Cr. Tina Mladenovic

31/03/2022

Community members, local businesses and stakeholders are invited to attend a community information session at the Clem Thompson Pavilion in Tom Price on Monday 11 April.

Commencing at 6:30pm, the session will be hosted by the Shire of Ashburton and include updates and presentations regarding current major projects, the Tom Price Community Lifestyle and Infrastructure Plan (CLIP), COVID-19 local emergency management and 50th anniversary celebrations, in addition to a presentation from guest presenters Rio Tinto.

RSVP’s are not required, however if you have any queries please email Nicole Jeffery via [email protected]. Light refreshments will be provided.

There will also be time at the end of the presentation for the community to ask questions and discussion with the presenters.

29/03/2022

Register now and have a say on how to improve the community facilities, the lifestyle and how to sustain our town into the future.

We are inviting the communities of Tom Price and Paraburdoo to let us know their ideas and aspirations about how to build a better future together.

Come along and share your thoughts with our independent consultants, Creating Communities. They will be in Paraburdoo on April 4 and Tom Price April 5-7.

To find out how to get involved go to:
https://bit.ly/SOA-CLIP

24/03/2022

Novavax Vaccine Available - Tom Price 25 March

Residents in Tom Price are advised that the Novavax Vaccine will be available for those aged 18+ to receive on Friday 25 March.

Novavax is a protein-based vaccine. This type of vaccine contains part of the coronavirus spike protein. Novavax does not contain any live virus and it cannot give you COVID-19.

Bookings can be made via https://vaccinatewa.health.wa.gov.au with walk ins also accepted.

For more information, visit https://rollup.wa.gov.au/

17/03/2022

Tom Price Clubs and Groups Planning Meeting

Members from all local Community Clubs and Groups in Tom Price are invited to share and discuss the upcoming year of fixtures and events, along with any ideas for what you would like to see happen in town.

This meeting will aid the Shire to understand what support is needed. All suggestions are welcome.

The evening will also consist of the creating and sharing of a calendar of events for 2022. Light refreshments will be provided.

Only 30 spots available, email Community Development Officer Jenna Pickering via [email protected] to register or provide input if unable to attend.

24/02/2022

Pop-up COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic - Tom Price and Paraburdoo

Residents in Tom Price and Paraburdoo are advised of COVID-19 vaccination clinics that will take place in February.

Both clinics will accept both booking and walk ins. Eligible members of the community can book their appointment via the VaccinateWA website and take advantage of this opportunity to protect our communities against the effects of COVID-19.

Book an appointment at www.vaccinatewa.health.wa.gov.au

20/02/2022

As a Local Government, the Shire of Ashburton provides a number of key and essential services to the community.

With the current COVID outbreak in Tom Price, we would like to advise the community that we are committed to maintaining business-as-usual as much as possible.

However we can expect some disruption to our day to day lives as the coming weeks unfold and we ask the community to be understanding at this time.

We expect that more people will be required to isolate due to close contact status, as well as take time off to care for ill or isolating family members and also to potentially recover from the virus.

This will have a roll-on effect across our close-knit towns and the services that can be delivered.

The Shire of Ashburton has been planning for such an event as part of our COVID business continuity. Where possible we will have staff move within departments and services areas for increased support to ensure we are able to maintain delivery to the community.

There will be some areas that require specialist skills and qualifications that will have to operate in a limited capacity or close temporarily. We will endeavour to ensure any closures to our facilities are for as short a time as possible.

Please see below operating hours for Vic Hayton Memorial Pool in the coming days. Tom Price swimming pool will reopen tomorrow, Monday 21 February at reduced operating hours this week as below.

• Monday 21 February 12pm – 8pm
• Tuesday 22 February 12pm- 8pm
• Wednesday 23 February 12pm-8pm
• Thursday 24 February 12pm – 8pm
• Friday 25 February 5.30am-6.30pm
• Saturday 26 February 8am – 6pm

It is also important to check in on our neighbours, fellow community members and colleagues who are in isolation to ensure they are ok and to demonstrate those community values that are at the heart of our towns.

We are working with industry partner Rio Tinto in Tom Price to assist with screening and testing operations being available to affected community members.

We are also participating in daily incident meetings with State agencies so that we can provide up to date information and continue to work with community groups to ensure public health and safety is a priority.

To help keep our community safe, you should:
• Get tested if you have symptoms
• Continue to check in with ServiceWA, SafeWA or contact registers
• Stay home if you feel unwell
• Adhere to the new public health and social measures that come into place from tomorrow, Monday 21 February.

For more information, visit www.wa.gov.au.

18/02/2022

As of Monday 21st February, 2022 Level one Public Health and Social measures will come into effect in the Pilbara.

MASKS MUST BE WORN AT ALL INDOOR PUBLIC SETTINGS FOR ALL REGIONS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Please see below infographic for further information.

I encourage everyone to refer to https://www.wa.gov.au/government/covid-19-coronavirus and https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus for the most up to date information and advice.

Earlier today, we announced Western Australia’s full border opening on Thursday, 3 March.

While this will be welcome news for many families, the introduction of quarantine-free travel will naturally mean there will be greater spread of the virus in WA.

At the same time, it is evident that our daily case numbers are accelerating.

This Omicron outbreak effectively started in WA on 2 January, when a traveller from Tasmania arrived with Omicron. More than 6 weeks later, only now are we seeing daily local case numbers in the triple digits.

This is a long time to hold an Omicron outbreak at bay, thanks to so many Western Australians willing to do the right thing.

