General News *NEW TO 2009*

Future directions for Central Coast racing
The issue of only one race club for the Central Coast has been doing the rounds for something like twenty years but recent meetings between NSW Gaming and Racing Minister, Kevin Greene, and representatives from Wyong and Gosford Race Clubs to discuss the industry’s future – particularly in the present economic climate – means that one Central Coast club could come about in the not so distant future. It follows the Minister’s meeting with representatives from Sydney’s two metropolitan race clubs early in the year to discuss an amalgamation of both.

Minister Greene met with the Chairman and CEOs of the Wyong and Gosford Race Clubs along with Peter V’landys, Chief Executive of Racing NSW, in early February to discuss the viability and future of racing in the Central Coast area.
 “Specifically, we focused on the feasibility of having the Gosford and Wyong Race Clubs operate together as one Central Coast body,” said Mr Greene, “and again, I was very pleased with the positive way this meeting concluded. All parties have now agreed to a process that will see terms of reference formed with a view to engaging an independent person to undertake a feasibility study”.

Chairman of the Wyong Race Club, Rodney Wicks, welcomed the move. “With the clear synergy that already exists between the two clubs so geographically close, commonsense suggests that the best use of that synergy be investigated,” he said.
Chairman of Gosford Race Club, Peter Norrgard also agreed saying, “The prevailing economic climate accentuates the need for both clubs to investigate efficiencies which can benefit the racing industry generally.”

Minister Greene said the first step of the process will see the proposal placed before the respective Boards of the two clubs, seeking their support for the study. It is expected that, subject to the support of the Boards, appropriate terms of reference will be drafted and a suitable person will be commissioned to undertake the review as soon as possible.

Emergency care on the Central Coast receives a boost
The NSW Minister for Health, The Hon. John Della Bosca, has announced the establishment of a senior academic in Emergency Medicine to strengthen emergency care at Wyong and Gosford Hospitals, lifting the academic and clinical profile of both hospitals and further improve their capabilities.

The State Government has committed more than $1.5 million over the next five years to make this position possible.
A major search will commence immediately using a specialist recruitment agency to find an eminently qualified Emergency Department clinician to fill this exciting new role.

Mr Della Bosca said, “The establishment of a senior academic position at Wyong and Gosford recognises and promotes the strengths of our existing Emergency Department staff. It will also make Wyong Hospital more attractive to other talented emergency department personnel looking to move and develop their expertise”.

Agreement at last on water supply corporation
An agreement has finally been reached on the formation of a corporation to manage the Central Coast’s water supply.
The decision was made at a high level meeting at Gosford Council between Water and Utilities Minister, The Hon. Phillip Costa MLC, Gosford and Wyong Mayors Chris Holstein and Bob Graham and their respective Council General Managers Peter Wilson and Kerry Yates.

A ‘high order working party’ will be established to iron out the nuts and bolts including the composition of the corporation.
It will consist of the General Managers and the Water and Energy Department’s Director-General Mark Duffy. The decision ended more than two years of wrangling in which Wyong feared the worst if the existing joint council board was disbanded and decisions were placed in the hands of a state government-run body.

Minister Costa said he wanted matters relating to the operation of a corporation to manage the Central Coast’s water supply settled quickly, but could give no firm start date. “There’s a process to go through but the important thing is everyone is in agreement,” he said. “It will be a body that makes its own decisions about the Coast’s water supply and do away with red tape.”
The minister said both councils would be on the ratepayer-funded corporation.

$10 million for Woy Woy commuter car park
Gosford Council is to spend $10 million upgrading the Woy Woy commuter car park, adding 300 parking spaces. Construction is expected to commence in July this year and be completed by July 2010. Council said the upper deck of the existing car park was likely to be closed for a short period during construction. While Council owns the car park, it is being planned, designed and built by NSW Government agency, the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (TIDC).

Gosford lifeguards win at Bondi
Gosford City Council has won the Bondi Beach Challenge for the fourth time in five years.
The ten-member team competed against other New South Wales Councils in the celebrated event at Bondi Beach on Wednesday 11 February. In a change from previous years, the ten team members had to be made up of one competitor aged over 45 years and two over 35 years.

Gosford Council had the largest number of supporters down at Bondi Beach, with over 30 staff making the trip to cheer for the team. According to Council's Beach Superintendent, Craig Healy, who ran the final leg of the race, it was the determination and notorious team spirit that won it for the Gosford City team. Team members included Stuart Paterson, Andrew Oakley, Trent Martin, Adam House, Ben Miller, Guy Schofield, Tim Schofield, Brendan Schofield, Liam Jackson, and Craig Healy.
The race is scheduled to appear on Channel Ten's Bondi Rescue in mid March.

Other New South Wales councils competing at the event included Newcastle, Wyong, Warringah, Waverley, Sutherland, Randwick, Wollongong and Kiama.

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