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HOUSING CRISIS Don't buy a house? Rent and pay someone's mortgage for them. Job done. Or would you rather just come of a certain age and have a house built ready for you? Would this solve the financial / social quandary you have spoken about here? Sorry I should have started with "OPINION". - John MORE NEWS: Fast food chain heading West, green light for Orange MORE NEWS: Indoor playground for kids a step closer; $7,500 a week plus rent to operate Houses in this town, and general are now out of the reach of thousands of working people living here. I grew up here, and it is no longer the Orange I knew. To have a home of your own is just a dream now that so many people share. It is impossible to even get a rental to pay someone else's mortgage. It is truly a sad and sorry state of affairs, but unfortunately for many of us it is the sad truth. - Twissy Does not only effect Orange, it’s happening in the smaller villages like Cudal, Manildra, Cumnock, Yeoval. It’s a flow-on effect - houses in these villages are often not on the market for more than a day. - Warren Have a look at the housing market in Sydney, Central Coast and Bathurst. Why is it the fault of people who have worked all their lives. Bought a home, paid it off, and perhaps have invested. No mention of many who do not sacrifice, holiday, live a pretty good lifestyle, then say it someone else’s fault they can not get into housing. I have put in submissions on ideas for affordable housing and social housing, and attended a number of forums. Even went to Griffith to see a “pilot” program down there. Perhaps follow that up. Cheers. - Reg MORE NEWS: Orange is fast becoming a tale of two cities, and thousands will be left behind I have been trying to purchase a home for the past two years and have been out priced. Stuck having to stay in a rental which has gone from $410 - $500 in 3 years. My wage has not increased in that time period. You are completely correct and it is affecting many of us hard working average income residents. What do we do and where do we go? - Janine Janine our rent is going up another $50 if we sign a new lease - totalling $90 in a year. I understand it's consistent with the market, but like you, no increased wages! Desperate people with no other options are being taken advantage of. A house I rented 3 years ago for $470 p/w is now on the market for $700 p/w. That's an entire weeks wage for some people. I imagine financial hardship scenarios are well on the rise. - Becca It's just disgusting, I feel for you. The whole idea was renting was cheaper than buying. I pay $800 a FORTNIGHT for my $400,000 mortgage. - Alisha Great column! - Daniel I remember when Orange didn't have a BMW dealer, then we opened the Cadia Mine. - Campbell The irony of an ad for a Nationals candidate on this article is so thick you can slice it. - Jeff $20 to $30 per hour “drifting out of view”… more like long since disappeared, poor journalism. - Darren Houses in Orange doubled in value during the 80s and late 80s was 17 percent cent interest. Not the first time it's been hard. - Paul For me to be able to afford to buy the closest house is Cobar. - Samcha MORE NEWS: Indoor play centre proposed for old Bunnings site MORE NEWS: SES volunteers from around the state trained up in Orange In 1980 the median house value in Australia was $69,693. Today it's $738,975. That's a 960% increase. Now, are you going to tell me with a straight face that wages have also increased 960% since 1980? Because if you really believe that then just wait until I tell you about this great bridge I have to sell. - Peter I bought my first property at this time and the interest rates were scary. It was “hard”, it’s never been easy to get into the property market. However, my wages kept on rising and I agree this made the difference. - Julie STADIUM AND SPORTING PRECINCT - 784 NEW TREES Bring it! - Glenn Why - Deidre The council needs to be told this is very wrong put the stupid sports stadium somewhere else - Carolyn Fantastic. - Maria MORE NEWS: Donato left on sidelines, as next phase of sporting stadium works get underway MORE NEWS: Letting Covid rip leaves Orange shops closing early or cutting trading days as staff shortages bite And of the old trees destroyed? Beverley Great, but at the cost of mental health, and all in line to make Bloomfield a suburb. But, hey, we can always go to Dubbo or Wollongong to get mental health. - David INDOOR PLAYGROUND This temporary indoor playground idea would appear to be a nice notion on the surface, but for me, when thought through, it becomes a logistical, practical, risky and very costly nightmare. That and the fact that it needs to be pulled together, with all boxes ticked within a few weeks, all sounds a bit fanciful. I can’t see it happening. Full marks to council for exploring ideas like this that would potentially make life better for some of us, but on that note, I wonder if the money being talked about for this playground would be better spent on a similar temporary project that provided beds in a sheltered situation for homeless people through winter? - Bob A ninja course would be a great idea for the 12-16 olds too - Sarah MORE NEWS: $80,000 LED scoreboard installed in Orange MORE NEWS: LETTERS: Veteran Orange publisher Bob Holland has something to say about local media If it was a fast food chain, council would be on site today trying to get the thing built ASAP. If it’s something the younger people of Orange want, it will never happen! Perhaps we put forward plans for a playground for the Food Week pensioners! I reckon it will be finished next week! - Murray I heard about this last month, how cool is the idea. - Tel So excited! - Sharna Since launching on January 1, 2022, The Orange News Examiner has seen more than 12,000 people a month come to the site to read our stories. Google Analytics tells us that while many are based on Orange and surrounds, there are also many reading in Sydney, Bathurst, Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle and the Illawarra. Maybe those not in the Central West have left Orange to study or work, or are people considering holidaying or moving here. We also have readers in the US, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Fiji and other countries. There seems to be a real appetite for news that looks beyond the press release. The people of Orange and surroundings towns and villages deserve a news service that encourages debate and is not afraid to hold those in power to account. Cutting and pasting press releases is useful, at times, when you need to get word out fast, but it should never form the basis of a news service. MORE NEWS: REVIEW: Elwood's, 174 Lords Place, Orange MORE NEWS: We spotted Andrew Gee in town and asked his minder for a two-minute interview... Our tiny staff of one-and-a-bit means we might not be able to compete on volume yet, but the fact is putting together stories that look beyond the press release takes time and resources. However, we are breaking stories, digging deeper, working when our competitors have knocked off, and punching above our weight in terms of readership. The people of Orange deserve fearless independent media that is beholden only to its community. The Orange News Examiner receives no taxpayer subsidies of support, and relies 100% on the support of its advertisers. They may not agree with everything we publish, but they know the crucial role independent media plays in a city like Orange. If your business would like to get the word out via The Orange News Examiner, call us today: 0408 427 786.

