An Anzac Day to remember April 28, 2015, midnight

An Anzac Day to remember April 28, 2015, midnight WHILE we warily looked at cloudy skies on Saturday, nothing could really dampen the spirits of the ...
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An Anzac Day to remember April 28, 2015, midnight

WHILE we warily looked at cloudy skies on Saturday, nothing could really dampen the spirits of the local community as it embraced Anzac Day in this all important centenary year. Illustrating the enthusiasm of the community, the Bombala Cenotaph was bedecked with over 3,000 red paper poppies that had been made by volunteers especially to mark the Centenary of Anzac. It was this glowing display that greeted a record sized gathering to the Dawn Service on the foggy Saturday morning, with around 350 people rugging up to pay their respects. Sub-Branch President, Rob Letts once again led proceedings, encouraging the crowd to put themselves in the position of the young men who landed on Gallipoli back in 1915. “I invite each one of you gathered here this morning to quietly reflect,” he said. “What would I have done if I was there? Would have I made it ashore? How were my mates? After all the training at home and then in Egypt, now we are here. “In 1915 our soldiers understood the phrase “For God, For King and Country”. That is why, 100 years ago, so many volunteered to serve and go in harm’s way.” Mr Letts took us through the preparation of our troops, outlining how Australia managed to dispatch so many ships, and giving statistics that illustrate a remarkable response from our nation. The prologue included words on the landing itself, of individual battles such as that of Lone Pine, and the horrendous conditions that our brave soldiers endured. Mr Letts also spoke of the heart wrenching withdrawal following the loss of so many precious lives, and of the dead mates that had to be left behind. “Perhaps the feeling is best described by the comment from one Anzac to General Birdwood,” Mr Letts said.

“On the final day, while pointing to a cemetery he said, “I hope they won’t hear us marching down to the beach”. Among those dead were three soldiers from Bombala.” The moving ceremony of course gave mention to those who are still serving on our behalf, and the traditional prayers from Rev Judy Holdsworth, a two minute silence, the sounding of the Last Post, and The Ode all rang out across the early morning. As the National Anthem concluded proceedings, the crowd moved onto the Bombala RSL Club to reflect in a more casual setting and share in a hot breakfast, this time for well over 200 people. It was from the club that the Anzac Day March departed later in the day, with local veterans being accompanied by a larger number of family members, organisation representatives and school students proudly marching down the main street in this centenary year. They marched to the sound of bagpipes and drums and were met by applause from a record crowd of around 600 gathered at the Cenotaph, with the Catafalque Party already in place as the visiting Air Force and Navy contingents took their positions. Mr Letts welcomed special guests and the wider gathering, inviting Fr Mick Mac Andrew to bless the Commemoration, before the traditional Laying of the Wreaths commenced. Here community groups and individuals presented floral tributes to be placed at the foot of the Cenotaph as a symbol of their thoughts and prayers for those who served, with more wreaths being laid than has been seen in many years. Mr Letts then returned to reflections on Gallipoli, this time speaking of the backgrounds of the men of the 9th Infantry Battalion in order to draw a picture of the universality of our troops who fought at Gallipoli. Mr Letts’s prologue continued to include not only the Aussies and Kiwis who created the Anzac legend, but also to recognise those who serve in the defence forces today, continuing in that proud spirit. “In their reflective moments, perhaps before expected combat, soldiers write home to loved ones,” Mr Letts said. “Let me read part of a letter sent by an Australian soldier to his mother. “You never need to think of this letter as a goodbye letter, simply one of my expressions of thanks and love for you, my mum.” “These words were written almost 100 years after Gallipoli by one of our soldiers. A member of our SAS serving in Afghanistan. They could have been written by an Anzac.”

