August 2012 E-Newsletter - Liberal Party of Australia | WA Division

AUGUST 2012
Geraldton Turf Club looks great as season nears
THE Geraldton Turf Club (GTC) is gearing up for the start of their 2012/13 season in fine style.
The club is looking in great shape, a point not lost on myself and Minister for Sport and Recreation; Racing
and Gaming Hon. Terry ‘Tuck’ Waldron when on course recently to announce $450,000 funding for
infrastructure upgrades.
The funds will allow the GTC to build two new toilet blocks, including a disabled toilet, and renovate the 40-
year-old patron service kitchen.
Further enhancing the public amenity all three structures will be connected by breezeways and patios will be
added, and there will also be landscaping with all roads being kerbed and asphalted.
Since becoming the local member several other projects have come to fruition at the club – the opening of
new offices, building new stalls and the installation of plastic safety running rails.
The latter initiative had the dual benefit of meeting occupational health and safety needs at the venue with
the replaced running rails recycled at smaller courses and picnic venues such as Landor, Leonora, Leinster and
Gascoyne Junction race clubs to name a few that benefited across the State.
The GTC committee and member Sandy Harrison (right) and I discussed the announcement of $450,000 funding through the Racecourse
Infrastructure Grants and Royalties for Regions.
International flavour in Geraldton marathon
Our yacht finishes on Southampton Water

An interesting life tallied
A VERY interesting book – Chased But Chaste - was launched at the
Wintersun Hotel recently.
It was a pleasure to be present at the book’s release and hear how it
details the shearing exploits of an intriguing character, Rick Ridley.
Written by his sister, Joan Ridley, it chronicles Rick’s life as a well-known
Geraldton identity of many talents – as a shearer, cray-fisherman and
horse trainer. The book also illustrates the history of shearing throughout
the Mid West and northern areas of WA and pens some marvellous
portraits of the profession’s many personalities and charismatic
individuals.
Joan should be congratulated for the work she’s done in compiling the
book which features a forward by Jon Sanders, the first yachtsman to
twice single-handedly circumnavigate the globe – nonstop and unassisted.
The book can be purchased from TyrePower and Read A Lot Books.
Cyclist rides on for lost brother
Ride of a life……Long distance cyclist James
Quinton passed into WA and has arrived in
Geraldton.
Hopefully some larger donations can be made
at www.everydayhero.com.au/james_quinton .
You can follow James’ journey on facebook.
AS EXPECTED long distance cyclist James Quinton arrived in Geraldton on
Sunday as he attempts the challenge of a lifetime - riding more than
4000km solo from Darwin to Perth to raise awareness of suicide
prevention and mental wellbeing.
James has been riding up to eight hours a day in memory of his brother
who took his life five years ago in Geraldton. He consequently wants to
make his time in our city a focus of his charity ride.
With the help of his family, friends and generous community support
throughout WA, he is attempting to raise $50,000 for Lifeline WA.
“Suicide is the leading cause of death of people my age in Australia. This
ride is for them,” James said.
I urge Geraldton people to get those gold coin donations out in support
of James as he heads toward Dongara later today.
Big names run Geraldton marathon
THE 13 th annual Geraldton Harriers Marathon has been run and won – but aside from
individual honours the big winners were all who played a part in organising the successful
event.
Congratulations to the club’s many volunteers who helped keep the 170-strong field on
course and ensured everything ran smoothly on the day.
In the men’s open race Scott Hawker (2:47:25) took advantage of a flying start to win
comfortably by over 13 minutes from last year’s champion John Pedse (3:00:27). Our
local men were led in by Johnny Barber (3:17:17) in fourth place. Lauren Jones – winner
of the women’s marathon- also bolted out of the blocks and showed a lot of steely
resolve to confound those who considered her in trouble mid-race. Laureen (3:24:41)
came in ahead of Barbara Fieberg (3:45:41) with local Fiona Galvin (3:48:48) in third spot.
Former Japanese runner Michihito Muroi (3 rd in 3:06:40) completed his 160 th marathon –
98 of which are sub 3hrs – and Julia Thorne (right), the first and only Australian woman to
complete 100 marathons is now approaching 140. Also, Taiwan’s Ching-te Huang is on
track to run a 100 marathons in as many weeks and used our race to notch his 46 th .

