File shotTHE cold snap that has gripped Araratin recent weeksis placing enormous pressure on the city’s emergency relief services.

Demand for food, clothing and blankets among both struggling families and the homelesshas risen as temperatures drop to near-freezing levels.

Support services have received reports of up to four families without accommodation forced to live from their cars at a recreational reserve on the outskirts of town.

Ararat Emergency Relief Committee president Howard Hutchison said winter was an especially difficult time of year for people who did not have the financial means to support themselves.

Howard Hutchison

He said his church alone was helping about 26 families a week try to stave off the dual ravages of hunger and the cold.

“There has been an increase in demand for assistance,” he said. “We had a good supply of doonas until recently but there’s been great demand for them.”

The Ararat Emergency Relief Committee comprises representatives from the Uniting Church, St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, Church of Christ and Anglican Church.

It receives some government funding to carry out its work but also relies heavily on the goodwill of volunteers and donations from the community.

Mr Hutchison said a lack of steady jobs combined with the ever-rising cost of living had contributed to the number of local families battling this winter.

“One of the reasons that demand has increased is because of the power bills,” he said. “A few families had to pay their power bills and then couldn’t afford to pay for food.”

A dearth of short-term crisis accommodation in Ararat is another problem hindering the committee’sefforts to get people back on their feet.

Mr Hutchison said it was an issue that needed to be addressed, particularly due to a surge in demand from domestic violence victims.

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Are you one of Port Augusta’s best photographers? Youhave the chance to have your work on local TV thanks to the Port Augusta Council.

ThePort AugustaCouncil is inviting anyone with good scenery images taken in the Port Augusta Council area to submit them for consideration for use in theirtelevision calendar of events weekly promotions.

The Calendar of Events runs on TV two days each week and the Port Augusta Councilis seeking images that can be used as a weekly feature.

Any photo used will be credited withthe name of the photographer and will also feature the image on thePort AugustaCouncil’sFacebook page.

The photo must be taken in the Port Augusta Council Area, including Blanche Harbor,Miranda Holiday Homes, and Stirling North.

The photo is to be of scenery such assunsets, landscapes andevents.

If the photo does contain people they need to be non-distinguishable.

When submitting a photo your name, contact number and a description of where the image was taken must be included.

The image needs to be in landscape format and adhere to the following rules.

Image format: jpg/jpeg/tiff or pngResolution: 1280×720 or 1920x1080It’s also important to rememberyou are giving permission for Council to use the image in its other publications including its Annual Report, Facebook page andits website.To submit an entry, send it [email protected]论坛or use theOnline Submission Form.For inquiries, contact Council’s Events Officer Brooke Mundy on 86419100.

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NEW VENTURE: Jason Stephenson at his Boston Bay Smallgoods Company farm. Picture: Amanda Davenport, Flavours of South Australia.AYEARafter he madethe movefrom building to pig farming, Jason Stephenson’s pork products are in high demand by chefs at restaurants from Adelaide to Sydney.

After 23 years in the building trade, Mr Stephenson launched apig farming and smallgoods business, farming at Boston Bay until it outgrew the property.

The familyhassince boughtmore than 1000 hectares at Rudallfor therare Berkshire and Tamworth pigs to roam free.

“A friend of mine in Coffin Bay was running a few pigs and I went over there with my family and we all had a genuinely happy time.

“It seemed the right time for a change in our lifestyle.”

He keeps 130 breeding sows and about 500 other pigs from birthto market ready and numbers will increase as demand grows.

The animalsgrazeon native vegetation and about half the property has been planted with wheat and barley for additional feed.

Mr Stephenson said he chose Berkshire and Tamworth pigs because they were known for the exceptional quality of their meat, which was in strong demand by chefs and gourmet meat suppliers.

“The fact that I’m breeding Berkshire and Tamworth pigs is a big selling point and I really want to be an ambassador for the breeds,” he said.

The animals are butchered in Port Lincoln and the smallgoods processed in Adelaide, with production running at about one tonne a week.

The early success of Boston Bay Smallgoods has been recognised byBrand South Australia and is in the running to be showcased at the Eyre Peninsula Regional Awards dinner later this year.

At the moment Mr Stephenson is still operating his construction businessJ & L Stephenson Building Contractors, but hopes to be farming full-time within 18 months once he has finished some major projects.

A farm manager is looking after the pigs in the meantime.

He said the transition from building to pig farming was not proving too hard.

“Running pigs is common sense to a point,” he said.

“It’s not rocket science and the internet is a wonderful thing.”