By Peter Holmes A popular range of Easter chocolates sold in stores including Coles, Woolworths and IGA has been recalled over concerns the product may be contaminated with salmonella. Ferrero Australia Pty. Ltd is conducting a recall of: * Kinder Easter Basket 120g (6x20g). Best Before dates from 7/10/22 up to and including 20/11/22 * Kinder Mini Eggs Hazelnut 100g. Best Before dates from 23/8/22 up to and including 13/9/22 * Kinder Surprise Maxi 100g. Best Before dates from 23/8/22 up to and including 13/9/22 * Kinder Surprise Maxi – Natoons 100g. Best Before dates from 23/8/22 up to and including 13/9/22. The products have been available for sale nationally at Coles, Woolworths, Target, Kmart, Big W, independent food retailers including IGA and petrol stations, and online. MORE NEWS: Indoor playground for kids a step closer; $7,500 a week plus rent to operate MORE NEWS: Orange is fast becoming a tale of two cities, and thousands will be left behind The NSW Food Authority stated: "The recall is due to potential microbial (Salmonella) contamination. Food products contaminated with Salmonella may cause illness if consumed." The Kinder Surprise 20g single and three-pack eggs in white, blue and pink varieties sold in Australia are not affected. All other Ferrero products, including other Kinder products, are not affected by this recall. The origin of these products was Belgium. All Kinder products manufactured in Italy are not affected by this recall. "Consumers should not eat this product and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund," said the food authority. MORE NEWS: “They were saying, ‘Keep it up, keep taking photos, we're going to beat the sh*t out of you'" "Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice." For further information contact: Ferrero Australia Pty. Ltd; 1800 627 231; ConsumerCare.Aus@ferrero.com; www.ferrero.com.au MORE NEWS: UPDATED: Dangling branch removed

By staff reporter About 20 new jobs have been created as part of a $90 million expansion of a major factory in our region. The expansion, unveiled on Friday, will also prove a boon to cats across the Central West. MORE NEWS: Clive Palmer's UAP candidate in Orange publishes fringe theory about "global takeover" The investment into the Nestle Purina plant in Blayney now sees it employ more than 300 people and support more than 60 businesses and contractors in western NSW. Factory manager Charlene De Wit said the expansion would boost the plant’s production capacity. “Our expanded facilities will allow us to scale up production of single serve wet cat food by over 120 per cent, as well as the dry cat and dog food we already produce,” De Wit said. The opening brings Nestlé’s total investment in the factory to more than $200 million over the past 10 years. MORE NEWS: Hands-on soul healer who remembers his past life as the disciple Judas is a regular in Orange She said the cat food facility, opened in 2014, was developed to create premium products. The expansion will allow the plant to be a key regional supplier, with both wet and dry pet food exported from Blayney to New Zealand, Thailand and Japan. More than 85 per cent of raw materials used at the Nestlé Blayney factory will be sourced locally, including meats and grains. MORE NEWS: Orange is fast becoming a tale of two cities, and thousands will be left behind The Nestlé factory in Blayney began operations in 1989, and now makes brands including Felix, Fancy Feast, Pro Plan, Supercoat and Purina One.

By staff writer NSW Police have launched Easter Operation 2022 – a "highly visible police traffic operation with a focus on reducing road fatalities and road trauma" over the holiday weekend. Easter Operation 2022 begins at 12.01am tomorrow (Thursday April 14, 2022) and runs until 11:59pm on Monday April 18, 2022. Drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking will be targeted. In NSW seven people lost their lives during the Easter long weekend in 2021 and more than 300 people were caught under the influence of alcohol. MORE NEWS: "Valuable recipes" up for grabs as famed Orange restaurant seeks new owner for next phase Traffic and Highway Patrol commander, acting assistant commissioner Paul Glinn said a significant number of police resources would have a dedicated focus on road safety throughout the five-day operation. “The number of people who blatantly disregarded the road rules last year and put the broader community at risk was unacceptable,” Glinn said. “Make no mistake that our police will be out and about this weekend – including on major road networks and on local streets – to catch those doing the wrong thing.” In addition to targeting drink driving, Police will also have a focus on targeting drivers that are speeding, drug driving, not wearing seatbelts and distracted by mobile phones. Deputy premier and minister for police Paul Toole: "We need to remember we’ve had extremely wet weather over recent weeks, and as the large-scale recovery operation to repair flood-damaged roads is underway, it’s crucial that drivers plan ahead for potential road closures and how that may impact on journey times." He warned drivers to "remember, every police car has the ability to conduct random breath tests, so don’t risk drinking and driving". MORE NEWS: "The most modern supermarket complex of its kind" in Central West pitched for Orange Speeding, fatigue and drink driving remain the biggest killers on NSW roads, police said. Transport for NSW deputy secretary of safety environment & regulation, Tara McCarthy, said drivers should "give yourself plenty of time to travel, don't speed, drive to the conditions, wear your seatbelt, avoid distractions, make sure you're well rested and never drink or drug drive". She also advised motorists to check on the livetraffic.com site to plan ahead.

By Peter Holmes Orange Mayor Jason Hamling has tested positive to Covid. After feeling unwell Hamling undertook a rapid antigen test on Wednesday morning and is now isolating at home. Hamling appeared at a media event on Monday morning with state MP Phil Donato and state MLC Sam Farraway. Many of the people in attendance at the outdoor press conference at Banjo Paterson Park on Ophir Road were not wearing masks. Hamling is vaccinated and following all health regulations. “I feel pretty ordinary but I am thankful I am double-vaxxed,” Hamling said. “Once cleared I will be back in business but in the meantime I am in regular contact with council staff around the issues of the day.” Hamling urged residents to follow the advice provided by NSW Health. “If you show symptoms get tested and stay home. If you test positive you need to isolate. We all have a role in limiting the spread,” Hamling said. During the isolation period when there is a requirement for the mayor’s presence at an event or function an alternative will be nominated. “On the upside I get to have a quiet 51st birthday at home,” Hamling said.

