This Sunday we’ll be seeing it wiped out right across our electorate, state and the nation during National Graffiti Removal Day.

I’m asking each of you to roll up your sleeves for a day by volunteering for Australia’s largest graffiti clean-up operation and take a stance with vandals.

There is no better way of condemning graffiti and showing community pride than removing ‘tags’ and unsightly vandalism to parks, community reserves, homes and the CBD, joining the growing number of dedicated volunteers helping to wipe it out.

Volunteering is simple, you can register online at www.graffitiremovalday.org.au – all volunteer graffiti busters will be provided with training, graffiti removal equipment and protective gear on the day.

Bottler of a Recycling Scheme – It was great to see the 10-cent Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) legislation pass last week. From 1 July 2017, community groups and individual will be able to swap empty cans and bottles (between 150ml and 3 litres) at collection points for a 10-cent refund.

The CDS fulfils a key election commitment and will help the Government meet the goal of reducing litter by 40 per cent by 2020. NSW Unemployment rate falls to 4.9 per cent – Unemployment in NSW has fallen to a four-year low, with ABS figures once again confirming that NSW has the strongest jobs market in the nation.

Falling 0.1 per cent to 4.9 per cent in September, the result is well below the unemployment rate of the rest of Australia which is 5.9 per cent. In the past 12 months, 68,900 new jobs were added in NSW, with employment growing at 1.18 per cent – faster than the national rate of 1.4 per cent.

NSW has the number one economy in the nation and that means great opportunities for employment and growth right across the state.

Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship – Expressions of interest are being sought from year 10 and 11 students with a keen interest in history for the 2017 Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship.

The program allows 20 students from across the state to be a part of a 12 day tour, visiting sites significant to the First World War and the birth of the Anzac legend.

Government, Catholic and independent schools are invited to submit an expression of interest which can be loged online up until 5pm Monday 14 November.

A ballot will be drawn on 21 November and the 20 schools selected will each nominate one student to take part in the tour.

For more information or to submit, visit www.veterans.nsw.gov.au

Grandparents Day – This Sunday we celebrate NSW Grandparents Day.

Make sure you do something special to celebrate these wonderful people in our lives that give so much.  To find events near you, visit www.grandparentsday.nsw.gov.au/whats- on/find-an-event

Rural Crime Week – The local community is encouraged to report instances of rural crime to the Police as the NSW Government kicks off Rural Crime Week.

Rural crime is having a having a significant impact of farming families and communities from losing valuable stock, fuel, plant, equipment and break and enters. The introduction of a Deputy Commissioner for Regional NSW will mean that the emerging crime trends in regional NSW are recognised and properly addressed.

The NSW Government is working closely with the NSW Police Force to respond to rural crime, not just through the introduction of a Regional Deputy Commissioner but through the recommendations of the Bradshaw Review into rural crime, which the Government will decide on shortly.

For more information about rural crime prevention strategies, visit: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/community_issues/crime_prevention/rural_crime

If you have any information about a rural crime, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.