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Epidemic: Sosene Misi needed the five toes on his left foot amputated after they became infected as a result of diabetes and gangrene. Picture: Simon BennettForthe past four yearsSosene Misi has spent most of his dayscamped on the lounge with his left foot perched up in the air,as a result of doctors orders.

Unfortunately the 62-year-old’s story is not uncommon.

The Ruse resident isone many Australians who have needed an amputation after fallingvictim to the diabetes epidemic.

In 2012 –one year after he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes –Mr Misi had the five toes on his left foot amputated after a combination of gangrene and diabetesthreatened to infect his entire leg.

In the 12 months before his operation, swollen toes had become a regular problemfor Mr Misi.

Usually a few tablets did the trick.

But this time was different.

“I tried to put my shoes and socks on as I was gettingready for work, and I saw my toes were swollen,” he said.

“I went to the medical centre in Ingleburn and the doctorsaid you have to go to Campbelltown Hospital straight away.

“I had some tests and two hours later the doctors said I had to go to Liverpool Hospital.

“There were two doctors waiting for me and they said ‘we have to take you upstairs straight away and do the operation’.

“They said if theycouldn’t amputate mytoes Iwould lose mywhole leg.

“I was crying because my wifedropped me at Campbelltown Hospital butwe didn’t think my toeswould be amputated.

“Every time Ihad swollen toesthey just gave me tablets -but this time, no.”

Mr Misi spent the following three weeks in hospital before being discharged –about two and a half weeks longer than they average stay for a patient in hospital.

Following the operation he also received regular visits from health professionals to help change his bandages, and still requires monthly check-ups.

He also required two-daily injections.

It wasan expensive lesson for Mr Misi, who said he was unaware of diseases such a diabetes and cancer, while growing up in Samoa.

That’s why more funding for educationand preventionwas a must, the head ofCampbelltown Hospital’sEndocrinology Unit, Dr David Simmons said.

“It’s a small investment in comparison to four years off work, three weeks in hospitaland repeated attendancesin clinics,” he said.

“Diabetes is stopping people from working and costing hospitals a lot (of money).

“(Mr) Misididn’t know much about diabetes so he needed education andthis is what we need to make sure is in place.

“We need to give people the tools and knowledgetofind a way to support them.

“Isn’t it better to prevent the problem?”

The Ruse local’s condition has gradually improved and last week he began to walk an hour a day as part of an exercise regime.

He is also hopeful of returning to work next year.

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Tasmania has now lost 4300 jobs since September and 15 Tasmanians a day are quitting the labour force.

Shadow Treasurer Scott Bacon described the latest numbers as alarming.

“The Liberals’ one-line slogans are clearly not working,” Mr Bacon said.

“We need a government that is prepared to implement real change to encourage employment growth.”

Shadow Treasurer Scott Bacon.

The dire numbers were in Australian Bureau of Statistics trend terms data showing the unemployment rate unchanged in June at 6.5 per cent, while total employment was unchanged at 237,100 since May.

However, that total was 4300 jobs down on September.

A month earlier, the ABS estimated 3900 jobs had gone since September.

It revised total May employment down by 100.

Its measure of the labour force (employed people plus those formally recognised as unemployed) showed a decline of 4100 people (about15 per day) since September.

That would include people retiring -potentially including a wave of retiring Baby Boomers -plus those quitting the formal hunt for work.

The figures showed 2800jobs held by males had gone since September, and1400 jobs held by females.

Full-time employment was down by 1000 to 155,300.

The participation rate (people in work or looking) was flat in June at 59.7 per cent, but 1.3 per cent down since August.

Acting Treasurer Rene Hidding said: “Tasmania’s unemployment rate remains steady at 6.5 per cent; a full 1per cent lower than it was at the election, and nearly 2per cent lower than the 8.4 per cent peak reached under Labor and the Greens.”

“More than 2000 jobs have been created since the election …”

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The new Perth Children’s Hospital’s roof is riddled with asbestos. Photo: Department of HealthSome construction workers at Perth Children’s Hospital are understood to have walked off site after the Health Minister revealed on Thursday morning the facility’s roof was riddled with asbestos.

More than 150 concrete roof panels at the hospital will have to be replaced by builder John Holland after a worker on Monday noticed an unusual white substance when he cut into the roof to install an exhaust fan.

Testing has confirmed the panels, supplied by Chinese company Yuanda, contained the deadly fibre, despite the product being certified as meeting Australian standards at the beginning of the $1.2 billion project.

Health Minister John Day conceded other major construction projects in WA which used Yuanda products, including the Perth Stadium and Fiona Stanley Hospital, could also contain asbestos, after the testing revealed a likely case of supply chain fraud.

