CSIRO’s iconic Parkes radio telescope will get a new receiver that will significantly increase the amount of sky it can see at any one time, enabling new science and supporting local innovation in the space sector.

Australian Research Council Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grants have been awarded for the development of a new receiver for the Dish, and a major upgrade for the Australia Telescope Compact Array near Narrabri in NSW.

A $1.15 million LIEF grant will support a $3 million project to build a sensitive receiver called a ‘cryoPAF’ for the Parkes radio telescope. The new cryoPAF will sit high above the Parkes telescope’s dish surface and receive radio signals reflected up from the dish. Its detectors will convert radio signals into electrical ones, which can be combined in different ways so that the telescope ‘looks’ in several different directions at once.

The cryoPAF will be cooled to -253°C to reduce ‘noise’ in its electrical circuits, enhancing the ability to detect weak radio signals from the cosmos at frequencies from 700 MHz to 1.9 GHz.

The grant was led by the University of Western Australia, which will coordinate construction and commissioning of the cryoPAF. CSIRO will design, build and install the instrument.

Professor Lister Staveley-Smith from The University of Western Australia node of ICRAR, who led the grant application, said the cryoPAF had three times more field of view than the previous instrument, allowing quicker and more complete surveys of the sky.

“The new receiver will help astronomers to study fast radio bursts and pulsar stars, and observe hydrogen gas throughout the Universe,” he said.

CSIRO has previously designed and built innovative phased array feeds for its ASKAP telescope in Western Australia, and a test version of the cryoPAF was used successfully on the Parkes telescope in 2016.

The Parkes Shire will welcome CEO of Youth Off The Streets and former NSW Australian of the Year, Father Chris Riley AM as the Parkes Shire’s 2020 Australia Day Ambassador.

Father Riley has worked with disadvantaged youth in a variety of roles including teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential carer and principal of the charity Boy’s Town for more than 35 years.

He founded Youth Off The Streets (YOTS) in 1991 working with disadvantaged young people to encourage and facilitate positive life choices. As CEO, Father Riley oversees the operation of over 35 programs that employ over 180 staff and involve more than 250 volunteers.

Join the celebrations across the Parkes Shire, more information at www.visitparkes.com.au.

The Parkes Bridge Club has found a new home in the Red Cross Rooms in a win-win situation for both parties.

The bridge club which, over the past six years, has gone from the Father Pat Centre, to the Railway Bowling Club, to the Parkes Leagues Club and temporarily to the foyer of The Little Theatre has found itself a home at last.

In a mutual arrangement, the Parkes Bridge Club has agreed to furnish the Red Cross room with new tables and chairs for their friendly coffee shop and to hire the room at regular times for members to play bridge.

This will bring ongoing benefits to both parties as the Red Cross will receive a permanent income, while the bridge club will gain a permanent home.

It will also allow an exciting new initiative for the bridge club as they will be able to hold beginners’ classes on a regular basis. Bridge, originating in Europe, is one of the world’s most popular card games; a great game for exercising the grey matter while also making new friends.

You can build your skills to play in tournaments around the region or just head along to one of the local weekly casual games on Mondays, Tuesday or Thursdays.

The beginner classes are planned to commence from mid-February, with a warm welcome extended to the Parkes community to head along.

Although it has been said that bridge is hard to learn, it only takes fundamental card knowledge to begin playing and enjoying the game. To master bridge may be more difficult and take more time, but that should not stop you from going along to give it a go. Like others, you will continue the journey of learning for many years to come.

For more information contact Greig Ball on 0429 621 712

By Beth Thomas

There are many crimes or offences. A lot are contained in the Crimes Act but many more are contained in other statutes both of the State and Federal Parliaments. The range of offences vary from murder down to parking.

Most criminal matters are commenced by the Police or the Director of Public Prosecutions by way of Court Attendance Notices (formerly known as Police Charges/ Summonses) and those charged with an offence will appear firstly before a magistrate sitting in a local court. In some cases, issues of bail may need to be considered.

Magistrates deal with over 90% of criminal matters summarily but the more serious offences are committed to the District Court or Supreme Court for trial before a judge and/or jury.

Unlike civil matters, criminal matters must be proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ having regard to the elements of the offence. This is when a solicitor’s professional knowledge becomes essential for the client (i.e. the person charged with an offence).

Police will normally have a fact sheet (which is not evidence but outlines the Police case) on the occasion of the first appearance before the court. With the fact sheet and instructions from the client, this will help the solicitor in deciding whether to advise the client to plead guilty or not guilty having regard to the elements of the offence. Sometimes an adjournment is necessary to obtain further information.

Once a plea is entered, the magistrate may adjourn the matter for hearing, sentence the client, commit the client for trial in a higher court or other options which may depend on the seriousness of the offence and the previous criminal history of the client.

Twelve local kids spent the school holidays learning lifesaving skills as part of the first intake of the Outback Lifesavers program held at Parkes Aquatic Centre.

The program was developed by Parkes Shire trainers, Nikki Thornhill and Christie Pisani, in conjunction with Royal Lifesaving Society Australia (RLSSA) to provide children aged 10 to 16 with lifesaving survival and rescue skills. The aim is to prevent instances of drowning in rural and remote communities.

“The one-hour practical lessons over five consecutive days each had a different focus including water safety awareness, resuscitation, first aid, spinal injury management, rescue techniques, recognising an emergency and team building,” said Parkes Aquatic Centre Coordinator, Nikki Thornhill.

Six of the participants went on to complete their bronze medallion.