Coast Community Pelican Post 032 by Central Coast Newspapers

Voice of the Peninsula 21 OCTOBER 2021

ISSUE 032

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Where’s our precinct?

News

Waiting times at the Services Australia Centre in Blackwall Road have soared over recent weeks as people have encountered difficulties accessing their COVID-19 vaccination certificates. See page 5

Out & About

The $8.25M redevelopment of the Peninsula Recreation Precinct at Umina promised in the 2019 election campaign has not commenced and community groups are beginning to ask questions. See page 10 Max Green and Jakobie Gadd taking a break from home schooling want to know when the new facilities at the Peninsula Recreation Precinct will be built

Woy Woy’s Troubadour Folk Club will bring a carnival atmosphere to Woy Woy by hosting a night of live music from Australian-Brazilian band – Brazil and Beyond Trio – on October 30. See page 17

Health

Former Council CEO wanted to sell water assets Rob Noble, who took over as Acting CEO in 2016 when Central Coast Council was created, told the Public Inquiry he was surprised to discover a cash reward system in place for Gosford staff. “I handed out cash rewards totalling about $166,000 in the first year because I had to and because it was a very nice thing to do, but a similar system wasn’t in place for people who might have been performing to the same level at Wyong,” he said. Noble suggested that the Gosford Council staff had more anxiety and it was more of a fear-driven culture than the Wyong Council where he had been CEO before the merger. “As a result of that, they were

heavily unionised,” he said. “I recall that at the time of the amalgamation, the Gosford Council had about 31 matters in front of the state Industrial Relations Commission, and Wyong had zero,” he said. “It was very difficult and highly expensive to harmonise the salary and wages systems and conditions across the two councils.” He said it was somewhere in the vicinity of “20-something million dollars”. Noble revealed he had contemplated the idea of selling the water, sewerage and drainage system because of the massive backlog of infrastructure works at both former councils. “I used to have regular meetings with the CEO of Hunter Water,” Noble said.

“We had, you know, a shared water pipeline arrangement and other collaborations. “I raised the idea as a potential for the future with him and he thought it was well worth pursuing. “I suggested that one option might be to sell the business to either Hunter Water or to Sydney Water, if the complexities of the government’s permissions and all that sort of thing could be gotten through. “If that could have been achieved, I thought that there might well be a multibillion dollar benefit for the general fund to Council that would remain at the Central Coast, which would not only cover all of the infrastructure backlogs many, many times over, but provide a whole new lifestyle

and way forward and quality of life for the citizens of the Central Coast with fabulous infrastructure and wonderful service levels and maintenance levels. “I’m throwing that out there as something that, you know, the Council and the State Government may wish to think about into the future,” he said. The inquiry continues this week. Council commissioned an independent review of the model governing its water and sewer operations late last year. CEO David Farmer said at the time that the review would explore if there are opportunities to produce better value and return on investment for the community. He said Council’s water and sewer assets are valued at

close to $4B. “Our obligation to the community is to ensure we are maximising the value of these assets, and improving efficiency and performance in how water and sewer services are delivered,” Farmer said. “This review is about gathering and assessing all the data to get an informed view of all the possible operating structures.” The United Services Union was concerned that the review could open the door to privatisation. Administrator, Rik Hart, said in August last year that he was against any sell-off. The review has yet to return to a public meeting. Merilyn Vale

Local emergency doctor, Ash Bowden, also known as Doctor Do More, helped raise over $100,000 during September for Cancer Council Central Coast. See page 31

Sport

The Central Coast Dragon Boat Club is welcoming new members, catering for those looking for a social experience as well as those with aspirations to compete in racing. See page 37

Puzzles page 18

It all starts with spirit spiritsuper.com.au Advice on Spirit Super is provided by Quadrant First Pty Ltd (ABN 78 102 167 877, AFSL 284443) and issuer is Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718), the trustee of Spirit Super (ABN 74 559 365 913). Read the PDS at spiritsuper.com.au before making a decision.

coastcommunitynews.com.au - 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net

PAGE 2

21 OCTOBER 2021

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YOUR CHANCE TO WIN The Pelican Post would like to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an advertising package with Central Coast Newspapers.

Coast Community Pelican Post is published team of local journalists as well as external weekly on a Thursday by Central Coast sources, including media releases, websites and Newspapers Pty Ltd (CCN), a local, family- public notices. owned business. All of our news content is subject to strict editorial standards – see www. CCN publishes three local, independent coastcommunitynews.com.au/aboutus/ newspapers – Coast Community News, the Coast Community Pelican Post and the Coast Community editorialstandards Chronicle – distributed via more than 450 Wherever possible, our news includes source distribution points right across the Central Coast. lines that provide information about where Most of our stories, as well as our digital information was sourced so that readers can programs such as “Friday 5@5”, can be viewed judge for themselves the veracity of what they online at www.coastcommunitynews.com.au are reading. together with a flip book for every paper shown Each paper focuses specifically on an area bound by postcodes as follows: in full. CCN aims to serve the interests of the Coast Community Pelican Post - Post Codes 2256 and 2257; Coast Community News - Post community in three important ways: 1. To serve the ultimate purpose of the free Codes 2250, 2251, 2260; and Coast Community press in a democracy, that is, to hold powerful Chronicle - Post Codes 2258, 2259, 2261, 2262 interests to account through high-quality, and 2263. independent journalism without fear or prejudice; Coast Community Pelican Post coverage takes 2. To provide an affordable medium for local in parts of both Gosford East and Gosford West businesses to advertise their products and Council Wards, a section of the State seats of services, including discounted rates for eligible Gosford and Terrigal, and a large section of the Federal seat of Robertson. not-for-profit organisations; and, 3. To keep the community informed about local For all other information, please visit our issues and ensure that important public notices website or call us on (02) 4325 7369 or call in are available to ALL members of the community and see us at Suite 1, Level 2, 86 Mann St, irrespective of their socio-economic Gosford. circumstances. Our content is originated through both our own

Ross Barry, Publisher

ISSUE 030

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

News

CWA has it in the bag

A new COVID-19 vaccination clinic aimed at supporting the Indigenous community has opened its doors in Umina. See page 3

Out & About

With the warmer weather approaching, local authorities have encouraged residents to be prepared for the fire season and emergencies. See page 13

The Country Women’s Association’s Woy Woy Branch has put together dozens of bags to help those in need in a cross-club collaboration with the Gosford Rotary Club.

Health

See page 15

Central Council Council Public Inquiry coverage from Page 4

Coast takes another spin on regional status roundabout The State Government’s roadmap out of lockdown has met with mixed reactions because Central Coast residents, unlike others, will not be allowed to travel to regional NSW until the state reaches its 80 per cent fully vaccinated target. The NSW Government said adjustments had been made to the 70 per cent roadmap due to ‘updated health advice’. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, confirmed that residents would not be able to freely travel to other parts of regional NSW even after the 70

per cent target is met on October 11. “This is because the Central Coast’s daily COVID-19 case numbers are consistently too high,” he said. “Our region is recording approximately 30 new COVID-19 cases per day. “This is even higher than most local government areas across Sydney. “Clearly, we are not out of the woods. “NSW Health has identified the growing COVID-19 case numbers on the Central Coast and in the Illawarra as two of the most concerning areas in the state.

“If our case numbers decline and if vaccination rates continue to rise between now and 11 October, I will absolutely advocate for this Health decision to be reconsidered.” During September the Central Coast was removed from Greater Sydney for COVID health order purposes but this latest announcement appears to have ‘returned’ the Coast to being part of Greater Sydney as restrictions are eased. Local Labor MPs said they were furious about the backflip on the Coast’s classification even if it is likely to only last two weeks and Federal Member for Robertson has also

expressed concern. Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, said she was angered by the decision, noting that fully vaccinated Sydney residents could travel to the Coast from October 11. “We fought so hard to become a region, yet they’ve pushed us back in with Greater Sydney again,” Tesch said. “We’re not allowed to travel; Newcastle is allowed to come here; Sydney is allowed to come here and yet the Government has completely taken that regional victory from Coasties and absolutely squashed us. “There’s no health regulations

pointing it out, there’s no press releases to the local media to keep Coasties informed, there’s no communication with local members of parliament. “It’s a really disappointing … slap in the face for people on the Central Coast right now. “If Newcastle has those case numbers and is allowed to travel, why are we locked in? “So, lets open it up to Coasties to have that freedom to travel to the regions and let’s think about that hard Sydney border which is what we’ve been promised.” Continued page 4

A Pearl Beach local and member of the Central Coast Volunteer Support Group has urged cyclists and road users to be more aware. See page 25

Sport

It’s good news for any fitness bunnies out there following the Peninsula Leisure Centre’s announcement it will reopen several of its services on Monday, October 11. See page 32

Puzzles page 18

coastcommunitynews.com.au - 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net

122 Dash Cam competition was Michelle Thomson of Ourimbah. The winners of the Sonata

competition were Pat Taylor of Woy Woy, Gillian Bishop of Woy Woy and Michelle Kennedy of Ettalong.

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Next Edition: Pelican Post 033

7 OCTOBER 2021

The lucky winner will receive a credit for a one eighth of a page advertisement valued at $250 to feature in 20,000 editions of either the Chronicle, Coast Community News or The Pelican Post, as well as in the digital edition. It will be seen by thousands of people and with the new year ahead of us, now is the time for businesses and notfor-profits to reconnect with the Central Coast community. For your chance to win write your full name, address and daytime telephone number of the back of an envelope and mail it to Coast Community Chronicle Advertising Competition, PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250, before 5pm on Oct 26. The winner of the Nextbase

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Pelican Post covers everything relating to Woy Woy, Woy Woy South, Umina, Pearl Beach, Patonga, Horsfield Bay, Pheagans Bay, Woy Woy Bay, Corea Bay, Ettalong, Booker Bay, Blackwall Publisher: Ross Barry - CEO: Cec Bucello - Editor: Jackie Pearson - Design & Production: Justin Stanley, Lucillia Eljuga Journalists: Maisy Rae, Terry Collins, Sue Murray, Harry Mulholland, Skaie Hull, Merilyn Vale, Hayley McMahon, Haakon Barry Head of Distribution: Anthony Wagstaff ISSN 1839-9045 - Print Post Approved - PP100001843 - Printed by Spotpress Marrickville Voice of the Peninsula 8 OCTOBER 2021

Yarn Bomb project aims to help end violence

15 OCTOBER 2021 13 OCTOBER 2021

ISSUE 260

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Coast shines on global eco-tourism stage

Residents will have their chance to learn more and ask questions about State Government plans to rejuvenate Peat Island and Mooney Mooney at a series of community information webinars. See page 3

See page 26

Health

The office of the Commissioner has released a list of witnesses for the Public Inquiry but none of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) at the time the crisis occurred is on the list. Resident Kevin Brooks received the list and an email from the Commissioner’s Office that said: “The witness list does not include persons from whom the Commissioner will

CCN

“No wonder 22,400 petitioned for a genuinely independent judicial inquiry rather than this State Government alternative.” Brooks said the list contains past executives who left before the crisis and also executives who joined after the crisis. These include current Administrator Rik Hart, CEO David Farmer and CFO Natalia Cowley. But executives who were at Council at the time of the crisis and are still at Council are not on the list. “You have to wonder if Council executives who kept their jobs despite the financial collapse have now been declared some

Over 1,500 local residents have signed a petition to voice their objection to Central Coast Council’s proposal to increase the foreshore building height at Ettalong Beach.

The Pearl Beach Progress Association is running a fundraiser throughout the month of October to help generate funds for the upkeep of the Memorial Hall. See page 13

sort of protected species,” Brooks said. “These executives were responsible for managing budgets in their own departments. “They were responsible for providing reports and recommendations to the governing body. “And they were part of a collective leadership team. “How can they not have questions to answer at this inquiry?” The Office of the Commissioner said in exceptional circumstances, the Commissioner may exercise her discretion to hear oral

submissions from a person wishing to make such submissions in confidence. During Day Three, the Commissioner said on the livestream that “Pursuant to my discretion under section 12B of the Royal Commissions Act,” some witnesses would give evidence in private. “I make decisions about those matters having regard to the particular circumstances of the witnesses and the impact that their giving of evidence might have on their current or future employment, on their mental health or other factors such as that,” she said. Continued page 4

October is Mental Health Month and Central Coast Council has pulled together a program of online courses and activities to get residents to reflect on their mental wellbeing. See page 31

Sport

Storm Roux has re-joined the Central Coast Mariners on a oneyear deal after spending three years with Melbourne Victory. See page 39

Puzzles page 22

It all starts with spirit spiritsuper.com.au

Local stories showcasing the Central Coast as an eco-tourism destination have captured international attention and a winning spot in the 2021 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories competition.

The Central Coast is the only NSW location on the Top 100 list, and one of only five in Australia,alongside Bundaberg, Margaret River, Port Douglas/ Daintree and Townsville. It’s a competition led by Green Destinations, which collects Good Practice Stories from all around the world to inspire travellers and tourism professionals, and then to shine the spotlight on the top 100 locations which are making promising progress toward a more sustainable tourism industry.

Emma Perham, of Destination Central Coast, said this was a wonderful accolade for the Central Coast and something everyone should be incredibly proud of. “This good news story will lift spirits and help industry focus on the future, especially moving into recovery after COVID,” she said. “Sustainable tourism is not a fleeting trend and eco-tourism values are becoming more important in shaping how people decide to travel. “This recognition just helps us to attract the kind of visitors we want to draw to the Coast, people who want to immerse themselves in the local culture and are more mindful of their environmental footprint. “We’ve got such depth of tourism product and experience

here on the Coast … a lot of people just think about beaches and national parks, they don’t realise we’ve got this beautiful hinterland, so many great operators, the food and beverage scene, so many great experiences, there’s so much more to discover than what people realise. “This Top 100 recognition is another step and ties in with our efforts for Eco Tourism Certification, all of which will help position us differently to all the other beachside towns up along the east coast,” Perham said. Council’s Chief Financial Officer, Natalia Cowley, said that being the only NSW location on the Top 100 list flagged the Central Coast’s attraction as an eco-tourism attraction to both visitors and business enterprise.

“We want to put ourselves on the map, that this is a hub for businesses focussing on nature-based eco-tourism and the environment,” she said. “We’re sending the message to everyone that if that’s your type of business, come here to set up or relocate and grow your business, you’ll be more visible and you’ll be among like-minded people in complementary endeavours. “This is precisely the focus that we have exhibited in becoming an eco-certified destination and now being recognised on this international level, as one of only five locations in Australia, is just one more step in promoting ourselves as a destination of choice for both visitors and business opportunities. “Doing this would drive the

local spend in our community to support local businesses, it will create local jobs, build our economy and also grow the community pride in our region,” Cowley said. The opportunity to enter the Top 100 was made possible through a partnership with Destination Central Coast and Ecotourism Australia, as part of the ECO Destination Certification program, fully funded by WWF-Australia (World Wildlife Fund). Emma Perham said our region’s winning story focussed on the Coast’s refreshed approach to tourism, led by the new Love Central Coast campaign, which showcases the value of the region’s natural and cultural assets and sharing the inspiring stories of local brand ambassadors.

Business

Continued page 14

Ben Brown of Bateau Bay has continued to empower people with intellectual disabilities throughout lockdown in his role as support officer with the organisation Self Advocacy. See page 25

Sport

Central Coast Mariners have announced the addition of goalkeeper Yaren Sözer to Nick Montgomery’s A-League squad this season. See page 39

Puzzles page 18

It all starts with spirit spiritsuper.com.au

Advice on Spirit Super is provided by Quadrant First Pty Ltd (ABN 78 102 167 877, AFSL 284443) and issuer is Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718), the trustee of Spirit Super (ABN 74 559 365 913). Read the PDS at spiritsuper.com.au before making a decision.

coastcommunitynews.com.au - 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net

shine the spotlight on the top 100 locations which are making promising progress toward a more sustainable tourism industry. Emma Perham, of Destination Central Coast, said this was a wonderful accolade for the Central Coast and something everyone should be incredibly proud of. “This good news story will lift spirits and help industry focus on the future, especially moving into recovery after COVID,” she said. “Sustainable tourism is not a fleeting trend and eco-tourism values are becoming more important in shaping how

people decide to travel. “This recognition just helps us to attract the kind of visitors we want to draw to the Coast, people who want to immerse themselves in the local culture and are more mindful of their environmental footprint. “We’ve got such depth of tourism product and experience here on the Coast … a lot of people just think about beaches and national parks, they don’t realise we’ve got this beautiful hinterland, so many great operators, the food and beverage scene, so many great experiences, there’s so much more to discover than what people realise.

“We’re sending the message to everyone that if that’s your type of business, come here to set up or relocate and grow your business, you’ll be more visible and you’ll be among like-minded people in complementary endeavours. “This is precisely the focus that we have exhibited in becoming an eco-certified destination and now being recognised on this international level, as one of only five locations in Australia, is just one more step in promoting ourselves as a destination of choice for both visitors and business opportunities. Continued page 4

Smokey Mountain facing the bulldozer

Business

See page 3

Sport

On the precipice of the most expansive season in the history of Australian women’s football, the Central Coast’s Mikayla Ryan has been confirmed as the A-League Women’s fourth official. See page 32

Puzzles page 18

spiritsuper.com.au Advice on Spirit Super is provided by Quadrant First Pty Ltd (ABN 78 102 167 877, AFSL 284443) and issuer is Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718), the trustee of Spirit Super (ABN 74 559 365 913). Read the PDS at spiritsuper.com.au before making a decision.

Former Central Coast Council Interim Administrator, Dick Persson, called an article critical of his work at Central Coast Council “academic wankery” during his evidence at the Public Inquiry on October 13. Mr Persson said the financial crisis that resulted in him being installed in November 2020 was “I don’t want to be crude – a cluster mess”. Under cross examination, he warned his interrogator not to treat him in a “smart-arse” way. He described suspended

Deputy Mayor Jane Smith as a fine environmental activist and said he considered himself a bit of one too. Persson published three reports when he was Interim Administrator. “Sometimes when you write a document, time passes, you look at it and you go ‘Ouch’, or whatever. Well, I’m very comfortable with every word in those documents,” Persson said. Commissioner Roslyn McCulloch said: “Although you did change your opinion about whether an inquiry was appropriate?” “No, no, I recommended an

inquiry,” Persson replied. “Ultimately, yes,” the Commissioner said. Persson said the Councillors weren’t up the job and gave special mention to suspended Councillors Greg Best and Jane Smith. “He’d been around for a long time,” Persson said of Cr Best. “Asking questions on notice was his modus operandi. “I said to him – he probably showed you the 56 motions he’d moved, or whatever. “I said, ‘Well, after the first 20 didn’t work, did you think about some other way of dealing with it, because clearly it wasn’t working, yet you claim to be

aware that there was a financial calamity?’.” He said Cr Jane Smith acted to a large extent like a mayor from the 1990s when the mayor was chief executive under the Local Government Act. “In my view – and I’ve talked to all the Executive Leadership Team and quite a number of other people – Mayor Jane Smith, who I believe has a very fine record as an environmental activist, and I consider myself a bit of one as well – she came in determined to effect changes. “She employed a person, and one of the Councillors on the Inquiry mentioned to me that

she wanted to employ a woman but, ‘If I can’t get a woman, I’m going to get a non-alpha-type male’. “She acted to a large extent like a pre-’93 mayor. “She attended ELT meetings, took over the meetings to a large extent, you know, was tough on staff directly. “Mr Murphy (former CEO Gary Murphy) didn’t intervene, in my view, from all accounts, to provide the balance that the chief executive should do under the Act between that, and I think that was sort of the beginning of when it went off the rails.” Continued page 4

Two homes in Calais Rd, Wamberal, have sold for a combined total of more than $5.5M. See page 31

Sport

The sixth event in this season’s Sail Grand Prix (SGP) has been won by the Australian team, helmed by Gosford Sailing Club Alumnus and Olympic Gold Medallist, Tom Slingsby. See page 40

Puzzles page 22

coastcommunitynews.com.au - 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net

ISSUE 032

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Where’s our precinct?

