Thursday, 30 November 2023
Subjects: Rainfall, shopping locally for Christmas, the National Cherry Festival, Junee Correctional Centre, the importance of local volunteers.
E&OE…
David Eisenhauer: Steph Cooke joins us on the line from Sydney town this morning. Steph, a very good morning to you.
Steph Cooke: Good morning, Dave. It's great to be back with you today. We've had a couple of late-night sittings this week to clear out the legislative agenda, so a little bit more to do today, but hopefully this will wrap it up for the year in terms of the parliament sitting and then I can be back home in the electorate, which is where I love to be more than anything else.
David Eisenhauer: Absolutely, back into a fairly damp electorate too, Steph. The rainfall readings across the state through both states really, New South Wales and Victoria, but looking at Cootamundra, there with 135 mms or so in one hit. There's been some water about, hasn't there, down on the South Coast a stack of water.
Steph Cooke: Absolutely, and the SES have responded to calls really right across that eastern part of New South Wales. They continue to do a magnificent job and certainly the feedback that I've had in the last 48 hours or so with respect to falls across the region has been quite extraordinary – up around that 80, 90 mms in places like Temora, Harden, Young.
We are in storm season Dave, so these things are to be expected. But I think the feedback I'm getting is that if you're living in town and the garden's been getting a bit dry over the last few weeks, these types of falls are quite welcome. But we do have farmers, of course, that are in the middle of harvest at the moment, and whilst we know that farmers never knock back rain, it really is all about that timing, isn't it? It hasn't been great for some of them.
David Eisenhauer: That's so true. I mean, come October, we're growing and getting the canola flattened out, drying out, and hopefully that's all packed up and into silos. I know wheat, barley, all the other crops that we grow around the South West. Yeah, there'd be a few headers parked on fire breaks I think this morning waiting for the weather to dry out. You're right Steph it's a mixed bag, but as you did mention, farmers never knock back the rain even in harvest time. It's just you don't sort of want it to roll around this time of year. It's a pretty busy operation this time of year and the farmers, if they've got some sheep, well it's shearing time, harvest time. These are the times we get a few dollars to come back into the farms for the season ahead and you want the best outcome possible.
Steph Cooke: Oh look, absolutely. And we do wish our farmers right across the region all the very best as they continue on that really important work that they do. They are the backbone of our communities, especially across the Cootamundra electorate.
I find myself down here in Sydney saying over and over again that the Cootamundra electorate, it's basically the size of Switzerland and it's unique in that it doesn't have a major centre. So we don't have a Wagga or a Dubbo or a Bathurst; we're all small communities and still very reliant and based on the output, the production, the employment that comes from our agricultural sector, so it's really important.
And as you've mentioned, the work of farmers is all day, every day really, isn't it? But there are some times of the year where it really does peak in terms of activity. And as we head into Christmas, this is our time. So we do wish everyone all the very best, and hopefully as you say, the vast majority of farmers have been able to get their crops sorted ahead of this weather event. But I'll be certainly touching base with farmers right across the electorate over the coming days. And if I sense that there's a need for support in terms of the natural disaster declaration in some areas, I'll certainly be pushing up on the government for that.
David Eisenhauer: Absolutely. We'd be certainly focusing quite around that area with that 135 mms or more in some rain gauges on farms around there too, Steph. But you mentioned the fact of the smaller communities and we're coming up towards Christmas time and that big message that we talk about, you and I talk about each and every year – and we've talked about it a lot the last month or more on the radio – is shopping locally and keeping our dollars as local as we can for our small businesses in our local communities.
Steph Cooke: It's absolutely critical and something that's very dear to my heart. I think most people by now know that I'm a second-generation florist, and prior to coming into parliament, I had three florist shops: Temora, Cootamundra, and Young – all small communities as we know, and I can speak very much from personal experience, how important it is for people to spend their dollars locally. There's really nothing better. It also helps those small businesses bring in extra income at a time like Christmas that they can then bank and stash for the leaner times, which are in that sort of January, February early part of the year while people are away on holidays and what not.
