More jobs a challenge

One of the biggest challenges facing our area is the creation of more jobs on the Central Coast for local residents.
We are all aware that thousands of people living in our region are forced to commute daily to their place of employment in either Sydney or Newcastle.
The construction of the Police Assistance Line Centre at Tuggerah will provide 120 jobs for Central Coast residents and the relocation of Workcover to Gosford will also provide additional jobs.
A number of the 850 Workcover employees already reside in this region.
Upon resumption of the NSW Parliament in May, the Premier Bob Carr introduced into the Legislative Assembly the Apprentices Concession and Rate Reduction Bill.
This bill is in keeping with a pre-election commitment by the NSW Government to provide a payroll tax concession to employers of new and existing apprentices, not already covered by the exemption for apprentices on a group scheme.
Under the concession, employers would only include 25% of wages for first year apprentices, 50% of the wages for second year apprentices, 75% of the wages for third year apprentices and 100% of the wages for fourth year apprentices in the calculation of their total wages bill for payroll tax liability.
The proposed new scheme, estimated to cost $4m per annum, would provide assistance to around 38,000 apprentices in NSW and 20,000 employers of apprentices.
This legislation is also aimed at creating more jobs for locals, particularly young people.
Premier’s Awards:
This being the United Nations International Year of Older Persons, it was most appropriate that a number of Woy Woy Peninsula residents were personally presented earlier in the year with Premier’s Awards by the Premier.
These awards are not made lightly and are given in recognition of outstanding service to the community and to New South Wales.
This year’s recipients were: Bon and Eileen Andersen, Patricia Casey, Eric Dewar, Alfred Gorick, Pauline Hall, Vincent and Jean Martin, Leo Oliver, Bill Raper, Noel (Bob) Pearse.
Congratulatory Messages:
Local residents are advised that congratulatory messages for wedding, anniversaries and special birthdays can be arranged by contacting my office on 4342 4122.