Tuesday, May 28, 2013 NEWCASTLE HERALD 21

Rachel – Newcastle Permanent

Newcastle Permanent Building Society Limited ACN 087 651 992, Australian Financial Services Licence/Australian Credit Licence 238273. NPB2157b T24

A good reason to be hereAs a mutual building society, with no shareholders to pay, Newcastle Permanent is different from the major banks. We are here to look after the interests of our members and our community, not raise profits for shareholders.

This community focus flows right through the organisation. “That’s definitely one of the reasons I like working here,” says Rachel from Newcastle Permanent. “As staff we get two bonus annual leave days to volunteer in the community. We also raise over $50,000 a year in staff donations for charity.”

“So by doing your banking with Newcastle Permanent, you’re not only getting great products and services, you’re also helping us support your community.” That’s another good reason to do your banking with Newcastle Permanent.

To see other ways we support the community visit facebook.com/newcastlepermanent

13 19 87 newcastlepermanent.com.au

THE NEWCASTLE HERALD’S SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

Primaryentry#7:WoodberryPublicSchool

Woodberry Whisper

POSITIVE: Working together to haltthe hurt. Picture: Michael Penera

Stopping thebullying in itsearly stagesBy CHLOE SPEERING

INTERRELATE is a service acrossNSW providing programs thatstrengthen and support all relation-ships in your life.

One program offered to schools isthe bullying awareness program,sponsored by the Newcastle Per-manent Building Society.

This program is for all children inneed that have been bullied or havebullied someone.

Interrelate have identified hardevidence regarding the physical andmental harm that continued bully-ing does to vulnerable children.

The statistics prove children whocontinually engage in bullying aremore likely than others to engage incriminal activities.

The bullying awareness programaims to break the cycle for the victimand the perpetrator.

Bullying is when peoplerepeatedly and intentionally usewords or actions against someone ora group of people to cause distressand risk to their well-being.

Bullying can happen anywhere. Itcan be physical, verbal or emotional.

Interrelate’s positive solutionsbullying resilience program deliverspositive results in dealing with thismajor social issue.

The program co-ordinators atInterrelate believe you have toaddress bullying head on. The anti-bullying program engages students,teachers, and parents to help breakthe bullying and victim cycle.

The program instils, reinforces,and rewards the values of empathy,compassion, and acceptance.

Company garbage rifeBy SHELBY KOVACS

WASTE: McDonald’s came out on top in a recent survey on branded rubbish.Picture: Shelby Kovacs

BRANDED litter itemsaccount for 24 per cent ofthe total litter streamacross Australia.

The Branded Litter Studyconducted in 2011-2012 byKeep Australia Beautifulfound the overall averagenumber of branded litterobjects identified across allsites nationally in 2011-12was 10,565 items.

The study displays whichare the most prevalentbrands overall and withineach category, both nation-ally and across all statesand territories.

Analysis of category res-ults throughout Australiashows that highway sitesgenerally contributed thehighest proportion ofbranded litter across alleight industry categories.

Additionally, the contri-bution of branded litter bythe main material cate-gories shows that the major-ity of branded litter objectswere either paper/paper-board (35.7 per cent) orplastic (33.7 per cent).

Takeaway food and drinkcontainers and packagingaccount for 18.6 per cent oflitter in 2011-2012.

When weighted propor-tionally against the overallbranded litter count,McDonald’s emerged as themost frequently identifiedbrand.

In total, 12.78 per cent ofall branded litter itemsrecorded during 2011-12bore this brand name, mak-ing up more than two thirdsof the total items counted.

Other brands that con-tributed a notable propor-tion of litter within thiscategory included: HungryJack’s 10.9 per cent, KFC7.6 per cent, Subway 3.7 per

cent and Red Rooster1.8 per cent.

An understanding ofwhich brands are in thelitter stream and wherethey are found will helpindustries such as the pack-aging supply chain to meetits responsibilities underthe National PackagingAgreement.

The agreement requiressignatories to addressissues of packaging litterand to contribute to im-proved consumer decision-making relating to the areasof consumption, value, useand disposal of packaging.

This places a lot of pres-sure on companies such asMcDonald’s to take respon-sibility for their consumers’choices.

McDonald’s not onlyoffers dine-in facilities butgarbage bins are availableboth inside the restaurant,in the car park and at thedriveway as its customersexit.

Highways were identifiedas having the highest pro-portion of branded litter asconsumers are still throw-ing rubbish out of the carinstead of in garbage binsor waiting until reachingtheir destination.

Funds set aside for education reform

HANDS UP: Woodberry Public is excited aboutthe proposed plan. Picture: Dominic Tupou

By MIKAYLA MAMMEN

WITH $16.2 billion going intothe national education systemover the next six years if theGonski plan goes ahead, schoolcommunities are beginning tobuzz.

Principal of Woodberry Pub-lic School, Josie Bailey, said:“I’m very excited about thisbecause it will give us thenecessary resources to makesure all children are supported.

‘‘It will provide us with thescope to make more thoroughplans and work more extens-ively with the entire schoolcommunity,” she said.

Mrs Bailey hopes to improveacademic skills and develop asense of community and socialjustice.

‘‘I would like to provide theopportunity to express anddevelop creativity, to inspire allstudents for the future and todevelop technology skills and

most importantly develop posit-ive citizens for the future,” shesaid.

After much hesitation aboutwhether or not the governmentwas going to support the plan,Julia Gillard said: “It’s notabout the fight, it’s all about theoutcome.”

NSW Premier Barry O’Farr-ell initially had hesitations, butis now determined that any dealdone is in the best interest offamilies and students.