr Newton said the results from the l

The Beagle
- May 31, 2019
Deputy Premier Ordered To Release Documents On Controversial SE Oyster Investment
The NSW Upper House has ordered the release of secret documents about a controversial $150 million investment fund overseen by Deputy Premier John Barilaro that includes investing $3.33 million into one oyster farm.
ABC South East reports that Labor's spokesman for Primary Industries, Mick Veitch, says oyster growers on the south coast are still contacting him with their concerns following the government's investment in Australia's Oyster Coast. The Berejiklian Government vo
The Beagle
- May 14, 2019
Still logging - the Corn Trail is now unsafe to use! Is it time to change the rules?
Just before Easter when strong winds whipped through a logged compartment bringing trees down over the Corn Trail walkers on the Corn Trail were injured as they tried to find their way over and through the fallen trees. Friends of the Mongarlowe River (FMR) have been calling for immediate stop work orders in the Corn Trail Forest since before the NSW State election, presenting solid evidence to the Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, Gabrielle Upton (Environment), Paul Toole (Fore

The Beagle
- May 6, 2019
All drink drivers WILL IMMEDIATELY lose licence as of May 20th
Andrew Constance MP has announced today major changes to NSW Drink Driving penalties as of May 20th·saying "Drink and drug driving have absolutely no place on our roads". "That’s why from May 20, all drivers who commit a drink or drug driving offence in NSW will immediately lose their licence." "First-time low-range drink drivers face an immediate 3 month licence suspension and a $561 fine, under the tough new penalties announced today. There will be no court appearance." And

The Beagle
- Apr 17, 2019
Greens MP Cate Faehrmann to visit Portugal to study drug decriminalisation
Next week Greens MP and spokesperson for Drug Law Reform & Harm Reduction, Cate Faehrmann will travel to Portugal on a self-funded study tour to gather evidence of the country’s successful drug policies. The trip will include attendance at the 2019 Harm Reduction Summit in Porto, plus several days of site visits in Lisbon and Porto as well as meetings with policy experts and lawmakers from across the world. Ms Faehrmann will arrive in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday 25 April and

The Beagle
- Apr 17, 2019
Update On The New Nelligen Bridge
Tenders for the new Nelligen Bridge will be reassessed over coming months, as further improvements are made to the new bridge design. A Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson said the NSW Government has provided $9 million for the new bridge, which would provide safer and more reliable journeys on the Kings Highway at Nelligen. “The detailed design for the new Nelligen Bridge is being refined to further improve the building method, environmental impact and road safety,” the

The Beagle
- Apr 12, 2019
Take A Look At What’s Planned Over Coming Months On The Batemans Bay Bridge Replacement Project
Major work on the Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project is continuing, with the project team focused on starting work on a temporary construction jetty south-west of the existing bridge and completing the temporary boat ramp at Korners Park. A Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson said the NSW Government provided $274 million for the project which will improve freight access, reduce traffic delays in peak periods, and reduce economic and social impacts by removing the cu
The Beagle
- Apr 10, 2019
Changed Traffic Conditions On The Princes Highway At Narooma
Motorists are advised of changed traffic conditions on the Princes Highway at Narooma from Thursday 11 April to carry out road safety improvement work near Corunna Lake. Work will involve widening the road shoulder by 2.5 metres and installing signs to notify motorists that they are approaching the Corunna Lake Road intersection. Work will be carried out on weekdays between 7am and 6pm and is expected to be completed by Friday 10 May, weather permitting. Traffic control and a

The Beagle
- Apr 10, 2019
My Community Project - Apply Now To Bring Your Great Idea To Life
It’s time to bring your idea for your local community to life, with applications for My Community Project (MCP) now open. Member for Bega Andrew Constance today urged people across the region to get their applications in to enable each community to decide on the best projects to enhance their area. “My Community Project gives you the chance to develop your great idea to revitalise or renew your community, whether that be through a community garden, lighting, a cultural fair,
The Beagle
- Apr 4, 2019
Can the Local Member step in and establish evidence that a 50m pool is unaffordable
Dear Beagle Editor, Recently re-elected Member for Bega Andrew Constance has thanked his volunteers and people who voted for him [Beagle Online March 25] and acknowledged publicly that “the community is responding to local issues and they expect their local member to fight hard”.
Andrew you are very aware that one of those local issues in Batemans Bay is the exclusion of a 50m pool in the Mackay Park Aquatic Arts & Leisure Centre. You have been aware of this since November

