Modern Slavery

Late last year, the Modern Slavery Bill 2018 was passed Federally in the NSW State Parliament heralding a new statutory modern slavery reporting requirement for larger companies in Australia.

Reporting obligations relate to the steps taken to respond to the risk of modern slavery in the operations and supply chains of the reporting entity and its controlled entities. The reporting criteria are mandatory. It is crucial that reporting entities begin reviewing their supply chains and collecting data ahead of the introduction of reporting
obligations. The first reporting year will be 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.

At its broadest, the term ‘modern slavery’ refers to any situations of exploitation where a person cannot refuse or leave work because of threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power or deception. The Australian regime defines modern slavery to incorporate conduct that would constitute an offence under existing human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like offence provisions set out in Divisions 270 and 271 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

Modern slavery will encompass slavery, servitude, the worst forms of child labour, forced labour, human trafficking, debt bondage, slavery like practices, forced marriage and deceptive recruiting for labour or services. Entities will need to report if they carry on business in Australia with a minimum annual consolidated revenue of $100 million.

Entities in NSW will be obliged to report under the NSW Act if they have a turnover of $50 million. Corporate groups should obtain specific advice in relation to which entities are required to report and how joint reporting can work.

Once the Modern Slavery Act commences, a targeted regulatory regime will be introduced, under which large businesses will report annually. Those reports will be published on a public register.

Member for Orange, Phil Donato MP (left) handed over $28,050 in funding to Tim Watts of the PCYC last Friday
from the 2018 Community Building Partnership Program. The funding will go towards renovation of the foyer to ensure it complies with current workplace safety regulations, while the PCYC team are also modernising the space
to give it a more ‘youth friendly’ feel. “The PCYC is a fantastic place for young people to learn new skills, get fit
and make new friends,” said Phil. Councillor Ken McGrath (right) was also at the handover.

Team Parkes came home with the inaugural school trophy from the Birdman Rally held in Melbourne last weekend.
The impressive flight of 10m piloted by Year 12 Parkes Christian School student Jesse Magill was even more of a victory after the huge disappointment of the Parkes High School team not being able to participate due to the inherent risk to the pilot.

Parkes Christian School very generously welcomed the Parkes High students into the newly formed Team Parkes, and was happy to share the medals with their new team mates.

The 14 engineering students from Parkes were the only entries from outside Victoria. They worked tirelessly for five months perfecting their plane designs to get the longest flight leaping from a four-metre wharf into the Yarra River.

Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the Yarra to watch 19 pilots leap off the platform and raise money for charity. Parkes Christian School won the Flying Class section in 2017 and was very excited to come away with another win for their fourth year of participation. It was the first time students from Parkes High School had participated.

The restoration of the second longest hotel balcony in Australia was marked last Friday at the 100-year-old iconic Trundle Hotel. The hotel received $100,000 last year to restore its balcony under the Government’s Heritage Near Me Activation Grants Program.

Nationals candidate for Orange Kate Hazelton and Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW, Rick Colless were in Trundle last Friday to mark the completion of restoration work on the balcony.

“Grants such as these go a long way. They support locals and businesses, bring more visitors to the area and boost community morale,” said Rick.

“These grants acknowledge and support the vital role owners and managers of locally listed heritage items play in protecting our local heritage,” said Kate.

The funding went towards restoring the remaining 60 metres of the 90-metre balcony and renovating a derelict unit on the first floor to be used for an artist in residency program.

Peter Kelly, Chair of the Trundle Progress Association, said it all started in 2012. “We held a fundraising ball raising a few thousand dollars. We welcomed the grant with open arms as we really needed it to get this project up and running.”

Community members have also given more than 1,500 hours of their time over six years to help give the town a face lift. So far 75% of the shop fronts have been repainted, every verandah repaired, original signage repainted and other extensive work carried out on the Trundle Hotel, a great initiative for a small community.

“This is a very strong result for a small community of 750 residents,” said Andrew Rawsthorne, Volunteer Grants Officer from Trundle Progress Association. “The hotel now looks a million bucks. We’re over the moon, and I know the whole community is thrilled and grateful.”