Train services will be disrupted on Wednesday, October 20, when rail workers take industrial action following the breakdown of negotiations between the NSW Government and the union... See page 5

The former Smokey Mountain and Grizzly Flats Railroad has closed after five decades of providing a place for locomotive enthusiasts, and tourists to enjoy the joys of steam trains.

Health

The $8.25M redevelopment of the Peninsula Recreation Precinct at Umina promised in the 2019 election campaign has not commenced and community groups are beginning to ask questions.

See page 26

Rob Noble, who took over as Acting CEO in 2016 when Central Coast Council was created, told the Public Inquiry he was surprised to discover a cash reward system in place for Gosford staff. “I handed out cash rewards totalling about $166,000 in the first year because I had to and because it was a very nice thing to do, but a similar system wasn’t in place for people who might have been performing to the same level at Wyong,” he said. Noble suggested that the Gosford Council staff had more anxiety and it was more of a feardriven culture than the Wyong Council where he had been CEO before the merger. “As a result of that, they were

Water,” Noble said. “We had, you know, a shared water pipeline arrangement and other collaborations. “I raised the idea as a potential for the future with him and he thought it was well worth pursuing. “I suggested that one option might be to sell the business to either Hunter Water or to Sydney Water, if the complexities of the government’s permissions and all that sort of thing could be gotten through. “If that could have been achieved, I thought that there might well be a multi-billion dollar benefit for the general fund to Council that would remain at the Central Coast, which would not only cover all of the infrastructure backlogs many, many times over, but provide a

See page 10 Max Green and Jakobie Gadd taking a break from home schooling want to know when the new facilities at the Peninsula Recreation Precinct will be built

See page 17

whole new lifestyle and way forward and quality of life for the citizens of the Central Coast with fabulous infrastructure and wonderful service levels and maintenance levels. “I’m throwing that out there as something that, you know, the CouncilandtheStateGovernment may wish to think about into the future,” he said. The inquiry continues this week. Council commissioned an independent review of the model governing its water and sewer operations late last year. CEO David Farmer said at the time that the review would explore if there are opportunities to produce better value and return on investment for the community.

He said Council’s water and sewer assets are valued at close to $4B. “Our obligation to the community is to ensure we are maximising the value of these assets, and improving efficiency and performance in how water and sewer services are delivered,” Farmer said. “This review is about gathering and assessing all the data to get an informed view of all the possible operating structures.” The United Services Union was concerned that the review could open the door to privatisation. Administrator, Rik Hart, said in August last year that he was against any sell-off. The review has yet to return to a public meeting. Merilyn Vale

See page 31

Sport

Local fundraisers Bryan Dorfling and Matthew Johnstone were so impressed by Anton Nootenboom, also known as the Barefoot Dutchman, that they joined him when he passed through the Central Coast last week. See page 40

Puzzles page 18

Rob Noble, who took over as Acting CEO in 2016 when Central Coast Council was created, told the Public Inquiry he was surprised to discover a cash reward system in place for Gosford staff. “I handed out cash rewards totalling about $166,000 in the first year because I had to and because it was a very nice thing to do, but a similar system wasn’t in place for people who might have been performing to the same level at Wyong,” he said. Noble suggested that the Gosford Council staff had more anxiety and it was more of a fear-driven culture than the Wyong Council where he had been CEO before the merger. “As a result of that, they were

Health

Merilyn Vale

Local emergency doctor, Ash Bowden, also known as Doctor Do More, helped raise over $100,000 during September for Cancer Council Central Coast. See page 31

Sport

The Central Coast Dragon Boat Club is welcoming new members, catering for those looking for a social experience as well as those with aspirations to compete in racing. See page 37

Puzzles page 18

spiritsuper.com.au

E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net - Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Woy Woy’s Troubadour Folk Club will bring a carnival atmosphere to Woy Woy by hosting a night of live music from Australian-Brazilian band – Brazil and Beyond Trio – on October 30. See page 17

It all starts with spirit

Office: Level 1.01/86-88 Mann Street Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250

Waiting times at the Services Australia Centre in Blackwall Road have soared over recent weeks as people have encountered difficulties accessing their COVID-19 vaccination certificates. See page 5

Former Council CEO wanted to sell water assets Two Central Coast nurses have travelled to the furthest reaches of outback NSW, as part of a COVID response health team to help the remote community of Wilcannia.

It all starts with spirit coastcommunitynews.com.au - 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net

News

Out & About

Business

Public comment is being sought, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), in relation to a development proposal

Former Council CEO touts selling water assets

Complete ‘cluster mess’ The historical Woy Woy Hotel is set to undergo a facelift after being acquired by a regionally focused hospitality company. See page 21

21 OCTOBER 2021

News

CCN employees, Harry Mulholland and Lucillia Eljuga, at Hotel Gosford

It all starts with spirit coastcommunitynews.com.au - 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net

Bakehouse 2000 at Kincumber has been keeping smiles on customers’ faces throughout lockdown with its zany theme days and intends to keep up the fun right through to December 1. See page 17

Central Coast residents flocked to their favourite retail outlets, hairdressers, cafes, restaurants and watering holes as the region emerged from its 15week lockdown on October 11.

See page 3

“This Top 100 recognition is another step and ties in with our efforts for Eco Tourism Certification, all of which will help position us differently to all the other beachside towns up along the east coast,” Perham said. Council’s Chief Financial Officer, Natalia Cowley, said that being the only NSW location on the Top 100 list flagged the Central Coast as an eco-tourism attraction to both visitors and business enterprises. “We want to put ourselves on the map, that this is a hub for businesses focussing on nature-based eco-tourism and the environment,” she said.

ISSUE 261

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Out&About

Coast goes global as eco-tourism destination Local stories showcasing the Central Coast as an eco-tourism destination have captured international attention and a winning spot in the 2021 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories competition.

20 OCTOBER 2021

Despite fears that a major upgrade of the Tumbi Rd/Central Coast Hwy intersection at Wamberal could spell the demise of the nearby Valley Fruit, the popular fresh food outlet will remain and may gain a new carpark. See page 3

Out & About

1,500 locals ask Minister to save Ettalong from highrise

Running of the horses at Glenworth Valley – the Central Coast hinterland rounds out the complete package of beaches and national parks for a world-class eco-tourism destination

Executives not listed to appear at Public Inquiry hear in private.” It said the witness list was a matter for the Commissioner, Roslyn McCulloch, and was signed by her assistant officer. Brooks said this seemed to continue the theme of a “not so public” inquiry. “Why are some witnesses being allowed to provide their testimony in secret despite this being a ‘public’ inquiry,” he said. “First the submissions aren’t made public, then the video link doesn’t work, and now we learn some testimony will be given in secret – whilst current executives in posts at the time won’t face any public questions at all.

First taste of freedom

Killcare Surf Lifesaving Club has warned residents to be aware of blue-ringed octopuses after a child nearly came into contact with the creature recently. See page 6

See page 5

Local manufacturer SpotGo has been crowned Central Coast Business of the Year.

Health

ISSUE 314

News

ISSUE 031

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

News

See page 17 Soroptimist International Brisbane Water is one group contributing to the project

14 OCTOBER 2021

Business

Heavyweights of the Australian and international music scene will lend their support to Musicians Making a Difference (MMAD) Day on October 15. See page 17

Knitters and crocheters across the Central Coast have been hard at work during lockdown preparing for a vibrant installation set to take pride of place at Terrigal from November 19 to December 17.

News

Bateau Bay residents can now walk in safety from Shelly Beach to Crackneck Lookout completely in the bush, away from busy traffic along Bateau Bay Rd.

Out&About

The Commissioner of the Public Inquiry into Central Coast Council intends to interview some witnesses in private and it is still unclear if some senior Council staff will be interviewed at all.

Voice of the Peninsula

ISSUE 313

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2021 OFFICIAL

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NEWS

PAGE 3

21 OCTOBER 2021

Residents raise overdevelopment concerns with Council The Pearl Beach Environment Group (PBEG) has raised concerns with Central Coast Council over the loss of bushland in Pearl Beach and its impact on the environment due to “inappropriate development”. The PBEG outlined its concerns in a letter to Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, on October 5 and the group has since been informed Hart will meet with them. PBEG said they remained worried that there had been an “accelerated loss of the bushland environment of Pearl Beach”, through development applicationsandthe“incremental

effects of the Exempt and Complying Development”. In the letter, PBEG referred to Section 5.10 of the Gosford Development Control Plan 2013 which states: “The distinctive asset of Pearl Beach is its natural environment. “Within the village is an abundance of trees and shrubs – in the reserves, in the streets and on the private properties, and softening the visual impact of structures on the natural environment. “It also has a profusion of bird life within the village. “The tree canopy is the intrinsic unifying feature of the area and it is critical that it be maintained.” The group noted that the

Plans for works on 23 Cornelian Rd from a 2017 development application

objectives of the R2 Residential Zone in the Gosford Local Environment Plan 2014 included: a focus to ensure development is compatible with the desired future character of the zone; promote ecologically, socially and economically sustainable

development and the need for, and value of, biodiversity; and ensure that non-residential land uses do not adversely affect residential amenity. PBEG said they had increasingly found the “carefully worded” provisions of local planning

controls were being ignored when applied to development in Pearl Beach, particularly in the case of open space and landscaping. The construction of two “substantial” dwellings and removal of all trees from 23 Cornelian Rd was something the PBEG said was a “lesson in the dangers of incremental approvals. “The over development of the site at 12 Diamond Rd and the provision of extensive hard landscaping to the front of the property [was] completely at odds with the streetscape character,” PBEG said. “The overdevelopment of 6 Gem Rd and the excessive height

of that development and its impact on views from Broken Bay, the beachfront and from Green Point …these are just some of the developments impacting on the special character of our small village. “The Pearl Beach community is also concerned that there is no forward planning for the remedial works to the Pearl Beach Lagoon as recommended in the Lagoon Study of 2020.” Representatives of the PBEG asked to meet with Hart, together with key senior members of the Council staff to discuss their concerns. Maisy Rae

IPART to hold public forum on water pricing Ratepayers will have a chance to express their views on Central Coast Council’s proposed 34 per cent hike in water rates at an online public hearing on October 26. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) will hold a public forum via Zoom at 10am on October 26 to discuss Council’s proposal for the rise which would take place from

July next year if approved. Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader, said that the forum would be a great opportunity for the community to provide feedback to IPART before the Tribunal releases its draft determination in March, 2022. “Both Council and IPART are dedicated to making sure that the community have every opportunity to have their say on their water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices,”

Loader said. “If you’re unable to make the public hearing, you can also provide your feedback in writing directly to IPART, until November 1.” The pricing proposal for water, sewerage and stormwater drainage services is separate to the Special Rates Variation rise of 13 per cent on top of the IPART cap of 2 per cent, which came into effect for general rates this year.

“It’s important to remember that as a ratepayer, you receive two separate bills: your general rates and your water, sewerage and stormwater drainage rates,” Administrator, Rik Hart, said. “Our rates for water, sewerage and stormwater drainage are currently the lowest in NSW, and they are not financially sustainable. “If we were to continue with these prices, we would not have sufficient funds to provide a safe,

clean and reliable water supply and an effective sewer and drainage system that does not harm the environment. “We are proposing returning our prices for these services similar to 2018-19 levels, with an allowance for subsequent inflation. “This means there will be, on average, an increase by about 34 per cent in the first year, and then by inflation after that.” IPART Chair, Carmel Donnelly,

said IPART would assess whether the price changes proposed by the Council represented good value for money for customers and were affordable. She strongly encouraged ratepayers to attend the Zoom meeting. To find out how to attend or to make a formal submission to IPART, visit yourvoiceourcoast. com. Terry Collins

Central Coast, it's time to talk water, sewer and stormwater prices. Did you know your water, sewer and stormwater drainage prices are set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART)? Central Coast Council recently lodged their water, sewer and stormwater drainage pricing proposal to IPART, for 1 July 2022. IPART are inviting the community to:  attend IPART's online public hearing on Tuesday 26 October 2021 at 10am via Zoom  have their say by making a formal submission. To ﬁnd out how you can register for the public hearing, or make a formal submission to IPART, visit yourvoiceourcoast.com

yourvoiceourcoast.com

NEWS First vaccination clinic at Woy Woy Hospital

PAGE 4

21 OCTOBER 2021

Woy Woy Hospital will host a walk-in vaccination clinic this week for anyone who may be still waiting to get their first or second Pfizer jab. The clinic will be held on Friday, October 22 from 9am to 2pm at the Kathleen St Community Rehabilitation Building near the Hydrotherapy Pool.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Anyone aged 12 years or over is welcome to attend. Children aged 12 to 15 must attend with their legal guardian, who will need to provide consent before vaccination. Bookings are not required. Residents are asked to bring their Medicare card, some ID and a mobile phone (if you have one).

EVERY THING MUST GO

Maisy Rae

Staff unable to watch Council Inquiry Staff at Central Coast Council have been unable to watch the “not-so” Public Inquiry into the circumstances of its financial crisis. An email from CEO, David Farmer, suggested they were free to watch the live streamed hearings after hours. He said he had no doubt staff would be interested, given it was about their organisation but they were not allowed to watch at work.

“With the hearings being held virtually and recordings available, staff who choose to do so may follow the hearings in their own personal time outside their working hours,” he said. Farmer did not acknowledge that staff could not watch outside working hours because the live stream of testimonies from witnesses was removed from Youtube almost immediately after the last speaker finished each day. The Office of the Commissioner

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said the Commissioner, Roslyn McCulloch, decided to hold the public hearings online primarily due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. “She also determined that in order to limit reproduction, the live stream of the hearings would be available to view only while the proceedings were in progress. “This is consistent with the degree of public access which would be available had the hearings been held in person. “The published transcripts are the enduring record of the proceedings.” Transcripts sometimes take more than 16 hours to appear

on the Commissioner’s page on the Office of Local Government website. The October 18 transcript was still not public by 9am on October 19 despite the hearings finishing mid-afternoon the day before. The hearings staff interrupted the Commissioner at one point on October 18 saying they had not been able to hear about seven minutes of evidence. The Commissioner asked if they would be able to pick up the words from the audio and the team agreed they would be able to, so the hearing continued. Merilyn Vale

Grants available to bring seniors out of isolation Seniors facing social isolation are the focus of a fast-tracked $600,000 funding boost by the NSW Government, as COVID restrictions begin to ease. Minister for Seniors, Natalie Ward, said Round Two of the Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors Grant Program would fund community groups to provide activities which keep older people active and engaged. “We’ve brought this program forward from next June because it’s clear seniors have been through an incredibly difficult time during COVID,” she said. “Now that restrictions are starting to ease it’s important our seniors re-establish meaningful connections as soon as possible. “Community links can be a lifeline, in particular for older

people who might live alone or be isolated from their family or friends.” Previous funding recipients included a gardening club, Aboriginal elder organisations providing one-on-one support, online dance groups and home-delivered craft kits. Grants of up to $60,000 will go towards new and existing programs that promote seniors’ social inclusion. Projects must have a COVID-safe plan and run until December 2022. Social inclusion is a key priority of the Ageing Well in NSW: Seniors Strategy 20212031. Applications for the Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors Grant Program close on Monday, November 15, at facs. nsw.gov.au/inclusion/seniors Source: NSW Government

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PAGE 5

21 OCTOBER 2021

Long wait times for help with vaccination proof Waiting times at the Woy Woy Services Australia Centre in Blackwall Road (formerly known as the Centrelink/Medicare office) have soared over recent weeks as people have encountered difficulties accessing their COVID-19 vaccination certificates. Empire Bay resident, Doug Hull, said he visited the Woy Woy Services Australia Centre last week to enquire about his vaccination certificate options, but left after seeing a long lineup. Hull said he currently holds an A4 size vaccination sheet but was hoping to be able to receive a ‘credit card-sized’ certificate for ease. “I went to the service centre and saw a big line-up on the ramp of approximately 10 to 15 people,” he said. “They were mostly elderly ladies. “I asked if they were they to get their vaccination certificates and they said yes. “I was surprised there had been no chairs offered to the ladies waiting.” Another local resident said he tried to contact Medicare via phone and experienced a two to three hour wait time.

statement for them. “Alternatively, they can call the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 and ask for a copy of their immunisation history statement to be sent to them. “It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the post. “If people on the Peninsula require their statement urgently and can’t wait for it to arrive in the post, they can get a printed copy of their statement at the Woy Woy Service Centre. “ServicesAustraliaencourages people to access their statement online or by calling the Australian Immunisation Register before attending a service centre.” Wicks said that due to COVID-19 public health orders, there are currently capacity limits which impact the number of staff and customers who can be physically in the service centres at any one time. “This capacity limit may cause service delays for constituents,” Wicks said. “For customers who have to visit a Services Australia office during the current pandemic, the staff are serving them quickly and efficiently while bound by health orders.”

Queue outside the Woy Woy Services Australia building on Wednesday, October 20

He said he then tried to access his vaccination certificate through the MyGov website which crashed, before visiting the service centre. “I waited 45 minutes and was then told at the door that I couldn’t be served because they were overwhelmed with vaccination passport enquiries. “The vaccine passport is a mess and Medicare is overwhelmed and Medicare payments are taking forever.” Under the current health restrictions, fully vaccinated individuals must show proof of vaccination to enter a range of venues including non-essential shops, gyms, recreation centres and hospitality locations. Proof of vaccination can be shown digitally through the

Service NSW App, the Medicare App or on an iPhone’s digital wallet. A paper copy can also be alternatively provided to the business. Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, said she had received similar reports from constituents with one man noting that he wouldn’t treat his dog the way he had been treated by staff at Services Australia. “It is understandable that older members of our community are clearly frustrated trying to get their certified proof in legitimate modes that are required by local businesses,” Tesch said. “Proving the vaccination details is easy for those with access to technology and the skills required to link all the

accounts etc. “The NSW Government announced they would have an ‘easy-to-use’ app/process available, and disappointingly it is still very tricky to access for those who do not have the required technology. “The queues outside the Woy Woy Services Australia have been long and out the door since the support from the Federal Government was withdrawn. “It is very clear that more staff are required and the ‘pop-up’ facility at Ettalong is not keeping up with increased demand.” Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, said her office had not received any reports from locals over struggles to access their vaccination certificate through Services Australia.

“Services Australia has not been turning customers away at the Woy Woy Service Centre, which has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wicks said. “Services Australia’s Ettalong Agent Service had been closed due to restrictions in place across Greater Sydney but reopened yesterday (October 18). “Services Australia acknowledges not everyone can use, or has access to, online services and mobile devices, and they have a number of options in place to help those people. “If people cannot get proof of vaccination online, their vaccination provider can print their immunisation history

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NEWS

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Strong local support for Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill Chair of the Central Coast Group of Dying with Dignity and Woy Woy local, Stephanie Short, welcomed the introduction of the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Bill into NSW Parliament on October 14. The Bill, which will give terminally ill people the option to end their lives at a time and place of their choosing, now holds the record for the highest number of cosponsors to a bill in the history of any Australian parliament at 28 signatures. Short said VAD and palliative care were twin components of end-of-life care. “We should not have to choose between voluntary assisted dying and palliative care,” Short said. “We have so much to learn

from end-of-life care in Canada in this regard …you do not need to make a choice between VAD and palliative care. “In Canada, if a person is planning to have Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), they can continue to receive palliate care. “Likewise, if they are receiving palliative care, they are entitled to explore the idea of an assisted death or request MAiD. “This is what they have in Canada, and this is what we should demand in NSW.” Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, who co-sponsored the Bill, said it was a great day for many members of the community who would benefit from the autonomy the legislation would

provide if passed. “I’ve heard so many heartbreaking stories about loved ones who go on for years suffering silently in pain with terminal illness,” Tesch said. “We should give people the choice to pass on if their suffering is so unbearable. “Giving them this right ensures that the people we care about most may leave us with the dignity and timing of their own choosing. “I also want to acknowledge the team of Coasties who have been lobbying for this change for over 25 years.” Vice President of Dying with Dignity NSW, Shayne Higson, said she had been campaigning for law reform for nine years following the traumatic death of her mother in 2012.