“The panels have been fully tested in the early samples and they were certified as being appropriate for Australian standards,” he told Radio 6PR.

“I’m advised that John Holland appears to have acted in good faith all the way along…they feel very let down by their supplier.

“It should not have been there, it’s completely wrong and I think the manufacturer certainly has some explaining to do.”

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union WA claims the hospital’s atrium roof is “riddled” with asbestos and that the “cheap” Chinese concrete panels used by John Holland had put workers at risk.

“Our immediate concern is for the workers who have installed this product and also for the potential on-going health risks to workers and future patients at the hospital,” CFMEU WA state secretary Mick Buchan said.

“We now have workers who have cut, sawn, nailed and drilled this product without any protection.”

Mr Buchan on Thursday told Radio 6PR he had taken a call from a distressed member on Wednesday night who was working on the hospital’s atrium.

“[He said] ‘I was on the scaffolding that day and I was helping cut all this, I was covered in dust, I went home, [my wife] washed my clothes, what are the health effects that could get carried through to her?’,” he said.

“Who would have thought that a product that was banned in Australian in 2003 could get through border protection and wind up on a brand new childrens hospital project?

“We’ve put it to Comcare [the national workplace safety regulator] that they need to immediately put a prohibition notice on that job until independent experts can come though and give it the all clear.”

WAtoday understands around half the construction workers at the hospital site have walked off the job on Thursday morning.

Project Director for John Holland Lindsay Albonico said the company became aware of the issue on Monday evening.

“We needed to validate what it was,” he said.

Mr Albonico admitted the fact asbestos was found inside a children’s hospital in this day and age was worrying.

“The moment I became concerned about that, we activated a management plan as thought it was asbestos, but without knowing it was abestos.”

“We cleared the site the moment that we knew.”

“There’s a process that industry adopts in terms of validating the delivery of safe products to a construction site – we followed that,” he said.

He said 40 workers had registered a concern about the incident.

– with James Mooney

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For the second time this State League season, Kade Munday’s games played tally has put the Burnie captain in the spotlight as his Dockers career hits yet another high point.

BIG MOMENT: Burnie captain Kade Munday will play his 300th game for the Dockers on Saturday when the team travels to Launceston to play the Blues at Windsor Park.

The 33-year-old will run out for the club for the 300thtime on Saturday at Windsor Park when Burnie face Launceston.

This magic moment comes after the midfielderbroke the club’s games record in April.

“It is hard to say really what this means to me, but I know by the time Saturday comes it will really kick in for me,’’ Munday said.

“It is one of those things I will look back on when I finish up, but 300 at this level is probably the big one.

“To get this you have to have a lot of luck and a lot of support.

“When you get to 100 and then to 200, you do start to think that maybe there aren’t too many left, but while you are still contributing to the team, you keep on playing.

“It is one of those things when you first start out you don’t really think about though.”

The five-time premiership player (four in the NTFL and one in the State League) said the fact his love for the game and the club had not dropped since debuting in 2001 was a major reason for his longevity in the game.

“The people you play with people keep you playing as well.

“You have to enjoy still playing on a Saturday with these blokes and if you can get a result with them, that really is what is all about.”

Munday rated current teammate Andrew Lee and former co-captain Luke Shackleton as two men that have made his time more enjoyable.

And those flags are the standout moments of his time at the club.

He is hopeful there is at leastone more premiership to add to that collection before his career is over.

The team getting back to the level displayed in the win over Glenorchy in his earlier milestone match is what will be required to ensure that dream can be achieved this year.

“I think we can get back there, as our first quarter on the weekend (against Lauderdale) was some of the best footy that we have played.

“We’ve just got to do it for four quarters and that’s what we are building on for the rest of the season.”

Munday sees the clash with Launceston as more of a chance to put four quarters of football togetherrather than a personal celebration.

But he knows that won’t be easy against a the Blues,who seriously challenged the third-placed Dockersat West Park earlier in the season.

“They are one of those teams that if you get on top of them early, you can run away with it.

“But in saying that, we did do that early at West Park and they came back at us.

“They always play well against us and we will be aiming to go up to play good football for the full four quarters, something we haven’t done for a while.

“That will be our main focus, and if we do that, then we know the result will take care of itself.”

Munday said his football future was something that was on his mind, but he wouldn’t be making any decisions until the end of the season.

“But as long as I still think I can contribute, I will continue to play.”