The Beagle
- Apr 2, 2019
Changed Traffic Conditions On The Princes Highway At Dignams Creek
Motorists are advised of changed traffic conditions on the Princes Highway at Dignams Creek this week for asphalting work as part of the $45 million upgrade. The southbound lane one kilometre north of Dignams Creek Road will be closed for 500 metres while the road base is replaced and surface resealed. Work will be carried out from Tuesday 2 to Tuesday 9 April between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturday. For the safety of workers and motorists, temporary traffi
The Beagle
- Mar 30, 2019
Bowling Club site: What's going on
The Beagle Editor,
At a Village Centre feedback kiosk for the Batemans Bay Regional Aquatic, Arts and Leisure Centre early this year, Councillor Jack Tait told listeners that the former Bowlo was “full of asbestos”. This was by way of his attempt to retrospectively justify its demolition.
Following on from the Beagle’s own article on 5 February, regarding the removal of asbestos-contaminated materials from that site, Our Towns Our Say (OTOS) asked Councillors the follow

The Beagle
- Mar 25, 2019
A message from Andrew Constance MP
"I want to say a huge thank you to everyone throughout the Far South Coast for your support and for allowing me to represent you for another term. I’d like to particularly thank all the incredible volunteers who gave up their time to help my campaign. I’m incredibly grateful for your generous support, for having confidence in me and what I’m doing for the community - and together, I look forward to delivering some fantastic outcomes for our region in the coming years. VIDEO:

The Beagle
- Mar 20, 2019
Leanne Atkinson on the Eurobodalla Rural Land Strategy : “it’s a done deal” holds no water.
The Beagle invited Labor candidate Leanne Atkinson to offer her thoughts on the, as yet unsigned, Eurobodalla Rural Land Strategy
Ms Atkinson responds:
Let's be frank here: Labor is not anti-development, nor is it anti-Eurobodalla Shire Council, though you might have been misled about our concerns to the Eurobodalla rural lands strategy in its current form. The strategy not only lacks community support -- more than half of all the submissions to council were opposed to

The Beagle
- Mar 20, 2019
About Regional interview with Andrew Constance
Ian Campbell of About Regional met up with Liberal Andrew Constance MP ahead of this Saturday’s NSW Election answering questions submitted by the About Regional community.
Ian said "We cover a lot of ground - Batemans Marine Park, arts funding, climate change, Eurobodalla Rural Lands Strategy, floating pontoons for Batemans Bay, public dentistry, new Eurobodalla hospital, Princes Highway, flooding at the new TAFE Connected Learning Centre...."
You can find Ian's interviews

The Beagle
- Mar 19, 2019
Change.org petition to reinstate teacher & climate activist Will Douglas and Review the NSW DoE’
Activist Teachers Network have started a petition addressed to NSW Education Minister Rob stokes
The petition reads: "We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the standing down of Will Douglas--a long-standing and well-respected casual teacher at Moruya High School--for an alleged breach of section 13 of the NSW Department’s Code of Conduct--“Managing your political, community and personal activities”. "Will is the Greens candidate for the NSW seat of Bega, and the

The Beagle
- Mar 18, 2019
Questionnaires to candidates in the Bega electorate
In early February the Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA) sent a questionnaire to the 4 listed candidates seeking their policies for the next four years.
They were provided with 13 questions on renewable energy, sustainable transport, housing for the future, land management into the future and adapting to climate variability, for example heat waves.
Responses were received from Leanne Atkinson - Labor,
William Douglas - the Greens
and Coral Anderson -
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