Maggi Barnard

Parkes has no shortage of talented musicians as two young performers proved again last weekend when they both finished in the top group in the Australian National Busking Championships in Cooma.

More than 150 buskers from around the country took part in the annual event and included Anabelle Van Wyk (11) and Hannah Dun (13) from Parkes. They both finished as runners-up in the primary and secondary age categories respectively.

“It was a great experience and I really enjoyed seeing other talented musicians,” said Annabelle, who played her saxophone and sang. “The best part was performing in front of very enthusiastic crowds and meeting the members of the amazing String Family, who provided me with a lot of encouragement and support.”

Hannah, also a singer, said she had learnt to persevere and perform the best she could. “I met new talented friends who enjoy music like I do and who appreciate music. I want to thank all the sponsors and organisers, and for the support this event provides to many young emerging musicians.”

Annabelle qualified for the primary age category after winning the Peak Hill event earlier this year. Hannah came second in Peak Hill leg of the championship and tried again at the Gundagai Busking Championship where she got first place and qualified for Cooma.

By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Shire Councillor Neil Westcott is an Alectown farmer and supporter of Farmers for Climate Action. He was getting sick of waiting for someone to say something about climate change and decided to speak out by writing an opinion piece, which was published in The Land last week.

“It is a cry from the heart,” he told The Parkes Phoenix. “We are not leaving a legacy I am very proud of.”

Here is what he wrote: “I’m going to listen, then I’m going to plan and then I’m going to act.” Those are the words of Coordinator-General for Drought, Major General Stephen Day.

I’m due to meet the man as he continues his tour of the nation listening to farmers and helping to unite efforts to bring support to drought-affected farmers and their families. I’m hoping that by meeting farmers like me, he will take the first-hand knowledge and advice with him to the National Drought Summit in Canberra.

Although Stephen’s words address drought relief, they can be equally applied to action on climate change. Anyone who listened to the scientists who authored the recent IPCC report can be in no doubt that we only have a matter
of 12 years before our climate reaches crisis point.

We have to take action now. Primarily, that action must include a long-term policy on agriculture and climate change, including support for farmers to plan for increased frequency and severity of drought.

As a fifth-generation farmer at 58 years of age, my records show that this year we have had just 20% of our annual rainfall. We are entering uncharted territory. Droughts are getting more severe and growing seasons are getting shorter.

Like most farmers today we are adapting and evolving, and for some of my farming peers, while you are adapting to change, it feels as though you still have some control over what is happening. But you can only adapt so far. Eventually climate change is going to catch us. I will be telling Major General Day there is a younger generation who aren’t so conservative, who know that they and their children will be the ones feeling the full impact of extreme weather patterns: too dry, too wet, too cold.

Out-of-season bushfires, droughts and severe frosts are mere sideshows to the main event. We are set to pay a high cost for political complacency on all sides of the spectrum.

As a councillor on the Parkes Shire Council I am heartened to see local government stepping into the policy vacuum
created by federal government. We have a greater freedom from party politics and I’m enormously proud of what our council has achieved.

We are one of the first councils across Australia to sign a national pledge to tackle emissions and climate change, to get cutprice solar panels into our community and recently, to incorporate a 400kw solar array into our new water and sewage plants, with plans to double this capacity in the near future.

It may not sound much, but at least we’re not sitting on our hands in parliament. My belief is that, as indicated in the Wentworth by-election, we have reached a tipping point where people are no longer going to put up with a soft slap response to the urgent demands of communities to act on climate change.

Politicians can no longer falsely claim they know better than the IPCC, or that we are on target to meet our Paris obligations to reduce emissions.

The truth is we can make a difference. There are opportunities for regional and rural Australia in choosing the clean path – including increased resilience to climate change impacts, new jobs and investment in renewables, energy independence and sustainable agriculture. We need to maintain the pressure on government at all levels to act on climate change, and we need to get loud about it. And then we need to get even louder.

Dirtgirl is heading to The Greenhouse in Orange on 8th November. Dirtgirl is a gumboot wearing, planet-loving girl – oh, and she’s also a rock star who loves to sing and dance almost as much as she loves getting grubby (almost!).

Late 2017 saw dirtgirl launch a new show about her life. From the EMMY Award winning makers of the International hit animation, dirtgirlworld, comes Get Grubby TV (GGTV). Like the cartoon, GGTV is yet again a celebration of life outside set to music that the whole family can dig!

With the same beloved characters at the wheel of the adventures, GGTV has reimagined the dirtgirlworld story to reveal the real place and the real characters …in the real world! As well as Costa the Garden Gnome (Costa Georgiadis), dirtgirl and scrapboy have some other new friends. Well actually, dirtgirl has a new band – an all-girl band and they seriously rock!

These musicians are home grown but know how to wow crowds around the world. Accomplished guitarist and vocalist Jules Parker with vocal powerhouse (and sometimes rockin’ drummer!) Leesa Gentz, to form the heart of the Hussy Hicks. They are often joined by Tracy Bassy and on some special occasions, Kristy Gentz.

“I thought my place couldn’t get any better, and then the girls moved in next door; now we definitely have the most rockin’ neighbourhood around! Sometimes they tour as far away as Europe, but we always look forward to a jam when they get home!”, says dirtgirl.

Dirtgirl World Live will be at The Greenhouse of Orange on Thursday 8th November doing three shows at 10am, 1pm and 4pm. To buy tickets head to www.thegreenhouseoforange.com.au

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is urging community organisations in drought-affected regions to apply for funding through the Small Grants Program. The Federal Government is providing $15 million in the Regional Drought Communities Small Grants Program to support regional communities devastated by the drought.

Small grants will be available to not-forprofit community groups to deliver projects in drought-affected regions focusing on reducing social isolation, leadership development and skills training, social and educational participation, addressing disadvantage caused by the drought, reducing volunteer fatigue, building capacity and
supporting local economic recovery or renewal.

“We understand communities are struggling and this is part of our more than $1.8 billion in additional Federal Government drought support measures already delivered,” said the Deputy PM.

The first round of applications opened last Friday. For Further information on the program and grant opportunities visit the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities website from at www.infrastructure.gov.au.