Opposition Leader John Robertson and Shadow Health Minister, Dr Andrew McDonald today joined with nurses to call on the O’Farrell Government to cover the costs of the re-entry courses.

“The O’Farrell Government’s decision to force nurses to pay a whopping $10,000 to re-enter the NSW health system is an absolute disgrace,” Opposition Leader, John Robertson said.

“In South Australia, re-entry courses are provided at no charge to the nurse – there is no reason why Barry O’Farrell and Jillian Skinner shouldn’t do the same in NSW.

“The Coalition campaigned on attracting 2,475 nurses to NSW hospitals, but this is never going to happen if they are forced to pay $10,000 for a re-entry course.

“All the O’Farrell Government’s policy will do is stop nurses who have left the workforce to raise their children from returning to our health system.

“It is clear we have a Health Minister more focused on keeping her own costs down than the needs of nurses and patient care.”

The Health Minister has already shown how out of touch she is with the problem of forcing nurses to pay $10,000 to re-enter the health system:

“I can’t see how there is a problem.”

(Jillian Skinner, 22 January 2012)

Shadow Health Minister, Dr Andrew McDonald said: “Patient care will suffer if the Minister sticks with this appalling policy of charging NSW nurses $10,000 to come back to work in our hospital system.”

“A hospital system cannot run on graduate nurses – we need to retain these nurses with years of experience and knowledge in Emergency Departments and Intensive Care Units across the State.

“If this $10,000 fee isn’t covered by the O’Farrell Government, we risk losing invaluable, experienced nurses from our health system forever.

“We already have enough trouble attracting and retaining nurses in NSW. The O’Farrell Government needs to follow the lead of South Australia and cover the costs of the re-entry course.”

The Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) scheme provides $30 vouchers to help households who are financially disadvantaged and having trouble paying their electricity or gas bills because of an emergency, to a maximum value of $480 per year.

“Barry O’Farrell has abandoned a $55 million increase to the energy voucher program for disadvantaged families and pensioners – at the same time he is sending electricity bills and disconnections soaring,” Shadow Energy Minister, Luke Foley said today.

“Household electricity disconnections rose by 18 per cent last year to 18,651.

“The former Labor Government set aside $55 million in additional funding over five years for the energy voucher scheme in 2009 to meet increasing demand.

“But instead of rolling out the extra funding to help disadvantaged families pay their bills, the O’Farrell Government has frozen the scheme’s funding at $14 million for 2011/12.

“Huge cuts to the energy vouchers program will see more families struggling to pay their electricity bills and more households facing the prospect of being disconnected.

“These cuts come on top of the 17 per cent electricity bill price hike Barry O’Farrell passed on to NSW families last July.

“In Opposition, Barry O’Farrell was on the side of families, but now he is Premier he is sending electricity and water bills skyrocketing.

“Barry O’Farrell promised to help NSW families meet the rising costs of living – but all he has done since becoming Premier is send electricity and water bills soaring and make it even harder for the most vulnerable in our community to get by.”

The recent incident (was published in Sangbad Australia before and here is the link: http://www.sangbad.com.au/deshi-news/brutality-on-a-bangladeshi-in-bd-indo-border-by-indias-border-security-bsf/) at the border made all Bangladeshi living in and out worried too much. The torturing youtube video clip on a Bangladeshi cattle businessman Habibur Rahman put up question mark to the Bangladesh Government and their failure to resolve the issue.

All Bangladeshi have realised that, nothing will be done on this by government thus obtained the ways to fight back with the technology. Since 1994 Bangladeshis have grown up a lot in IT technologies. Although there is no proper infrastructure provided by any government in Bangladesh, this industry alone is contributing a lot to the economy of Bangladesh. Bangladeshi IT professionals are highly competitive in the world IT market today.

One hacker belonging to the group posted in their Facebook fan page: “We don’t have any personal issues with Indians. But the brutality of BSF as well as Indian Govt has forced us to do this.”

While another posted, “India supported us in 1971, now they r killing us!!!! An open enemy is better than a false friend.

”I don’t care even if death comes… I’ll keep fighting for my motherland until we get victory…!!!’ reads another post.

After hacking 20,000 Indian sites the Black Hat posted on internet celebrating their hacking episode.

“NSW is unprepared to deal with an oil spill and needs a coordinated, whole of government approach to protect our environment and wildlife,” Shadow Environment Minister, Luke Foley said today.

“The recent catastrophic oil spills off the coast of New Zealand and in the Gulf of Mexico have taught us we need to prepare now – before it is too late.

“As Port Kembla, Newcastle and Sydney Port all see huge increases in shipping movements and undergo major expansions, it is vital we develop a world class plan to deal with oil slicks.

“With such huge increases in traffic, NSW will inevitably face a major shipping related oil spill. To protect our unique seabirds and ocean life, we need to be prepared.

“For example, Montague Island is home to 16,000 penguins and currently has no specific plan of how to respond when an oil slick is heading toward the island.

“As a first step, Labor will this week move amendments to the Marine Pollution Bill 2011 to fund a Wildlife Disaster Rehabilitation Fund – to direct revenue from fines towards response and cleanup activities for stricken wildlife.”

Labor’s three point Wildlife Disaster Rehabilitation Plan for preparing NSW includes:

1. Amend the Marine Pollution Bill 2011

To assign revenue from fines and penalties associated with the Marine Pollution Bill 2011 to the creation of world’s best practice environmental and wildlife cleanup procedures and infrastructure.

2. Create an Oiled Wildlife Network

A stakeholder group, modelled on the California Oiled Wildlife Network, would lead oil spill responses and include the Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Primary Industries, Taronga Zoo, Maritime NSW, the Ports and non government organisations to deliver training and infrastructure to prepare the State for an oil spill.

