NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has told Parliament today that councils with ailing infrastructure will benefit from millions of dollars in interest subsidies offered by the NSW Government under the Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme.

The five-year, $70 million Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme will pay the first 4% of the interest on significant loans that NSW councils take out specifically to pay for the maintenance of infrastructure projects such as roads, community halls, libraries, paths, parks, sports fields and water facilities.

Minister for the North Coast and Ballina MP Don Page, and fellow North Coast MPs Thomas George, Chris Gulaptis and Geoff Provest, have welcomed the landmark appointment of Steve Toms as the State’s first Cross Border Commissioner.

NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Services Andrew Stoner today announced the appointment of Mr Toms, who has wide experience dealing with issues affecting rural and regional communities as a Land Manager for NSW Parks and Wildlife Service and Forests NSW, and as a councillor and Mayor at Glen Innes Severn Council.

Minister for the North Coast Don Page said he is disappointed by the news of job cuts at Ingham’s chicken processing plant at Byron Bay, but said he has been assured by the company today that it was a necessary measure and the company does have a long-term commitment to the area.

Minister for the North Coast Don Page said the forecast of more rain over the next few days is bad news for flood-ravaged areas of the North Coast, but the resilience of its people will ensure the region recovers as soon as possible.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page today released a number of options to strengthen the State’s laws around backyard swimming pools, to better protect young children from drowning.

Mr Page said the Discussion Paper was seeking comment on a number of potential new safety measures including the creation of a statewide swimming pool register, mandatory inspection of pool barriers at any property with a pool at the point of lease or sale, and a pool inspection regime run by councils, including for tourist and visitor accommodation, and other multi-occupancy developments.

Many pet owners are probably aware that their dog dislikes thunderstorms, their strange behaviour as the clouds roll in giving away their fear and displeasure.

However, many pet owners might be unaware that such behaviour is very common – almost all dogs hate thunderstorms.

Local Government Minister Don Page has today announced that councils can now apply for the millions of dollars in interest subsidies offered by the NSW Government under the Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme, which will help councils pay for the upgrade and maintenance of infrastructure in their communities.

Be aware of any unlocked or faulty pool gates, keep a close watch on toddlers around inflatable pools, be cautious of sea conditions, and generally take care of yourselves and those around you when you are in the water this summer.

That is the clear holiday message from the NSW Government Ministers whose portfolios cover water safety in NSW.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has urged people who are thinking of buying a pet as a Christmas gift to consider whether the person or family for whom you are buying the pet is capable and willing to care for it – and has a suitable property to house it.

“On face value, a new pet seems like a cute and friendly gift to give someone, but those generous people thinking of giving such a gift should make sure the recipient actually wants a new pet, or indeed is capable of having a pet,” Mr Page said.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has refuted false claims that the State Government plans to reduce 152 councils to just 16 across the State, as claimed by the United Services Union in a recent circular.

Mr Page re-iterated what he said during the launch of the Destination 2036 Draft Action Plan last week – that he saw an expanded future role for ROCs in local government, as initiators of collaborative agreements and organisers of resource and skills sharing among neighbouring councils.

The Minister for the North Coast and Member for Ballina, Don Page, has welcomed the news that the North Coast is to receive a substantial boost to police numbers.

Mr Page, along with his North Coast colleagues, Thomas George (Lismore), Geoff Provest (Tweed), Andrew Fraser (Coffs Harbour) and the former member for Clarence, Steve Cansdell, worked diligently together over a long period of time to achieve this outcome.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has hit back at false claims that he misrepresented facts about the impact the Federal Government’s carbon tax will have on NSW councils and communities.

Mr Page today reiterated the fact that yesterday’s decision by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to allow NSW councils to increase their rates by 3.6% next year was influenced in part by the predicted effects of the carbon tax on councils.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page says he understands the concerns of families who have today learned that their council rates will increase as a result of the Federal Government’s carbon tax.

Mr Page said the decision by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to allow NSW councils to increase their rates by 3.6% next year was influenced in part by the predicted effects of the carbon tax on councils.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has congratulated the councils which were successful at the Local Government and Shires Associations’ (LGSA’s) Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards, which were held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has announced the release of a document inviting public discussion on whether NSW Members of Parliament should be serving concurrently as local councillors or mayors.

Mr Page said a Discussion Paper on the issue of `dual roles’ is available to the public from today, and looks into matters such as whether it is a conflict of interests, whether it is appropriate for one person to serve in two political roles, and the fact that dual roles are already not permitted in other States.

