A r service raises ire
By CAITLYN RINTOUL
and LOIS SAUNDERS
ESPERANCE air travellers have called on
Australia's largest independent regional airline to increase capacity on its PerthEsperance route.
Regional Express (Rex) is under tire for
delayed flights, stand downs and offloaded
baggage since the airline took over on
February 28.
A Rex spokesperson said the airline had
received four complaints about delays on
the Esperance route.
However, the airline has defended the
"minor teething problems" and stood by its
record for reliability.
Esperance Star Tracker Priorities manager Peter Berry said the current service was
sub-standard with the aircraft's weight
restrictions limiting the freight services he
could provide.
The business operator said he could only
Frei g ht a parcel on one flight last week but
prior to Rex he used 12 flights a week.
Concrete World principal Chris Brien
was outraged after a series of flight delays
and baggage offloads on the PerthEsperance route.
Mr Brien said when one person was
asked to stand down he offered to stay
behind until he learned it would be three
days before Rex could guarantee him a seat.
Baggage offloaded on his flight was
delivered two days later.
"I want to acknowledge the ground staff
have done a terrific job in difficult circumstances," Mr Brien said.
In a written response to questions about
offloaded baggage, Rex stated it needed to
cave Perth with enough fuel to return in
case the plane was unable to land at the destination in adverse weather conditions.
"The huge amount of additional fuel that
needed to he carried meant that the uplift
capacity of the aircraft was reduced and
hence the need to offload baggage," the
spokesperson said.
"The baggage was carried at the next
available opportunity to reach the destination ports."
In response to criticism about flights that
returned to Perth after aircraft were unable
to land on March 23 and 24, the spokesper-
I
Angry: Business operatoi Chris Brien wants
Rex to increase its capacity on the Perth-to Esperance route.
son said passengers on all flights to Albany
and Esperance were notified by public
announcement and at check-in that severe
adverse weather in both destinations could
result in aircraft having to return to Perth.
"Given the adverse weather conditions,
we advised customers who did not want to
take the risk of returning to Perth to postpone their flights," the spokesman said.
"Rex has not cancelled a single flight
since it commenced operations in Western
Australia.
"Weather is a fact of life and no aircraft
could land at Esperance during the weather
Rex has experienced."
The spokesperson said Rex believed its
aircraft were ideally adapted to the local
environment and were the only planes that
could provide a safe, reliable service in a
commercially viable and sustainable manner.
The airline spokesperson did not foresee
winter weather would inhibit air travel to
Esperance.
"Rex has flown to Cooma airport in the
Snowy Mountains, as well as to other
regional airports that experience severe
winter conditions, without major issues,"
the spokesperson said.
"There is nothing a regional operator can
do if the weather does not permit landing."
The Rex spokesperson said more recent
delays were due to a power outage and dam-
age to the main circuit board at Esperance
airport that affected the refuelling equipment.
"A contingency plan was immediately
set up to divert any affected Esperance services via Albany to uplift fuel which would
ensure continuity of service," the
spokesperson said.
The Perth-Esperance air service route is
controlled by the West Australian
Department of Transport — Aviation
Division and the Shire of Esperance is
responsible for the airport facility.
The council's chief executive Matthew
Scott said the tarmac lights went out briefly
after moisture triggered an electrical fault in
the distribution board.
"Staff were on hand to correct this issue
with minimal disruption to terminal services and no safety risk to aircraft," he said.
"The cause of the initial fault was located the next day and corrected with no
impact on air services.
With reference to the federally funded
security equipment used when Virgin
Australia serviced the route that was no
longer used, Mr Scott said it would be sold
once the council was confident it would not
be needed again.
Both Mr Scott and Eyre MP Dr Graham
Jacobs encouraged community members to
forward any comments to Rex and the
Department of Transport which controlled
air travel to Esperance.
He said the council intended to forward
complaints it had already received to Rex
management.
"The shire is monitoring the situation
and will escalate any issues if needed if the
current service concerns become common
practice," he said.
Mr Scott said there was evidence of
some concern in the community but he
reminded people there were also positive
reactions.
"The handover was handled very professionally and efficiently by Rex, the ground
handler and airport staff working together,"
he said. "There were no major issues or
concerns."
Dr Jacobs has also been fielding complaints. He said on a recent Rex flight from
Perth his baggage was sent to Albany
instead of Esperance.
Shire mulls iettvv s urvey responses
J-
By CAITLYN RINTOUL
ESPERANCE residents'
responses to a survey clearly
show most want to replace the
Tanker Jetty in its existing spot.