4333 7004

“My mum suffered terribly at the end stage of an aggressive brain cancer…she pleaded with me to end her life but there was nothing that I could do,” Higson said. “I know she would have wanted the choice of assisted dying just a few weeks earlier to avoid that end stage. “My story is not unique. “Since the last Bill failed by just one vote four years ago, over 17,000 people have emailed their local MP to ask them to support this legislation and so many of them have traumatic experiences even worse than mine. “We can do so much better and that is why we need this Bill to pass.” The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association

(NSWNMA) have also welcomed the introduction with the Association’s General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said nurses and midwives have expressed support for the law to be established in NSW for many years. “In light of the latest VAD bill, drafted by Greenwich, we surveyed our members and found the majority agree people suffering from a terminal illness should have a choice,” Holmes said. “Of the 2,561 survey respondents, over 83 percent indicated having professional experience in providing care to adults diagnosed with a terminal illness. “Over half of those respondents said they had been asked by a terminally ill patient for assistance to end

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their life. “This is a topic that comes up for a majority of these nurses in their day-to-day practice. “Nurses and midwives have a duty of care to patients, and we acknowledge people with a terminal or incurable illness should have the right to choice at the end of their life. “We understand not everyone agrees with VAD, but we will support members who exercise their conscientious objection, and this has been accommodated in the draft bill.” There are extensive safeguards including the requirement for two doctors to confirm eligibility and that the patient is acting voluntarily without coercion. Eligible patients will have access to life ending medication which they can self-administer or take with the assistance of a healthcare professional. On the opposite side of the debate, Catholic Healthcare Australia Chair and former NSW Deputy Premier, John Watkins, called on MPs to reject VAD due to advances in palliative care. “The idea that supporting euthanasia is progressive, and opposing it is conservative, is obsolete,” he said. “In fact, any thoughtful progressive should be worried about where the rush towards voluntary assisted dying is taking us.” The Bill is expected to be debated this week in NSW Parliament. Harry Mulholland and Maisy Rae

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Coast Connect Central Coast Council’s news and community information

From Council It is important for us to examine rates again and for our community to make an informed choice about maintaining services and service standards for the future of the Central Coast.

There has been major restructuring of Council and Council is on track to achieve the $50million in cost savings including productivity gains. However, we face falling off an income cliff if the current level of rates is not maintained. If the Special Variation is not extended, in two years ratepayers will be given a 13 percent reduction in their general rate component and Council will need to adjust its cost structures by a further $25.8million annually on average to cope with that reduction. The community will have a major say in whether this application is successful. We will undertake a community consultation exercise so the community can provide input to whether they would prefer to continue to pay the current level of rates or receive a reduction and see a dramatic fall off in services. You need to be aware of what the implications of this reduction in Council income will mean on the services you use daily. I urge you to keep an open mind, inform yourself and consider the information, and to provide feedback over the coming months before Council determines in early February whether or not to formally apply to IPART for a Special Variation. Rik Hart Administrator, Central Coast Council

Maintaining services and rates What has happened so far

In May 2021 the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) approved a temporary rate increase of 13% (plus the 2% rate peg) which is retained in the rate base for three years and removed from the rate base at the end of the 2023-24 rating year for the Central Coast Local Government Area.

This temporary one-off increase will provide $22.9M in additional income for the 2021-22 financial year and is one of a number of measures being implemented to ensure Council remains financially sustainable. In their final report issued in May 2021 IPART stated, “During this 3-year period, the council will be able to implement its proposed business recovery plan, consult with its ratepayers regarding appropriate service levels, and if required, apply for a permanent Special Variation.”

Council has notified IPART of its intention to apply to maintain this temporary Special Variation (SV) beyond its expiry in June 2024 for a further seven years. At this stage, Council is not proposing to seek a permanent variation. We will engage with the community and this feedback will help inform whether or not Council decides to formally apply to IPART for a Special Variation in February 2022.

What did Council do

In December 2020 and January /February 2021, Council consulted extensively with the community on options for new residential and business rates to begin in the 2021/22 financial year. The proposals addressed long term financial sustainability. This included the legal obligation for Council to reimburse the restricted funds that had been spent without the correct authorisation on projects that the community had benefited from. At the same time, Council informed the community about the impacts of rate harmonisation to address the inequity between the rates of the two former local Councils in response to the State Government requirement of amalgamated Councils. Rate harmonisation was implemented from 1 July 2021 ensuring there is now equity in how rates are charged across the whole of the Central Coast region.

What we heard from the community

Over 10,000 community responses to an online survey, telephone survey and direct submissions were received in response to Council’s proposal about a new rating structure. The levels of community support and reasons for and against a rate rise were established through this consultation. The majority of respondents did not support the proposal.

Council meeting

Find out when the next meeting is and watch it online centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/meetings

More broadly, the engagement process affirmed that the community wanted Council to ‘fix the problem’, maintain services and create a sustainable pathway forward for Council. The community was supportive of change to see better financial management and accountability put in place. They also wanted to see that they were not shouldering the burden of fixing the problem and that other things were being done as alternatives to a rate increase such as seeking NSW government funds, selling assets, reducing staff, reduction in capital works and scaling back services and expenditure in general.

How have we responded to community feedback

We have moved quickly to show that we are serious about helping to fix the problem. Here is what we have done so far. Better financial management and accountability P Chief Financial Officer appointment P Audit and Risk Committee meet every two months P Monthly financial reporting publicly available P Tighter budget management controls Reduced spending P Capital works program reduction to $175M in 2020-21 compared to $242M in 2019-20 P Materials and contracts savings estimate of $20M P Reduced employee costs by $30M P Management salaries with reduction of 9 Directors to 5 and senior managers from 38 to 25 Other financial recovery actions P Over $60M of property assets sold P Improved productivity with minimum service level reduction despite staff cuts P Bank loans secured and payments on track P Finding other revenue sources.

What is the proposal now

Council is proposing to ensure financial and service sustainability by proposing to maintain its current rate income beyond 2023-24 for a further seven years. This is so that we can maintain the current service levels, continue to find more service efficiencies and pay back loans.

What happens if the proposal is not approved

Council provides over 250 services that the community value and these services contribute to the quality of life that is desired on the Central Coast. If the Council’s current rate income is not maintained beyond June 2024, we will be forced to reduce or cease many services.

It is important to note that returning to a pre-2021 rate base, does not mean that former Gosford ratepayers will pay less rates again. The impacts of the State Government mandated rates harmonisation which was undertaken in 2020-21 will not be wound back.

I want to have a say That’s fantastic! We want to hear from you.

You can read the full summary of the consultation at yourvoiceourcoast.com

Council Offices 2 Hely St Wyong / 49 Mann St Gosford | 8.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday | P 1300 463 954 NEXT ISSUE Don’t miss the next issue. Sign up for our e-news at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/enews

PAGE 8

21 OCTOBER 2021

NEWS

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More hard decisions to come – CEO Councillors are a “gift from the community”, Central Coast Council CEO, David Farmer, said when speaking at the Public Inquiry into the Council’s financial crisis. Commissioner, Roslyn McCulloch, asked Farmer if a return of the Councillors would derail the Council’s long-term strategy. Farmer said it really depended on the make-up of the elected body. “An elected body is a gift from the community in terms of who they elect,” he said. “It is a risk. How great a risk really depends on the people who get elected.” He explained an elected Councillor had two roles. “They are a representative of the community but also they were a member of the governing board. “I will actually refer to the Act, but they are a representative of the community, they are a politician, but they are also a member of the governing board of the organisation. Those two roles are difficult to marry together,” he said. “In the end, you are dealing with assets and you make

decisions that will last for hundreds of years in terms of decisions in the planning scheme and decisions on fixed assets. You might only be in power for four years or eight years,” he said. Under questioning from the Commissioner about if his experience put him in a good position to be able to work at Central Coast Council, Farmer said he certainly had experience “in rebuilding from dark places”. Farmer said the team had turned the place around. “I’ve just seen the September figures and we’ve gone from two $90 million losses and we’re running a surplus and we’re running better than budget for the last three quarters. That’s fragile,” he said. “There are a lot of externalities and there is a lot of good work by the staff to get us to that point but you need to stay on track. “Financial success and stability takes years to create and can take, you know, six months to destroy by a lack of discipline. “If you can work within the set of tram tracks you can then build reserves and you can do

Central Coast Council CEO, David Farmer

things, but you have to work within the overall strategy,” he said. The Commissioner asked what controls were in place to stop Council dipping into restricted funds? “If you are running an operating surplus and you have your capital program under some form of control, then your cash flow is an output of that,” Farmer said. “You have to have your settings right in terms of what is the level of your capital spend and what’s the level of

your operating performance, making sure your budgeting is right and making sure you stick to budget, and if budget has to be adjusted, making changes. It’s not that hard. “It’s actually about information, being interested and having information, and will. “If you have those two things you can do those things. It’s been shown in this organisation that reasonably quickly this organisation’s been turned around financially.” Farmer talked about the

IPART decision of 2019 reducing Council’s funds by $39M. “I had a look at the statements last night and when you pulled everything apart, from the 17/18 year to the 18/19 year – so that’s from the year ended June 2018 to the year ended June 2019 – performance of the general fund went from a $20 million surplus, after you took book items out, to a $24 million deficit. “You had a $44 million negative turnaround in that year. “I don’t think anybody picked that up. “So that was sitting lying underneath the surface when you, all of a sudden, lost $40 million in water and sewer income. “At that point, that’s when you need to panic, and they didn’t panic.” Farmer also spoke about the need for the current Special Rate Variation (SRV) to stay or the organisation would need to pull out another $27M in costs which would significantly reduce services and staff. When asked about the IT system, he said there were still a few steps to be taken, with the most critical being the

property and rating system. There was still a lot of manual workarounds in place. “We have a major program to finish by the end of this financial year,” he said. “I think there was a strategic error made early on in terms of the choice of software solution and once we set out on that path, it would have taken really, really good management to avoid some of these problems.” The Commissioner asked if all the hard decisions had been made. “Oh, no, no. There are a range of things. You know, we’ve made sudden and urgent and crude decisions,” Farmer said. “I spent some time in a session with the leadership team earlier this week and we started to look at what’s next after we have stabilised ourselves financially. “There is a vast amount of improvements to occur in the organisation to begin to make it as capable an organisation as it can be, one that its staff are proud of and one that the community can respect and put its trust in.” He said most decisions would not impact the community.

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PAGE 9

21 OCTOBER 2021

Lucy Wicks and the Morrison Government are delivering for the Central Coast. Construction now complete for the $45 million Central Coast Clinical School and Research Institute in Gosford. Reducing travel times for Central Coast residents with the $15 million Faster Rail Proposal. $18 million for a university campus extension in Gosford, including design, development, construction and fit-out. Up to 140 car spaces in Woy Woy Train Station and up to 600 at Gosford Train Station, with a $35 million total investment. Cutting travel times for Central Coast residents with the NorthConnex tunnel linking the M1 Pacific Motorway to the Hills M2 Motorway.

Investing $7 million to build a new regional library in Gosford. Continuous mobile phone coverage between Wyong and Hornsby and Wi-Fi at train stations is completed. A new $3.85 million Linear Accelerator for Central Coast Cancer Centre is now operating. $300,000 in additional Funding for Clean4Shore Environmental Clean Up Programs. $20,000 to purchase a van for ‘Soul Soup’, a charity providing meals and welfare services to disadvantaged locals.

Construction underway for The Glen Women’s Rehabilitation Centre on the Central Coast.

Rollout of the Love Bites Respectful Relationships Program across local High Schools.

Delivered upgrades to the M1 Motorway, including at the Kariong and Somersby interchanges.

Delivering better health outcomes for those sleeping rough through the Health on the Streets Homelessness Program.

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PAGE 10 21 OCTOBER 2021

NEWS

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Where’s our precinct? The $8.25M redevelopment of the Peninsula Recreation Precinct at Umina, which was promised in the 2019 Federal election campaign, has not commenced and community groups are beginning to ask why. In 2019, the Federal Government committed the funds to upgrade a range of facilities at the precinct which included the construction of a modern BMX Pump Track, upgrades to the existing skate park, a new outdoor basketball court, parking, walking tracks, exercise station and a barbecueviewing area. Local sporting clubs including the Umina United Eagles Football Club and Southern Spirit Cricket Club are reportedly fed up with the delay. Media spokesperson for the Umina Football Club, Simon Darwin, said the club had been in correspondence with Federal Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, but hadn’t heard back from her office since July. “Our women’s team are the Premier League Champions and their opposition can’t get changed and showered because there are no facilities for them,” Darwin said. “It’s embarrassing.

“We’ve been in discussion with Council and Lucy Wicks’ office who promised this money at the last Federal election. “They announced the money had been awarded and that development would progress [and] in that time our club has been liaising with Lucy’s office, Council and a few other stakeholders. “Progress hasn’t gone anywhere and we, as stakeholders, are getting a bit fed up. “Council has told us it is waiting on the development to be signed off by the government … the Council are ready to [build] … we’re just not seeing

any development. “Having seen Terrigal and other locations around the Coast, mainly in Lucy Wicks’ and Adam Crouch’s areas getting upgrades … they’re getting a boardwalk built, a BMX track, that’s all Federal money helping those areas get what they need in the same time Umina precinct was promised ours. “We’re very frustrated – all the stakeholders involved are very very upset. “The clubhouse itself was built back in the 70s, there’s no access for disabled people, we’ve recently had complaints from people who have been unable to access the toilets and

changing facilities. “We’re really needing to see some answers.” A representative from Southern Spirit Cricket Club also stated that members were having to train at other grounds due to inadequate nets. Labor Candidate for Robertson, Gordon Reid, said local sports clubs were counting on the funding that was promised by the Federal Government. “So many of our local community clubs were counting on these upgrades, particularly the sporting clubs which have been fielding frequent complaints due to their ageing drainage and facilities,” Reid said.

“With the Central Coast’s rapidly growing population, our people, especially our children, desperately need safe, community-based recreation activities. “Access to this funding would unlock important opportunities for the people of our community. “At present, we do not have the infrastructure to meet these growing needs.” Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, said she has written a letter to Scott Morrison and Lucy Wicks asking for the funding to be delivered. “We are sick of politicians flying into our community with big fake cheques promising the world and delivering nothing,” Tesch said. “Whether it’s the Woy Woy and Gosford Commuter Car Parks or the Woy Woy level crossing, the Liberals have a track record of all talk and no action when it comes to our community.” Reid and Tesch have launched a petition calling on the Federal Government and Lucy Wicks to kick-start the project. However, Wicks said the funding agreement for the project was still in the final stages between Council and the Department of Infrastructure but she was “absolutely committed”

to seeing the upgrade become a reality. “Many of the initial designs we received from Central Coast Council did not meet the requirements or expectations of the community and it simply was not good enough,” Wicks said. “To get to a stage where our community is getting what it deserves, this project has undergone three changes of scope, with each taking time and causing delays, but we are now at a stage where each community group involved will receive what they want and need from the redevelopment. “I have also been advised that Central Coast Council’s Project Manager for this project has changed a number of times, which has caused delays in getting a funding agreement signed. “This is one of the many costs of Council’s the poor economic management and a reminder of the importance of good governance. “The redevelopment of the Peninsula Recreation Precinct is close to my heart and ensuring it is delivered is at the top of my priority list.” Maisy Rae

Liesl Tesch MP Member for Gosford

Schools and education Community Recognition Awards

Anniversary & birthday messages Fair Trading Hospitals and health Main roads

Police and Emergency Services Public housing

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Authorised by Liesl Tesch, 20 Blackwall Road, Woy Woy NSW 2256. Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements.

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Extension for coastal zone planning welcomed Central Coast Council has welcomed news that a Coastal Management Amendment Bill is to be presented to State Parliament extending the timeline for councils to provide Coastal Management Programs (CMPs) for an additional two years. With CMPs currently expected to be finalised by December 31 this year, Local Government Minister, Shelley Hancock, said the amendment bill would give coastal councils, many of which have been ravaged by fire, floods and a relentless pandemic, breathing room to move from their Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs) to CMPs. “COVID, bushfires and floods have rightly been a priority for many local councils up and down the NSW coast and we don’t want to see them at a further disadvantage when the deadline of December 31 this year hits,” Hancock said. She said without the extension, around 35 councils, including Central Coast Council, yet to develop CMPs, would be unable to apply for funding

under the Coastal and Estuary Grant Program to implement vital protection and rehabilitation works to their coastlines. “The extra time would also allow councils to carry out planned emergency works during major coastal erosion events that are addressed in their CZMPs while they continue to develop a CMP,” she said. This will come as a relief to residents, with fears previously

expressed that the region would be vulnerable to any major storm events, such as the one which ravaged The Entrance North in June, 2020, with funding avenues cut off after December 31. CMPs provide a framework for councils, government agencies and local communities to work together to set a longterm strategy to manage valuable coastal and estuary areas and identify actions needed through a council’s

business planning and landuse planning systems for managing threats and risks to coastal areas now and into the future. Central Coast Council Director Environment and Planning, Scott Cox, said the extension would be welcome. “Whilst the Hunter Joint Organisation on behalf of Central Coast Council and 10 other Hunter Councils recently requested an appropriate three-year extension to the

transitional arrangements, this two-year extension will provide some crucial time for Council to continue working through the stages in the NSW Coastal Management Manual – this includes undertaking technical studies and community engagement needed to support the development of the CMPs,” Cox said. “Council staff are currently preparing two CMPs for our region – Tuggerah Lakes, Open Coast and Coastal Lagoons

(which includes The Entrance North, Terrigal and Wamberal Beach). “Council has also partnered with five other councils to develop the CMP for the Hawkesbury-Nepean River system which includes Brisbane Water; and (is) also working closely with Lake Macquarie City Council on the development of their CMP. “Council recently completed the Stage 1 Scoping Studies for the Tuggerah Lakes CMP and for the Open Coast and Coastal Lagoons CMP. “Council was recently awarded funding under the NSW Government’s 20202021 Coastal and Estuary Grants Program: $644,560 to complete stages two and three of our CMP for Tuggerah Lakes Estuary; and $326,667 to complete stage two of a CMP for Open Coast and Coastal Lagoons. For more information on the CMP progress and the engagement completed earlier this year, go to https://www. yourvoiceourcoast.com/ waterways. Terry Collins

Central Coast Central Coast Friends of Democracy Friends of Democracy

The NSW government needs to pay their debt of $150 Million to our residents

The NSW government needs to pay their debt of $150 Million to our residents and Council - before the andtoCouncil - (again) before the Administrator tries to raise rates (again) Administrator tries raise rates Some of the NSW Government impact on Council budgets Cost of amalgamation

Suggested cost from former CEO, Rob Noble, at Public Inquiry (15/10/21)

Gosford CBD SEPP

Reduction in developer contributions to Council from 4% to 1%. In Oct 2018, the NSW Department of Planning valued the 3% decrease at approx. $190M

Local Planning Panel

Emergency works – Wamberal Beach / North Entrance

Cost shifting

$120-150 M

Up to $190 M

The LPP was established by NSW government to take decision making away from Council. A staff report (May 2020), estimated the cost to Council is in the order to $400,000 per annum

$ 400,000 per annum

July 2020 coastal erosion event State government directed Council to construct emergency toe protection works. In Feb 2021, the total cost was estimated at $2.866M. The NSW government has reimbursed $992,501 thus far. (Council report—3 Feb 2021)

$ 1.894 M

Estimate $45M or more per annum (Operational Plan 21/22)

$ 45 M

TOTAL

> $300 M

There have been various suggestions about the true cost of the There have been various suggestions about the true cost of the merger of Gosford and Wyong Councils - depending on whether you merger of Gosford and Wyong Councils - depending on whether include IT upgrades, equalising wages of the former Councils, you include IT upgrades, equalising redundancies and a range of other wages costs. of the former Councils, redundancies and a range of other costs. At the Central Coast Council Public Inquiry, former Central Coast At the Central Coast Council Public Inquiry, former Central Interim CEO, Rob Noble, suggested that on top of IT costs, the merger Coast Interim CEO, Rob Noble, suggested that on top of IT costs, could cost in the order of “$120 to $150 million or thereabouts”. the merger could cost in the order of “$120 to $150 million or The NSW government provided $10 million towards merger thereabouts”. The NSW government provided $10 million costs. towards merger costs. The State government has treated the Central Coast residents and The State government has treated the Central Coast residents ratepayers with contempt. Instead of properly funding the costs of and ratepayers with contempt. Instead of properly funding the the merger, the NSW government used a $252million Stronger costs of the merger, the NSW government used a $252million Communities Fund intended for merged councils to allocate $90 Stronger Communities Fund intended for merged councils to million to Hornsby Council (not merged). allocate $90 million to Hornsby Council (not merged). Over recent years, the NSW has further impacted Council’s budget Over recent years, the NSW has further impacted Council’s through changes to planning rules, failure to reimburse for emergency budget through changes to planning rules, failure to reimburse for works and cost shifting. All of these costs are ultimately paid for by emergency works and cost shifting. All of these costs are ultimately residents and ratepayers—or services are cut and infrastructure paid for bydeclines. residents and ratepayers—or services are cut and provision infrastructure provision declines. The NSW Government needs to pay their debt of $150 Million The NSW Government needs to pay their debt of $150 Million before there is a conversation about further rate rises. before there is a conversation about further rate rises.