NSW Minister for the North Coast and Ballina MP Don Page today announced a tender to evaluate the costs of restoring and maintaining the 130km-long Casino to Murwillumbah rail line for heavy or light rail passenger services.

Mr Page said the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government was delivering on its commitment to examine options for the line and broader transport options in the region, which has been supported by a $2 million allocation in the recent Budget.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has welcomed news that Sydney City Council has acted on legislation passed by the NSW Government to deter backpackers from clogging inner-city streets for long periods of time while they sell their vans.

Last month, Mr Page announced that the NSW Government would support a Private Members Bill seeking to amend the Local Government Act to give Sydney City Council the power to erect signs in their municipality prohibiting the roadside parking of vehicles that are for sale.

NSW Minister for the North Coast Don Page today announced that the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has allocated $1.4 million in funding for education in the Clarence electorate.

Speaking at the Grafton Campus of North Coast TAFE, Mr Page said the funding allocated by his Ministerial colleague, Education Minister Adrian Piccoli, was great news for education at primary, secondary and tertiary level in the Clarence electorate.

Southern Cross University’s research reputation has been given a boost after it secured $960,000 in grants over three years from the Australian Research Council (ARC) funding program, for a range of projects.

Minister for the North Coast Don Page said securing the funding was a great achievement by Southern Cross University.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has announced that the initial review of the Model Code of Conduct for NSW Councils has been completed and is on public display.

The Division of Local Government has released a paper – its ‘Position Paper on the Model Code of Conduct Review’ – which examined all aspects of the Code in search of a clearer, fairer and more transparent version, and to ensure it cannot be used inappropriately.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has told a gathering of regional organisations of councils (ROCs) in the Riverina that they and other ROCs across NSW will have an expanded and more important role to play in the future of local government.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has launched a program to re-train former racing greyhounds so they can become family pets, free of their muzzles.

Called “Greenhounds”, the program has been established to re-train retired greyhounds to ensure they have the behavioural and social skills required to live in households.

Declaring that he is “the NSW Minister for Local Government and not a Minister against local government”, Don Page today told the NSW Local Government Association’s annual conference that changes in the sector are necessary and he wants to work with them to achieve it.

The proposed amendments to the Local Government Act which were introduced to Parliament yesterday will have absolutely no effect on the pay and conditions of local government sector employees, Local Government Minister Don Page said today.

The NSW Government has acted on the concerns of residents from a part of Sydney CBD over backpackers who are clogging their streets for long periods of time while they try to sell their vans.

Local Government Minister Don Page met with community representatives of Potts Point last month to hear their frustrations over the number of tourists who are using residents’ on-street parking spaces as basic camping grounds, living in their parked vans until they can sell them, and using their bins and taps.

The Minister for the North Coast, Don Page, has congratulated 1250 North Coast and Northern Rivers businesses for their energy-saving and sustainability efforts, at a ceremony at Ballina Beach Resort today.

The NSW Government has today released the final chapter in its commitment to repeal Labor’s Part 3A legislation, announcing a transparent assessment system for projects of genuine state significance.

Acting Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Don Page says the new framework will ensure all future development applications in NSW are assessed on merit and no longer vulnerable to the backroom deals characteristic of Labor.

There were two announcements by the new Liberal and Nationals NSW Government yesterday, that will have a direct positive impact for residents of the North Coast.  The search for the NSW Cross Border Commissioner will start this weekend and increases to the Isolated Patients Transport and Accommodation Scheme (IPTAAS) were also announced.

The latest report card on the performance and characteristics of NSW councils is available to the public and will prove crucial to future reform and modernisation of the local government sector, NSW Local Government Minister Don Page said.

Minister for the North Coast Don Page has warned of the existence hoax letters alerting landowners of false coal seam gas exploration on properties on the North Coast.

NSW councils must be innovative with their planning strategies and creative with their use of resources to ensure they can meet the future challenges of an ageing community – but the NSW Government has developed a way to prepare them.

Local Government Minister Don Page and Minister for Ageing Andrew Constance today announced a new online toolkit which will prepare councils for an ageing population, and outline the challenges that creates for their finances, resources, community services, and asset management planning.

NSW Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Barry O’Farrell today announced the 2011 Community Building Partnership program open to applications.

Mr O’Farrell said he was delighted to fulfil another election commitment delivering vital infrastructure to communities throughout the State.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has today outlined the Liberals & Nationals Government’s commitment to local councils as they seek to build much-needed infrastructure in their communities and rebuild old works.

