The Federal Government has announced a new one-off payment of up to $5,000 to help women establish a life free of violence.

Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has welcomed this saying: “No-one should have to put up with violent relationships and what’s more they should not be condemned to staying in violent relationships because they can’t afford to leave.

“Too often, we hear the experiences of women who desperately want to leave but are literally shackled to violent partners because they don’t have the means to start a new life; they fear they cannot support themselves or their children – and that is not acceptable.”

Under the two-year Escaping Violence Payment trial women will receive financial assistance of up to $1,500 in cash with the remainder available for goods and services or direct payments of bonds, school fees or other support to help establish a safe home.

The UnitingCare Australia Consortium has been selected as the service provider to deliver the payments and will also support women to engage with other relevant services that support women and their children. This includes other Commonwealth or State and Territory government-funded community services.

The Escaping Violence Payment is not considered taxable or reportable income and will not impact on any other social security payments a recipient may be receiving. Eligibility includes financial stress and evidence of domestic violence including, but not limited to, a referral from a family and domestic violence service provider with a risk assessment and safety plan, an AVO, court order or a police report.

Women can apply for the payment through the UnitingCare Network. More information is available at unitingvictas.org.au/escaping-violence-payment

The communities of Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) have some of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in NSW.

The health district’s second-dose vaccination rate for those aged 12-15 was the highest in the state at 68.1% according to the latest data from the Australian Immunisation Register to 24th October. This rate was well above the state-wide figure of 51.3%.

The second dose vaccination rate for those aged over 16 years in WNSWLHD was 87.2%, among the highest of any local health district and also above the overall state figure of 84.1%. WNSWLHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said he was extremely proud of both the district’s vaccination team and communities for showing up in such high numbers to receive their COVID-19 vaccines.

“In just the last few months our vaccination teams have visited more than 75 communities, across a geographical area approximately the size of the United Kingdom.

“It’s been an enormous undertaking amidst some really challenging circum-stances, with huge distances, fluctuations in vaccine supply and the strain of the Delta outbreak in our region.”

Scott also acknowledged the efforts of partners in delivering vaccine to Western NSW, particularly the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Since the first dose of vaccine was administered on 21st March, WNSWLHD have so far given more than 115,000 doses across the district.

Scott said he would like to see the entire district well above 90% fully vaccinated, and asked everyone to please make the effort to get vaccinated.

*Health authorities this week said a spike in COVID-19 cases occurred among people who are not vaccinated in the Central West.

A total of nine infections were detected in Orange earlier this week, spread across two households. More than more than half of the cases are in children.

He has become a familiar face with his daily COVID updates over the past two months for the local health district, but last week Scott McLachlan announced he was leaving the region.

Scott has been in the role as Chief Executive of the Western NSW Local Health District for the past eight years. He will be leaving on 10th November to take up the role of Chief Executive of the Central Coast Local Health District.

“This was my first posting as a Chief Executive and I’ve both learned from, and enjoyed the role. It’s been a privilege to work with our exceptional clinical workforce, all the supporting services, our leadership team and Board, and our local communities.

“The last two years have been an exceptional test of health services around the world, and our Local Health District has shown it has great clinical talent, leadership and resilience in not just responding to those challenges, but often leading the way in the regional COVID response.

“While I’m looking forward to my new role, I will always be grateful to the people in our LHD team and communities who have supported me, and who I’ve learned so much from.”

While many NSW businesses started the long road back from lockdown on Monday, a new era also started for businesses in regional NSW that have been out of lockdown.

“In Regional NSW, we have been lucky enough to have been open for the past few weeks while other areas in the state have been in lockdown,” said President of the Parkes Chamber of Commerce Geoff Rice.

“However, from Monday our businesses had to align with the rest of NSW as the state reopened. This means that non-essential retail businesses will need to ensure that customers are double vaccinated, and staff members have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination and are fully vaccinated by 1st November.”

The NSW Government is updating the Service NSW app to link the digital COVID-19 vaccination certification in the coming weeks. “In the meantime, you will need to manually check for not only the QR code check-in, but also for the customer’s COVID-19 proof of vaccination,” said Geoff.

“It’s been such a difficult time for businesses across the state. The Chamber of Commerce will continue to provide support and guidance to our local business community where we can to ensure that we collectively remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community, whilst safeguarding the strength and resilience of our businesses.”

Mayor of Parkes Shire Ken Keith OAM said: “We understand this is a challenging time for everyone, but we ask our community to practice kindness and patience as our businesses are only following the direction of the NSW Government.”

For businesses who need advice or support regarding these changes, contact the NSW Business Chamber, Services NSW or visit www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/businesses-and-employment/covid-safe-business.

Astigmatism is a common optical condition caused by the shape of the front surface of the eye.

Symptoms include: squinting to see, complaining of glare or getting frontal tension headaches may indicate you have this condition in your optical system.

An eye with no astigmatism is perfectly spherical in shape, like a marble. An astigmatic eye has a distorted shape, slightly like a football or grape. This can cause the image formed at the back of the eye to be distorted. Most people have a low degree of this condition originating in either the cornea or the lens inside the eye. Low degrees can slightly distort your vision, for example a ‘C’ may look like an ‘O’ or a ‘G’. You may also experience strain or discomfort with visual concentration. In higher degrees, astigmatism can cause images at all distances to be distorted or blurred.

It is easily corrected with spectacles or contact lenses.

Usually, astigmatism stays relatively stable, however there are some conditions that continue to progress. The most common one is keratoconus.