We have 7 State politicians We have 7 State politicians covering the Central covering the Central Coast. Coast. WhatWhat are they doing to call on the are they doing to call State government to pay their fair on the State government share? to pay their fair share?

Adam Crouch, MP Terrigal (Liberal)

Adam Crouch, MP Terrigal (Liberal) Taylor Martin, MLC (Liberal)

Martin, (Liberal) DavidTaylor Harris, MP WyongMLC (Labor)

David MP Wyong Liesl Tesch,Harris, MP Gosford (Labor) (Labor) Liesl Tesch, Gosford (Labor) David Mehan, MP MP The Entrance (Labor) David Mehan, MP The Entrance (Labor) Yasmin Catley, MP Swansea (Labor) (Labor) Yasmin Catley, MP Swansea Abigail Boyd,Boyd, MLC (Greens) Abigail MLC (Greens)

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Page 14 21 October 2021

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Wharf to officially open on Monday

The Awesome Foursome walking group at the new Woy Woy ferry wharf on October 19

Woy Woy Wharf will officially open to the public and ferry operators next week marking the formal completion of its significant redevelopment. The upgrades aimed to improve the existing wharf’s

accessibility, aesthetic whilst limiting disruption to surrounding areas. The wharf is expected to open officially on Monday, October 25, following 14 months of construction. CCN reported last week that

the long-awaited redevelopment had been completed but questions had been raised as to why the wharf hadn’t been officially opened to the public. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam

Security fencing will come down on Monday

Crouch, said he was delighted to see the wharf become operational next week. “This is a $5.6M redevelopment project that features a floating pontoon, dedicated fishing area on the new boardwalk, new seating

benches including smart benches with mobile phone charging capability, banner poles, and landscaping including established salt water tolerant trees,” he said. “The old wharf would become submerged during king tides

but the new wharf will rise with the tide to reduce disruption and improve disability access.” The new wharf is expected to be capable of accommodating 35-metre vessels up to 250 tonnes. Maisy Rae

AN OPEN LETTER TO READERS THAT VALUE AUSTRALIA’S MOUNTAIN CULTURAL HERITAGE AND HISTORY

The NSW Minister for the Environment has released a Draft Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Plan (DPoM) inviting submissions and comments which must be submitted by 2 November 2021. The DPoM and its release conform to the Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 (NSW), (the Act). The Act provides for a recognition of the heritage values of sustainable brumby populations in particular regions within Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) and the protection of those values through the application of a Management Plan. The Act represents a paradigm shift, applauded across Australia and internationally, in how the snowy brumby mobs MUST be managed and entrenches a legislated recognition of Australia’s Anglo-European mountain cultural heritage and history. Readers that appreciate and value those

mountain cultural heritages and history are already familiar with the well-funded and politically very influential (even with a “conservative” government) anti-brumby caravan, the Invasive Species Council, Reclaim Kossi,National Parks Association, Wilderness Society et al. These organisations campaigned against passage of the Act and have been extremely active in agitating their followers to submit negative submissions. They promote aerial culling as a humane, preferred option for the “elimination” of the entire brumby populations. These mobs have for far toooo long been able to penetrate government bureaucracies and influence how public lands are mis-managed. Readers, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make your opinion count as to how the brumbies are managed.

2020 promotes a population in KNP of 14,380 brumbies, with 12,111 in the northern block. These statistics are regarded as a gross and wilful misrepresentation of fact. The September 2019 NPWS unpublished survey recorded 3,110 brumbies, the June 2020 NPWS unpublished survey recorded 2,468 brumbies in the northern block. The NSW DPIE website confirms that from July 2020 to July 2021, 764 brumbies were removed and 5 dead. Simple maths states that circa 1,697 brumbies are left in the northern block. The Cairns 2020 survey at page 20 states that the northern population comprises at least 85% of the total population, therefore the total population across KNP is approximately 1,996 brumbies, 1,000 less than the threshold population target of 3,000 brumbies quoted at pages 2, 10 and 13 of the DPoM.

You submit that any Plan of Management MUST entrench a Wild Horse Advisory Panel with permanent tenure and according to the provisions of Schedule 1 of the Act, but that the Panel has the power to provide advice AND intervene in the management of sustainable brumby populations in KNP. The DPoM is a general document containing statements that you may agree or disagree with or feel warrants comment, therefore you are urged to make submissions according to your own history, knowledge and opinion. Alan Lanyon, President, SMBSMG. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-andpublications/publications-search/kosciuszko-nationalpark-wild-horse-heritage-management-planconsultation-draft-factsheet

The following is some information that you may care to use in your submission. You REJECT the introduction of any PoM until AND ONLY UNTIL a “horse numbers survey” utilising the same helicopter flight methodology as the unpublished 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019 and 2020 National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) surveys is conducted to establish a finite start population for any Plan of Management. The most recent published Cairns survey in

SMBSMG's objective is"To ensure that, through Government legislation, the snowy brumby is recognised as part of the history, cultural heritage and social values of the Snowy Mountains and that sustainable populations of the snowy brumby are present and protected within Kosciuszko National Park

ayeltumblong@hotmail.com

0429030148

10/10/2021

Fatal granny flat fire under investigation A body has been located following a fatal house fire on Terry Ave, Woy Woy at about 11:40pm on Tuesday, October 19. Emergency services were called to a granny flat behind a home on Terry Avenue following reports of a fire. NSW Fire and Rescue officers

extinguished the blaze a short time later. A body and a deceased dog were located inside the premises. Officers from Brisbane Water Police Area Command attended and established a crime scene, which has been forensically examined.

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The body has not yet been formally identified. A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner. Thecircumstancessurrounding the cause of the fire are under investigation. Source: Media release, Oct 20 NSW Fire and Rescue

Police ask for help to locate man Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man who often spends time on the Central Coast. Joshua Coonan, 34, is wanted on outstanding warrants in relation to alleged child sex offences. He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of medium build, with a fair complexion and brown hair. As part of their inquiries, Police have received information that

Coonan could be working as an arborist in the Northern Rivers area but is also known to frequent the Central Coast area. Police say Coonan might be driving either a white 2007 Mitsubishi Canter tipper truck or a black 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. As officers attached to Brisbane Waters Police District continue to conduct inquiries into Coonan’s whereabouts, they are urging anyone who might have

In favour of making submissions A common omission emerges from every consultation paper that is put before us [by Council] - most recent examples include the Planning our Water Future or IPART’s Special Variations and Minimum rates 2021-22. No matter how glossy the brochures, how upbeat the spin and how rosy the projected benefits, they consistently leave out the one thing that all residents of this long-suffering Council are desperately looking to see, namely, a discussion of how each of these complex mega-initiatives will be effectively governed and what transparent and reportable safeguards will be factored and costed in to ensure they get fully implemented and the rosy benefits are actually achieved.

FORUM It’s one thing to carefully think, plan and produce consultation papers, quite another to ignore the demonstrated risks of implementation then hand over the cheque (our money) to politicians and bureaucrat incompetents who are likely to botch the job. Bruce Hyland (CCN313) is right – since we clearly can’t rely on the bureaucrats to limit themselves or voluntarily become more accountable, it seems the only way to get the word out is to make individual submissions on these issues. Let’s do this! Email, Oct 10 Peter Zinn, Woy Woy

21 OCTOBER 2021

Five police officers report for duty at Brisbane Water

Five new Probationary Constables have been allocated to Brisbane Water Police District this week following an attestation at the Goulburn Police Academy this month. information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Source: NSW Police

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said he was pleased to be able to welcome the new officers. “Joining the NSW Police Force is a great honour and I

commend these eight new Probationary Constables for choosing to put the safety of others ahead of their own,” Crouch said. “The past few months in lockdown have reminded us of how much we owe to frontline workers, including Police officers who have enforced the Public Health Orders to keep the wider community safe and secure.”

Class 349 consists of 226 new recruits, including 153 men and 73 women, with some recruits entering the NSW Police Academy straight from school or university. A total of 34 recruits were born overseas in countries including Brazil, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Iraq, Germany, Egypt, Serbia, Korea and NZ. Source: Media release, Oct 11 Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch

Assurances about VAD safety I write in response to the letter from Linda Telisman, ‘Rejecting the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Bill’ (Oct 7). The Central Coast Group of Dying with Dignity NSW welcomes open, informed and respectful debate about the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 tabled in the NSW Parliament by Alex Greenwich, the Independent Member for Sydney. The Vote Compass result reveals overwhelming support for Voluntary Assisted Dying on the Woy Woy Peninsula. VAD will allow eligible individuals who are already dying the right to do so safely with medical support and care. NSW is now the last state in Australia to consider this legislation. On the one hand we have been denied the right to have

FORUM See Page 2 for address and contribution conditions. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of the newspaper this choice at the end of life. On the other hand, we have the opportunity to learn from the reviews, debates and experience in all the other states. Victoria was the first state to pass this legislation in 2017 and we now have data from two years’ experience in Victoria, since June 2019. We know now that only 400 people have exercised this right.

In a two-year period this constitutes just 1 per cent of deaths in Victoria. This is similar to data from Canada and other countries with VAD laws. Telehealth provisions have been introduced for two reasons. First, because many specialist doctors, such as oncologists and neurologists, do not make home visits, and secondly to provide access to VAD to terminally ill patients in outer metropolitan, rural and remote areas who have difficulty accessing the necessary general practitioner and other specialist medical care. In Victoria the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board oversees the safe operation of the new law, so it is not appropriate or necessary to involve the coroner. This means that vulnerable people experience safer end-

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of-life care and medical oversight than before the law was put in place. I also want to assure you that the Bill recognises the right of doctors, nurses and pharmacists not to be actively involved in this VAD process if they have conscientious objections. Most importantly I want to emphasise that one does not need to make a choice between VAD and palliative care. If a person is planning to have VAD, they can continue to receive palliative care. Likewise, if they are receiving palliative care, they are entitled to explore the idea of an assisted death or request VAD. Palliative care and VAD are twin components of high quality medically supervised end-of-life care. Email, Oct 7 Stephanie Short, Woy Woy

PAGE 16 21 OCTOBER 2021

FORUM

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Vandalism destroys thousands of volunteer hours It is with much distress that I report yet another case of the illegal destruction of bushland by mountain bike riders. This time it is in Ettymalong Creek Landcare’s long-term bush regeneration site next to Umina Oval opposite the tennis courts. This is an area we have been caring for and gradually restoring for over 25 years. During the school holidays a great swathe of bushland has been cleared, vegetation destroyed, and a huge hole dug in the middle of an area of bushland we have been restoring. This area is one of the last remnants of the Umina Coastal

FORUM See Page 2 for address and contribution conditions. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of the newspaper Sandplain Woodland Endangered Ecological Community (ECC) and very important to its survival. Rehabilitating bushland like this takes many years of dedicated volunteer work, weeding, planting sometimes watering.

Over the last 10 years our small group of volunteers has had many challenges including storm damage and extreme heat which have made our work particularly challenging. To see our successes wiped out by a few days of mindless vandalism is heartbreaking. To set some context: to grow a tree it takes volunteer time to collect seeds at the right time of year, one to two years growing and daily watering to raise a small tube size tree ready to plant, labour hours to plant, water and mulch and then 10 to15 years for that tree to grow to maturity. In the first one to four years it is likely that the area planted will have to be constantly

Show results before increasing water rates Not content with loading ratepayers with massive rate increases, the Administrator now wants to force a 34 per cent hike in water rates on suffering residents (“Tribunal wants to hear from residents about water rates”, PP029). The reason for this increase is to provide “reliable water supply,wastewater,stormwater and other water services”, but surely this is the minimum that anybody could possibly expect from a water-management authority, so where is the justification for a huge price rise? Is the Administrator admitting that the service has been run so incompetently for so many years that we now have to make up the gap in performance by extraordinary extra payments? Where are the details of the problems to be overcome, what

FORUM are the proposed solutions, where is the business plan and what management changes will be made to improve efficiency? It is easy to take the view that money will solve all, when it is somebody else’s money, but what has been done so far doesn’t inspire belief that matters are being handled as well as they might be. Even if we pay more, with the same people in charge, what guarantee do we have that our extra rates will bring about an improvement? To judge by the present level of capability in meeting stormwater requirements, it would take a considerable boost in confidence to imagine that more money will certainly produce better results. Perhaps the extra money will go to producing better designed “Water over road” signs.

It can’t be to fund sewerage works, because new developments (even as small as granny flats) have to pay a sewerage levy to cover any additional capacity requirements. Perhaps we could institute a system of increased payments after we have seen improved performance: IPART could grant an increase from July 2023, on condition that a 2022/23 review shows results to justify the change. If everyone sits idly by, IPART will approve this change or will approve it in part or will approve it on a temporary basis. Every ratepayer who is concerned about this matter must let his views be known to IPART via the website. This is a case where the exercise of direct democracy is the only hope of a just outcome. Email, Oct 3 Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy

weeded so that the small trees do not get smothered. If we get 35°C-48°C heat waves, regular or irregular watering may also be needed. In this site we were also lucky enough early this year to partner through Council with the Greater Bank, to receive and plant some of the trees and plants donated to celebrate their 75th year anniversary. We also partnered with the CSIRO to participate on a trial biological program to reduce Tradescantia fluminensis (also known as wandering jew). This mindless act has managed to undermine thousands of hours of volunteer work, devastated the volunteers involved, destroyed rare and

endangered vegetation, destroyed plants kindly donated by GreaterBank (and presumably offended their customers), undermined and created additional costs for Council’s Landcare program, thus affecting all ratepayers and residents, and undermined an important scientific research project. The worst impact is, however, that this destruction has set back the rehabilitation of this bushland area by five to 10 years and that is presuming our volunteers continue to work there. It is ironic that one of the founding members of our Landcare group (Cath Gissane) was instrumental in getting Council to build the current

BMX track at Umina Oval to meet the needs of young bike riders. This facility is only a short distance from the damaged site. My question to local residents is: do you know where your children are taking your shovels and spades when they go riding? If you find they were involved in this destruction, we would welcome hearing from you and discussing how they can understand the impact of their actions and begin to make amends. Contact: ettymalonglc@ internode.on.net Email, Oct 4 Sue Ellis, Umina

Blame culture has left the building I was appalled to read Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Page 6 “Oyster Festival to be cancelled” stating their Festival was cancelled as they “cannot compete with Council” who they believe are “targeting the same sponsors” as they rely on.

FORUM I put it to the Chamber that if your sponsorship relationships are that fragile (after 20 years) one would think it’s time to look inwards at why any local business would choose to support Council initiatives rather than yours?

Finger pointing and blame culture left the building some time ago and may even hold part of the key to your recovery. Sponsors are wise with their money and expectations and can make up their own minds of that you can be assured. Email, Oct 10 Poppy S, Umina Beach

No more high-rise in Ettalong No Gold Coast in Ettalong! The new proposal of a 17-metre-high development along Ettalong foreshore has me worried and I am sure it worries other people as well. If this development is allowed, overreaching the height limit, overshadowing the roads and

FORUM paths to the beach, overheating the already hottest part of the Peninsula, overcrowding the parking availability, what are we going to see and experience? A Gold Coast environment! Not the nice relaxing peaceful

place we know now! Please Central Coast Council, stick to the rules and regulations. Please Peninsula’s residents, complain and let the Council know! Email, Oct 18 Johanna Reygersberg, Woy Woy

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OUT & ABOUT PAGE 17 21 OCTOBER 2021

Brazil and Beyond trio to perform

Woy Woy’s Troubadour Central Coast, Folk and Acoustic Music Club will bring a carnival atmosphere to Woy Woy by hosting a night of live music from AustralianBrazilian band – Brazil and Beyond Trio – on October 30. Anna Salleh’s trio, which features Loretta Palmeiro and Gino Pengue, will help shake off the isolation blues at the Everglades Club. Folk Club President, Michael Fine, said lovers of acoustic music should attend the night and “get lost in the warm and relaxing sounds of Brazil and beyond. “Soulful singer/guitarist Anna

Anna Sellah

Salleh [will] share her love for Brazilian music with the masterful Gino Pengue on guitar and exquisite clarinettist, flautist and saxophonist Loretta Palmeiro,” he said. “This superb trio, all members of the band Serafina, pay homage to classics of bossa nova, choro and afro samba among other styles. “They also perform originals Anna has co-penned with renowned guitarist Guy Strazz. “Anna has a deep and longlasting connection with Brazil’s music, having fallen in love with it as a child before later travelling to the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador to learn more. “Gino is a much sought-after guitarist, also plays with the

world music band Marsala and is an inspiring teacher and mentor of young guitar students. “Loretta is a founding member of gypsy swing group Spyglass Gypsies, co-director of jazz/Portuguese music fusion band Alma Orquestra and has toured with ARIAaward winning world-music group Mara.” With limited seating, locals are encouraged to book early by visiting: www.trybooking. com/BUWAD Tickets range from $20 to $25. Source: Media release, Oct 18 Troubadour Central Coast, Folk and Acoustic Music Club

Australian-Brazilian band, Brazil and Beyond Trio, will headline at the Everglades Club on October 30

PAGE 18 21 OCTOBER 2021

OUT & ABOUT

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CEO Clean Up takes on the world From relatively small beginnings on the Central Coast in 2018, Take 3’s CEO Clean Up is going global – and virtual – this year.

Take 3 CEO Sarah Beard

Take 3 CEO, Sarah Beard, said plastic pollution is a worldwide problem and finding a solution will need a global approach. Business leaders from Studio Ark Media at West Gosford and LEP Digital at Erina have already signed up, along with CEOs from Sydney, Coffs Harbour, Maroochydore – and even Vanuatu and New York. Beard is urging other Coast CEOs to take part. “We started the CEO Clean Up as a Central Coast activity in 2018 and ran it originally as a regional event,” she said. “It was so successful in

terms of both participation and fundraising we decided to go bigger and in May this year we ran our first Sydney CEO clean up at Manly Cove. “We had 56 participants and raised close to $50,000 so we made the move to go even bigger.” “We are really passionate about partnerships with business in attacking the problem and it gives CEOs worldwide the opportunity to show leadership by participating in these types of events. “We are all encouraging each other to take action and this is primarily an awareness raising event. “We launched just last week and already have 11 participants. “Experience shows that registrations will get really busy leading up to the main

event in November.” CEOs participating will be encouraged to pick up three pieces of rubbish wherever they go and post pictures to social media channels right through to December 15. The actual Clean Up will be held on November 15-21. “At any time during that week they can go out and clean up their local area, photographing each sack of litter they remove and recording it,” Beard said. “At the end of that week we will have an online event where CEOs will dial in and talk about the impact the Clean Up has had.” Beard said Take 3 hoped to return to physical events, on the Central Coast and in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, next year. During its history, the CEO Clean UP has seen 150 CEOs

and business leaders participating in events, preventing more than 50,000 pieces of rubbish (almost 600kg) entering the ocean. Funds raised from the CEO Clean Up help Take 3 deliver education programs in schools, surf clubs and communities around Australia and the globe. The organisation has the goal of educating one million school children and removing 10 million pieces of litter by 2025. Once CEOs pay the fee to register, they will receive a clean up kit and will be able to track how much money they have raised on a leader board. To sign up to participate or find out how to donate, go to ceocleanup.com. Terry Collins

Six creative projects will receive support Creative Art Central returns to nurture growth and support excellence in the Central Coast’s arts and cultural sector. Local artists are invited to pitch ideas to create original works for the region with up to six commissions available to professional or emerging artists.

Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Julie Vaughan, said the program was seeking applications for works that were of a professional standard and provide an opportunity for the community to participate or collaborate in the creative process.

“Creative Art Central is an important action of the Central Coast Cultural Plan and supports the development of innovative and contemporary work across all art forms,” she said. “The program will commission a variety of new high-quality works that will lead the local industry and

enhance our creative identity. “Creative Art Central has flow on effects for the local economy and a focus on public programs offers the community new opportunities to engage with art and culture on the Coast,” Vaughan said. Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said a diverse mix of artists who are skilled in all

mediums and from a range of backgrounds are encouraged to apply. “Creative partnerships build the footprint of creative industries on the Coast and deliver significant benefits across the arts, business and tourism sectors,” he said. “I encourage local emerging and professional creative

practitioners to apply for the program to create works and share stories that inspire the Coast community.” Application details are outlined online at info. centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/ creativeartcentral Source: Central Coast Council

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OUT & ABOUT PAGE 19 21 OCTOBER 2021

Naughty cabaret returns The Naughty Noodle Fun Haus is back with a bang after organisers confirmed a series of upcoming events following a fourmonth hiatus. The Haus will host a nauticalthemed cabaret show, Clambake IV – Rock the Boat’ on December 4, before a Girrakool Blues Xmas Party on December 11. Both shows will include a light supper, with meal options available when booking. Dine and Discover vouchers can be used.

ThursGAY will return on December 9 but with a slightly different twist. The monthly show presents a free night of live DJs, music and drag performances in a variety of Gosford venues. Previously the social club was hosted at Gosford’s Lyons Den. More details surrounding dates and venues will be released soon. Visit naughtynoodle.com.au for more information on upcoming events along with booking details. Maisy Rae Clambake IV – Rock the Boat

Photos: Lisa Haymes

New plan to combat climate crisis As the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) gets closer, Climate Future, the climate crisis reference group of the Community Environment Network (CEN), has launched a community plan to raise awareness of the urgent need for climate action – at the individual, community and national level. “To meet our responsibilities

to the world under the Paris Agreement, Australia needs to present greater national ambition to the Glasgow climate meeting,” said Climate Future spokesperson, Richard Weller. “All nations must do this, but Australia in particular, has lagged behind in its response to the climate crisis. The scale and scope of the climate crisis calls for Australia’s position to be ambitious and to provide leadership.

“At a local level we know that many are deeply concerned about our nation’s inaction – and ordinary people are looking for ways to take personal action to do everything possible to avert a climate catastrophe. “That is why we launched a Community Plan. It is the first of a series of plans and documents Climate Future will release in coming weeks and months to shine the brightest light possible on how to take action in the leadup to COP26

and beyond. “Actions you can take range from the simple step of planting trees to reaching out to your local federal MP to push for policy change. “Australia must engage with the negotiations in the leadup to COP26 and at the meeting in November as a leader in climate action with a constructive and ambitious attitude. Australia’s nationally determined commitments

must be at least the following: Net Zero Emissions by 2045; 75% below 2005 levels by 2030; and a detailed schedule for transition to the zero-carbon economy.” Climate Future invites the Central Coast community to join its Countdown to Glasgow facebook campaign online at facebook.com/ climatefuturecentralcoast to get involved with action being taken locally, nationally and globally to make sure the best

possible outcomes are achieved at Glasgow. For more information visit Climate Change (cen.org.au), visit the Climate Future Youtube channel Climate Future YouTube or join the conversation at facebook.com/ climatefuturecentralcoast Source: Media release, Oct 12 Climate Future

Australia Day nominations open Nominations are now open for the Central Coast Australia Day 2022 Awards, providing an opportunity to recognise individuals and groups who make an outstanding contribution to the region. Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Julie Vaughan, said the awards were important after a

year of unprecedented challenges. “An Australia Day nomination is a wonderful way to honour the local leaders who go the extra mile for our community,”Vaughan said. “There is no denying that the past few years have presented unprecedented challenges and, in the midst of it all, we’ve seen individuals and groups step up

and make a difference in our community. “Our Australia Day nominees and winners are often unsung heroes who work quietly behind the scenes to make the Coast a better place to live, work and play.” Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said the Australia Day Awards celebrate the Central Coast’s diversity, values, national

achievements and hopes for the future. “We’ve demonstrated tremendous resilience as a community in 2021 and there are so many individuals and groups who deserve recognition,” Hart said. “The breadth of the Australia Day Award categories means that a diverse range of contributions will be recognised,

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and I encourage the community to nominate the local heroes they believeshouldbeacknowledged.” The 2022 Award categories are: Arts, Culture and Entertainment; Business Connecting Communities; Community Service and Activity; Environmental; Sportsperson of the Year; Volunteer of the Year; and Youth of the Year. Each category winner will go

into the running to be named Central Coast Citizen of the Year. Nominations close at 2pm on Friday, November 12. For further information, eligibility criteria and to make a nomination visit centralcoast. nsw.gov.au/australiadayawards. Source: Media release, Oct 13 Central Coast Council

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Saturday 23 October

Friday 22 October

Thursday 21 October

ABC (C20/21)

6:00 9:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 1:00 1:25 2:00 3:15 4:10 5:10 6:00 6:55 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:35 9:35 10:25 10:45 11:00 11:15 12:15 6:00 9:00 10:00 11:05 12:00 1:00 1:30 3:00 4:10 5:10 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:30 9:20 10:10

10:45 11:00 11:20 11:55 6:00 7:00 10:00 12:00 12:30 1:30 3:00 4:00 4:25 4:55 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:20 9:15 10:10 11:10 11:55

PRIME (C61/60)

News Breakfast [s] 6:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 9:00 Australian Story [s] 11:30 The Greek Islands With Julia 12:00 Bradbury [s] Kumi’s Japan [s] ABC News At Noon [s] Hard Quiz (PG) [s] How Extra (PG) [s] Parliament Question Time [s] ABC News Afternoons [s] Escape From The City [s] Grand Designs Australia (PG) 2:00 2:30 The Drum [s] Sammy J (PG) [s] 3:00 ABC News [s] 4:00 7.30 [s] Foreign Correspondent [s] 5:00 Q&A [s] 6:00 Secrets Of The Museum [s] 7:00 You Can’t Ask That (PG) [s] 8:30 ABC Late News [s] 10:30 The Business [s] 11:00 Big Weather (And How To 12:00 Survive It) [s] Parliament Question Time [s] 12:30 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 11:30 Q&A [s] 12:00 Australia Remastered [s] ABC News At Noon [s] 2:00 Foreign Correspondent [s] 3:00 Sherlock (M v) 4:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 5:00 Escape From The City [s] Grand Designs Australia (PG) 6:00 7:00 The Drum [s] ABC News [s] Gardening Australia [s] Annika (M v) [s] The Accident (M l,s,v) [s] Talking Heads: Soldiering On (PG) [s] – Muriel’s son Giles appears with papers for her to sign. It turns out she is quite a 8:30 rich widow. But soon there’s a liquidity problem, and Giles could be to blame. 12:00 ABC Late News [s] The Vaccine [s] Gruen [s] 1:00 Frayed (MA15+) [s] 6:00 rage (PG) [s] 7:00 Weekend Breakfast [s] rage Guest Programmer (PG) 10:00 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] Annika (M v) [s] 5:30 Midsomer Murders: Death And The Divas (M d,v) [s] 6:00 Restoration Australia: 7:00 Hunting Ground, Tasmania (PG) [s] Dream Gardens: Strath Creek (PG) [s] 10:00 Landline [s] Rick Stein’s Road To Mexico (PG) [s] Monty Don’s French Gardens [s] ABC News [s] Grantchester (PG) [s] Shetland (M l,v) [s] Fires (M l) [s] Call The Midwife (M) [s] 12:30 Father Brown: The Great Train Robbery (M v) [s] rage Guest Programmer 2:30 (MA15+) [s]

Also see: ABC COMEDY (Channel 22) ABC ME (Channel 23) ABC NEWS (Channel 24)

Sunrise [s] The Morning Show [s] Seven Morning News [s] Movie: “Drew Peterson: Untouchable” (M s,v) (’12) – Based on a true story, the film follows the fascinating tale of police officer Drew Peterson’s fall from grace after the mysterious disappearance of his fourth wife. Stars: Rob Lowe, Kaley Cuoco Kochie’s Business Builders Border Security International (PG) [s] The Chase UK (PG) [s] Seven News At 4 [s] The Chase Australia (PG) [s] Seven News [s] Home And Away (PG) [s] America’s Got Talent: Audition 4 (PG) [s] The Latest Seven News [s] Chicago Fire (M) [s] Black-ish (PG) [s] Home Shopping Sunrise [s] The Morning Show [s] Seven Morning News [s] Movie: “Dark Angel” (M) (’19) Stars: Annalise Basso House Of Wellness (PG) [s] The Chase UK (PG) [s] Seven News At 4 [s] The Chase Australia (PG) [s] Seven News [s] Better Homes And Gardens [s] – Joh shows you some tips for renovating your kitchen without blowing your budget. Fast Ed cooks salt and vinegar potato tortillas. Karen makes chiko rolls. Dr Harry checks out baby animals on a farm. Movie: “Interstellar” (M l) (’14) Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Matthew McConaughey, Mackenzie Foy, John Lithgow Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Force Of Gravity (M v) [s] Home Shopping Home Shopping [s] Weekend Sunrise [s] The Morning Show [s] Seven’s Horse Racing: Moonee Valley/ Randwick [s] Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) [s] Seven News [s] Movie: “Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire” (M h,v) (’05) Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint Movie: “The Wolverine” (M l,v) (’13) – Logan, the century old mutant known to the world as Wolverine, is lured to a Japan he hasn’t seen since World War II, and into a shadowy realm of Yakuza and Samurai. Stars: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Patrick Stewart, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada Movie: “Kid Cop” (PG) (’96) Stars: Edward Albert, Lewis Arquett, Sondra Currie Home Shopping

Also see: 7TWO (Channel 62) 7MATE (Channel 63) 7FLIX (Channel 66)

TEN (C13)

NINE (C81/80)

6:00 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:10 1:30 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:30 9:30 10:00 10:30

11:45 6:00 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:45 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:30 10:30 12:35 1:30 6:00 7:00 10:00 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 3:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00 7:00 7:30 9:40 11:55 12:45 1:35 2:00 5:30

Today [s] 6:00 7:00 Today Extra (PG) [s] 7:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] The Block: Garage, Study And Wine Cellar Week (PG) [s] 8:00 Talking Honey - Princess 12:00 Diana (PG) [s] 1:00 Customs (PG) [s] 2:45 Pointless (PG) [s] 3:00 3:30 Tipping Point (PG) [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 4:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 4:30 NINE News [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] Paramedics (PG) [s] 5:00 Love Island Australia (M) [s] 6:30 7:30 Love Island Australia Afterparty (M) [s] NINE News Late [s] 8:40 Reported Missing: Darren (M) 9:40 [s] – Just six weeks after his 10:40 wedding 28-year-old Darren vanishes, leaving Inspector 11:40 Simon Orton and the team at 12:40 Durham Police baffled. A 1:30 The Fix: Scandal (M) [s] 4:30 6:00 Today [s] 7:00 Today Extra (PG) [s] 7:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] Movie: “The Wrong Patient” 8:00 (M v) (’18) Stars: Sunny 12:00 Mabrey, Lindsay Maxwell 2:00 Talking Honey - Princess 3:00 Diana: Impact Of Media And 3:30 Paps (PG) [s] 4:00 Pointless (PG) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] 4:30 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] NINE News [s] 5:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 6:30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The 7:30 Zoo: Naomi’s Baby (PG) [s] 8:30 Movie: “Dolittle” (PG) (’20) Stars: Robert Downey Jr., 9:30 Antonio Banderas 10:30 Movie: “Victoria And Abdul” (PG) (’17) Stars: Dame Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Tim 11:30 Pigott-Smith, Eddie Izzard 12:30 Tipping Point (PG) [s] Home Shopping 1:30 Animal Tales (PG) [s] 6:00 Weekend Today [s] 6:30 Today Extra - Saturday (PG) 7:00 Rivals [s] 7:30 Destination WA [s] 8:00 Good Food Kitchen [s] 9:00 My Way [s] 9:30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The 12:00 Zoo: Naomi’s Baby (PG) [s] 1:00 The Block: Backyards Reveal 2:10 (PG) [s] 2:30 The Garden Gurus [s] 3:00 NINE News: First At Five [s] 3:30 Getaway (PG) [s] NINE News Saturday [s] 4:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 4:30 Movie: “Mamma Mia!” (PG) 5:00 (’08) Stars: Meryl Streep 6:00 Movie: “Pitch Perfect 2” (PG) (’15) Stars: Anna Kendrick Pearson: The Political Wife (M) Australia’s Top Ten Of 9:00 Everything (PG) [s] 10:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 12:00 Home Shopping 1:00 Wesley Impact (PG) [s] 5:00

Also see: GEM (Channel 82) GO! (Channel 83/88) LIFE (Channel 84)

The Talk [s] Judge Judy (PG) [s] The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] Studio 10 (PG) [s] Dr Phil (PG) [s] Program To Be Advised Entertainment Tonight [s] Judge Judy (PG) [s] My Market Kitchen [s] Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield [s] The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 10 News First [s] The Project (PG) [s] The Bachelorette Australia (PG) [s] Gogglebox (PG) [s] Program To Be Advised Blue Bloods: Protective Instincts (M v) [s] The Project (PG) [s] The Late Show (PG) [s] Home Shopping CBS Mornings [s] The Talk [s] Judge Judy (PG) [s] The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] Studio 10 (PG) [s] Dr Phil (PG) [s] The Living Room [s] Judge Judy (PG) [s] My Market Kitchen [s] Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield [s] The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 10 News First [s] The Project (PG) [s] The Living Room [s] The Graham Norton Show (PG) [s] Program To Be Advised The Montreal Comedy Festival: Just For Laughs #1 (MA15+) [s] The Project (PG) [s] The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s] Home Shopping Reel Action [s] Religious Programs [s] Healthy Homes [s] Escape Fishing With ET [s] All 4 Adventure [s] Taste Of Australia [s] Studio 10 Saturday (PG) [s] The Living Room [s] Program To Be Advised My Market Kitchen [s] Australia By Design [s] What’s Up Down Under [s] Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield [s] Farm To Fork (PG) [s] Taste Of Australia [s] 10 News First [s] Football: Women’s International: Matildas v Brazil *Live* From CommBank Stadium [s] Making It Australia [s] Ambulance UK (M d) [s] Program To Be Advised Home Shopping Religious Programs

SBS (C30)

5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:15 3:10 3:40 4:10 5:05 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:35 8:35 9:30 10:35 11:05 12:10 2:05 5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:05 3:00 3:30 3:40 4:10 5:05 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:35 8:30 10:30 11:00 11:55 4:10 5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:05 3:00 4:00 4:30 5:40 6:30 7:35 8:35 9:30 11:15

Also see: 10 PEACH (Channel 11) 10 BOLD (Channel 12)

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France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour The Story Of The Songs: Cher (PG) Where Are You Really From? (PG) The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) Secrets Of The Railway: Hitler’s Transpirenean Railway (PG) Jeopardy! (PG) Letters And Numbers Mastermind SBS World News Coastal Devon And Cornwall With Michael Portillo (PG) Billion Pound Bond Street (PG) New Gold Mountain (M d,l,v) SBS World News Gomorrah (MA15+) (In Italian) Mr Mercedes (MA15+) The Name Of The Rose (M) France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour The Story Of The Songs: Diana Ross (PG) NITV News: Nula Destination Flavour Japan Bitesize The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) Secrets Of The Railway: The Soviet Hartz Railway (PG) Jeopardy! (PG) Letters And Numbers Mastermind SBS World News Legends Of The Pharaohs: The Tyrant King (PG) Hunting Hitler’s U-Boats (PG) SBS World News 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) The Eagle (M l,v) (In Danish/ Swedish) Huang’s World (M l) France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour Motor Sports: Superbike World Championship Athletics: Marathon De Paris Highlights Escalation Five Billion Pound Super Sewer (PG) The Buildings That Fought Hitler (PG) SBS World News Celebrity Letters And Numbers (M) Dambusters With Dan Snow (PG) 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) Movie: “True Grit” (PG) (’10) Stars: Jeff Bridges Movie: “Predestination” (MA15+) (’14) Stars: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Christopher Kirby

Also see: SBS VICELAND (Channel 31) SBS MOVIES (Channel 32) SBS FOOD (Channel 33) SBS NITV (Channel 34)

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Wednesday 27 October

Tuesday 26 October

Monday 25 October

Sunday 24 October

ABC (C20/21)

PRIME (C61/60)

6:00 7:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30

11:15 11:20

Home Shopping Weekend Sunrise [s] The Morning Show Weekend House Of Wellness (PG) [s] Border Security International (PG) [s] Cricket: Women’s Big Bash League: Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades *Live* From UTAS Stadium [s] Seven News At 5 [s] Sydney Weekender [s] Seven News [s] 7News Spotlight (PG) [s] – Spotlight uncovers new evidence in a case dubbed the trial of the century. The fate of a young police officer is in the balance as he waits to face a jury after shooting dead a young man. Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) [s] Program To Be Advised Criminal Confessions (M) [s] The Blacklist (MA15+) [s]

6:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 1:00 2:00 3:15 4:05 5:05 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:15 9:35 10:35 10:50 11:05 12:05 12:50 1:35 2:20 4:25 5:25

6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 11:30 Landline [s] 12:00 Restoration Australia [s] ABC News At Noon [s] Shetland (PG) [s] Parliament Question Time [s] ABC News Afternoons [s] 2:00 Escape From The City (PG) Grand Designs Australia (PG) 3:00 4:00 The Drum [s] 5:00 ABC News [s] 6:00 7.30 [s] 7:00 Australian Story [s] 7:30 Four Corners [s] Media Watch (PG) [s] 9:00 The Detectives (M) [s] ABC Late News [s] The Business [s] Big Deal (M l) [s] We Hunt Together (MA15+) [s] 11:30 The Accident (M l,s,v) [s] Program To Be Advised 12:00 rage (MA15+) [s] The Drum [s] 1:00 7.30 [s]

Sunrise [s] The Morning Show [s] Seven Morning News [s] Movie: “One Small Indiscretion” (M) (’17) Stars: Ashley Scott, Tiera Skovbye, Cru Ennis, Johnny Visotcky, Sienna Noelle Peeples Program To Be Advised The Chase UK (PG) [s] Seven News At 4 [s] The Chase Australia (PG) [s] Seven News [s] Home And Away (PG) [s] SAS Australia: Hell Week: Breaking Point (M) [s] Movie: “Cold Pursuit” (MA15+) (’19) Stars: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Micheál Richardson, Michael Eklund, Bradley Stryker The Goldbergs: It’s All About Comptrol (PG) [s] God Friended Me: From Paris With Love (PG) [s] Home Shopping

6:00 9:00 11:30 12:00

6:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 1:00 2:00 3:15 4:05 5:05 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:05

