It takes a lot of work and many volunteers for it to be the success that it is. 

The experience that all ages gain is most worthwhile. 

Competition from all towns widens the knowledge of locals and must be good for all. 

Thank you to the Eisteddfod Committee. 

The statistics regarding mental health in Australia are both startling and unacceptable. One in three Australians will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime. Suicide is the biggest killer of young Australians and accounts for the deaths of more young people than car accidents.

We need to acknowledge those who are doing ground-breaking work in this area.

The Australian Mental Health Prize seeks to recognise Australians who have made outstanding contributions to either the promotion of mental health or the prevention and treatment of mental illness in areas such as advocacy, research or service.

I would like to encourage clinicians, health professionals and the public at large to nominate the people they feel should be recognised for their work.

More information and nomination forms can be obtained from www.australianmentalhealthprize.org.au 

Entries close on August 31.

For those who are living with the burden of mental illness every day, thank you for your support. 

Ita Buttrose AO OBE

Chair of the Australian Mental Health Prize Advisory Group

An estimated 1.6 million homes, houses and small businesses have installed solar panels, nationally,using a range of systems.

In 2009 the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme commenced with installations receiving a Commonwealth grant.

The early scheme paid 60c/kWh, feed in tariff for all power generated from the solar array. This reduced to 20c/kWh for a later entrance.

Power consumed, as normal, was from the grid and paid for while in many cases a net profit was realised on the electricity account.

On 31 December 2016 this scheme closed and it appears that households benefiting from the Bonus Scheme had their gross meters replaced with a net metered solar system.

The advantages of "net metering" are very different. Power consumed by the house came from the solar array first, while surplus power from the roof went to the grid, during the day and at night came from the grid and is paid for. In some cases the surplus during the day is paid a small " feed in tariff" for surplus power from the roof.

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) makes the rules that governs the electricity market.

In its wisdom AEMC is proposing to tax the actual solar power owners for that which is fed to the grid. This is really taxing the sunlight when it is converted to electricity.

It appears this tax would only apply to surplus electricity not consumed via "net metering" (already described) or conveniently battery stored for use on dull days and at night.

Houses still set up with all power going to the grid first (gross metered) would be taxed for every kWh generated from their solar array.

The irony and obvious paradox to this is that commercial power generators, coal, gas, hydro do not and it appears will not be taxed for their electricity produced.

Anybody and everybody who is concerned by this should sign the petition to be found on  Sign the petition here: http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/sun_tax

Bill Barwood

Canowindra