Mr Page today told Parliament of the details of the $70 million Infrastructure Renewal Scheme featured in the Budget, saying it will pay half of the interest on significant loans that councils take out to pay for infrastructure projects.

The first Budget of the new Liberals & Nationals Government has delivered more than $1 billion to build and upgrade roads and health projects on the North Coast, the Minister for the North Coast Don Page said today.

“This Budget is about rebuilding NSW, which means repairing what was left behind, improving services, and building the infrastructure that the people of the North Coast and across NSW need,” Mr Page said.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has today announced a five-year plan that will provide $70 million in funding to help local councils pay for the largest and most critical infrastructure projects in their communities, delivering on an election commitment to help councils address the infrastructure backlog in NSW.

Don Page, Minister for Local Government and Minister for the North Coast has welcomed the cast and crew of the major new Australian feature film Mental, starring Toni Collette and Liev Schreiber, to the Northern Rivers.

Mr Page said the film, which is directed by one of Australia’s most successful international directors, PJ Hogan (Peter Pan, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Muriel’s Wedding), is filming in several locations from Ballina to the NSW-Queensland border.

Future allocations of police on the north coast need to be increased to match the growing population, the Minister for the North Coast, Don Page, said today.

Mr Page recently made a submission to former Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons who is leading an audit of police resources on behalf of the NSW Government.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has thanked the general managers of the State’s councils for their positive approach to change in the local government sector, and called on them to work with other council leaders to achieve that change.

THE unprecedented two-day conference on the future of local government in NSW yielded positive results, with the participants delivering a new direction for the local government sector over the next 25 years and a road map for the next four years, Local Government Minister Don Page said.

Speaking at the conclusion of Destination 2036 in Dubbo, Minister Page said he was pleased that the attendees – general managers and mayors of the 152 NSW councils – came to a consensus that changes to the local government sector were required, and knew that the NSW Government is committed to helping it achieve those changes.

Minister for North Coast and Ballina MP, Don Page, today announced the membership of the Working Group to look at an alternative to the Bangalow Interchange which would still allow for appropriate traffic management should the tunnel under St Helena be closed for any reason.

Mr Page said the community representatives on the Working Group would be Greg Crump, Tony Hart and Rex Harris, all of whom have a good understanding of the issues involved.  RTA representatives will be Bob Higgins, General Manager, Pacific Highway, Peter Borelli, Project Manager and Mike Bulmer, Design Manager.

"It is anticipated the Working Group will meet at a mutually convenient time in about 2 weeks to discuss options.

"When the Working Group has completed their work, the preferred proposal will be brought back to the broader community for their consideration," Mr Page said.

I thank the community representatives and the RTA representatives for agreeing to be part of the Working Group and I look forward to their recommendations.

Local Government Minister Don Page has announced that representatives of the NSW local government sector will meet in Dubbo next week to discuss positive ideas for the future of local government in this State.

Destination 2036 next Wednesday and Thursday will be two days of dialogue between the leaders of the 152 councils in NSW, overseen by Minister Page and with input from other council representatives – all focused on meeting the challenges for councils and the local government sector.

Following a meeting with Roads Minister Duncan Gay and the General Manager of Pacific Highway, Bob Higgins, the Minister for the North Coast and Ballina MP, Don Page, has announced a small working group of community members and the RTA will produce alternatives to the proposed Bangalow Interchange, which was so roundly criticised at the public meeting in Bangalow on July 6.

“The vast majority of community members present at the public meeting on July 6 made it clear that they did not want the Bangalow Interchange,” Mr Page said.

Minister for North Coast and Ballina MP, Don Page, confirmed today that the NSW Government would continue the ban on uranium exploration and mining in NSW after a Federal Government request to lift the ban.

"NSW will keep the ban on uranium exploration and mining, which I strongly believe is the correct policy," Mr Page said.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has congratulated the recipients of Local Government Week Awards, which were presented at a dinner function at Woolwich Dock in Sydney overnight.

The annual awards event adopted the theme of Local Government Week 2011, “Empowering Communities”, and with that in mind the winning councils this year excelled in the fields of communication with ratepayers, healthy lifestyle services provided, youth services provided, and social interaction options offered to residents.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has issued a reminder to all NSW residents that any submissions they wish to contribute to the review into the Model Code of Conduct for local councils must be received by Friday afternoon.