There are still wages to be paid for small businesses across our area during that time, and the electricity bill’s got to be paid, and we all know that those prices have been going up recently. So everything that we can do to make sure that our business community stays strong locally; I think we all have a responsibility to help our small business people, and at this time of the year, I can assure you again from lived experience, they are working so hard to make sure that everything and everyone is looked after in the lead-up to Christmas.
David Eisenhauer: And such that, we're talking yesterday with businesses… they've got their big Christmas fair coming up in Sheridan Street. All these different events, whether it's the Carols by Candlelight, we had last night. A shopping tour promotion organised by local businesses in Tumut, Tumbarumba; there's all different things happening and it's just quite remarkable what we've got in our small towns. People think, ‘oh, the big towns have got all the stuff that we need’, but you'd be surprised – as you know – what we've got in our small communities, you don't have to travel far to get what you need.
Steph Cooke: No, you don't. And the great thing about our towns is that they really go to such effort to put on these extra special events so that it's not just about doing your Christmas shopping. I mean, anyone can sort of walk into a shop and just buy something off the shelf and it's sort of job done, and certainly our business people will help you through that experience. But on top of that, we've got all of these wonderful events right across the region and it's an opportunity for people to not just do their Christmas shopping and spend those dollars locally, but to get out and enjoy the experience in the process with so many other activities that are occurring at the same time.
And I know last Saturday for example, I went to a small community called Cudal, and it's not technically in the Cootamundra electorate, although there's a fair bit of crossover with Goolagong and places like that, but they were really badly flood-affected last year, and they had their Christmas markets this year and I attended because I really wanted to see how that community was going in terms of getting back on its feet.
And just to see the number of stall holders that are from our region that have come along to a special dedicated Christmas fair, and set up a stall, was fantastic. I was able to get so many Christmas bits and pieces sorted out just by turning up, and also having a good time in the process. So there really is an opportunity for people to come together to support our small businesses and have fun in the process.
David Eisenhauer: And talking of regional events around our district, when I worked at Young many years ago, back in the early 90s, one of the highlights for the cherry capital was the Young Cherry Festival that's underway this weekend, Steph. This is a big event.
Steph Cooke: It is so exciting, the National Cherry Festival. We absolutely love it. It comes around quickly every year, but it is one of those events that you really, really do look forward to and it kicks off tomorrow night in Young. So for people that are listening, if you're looking for something different to do this weekend, head to Young. That's pretty much where the action is.
And we've got the official opening tomorrow night, being Friday night. There's a main stage that's been set up in Anderson Park, which is just near the railway station there, and you've got the Visitor Information Centre, so there's plenty of people around that can point you in the right direction if there's something that you are particularly interested in. And then all day Saturday, which is really the main day, there's events starting from 9:00am going right through the day. The main parade, of course, is at four o'clock, but plenty of live entertainment.
There's the cherry pie eating championships, that's always a bit of fun to watch. And the pip spitting competition is on the Sunday for people who like to get out and have a look at something a little bit different. The other thing I saw on the program that I think is worth mentioning is that on Sunday, Donges IGA – which is a fantastic local business that really does so much to support our local communities – they're putting on a breakfast on Sunday morning.
David Eisenhauer: Isn't that wonderful.
Steph Cooke: It's absolutely fantastic, and it's $7 per person and it's a big breakfast. If you're looking for something to do early on Sunday morning, I reckon that's a pretty good thing to head to.
David Eisenhauer: So that's on this weekend in Young. Steph, we are getting up towards the news, we must get an update – there’s so many things we can chat about – but the Junee Correctional Centre, how's things travelling there?
Steph Cooke: Yeah, look, it's a more serious topic, I guess Dave, but a very important one for the community of Junee. I think most people know now that the minister just completely blindsided the community by, well it really wasn't even an announcement.
It sort of got leaked and it was just a big mess. But the bottom line is that the New South Wales government has decided to, we refer to it as de-privatise, the Junee Correctional Centre, because we all know that GEO Group, by one name or another, has operated that facility since it opened in 1992, '93. So this is an extraordinary move. The minister is yet to front the community; I've invited him out on a number of occasions both through programs like yours and also I've written formally. I've even included a map just in case he wasn't really sure about how to get from his office down to the community of Junee.