Unfortunately now, the current size and pace of the outbreak will continue to accelerate, and in order to avoid the worst outcomes that we have seen over east, we will need to introduce some additional public health and social measures.

Introducing these additional measures is not something we want to do, but we know from the eastern states’ experience that applying measures before the peak will help in the long run.

The measures are about trying to strike the right balance – to minimise the impact on businesses and the economy, and to save lives.

These Level One measures are for Perth, Peel, the South West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt and Pilbara regions – and we will expand them to other regions as cases are identified in the community.

Effective 6.00am Monday, all regions in WA will have the indoor mask requirement, and existing proof of vaccination and contact registration requirements.

These are reasonable, sensible public health measures to keep more businesses open, give the public more confidence that they can safely go about their business, while at the same time, manage the rise in infection and reduce the impact on the health system and our hard working doctors and nurses.

More information on Level One public health and social measures can be found at www.wa.gov.au

16/02/2022

I know many of us are concerned about the current positive Covid case in our community.

Please stay calm and refrain from hearsay. As individuals in our community - have a thought for the person/persons who has Covid. How are they feeling? What they are going through?

It could have been any of us. Many in town have been away and returned . Covid doesn’t discriminate. Let’s do what our community does best - band together and support those that needs it.

Please do the right thing. Wear mask, scan everywhere you go, sanitise and follow the authorities instructions.

Stay safe.

15/02/2022

New exposure sites have been identified in Tom Price.

Anyone at one of these exposure sites during the timeframe listed should monitor for symptoms, unless directly advised otherwise by the Department of Health. If symptoms develop, get tested and isolate.

Please continue to check the most up-to-date list of exposure sites online.

New exposures sites have been identified in Collie, Tom Price, Bakers Hill, Binningup, Cocklebiddy, and Balladonia.

Anyone at one of these exposure sites during the timeframe listed should monitor for symptoms, unless directly advised otherwise by the Department of Health. If symptoms develop, get tested and isolate.

Please continue to check the most up-to-date list of exposure sites online at https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus/Locations-visited-by-confirmed-cases and https://www.wa.gov.au/government/covid-19-coronavirus/covid-19-coronavirus-locations-visited-confirmed-cases.

To find your nearest COVID Clinic for testing, visit http://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/covidclinics

28/01/2022

Now is a good time for our communities to prepare a COVID-ready kit. Here are some of the essentials we recommend you have available:

➡️ Pain relief medication and electrolytes (available from your pharmacy)
➡️ Your regular medications
➡️ A thermometer
➡️ Masks, hand sanitiser and gloves
➡️ Stay at home activates to keep you entertained
➡️ A plan for who can look after your children, pets or people in your care if you have to go to hospital
➡️ Phone numbers for people outside your home that you can call for help if you need
➡️ A plan for how you’ll get food and essentials for seven days

There are other things you can do now to prepare for a rise in cases of COVID-19 across WA.

Vaccination remains the most effective way to avoid hospitalisation and serious illness from COVID-19. Anyone over the age of five can now be vaccinated. If you haven’t been vaccinated, or are due for your third dose, visit a clinic near you.

Making simple infection prevention measures part of our daily routine will also help manage the spread of COVID-19.

So, when you’re in public, keep 1.5 metres away from others. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Remember to cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow and stay at home if you're unwell.

It's up to each of us to protect all of us.

WA Country Health Service

25/01/2022

From Monday 31 January, proof of vaccination requirements will expand for people aged 16 years and over and will be required state-wide for:

➡️ All hospitality venues, food and licensed venues including restaurants, dine-in fast food, cafés, bars, pubs, clubs, taverns, licensed commercial boats: excluding food and non-alcoholic beverage takeaway; food courts; roadhouses, and petrol stations
➡️ Night clubs
➡️ Bottle shops (including drive through bottle shops)
➡️ Indoor entertainment venues (including play centres, gaming and gambling, theatres, concert halls, cinemas, live music venues, including Perth Convention Centre) and specified cultural venues:
➡️ Crown Perth Complex
➡️ Major stadiums
➡️ Music festivals and indoor large events with more than 500 people, unless exempt.
➡️ Gyms, fitness studios and centres
➡️ Zoos and amusement parks
➡️ Visitors to residential aged care and hospitals

Employees in these workforces who did not previously fall under the WA Government’s mandatory vaccination policy must have received their first dose by Monday 31 January, 2022 and be double dose vaccinated by Monday 28 February, 2022.

Community sport and school-based events, unless at one of the specific venues listed, are excluded from the proof of vaccination requirement.

Venues, staff and patrons will all have a shared responsibility when it comes to showing proof of vaccination, with venues required to take reasonable steps to ensure all patrons are double dose vaccinated, or have a medical exemption.

Acceptable proof of vaccination includes:
✅ the ServiceWA app, the WA Government's free, convenient and secure mobile application to show proof of your COVID-19 vaccinations
✅ your COVID-19 digital certificate from myGov or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
✅ your certificate stored in a smartphone wallet
✅ a hardcopy of your certificate
✅ a digital or hardcopy of your immunisation history statement.

Vaccination certificates that are accepted by the Australian Government for travel into Australia will also be accepted at businesses and venues in WA.

An additional form of supporting identification is needed if the proof of vaccination is not stored in:
🔵 The ServiceWA app
🔵 Express Plus Medicare app

If you are unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for a medical reason, a doctor will update your record on the Australian Immunisation Register to show that you have a medical exemption.

You can then show proof of your medical exemption when entering a business or venue.

For more information on proof of vaccination, visit: https://www.wa.gov.au/.../covid-19-coronavirus-proof-of...