Health Minister Lara Giddings and Labor Member for Derwent Michael Aird today announced a suite of health and community service development and a $3 million capital injection for the Central Highlands.

Mr Aird said the package would ensure reliable, safe and sustainable services are delivered to the community for years to come.

Ms Giddings said the Government’s capital investment program included upgrades to the Central Highlands Community Health Centre at Ouse, development of four new independent living units, support for more aged care placements at New Norfolk, and a new community transport vehicle.

”I am delighted that such a positive set of services and investment has been agreed after months of working closely with the community to design better services,” Ms Giddings said.

“I thank the members of the consultative committee and the Central Highlands Council for their contribution to what I believe will be an exemplary health and social care service that will grow over time.

“This plan takes an integrated approach – it tackles both the health infrastructure and housing and telecommunications challenges the area faces.

“The community relies heavily on their local GP and part of the capital program involves upgrading the GP consulting rooms with an improved waiting area and administrative office.

“Funding will also go towards transferring to the local council five public housing units co-located at the health centre site and upgrading them to achieve a village like feel.

“Supporting the elderly forms a significant part of this plan, with $1.2 million going towards the construction of four new independent living units suitable for frail residents, plus new high care packages and support for residential care places in New Norfolk,’ Ms Giddings said.

Mr Aird said the comprehensive package represented a very welcome investment in the local community.

“As the local Labor Member for Derwent I am very pleased to see such a broad ranging and significant range of services being put in place,” Mr Aird said.

“Members of the Central Highlands community will now have certainty about how their health and community services will look in future.

“There will be an increase in healthy lifestyle programs, more community care, a day centre offering respite services and a number of high and low aged care packages to support the elderly to live at home.

“I am also particularly pleased that Telstra has come on board to improve mobile coverage and broadband access by building new Next G facilities near Hamilton and Ouse,” Mr Aird said.

Ms Giddings and Mr Aird said the plan included:

• $1 million to improve and upgrade the Ouse Community and Health Centre site;
• $1.2 to design and construct 4 new accessible units for the frail and aged;
• $100,000 towards transferring five public housing units to the Central Highlands Council and their upgrade;
• $422,500 partnership between Telstra and DHHS Telehealth to improve telehealth facilities, including the integration of leading edge technologies that will maximise the additional mobile phone coverage being installed in the region;
• $600,000 towards supporting Corumbene Nursing Home at New Norfolk in its application for additional high care places from the Australian Government; and
• a new all wheel drive community transport vehicle to be based at Ouse to transport residents to medical appointments and other health related activities.

Tasmania was the only State to record a growth in retail trade in February, figures released today show.

The Treasurer, Michael Aird, said figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the value of retail trade in Tasmania increased by 1.3 per cent in February 2009 to $426.8 million.

“The value in February 2009 is 9.5 per cent above the level recorded one year earlier,” Mr Aird said.

“The national series decreased by 2.0 per cent in February 2009, but was 4.1 per cent above the level recorded one year earlier.

“All other States recorded a decrease in retail trade in February in seasonally adjusted terms.”

Mr Aird said the figures should be viewed with cautious optimism.

“It is clear that some of the increase can be attributed to the Rudd Government’s economic stimulus package which put money into the pockets of families and pensioners,” he said.

“These figures are encouraging for the retail sector in the face of ongoing deterioration in the global economy and come on the back of positive results from the MyState Tasmanian Economic Index released yesterday.”

Mr Aird said ABS figures also showed the number of dwelling approvals in Tasmania increased by 1.7 per cent in February 2009 (in trend terms) but remain 8.0 per cent lower than one year earlier.

“Nationally, the number of dwelling approvals decreased by 2.0 per cent in February 2009 and was 29.8 per cent below the level of one year earlier,” he said.

“The increase in approvals in Tasmania is likely due to the large boost to the first home owner grant under the Rudd Government’s initial economic stimulus package

“The value of residential approvals in the year to February 2009 was 7.7 per cent (or $52.5 million) more than the value of approvals in the year to February 2008.

“As I have said before we are not immune to the global financial crisis and our economy will weaken in 2009, but we are well placed to weather the storm.”

Note: Monthly trend estimates of retail trade are not currently available so seasonally adjusted data has been used in this release.  Seasonally adjusted estimates of retail trade for a small jurisdiction such as Tasmania generally show a high degree of volatility.

Members of the Bridgewater community were today recognised for completing training to boost their computer skills.

The Labor member for Derwent, Michael Aird, presented certificates to 12 graduates of the eLearn program, completed through the Bridgewater Library and Online Access Centre

“The eLearn program is designed to give participants basic skills in Information Technology,” Mr Aird said.

“During the 10 week course, delivered through a partnership between Online Access Centres and the Tasmanian Polytechnic, each student is paired with an online teacher with local support provided by an Online Access Centre coordinator and volunteers.

“Successful participants obtain four units towards Certificate I in Information Technology.

“The Bridgewater Library and Online Access centre has strongly embraced the eLearn program with more than 140 patrons undertaking the course over the past seven years.

“Since July 1 last year the centre has had 15 eLearn enrolments and nine clients are currently undertaking the program.

“We have committed $90 million to build up to 30 child and family centres and $14.9 million to build five Learning and Information Network Centres (LINCs) around Tasmania, including one at Bridgewater.

“The LINC will be part of the broader Bridgewater Brighton Learning Federation now underway, which is looking at the future direction for education and training provision in the Bridgewater/Brighton community.

 “The Bridgewater Library and Online Access Centre offers the community a range of library and education programs that target the needs of all age groups from babies to senior citizens.

“I’d like to congratulate the successful graduates of the eLearn program and commend the Bridgewater Library and Online Access centre for their work in providing lifelong learning opportunities to the local community.”