3:10 4:25 5:25

News Breakfast [s] 6:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 9:00 Four Corners [s] 11:30 Antiques Roadshow [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] Grantchester (M l,v) [s] 2:00 Parliament Question Time [s] ABC News Afternoons [s] Escape From The City [s] 3:00 Grand Designs Australia (PG) 4:00 The Drum [s] 5:00 ABC News [s] 6:00 7.30 [s] 7:00 The Greek Islands With Julia 7:30 Bradbury: The Sporades [s] Big Deal (M l) [s] 9:15 Just Between Us (PG) [s] ABC Late News [s] 10:15 The Business [s] Q&A [s] Program To Be Advised Midsomer Murders: Death 11:15 And The Divas (M v) [s] 11:45 rage (MA15+) [s] The Drum [s] 12:00 12:30 7.30 [s]

Sunrise [s] The Morning Show [s] Seven Morning News [s] Movie: “A Father’s Choice” (M) (’00) Stars: Peter Strauss Code Blue - Murder: The Murder Of Katherine Smith (M v) [s] The Chase UK (PG) [s] Seven News At 4 [s] The Chase Australia (PG) [s] Seven News [s] Home And Away (PG) [s] SAS Australia: Hell Week: Beyond Limits (M) [s] Unbelievable Moments Caught On Camera (M) [s] S.W.A.T.: Hotel L.A. (M v) [s] – The team must protect a hotel full of civilians after a mission goes wrong. The Latest Seven News [s] The Goldbergs: Bill’s Wedding (M v) [s] God Friended Me (PG) [s] Home Shopping

6:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 1:35 2:00 3:15 4:05 5:05 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:05 9:55 10:20 11:00 11:15 11:30 12:20 12:35 1:20 2:20

6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 11:30 Don’t Stop The Music [s] Monty Don’s French Gardens 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] National Press Club Address Media Watch (PG) [s] Parliament Question Time [s] 2:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] Escape From The City [s] Grand Designs Australia (PG) 3:00 4:00 The Drum [s] 5:00 ABC News [s] 6:00 7.30 [s] 7:00 Hard Quiz (PG) [s] 7:30 Gruen [s] Frayed (MA15+) [s] 8:00 Back (MA15+) [s] Program To Be Advised 8:30 ABC Late News [s] The Business [s] 10:30 Four Corners [s] 11:00 Media Watch (PG) [s] Father Brown (M v) [s] 12:00 Without Limits (PG) [s] 12:30 Program To Be Advised

3:30 4:00 5:00 5:30 6:30 7:00 7:40 8:40 9:30 10:25

8:30 9:25 10:35 10:50 11:05 12:10 1:40

Also see: ABC COMEDY (Channel 22) ABC ME (Channel 23) ABC NEWS (Channel 24)

TEN (C13)

NINE (C81/80)

rage (PG) [s] 6:00 Weekend Breakfast [s] 7:00 Insiders [s] 10:00 Offsiders [s] 12:00 The World This Week [s] 1:00 Compass [s] Songs Of Praise [s] 1:30 ABC News At Noon [s] Landline [s] Gardening Australia [s] Rick Stein’s Road To Mexico 5:00 (PG) [s] 5:30 Todd Sampson’s Life On The 6:00 Line: Buoyancy (PG) [s] 7:00 Secrets Of The Museum (PG) Art Works [s] Antiques Roadshow [s] Back Roads [s] ABC News Sunday [s] Restoration Australia [s] Fires (M) [s] We Hunt Together (MA15+) [s] 8:00 Les Norton: Day Of The 8:30 Gecko (MA15+) [s] 10:30 Stateless (M l) [s] 11:30 Talking Heads [s]

6:00 7:00 9:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:30 2:30

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

10:10 11:10 12:00 4:30

Today [s] Today Extra (PG) [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] The Block: Garage, Study And Wine Cellar Reveal (PG) [s] Getaway (PG) [s] Pointless (PG) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] NINE News [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] The Block: Front Garden And Facade Week (PG) [s] Love Island Australia (M) [s] Kath & Kim: Money (PG) [s] Kath & Kim: Party (PG) [s] NINE News Late [s] New Amsterdam: Boundaries (M) [s] – Max creates chaos when he volunteers New Amsterdam to take over for a short-staffed neighbouring hospital. Tipping Point (PG) [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s]

6:00 The Talk [s] 5:00 France 24 Feature News 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 5:15 NHK World English News 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 5:30 Worldwatch (PG) [s] 2:00 Inside Central Station: 8:00 Studio 10 (PG) [s] Launch (M) 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 3:00 Where Are You Really From? 1:00 Program To Be Advised (PG) 2:40 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:35 The Cook Up With Adam 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Liaw (PG) 3:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 4:05 The Supervet (PG) 4:00 Everyday Gourmet [s] 5:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 5:30 Letters And Numbers (PG) [s] 6:00 Mastermind 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 SBS World News 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:35 Britain’s Most Historic 7:30 Celebrity MasterChef Towns: Medieval Lincoln (PG) Australia (PG) [s] 8:30 Saved By A Stranger (M) 8:40 Have You Been Paying 9:30 24 Hours In Emergency: Attention? (MA15+) [s] With Or Without You (M) 9:40 Just For Laughs Uncut 10:30 SBS World News (MA15+) [s] 11:00 Bosch (MA15+) 10:10 Just For Laughs (MA15+) [s] 11:50 An Ordinary Woman (M l) 10:40 Program To Be Advised (In Russian) 11:40 The Project (PG) [s] 1:50 Deep State (MA15+) 12:40 The Late Show (PG) [s] 3:45 Huang’s World (M l,v) 1:30 Home Shopping 4:35 Vice Guide To Film (MA15+)

12:05

Today [s] Today Extra (PG) [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] The Block: Front Garden And Facade Week (PG) [s] Explore [s] Good Food Kitchen [s] Pointless (PG) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] NINE News [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] The Block: Front Garden And Facade Week (PG) [s] Love Island Australia (M) [s] Travel Guides: Vietnam (PG) [s] – In Hanoi the guides will live like the locals, navigating through busy streets, sampling cuisine, shopping and joining a motorbike tour. NINE News Late [s] Damian Lewis - Spy Wars: Trojan Horse (M v) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s]

6:00 The Talk [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 8:00 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 1:00 Program To Be Advised 2:00 Entertainment Tonight [s] 2:30 Farm To Fork [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 4:00 Everyday Gourmet [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Dog House Australia (PG) [s] 8:30 The Cheap Seats (M l) [s] 9:25 NCIS: Los Angeles: Indentured (M v) [s] 10:25 NCIS: Los Angeles: If The Fates Allow (M v) [s] 11:25 The Project (PG) [s] 12:25 The Late Show (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “Her Last Will” (M v) (’16) Stars: Rya Kihlstedt, 1:00 Patrick Fischler, Harriet Sansom Harris, Fiona Dourif, 2:00 Michael Graziadei 3:00 Code Blue - Murder: The Murder Of John Williams (M) [s] 4:00 5:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s] 6:00 Seven News At 4 [s] The Chase Australia (PG) [s] 7:00 7:30 Seven News [s] Home And Away (PG) [s] Highway Patrol: Motorbike Mayhem (PG) [s] Highway Patrol: Burning 8:40 Rubber (PG) [s] 9:40 America’s Got Talent: Audition 5 (PG) [s] 10:40 The Latest Seven News [s] 11:10 Chicago Fire: What Comes 12:00 Next (M) [s] 1:00 The Windsors (M l,s) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping

Today [s] Today Extra (PG) [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] The Block: Front Garden And Facade Week (PG) [s] Desperate Housewives: The Story Of Lucy And Jessie (M) Pointless (PG) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] NINE News [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] The Block: Front Garden And Facade Week (PG) [s] – The Blockheads are ecstatic as their families are coming to visit. Love Island Australia (M) [s] Botched: Most Memorable Celebrity Patients (M) [s] NINE News Late [s] Pearson: The Rival (M) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] Home Shopping

6:00 The Talk [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 8:00 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (PG) [s] 1:00 Program To Be Advised 2:10 Entertainment Tonight [s] 2:30 Farm To Fork [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 4:00 Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bachelorette Australia (M) [s] 8:30 Bull: Bull Undone (PG) [s] 9:30 Bull: A Friend In Need (M) [s] 10:30 Bull: Separation (M) [s] 11:30 The Project (PG) [s] 12:30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping

Also see: 7TWO (Channel 62) 7MATE (Channel 63) 7FLIX (Channel 66)

5:00 5:30 6:00 7:00 8:30 9:30 10:00 11:00 11:50 12:40 1:05 1:30

1:30 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:45 9:45 10:20 10:55 11:25

12:10 1:05 6:00 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:15 1:30 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:40 9:40

10:40 11:10

Also see: GEM (Channel 82) GO! (Channel 83/88) LIFE (Channel 84)

1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:30 5:00 6:30 7:30 9:10

Religious Programs [s] Roads Less Travelled [s] Waltzing Jimeoin (PG) [s] Destination Dessert (PG) [s] Studio 10 Sunday (PG) [s] Left Off The Map [s] Taste Of Australia With Hayden Quinn [s] Three Veg And Meat [s] Healthy Homes Australia [s] The People’s Cup - Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour [s] My Market Kitchen [s] Good Chef Bad Chef [s] Program To Be Advised Farm To Fork [s] 10 News First [s] The Sunday Project (PG) [s] Celebrity MasterChef Australia (PG) [s] CSI: Vegas: Under The Skin (M) [s] FBI: Know Thyself (M) [s] The Sunday Project (PG) [s] Home Shopping CBS Mornings [s]

SBS (C30)

Animal Tales (PG) [s] Weekend Today [s] Sports Sunday (PG) [s] The Xtreme CollXtion (PG) [s] Fishing Australia (PG) [s] Ultimate Rush (PG) [s] World’s Greatest Islands: Coral Islands (PG) [s] The Block: Garage, Study And Wine Cellar Week (PG) [s] NINE News: First At Five [s] RBT: Merry Widower (PG) [s] NINE News Sunday [s] The Block: Garage, Study And Wine Cellar Reveal (PG) [s] 60 Minutes (M) [s] NINE News Late [s] The First 48: Lester Street (M) Cold Case - New Leads Wanted: Tuitania Barclay (MA15+) [s] Chicago Med: When To Let Go (M) [s] The Garden Gurus [s] The Xtreme CollXtion (PG) [s] Home Shopping

1:30

6:00 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 12:00 12:30

PAGE 21 21 OCTOBER 2021

Also see: 10 PEACH (Channel 11) 10 BOLD (Channel 12)

Programming information correct at time of going to press, changes are at the network’s discretion Prepared by National Typesetting Services

5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 3:00 4:40 5:10 5:40 6:30 7:35 8:30 10:00 10:10 12:10 1:10 2:20 3:30

5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:05 3:00 3:40 4:10 5:05 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:30 8:30 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:00 2:30 3:30 3:40 4:10 5:05 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:30 8:35 9:30 10:45 11:15 12:15 4:35

France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch Speedweek Gymnastics: Rhythmic Going Places With Ernie Dingo (PG) Small Business Secrets (PG) The Buildings That Fought Hitler (PG) SBS World News Inside Central Station: Launch (M) Australia Uncovered: The Children In The Pictures (PG) Scotland: Rome’s Final Frontier Turban Legend: Untold Australia (PG) 24 Hours In Emergency: The Extra Mile (M) Surviving The Virus: My Brother And Me (M l) Alex Polizzi The Fixer Cocaine - Living With The Cartels (MA15+)

France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour The Story Of The Songs: Eric Clapton Where Are You Really From? (PG) The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) Secrets Of The Railway (PG) Jeopardy! (PG) Letters And Numbers Mastermind SBS World News Great Canadian Railroad Journeys: Kamloops To Calgary (M) Insight: Lone Survivor Dateline: Back To School With Delta The Feed SBS World News The Point Before We Die (M d,l,v) (In Swedish) France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour Dateline Insight Destination Flavour Japan Bitesize The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) Secrets Of The Railway (PG) Jeopardy! (PG) Letters And Numbers Mastermind SBS World News Australia’s Health Revolution (M) 24 Hours In Emergency: Turn Back Time (M) Railways Of The Western Front (PG) SBS World News Atlantic Crossing (M v) (In Norwegian/ English) The Killing (M l) (In Danish) Vice Guide To Film (M l,v)

Also see: SBS VICELAND (Channel 31) SBS MOVIES (Channel 32) SBS FOOD (Channel 33) SBS NITV (Channel 34)

PAGE 22 21 OCTOBER 2021

PUZZLES

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

ACROSS 1. 4. 8. 11. 13. 15. 17.

12 months Earnestly Info Emblem Circle (globe) Duplicate (cell) Former time standard (1,1,1) 18. Assume ownership of 20. Ventilate 21. Channel 24. Confiscates 27. Sheltered side 28. Drinking tube 30. Irritated 31. Business agreements 33. Absconded with lover 34. Naturism 35. Norwegian capital 36. Free entry ticket 39. Promise 42. Hard iron alloy 44. Legume 45. Lessens 46. Sponges 48. Mopes (around) 49. Strong winds 50. Soviet republics (1,1,1,1) 52. Macho guy (2-3) 54. Endured 55. Exterior 56. Most recent 57. Assessment

60. Wanes 62. Thin biscuits 65. Crave 67. Morbid spectator 69. Shoo! 70. Peaceful refuge 72. Arab organisation (1,1,1) 73. Allude 75. Signifies 77. Droplets on grass 79. Red hair colouring 81. Also called (1,1,1) 82. High society members 84. Weight units 85. Eskimo dwelling 86. Stinging insect 87. Bank officers 88. Obscene material

DOWN 1. Young Men’s Christian Association (1,1,1,1) 2. Cancel (mission) 3. Jogged 4. Shade plant 5. Sharply bent 6. Small cat 7. Egg yellow 8. Performed 9. Mururoa ... 10. Poker stake 12. Logo sticker 14. Headquarters

16. Speaks with impediment 19. Nuisances 22. Aroused 23. Even the score for 25. Grown-ups 26. Reworded (text) 29. Re-establishes 32. Sound booster 35. Leftover piece 37. Cinema gangway 38. Afternoon naps 40. Lariat 41. Avid 42. Four-door car 43. Largest Nigerian city 44. Boxing matches 47. Trades 51. Fluff up (feathers) 52. Funeral vehicle 53. Annul 54. Wave towards 58. Predatory bird 59. One, ..., three 61. Assailed 63. Of the ear 64. Careless writing 65. Tribute 66. Picture stand 68. Uses horn 71. Local phraseology 72. Relieved sigh 74. Clenched hand 76. Unchanged (2,2) 78. Sunset direction 80. Whisky measure 83. The L of LA

MISSING LINK

Fill in each letter of the alphabet once only.

MISSING LINK Fill in each letter of the alphabet once only.

S MISSING LINKS S I E S

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Missing Link Solution:

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LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS Missing Link Solution: Missing Link Solution:

Missing Link Solution:

Q F K MU S E S F I N A T M T T Y P E U E A W ODDN E S S A T E C S N ME T H A N E GA S P E A S

V A L N S T A I X I K S

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OUT & ABOUT PAGE 23 21 OCTOBER 2021

DOWN IN THE GARDEN: Get the Tropical Look for Your Garden

CHERALYN DARCEY

On the Central Coast we are in a temperate area and while some tropical plants can grow well in various pockets and may even thrive with additional care, many plants from ‘up North’ just won’t survive or thrive in this cooler climate. When we think tropical plants for our garden, most of us are referring to the understory rainforest plants that generally need very rich loamy soil that is kept damp. These plants love humidity, will not tolerate frost and the temperature remains above 18c. Many tropical plants have large leaves to capture the light and the falling rain in the darkness of the jungle and while looking out over an area of wild tropical growth, you will also notice that the vegetation is rather tangled and almost overgrown in nature. I’ve got a few tips and tricks to get this look without having to go ‘Troppo!’. Planting Tips Try selecting plants that have darker foliage as this increases the perceived depth of your faux-tropical garden. The darker an area is, the more difficult it is the see where the garden ends. Increase volume by mass planting or grouping together pots of the same plants. This makes the viewer think they are looking at one big plant, not lots of small ones and subconsciously we tend to think of tropical plants as bigger even though that is not actually always the case. Placing plants closer together helps but mind that your selection is suited for this as the increase in humidity will be great for real tropical plants but not so good for others. Too much humidity will increase the chance of fungal issues. Vines will also boost the jungle vibe of your tropical paradise and you can try the Australian Natives Wonga Wonga Vine and Bower of Beauty (Pandorea jasminoides). Add in a few plants that have unusual and bright blossoms as nothing says tropical like these. A couple of suggestions for you that will do well in this area are Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia regina) and any of the Bromeliads.

Also Try These Plants Bamboo can give you a tropical look and if you are hesitant about letting this plant into your garden, then try the delightfully jungle-looking and sounding Tiger grass (Thysanolaena maxima). There are so many Cordylines in a myriad of colours and these can also give you another layer of texture with their spear-like leaves. The good old Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa) is a temperate area plant that looks like it comes from the hot depths of the jungle but will be incredibly happy in East Coast Aussie gardens. If you are looking for a large plant, try the Giant White Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) as it is drought tolerant and will provide a great backdrop to your tropical garden. Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ will grow in full sun and is also drought tolerant.

Any of the gingers will work well including the ornamental stand out Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet ‘variegata’). If you have a brown thumb, try a bunch of Cast Iron Plants (Aspidistra elatior) as they are pretty much indestructible and also do very well in large pots, perfect for courtyards. Pop in Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) in any open little pockets and spots as their leaves and bright flowers make interesting little focal points that pop. Heliconia of all sorts are also a welcome addition and give that unusual twist and while they may present a bit of a challenge, if you find a humid spot you should be rewarded.

Dark earthy colours will work as well. Rustic timber furniture and features will give a wild jungle feeling and you could try adding natural looking water features but instead of fast running fountains opt for slow trickling effects that will mimic the feeling and sounds of the rainforest.

Building a relationship with heatloving plants when you don’t live in the tropics. Marianne Willburn ISBN: 9780760368947. Quarto Books, USA If you want to grow real tropical plants or even just be inspired by them then I highly recommend this new book by Marianne Willburn. Both houseplant growing and delving into the creation of tropical growth for your garden is covered so well. The advice is suitable for those not living in hot tropical climates and is written in an easy to understand, at time humorous and insightful way. A gardening book with a bit of a difference for those who love the tropical look.

GARDENING BOOK REVIEW

TASKS & TIPS FOR YOU THIS WEEK

Design Elements Use pots that are deep emeraldgreen to extend the lushness of your tropical garden.

Tropical Plants and How to Love Them

YOU & YOUR GARDEN: Howard Williams, Wyoming

After our search for the perfect Central Coast deciduous tree for Martin of Blue Bay, Howard Williams wrote to us with his suggestion: Dear Cheralyn, As grower of Australian native plants for well over 35 years, may I suggest a tree that I have grown which may be good for Martin. The tree is the Fine Leaf Tuckeroo (Lepiderema Pulchella) which puts on a beautiful new leaf followed by orange/

yellow flowers then orange berries which native birds love. It grows in my garden in Wyoming very well and is between 6 and 8 metres tall. You can cut it back quite hard and it will still live a good life. I hope this may help Martin. Regards Howard Williams

This week, you could plant artichokes, asparagus crowns, cape gooseberry, capsicum, beetroot, climbing and dwarf beans, cabbage, carrot, celery, chicory, choko, cress, cucumbers, eggplants, endive, melons, squashes, lettuce, spring onions, parsnip, peas, potatoes, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, silverbeet, sweet corn, alyssum, calendula, California poppy, carnation, celosia, chrysanthemum, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, everlasting daisies, gazania, gerbera, marigold, petunia, salvia, zinnia, kangaroo paw, nasturtium, snapdragon, salvia. A few things in season: avocado, banana, blueberries, mango, asparagus, broad beans, silverbeet, passionfruit, oranges. Cheralyn Darcey is a gardening author, community garden coordinator and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 10am every Saturday on CoastFM963. She is also co-host of @MostlyAboutPlants a weekly gardening podcast with Vicki White. Send your gardening questions, events, and news to: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com

PAGE 24 21 OCTOBER 2021 OUT & ABOUT

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Libraries multiply on The Boulevarde

Women rewarded for creativity packs CWA Woy Woy has also been presented with a Collaboration Award for their recent contribution to Coast Shelter’s creativity packs, as reported in PP030.