The federal Liberal-National government, aided and abetted by the NSW Liberal-National government, has let down the people of Orange terribly in recent weeks. The federal government's blunders regarding widespread availability of rapid antigen tests (RATs) simply continues a pattern of incompetence that stretches back to its inability to order sufficient vaccines when it had the opportunity. The state government, under new premier Dominic Perrottet, is fast losing the political capital built up during Gladys Berejiklian's reign. Perrottet's libertarian streak (personal responsibility, no need for government intervention) caused him to look foolish when he was forced to do a 180 recently on mask mandates and QR codes. With queues for PCR testing stretching into the distance, people have been advised by the powers that be to only seek these tests if absolutely necessary. Otherwise, just go and buy a RAT and do it at home. Except none are available, as our story shows. Yet again, no foresight. And prime minister Morrison's attempt to blame his tardiness on his fear of undercutting private business was just feeble. “We’re now in a stage of the pandemic where you can’t just make everything free,” Morrison told Channel 7’s Sunrise program on Monday. “When someone tells you they want to make something free, someone’s always going to pay for it, and it’s going to be you.” Yes, we understand that it's our money. This is a strange time for the prime minister to be putting budgetary concerns ahead of a public health crisis, given the hundreds of billions of dollars splashed around in the last two years, including fat slabs of non-refundable cash to big businesses making greater than usual profits. And why play Scrooge now, just months before the Liberal-Nationals face the nation at the polls? Australians, including the people of Orange, have done their part in the heavy lifting - wearing masks, staying home, losing shifts and jobs, not seeing family, not going to school, checking in relentlessly to businesses and everywhere else - and deserved much better. There is a business in Orange that had bulk RATs available in mid-November. If the staff there knew what was coming, why not our elected leaders?

By David Fitzsimons Orange ratepayers would be spared the full cost of repairing potholes and maintenance on several roads under a state government project. With Orange’s most controversial stretch of tarmac, the Northern Distributor Road, already approved to be taken over by the government, the maintenance of other roads could also change hands. On Tuesday night Orange City Council will consider a report into changing the classification of some key routes. EVEN MORE NEWS: Welcome to Orange, watch out for the road crumbling into the countryside Potential changes include the Southern Feeder Road, Woodward Road, Clergate Road, Huntley Road and Aerodrome Road. Council is responsible for their maintenance, but it is proposing they be reclassified as regional roads and be eligible for government funding assistance. However, the council would also gain responsibility, with funding assistance, for other roads currently looked after by the state government including Bathurst Road, Summer Street and parts of Woodward and Molong roads. It would also gain sole responsibility for Forbes Road from the NDR to Molong Road and Burrendong Way, also from the NDR to Molong Road. This is part of the government’s Road Classification Review and Transfer Process to shift up to 15,000 kilometres of regional roads to state management to lighten the load (financial and resourcing) on rural and regional councils. So far the shift of the NDR from council to state responsibility has been accepted and work is underway to complete the move. MORE NEWS: 93-year-old woman robbed while sleeping In a letter to council in November, Transport for NSW says the NDR transfer was part of a "priority round" of applications, but that councils could also apply for the "full round" of transfers. “At this point it is anticipated the panel will undertake its review and provide its final report by mid-to-late 2022,” it says. MORE NEWS: Senior constable from Orange injured in overnight 4WD pursuit MORE NEWS: Fourteen cars ablaze in 39 days: Orange firefighters kept busy in new year MORE NEWS: Council staff back $8 million development application for club

By David Fitzsimons The Northern Distributor Road would be renamed after former councillor Glenn Taylor under a proposal put to Orange City Council on Tuesday night. Councillor Jeff Whitton called for a council staff report into renaming the road The Glenn Taylor Way, or something similar, in recognition of the long-serving councillor and previous deputy mayor who died after a battle with cancer late last month. MORE NEWS: Fourteen cars ablaze in 39 days: Orange firefighters kept busy in new year MORE NEWS: Council staff back $8 million development application for club Councillor Taylor was one of the strongest council advocates for the road. The move comes as the NDR will finally be taken out of council’s hands by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to become a state government responsibility. The council meeting voted to agree to the TfNSW plan and request other key roads in Orange also become eligible for more state government funding through reclassification. MORE NEWS: Welcome to Orange, watch out for the road crumbling into the countryside Meanwhile, Orange golfers have reason to rejoice after the council also approved a development application for a shiny new $8.3 million clubhouse at the Wentworth Golf Club. It will involve a multi-level building with indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces including lounge, dining and gaming areas. There will also be a golf pro-shop, simulator rooms and a golf cart store. An undercover car park will also be provided. MORE NEWS: A different future for Bissy’s cafe site after contracts exchanged The new clubhouse would largely be on the same site as the previous clubhouse, which burnt down in May 2019. Wentworth is now owned by the Orange Ex-Services’ Club following a merger of the two bodies since the fire.

By Peter Holmes Orange is setting out on a long and arduous journey towards providing a 24-hour-a-day hospice to complement the palliative beds opened at Orange Hospital last year. MORE NEWS: Here are the photos of Orange you won't see on the tourism websites MORE NEWS: 93-year-old woman robbed while sleeping According to one government source, in a best case scenario - in which all three tiers of government worked together to make the dream a reality - politicians could be cutting the ribbon on a new hospice in about five years. Community group Push for Palliative, which was behind the tidal wave of community support for palliative beds at Orange Hospital, says that Orange needs a hospice for those not requiring end-of-life care, including younger people who may otherwise need to go into aged care. At Orange Civic Theatre on Sunday afternoon the Orange Symphony Orchestra played to a packed house of about 500 people. The event was a fundraiser for Push for Palliative. During her speech after intermission, the group’s president Jenny Hazelton spoke of the need for a standalone hospice in Orange. “We are very happy with the palliative care at the hospital - the feedback has been great and the staff have been wonderful - but essentially they only do end-of-life care, which is generally the last seven to 10 days of a person’s life,” she told The Orange News Examiner on Monday. “When you do full palliative care, which includes end-of-life, you are able to offer respite care, so people can come in while their carers have a break; you can also offer pain management so people can come in and then return back home.” Hazelton said it was “very, very early days” in the campaign to have a standalone hospice in Orange. “That is our ultimate goal, but we have to go one step at a time, bit by bit.” She said that patients, who might otherwise go to a hospice before end-of-life care was required, may currently be admitted to a ward in the main hospital, or be supported by the community team in their own place of residence. Among those in the audience for the symphony concert on Sunday afternoon was state MP Phil Donato, who has long backed palliative care in Orange, and who chairs a palliative care working committee with community stakeholders. "The model at Orange Health Service is working at almost 100 percent capacity and going well from all reports, but a designated hospice is still something we are seeking," he told The Orange News Examiner. MORE NEWS: Metre-long pizza coming to Orange; is this the new home for McCarthy's Pharmacy? He said the working group had been discussing the concept of a hospice: "It's something I support." All three tiers of government would likely need to work together to find land for the site, fund the building of the facility and then staff it as a 24-hour-a-day concern. The CEO of Orange City Council David Waddell told The Orange News Examiner that council would do what it could to assist with land for a hospice. This could include scoping studies to try and find a suitable site owned by council, or entering discussions with NSW Health about using land at the vast Bloomfield medical site. MORE NEWS: Early this morning, a place haunted by cruelty went up in flames Federal member Andrew Gee told The Orange News Examiner on Monday afternoon he has "always been a supporter of a palliative care hospice at Orange, and still am". "While the NSW government is primarily responsible for the bricks and mortar construction of hospitals and palliative care facilities in NSW, and also staffing, the states get an annual bulk funding allocation every year from the federal government (which is at record levels) and could use some of this funding for a hospice project." But Mr Gee also says he thinks "there is some scope for some lateral thinking on this. I’d be very interested in seeing a project proposal to explore whether there is a way for the state and federal governments to work together to make it happen. "The Australian government’s Building Better Regions Fund, while not strictly health funding, is one potential funding stream that we could investigate."

