STATE MEMBER FOR BAULKHAM HILLS – HON DAVID ELLIOTT MP

ROAD SAFETY GRANTS ON OFFER TO COMMUNITY GROUPS IN BAULKHAM HILLS

Local road safety in Baulkham Hills is receiving a boost with applications to open shortly for the third round of the NSW Government’s Community Road Safety Grants program.

I encourage all community groups to apply for these grants. Local knowledge is vitally important in identifying and addressing local road safety issues.

Some of the successful applicants last year included projects to raise awareness around pedestrian and motorcycle safety, road rules awareness workshops for culturally and linguistically diverse groups as well as people with intellectual disabilities.

We all have a role to play in making our roads safer. Last year 384 people lost their lives on our roads and every year more than 12,000 people are seriously injured.

These are not just numbers, they are real people lost to their families, friends and communities forever.

It’s time for everyone to think about how they can contribute to improving road safety in their everyday lives and in their local areas to help us drive our road toll Towards Zero.

The Government will award up to $1.6 million in grants over four years through the program using a competitive process.

Applications open for this latest round of grants on Tuesday 13 June and community groups are invited to submit their local road safety projects by 5pm on Sunday 23 July.

Two categories of grants are available: one for smaller projects with up to $5,000 available for each idea and another for more substantial projects, worth up to $30,000.

Community-based organisations can get more information about the grants, and submit their application, by visiting: https://roadsafety.transport. nsw.gov.au/aboutthecentre/ communitygrants/.

MORE SUPPORT FOR OUTOF- SCHOOL-HOURS CARE IN BAULKHAM HILLS

Not for profit providers of out of school hours care can apply for grants to expand or establish new services to provide flexible options for working families in Baulkham Hills.

The expansion to the criteria for the $20 million Before and After School Care Fund is a great opportunity for not for profits to apply for the $30,000 grants.

More than 160 schools and five local councils have taken advantage of the fund.

We know families need flexibility, so we’re providing a flexible approach that allows not-for-profits, local councils and schools to provide more care options.

Since 2011, the Liberals & Nationals Government has spent more than $1.6 billion in Early Childhood Education, investing $382 million this financial year alone.

For more information, visit the Department of Education website at www.dec.nsw.gov.au/our-services/ children-and-youth/out-of-hoursschool- care-grant.

INTIMATE IMAGE ABUSE OFFENDERS TO FACE JAIL

The NSW Government is taking action to make sharing intimate images without consent a serious crime, as it will hold controlling and vengeful offenders to account and help end victim blaming.

People who share intimate images of victims without their consent have no place in our community and they will soon face prison time for their destructive breaches of privacy.

The Hills has one of the highest youth populations in the state and decisions teenagers make in the new digital world are, literally, ones they will live with forever.

The Government has introduced into Parliament the Crimes Amendment (Intimate Images) Bill 2017 that will make it an offence to intentionally record or distribute, or to threaten to record or distribute, an ‘intimate image’ of a person without their consent. The offences will carry a maximum sentence of three years in jail and an $11,000 fine.

Intimate images include photos and videos of a person’s private parts or of a person engaging in a private act, such as undressing, showering, bathing, using the toilet or sexual behaviour not ordinarily performed in public. They also include images which have been altered to appear to show a person’s private parts, or a person engaged in a private act.

Courts will be given a ‘take down’ power to compel offenders to take reasonable steps to destroy the images colloquially known as ‘revenge porn’ to prevent further distress to victims. The reforms target the predatory and manipulative behaviour of those who use revenge porn to threaten, control or humiliate victims.

It’s not the victim’s fault when an explicit image is shared without consent, and yet too often victims face a devastating emotional and social toll when these private moments go viral online.

The Director of Public Prosecutions will be required to approve prosecutions against children under 16 to ensure the new offences do not inappropriately criminalise naive activity between young people.

The new laws will not target children who take and distribute intimate images of themselves, or consenting adults involved in sexting.