Fewer than 12 per cent of
people in the Shire of Esperance
participated in the survey - with
more than 1700 submissions
during the four weeks it was
open.
Of the respondents more
than 90 per cent requested a
replacement jetty and 71 per
cent said they wanted it in the
same place on the headland.
The Esperance Shire Council
in February applied to the
Heritage Council of WA for
permission to demolish the heritage-listed Tanker Jetty
because its state of disrepair
made it a risk to public safety.
The heritage council tabled
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the council's demolition application on March ii.
Although its decision was
made two weeks ago, neither
the heritage council or the shire
council have release the outconic to the public.
Among the people who participated in the council's survey,
400 were school students,
potentially Esperance's next
ratepayers.
Esperance shire president
Victoria Brown said the next
step would he to collate and
analyse the information provided by the community.
"It is apparent the community as a whole wants a replacement structure in the same place
as the existing jetty," Cr Brown
said.
"After the results are collated
and released to the community,
we will need to work out hudg-
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The Esperance Express'
et options which are realistic
and sustainable.
"All options will he explored
with the community before firm
decisions are made.
"The council will meet the
community's needs through a
combination of listening to people's opinions and sharing the
information we have.
"Engaging with the community is how we ensure we are
making the right decisions for
everyone, bearing in mind there
is a distinction between strong
emotional opinion and
informed opinion."
The effect replacing the jetty
will have on ratepayers' pockets
is yet to he determined.
"We will have a clearer idea
of how our community want to
pay for a replacement after
we've finished collating the survey results," Cr Brown said.
.
In the past three years
$271,705 has been spent on
maintaining the Tanker Jetty.
This figure did not include
any public consultation or condition assessment reports the
shire undertoOk on the Jetty
during that time.
Since 2011 the shire has kept
the public informed about the
jetty's condition through structural reports, condition assessments, newsletters, workshops,
council agendas and minutes
published on the council website.
During the past two months
the council has conducted a
consultation process with the
community, providing opportunities at the Grass Patch Yabbie
Classic, Condingup Fair and at
the Museum Markets for residents to discuss the jetty's
future.
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THE ESPERANCE EXPRESS, Friday, April 1, 2016 3
Taxi ride leads
to theft charge
A NULSEN man ha been charged for stealing
cash from an Esperance taxi driver.
The 39-year-old man got into the taxi at a taxi
rank on Andrews Street on Monday afternoon and
asked to be driven to Nulsen.
Once they reached the destination, the man
allegedly stole the driver's money bag containing
cash and fled from the taxi.
The man returned shortly after and gave the
driver some loose coins before fleeing again.
He will appear in Esperance Magistrate Court
on May 11 to face charges.
McMu1Ien54'.k..
sabil INZ
Group in funding quandry
By MADISON SNOW
TEEN Challenge Grace Academy is asking
the federal government to reinstate funding
for its vocational college, which allows
people access to educational courses.
WA Teen Challenge executive director
and founder Malcolm Smith said the present legislation demanded you have a job
before you cna access the courses.
Having a job while in rehab was obviously difficult, he said.
O'Connor MP Rick Wilson is supporting Mr Smith in his quest to get the funding reinstated.
Mr Smith has written a letter to the government, asking for an exception to he
made.
"From Teen Challenges' point of view
some of them have never worked," Mr
Smith said.
"It seems to them they've failed at
everything they've touched.
"Getting a person off drugs is not difficult it's actually bringing a person to a
point where their life has meaning and purpose, that's difficult.
"This is where it's important that we
train these young people while they're in
rehab how to be job ready."
Mr Smith said one of the main reasons
people used drugs was as a coping mechanism for problems in their lives.
"You ask people all around the world,
'why are you taking this drug?' and they
will say "it makes me feel good'," Mr
Smith said.
Teen Challenge aimed to prepare people to be a real person back in society who
Teamwork: Teen Challenge Grace Academy directors Goran and Stephanie Mirosevic with ViP R
ck
Wilson and Teen Challenge executive director Malcolm Smith discuss the funding issue.
could handle the stresses of life without
taking drugs.
"If an employer isn't happy with what
they're doing, they don't have to medicate
their pain with illegal drugs to make themselves feel good."
On a recent visit to Teen Challenge
Grace Academy Mr Wilson was impressed
by the facility and the services offered, as
well as the dedication of the staff and plans
to advocate for the organisation.
Australian
Government's
"The
Community Development Program , which
replaced the Remote Jobs and
Communities Program, is focused on fur dingemployment programs with a uaranteed job outcome," Mr Wilson said.