It's really important, Dave. It might sound like it's a little bit cheeky, but we have community groups reaching out to us every single day that have been supported by GEO over a number of years who are now wondering how they're going to get by without that sort of sponsorship, without the in-kind support that they get from inmates who are transitioning back into the community. These are real concerns by people, and it's just not good enough that we are just treated so disrespectfully in my view. And we will continue to push up on the minister to get some answers.
David Eisenhauer: Indeed, because the Junee community asks those questions. And rightly so, the GEO Group have put a huge amount I know into the Junee Show. There's park benches, there's all these different things that have occurred around the town and the district, not just in the town itself. We talk about this whole region as one; we're one community and that's a big employer.
Steph Cooke: You're absolutely right; take the Gasworks out of Illabo, so it is not just in the bigger towns. The inmates out there have dedicated over three and a half thousand man-hours over a five-year period to upkeep that facility. It's volunteer run; they do a magnificent job. They're the only vintage car raceway that's certified in Australia, and they do a magnificent job, but they do need that extra help. And that's what has been provided up until now, and we have no answers as to whether that can continue into the future.
David Eisenhauer: Before we go today, we must recognise the value of the emergency services, our volunteers in the region. We'd started off talking about the rain events in the region and we briefly touched on the volunteers, but what a terrific time to recognise the amount of work that goes in. When we're all cowering inside, when the winds are blowing and bits of tin are flying around and trees are falling, we've got these wonderful volunteers out there on the ground in amongst that sort of weather, keeping our region safe and fixing things back up and making things safe for the community.
Steph Cooke: I really couldn't have summed it up better than what you have, Dave. We are so, so lucky, so blessed to have the volunteers in emergency services that we do right across our region, whether it's the SES or the RFS.
Three or four weeks ago, we had bush fires and grass fires breaking out all over the place and they (volunteers) turn up day and night. They help us get back on our feet. And they do it because they love our communities; they love to help people. And we're so fortunate to have them and I never miss an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of all of the people of the Cootamundra electorate. Thank you so much for what you do because without that support, our societies just don't function properly.
David Eisenhauer: We're a great nation of volunteering and a good opportunity there for people who are looking for New Year's resolutions: become a volunteer. It doesn't have to be the emergency services, it can be any of our wonderful community groups Steph.
Steph Cooke: Absolutely. And there's not an organisation that wouldn't accept more volunteers in this day and age. So yeah, I think that's a great idea, Dave. A New Year's resolution to sign up to volunteer with an organisation in one of our small communities, because they are what helps keep our social fabric strong.
David Eisenhauer: Absolutely. And finally, Steph, we always find out how's the kids? How's the puppies? How's things travelling at home?
Steph Cooke: Goodness me yes; our three little Cavaliers. Look, they're very mischievous, Dave, and they're so cute that disciplining them is really, really tough. So I don't take them out in public very often because they're not very well-behaved, but they are incredibly cute. And look, they're just the centre of our universe and we love them to bits.
David Eisenhauer: Absolutely. And I notice on the social sites, people always ask, how the kids are going there, how the pups are, and they're a real feature there Steph, and because you'll be spending a bit more time with them and the family as we get closer to Christmas, which is something you'd be looking forward to without a doubt.
Steph Cooke: Look, I certainly am. It's been a huge year so far and we're not done yet. We kick off into summer in the next day or so, and there's still more to do. The work continues and I will be around over the Christmas/New Year period. I'm not formally taking leave. I do recognise that things do slow down a little bit, but that'll just give me the chance to travel into communities far and wide, and catch-up with people and find out what's going on.
David Eisenhauer: Absolutely. Steph, all the very best to you. The last, in theory, the last sitting week in Sydney there at Parliament House on Macquarie Street. Thank you so much for your time today, Steph. We'll catch up in a fortnight with a few Christmas messages, no doubt, and a bit of a more general chat there, but really appreciate your time.
Steph Cooke: Thank you so much Dave.
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