AFTER more than 25 years of service, the Derwent Valley Online Access Centre be closing its doors on May 22 after losing its funding and being unable to convince the Tasmanian Government to change its decision.
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Based in the New Norfolk Library building in Charles St, New Norfolk, the centre’s staff and volunteers have dedicated a quarter of a century to help the local community keep pace with technology by increasing digital awareness, providing training and supporting the local population with a diverse range of information and technology needs.
DVOAC secretary Les Whittle said the centre had also developed a sense of community among its users and had published a local business directory for much of the time it was open.
“The centre’s management committee acknowledges the support provided by many people and organisations throughout its years of operation,” he said. “There have been many individuals, businesses, and community groups who have advocated their support for the centre, as well as the many, many people who have utilised the skills, resources and advice provided by our staff and volunteers,” Mr Whittle said.
“To celebrate this history, we are hoping to have a morning tea on Friday, May 22, with some of the original committee members and supporters attending. More details will be published soon on the Centre’s Facebook page.”
Mr Whittle said the centre appreciated the efforts of Libraries Tasmania and its staff to ensure a smooth transition of services after May 22.
When the de-funding of the centre was revealed last September, the move was condemned by community members as well as the four non-government Lyons MPs. The government responded that it was confident Libraries Tasmania could provide the services currently accessed through the online access centre.
Addressing the House of Assembly on September 25, Lyons Labor MP Brian Mitchell said he understood the New Norfolk centre had not received any increase in funding for the past two decades and its demise had been “like water torture, like a drip on a rock, just drip, drip, drip on these online access centres, until they wear away.”
Mr Mitchell’s colleague Jen Butler MHA said the Labor Party was devastated by the news that the Derwent Valley Online Access Centre would lose funding at the end of the 2025-26 financial year, which she said would “rip away services that people in the Derwent Valley rely on every day, from helping with job applications and visa renewals, to support navigating Centrelink, Medicare, and online banking.”
Greens MP Tabatha Badger described the de-funding of the DVOAC as “utterly unacceptable” and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Carlo Di Falco said the closure of the Derwent Valley Online Access Centre would be “a deeply disappointing outcome for the local community.”
Disclosure: New Norfolk and Derwent Valley News editor/owner Damian Bester is a former committee member, volunteer and public officer for the Derwent Valley Online Access Centre and was part of the steering committee that saw it established in 2000.
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One Response
…but the stadium will have a roof. Another short sighted misguided decision