Mr Page said the Model Code of Conduct was an evolving document which was in need of amendments and he urged anyone interested in the operations of councils to contribute to a discussion paper at the Division of Local Government website, www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has highlighted the Liberals & Nationals Government's achievements for regional areas and for the local government sector, in an address to the Country Mayors’ Association.

Speaking in Sydney on Friday, Mr Page identified three NSW Government programs which will help regional areas – in particular 40,000 new jobs which were created under the Job Action Plan, which gives employers a $4000 payroll tax rebate for new employees.

The NSW Government is waging war on graffiti, and is supporting communities who have had enough of the senseless and mindless work of graffiti vandals, said the Minister for the North Coast and Member for Ballina, Don Page.

The Liberal and Nationals Government is hoping new laws targeting graffiti vandals will be passed by the NSW Parliament.

Summerland Credit Union, Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter and eight other North Coast organisations were congratulated for their sustainability efforts at a ceremony in Lismore today.

Minister for the North Coast, Don Page, said they are among 530 organisations saving more than $50 million a year through the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Program.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has reminded NSW Councils that they have the powers to act on street-clogging activities such as the mass-sale of private vehicles on suburban roads, or long-term parked cars.

“There are ample powers under both the Roads Act and the Local Government Act for Councils to deter people from cluttering suburban streets with impromptu vehicle markets, or by parking in local roads for extended periods,” Mr Page said.

Member for Ballina and Minister for the North Coast, Don Page, has allayed any concerns about the possible closure of the Alstonville Centre for Tropical Horticulture.

"The Alstonville site will be retained and staff will continue to have access to the various tropical fruit plantings for research purposes.

"The important research work will continue as normal," he said.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has praised Gosford and Wyong Councils for their approach to collaborative arrangements which have greatly enhanced the delivery of services to their ratepayers.

Gosford and Wyong Councils currently have 20 collaborate arrangements in place, utilising their combined resources to deliver better services to their thousands of residents.

Minister for Local Government and Minister for the North Coast, Don Page, today welcomed $738,000 in NSW Government funding to cover the cost of beachfront damage at Belongil Beach resulting from severe storms.

Mr Page said a series of storms and resulting big seas caused considerable damage along the State's North Coast in 2009.

The NSW Government has today fulfilled another pre-election commitment, returning democratic powers to, and increasing the autonomy of, NSW councils.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page said the Local Government Amendment (Elections) Act 2011 amends the Local Government Act to give councils the option of running their elections, by-elections and referendums from September 2012.

NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has paid tribute to the life of veteran councillor Les Shore, who died last night after a long battle with illness at the age of 80.

Mr Shore was a councillor on what was then known as Baulkham Hills Shire Council from 1969 until his retirement at the last local government elections in 2008.

The NSW Minister for Local Government Don Page says he wants to end a culture of cost shifting that has emerged between councils and the state government, announcing a review of an agreement between the tiers of government will take place in the next year.

Mr Page said the NSW Intergovernmental Agreement – which seeks to clarify whether the cost of delivering a particular local government service is the responsibility of a council, the NSW Government, or both – needs further refinement.

The Minister for Local Government Don Page has congratulated the new Shires Association of NSW executive, which was elected at the Association’s annual conference in Sydney yesterday.

The NSW Minister for Local Government Don Page has called on all NSW Councils to develop ways to modernise and be more sustainable.

Speaking at the Shires Association’s annual conference in Sydney today, Mr Page praised Councils for their willingness to evolve and develop plans to deliver good local government services to ratepayers in a modern world.

The Minister for Local Government Don Page has outlined the State Government’s commitment to helping Councils alleviate their vast backlogs of infrastructure projects.

The Minister for Local Government Don Page has urged Councils to work together and share resources to improve efficiency in the delivery of services to their communities.

The NSW Local Government Minister Don Page has today reminded all local Councils of the seriousness of their responsibilities when a concerned resident reports a dangerous dog, or dogs, in their community.

The NSW Minister for Local Government, Don Page, has congratulated the four NSW Councils that collected category awards at the 2011 National Awards for Local Government.

The NSW Government today fulfilled another election promise, restoring democracy to The Illawarra by reinstating local government elections for Wollongong City Council and Shellharbour City Council.

The Minister for Local Government, the Hon Don Page MP, has announced that Mr Neil Porter has been appointed as Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s new Administrator following the resignation of Mr Garry Payne.

The Minister for Local Government, the Hon Don Page MP, has acknowledged the efforts of the Administrator of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Mr Garry Payne, following his resignation today.