Travel scholarship for local student

ELEANOR Salt from New Norfolk has been selected as the recipient of a full scholarship to spend one year in the country of her choice. The scholarship covers return travel, enrichment activities and medial costs for the full year.
The scholarship is a joint initiative of the well known AFS exchange program and SDA Tasmania. AFS Australia is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting peace and global tolerance through intercultural exchange. 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of AFS sending Australian teenagers abroad on exchange.

Boyer drops native forest from paper mix

LOCAL Greens parliamentarian Tim Morris MHA has congratulated papermaker Norske Skog for its major re-investment in the Boyer newsprint mill which ensures that its paper will now be produced using plantation pine and recycled fibre instead of native forests. Mr Morris said the new machinery at Boyer would also modernise and improve the competitive position of the mill at a time when there had been a reduction in demand for newsprint.

“The Greens welcome the softwood conversion project at Boyer which improves the mills’ competitive position, reduces effluent volume by 25% per tonne of paper, reduces CO2 emissions and also means that there will no longer be any native forest used in newspaper manufacture in Tasmania,” Mr Morris said. “Just as the Greens encouraged the  Boyer mill to end the use of old growth wood over 20 years ago, we have done the same with ending the use of native forest wood since then and are very pleased to see this come to reality today.”

“This does not mean an end to all issues we have with the mill but we thank Norske for their excellent level of communication over the issues of concern to many in our community, and we will continue to engage with them over the issues of chemical use in their plantations, and maximising rail for transport,”  Mr Morris said.

“The Boyer mill provides valuable jobs for Tasmania and the Derwent Valley, and this investment provides extra job security for those workers in an increasingly competitive marketplace.The conversion of the old cold caustic soda pulp mill to thermo-mechanical means that native forests will no longer be needed to make paper at Boyer and will potentially allow Norske Skog to seek Forest Stewardship Council certification in the future,” Mr Morris said.

New era for council

PROPER debate made a long-awaited return to Derwent Valley Council meetings this week. New councillors James Graham and Damian Bester led the way, with most other councillors joining in. Most discussion focussed on a raft of 16 motions-on-notice put forward by Cr Bester, mostly dealing with the provision of information to the public.

The meeting ran from 6.30pm until just short of midnight, with long-serving Cr Judy Bromfield remarking that it was "just like the good old days."

All did not go Cr Bester's way, as two of his motions were defeated and several attempts to amend other motions failed. New mayor Martyn Evans appeared exasperated with Cr Bester at times, particularly as the latter appeared to play to the packed public gallery at times. About 30 people filled the gallery and additional seating had to be brought in. Mayor Evans called a short intermission after several hours of intense discussion, and Cr Bester invited the public to help themselves to a cup of tea and a biscuit.

The public gallery gradually emptied as the meeting wore on and there were only a handful left after 11pm when Mayor Evans closed the meeting and opened a new meeting in closed session. Cr Bester objected to the closed meeting and the fact that the agenda had been withheld until that very moment. He voted against the closed meeting.

New Norfolk News hits 200

THE most recent article on New Norfolk News was the 200th posting since this website started on July 2, 2008. The first article was about New Norfolk's bicentennial. Thank you to everyone who contributes and all those who comment on the articles posted here.

Ed.

Council and Feds talking again

NEW Derwent Valley mayor Martyn Evans has wasted no time in re-opening dialogue with the Federal Government on topics of local concern, particularly Willow Court. While the former regime made an aborted effort to take the Federal Government to court over lost grant funds, the new administration appears to have adopted a more friendly approach.

Assistant Treasurer Nick Sherry and Lyons MHR Dick Adams met Mayor-elect Evans and several councillors last Friday to discuss plans for a number of New Norfolk icons. The meeting discussed the council’s plans for the development of the Willow Court Barracks to create a vibrant tourism experience, along with beautification of the walking tracks and reserves through the Esplanade area and the future of tourist rail in the Derwent Valley.

“I am delighted to be able to sit down with the mayor and councillors and discuss the future plans for these important venues around New Norfolk,” Senator Sherry said. "There is great potential in the Derwent Valley for tourism and job creation while celebrating the historical significance of the area.”

The party also toured council-owned buildings on the Willow Court site, inspected the “sound shell” being constructed in Tynwald Park and visited the Derwent Valley Railway yard to view progress of the construction of carriage shed. The Tynwald Park improvements have been made possible through the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program and railway yard facilities have been supported by a $50,000 grant from the Federal Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.

“The Derwent Valley is really starting to move ahead – there is so much potential here to promote the entire Valley, and it’s great to see Council being proactive in their approach,” Mr Adams said.

Mayor-elect Evans said the council was pleased to be able to hold ongoing and direct dialogue with federal ministers and the local Federal Member, Dick Adams. “The council is pleased to be able to work with the Federal Government to progress our plans to enhance the tourism and community prospects for the Valley”, Mayor Evans said. “It is a critical and positive partnership that stands to benefit all Derwent Valley residents,” Councillor Evans said.

Ngaire needs your Christmas parade entries, pronto

Hello everyone!
I have just been allocated the task of once again organising the annual Christmas Parade, so sorry about the late notice!
I understand that there was a survey of the business community to ascertain their support for its continuance and seems there was a resounding yes but have no idea why nothing had proceeded - however it's under way now.
I believe several of you may have contacted Roz Chapman as a result of either her calling you or you phoning her following the notice in Wednesday's Gazette and she has passed those names and contacts on to me. However, I would appreciate your confirmation.
If you would like to participate, please either confirm by return email or phone me 0419 337 608.
Face painters/entertainers/other street entertainers please contact me as well.
Plan is as usual to depart from Circle Street at noon on December 12, proceed down High St, around Arthur Square by way of Stephen St/Pioneer Ave/Bathurst St and return back along High St to finish at Circle. The parade will go ahead, rain hail or shine!

NGAIRE GLOVER

Readers ask for election figures

READERS of the New Norfolk News have asked for the final figures in the recent Derwent Valley Council election. These are published below, starting with the final, rechecked and confirmed first preference votes.

1. Scott Shaw              967 votes (1.19 quotas)
   
2. Damian Bester           851 votes (1.05 quotas)
3. Tony Nicholson          452 votes (0.56 quotas)
   
4. Barry Lathey             443 votes (0.55 quotas)
   
5. James Graham           406 votes (0.50 quotas) 
   
6. Phil Bingley               310 votes (0.38 quotas)
7. Wayne Shoobridge     273 votes (0.34 quotas)
8. Raymond Smith         180 votes (0.22 quotas)
   
9. Alexander Moores      167 votes (0.21 quotas)

Sitting councillor Scott Shaw and challenger Damian Bester were the first to be declared elected, as both secured in excess of a quota. The following shows the process that followed as the distribution of preferences proceeded and various candidates were excluded.

1. Shaw Elected 1
   
2. Bester Elected 2
3. Shaw's surplus distributed
4. Bester's surplus distributed
5. Moores excluded
6. Moores' votes distributed
   
7. Moores fully excluded, Smith excluded
   
8. Smith's votes distributed
   
9. Smith fully excluded, Bingley excluded
10. Bingley's votes distributed
11. Bingley fully excluded, Shoobridge excluded
12. Shoobridge's votes distributed
13. Lathey Elected 3, Shoobridge partially excluded
14. Shoobridge's votes distributed
15. Shoobridge fully excluded
16. Lathey's surplus distributed
17. Graham Elected 4