Keratoconus is caused by a thinning of the front surface of the eye, the cornea. This thinning causes the cornea to rapidly change shape creating high degrees of astigmatism and distortion. People with keratoconus may need hard contact lenses to obtain clear vision, or may need a surgical procedure to stabilise their cornea. Research has shown that eye rubbing (usually due to allergies like hay fever) can progress this condition.

Make an apoointment with the experienced optometrists at Hansen Eyecare Plus today for an assessment.

Parkes Hospital’s maternity ward is being prepared to perform a major role if required in the region’s response to COVID-19.

Lachlan Health Service Manager Liz Mitchell said all health services in the Western NSW Local Health District could potentially have a role to play if numbers of COVID-19 people needing hospitalisation increase.

“At the moment, the vast majority of COVID-19 patients are able to be cared for in their home with support put in place by health and other agencies,” she said.

“If at any time in the future that changes, our larger facilities such as Parkes could be required to take care of people who need hospital-level care, either when they’re sick or as a step toward recovery.

“To prepare for that possibility, we’re doing some minor works in the maternity space to make sure that we have the right precautions in place to keep patients and staff safe.

“This work is having a minimal disruption on services, including the pre and post-natal service which is continuing to operate as usual both in the community and from the hospital.”

While many of us were thinking it was hard getting through the COVID lockdown, a 14-year-old Parkes boy has been fighting for his life in a hospital in Sydney.

Gage Kirk, a Parkes High School student, received a devastating diagnosis on 14th April last year, a week after his 13th birthday. He had Ewing’s Sarcoma, a cancer that most often occurs in and around the bones, but it had also spread to Gage’s soft tissue and lungs.

Gage’s family were all in shock at the news, and it turned their life upside down. He was moved far away from home at the Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney where he received treatment of doses of intense chemotherapy and radiation for over 12 months.

In May this year Gage received yet another diagnosis, but this time it was the news everyone was wanting to hear. He was given the all-clear, there was not a sign of any cancer in his body. Gage’s family and friends were so relieved and elated that he was cancer-free and able to return home to Parkes.

Gage was home for nearly three months when he started to experience severe pain in his knee. His specialist referred him to the paediatrician in Orange where he had an MRI. A week later, on 12th July, he was sent back to the Westmead Children’s Hospital where Gage’s specialist confirmed a relapse. The cancer was back. They did further scans and found that it had returned in his knee, spine, pubic bone and lungs.

The pressure on Gage’s mum Sarah is immense running two households. While she is in Sydney supporting Gage through his treatment, she also has to ensure her two younger children Rebekah and Declan are being looked after by grandparents in Parkes.

A Go Fund Me page was started to support Gage to help fund consultations with some of the world’s leading researchers and specialists to find trials that will give Gage a chance to survive, and to help Gage’s mum.

“I am struggling to keep two households running with limited income. Please help us get through this horrific time away from home and support us in raising the funds to have a consultation with a doctor we believe will give my son a chance to survive,” said Sarah on the fundraising page.

The time spent away from home for treatment means Gage has missed nearly two years of school, and being five hours away from Parkes he is unable to socialise with any of his friends and family.

This is a call on the Parkes community to help raise Gage’s spirits by getting behind him in support. Whether you start a small fundraiser at your workplace or school, pass the hat around with your mates, or donate directly on the Go Fund Me page, every little bit will make a difference.

Gage’s family would like to thank all their friends and the Parkes community for their support so far.

This is the link to the Go Fund Me page www.gofundme.com/f/14-year-old-gage-is-facing-cancer-again?member=125412 99&sharetype=teams&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Parkes is one of seven local government areas in the NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) with first dose rates for COV-ID-19 vaccinations of over 80%, while the Central West is ahead of the whole country with its vaccination rates.

Four weeks ago in the week ending 8th August Parkes had a first dose percentage of 36 and second dose of 14.3%. On 9th September the figures for Parkes were 81.9% for first dose and 34.3% for second dose.

Overall vaccination rates in the WNSWL-HD are among the most-improved in NSW across the last four weeks. Scott McLachlan, WNSWLHD Chief Executive, said he would love to see the district reach the highest vaccination rate in all of Australia.

“I’m really proud of our communities. They’ve heard the message that vaccination is the best way to tackle COVID-19 and they’ve stepped up.

“We’ve seen the first-dose rate of COVID-19 vaccinations go from 17% to 56% for Aboriginal people and from 41% to 82% for non-Aboriginal people.

“The second-dose rate for Aboriginal people has gone from around 7% to almost 22%, and from 20% to more than 41% for non-Aboriginal people.

The seven local government areas in the district with first dose rates over 80% are Weddin, Orange, Dubbo, Coonamble, Narromine, Mid-Western and Parkes.

Coonamble has the highest second-dose rate at almost 50%. Orange, Weddin, Gilgandra, Walgett, Brewarrina, Cowra, Lachlan, Bourke and Forbes are all above 40%.

“I can’t stress this enough though – we can’t afford to think we’ve done enough.” Scott said 80% double dose meant there would still be 40,000 people unvaccinated and very vulnerable to the virus.

“Keep encouraging people to get vaccinated and make sure you come back for your second dose, it’s only after both doses that you get the maximum protection.

“Still get tested if you have any symptoms or concerns. Keep following the stay-at-home orders, practice good hand hygiene and social distancing and use the available QR codes.”

Stay-at-home orders for adults who have received both doses will be lifted from the Monday after NSW passes the 70% double vaccination target, expected to be reached in four to five weeks.