Looking forward to some big events on the horizon
Relay For Life
It’s on again at Eadon-Clarke Oval from 11am to 11am on
October 27-28.
The relay runs for 24 hours because cancer never sleeps. It’s a
unique overnight fundraising event that brings communities
together in the fight against cancer. This team event celebrates
survival, honours those lost to cancer and offers hope for a
cancer-free future. All who relay rally together to make up a
team and enjoy their time together – it’s a lot of fun for a great
cause.
Last year’s Geraldton-Greenough relay attracted 17 teams and
raised in excess of $83,000 - it was a magnificent effort from all
fund-raisers.
Show dates in the region
IT’S moving towards that time of year again when the
agricultural shows take pride of place throughout the region.
This year’s show dates are:
Dowerin Field Days – Aug 29-30
Mullewa – Sept 1
Chapman Valley – Sept 8
Northampton – Sept 15
Mingenew Expo – Sept 20-21
The ribbons are again up for grabs- last year Terry Ash’s
award-winning ram caught the eye of Northampton Ag
Society president Brian Ayers and me.

Support for life’s problems
GERALDTON’S growth potential has been well documented and it’s great
to see business flourishing and expanding in our city.
It’s the sign of a vibrant community if people are setting up new business
and promoting innovative ideas. One such business is - My Coach Wendy
– started up by practicing neuro linguistic programmer Wendy Watters
about a year ago.
Wendy’s business concentrates on ‘new life parenting’ and operates on
three principles – parent coaching, life coaching and grief support.
Buoyed by a “fantastic response” to her program, Wendy said she wants
to help “new parents stuck with everyday problems and people stuck in
their grief”.
Anyone wanting more information can view Wendy’s web-site
www.mycoachwendy.com.au or phone 0427 719 720.
It produces base load power, with no emissions, and little running costs.
Local business start-ups like that of Wendy
Watters’ is the essence of a vibrant
community and I caught up with her on
the Geraldton foreshore.
Race ends at Southampton water
Weary but jubilant…...Geraldton, Western
Australia crew celebrate on Southampton
Water after a gruelling yearlong challenge
navigating the world’s largest and most
formidable oceans. Pic courtesy onEdition
GERALDTON – proudly dubbed the event’s “friendliest city” - has now
twice been a stopover port in the gruelling ‘Clipper Round The World
Yacht Race’.
These magnificent yachts spent seven days here from October 31 to
November 6 this year and we had our own yacht Geraldton, Western
Australia competing alongside nine other entrants.
Our race entry was made possible by a contribution from the State
Government’s Regional Events Fund, showcasing Geraldton and WA’s
name around the world.
The 11-12 race fleet finished their race at Southampton on July 23 with
Gold Coast, Australia securing overall victory after 51 weeks of exhaustive
ocean racing. Our Geraldton yacht came in a creditable fifth overall.
City of Greater Geraldton rates increase
MANY residents will have now received rate notices from the City of Greater Geraldton, which contained
substantial increases, averaging some 27 per cent.
Most of the increase flows from a revaluation that is conducted every four years by the State Valuer-General.
This is an independent body, that neither the State Government, nor a Member of Parliament can influence.
However, the decision to pass on the full revaluation, and add to it another 6.7%, was the decision of the
council.
I do not support this decision and I do not think it was justified!
I have written to the Premier, and the Minister of Local Government, to raise my objections to this increase in
the strongest terms.
My office can supply the forms to object to the valuation, or they can be downloaded from the Landgate
web-site.