These words were followed by the hymns of the ceremony and the Prayer of Thanksgiving offered by Chief Petty Officer Maurice Anlezark, with the Prayer for the Queen offered by Sub Branch Vice President, Roger Moulds and the Prayer for the Nation by Wing Commander Rocky Johnstone. Student President of the Bombala High School, Lachlan Sellers then gave the Commemorative Address, also speaking of Gallipoli and the spirit it forged. “Throughout the First World War and Gallipoli especially, there are many reports of brothers fighting and dying together. For me this is the closest context to my family life. My brothers and I are 22, 19 and 17, which means it would be possible for us to enlist together,” Lachlan said. “Brothers who enlisted together generally fought side by side. At Gallipoli, sets of three brothers were rare, but their stories still make me cringe. Being told that one of my brothers had died or had even been wounded would mortify me. “An extract from Wyn Griffith’s ‘From Up to Mametz’, talks about an Australian soldier who sent a message to stop a barrage, his brother was a runner and was killed by shell fire. “So I had sent him to his death, bearing a message from my own hand, in an endeavour to save other men's brothers…I had not even buried him, nor was his grave ever found.” “Coping with this news would have stalled my courage and bravery to back up my mates,” Lachlan said. “But those Anzac soldiers showed endurance and spirit that we honour and remember today.” (An excerpt of Lachlan’s speech will be included in next week’s Bombala Times). This touching address led the ceremony towards its conclusion, with Fr Mick making the Commemoration of the Fallen, which was followed by the two minute silence, the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille, and The Ode, which was recited by the Sub-Branch’s John Martin. The National Anthem closed the morning, with all adding their voices to those of the Rotary and Community Choir, and then standing proud as the New Zealand anthem was played to honour the neighbours we fought alongside, and who would also be honouring the centenary year.

Lloyd Rees's work in permanent exhibition at Gerringong Bowling Club By DAVID HALL April 27, 2015, 5:39 p.m. MORE than 60 years after Lloyd Rees put Gerringong and Werri Beach on the map with his internationally acclaimed paintings, the area will have a permanent reminder of his work, thanks to local artist Penny Sadubin and Gerringong Bowling Club. An exhibition of Rees' landscapes will be unveiled at Gerringong Bowling Club on Wednesday, April 29, at 6pm. Sadubin is excited about the permanent exhibition, Lloyd Rees, Landscapes and Memories, and is looking for more paintings and memorabilia. "Members of the public who still have memories of the artist living and working around Gerringong are invited to submit their stories to an archive. "The family first came to Gerringong in the early 1940s and the South Coast landscape inspired Rees for more than 40 years and the cottage Calooola in Werri Street still remains in the family today." Gerringong Bowling Club director Sandra McCarthy said the club was excited about housing the exhibition. "The club's interest in the project arose from its strategic vision to foster community values and to partner with other community groups and enterprises, including the Gerringong Museum, who assisted the project," Mrs McCarthy said. "In the longer term it would be the club's aim to engage with the community and support the creation of a lasting memorial honouring Lloyd Rees and his connection to Werri Beach and South Coast. "We see this as part of our ongoing strategic plan to not only look after our bowlers, but also make it a community hub and developing community partnerships.

"Gerringong has had some wonderful artists in the area, including Margaret Olley and John Downton, and Mr Rees' work had a wonderful and lasting impression on the area. "In fact, he became so famous overseas that at one stage he was presented with the keys to the city of Paris." Copies of the recently released book of his paintings will also be available for viewing, while his son Allan will be attending the launch. The Werri Room, where the display will be situated, will then be open for viewing during club hours, unless the room is booked for a function.

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27 Apr 2015 Champion Post, Parkes NSW Section: General News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 3,000 • Page: 2 Printed Size: 175.00cm² • Market: NSW • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 603 Words: 373 • Item ID: 399539628 Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any form without the prior consent of the copyright owner.

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Three months until smoke-free outdoor dining NSW Health is reminding the community that from July 6, all commercial outdoor dining areas in NSW, including hotels, clubs, restaurants and cafes will be smoke-free, under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000. This means staff and patrons of hotels, clubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to work and dine outdoors without being exposed to harmful second-hand tobacco smoke. Western NSW Local Health District Health Promotion Manager Lyndal O’Leary said NSW Health is working closely with local businesses to help them get ready for smoke-free outdoor dining. “There is strong public support for making outdoor dining areas smoke-free and a number of businesses have already voluntarily banned smoking in their outdoor dining areas, with positive results,” Ms O’Leary said. “In fact, our Health District has been working with eateries in Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange since the end of 2013 in a campaign promoting smoke-free dining in outdoor areas ahead of the new legislation, which has been very successful. “We are now work-

ing with café and restaurant owners in other towns throughout the Health District to educate and support them in ensuring their establishments remain smokefree under the new legislation”. Ms O’Leary said the legislation applies to all ignited smoking products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and water-pipes. “Under the Smokefree Environment Act 2000, smoking will be banned in seated outdoor dining areas while food is being served, with NSW Health Authorised Inspectors able to issue on the spot fines of $300 for individuals and penalties of up to $5500 for occupiers who ignore the ban. “Since the beginning of 2013, smoking has been banned in a number of outdoor public places including all NSW public transport stops and stations, within 10m of children’s playgrounds, at spectator areas of sporting grounds, at public swimming pools and within 4m of a pedestrian entrance to or exit from a public building, under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000,” she said. A public notice campaign about smoke-free outdoor dining will start

in May. NSW Health invites businesses to register on health.nsw.gov.au/smok efree for updates about smoke-free outdoor din-

ing and to order free materials including an industry guide and mandatory outdoor ‘no smoking’ signage. For further informa-

tion regarding NSW Health smoke-free legislation, including smokefree outdoor dining, call the Tobacco Information Line on 1800 357 412.