The Country Women’s Association’s Woy Woy branch has installed a second footpath library after the success of the first box last month. Branch president, Jane Bowtell, said there was now

more space for locals to share their favourite reads with the community. “This would not have been possible without our community behind us,” Bowtell said. “Thank you for supporting us in everything we do.”

Games, puzzles, DVDs and CDs can also be left inside the library. The library is located at 30 The Boulevarde, Woy Woy. Source: Media release, Oct 14 CWA Woy Woy

Association President, Jane Bowtell, thanked Rotary Club of Gosford City President, Paul Jones, for the award. “We were approached by Rotary to sew 70 bags which will be used to distribute creative supplies in therapy programs for those on their way to recovery,” Bowtell said. “Gosford Rotary … will use the packs to bring Coast Shelter clients together over creative

projects and create a safe space to feel comfortable exploring whatever issues they may face. “Great things happen when organisation’s work together. “We love being able to help our fellow community

volunteers and thank the wonderful people of Rotary for everything they do for their community both locally and worldwide.” Source: Media statement, Oct 17 CWA Woy Woy

More vouchers available to munch through Over $13.4M worth of Dine & Discover vouchers have not been used by Central Coast residents and the program has been extended and offering two additional vouchers per person. NSW Minister for Digital and Customer Service, Victor Dominello, said the vouchers

would be delivered via the ServiceNSW app. “You’ll find them in your ServiceNSW app in time for Summer or you can contact ServiceNSW and they can send them to you,” Dominello said. “To date, almost 4.8 million people have taken advantage of the voucher program since its launch in March, giving

businesses a $430M boost.” NSW residents aged 18 years and over who are yet to apply will be able to do so until the program ends and will receive all six $25 vouchers. Participating businesses do not need to reapply. Those who want to join the program are encouraged to

by Central Coast residents. More information will be made available in the coming weeks on the

nsw.gov.au website. Source: Media release, Oct 14 NSW Government

Lions Club runs Melbourne Cup trifecta sweep The Woy Woy Peninsula Lions Club will be selling Melbourne Cup Trifecta Tickets in Peninsula Plaza

next week to help raise funds for the club. The $1 tickets will be on sale on Thursday, October 28 from

COASTAL DIARY

8am until sold out. The lucky winner will receive a $500 prize. “We normally walk the local area to sell tickets however, with COVID restrictions, consider it best to be in one location for this day,” Club President, Greg Head, said. “Come along and buy your tickets and support your local Lions Club at a time when fund raising for the Community is extremely difficult.” Source: Media release, Oct 16 Lions Club of Woy Woy Peninsula

A COMPREHENSIVE LISTING OF EVENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ON THE CENTRAL COAST FRIDAY, OCT 22 Radical Reels by the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Avoca Beach Theatre, ticketed, 7pm

FRIDAY, OCT 29

NSW Volleyball’s annual Beach Volleyball Tour, Avoca Beach, 29/10 - 31/10, 8am onwards

FRIDAY, NOV 5

The Lakes Festival, 5/11 - 14/11 Lady Day - Billie Holiday LIVE Multiple locations CONCERT with The Rodric White Amber Lawrence Live Concert, Septet & Simone Waddell, Avoca Beach Theatre, Avoca Beach Theatre, ticketed, 7:30pm ticketed, 7:30pm

SATURDAY, NOV 6

Lawn Cemetery and Memorial Garden, Palmdale Road, 11am 4362 1203 palmdalegroup.com.au

All Souls’ Day Service, Hillside Chapel, Palmdale

SUNDAY, NOV 7 Antique Roadshow: items

ticketed, 7:30pm wanted for cash, Mercure Kooindah Waters - 40 Kooindah Blvd, FRIDAY, NOV 19 Wyong, 7/11 - 13/11, Simon Tedeschi & 10am - 3pm International chocolate day with high tea, Avoca Beach Theatre,

George Washingmachine Live In Concert, Avoca Beach Theatre, ticketed, 7:30pm

Basic entries in the Coastal Diary are FREE. Send information to coastaldiary@centralcoastnews.net. ENHANCED entries using bold typeface with an address, phone number and a live link are available for a small fee. Photographs can also be added for a small fee. All display advertisers are entitled to a free enhanced entry.

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BUSINESS & PROPERTY PAGE 25 21 OCTOBER 2021

Business & Property Woy Woy business expands with new shop

The owner of Woy Woy Antiques & Collectables has expanded the business, opening a new shop in the heart of Gosford. The new shop on Watt St features a selection of vintage and retro treasures, including jewelry, artwork and vintage men’s and women’s fashion.

Owner, Mitchell Gordon, said he established the Woy Woy store to assist not-for-profit organisations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a percentage of profits going to a different local charity each month. “Initially, it started out as a pop-up shop in Woy Woy,” Gordon said.

“Thanks to the support of Deepwater Shopping Plaza and the local community, Woy Woy Antiques & Collectables is now the region’s largest antique store, with plans to expand in the coming months.” Gordon and his team said their love of antiques has continued to grow with the opening of the latest venture.

Woy Woy Antiques & Collectables Gosford brings together a meld of vintage, retro and antique items with a unique store fit out that gives the space a home-like feel. “The vibe is still very much like the Woy Woy shop in terms of it being eclectic and colourful with lots of variety,” Gordon said.

“Our offering at Gosford is wider in terms of what we sell. “We have books, furniture, and a whole Australian pottery section. “We look forward to welcoming everyone – both existing customers and new – to our Gosford store.” The team have set their sights

on using the space to host local artists, allowing them to share their craft to develop a strong local support network for creatives. Source: Media release, Oct 14 Woy Woy Antiques & Collectables

Buyers attracted to Peninsula lifestyle with city in reach Umina Beach and Woy Woy have been named in the top 10 suburbs in NSW to purchase a property according to research conducted by a property buyer’s agency network. The ‘BuyersBuyers’ agency research indicated that property values in Umina Beach grew by 31.8 per cent in oneyear growth. Woy Woy property values experiencing a 30.4 per cent rise in the same period. In terms of affordability, Umina Beach properties, on

average, sell for a median price of $941, 015 whereas in Woy Woy, they market at a slightly more affordable average rate of $850,672. The research indicates that buyers have been focused on houses in suburbs where prices remain reasonable, but still within a drivable distance to the Sydney CBD. It’s something that Simon Eyre, the Selling Principal at Ray White Woy Woy and Daleys Point, said he has been experiencing for some time. “Woy Woy is the most [online] searched Central Coast suburb

(in terms of buyers) and to out script Terrigal and Avoca really indicates a shift in the mentality for what people are looking for,” Eyre said. “They are looking at logistical ease, whilst the shift down to Sydney hasnt been easy, people still are thinking along the lines of employment opportunities for children. “It’s one of the reasons I thought about moving to the Coast … there’s study opportunities here, entertainment, you’ve got access to two of the largest city centres in Australia – Sydney

and the Chatswood regions. “There is a direct route to that from Woy Woy. “We’re finding that Sydney buyers aren’t so restricted for their need to be close to the office, but they’re still thinking along the lines of ease of access to Sydney, logistics, future employment … “I think that’s what people like about the Peninsula region – we’ve got the beach, the bay, the bush, and we’ve got it in spades! “The national parks here really help to attract people

looking for that type of lifestyle. “People who would ordinarily only go fishing on holidays now can go after work hours, people are more aware of their own mental health and wellbeing, and it permeates throughout our community … nature grounds you. “All of these contributing factors plus the ease of access to Sydney makes Woy Woy the pin on the map.” Eyre warned though that due to a static amount of housing on the Peninsula, the demand has already outstripped availability and so people are

pushing out to nearby areas such as Kincumber, Davistown and Saratoga. “Our local buyer pool is compounding and its coming into a maturity at the moment,” he said. “Not only have we our local pool of buyers, we have an extended one. “For every one sale I made years ago, a demand has been created for an average of three homes, and we’re importing even more buyers now.” Maisy Rae

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Package to ‘turbocharge’ skills training Business NSW Central Coast welcomed a recently announced State Government economic recovery package, which will see the JobTrainer program extended. Regional Director, Paula Martin, said the Coast was staring down “a long road of skill shortages” exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “With the need for health services increasing during the pandemic, the infrastructure boom of 2019 ongoing and professional services emerging as the

fastest growing sector on the Central Coast, ensuring that all of our community are exposed to skills of the future will be vital to our longerterm recovery as a region,” Martin said. “These industries are vibrant and growing and offer a range of careers for young people locally.” The State Government has committed to 103,000 additional free training places as part of the $100M economic recovery package to turbocharge skills training and future-proof the

workforce. The package contains new funding to extend the JobTrainer program, hundreds of fully-funded school-based apprenticeships and traineeships for Aboriginal students and funding for new ICT traineeships in the public sector. Premier, Dominic Perrottet, said the investment would support a pipeline of skilled workers and spearhead the state’s recovery. “By investing in a skills-led recovery, the NSW

Government is not only futureproofing jobs but ensuring people have the right skills to plug current shortages as the economy emerges from the pandemic,” Perrottet said. “NSW is leading the nation in free skills training in the joint Federal and State JobTrainer program with more than 136,000 people in NSW taking up a course since it was introduced last October.” NSW Treasurer, Matt Kean, said the investment would benefit critical industries

including construction, health and IT. “This is a significant investment to help the people of NSW get back to work, upskill or enter the workforce for the first time, particularly in critical industries like construction, IT, health and hospitality,” Kean said. “These critical industries are vital to our economic growth and prosperity and the NSW Government will continue to invest in training initiatives to get more people into jobs.” Minister for Skills and

Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, said apprenticeships and traineeships were critical to supporting the careers of tomorrow. The package includes additional Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grants and new ICT Traineeships, which will develop and support Aboriginal students and budding IT professionals across the state through the creation of training and employment opportunities in public sector agencies. Terry Collins

Competition for events funding expected to be fierce Business NSW Central Coast has welcomed the announcement of the State Government’s $200M Recovery Package for Regional NSW designed to support events, shows and festivals. Regional Manager, Paula Martin, said the region was home to more than 1000 artists and performers who have seen their industry on its knees during pandemic lockdowns. “It is vital we reinvigorate this industry to offer young aspiring performers and artists a careers pathway as well as provide our community

with events to look forward to,” Martin said. “As restrictions ease thanks to the collective efforts of our community to get vaccinated, we can now focus on investment strategies to bring structured events to the region including encouraging businesses to have their business events on the Central Coast. “The Coast is in a prime position to be the most attractive destination for events, tourism experiences and festivals outside of Sydney. “No other region offers the combination of beautiful waterways, beaches,

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bushland options and accessibility by road and rail the way the Central Coast does. “We need to remember that regional competition is going to be fierce so getting on the front foot will be key.” Martin said a focus on Gosford city and waterfront as part of the plan to attract large events was important. “A thriving region has a vibrant city at its centre but the lockdowns have severely impacted our city and it needs a refresh,” she said. “We have planned our city many times and we know what needs to be done. “It’s time to get serious and

accelerate investment into our city so we don’t fall behind and become an attractive investment option for business.” Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, Paul Toole, said the package would deliver long term support and certainty for businesses as the state reopens, tourism rebounds and investors eye new opportunities. “The package includes $25M to help regional councils stage events such as festivals that help drive tourism and allow locals to reconnect,” he said. “Immediate financial support will also be provided

for country shows to be held in 2021-2022. “Country shows have been disrupted by drought, bushfire, floods and COVID-19 and (a $5M investment) will help agricultural show societies come back bigger and better than ever, in the lead up to the 2022 Royal Easter Show.” Toole said successful projects in round one of the Regional Job Creation Fund would be announced in coming weeks. “This package has laid the foundations for a strong recovery for regional NSW and I look forward to making further funding

announcements in the coming weeks. The newly announced package includes: $30M for the Regional Job Creation Fund Round Two; a $50M Regional Events Package, including a $20M Regional Events Acceleration Fund Round Two, a $5M Country Shows support package and a $25M Reconnecting Regional NSW Community Events Package; and $40M for priority infrastructure projects. Further announcements will be made with respect to the remaining $80M. Terry Collins

WILLS & ESTATES

Hi, I’m Geoff Brazel, your genuinely Local Wills & Estates Lawyer When planning ahead, it’s important to be alert to the pitfalls and procedures in dealing with Estate Planning, Wills, Powers of Attorney & Appointments of Guardian so that you know where you stand. I live and work right here on the Central Coast and have been helping Central Coast residents just like you with their Wills and Estate Planning documents since 1981. When it comes to making sure your assets end up where you want them, it’s important to get expert legal advice. Call me now for a confidential chat and be prepared for your’s and your family’s future.

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BUSINESS & PROPERTY PAGE 27 21 OCTOBER 2021

Integrated app one way to prove vaccination status An integrated vaccination certificate has been launched on the Service NSW app to make access easier for individuals and businesses, Locals were able to integrate the COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate into their Service NSW app from Monday, October 18. NSW Minister for Digital and Customer Service, Victor Dominello, said the integration of the vaccine certificate with the app will be optional to people, however it would prove the easiest and quickest way to confirm their

vaccination status. “This is an extra digital service to make life easier for the businesses and customers of NSW as we open back up,” Dominello said. “When someone visits a venue, they’ll be able to show their green check-in tick and vaccination status simultaneously, saving staff and customers time.” As the vaccine data sits in the Federal Australian Immunisation Register to integrate the COVID-19 digital certificate into the Service NSW app you will need to: • Ensure your Federal MyGov

account is linked to Medicare • Download the Express Plus Medicare app and sign in with your MyGov account details • Select ‘Proof of vaccinations’ and then ‘View history’ • Select ‘Share with check in app’ and then ‘Service NSW’ For other ways to demonstrate a vaccination certificate, residents can use the Express Plus Medicare app or the digital wallet on their phone. Individuals without a smartphone can print a vaccination certificate from

their Medicare account or contact Services Australia for a paper certificate in order to prove their vaccination status. John Green, Director of Liquor and Policing at the Australian Hotels Association NSW, said venue operators were reporting the vaccination status combined with the QR check-in made it easier to check and validate. “The convenience of having a customer’s vaccination status presented alongside their check-in will allow for a seamless entry and take pressure off venue staff,” Green said. “It certainly makes the

process quicker.” The announcement came after reports of some businesses struggling to keep up with the demand for their services, along with verifying the vaccine status of those entering the premises. Shadow Minister for Customer Service and Digital, Yasmin Catley, said it was “very disappointing the app wasn’t ready in time for ‘Freedom Day’ on October 11.” “The Government left it in the hands of businesses to be on the frontline and police people’s vaccine passports,” Catley said.

“Many businesses simply do not have capacity or the resources to have people on the front door checking people’s vaccination status. “The Service NSW vaccine app was designed to fix this direct issue.” The Service NSW app will include a number of security measures to help compliance officers and businesses with checking and validating a customer’s vaccination status, including a NSW Waratah logo hologram and rotating QR codes, similar to the Digital Driver Licence. Maisy Rae

Free training to help win government business Small businesses across NSW now have access to free training and a guide to help them become “tender ready” and win NSW Government contracts through a new tender support program. The NSW Small Business Commission has collaborated with TAFE NSW to deliver four online courses and a written guide to help small businesses understand NSW Government tendering and contract processes. The launch is the first milestone in the four-year $5M tender support program being delivered by the Commission announced in

the 2020 NSW Budget. The program is a driver of the government’s commitment to sourcing more goods and services from NSW small businesses. Finance and Small Business Minister, Damien Tudehope, said the NSW Government spent about around $40B each year on procurement of goods, services and construction, with nearly half of that amount going to small and medium businesses. “Small businesses make up more than 98 per cent of businesses in NSW. “If we can generate more work for them through existing government

spending, we will support jobs, families and communities,” he said. “Tendering for government work can take up valuable time and resources for small businesses, and larger businesses often have the edge. “These new resources will help small businesses to bridge that gap and be more successful in not only winning government work but also in tendering for private sector contracts, which requires similar knowledge and skills.” The training courses, Selling to the NSW Government, comprise four

modules that help small businesses prepare for and navigate major stages of the tendering and contract processes: getting business ready, finding opportunities, selling to government; and successful supplying. It is complemented by the new Selling to the NSW Government: A Guide for Small Business, which includes templates for key tendering documents. Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, said it was great to see the NSW Small Business Commission working with TAFE NSW, the State’s comprehensive public training provider.

“These courses will help small business owners upskill and reskill their teams, and ultimately empower them to grow their businesses,” Lee said. NSW Small Business Commissioner, Chris Lamont, said the training and guide had been informed by a stakeholder engagement survey undertaken by the Commission, which sought views and experiences of small businesses and other key stakeholders. “The survey identified key pain points for small businesses in tendering for government work and what information and assistance was most useful in helping

businesses to lift their capabilities,” he said. The Commission’s tender support program aligns with the NSW Government’s refreshed Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and Regional Procurement Policy, which allows Government agencies to buy goods and services directly from an SME for all procurements up to $150,000. The training modules and the guide can be accessed via the NSW Small Business Commission website. Source: NSW Small Business Commission

PAGE 28 21 OCTOBER 2021

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CREATING FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Why getting a home loan just got tougher WITH

Julia NEWBOULD Managing Editor • Money magazine Getting approved for a home loan is set to get tougher after the banking regulator announced an increase to the minimum interest rate buffer banks use when assessing home loan applications. Previously, banks had to assess whether an applicant was able to service a loan that was 2.5% higher than the current advertised rate for a given product. Now, that threshold has been lifted to 3%. The move aims to increase the stability of the banking system, ahead of an inevitable increase in the cash rate. “While the banking system is well capitalised and lending standards overall have held up, increases in the share of heavily indebted borrowers and

leverage in the household sector more broadly, mean that medium-term risks to financial stability are building,” says APRA Chair Wayne Byres. “More than one in five new loans approved in the June quarter were at more than six times the borrowers’ income, and at an aggregate level the expectation is that housing credit growth will run ahead of household income growth in the period ahead. With the economy expected to bounce back as lockdowns begin to be lifted around the country, the balance of risks is such that stronger serviceability standards are warranted.” Commonwealth Bank was quick to give the change the thumbs up. “We believe that APRA’s announcement to increase the

serviceability floor is a sensible and appropriate step to help take some of the heat out of the housing market,” Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn said in a statement. “Having increased our floor to 5.25% in June we think this further step will provide additional comfort for borrowers and is a prudent measure for lenders.” APRA forecasts that increasing the buffer by 0.5% will “maximum borrowing

capacity for the typical borrower by around 5%”. “The upcoming changes are one of the levers that APRA can use to decrease what they see as risk in the property market,” Marcus Roberts, founder of Brighter Finance tells Money. “During a low interest rate environment, such as we have today, it is important for borrowers to understand not just their actual loan repayments, but what a rise in rates would do to those

repayments. This move to increase the assessment rates is in a way replicating that calculation borrowers are doing, to reduce potential financial stress on borrowers in a rising interest rate environment.” “Having increased our floor to 5.25% in June we think this further step will provide additional comfort for borrowers and is a prudent measure for lenders.” The increase to the serviceability buffer is likely to be the first of many measures

designed to buttress the financial sector. Last month treasurer Josh Frydenberg gave the green light for APRA to turn the screws on the housing market. “We must be mindful of the balance between credit and income growth to prevent the build-up of future risks in the financial system,” he said. “Carefully targeted and timely adjustments are sometimes necessary.” DAVID THORNTON

More than half of employers are clueless about super changes More than half of employers are clueless on what the Your Future, Your Super reforms including stapling - mean and how to comply, according to new research. The study, commissioned by consumer experience consultancy CSBA and Fund Executives Association Limited (FEAL) in partnership with Melbourne Business School, surveyed 8355 individual fund members and 1155 employers. It found 54% of surveyed

employers were not aware of the YFYS reform and stapling requirement that comes into effect on November 1. Among employers who were aware of YFYS, approximately 65% looked to their funds for information and support, including details they could pass on to employees. The study also found 17% of employers had a specific suggestion for how super funds could improve proactive engagement. “Any help is better than none. I

assumed the stapling was between the employer and the ATO. Anything that will help an employer would be good,” one employer was reported as saying. Another employer gave this feedback: “Some background on what it actually is, and the impact on the employer to be compliant, and anything to give to employees would be fantastic.” When super fund members were asked if they were more or less likely to stay with their fund long term as a result of the stapling reforms, 52% of older

members said the legislation would not affect their likelihood to stay compared to 37% for younger members. Younger fund members, perhaps unsurprisingly, had the lowest agreement with the notion that their fund empowered them for retirement - with 31% disagreeing with the notion entirely. Looking at what prompted fund contact in the last 12 months, updating personal details (23%) and obtaining forms and paperwork (22%) were

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by far the most common reasons for members to contact the funds. Members closer to retirement were more likely to seek financial advice, discuss insurance and investments and were also more likely to report greater trust with the fund as a result of these interactions. “In a rapidly moving industry landscape, legislative changes such as YFYS are critical conversation openers for customer engagement. If you haven’t proactively contacted your employers or members to

explain how YFYS impacts them, it is a missed opportunity to add value and deepen your relationships,” says CSBA CX director of finance Sam Monteath. “Importantly, we know that the younger member cohort, who are likely to be most impacted by ‘stapling’ within YFYS, typically do not actively engage with their fund, rate their fund lower across key [customer experience] metrics, and are more likely to switch funds in the next 12 months.” ELIZABETH MCARTHUR

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE PAGE 29 21 OCTOBER 2021

Escaping violence payment to be trialled Women who are in the process of leaving a violent relationship may have access to a one-off payment of up to $5,000 to help them establish a life free of violence. Under the Federal Government’s two-year Escaping Violence Payment trial, women will receive financial assistance of up to $1,500 in cash with the remainder available for goods and services or direct payments of bonds, school fees or other support to help establish a safe home. A UnitingCare Australia Consortium has been selected

as the service provider to deliver the payments and will also support women to engage with other services for support including Commonwealth or state government funded community services. Federal Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, said the payments would assist women on the Central Coast who need financial support to leave. “When a woman is fleeing violence, we know the size of the house she is fleeing doesn’t matter – often she bundles the kids into the car, maybe the dog and they leave with nothing more than the clothes on their back,” Wicks said.