By Peter Holmes Deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce will be at the official opening of Charles Sturt University’s School of Rural Medicine on Friday morning. The launch has been delayed by a year due to Covid, with the first medical students starting their study in Orange in 2021. Last year's intake attracted 824 student applications for the initial 37 Commonwealth Supported Places. This year more than 1,000 students applied to study. Also scheduled to attend the opening are minister for regional health Dr Dave Gillespie and Calare MP Andrew Gee. MORE NEWS: "Valuable recipes" up for grabs as famed Orange restaurant seeks new owner for next phase “We build our regions and make them strong by ensuring those who call them home can access the same services and opportunities as people living in capital cities,” the deputy PM said in a statement. “Aspiring doctors from the bush shouldn’t have to leave their home town to pursue their dream, nor should regional Australians have to travel to receive the care they need." The university's five-year undergraduate Doctor of Medicine is a partnership between Charles Sturt’s School of Rural Medicine and Western Sydney University’s medical school. MORE NEWS: Early this morning, a place haunted by cruelty went up in flames "You’ll get hands-on from the very start through this highly practical course with clinical learnings from your first weeks of study," the course's web page states. "Throughout your clinical placements, you’ll cover a broad range of general, specialist and inter-professional training. "This will include First Nations Peoples' health, emergency medicine, critical care, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, mental health, and surgery." The university describes its facilities as "start-of-the-art" and says students will be "well prepared for your future in medicine when you get hands-on in our anatomy teaching laboratory, simulation hospital wards, interactive study pods and ultrasound room". Gee said in a statement: “We know that when students undertake training in a regional or rural area, like Orange or Bathurst, it means they are more likely to choose to live and work in the bush once they are fully qualified. “The CSU Medical School will play a key role in making sure country people, including those from our region, can become local doctors." The federal government provided $22 million in capital works funding from 2019 to 2022 to help establish the centre. MORE NEWS: “They were saying, ‘Keep it up, keep taking photos, we're going to beat the sh*t out of you'" Last week Joyce urged migrants to fill labour shortages in Australia, but to forget Sydney as a destination. “We need the labour," Joyce told Nine Radio. "We need people to do the work in abattoirs, fruit picking, the jobs Australians won’t do. “(But) we’ve got to say that if you want to come to Australia, you’ve got to live in Tamworth, not Sydney. Sydney is full. Sydney does not need more people, regional towns do."

By Peter Holmes Adam Jannis, the United Australia Party candidate who will try to remove National Party MP Andrew Gee in the seat of Calare at the forthcoming federal election, has published an extraordinary series of claims, including that the coronavirus pandemic was "a Trojan horse designed to smuggle in the New World Order". "The European Union, The World Health Organisation and the World Economic Forum are planning a global take over," Jannis posted on the Adam Jannis UAP Calare Facebook page this week. "This is how they want to bring in the One World Government. "I've been saying for 2 years now, the pandemic is a Trojan horse designed to smuggle in the New World Order." Adam Jannis is one of many young men politicised by the global pandemic. MORE NEWS: Fourteen cars ablaze in 39 days: Orange firefighters kept busy in new year MORE NEWS: Welcome to Orange, watch out for the road crumbling into the countryside A one-time conservative voter who grew up in a fish and chip shop in Wellington and went on to become a mostly self-taught health and fitness instructor, the early-30s Jannis is tying his fortunes to the cashed-up United Australia Party, led by former Liberal Craig Kelly and bankrolled to a large extent by businessman Clive Palmer. The Orange News Examiner recently conducted a two-hour interview with Jannis. We were preparing that story when Jannis posted his theory about a surveillance conspiracy, and will now publish that interview at a later date. In his social media post this week Jannis stated: "They are using the virus as justification for: a 'Global citizen database'; permanent surveillance and tracking; digital identification/social credit system; digital currency and the the 'cashless society'; global centralisation of power and ceding national sovereignty to unaccountable international organisations & bureaucrats". "This is the New World Order being born," Jannis wrote. "This is the One World Government. This is the Great Reset. Where you will 'own nothing and be happy'." In the lead up to being announced as the UAP candidate for Calare, Jannis pruned his social media by removing his Adam Jannis fitness page and videos he had recorded. MORE NEWS: Help on its way for Orange business owners struggling psychologically after two years of stress "I did that voluntarily," Jannis told me, when asked if the UAP's head office had directed candidates to remove content. "Nobody told me to do that. I removed my Adam Jannis fitness coaching not because there's anything nefarious, just to focus my attention into my candidacy. "I didn't want any side distractions. We all know around election time someone associated with UAP, for example, is going to be bombarded by trolls, all the attack stories against Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer. "So I want to streamline and make my message clear and concise and as official as possible, and remove any loose ends that could waste my time. "I don't want to comment on posts I did six months ago or 18 months ago on different pages because some trolls want to waste my time. "I stand by everything I’ve said." MORE NEWS: School issues warning after students try to make themselves faint Jannis, who has attended protests against lockdowns and vaccine mandates, would not comment on whether he was vaccinated. Surveillance conspiracies - the idea that groups operating behind the scenes are working together to monitor us Big Brother-style - have been around for decades. They feed, in part, off genuine examples of surveillance undertaken by regimes throughout history, such as happened in Mexico nearly 100 years ago, or as happens now in China, Russia and other countries where citizens are watched and muted. The mainstream accepts that surveillance is part of modern life. That mobile phones track our movements, social media platforms track our page views; Google tracks our searches; credit card companies track our purchases; traffic cameras track where we drive; government departments store private information; we are filmed by closed-circuit TV in retail stores and outside private homes. However it also accepts that, generally, there are firewalls to keep this information in silos, and regulations to cover the protection of this information. Jannis represents a less popular view. MORE NEWS: Leisurely lunch for 300 in the middle of the street set to continue as Food Week DA lodged MORE NEWS: Musical chairs in chicken world continues as pop-up prepares to launch He maintains that the firewalls keeping these slabs of information separate are fast coming down and that soon enough all the information that is kept on us will be funnelled into one mega database that knows everything. "I don't want to live in a permanent global Communist China, where everyone is tracked and controlled and stripped of their freedoms," Jannis wrote this week, before stating that the forthcoming federal election was "the most important in our lifetimes, and maybe in world history". "The United Australia Party will oppose this New World Order before it's too late." The UAP's national policies, as listed on the party's website, are: * Ending lockdowns; * No vaccine passports; * Investigating options for nuclear energy; * Buying submarines from the US; * Stopping social media companies from censoring content; * "Respect(ing) the sanctity of doctor-patient relationships"; * Lower taxes for people in rural and regional Australia, and; * Processing minerals in Australia. MORE NEWS: Major festival in Orange cancelled MORE NEWS: "We fell silent": Orange SES volunteer relives flood mission in Ballina