24 Apr 2015 Mudgee Guardian & Gulgong Advertiser, Mudgee NSW Author: Elle Watson • Section: General News • Article type : News Item Audience : 2,410 • Page: 12 • Printed Size: 392.00cm² • Market: NSW Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 991 • Words: 460 • Item ID: 398785333 Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any form without the prior consent of the copyright owner.

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Cafe owner welcomes smoking ban in outdoor dining areas By ELLE WATSON A Mudgee cafe owner has welcomed legislation that will prevent smokers from lighting up in outdoor dining areas. From July 6, all commercial outdoor dining areas in NSW, including hotels, clubs, restaurants and cafes will be smoke-free, under the Smoke-Free Environment Act 2000. Owner and chef at Market Street Cafe, Aaron Cole was pleased with the move to protect staff and patrons of hotels, clubs, restaurants and cafes from harmful second-hand tobacco smoke. “I think it’s a great thing,” Mr Cole said. “We don’t have ash trays and we don’t promote it.” A non-smoker, Mr Cole said in the past customers have been deterred by smoking patrons. “People can always smoke somewhere else and come back,” he said. “No one is offended by a non-smoker.” The Mudgee Guardian asked readers if they agreed with the ban in an online poll this week. Forty people, 95 per cent of votes, agreed with the ban while just two votes (4 per cent) disagreed. Western NSW Local Health District Health Promotion Manager Lyndal O’Leary said NSW Health is working closely with local businesses to help them get ready for smoke-free outdoor dining. “There is strong public support for making outdoor dining areas smoke-free and a number of businesses have already voluntarily banned smoking in their outdoor dining areas, with positive results,” Ms O’Leary said. “In fact, our Health District has been working with eateries in Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange since the end of 2013 in a campaign promoting smoke-free dining in outdoor areas ahead of the new legislation, which has been very successful. “We are now working with café and restaurant owners in other towns throughout the Health District to educate and support them in ensuring their establishments remain smoke-free under the new legislation”. Ms O’Leary said the legislation applies to all ignited smoking products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and water-pipes. “Under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000, smoking will be banned in seated outdoor

dining areas while food is being served, with NSW Health Authorised Inspectors able to issue on the spot fines of $300 for individuals and penalties of up to $5500 for occupiers who ignore the ban. “Since the beginning of 2013, smoking has been banned in a number of outdoor public places including all NSW public transport stops and stations, within 10m of children’s playgrounds, at spectator areas of sporting grounds, at public swimming pools and within 4m of a pedestrian entrance to or exit from a public building, under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000,” she said. A public notice campaign about smoke-free outdoor dining will start in May.

29 Apr 2015 Canberra Times, Canberra Author: Kirsten Lawson • Section: General News • Article type : News Item Audience : 24,765 • Page: 3 • Printed Size: 229.00cm² • Market: ACT Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 1,490 • Words: 482 • Item ID: 400340152 Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any form without the prior consent of the copyright owner.

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Club eftpos cash code ‘overt’ rort

By Kirsten Lawson Assembly Reporter

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury is not happy at the deal reached with the clubs sector for a voluntary code of practice on eftpos machines in clubs, saying they are clearly designed to get around withdrawal limits from automatic teller machines. ‘‘The use of eftpos machines in clubs does not even require a purchase,’’ he said. ‘‘You can simply use them as a cash withdrawal point, and I think that this is a overt circumventing of the ATM restrictions.’’ Earlier this year, ACT Gambling and Racing Commission chief executive Greg Jones reported that since a $250-a-day limit had been imposed on withdrawals from ATM machines, the vast majority of Canberra’s clubs had installed eftpos machines, which give access to an unlimited amount of cash. In response, Gaming Minister Joy Burch asked clubs to develop the code of practice, which took effect earlier this month. It requires staff to handle either the cash or the card during a transaction, forcing gamblers to interact with a staff member if they want to get

