Snippets…

Pollies Join Footy Tipping: The Phoenix’s annual footy tipping competition is going to be cajoling this year with two politicians signing up this week. Member for Orange Phil Donato, and Member for Riverina and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack joined the ranks to add an extra edge to the competition as other participants would be keen to snatch the prize from under their noses. The competition runs for 33 weeks with a 43-inch television up for grabs for the winner. The first game of the season was played yesterday.

Organ And Tissue Donors: A 2020 re-port on organ and tissue donation and transplantation shows that despite the significant impact of COVID-19, around 4,000 Australians benefitted from the gift of organ, eye, and tissue donation from a deceased donor. “We are very grateful to these Australians and their families for making these donations possible,” said Minister responsible for the Organ and Tissue Authority, Mark Coulton. The report shows 1,270 Australian lives were saved through an organ transplant last year, due to the generosity of 463 deceased organ donors and their families. Another 2,277 Australians received corneal transplants from 1,318 donors. “Last year, 182 living donors improved the lives of another Australian; predominantly by donating kidneys and in one case, a partial liver. The minister said the report once again demonstrated the need for more Australians to discuss donation with their friends and family and to register as a donor. “We need all Australians to talk about organ and tissue donation, to understand what they and their loved ones wish, and to register to become a donor at donatelife.gov.au.”

Apprentice Subsidy Extension: The state’s peak business organisation, Business NSW, says the extension of the Commonwealth Government’s apprentice subsidy is great news for Western NSW’s skilled workforce. “The Commonwealth Government hit the right note with this initiative, with reports from right across Western NSW of unprecedented demand for new apprentices and trainees,”  said Business NSW Regional Manager – Western NSW, Vicki Seccombe. “This is a great result and testament to the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to supporting businesses and young people through this very challenging period. This initiative gives businesses the confidence to invest in training someone for four years and helps create jobs for our young people so they are able to stay and work locally,” said Vicki.