By David Fitzsimons The Ukrainian flag will fly from the Orange City Council offices after a historic decision by councillors on Tuesday night. They agreed the national flag will replace council’s own flag for one week in support of the Ukrainian people currently under attack from Russian forces. The flag will fly as soon as council is able to buy one. The council meeting was told the move would be unique in council history. Councillor Jeff Whitton said it was a sign of support from Orange for the Ukrainian people. “It’s not a small thing,” he said. “Flying another nation’s flag in support of solidarity is a very large step and a thing we should be doing.” Councillor Melanie McDonell said she supported the move but did not want to marginalise any people of Russian descent living in Orange. She said some of them did not support the conflict and were “suffering already.” Councillor Kevin Duffy asked council to consider painting a symbol on the grass above the Orange tourist information centre and museum roof instead of removing the council flag. However, council was told this would be more expensive than flying the Ukrainian flag. In other business, the council agreed to seek a report into council providing an indoor playground for children during the city’s coldest months. The meeting was chaired for the first time by deputy mayor Gerald Power, the first Indigenous councillor elected in Orange. Mayor Jason Hamling was absent from the meeting. He had proposed both matters for discussion by the council.

By Peter Holmes The roads in the photos are so badly cracked that you need a few moments to take them in. Central West politician and NSW minister for regional transport and roads Sam Farraway has posted a series of striking images on social media. Farraway, who is based in Bathurst and has an office in Orange, visited flood-stricken areas around in and around Lismore over the weekend. "Councils across the state are facing a big challenge repairing the local road network," Farraway posted. "Over the weekend I visited Lismore and met with the mayor Steve Krieg to discuss the enormous task ahead as the flood recovery progresses. "There is a lot of work to be done on our road network and I’d like to thank Lismore City Council for showing me some of the hardest hit roads in the region." He inspected Scenic Drive in the Tweed Shire with MP Geoff Provest, local councillors and Transport for NSW (TfNSW) officials. "Through the specialised and dedicated unit in Transport for NSW we are working with all local government areas impacted to reopen our road network and connect our communities sooner," Farraway said. MORE NEWS: Auction fizzer as 112-year-old house on massive block fails to attract one bid MORE NEWS: Life-saving equipment stolen from Orange community group MORE NEWS: UPDATED: Dangling branch removed MORE NEWS: Orange council to fly Ukrainian flag in solidarity "The damage to these roads is extensive and will take time to repair. TfNSW and council crews are working around the clock to get our roads back open and motorists moving. Thanks to motorists for their patience." MORE NEWS: Harry is having a beer, please form an orderly queue MORE NEWS: "The most modern supermarket complex of its kind" in Central West pitched for Orange