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Lost at sea … this Busselton boatie had a rough morning at sea. Photo: Louise de JagerA Busselton boatie has had a day to forget after strong waves washed his four wheel drive into the ocean.

Witness Louise de Jager contacted the Busselton Mail to say she was down at the Abbey Boat Ramp on Geographe Road about 11am on Wednesday when she saw a four-wheel-drive swimming in the ocean just off the boat ramp.

She said she understands waves caused the car to slip off the ramp as it was taking a boat out of the water.

An industrial tow was used to pull the car out of the sea.

This is the third four-wheel-drive to take to the water in the South West within a month after extraordinary footage of two four-wheel-drives rolling around in the surf at Hamelin Bay emerged in June 2016.

The utes were unable to be ‘rescued’ by the SES. Photo: Augusta-Margaret River SES

Emergency services were called recover two utes marooned on the beach but by the time they arrived the utes were rolling around in the drink and couldn’t be “rescued”.

“Unfortunately the tide was a bit higher than it was when the drivers left their vehicles the night before and we couldn’t help without putting our own vehicles at risk,” a Facebook post by the Augusta-Magaret River State Emergency Services read.

– Busselton Mail

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The jobless rate rose in June, but markets took heart from a big full-time push. Photo: Louise KennerleyThe unemployment rate rose slightly in June, although a surge in full-time jobs may take some pressure off the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut interest rates further.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday its latest labour force survey showed a net 8000 jobs were created during the month, edging the official unemployment rate up to 5.8 per cent, from 5.7 per cent.

The participation rate rose slightly to 64.9 per cent.

However, in contrast to previous months, the newly employed were full-time, with the loss of more than 30,000 casual positions offsetting a 38,400-strong gain in full-time jobs.

The Australian dollar took heart from this, spiking more than one-quarter of a US cent, to around US76.30¢.

The latest jobs figures were in line with expectations.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast a 0.1 percentage point jump in the headline rate, to 5.8 per cent, on the addition of 10,000 positions. The jobless rate had been steady at 5.7 per cent for three consecutive months until the June rise.

Capital Economics’ chief economist for Australia Paul Dales said the latest jobs numbers showed the market was “in reasonable shape”, although recent part-time trends and the low level of total hours worked pointed to “plenty of spare capacity”.

“There was more good news with all the rise in employment in June being due to a leap in full-time employment . . . while part-time employment fell . . . ,” he said.

“But the number of hours worked fell by 0.3 per cent month-on-month, and the bulk of the rise in employment over the past year has been due to more part-time jobs.

“The resulting spare capacity explains why wage growth is at a record low and why the RBA is more worried about the weak outlook for inflation than the outlook for the unemployment rate,” he said.

UBS economist George Tharenou agreed the RBA’s focus is now second-quarter consumer price data, released late this month.

“Overall, the labour market survey continues to signal a decent trend for jobs growth, with steady unemployment,” he said.

“This continues to put the onus on low inflation to see the RBA deliver our expected 25 basis point rate cut in August.”

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Michael Schaper, deputy chair of the ACCC, says to independently source contact details for the ACCC through an internet search or phone book. Photo: Michel O’SullivanIs this the most fiendish scam yet? The ACCC has been forced to send out an alert about a new con where fraudsters impersonate the consumer watchdog itself.

A quick check of the ACCC website confirmed the warning has come from the ACCC itself and is not a scam by the impersonators.

The commission said the scam emails contained demands for money, as well as malware that infected the victim’s computer and could be used to extort money.

“In the past week, several businesses have reported receiving bogus requests from the ACCC to respond to a complaint that has been made about their business, or seek payment for an infringement notice for breach of copyright,” the ACCC reports.

“People should be on the lookout for ransomware, which is a type of malware that freezes your computer and demands a ransom for you to be able to access your computer again. Scammers commonly ask for bitcoins or ask you to transfer money by wire transfer but even if you pay the fee, there is no guarantee that your computer will be unlocked,” ACCC deputy chairman Michael Schaper said.

He said no money had been reported as lost at this stage and the emails were easy to spot as fakes if you “check the email address of the sender before clicking on any links”.

The scammers have been using email addresses such as @accc.govt419论坛 – Australian government agencies use .gov419论坛.

Another used by the scammers is [email protected]南京夜网.

Government agencies do no use free web-based email accounts such as outlook南京夜网.

The emails were also generically addressed to a ‘Business Owner’ and might contain errors, the ACCC said.

“If you unexpectedly receive an email from the ACCC, do not click on any links or respond to contact details provided in the email. Instead, independently source contact details for the ACCC through an internet search or phone book,” Dr Schaper said.

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