money out of eftpos machines. Mr Rattenbury is not happy with the outcome, but said he would consider it as part of the wideranging inquiry into Canberra’s clubs set up in March. The assembly’s public accounts committee has called for submissions by May 13. Its terms of reference are wide, covering profitability of clubs, the tax they pay, problem gambling and

poker machines. The inquiry will receive new research from the Australian National University on the extent of problem gambling in Canberra. It will also look at attempts by clubs to diversify to reduce their reliance on gambling money, and to ‘‘deconcessionalise’’ their leases so they can sell and develop their land. Despite the inquiry, the government is pushing ahead with a package of changes to clubs, expected to be debated in the coming fortnight. The changes include a new trading scheme allowing clubs to buy and sell poker machines between them and buy up and convert old poker machine licences from pubs and hotels. They also include a new tax regime for poker machines which delivers big tax cuts to smaller clubs, paid for by a handful of very big clubs. There will be a new ratio for poker

machine numbers of 15 machines for every 1000 people, a ratio that will allow about 4785 machines overall when it takes effect, about 190 fewer than now. However, clubs will also be allowed to buy old licences from

hotels and pubs and transfer them to modern machines. The ratio replaces the current cap of 4000 machines, which has never been met. Mr Rattenbury said he would support Labor’s package, which would mean an overall reduction in poker machine numbers. ‘‘For some of the clubs who want to get out of poker machines this will be a mechanism for them to do so,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think [it] is a be-all and end-all in gaming policy, but in the short term I believe it is a positive step forward.’’

29 Apr 2015 Northern Territory News, Darwin Section: General News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 14,595 • Page: 9 Printed Size: 110.00cm² • Market: NT • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 618 • Words: 235 Item ID: 400305024 Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any form without the prior consent of the copyright owner.

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Skycity, Lasseters hit with levy on pokies CASINOS THE “free run” enjoyed by the Territory’s two casinos is over. Skycity Darwin and Lasseters in Alice Springs will be forced to pay a 10 per cent levy on their gaming machine profits from July 1. All money will go to the NT Government’s Community Benefit Fund. Territory hotels and clubs already contribute about $3 million a year to the program. Treasurer Dave Tollner said the decision to slap the two casinos with the levy would raise an additional $8 million, increasing the total to $11 million per year. Mr Tollner said Skycity Darwin and Lasseters had been given a “free run” and up until now had been exempt from an electronic gaming levy.

“They are making good profits in the NT and it’s the Government’s view that it’s time to level the playing field,’’ he said. Skycity Darwin acting general manager Callum Mallett said he was “surprised and disappointed” at the Government’s lack of consultation. “We were aware it was coming but we were not consulted and had no choice about it,’’ he said. “That said if there was to be a new tax imposed clearly we are pleased it is going to the community.” Mr Mallett said Skycity Darwin had “always been significant contributors” to the Territory through the sponsorship of events like the Darwin Cup. Mr Mallett said it would need to “digest” the announcement before deciding how to proceed with its community contributions.

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29 Apr 2015 The Australian, Australia Section: Business News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 104,774 • Page: 20 Printed Size: 484.00cm² • Market: National • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 9,781 Words: 272 • Item ID: 400267964 Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any form without the prior consent of the copyright owner.

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www.theaustralian.com.au/businessreview

Tabcorp eyes UBET

EDITED BY:

Bridget Carter [email protected]

Gretchen Friemann [email protected]

Australia’s multi-billion-dollar wagering sector has been through several years of upheaval and it may not be over yet amid talk that a deal to bring the state-based totes together is again under consideration. Sources say Tabcorp is weighing a move on Tattersall’s wagering arm UBET in a merger that would top $2 billion. The two heavyweights have been here before. In 2006 Tabcorp, which has the biggest betting pools in the country with the NSW and Victoria totes, made a $1.9bn play for UniTab, but the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission opposed the union on the grounds it would leave Tabcorp as the owner of all the major totalisators in Australia — a decision that then cleared the way for Tatt’s acquisition of UniTab. But the competitive landscape now looks very different. Over the past five years online betting firms such as Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and William Hill have piled into the market, their expansion fuelled partly by generous tax regimes on offer from the ACT and Northern Territory governments. The relentless growth of internet-based betting has wreaked havoc on the big guns, leaving their wagering business with flat growth trajectories. Tabcorp is fighting back by pursuing its own online ventures. Bankers say the ACCC issues that stymied the deal last time are now surmountable. What are the odds the two players can now agree on price?

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