By Peter Holmes I was driving around town looking for stories. Some days you tootle about and see nothing newsworthy. The yarns are always out there - you just need to turn down the right street, or start a conversation with the right local as you buy a morning coffee. Cruising along Peisley Street on Tuesday afternoon I noticed a striking red vintage ute parked in the area outside the old Tip Top factory. A large Andrew Gee poster had been secured to the back of the vehicle. Then I noticed a tall man in a hat. Could it be? Yes it was - none other than the federal member for Calare, Andrew Gee. The federal election hasn't been called, but given the large number of posters around town for independent candidate Kate Hook, I hadn't been surprised to see an Andrew Gee poster appear on someone's front lawn about a week ago. MORE NEWS: “They were saying, ‘Keep it up, keep taking photos, we're going to beat the sh*t out of you'" And now here was another one. I turned around and drove back, but Gee had vanished. I pulled in near his bright red machine and walked over to take a photo and see if the MP was about. A man was sitting in a car next to Gee's auto. As I took the photo he hopped out of his sedan and walked over to me. I introduced myself as the editor of The Orange News Examiner and asked the man if he worked with Gee. He did. His name was Steve. My first thought had been that Gee was planning to leave the tasty old wheels on this busy road until the election. It would have been one of the stupidest political and automotive moves ever made west of the mountains, for the poster may not have even had time to be defaced before the car was nicked. Or torched. Or both. But of course Gee was not planning to leave it there. MORE NEWS: Orange council to fly Ukrainian flag in solidarity Steve told me that Gee had a bung light on the vintage car and was sorting it with a local auto type across the road. I know Gee, and have spoken to him at several media events. Most recently we exchanged hellos at the start of the running festival marathon. I was there to take photos and write a story, and he was there to sound the tooter to signal the start of the race. I asked Steve if it was OK to hang about and have a quick interview with the MP about the posters and the forthcoming federal election. Steve said he would need to check on the chances of this happening. He walked off and made a phone call. He walked back. "So what's the go?" I asked. Steve explained that Gee was very busy and that he wouldn't have time for an interview. I replied that I only needed two minutes. Just a few quick questions about the posters and the election. I was hoping that Gee would return while I was chatting to Steve so I could ask him directly for a brief interview. He didn't. Steve asked for my details and said he would call me and try to schedule me into Gee's diary. MORE NEWS: These signs are definitely there, but have you ever seen them? I appreciate that as a federal MP and minister Gee has a lot on his plate. I appreciate that he has a lot more ground to cover than, say, the Orange mayor Jason Hamling, or the Orange state MP Phil Donato. But there is a feeling from a number of people around town that Gee is not as available as he could be. That he'd rather play a low-key hand. When I needed to speak to former mayor Reg Kidd, I phoned him. He answered or called back. His mobile number was freely available to the general public via the council website. MORE NEWS: People in 2800 postcode have $750,000 in kitty of owed money - are you one of them? Donato has been known to put his mobile phone number at the bottom of press releases so the media can contact him directly. When I texted him recently about a story I was writing on the chances of Orange getting a hospice, he responded promptly. To get a response from Gee on any given issue you need to go through his people. He has people in Orange and Canberra. They will respond to your questions. A written quote will likely be provided. It seems to me that, for whatever reason, he doesn't particularly like engaging with the press. Maybe he is wary. Maybe he is shy. Maybe he has such a magnificent buffer in the seat of Calare that he doesn't need to take the risks that come with being readily accessible. In a way, who could blame him? Would you want to defend the government's scattergun Covid payments to businesses with increased profits, with no inbuilt mechanism to recoup? Or its inability to secure vaccines in good order? Or sort quarantine facilities when they were most needed? Or provide robust internet for the regions? MORE NEWS: "Desperate call" to the cats and doggos of Orange - your city needs you Or react quickly - and fairly - to the monstrous floods in and around Lismore and Ballina? Or deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce's text describing the PM Scott Morrison as "a hypocrite and a liar"? Or the shambles in aged care - both before and during Covid? Or the unfulfilled promise of a federal corruption agency? What could Gee possibly say to these questions that would increase his popularity? MORE NEWS: Game review: Wingspan MORE NEWS: Oh No I’ve really upset Meat Loaf Steve said Gee had to attend a meeting after organising for his taillight to be fixed, and that there was simply no time to speak to the media. I think it's a shame Gee's people ruled that our local MP - who spends a fair chunk of the year in Canberra - didn't have two minutes to talk to locals via this website. MORE NEWS: Orange, we need to talk roundabouts …

By Peter Holmes State MP Phil Donato has accused the government of raising revenue on the sly after discovering a mobile speed camera vehicle on Leeds Parade with no warning sign for motorists. Donato described it as "The NSW Government’s continued wealth by stealth". "These pictures are of a covert mobile speed camera vehicle observed operating on Leeds Parade at Orange earlier today," Donato said on a Facebook post on Tuesday that had attracted 260 comments and 414 "reactions" at the time of writing. "I’m in Parliament this week, so when I see the Regional Roads and Transport Minister Sam Farraway MLC I’ll be asking him why he isn’t keeping his Government’s promise to have signs installed from February," Donato wrote. However the Bathurst-based Farraway told The Orange News Examiner that the rollout of the warning signs was on schedule, and that Donato was being mischievous by claiming the government had missed its own deadline. MORE NEWS: "The most modern supermarket complex of its kind" in Central West pitched for Orange Wording in a statement from Transport for NSW (TfNSW) released on December 17, 2021 appeared to be behind the debate on the timing of the introduction of the signs. "Motorists will be warned their speed is being checked with signs to appear on top of all mobile speed camera vehicles across the state from February," it read. Some took this to mean that by the end of February all of the warning signs would be in place. Further down, however, the TfNSW statement read: "A retractable, double-sided sign, similar to those currently used in the ACT, will be installed on top of all mobile speed camera vehicles from February 2022. "Minister for Transport and Roads Rob Stokes said the rollout of signage would take several months, with the priority on marking vehicles that are currently unmarked." [Stokes is no longer the minister.] MORE NEWS: Auction fizzer as 112-year-old house on massive block fails to attract one bid Deputy premier and (then) minister for regional transport and roads Paul Toole was quoted in the same TfNSW statement in December. “We need to strike the right balance between giving a fair go to the majority who are trying to do the right thing, and ensuring those few who continue to deliberately risk lives cop the fine they deserve,” Toole said. “There is no excuse for speeding – and with these new signs, in addition to the 1,000 fixed signs we’re already rolling out, motorists will have every opportunity to change their behaviour and ensure the safety of everyone on the road.” In November 2020 the NSW government removed warning signs and high visibility markings on mobile speed camera vehicles. MORE NEWS: Life-saving equipment stolen from Orange community group MORE NEWS: UPDATED: Dangling branch removed "Prior to these changes, the practice in NSW was to place warning signs 250 metres and 50 metres before the location of a mobile speed camera, as well as 50 metres after the camera," the NRMA said in August last year. "The warning signs also listed the posted speed limit of the road to educate drivers. "The NRMA, which has historically opposed the removal of the warning signs, is supportive of an increased focus on making drivers aware of speed limits across the road network, including at mobile speed camera locations."

