Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes today called for high-achievers in north east Victoria to be nominated for the 2012 Regional Achievement and Community Awards.
Dr Sykes said the Benalla Electorate boasted a diverse and innovative range of businesses, a highly skilled workforce and proactive community groups that would be worthy nominees in this year’s Regional Achievement and Community Awards.
“Beginning in 2002, these awards have built a prestigious reputation over the past 10 years and I would strongly encourage people to consider nominating for one of the eight award categories on offer this year,” he said.
“The Victorian Coalition Government is especially pleased to provide $78,500 to sponsor five of the eight awards on offer this year.
“The Coalition Government is sponsoring a range of awards that recognise regional businesses, individuals or community groups that make significant contributions to their communities or lead the way in sustainability and water efficiency,” he said.
The Coalition Government, through Regional Development Victoria, Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment is providing $15,500 for each of the five awards.
Dr Sykes said the Coalition Government was committed to driving development across the state and ensuring regional Victoria remained a key contributor to future growth and prosperity.
“The Coalition Government’s centerpiece for regional and rural Victoria is the $1 billion Regional Growth Fund (RGF) which is being used for strategic initiatives to accelerate population and business growth outside of Melbourne,” he said.
“We recently provided $3 million from the RGF to fund the first ever Regional Victoria Living Expo to provide further encouragement to the one in ten Melburnians who are already considering a move to regional Victoria.
“This is being backed by the Coalition Government’s Good Move Campaign which promotes all the benefits a regional lifestyle offers,” he said.
The 2012 Regional Achievement & Community Awards will be presented in Bendigo on 13 October.
The full list of award categories is below:
• Regional Development Victoria Business Achievement Award
• Regional Development Victoria Trade and Career Achievement Award
• Parks Victoria Regional Achiever Award
• Parks Victoria Environment and Sustainability Award
• Medibank Healthy Participation Award
• Bluescope Distribution Leadership and Innovation Award
• Department of Sustainability and Environment Water Efficiency Improvements Award
• Prime Super Community Group of the Year Award

Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes encourages people to either nominate or enter the 2012 Telstra Business Women’s Awards.
Dr Sykes said, “We have some impressive businesswomen in the Benalla Electorate.
“Inspirational women are all around us such as Janelle Boynton who was a recent finalist for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Award as part of the Rural Women’s Awards and Loretta Carroll who is a successful recipient of the Victorian Women’s Governance Scholarship program, to name but two.
“In the 18 years the Telstra Business Women’s Awards have been running thousands of women from a diverse range of professions and walks of life have been recognised through the awards and gone on to be mentors to others in the attainment of their life goals,” Dr Sykes said.
The Awards are an opportunity to reward inspirational business women throughout north east Victoria who have had a positive impact on the local community.
Finalist and winners will be recognised for their achievements and share in more than $200,000 in cash and prizes.
The three categories in the 2012 Telstra Business Women’s Awards are:
• Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award
• Hudson Private and Corporate Sector Award; and
• White Pages Community and Government Award.
There are also two specialist categories: Nokia Business Innovation Award and marie Claire Young Business Womens’ Award.
To nominate or enter complete the form available at www.womensawards.com or pick up a nomination form from Bill Sykes’ office at 2/55 Carrier Street, Benalla.
The Telstra Victorian Business Women’s Awards Gala will be held on 20 September 2012.

Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes encourages small to medium size businesses in north east Victoria to take part in the 2012 Telstra Business Awards.
Telstra has run the awards for 20 years. The awards recognise excellence in small to medium size businesses, and offer a combined prize pool of more than $500,000 in cash and prizes.
Dr Sykes said 2012 is another milestone year for the Telstra Business Awards as they now include a new HTC Start Up Award for small to medium size businesses which have been operating between one and three years.
“This new award celebrates people who demonstrate dedication, enthusiasm and the knowledge required to turn an idea into a successful commercial reality,” Dr Sykes said.
“Running a small business is a demanding, and at times a lonely occupation, with owners often required to work long hours and be very ‘hands on’.
“These awards provide a great opportunity to increase the profile of a business and to increase their network.
“In addition entrants receive a free individual Business Health Check which offers participants the chance to get a better picture of where they stand and how well placed they are to make the most of opportunities to grow and expand.
“They receive advice in key areas including customer and staff management, product development, social responsibility, financial management and marketing,” Dr Sykes said.
For the 2012 Telstra Business Awards, the categories are;
• HTC Start Up Award – for businesses that have been operating for between one and three years and have up to 200 employees;
• MYOB Small Business Award – for businesses with more than five employees or less than 20 employees;
• News LTD Micro-Business Award – for businesses with five or less employees;
• Commonwealth Bank Medium Business Award – for businesses with more than 20 employees and up to 200 employees;
• Telstra Regional Award – for businesses in each state and territory based outside the metropolitan areas of capital cities.

Entries close at 5pm on Monday 2 April 2012.
For more information and nomination forms call 1800 262 323 or visit telstrabusinessawards.com.

Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes advises elite athletes throughout north east Victoria that applications are now open for the Victorian Government’s Elite Athlete Travel Grants Program.
The program provides grants of up to $2,000 to assist elite Victorian athletes with travel to compete at national championships or international events.
Dr Sykes said, “Through my work as Chair of the Benalla Young Sportspersons Trust, which helps support young sporting talent in the Benalla community, I am aware of how difficult it is for country kids to achieve exceptional results due to ‘the tyranny of distance’.
“The Elite Athlete Travel grants provide important assistance to potential sporting stars from our community to attend elite sporting events.”
Applications are open to individual athletics who are a resident of Victoria, a member of a State Sporting Association and who are travelling to compete at a national or international championship or event.
Priority will be given to athletes who need to travel for the purposes of representing Victoria or Australia.
There are two closing dates in 2012: 1 February and 1 May.
For further information and application forms to go www.dpcd.vic.gov.au.

Minister for Youth Affairs Ryan Smith has congratulated Euroa Secondary College for winning a Special Incentive Grant worth $2,000 as part of the 25th annual Fire Awareness Awards.
Minister Smith said that Euroa Secondary College won for its participation in the Victorian Coalition Government’s Advance Program which promotes young people’s engagement in volunteering.
“Euroa Secondary College should be congratulated for this outstanding achievement.
“Twenty year nine students at the school have had the opportunity to be mentored and instructed by local CFA brigade members and obtain qualifications including the Certificate of Wildlife Fighting.
Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes said well done to the school, CFA and in particular the students for participating in such a worthwhile program.
"I encourage more students to participate in future programs and to go on to do 'their bit' for the community as volunteer members of the CFA and other community groups.
“Euroa Secondary College will provide the CFA with the next wave of firefighters with an estimated 20% of participants in the Advance Program joining the CFA as a direct result of the program, with many more expected to follow suit as the program continues.
“This experience was made possible by the Coalition Government’s highly successful Advance Program which assists young people to participate as volunteers in their community
“This year more than 16,000 students in over 420 state secondary schools will benefit from the Coalition Government’s $4 million Advance program, learning vital life-skills and contributing a range of benefits to their local community.
“Euroa Secondary College is a fine example of the success of the Advance Program and I commend the participants for this award and for their solid contribution to the community and their own self-development,” Mr Smith said.
For more information about the Advance Program please visit www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/advance. Fire Awareness Awards, visit www.fireawarenessawards.com.au or call (03) 9412 4465.

Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes today congratulated the Gecko Clan Pasture Cropping Project, Karen Brisbane and the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network for receiving awards at the 2011 Victorian Landcare Awards ceremony held at Government House in Melbourne.
Winners in north east Victoria are:
Gecko Clan Pasture Cropping Project – Australian Government Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practices Award.
Dr Sykes said, “The project includes 23 Landcare groups from Mansfield and Avenel to Yarrawonga who have developed a pioneering approach to pasture cropping and using it within an extensive network of demonstration paddocks.”
Karen Brisbane – Heather Mitchell Memorial Fellowship.
Dr Sykes said, “Karen, who lives in Murchison, has worked in Landcare for 12 years and is the area’s first Victorian Government corporate Landcare facilitator. She has worked in local area planning, groups project support, funding and report writing. Dedicated to improving the environment Karen has coordinated Green Corps teams, run Rabbit Buster, FoxOff and weed programs, developed and delivered school education programs, crown land grants and organised and managed numerous field days, displays and events.”
Upper Goulburn Landcare Network – Bushfire Recovery Award
“The Upper Goulburn Landcare Network is a collective of 17 Landcare groups including groups in the Murrindindi and Mansfield Shires. Together they have coordinated 3,310 volunteers to remove 86 kilometres of burnt fencing and rebuilt more than 195 kilometres of fencing which were destroyed in the 2009 bushfires. The group has planted 17,600 trees and shrubs, distributing a further 15,000 trees to landholders.”
In congratulating these groups and individuals Dr Sykes said, “These deserving Victorians, like so many others, give up their time to make a difference in their local areas and volunteer many hours to support and maintain the great natural assets of our region.”
Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Ryan Smith said the awards celebrated the 25th anniversary of Landcare and the great work done by thousands of volunteers across the state to make a difference in their local environment.
“I hope that all Victorians will join the State Government is recognising the significant impact that Landcare has had on our environment and our community,” he said.

Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes has welcomed the calling of nominations for the 2011 Victorian Government’s Community Sport and Recreation Awards.
“North east Victoria is renowned for the number and quality of our community sporting heroes and volunteers and this is an opportunity for us to recognise these invaluable people,” Dr Sykes said.
“This region is not only fortunate to have so many sporting opportunities such as nordic and downhill skiing, water skiing, football, netball, cricket, soccer, horse riding, shooting, bike riding and motocross; we are fortunate to have so many skilled athletes in these sports.
“The Community Sport and Recreation Awards are an important way to acknowledge the people who are the driving force behind our thriving grassroots sporting communities.
“Local sport cannot survive without the passionate community members who volunteer and contribute so much to their clubs,” he said.
“I encourage everyone to consider nominating those in their sporting community who are performing well and making a difference and therefore deserve recognition,” Dr Sykes said.
The 2011 Victorian Government’s Community Sport and Recreation Awards will be held at the MCG on Wednesday 30 November, and will honour individuals, teams or clubs with cash prizes across the following nine categories:
Community Sporting Club of the Year
Community Participation Award
Young Sportsperson of the Year
Senior Sportsperson of the Year
Service to Sport Award
Diversity Award
Local Hero of the Year
Community Coach of the Year
Minister’s Award for the Sportsperson of the Year
Nominations close on Monday 31 October with further information and nomination details are available from www.sport.vic.gov.au.

The Premier’s Spirit of ANZAC Prize for 2011-12 is now open for young people attending Victorian secondary schools in Years 9 and 10, Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes said today.
The Spirit of ANZAC Prize is intended to inspire young people to explore the ethos of the ANZACs displayed at Gallipoli and on the Western Front and to reflect on how those values apply in Victorian communities today.
Dr Sykes said, “In past years several students from the Benalla Electorate have been recipients of the Spirit of ANZAC Prize including Hadley Black from Benalla Secondary College and Laura Whitney from Euroa Secondary College in 2010-11.
“Through the schools competition 10 students representing each of the education regions in Victoria will have the opportunity to participate in a two week study tour to sites of military and cultural significance to Australian servicemen and women.
“This prize offers an important opportunity for young people to gain a better understanding of Australian war history and of the supreme sacrifices Australian men and women made.”
Hadley Black said of his experience at Gallipoli and the Western Front, “The Spirit of ANZAC Prize gave me the opportunity to come as close to the Great War as possible.
“You cannot perceive just how small Anzac Cove is unless you witness it firsthand.
“The 12,000 graves in Tyne Cot Cemetery on the Western Front are simply a figure within your head until you stand before this sea of graves. This unforgettable experience showed the reality of the hardship endured and sacrifice which men, many no older than myself, payed in exchange for our freedom.”
Entrants are requested to submit an entry which addresses the topic: ‘What does the spirit of ANZAC mean to you? Are the values displayed by the ANZACs at Gallipoli and the Western Front still relevant today?’
Entries can take the form of an essay, poem, short story, audio, video or digital presentation, musical composition, web page or power point display or artwork.
Application forms are available from www.veterans.vic.gov.au or by emailing veterans@dpcd.vic.gov.au and entries close on Friday 21 October 2011.