3. Establish an Environmental Clean Up Plan

Create clear plans and resources for each region and ecosystem affected by oil spills, for example, Montague Island, which is home to some 16,000 penguins, and Lord Howe Island.

The great initiative will help building and remembering our next generation in Australia on the importance of 21^st February.

The gathering will take place on School’s Venue, The Grange Public School Campus, 8 Benham Road Minto at 11am.

The International Mother Language Day originated from 21^st of February which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952, when a number of students including the students of the University of Dhaka were killed by the Pakistani police in Dhaka during Bengali Language Movement protests.

The Language Movement catalysed the assertion of Bengali national identity in Pakistan, and became a forerunner to Bengali nationalist movements, including the 6-point movement and subsequently the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In Bangladesh, 21^st of February is observed as Language Movement Day (In Bengali: Ekushe February), a national holiday to remember those who had died to establish Bengali as their mother language by gathering infront of the Shahid Minar monument which was constructed near Dhaka Medical College in memory of them.

“The O’Farrell Government has stood idly by while 106 workers have been put out of a job and valuable NSW business has left our State for Victoria,” Opposition Leader John Robertson said.

“Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Stoner should have been in discussions with Pacific Brands about opportunities to keep these jobs in western Sydney long before the day they announced the 106 job cuts.

“One of the primary roles of the Minister for Trade and Investment is to secure and protect jobs in NSW.

“Simply speaking with Pacific Brands on the afternoon they announce 106 workers will be retrenched is too little, too late.

“This is sadly the kind of action we have come to expect from the O’Farrell Government – who have failed to make any attempt to stop the huge exodus of jobs from NSW since they came to power.”

Shadow Treasurer Michael Daley said the O’Farrell Government’s attempt to back away from its election commitment to create 100,000 new jobs was extremely concerning news for workers.

“NSW is haemorrhaging jobs under the O’Farrell Government – we have already lost 22,900 jobs since Barry O’Farrell came to power,” Mr Daley said.

“Now we see the Treasurer Mike Baird backing away from his election commitment to create 100,000 new jobs – claiming he only promised to ‘provide every incentive to bring 100,000 jobs to the economy’.

“Barry O’Farrell and Mike Baird need to take decisive action to support jobs in our State.

“The NSW Labor Opposition has already called on the O’Farrell Government to review its contracts with the big banks if they sack NSW workers and send local jobs offshore.

“This follows Westpac’s announcement that it will sack 500 NSW workers, with 150 to be sent offshore – despite posting a record $6.9 billion profit last year.

“We need strong, decisive action from the O’Farrell Government to protect and retain jobs in NSW – unfortunately, the Premier seems happy to stand by while our economy bleeds 22,900 jobs and counting.”

Recent job cuts announced under the O’Farrell Government include:

· 106 at Pacific Brands in Minto and Wentworthville;

· 500 at Kell & Rigby construction in Strathfield;

· 500 at Westpac across Sydney;

· 190 at Reckitt Benckiser manufacturing in West Ryde;

· 250 aluminium smelter jobs in the Hunter; and

· Hundreds of banking jobs at the Commonwealth, ANZ, NAB, Suncorp and Macquarie.

Bangladesh got her independence on the 26th of March 1971 from Pakistan. This year on the March 26th 2012 the country will be completing the 40 years of independence. Lokomela organisers are taking the lovely opportunity to celebrate this with Bangladeshis living in Sydney.

Like last couple of years Lokomela will be offering a lot to the community. The fair will kick start at 11am and will be finished at 11pm. The 12 hours will be fun filling with Cultural Programs, Fashion Show, Band Music and lot more.

Lokomela Poster 2012

The music composition and direction of the album was done by Sydney’s famous musician Atiq Helal who was the lead vocalist of Winds – one of the great music-band we had in 80’s.

Atiq Helal who is so passionate about music, see Rajit as a prospective singer of time. He said, Rajit has got a bright future in music industry. He also added, Rajit is the first singer living in Australia whose lyrics, music, recording and mixing all were done locally by our very own folks from the community.

For those who don’t know about Rajit, his full name is Tanim Hayat Khan. He was born in Dhaka but originally from Shivpur village of Brahmanbaria. Rajit is the youngest son of Mobarak Hossain Khan and Fauzia Yasmin (Khan). One of his big introduction, he is the grandson of music maestro of the subcontinent Ustad Ayet Ali Khan. Also, he is the grandson of another Music Maestro Ustad Allauddin Khan, elder brother of Ustad Ayet Ali Khan.

When he was a baby, his mother Fauzia Yasmin who was a popular singer of 60’s used to do vocal practice (Reaz) every day in the morning by laid him on her lap. Rajit who has grown up listening to his mother, got his first lesson from her. His singing skills emerged by listening to his singer mother and three other famous singer-aunts Farida Yasmin, Nilufar Yasmin and Sabina Yasmin. His father Mobarak Hossain Khan is also a known musicologist and a well reputed Shur Bahar player.

Alongside of his music skills, Rajit is also a Sarod player. He got his Sarod lesson from his cousin brother Ustad Shahadat Hossain Khan, who is recognized internally for his Sarod play. When Rajit was in Bangladesh he used to play Sarod for Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television. Currently Rajit is the disciple of Dr Adrian McNeil who is the Head of Contemporary Music Department in Macquarie University. Dr Adrian McNeil was the disciple of Pandit Ashok Roy, one of the disciples of Rajit’t Uncle Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

Rajit who made Sydney as his second home is an accountant by profession. He teaches in TAFE (Department of Education) as an Accounts and Finance faculty.

Take a glance of the audio album in this youtube video >>

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