The Parkes flag will be flying high at the prestigious Moomba Birdman Rally in Melbourne this weekend with 14 local students entering two planes.

Year 12 Engineering Studies students from Parkes High School and Parkes Christian School have been working tirelessly building a flying craft for each school making them the only entries from outside Victoria.

There are some exciting new developments this year with Moomba Birdman Rally allocating schools their own category to compete in, giving students opportunities to be more involved in the competition. Parkes High School will be taking part for the first time this year, while it will be the Parkes Christian School’s fourth time. They won the Flying Class section in 2017 with a distance of 11 metres making it the longest flight of the day.

“The students are excited to try their hand at gaining the title again,” said Parkes Christian School Design and Technology teacher Jason Wynstra.

“Entering the Moomba Birdman Rally has become a fun and exciting way for our Design and Technology students to engage with their classwork in a practical way, with the students now taking the competition very seriously.”

Jason said a major component of the Design and Technology syllabus was problem solving, and the competition was a great opportunity to explore that.

The Birdman Rally is a competition where members of the public build home-made gliders, hang gliders and human-powered aircraft to leap from a four-metre wharf, and compete for distance and entertainment value.

If you would like to support the team to get to the Moomba Birdman Rally, you can by donating at https://birdmanrally.gofundraise.com.au/page/JasonWynstra0

Parents and supervisors of local learner drivers are encouraged to attend a free workshop at Parkes High School on Tuesday, 12th March at 6pm. The two-hour workshop, Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers, will offer
hands-on advice on how to provide the most effective driving practice for learner drivers.

“The workshop covers the licencing system, how to use the Learner Driver Logbook including the use of digital logbooks, licence conditions for learner and P-plate drivers, the benefits of on-road driving sessions, tips on supervising a learner driver and more,” said Parkes Shire Council’s Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer,
Melanie Suitor.

Light refreshments will be available during the workshop. Bookings are essential, call Melanie on 6861 2364.

Middleton Public students were entertained by a visiting African choir last week. The 100% Hope Choir from Uganda put on a traditional performance with energetic dancing, excellent singing and loud drumming. Some students were invited to participate in the performance by playing the drums, dressing in traditional clothes and dancing.

Students also had the opportunity to talk with the Ugandan visitors to learn more about their country and lifestyle. The choir is on a tour of Australia raising funds to extend their school. Everyone agreed that it was a highlight of their school year so far and a thoroughly enjoyable morning.

About 50 volunteers in Parkes joined thousands around the country last weekend in what has become the nation’s largest community based environmental event, Clean Up Australia Day.

Last Friday five home schoolers did a clean up of the creek in PAC Park picking up about four black rubbish bags. The Parkes Dragon Boat Club had 14 members join in a clean up of Lake Endeavour collecting eight bags of rubbish and several large pieces before their training session Sunday morning. Another 20 volunteers cleaned up around town on Sunday morning.

notoriously difficult intersection in Parkes will be made safer through a Federal Government grant of over $100,000.
Riverina MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael McCormack announced a $102,000 grant for the Clarinda and Currajong Street intersection through the 2019-20 Black Spot.

The funding would go towards creating pedestrian refuges on either side of Clarinda Street, better ramp access, better footpaths, new line markings and improving street lighting.

“This intersection will be much safer to navigate,” said the Deputy Prime Minister at the site on Sunday. Parkes Deputy Mayor Barbara Newton said Council was delighted with the funding.

“We’ve been calling for the money for about 12 months, and plan to start with the improvements as soon as possible.”

She said the improvements would make the intersection much easier to navigate, especially during harvest time, and that it would tie in with the planned upgrade of the main street in Parkes.

According to Michael the Parkes community’s input is critical to identifying key black spots in the electorate. “None of these projects would be delivered without the local community’s vital input and I’d urge and encourage all residents and motorists in the Riverina and Central West to nominate projects for future funding rounds,” he said.