By Peter Holmes The staff shortage at one high school in Orange saw 15 classes merged into one last Friday, according to state MP Phil Donato, who has spoken about the "despair" felt by staff at the school. In a speech to parliament last night Donato said that Canobolas Rural Technology High School was in "crisis", and that the government needed to increase incentives to attract and retain teachers, administrative staff and support staff. MORE NEWS: Mobile speed camera stoush in Orange is all about the timing Donato said that in 2021, 849 classes at the school were either "merged or uncovered", meaning students were left sharing a teacher with other classes, or being monitored by a staff member. "As of today, there have been a staggering 798 uncovered or merged classes for 2022," Donato told the parliament. "Last Friday the school had 15 classes merged into one in their school hall. "Sadly that is a frequent occurrence; that's just one school in hundreds in regional NSW experiencing significant teacher shortages and, worse, children going without critical education." He told The Orange News Examiner on Thursday morning that his data had come from a local union delegate and teacher. MORE NEWS: REVIEW: Elwood's, 174 Lords Place, Orange Donato said the number of students negatively impacted was "shocking". "A reasonable person would consider the teacher shortage at Canobolas High .. most certainly meets the definition of a crisis," he told parliament. "I have met with some of the passionate and caring teachers and staff of Canobolas High who are in despair. "The pleas of teachers and Teachers Federation representatives for help have landed on deaf ears." He said there was also a "growing psychological crisis for teachers, administrative and support staff, who out of the goodness of their hearts and their dedication to their students and their profession, are taking on additional workloads and consequential stress to help students who are missing out on teacher-led education". MORE NEWS: We spotted Andrew Gee in town and asked his minder for a two-minute interview... MORE NEWS: Ambulance called as jouster Mieka Leitch takes "knock to the head" at Orange Showground In his speech, Donato said that on March 2 this year during a committee education minister Sarah Mitchell "went on the record denying a teacher supply crisis". "The parents of children who are losing out on their education would be be justifiably outraged," Donato said. "Education is a fundamental right in a first world democratic nation but this government has been derelict. "The teacher shortage at Canobolas High isn’t a suddenly emerging issue. I made the minister aware of this last year and made a reasonable suggestion … to attract teachers to the school." Donato said that in May 2021 he asked Mitchell to consider permanently awarding Canobolas High "four points of benefit to attract and retain teachers". The government has a "benefit" scale that allows schools to offer teachers extra incentives. Canobolas High currently has a benefit of one, Donato said, which "does nothing to attract teachers to fill vacancies". "At that point in time there were 15 teacher vacancies, and the school had experienced a 50 percent turnover in teaching staff during the preceding two years," Donato said. "In the minister’s response to my suggestions she wrote, and I quote: 'The government is currently reviewing the incentives used to attract and retain teachers to rural and remote parts of NSW. The aim of the rural and remote incentives review is to assess the effectiveness of the current scheme and provide recommendations for improvement'.” MORE NEWS: "A few of our riders are cooked. Not just emotionally, but medically": Orange cyclist's diary Donato said that "given some teacher positions at the school still remain unfilled and the number of uncovered or merged classes is worsening, it is clear existing incentives are insufficient to attract and retain teachers to the school". He said he recently asked the minister to "consider applying a six-point benefit to the school, which would be a real and meaningful incentive to attract teachers and support staff". Six benefit point incentives could include an annual "retention" payment, a rental subsidy up to 70 percent, and a trial placement at the school before committing. The MP said he feared "burn out" among teachers and support staff. "Which is unfair on them, and their families. And we’ll see more teachers eventually leave the school or possibly even leave the profession altogether. "When the minister said she’s incentivising it, it's just lip service." He called on the government "to consider the welfare of overworked teachers and support staff and the students whose education is being neglected as a result of their inaction to address the chronic teacher shortage, which is now an education crisis". MORE NEWS: "The most modern supermarket complex of its kind" in Central West pitched for Orange MORE NEWS: Auction fizzer as 112-year-old house on massive block fails to attract one bid

By Peter Holmes Former mayor Reg Kidd has launched an extraordinary campaign to have the pipe from Banjo Paterson's mouth removed on posters, saying it is sending a bad message to children in Orange. Kidd told The Orange News Examiner in an exclusive interview that council should employ a local graphic designer to airbrush the pipe out of Paterson's mouth. "The poster on the corner of Summer Street and Lords Place is a real concern for me," Kidd said. "I think that the message it sends to kids is that council is endorsing the idea of smoking a pipe ... who knows what type of legal action this could lead to in the future." Kidd said that although he "loved Banjo Paterson as much as the next bloke", he couldn't "stand by while youth were potentially lured into smoking via the man who wrote Waltzing Matilda". MORE NEWS: Workers warned off starting a fire in front yard of building site "He also wrote The Man From Snowy River and Clancy of the Overflow," Kidd added. "So I don't take this decision lightly." The former mayor, who retired at the last council election, said he was expecting a backlash. MORE NEWS: North Orange retailer heading downtown to larger premises "I know they will say I'm woke and politically correct and a do-gooder and a snowflake and a Karen, but I feel very strongly about this." Kidd said he was inspired to make a stand after watching a young person smoking and coughing near the Banjo Paterson poster at the CBD entrance to Robertson Park. "This young fella was bent over coughing, and I wondered whether that Banjo poster had somehow encouraged him to smoke - who's to say whether it did or not?" Asked whether the pipe should be replaced with something else, Kidd - who was recently made emeritus mayor of Orange after his long service in local government - suggested a lollipop. MORE NEWS: Crime scene established 47km outside Orange as police search for remains of 24-year-old MORE NEWS: Orange school wants to increase capacity by 50 percent, major DA lodged "I don't know if lollipops were around then, but we can look into that," he said. "Otherwise," he added, "we could get a local graphic designer to just fill in the gaps where the pipe was with a pencil." Kidd said that "vapourising" was a big worry in the Central West. "I've seen youth vapourising on these hand held machines, sucking the life out of them and expelling these great clouds of vapour. It distresses me to think Banjo might be partly responsible." He has formed a group of likeminded locals, Remove the Pipe, and plans to lobby council in coming weeks. HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY! Thanks to Reg Kidd for having some fun with The Orange News Examiner for April Fools Day. Obviously he doesn't want Banjo's pipe removed.

