Maggi Barnard

More than 2000 children in Calare will benefit from the Coalition Government’s National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education. Federal Member for Calare, the Hon John Cobb said $840 million in federal funding will be available for quality preschool programmes across the country, and that these benefits would be felt across Calare. “The agreement guarantees funding for 600 hours of quality preschool in the year before school, and includes a focus on lifting participation rates for children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds,” Mr Cobb said.

All states and territories including New South Wales have signed up to the National Partnership Agreement seeing the funding flow into local preschools. Mr Cobb said,” this funding will help the 2128 preschool children aged between four and five who are enrolled at local preschools in Calare get the best start in life.” The National Partnership funding is just one aspect of the Federal Government’s commitment to early childhood education.

The Coalition Government has committed to reforms worth $40 billion for early childhood education and care over the next four years, including more than $3 billion to ensure the system is more accessible, affordable and fairer for families. The funding is the single largest investment in early learning and child care that this country has ever seen, and guarantees support for 15 hours of quality preschool education a week for children in the year before school,”. Director of Parkes Bluebird Early Learning Centre, Rachel Westcott, said

“We are really excited for this funding as it will help us to continue to grow our preschool programmes and resources. Our aim is to provide a great foundation for our pre-schoolers who are going off to school next year.”

Last Friday the biennial Parkes Field Day event attracted 17 exhibitors and over 200 visitors from Parkes and out of town. The day, which is organised by the Chamber of Commerce, is purely for local businesses. James Haddin of the Parkes Chamber of Commerce and Manager of Bosmac said he experienced a higher enquiry rate from visitors and high sales. “It’s a day for all of us to come together in one place and saves people from driving all over town to
make enquiries,” he said; “Exhibitors generally feel it is worth taking part.”

James displayed the auger mate, which makes moving an auger around much easier, plus other rural equipment. Another farmer-focused exhibitor was Guy Webb, an Agronomist working with AgriWest. He had developed a product called Grainmaker which is a nutrition supplement for crops resulting in an increased yield and an improvement in soil health, particularly under a variety of climatic conditions. Guy, who spent ten years designing the product, encourages farmers to use it as part of their annual fertilization program.

Steve Beuzeville, Manager of Parkes Top Town Traders, displayed a range of generators, welders, air compressors and pumps for use on farms. He has been in Parkes for over ten years, and services any machinery he sells. Vance Unger, salesperson at Kinsela, was happy to show off a variety of quad bikes, bikes, farm bikes, ride-on mowers, push mowers, hedge trimmers and many more.

Another exhibitor was the 45-year-old business Parkes Décor which is the ideal place for lovers of renovation shows. Brooke Soeder and Alison Tatton, who were representing Parkes Décor, said these shows had been very good for business. Moving away from decorating on towards the outdoors, The Central West Lachlan Landcare and Parkes Shire Council exhibit focused on the newly constructed wetland area at PAC Park. Organisers were pleased with the attendance on the day and hope businesses who presented got some new interest.

By Maggi Barnard