On Wednesday 25 May Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes hosted a special morning tea at Parliament House in Melbourne for Jesse Palmer and his family from Thornton
Jesse was a recipient in 2010 of the Dr Sykes Weary Dunlop You’ve Got What It Takes Award and attended the Thornton Primary School that year.
On 23 March 2011 Dr Sykes hosted a morning tea for other award recipients which Jesse Palmer was unable to attend.
Dr Sykes said, “Jesse was unable to join that group so I organised a special day for him and his family to join me in Parliament House for morning tea and a tour of the historic building.
“Jesse had a great day and his family also enjoyed the whole experience, especially the hot chocolate!”
The Weary Dunlop You’ve Got What It Takes Award was initiated by Dr Sykes in 2003 to recognise students who have demonstrated persistence and resilience in overcoming challenges to achieve either personally, socially, academically, on the sporting arena or in some other field of endeavour.
“It is always a great pleasure to welcome students and their families to Parliament House, which is a magnificent and historical building.
“The students learn a little of the building’s history, tour the corridors and outside surrounds and sometimes recognise some of the faces of the politicians as they hurry from office to chamber,” Dr Sykes said.
“Jesse had a great day and I look forward to following his positive steps in the years ahead,” Dr Sykes said.
Other award recipients travelled to Melbourne in April to attend an AFL match with Dr Sykes at the MCG. The day was generously co-sponsored by the Brisbane Lions Football Club and the AFL.
“I look forward to continuing to offer the award to schools in my Electorate again in 2011,” Dr Sykes concluded.
Nomination packs will be sent to schools throughout the Benalla Electorate in Term 3.

A Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Government will strengthen the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program and the Fairley Leadership Program, Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes said today.
A Coalition Government will establish a $6 million Regional Community Leadership Fund to provide funding over four years to secure and reinvigorate Community Leadership Programs across regional and rural Victoria.
The $6 million strategic initiative, delivered through the Coalition’s $1 billion Regional Growth Fund, will drive community leadership and create opportunity across regional and rural Victoria.
“The Alpine Valley Community Leadership Program, which has been operating since 1999 has over 190 graduates.
“The Fairley Leadership Program was first presented in 1997 and has over 300 graduates throughout the Goulburn Murray region.
“Both of these Leadership Programs have been invaluable in identifying and developing leadership skills in community members,” Dr Sykes said. “Many of the graduates have gone on to make significant contributions to the support, growth and well being of our local communities.
“As part of the programs, emerging leaders of all ages and from various backgrounds work with regional leaders to identify and address a range of local issues, including regional development, water resourcing, renewable energy, and social issues such as multiculturalism, unemployment, homelessness and health.
“By sharing ideas, providing leadership support, and being actively involved in their local community, participants simultaneously build their own leadership skills and confidence.”
Dr Sykes said, “This $6 million Fund will provide security for the existing programs and will encourage greater participant and donor involvement.
“Only the Liberal Nationals Coalition is committed to securing Community Leadership Programs into the future so that regional and rural Victoria can continue to contribute to the State’s economic growth,” he said.
The 2010-11 Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program is currently in progress. Intake for the next program will commence in May 2011. More information is available from the AVCLP website at www.avclp.org.au.
Applications are now open for the 2011 Fairley Leadership Program – for more information go to www.fairleyleadership.com.