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Tasmania Latest News
News from the Island State
From Tasmania ICPA State Publicity Officer Adele Plunkett, April 2010
I first became involved with ICPA in 2002 when I voiced my concerns regarding a Government Boarding house here in Tasmania to one of our local ICPA members. I ended up at a meeting with the then State Education Minister, which started the ball rolling for an inspection by her of the hostel and some funds becoming available for refurbishment. I became a member of my local East Coach Branch and hence my involvement started with ICPA and its many passionate members.
That was just the start for me of witnessing some amazing efforts from the Tasmanian ICPA. Although we only have a small membership we have some very passionate members who have been responsible for some great achievements on behalf of rural and remote areas in Tasmania.
Some of the feats include the successful running of Federal Conference in 2008, which I’m sure many of you attended and enjoyed.
We have also made a concerted effort to have regular meetings with the Tasmanian Government which has seen us canvass and succeed in getting a new boarding facility built in Launceston for rural and remote children to stay in whilst attending college. Further upgrades have been made to Springvale Hostel in Hobart with the erection of two new sections, which now sees this establishment able to host up to 70 students on a weekly or full time basis. We have also made a concerted effort to have regular meetings with the State Education Minister and shadow minister so that they are aware of the advantages and disadvantages that rural parents and students have to deal with on a regular basis.
Youth Allowance has also been a big concern to us all and has seen us write many letters and responses to all concerned regarding this important matter. Our State President Annie Browning has been a great champion of this cause and we were all very proud of her interview on ABC Radio here in Tasmania on this concerning issue.
This year Tasmania has experienced a State Election with an unusual outcome - a hung parliament - so we now have Labour governing with the Greens. We are all waiting to see how this will effect education, transport and the many other issues that affect our rural areas. We are keen to have meetings with the newly appointed Education and Transport Ministers to voice our thoughts and concerns and to keep our presence in the forefront of the politicians.
I’m sure, like many of you, we still find ourselves fighting the same issues our parents endured all those years ago, which is the right to education of the same standard that our urban counterparts enjoy along with transport and other services our rural areas are loosing or simply do not have.
Tasmania ICPA have approximately 8 to 10 people attend our regular meetings which proves that successful outcomes can be achieved no matter what the number as long as you are passionate about the cause and we all know how passionate the ICPA and its members are.
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