"However. I would like to explo-e other
programs which might he appropriate
alternative sources of funding for the vocational training component of Grace
Academy.
"I will continuc to work with staff from
Teen Challenge and within the Acstralaii
Government to ry and identiL other
potential sources of funding."
'New priority TAFE lacks cash provision
By MADDISON SNOW
14 Gilpin Street Esperance
0417943140
www.mcmullenseperrance.com.au
ESPERANCE has been identified as a top
priority for a new TAFE, according to
Goldfields Esperance Development Commission manager southern region Shane
Liddelow.
He pointed out the Department of
Training and Workforce Development had
identified Esperance as a candidate for new
facilities.
The department's director-general Ruth
Shean said building a new Esperance campus was a priority, although it had not
received funding.
"The department is considering a range
of available options for funding and is also
looking at alternative sites in conjunction
with the Department of Education," Dr
Shean said.
Mr Liddelow said expressions of interest
were open through revitalisation funding
for the whole region.
"They can submit projects through that
process, we'll do an assessment and then
the ones which score highly and are selected by our board will he invited to prepare a
business case," Mr Liddelow said.
"Our board will sign off on the business
cases in December so it's not a short
process, we're talking millions of dollars.
By MADISON SNOW
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Saturday 9 April, 9am - 2pm
Esperance Indoor Sports Stadium
For more information contact the Esperance Chamber of
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4 THE ESPERANCE EXPRESS, Friday. ipdE 1.
ing was most needed.
"A number of new courses ha ,c been
introduced at the Esperance campus since
the start of 2015," Dr Shean said.
"Some of these are delivered in the areas
of nursing education, building and construction, electrical engineering technology.
agribusiness management and agriculture,
automotive air conditioning and graphic
design."
The Goldfields institute had also partnered with AusCfLem to introduce trainine
in chemical handling.
The institute had been improved with
refurbishments anJ building projects in the
past 18 months, including the construction
of a large area for building and construction
training, and the refurbishment of the hair
and beauty salon.
"Further trainin g opportunities for audents will be considered as changes to the
TAFE sector are implemented, following
recently announced recommendations of
the Training Sector Reform Project," she
said.
More changes to the TAFE sector are
imminent, as minister for training and
workforce development Liza Harvey
recently announced 230 administrative jobs
would go. Specifics of how the cut backs
will affect each institute are expected in
coming weeks.
Specialist tackles learning difficulties
i,-7m lr7
Gold Sponsor
"I think the TAFE facility is a $20-million project."
Projects would need cabinet approval.
Mr Liddelow said one of the potential
obstructions for a new TAFE would he a
change in government after the pending
election.
"If there's a change in government we'd
like to think it would still be approved, but
you never know," he said.
He expected decisions would be made in
the 2017-18 financial year, after the election. If approved the project would start
moving forward about June next year.
The TAFE proposal comes in the wake
of the Goldfields-Esperance Investment
Blueprint referencing a study which identified a need to encourage post-high-school
education and training across the region.
"The study also showed a clear demand
gap exists across the region for courses in
health, education, science and technology,
arts and commerce," the blueprint said.
"Education and training for professional
and business development in new technologies, digital infrastructure and application,
management and governance, and community 'whole of life' learning are also sought
after in the Goldfields-Esperance region."
Dr Shean said the Goldfields Institute of
Technology delivered courses based on student demand and in industries where train-
Media Partners
EXPRESS
SPEECH pathologist Natasha
Woodhouse from Learning
Pathways has emphasised the
importance of early identification
of learning difficulties.
She is the sole speech pathologist in Esperance with audiology
training and the only one in the
state centre using advanced neurofeedback technology which targets brainwaves needing enhancing.
When learning difficulties were
addressed it made schooling easier for children and their parents.
"My main area is learning diffi-
culties, because it's an area which
is not highly recognised," Ms
Woodhouse said. "When I break it
all down their parents can see
exactly what's going wrong, so
that helps them better understand
the difficulty their child has.
"There are still people out there
who haven't heard about my business and what I do, who spend a
lot of money going to Perth.
"When they find Out about
what I do they wish they had
known because they would have
just come here."
Her neurofeedback technology
is used for people of all ages with
learning difficulties, depression,
anxiety, slow processing and brain
imbalance.
Ms Woodhouse has worked
with a range of complex communication needs in children and
adults, such as learning difficulties, speech and language delay
and disabilities such as cerebral
palsy and autism.
"Woiking with children with
disabilities allows you to be morL
holistic and become more of
probleir -solver to work throuL
difficulties that a child or person
having,' she said.
For-note information ciu -,
her at Learning Pathways on
7487.