By Peter Holmes State MP Phil Donato hasn't been invited to a media conference on Monday where the next stage of works on the Orange Regional Sports Precinct will get underway. The media event has been called for 9am. According to the invitation, sent by Orange City Council, "there will be a media opportunity near the site ... In attendance will be NSW Upper House MLC Sam Farraway, Orange Mayor Jason Hamling and Orange City Council Sport & Recreation Committee Chair Cr Tammy Greenhalgh". "Wasn't informed or aware of this," Donato said when contacted by The Orange News Examiner on Saturday. And then, in a jibe directed at the National Party, he added: "That's how the Nats roll!" MORE NEWS: $80,000 LED scoreboard installed in Orange MORE NEWS: LETTERS: Veteran Orange publisher Bob Holland has something to say about local media Donato said he has other commitments on Monday morning and would "probably not" make an unannounced appearance. The tension between Donato - who represents the Shooters, Fishers & Farmers party - and the National Party, which lost the seat to Donato in 2016 following former premier Mike Baird's greyhound and council amalgamation policies, is real and at times palpable. A press conference earlier this year at Banjo Patterson Park on Ophir Road to announce road funding was attended by Farraway, Donato and new mayor Jason Hamling. MORE NEWS: Last Friday a school in Orange was forced to merge 15 classes into one; staff in "despair": Donato MORE NEWS: Workers warned off starting a fire in front yard of building site A government bureaucrat, Hamling and Farraway spoke first. "It's fair to say in terms of road infrastructure improvements, you've only got to look to the Mitchell Highway between Bathurst and Orange at some of the works," Farraway said. "They are significant works that Transport for NSW are undertaking. Removing blind spots, new safety barriers, expansion of overtaking lanes. "The Fixing Local Roads program alone, half a billion dollars from the state government and a top up of $350 million from the federal government ... going to fixing local roads in regional and rural NSW. We are spending serious coin on road infrastructure." MORE NEWS: North Orange retailer heading downtown to larger premises MORE NEWS: Crime scene established 47km outside Orange as police search for remains of 24-year-old As Farraway delivered the good news on funding, Donato had clasped his eyes firmly shut, as if meditating. It wasn't clear that anyone was going to invite him to speak, so when there was a gap in the speeches he walked to the microphones. He began: "I might say a few words if that's alright." It was somewhere between a question and a statement of intent. "Look it's great to be able to be here for this announcement for $700,000 to go towards the improvements of the Ophir Road here," Donato began generously, before giving (National Party) deputy premier and MP for Bathurst, Paul Toole, a swipe on the way through. "It's interesting to listen to the previous speakers talk, and one of the issues in terms of road safety that I raised earlier ... was the Thompson Road - Mitchell Highway intersection, as the result of a fatality, which I warned the previous minister Paul Toole about, and eventually it got fixed, but it took a fatality for that to happen." MORE NEWS: Orange school wants to increase capacity by 50 percent, major DA lodged Donato was referring to the death in July last year of 15-year-old John Keegan, who died after being hit by a truck while coming to the aid of a couple who had been involved in an accident with the vehicle in which he was travelling. Then Donato had some advice: "If they're looking for projects, Cargo Road is a project I'd ask them to consider, as is Banjo Paterson Way between Yeoval and Cumnock." And finally, prodding the Nationals one more time, he finished with: "Certainly welcome the announcement; it's unprecedented, the level of investment in across the Orange electorate since I've been elected, and we thank the government for that. "Let's continue putting the acid on the government - I don't mind doing that, I don't mind asking the tough questions of Sam and his colleagues ... to make sure we get our fair share because for too long we were taken for granted." Asked by the media to respond, Farraway said, in part: "Orange, like the rest of regional NSW, is getting its fair share." MORE NEWS: "The most modern supermarket complex of its kind" in Central West pitched for Orange MORE NEWS: Auction fizzer as 112-year-old house on massive block fails to attract one bid The next state election is a little under a year away. It will be held on March 25, 2023.

By staff writer The next stage of work starts today on the site of Orange’s new sports precinct and parklands. MORE NEWS: "Valuable recipes" up for grabs as famed Orange restaurant seeks new owner for next phase Following the decision in February by the Western Regional Planning Panel to give concept planning approval for the project, the NSW Heritage Council gave its permission last week for work to begin. Funding for the $25 million project is from the NSW government. The money was initially promised to the people of Orange by then premier Gladys Berejiklian on the proviso they elected a member of the National Party. MORE NEWS: “They were saying, ‘Keep it up, keep taking photos, we're going to beat the sh*t out of you'" A brutal backlash saw her change tact to say the city would get the stadium irrespective of who it voted for. The latest stage of work starting today includes removal of the next round of trees and the demolition of a small former golf club building. This part of the project will take approximately four weeks. MORE NEWS: UPDATED: Dangling branch removed NSW Public Works Advisory is assessing the tender for the earthworks. It will then go to council for awarding. The earthworks include topsoil scraped away and stockpiled on-site. Crews will then level the three sites of the athletics track, eight sports fields and the main stadium. This element of the project is expected to take about 20 weeks. MORE NEWS: We spotted Andrew Gee in town and asked his minder for a two-minute interview... Detailed design and tenders for other elements of the precinct such as the athletics track will follow later this year. “This project is a game changer for the sporting communities in Orange," said NSW MLC Sam Farraway. "Today is another significant milestone in the progress of this project and the commitment from the NSW government to deliver this $25 million sporting precinct for the people of Orange. "The precinct will provide Orange with further tourism opportunities and economic stimulus for the wider Central West by providing a venue that has the ability to attract larger sporting events.” Orange mayor Jason Hamling said this stage of the works "will give residents a clearer idea of the size of the project and what this parklands precinct is going to look like". MORE NEWS: Fast food chain heading West, green light for Orange “The line of old elms along the internal road is going to stay as a brilliant backdrop for the new parklands." He said 784 new trees will be planted on the site. "That’s more trees than we have now. And of the trees that are being removed, where possible they will be milled and re-used.” According to council, when complete the precinct will include eight sports fields, a purpose-built athletics track and field with a grandstand and sloped areas with a capacity of 8,000. More than 12,000 people visit The Orange News Examiner website each month. Our readers see your ads on EVERY PAGE. Grow your business while supporting truly local and independent media that digs deeper. Phone 0408 427 786 to book your slot today. Council Sport & Recreation Committee chair Tammy Greenhalgh said "the families of Orange will be very pleased to see progress".

MORE NEWS: Is a head-on collision on this stretch of road in Orange inevitable? By Peter Holmes A block of land next to 7-Eleven on Molong Road is being sold with development application approval for a car wash. The site, at 70 Molong Road, is 1,470 square metres and is for sale for $995,000 plus GST. The development site has Molong Road frontage of about 31 metres. MORE NEWS: As young Orange tradie Joe slept this morning, he was robbed of his keys, wallet and new $64,000 Hilux were stolen Orange already has Race Track Car Wash (Pete's) on the corner of Peisley and Byng Streets and Top Wash Car Wash on the corner of Summer and Hill Streets. There are also a handful of car detailing businesses. The Orange News Examiner reported on Sunday about the forthcoming sale of the neighbouring 7-Eleven site. The site generates about $340,000 in rent and 7-Eleven has options to rent the site until 2055. MORE NEWS: We watched "Sunrise" talk about Orange public toilets, so you don't have to