“People from all backgrounds can and do experience domestic violence. “This new payment is not means tested in a traditional sense because we know that women from every walk of life can experience DV and we want to encourage them all to reach out for support. “This new program is part of the Morrison Government’s record $1.1B investment in women’s safety which is helping to ensure we end domestic, family and sexual violence.” UnitingCare Network agencies will provide tailored assistance and engage with other relevant agencies.

The Escaping Violence Payment is not considered taxable or reportable income and will not impact on any other social security payments. Eligibility includes financial stress and evidence of domestic violence including, but not limited to, a referral from a family and domestic violence service provider with a risk assessment and safety plan, an AVO, court order or a police report. Minister for Women’s Safety, Anne Ruston, said the payments would help address the financial barriers that may stop women leaving violent relationships. “We know that financial

hardship as well as economic abuse, which may involve interfering with work or controlling or withholding money, reduces women’s ability to acquire and use money and makes it difficult to leave violent relationships,” Ruston said. “The new Escaping Violence Payment aims to help address those issues, so women have more security when making that brave decision to leave any form of intimate partner violence – including physical violence, coercive control and financial abuse.” Women can apply for the payment through the UnitingCare Network, with

more information available at unitingvictas.org.au/escapingviolence-payment. The two-year trial will be independently evaluated to assess the benefit of the payment, including demand, eligibility criteria, needs of specific cohorts, and how it works with related services. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au Source: Media release, Oct 20 Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks

WHERE DO YOU GET IT? FOLLOWING IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF PENINSULA COMMUNITY ACCESS NEWS PICKUP LOCATIONS. PAPERS ARE DELIVERED TO ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS ON PUBLICATION DAY. BOOKER BAY

Booker Bay General Store 72 Booker Bay Rd Daley’s Point The Cove Retirement Village 36 Empire Bay Dr

EMPIRE BAY

Bayside Gardens Lifestyle Village 437 Wards Hill Rd Empire Bay Tavern 1 Poole Cl Impact Plants Café 9 Poole Cl United 306 Empire Bay Dr

ERINA FAIR

Service desk Terrigal Dr Woolworths 620-658 Terrigal Dr

ETTALONG

Ingenia Lifestyle 1 Fassifern St Ettalong Beach Tourist Resort 189 Ocean View Rd Cinema Paradiso 189 Ocean View Rd IGA 396 Ocean View Rd Ettalong Beach Newsagency 257 Ocean View Rd Mantra Ettalong Beach 53/54 The Esplanade

Ettalong Diggers 51-52 The Esplanade Atlantis Apartments The Esplanade The Box on the Water Ettalong Beach Waterfront Reserve Ettalong Beach Motel 46 The Esplanade 50+ Leisure and Learning Centre Broken Bay Rd & Karingi St Ettalong Public School 23 Karingi St

GOSFORD

Imperial Centre 171 Mann St Masonic Centre 86 Mann St Central Coast Leagues Club 1 Dane Dr Gosford RSL Club 26 Central Coast Hwy

HARDY’S BAY

Hardy’s Bay Club 14 Heath Rd

KINCUMBER

Kincumber Nautical Village 57 Empire Bay Dr

PEARL BEACH

Pearl Beach Cafe and General Store 1 Pearl Parade

PHEGANS BAY

Box outside RFS Wattle Crescent

POINT CLARE

ALDI 53-59 Brisbane Water Dr

PRETTY BEACH

Pretty Beach Public School Pretty Beach Rd

UMINA

Ettalong Bowling club 103 Springwood St Cooinda Village 12/2-18 Neptune St Broken Bay Parish Uniting Church 346 Ocean Beach Rd The Bourke Road Store 174 Bourke Rd McDonald’s 430/438 Ocean Beach Rd Caltex Woolworths 337 West St Coles Express 1-3 Sydney Ave Woolworths 261-275 Trafalgar Street Corner, West St ALDI 310 Trafalgar Ave Coles 4 Oscar St NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort Sydney Ave Jasmine Greens Park Kiosk Peninsula Recreation

Precinct, Sydney Ave Umina Surf Life Saving Club 509 Ocean Beach Rd Umina Beach Café 509 Ocean Beach Rd Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club 176 The Esplanade Club Umina Melbourne Ave Peninsula Village 91 Pozieres Ave Umina Library Cnr West Street and Bullion Street Peninsula Office Supplies 296 West St Umina Beach Newsagency 310 West St Chemsave Chemist 299 West St Blooms The Chemist Shop 6/286 West St Umina Surgery 297 West St Yousave Chemist 315 West St Umina Beach Public School Sydney Ave Lois Jones Real Estate 226 West St Peninsula Mens Shed 109 Birdwood St

WAGSTAFFE

Wagstaff Newsagency & General Store

46 Wagstaffe Ave

WOY WOY

Link and Pin 18A Railway St Kuoch Chemist 43/45 Blackwall Rd Ms Liesl Tesch MP 20 Blackwall Rd Peninsula Plaza Woy Woy Michel’s Patisserie Peninsula Plaza Woy Woy Library Cnr Blackwall Rd &, Oval Ave The Bayview Hotel 2-16 The Boulevarde Woy Woy Hotel 33 The Boulevarde Gnostic Mana Café 31 The Boulevard Woy Woy Organics 8/23-27 Chambers Pl Fishermen’s Wharf The Boulevarde St Vincent De Paul Society 43 The Boulevarde Woy Woy Bowling Club 186 Brick Wharf Rd Woy Woy Rugby League Club 82 Blackwall Rd McDonald’s 7/13 Charlton St Deepwater Plaza Railway St Living Choice Deepwater Court Retirement Village

25 Park Rd Home Timber & Hardware 182 Blackwall Rd Caltex 66 Memorial Ave Woy Woy Public Hospital 7 Kathleen St Boronia Court Hostel Kathleen St BlueWave Living5/6 Kathleen St Peninsula Community Centre 93 McMasters Rd Meals On Wheels Ocean Beach Rd Coles Express 50-52 Ocean Beach Road &, Rawson St Brisbane Waters Private Hospital 21 Vidler Ave KFC 91 Blackwall Rd Woy Woy Public School Blackwall & Park Rds Peninsula Leisure Centre 243 Blackwall Rd Woy Woy South Public School The School Mall Kitchener Park Maitland Bay Dr HammondCare 286 Railway St Everglades Country Club Dunban Rd

IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR LOCATION ADDED TO THIS LIST FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS, PLEASE LET US KNOW

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PAGE 30 21 OCTOBER 2021

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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Starting over in Spring: mindset ‘big rocks’

GEORGIA LIENEMANN This is the third part of our post-lockdown wholistic health reset. We’re focusing on simple mindset and lifestyle shifts that will create significant results. Last week we introduced the concept of ‘big rocks’ and the benefits associated with ‘crowding out’ unproductive or harmful habits with beneficial ones. This week we’re applying it to mindset shifts and the small actions we can take in that area, to radically improve our health.

How long has it been since you experienced an irrepressible lust for life? When was the last time you had an outlook and accompanying energy levels that compelled you to jump out of bed and into your day? I’d hazard a guess that it’s been a while. Often, when life gets challenging or unpredictable, we can become trapped in the story that it’s our external circumstances that dictate where the needle lies on this barometer. A gentle reminder, folks: it’s not! We have the ability to actively generate this joyful, inspired state and we can develop this ability like a muscle – thankfully even during periods of grief, stress, uncertainty and upheaval! There are certain behaviours that support this type of mental muscle building and repeatedly engaging in these, create structural changes in the brain through the process of neuroplasticity. Essentially, the quickest way to change how we feel is to change

overextending oneself to meet the needs of others and this has the opposite effect when it comes to our health. In a practical sense, the habit of altruism of can be integrated in much the same way as a gratitude practice. Aim to include one small thing each day that you can do for someone else and build from there. Keep a list of simple ideas to inspire you if it doesn’t come naturally at first. Cleanse your feed

the way we think. Here are three simple practices that are powerful in their ability to radically improve our health. Practising gratitude If you’re rolling your eyes at how often this suggestion graces these types of lists, put your cynicism on hold for just a moment. There’s a reason why the world’s top high-performance experts unanimously rate it as one of the most effective strategies to create health and success. The sheer volume of research supporting this strategy is staggering. Gratitude is now being recognised as one of the essential keys to human health and happiness. It has the power to improve our resilience in the face of stress, reduce anxiety and depression, greatly improve sleep, immunity and numerous health markers, including blood pressure, while strengthening our social bonds and relationships (one of the most important predictors of longevity). How does it work? Whenever we cultivate a state of gratitude, there is a surge of the feel-good chemicals, dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in the brain. We instantly enhance our mood and induce feelings of pleasure and contentment – regardless of our external circumstances. By practicing gratitude on a regular basis, we assist these

neural pathways to strengthen and eventually we create a more permanent shift in outlook. We perceive our reality differently because our brains are primed to notice and recognise positive occurrences. On the other hand, if you’re constantly ruminating over perceived negative events or allowing yourself to fall into a regular habit of complaining, then the pathways for gratitude and happiness will become weaker and less influential over time. How to implement the practice A great way to start is by keeping a gratitude journal and noting down a couple of unique things you are grateful for each day. If you have time – elaborate on why. If this is too much of a commitment to start with, even sitting quietly and focusing your full attention on one thing you deeply love and appreciate about your life, partner, work, kids or self each day. As we’ve spoken about in previous weeks, integrating any new habit will be more successful if it’s added to another existing routine. Keeping a small notepad or journal on the bedside table and jotting something down at bedtime or prior to rising is a really easy way to make this a daily habit that sticks. If you can rope your partner in to join you, it’s a great exercise to do verbally together at the end of each day. The research has

shown profound impacts of gratitude in relationships – it is now being recognised as one of the biggest predictors of relationship longevity and success. Another way to integrate this practice and have it simultaneously benefit your relationships is to regularly engage in the practice of writing thank you notes. Altruism Practising altruism, either in the form of kindness, compassion, generosity volunteering or donating, is another evidencebased strategy to improve wellbeing. Compelling research has shown that when we behave in an altruistic manner, we activate the pleasure and reward centres in the brain, much like when we indulge our food cravings or other niggling habits. There have been numerous studies highlighting the fact that people volunteering experience greater benefits than those they are serving. The most common benefits include increased satisfaction, a greater sense of connection and community and a noticeable improvement in self-esteem and selfacceptance. The essential thing to recognise is that it’s giving from a place of abundance that is associated with all the benefits – from a place of having enough time and energy to give. Sacrificial giving, on the other hand, involves

Your diet doesn’t merely consist of what you take from your plate, it’s what you tune into on television and social media, what you read, listen to and absorb from other people around you. Our ‘newsfeed’ for want of a better word, has the power to influence and redirect our thoughts – which we’ve established, greatly impacts how we feel. Lately, our feeds are jampacked with fear-based messaging, which, if absorbed without discernment, create a mild stress response and subsequent emotional state of worry or outrage. The exact opposite of the aforementioned states we’re aiming to cultivate for optimal health! A hugely beneficial practice in this day and age is to intentionally refine your mental input and load, either by having periods of ‘fasting’ or digital detox (lifechanging, if you haven’t tried it), or simply being more discerning about the types and tone of information you regularly allow into your space. Becoming more conscious of how much time we spend tuning into these time-sapping activities is also really important for wellbeing. Our nervous systems simply weren’t designed to be receiving as much excitatory stimuli as they are in the information age and one of the best antidotes is to clear some space in your day (or week) where you switch off all devices and allow good old fashioned silence, hobbies or heartfelt conversation to fill the gap. So, ponder which of these strategies you might like to implement first and then take one tiny step in the direction of making it routine. Step one: buy gratitude journal.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE PAGE 31 21 OCTOBER 2021

Doctor Do More helps raise $100,000 Local emergency doctor, Ash Bowden, also known as Doctor Do More, helped raise over $100,000 during September for Cancer Council Central Coast. Bowden’s #MoveAgainstCancer initiative aimed to encourage people to take as many steps as possible in September, both individually and in teams, to win prizes. In just four weeks, 818 participants completed over 190 million steps and raised a total of $101,176, a feat Bowden said would be hard to beat next year. “It is the second year we have run the #MoveAgainstCancer step challenge,” he said. “I am so impressed with how many people got involved and how much money we raised. “The community have been

so generous considering the pandemic and the hardship it has caused so many. “This pandemic has caused so much stress and anxiety … with the loss of incomes and so much uncertainty. “Getting outside and staying active massively helps your headspace, helping us to stay positive as we move forward.” Community Relations Coordinator for Cancer Council Central Coast, Jaynie Moloney, worked closely with Bowden and said she was overwhelmed with the community’s kindness. “Raising $100,000 is a massive achievement and it will have a profound impact on the cancer patients who need it the most,” Moloney said. “As well as the positive health benefits gained from those participating, the funds raised

will support local cancer patients and fund critical research.” For the last three years, Bowden said he had been on a mission to inspire people to move more to improve their

health and happiness. His main initiative has been creating an ‘Exercise Search Engine’, which showcases all the businesses and community groups in his region that get people moving in any way,

shape, or form. “Moving more has unbelievable benefits on your health – reduced risk of cancers, reduced risk of cardiorespiratory disease, improved cognition and more.

Importantly, it has a huge impact on our mental health, something we all need right now,” he said. “Do More is about improving health and happiness through physical activity. “My own experience with exercise and research into the effects of physical activity on health shows an incredible relationship between the two. “The goal is as simple as increasing the amount of movement we do and I’m confident this will improve health.” Over 10 local businesses supported #MoveAgainstCancer by donating prizes to be given to the winners of the five categories. Maisy Rae

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Two residents receive health research funding Two Peninsula residents have received funding to undertake research that will deliver long-term benefits to patients and the community. Ettalong’s Clare Linton and Umina’s Anne Purcell were among the seven research teams to receive funding under the 2021 Central Coast Local Health District’s (CCLHD) Caring for Future Research Grants. Linton, who works in podiatry for CCLHD, along with the University of Newcastle’s Professor Vivienne Chuter and Dr Sean Sadler, was awarded over $19,000 to help reduce the likelihood of people with diabetes developing ulcers or requiring amputation. She said she was thrilled to receive the grant. “There was a lot of high standard applicants – it’s wonderful, it’s a great honour,”

Linton said. “It’s a great recognition of the work, and a boost to all podiatry … it’s an evolving profession. “People don’t realise the problem we have with feet… we deal with a lot higher end complications, looking at wounds then try to heal them and prevent them from reoccurring. “So, we’re looking at problems we see with feet due to diabetes. “Each day, there is 50,000 Australians who live with diabetes, yearly we see 12,500 diabetes-related amputations. “On the Central Coast, we have a very high diabetesrelated lower limb amputations count. “Diabetes can effect sensations in the feet, nerves are effected so people may not realise when they have an injury, cut, burn or wound, and so they can get an infection,

Clare Linton received the grant

Anne Purcell and Jonathon Brinton

which then leads to possible hospitalisation and then if untreatable, could lose part of their foot. “Our goal is to prevent that from happening. “The first part of our research is to find out what are the gaps in the service. “Our second aim is to find out why patients aren’t following advice – what is preventing them, what are the barriers, are they social, financial?

“Our third aim is then to figure out how we can get around that – do we need to put a report together, or it might be simple things that we can change without service. “So when someone does get a wound they can be aware of it, and then we have a much better chance of healing it. “But if they do go down that road and lose a part of their foot, we will know how to ensure it doesn’t

happen again.” Despite the grant offering recipients up to 12 months to complete their research, Linton said the team hopes to collate results by February 2022. “Most of the funding will be going towards Dr Sadler who is doing the interviewing and writing up papers with our input,” she said. “The University of Newcastle have a course for podiatry here and we are lucky to have that, they do a great job of training up students – it’s great to have that working relationship.” Dr Anne Purcell (Community Nursing Service) also received funds, along with Jonathan Brinton, to evaluate the impact of CCLHD Communication Nursing Service’s Specialist Wound Centre model of care, introduced in 2019, on improving wound healing rates and patient experiences, along with economic efficiencies.

The Caring for our Future Research Grants support projects that generate preliminary data to attract larger funding grants in the future, such as the Translational Research Grants Scheme (TRGS), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants or research fellowships. Research Manager at CCLHD’s Research Office, Katherine Bolton,congratulated the recipients. “There were so many fantastic applications to choose from, but the quality of these projects really stood out in terms of the sustainable impact they will have,” Bolton said. “The research projects will go a long way to enhancing the way we deliver care so that we can achieve the very best outcomes for our patients and the wider community.” Maisy Rae

Nurses help remote community Two Central Coast nurses have travelled to the furthest reaches of outback NSW, as part of a COVID response health team to help the remote community of Wilcannia.

Peter Mackay

Fiona Young

Acute Geriatrics Nurse Unit Manager, Fiona Young, and Trauma Clinical Nurse Consultant, Peter Mackay, put up their hands to help the remote and vulnerable community where COVID rapidly spread in August. The Gosford Hospital senior nurses joined a multidisciplinary, multi-agency

team including NSW Health, Police, Rural Fire Service, Australian Defence Force and SES. Due to limited accommodation in Wilcannia, 35 campervans were hired and set up in a park to accommodate, isolate, observe and monitor close contacts in a “hospital in the home” model – the first of its kind. Young and Mackay were involved in formalising procedures, observing close contacts, and carrying out home visits to check on positive cases in the community.

This often involved them needing to change in the back of a car and wear full head_totoe personal protective equipment in temperatures well over 30C degrees, but both said it was a very rewarding experience. “The feedback from both the community and the Far West Local Health District was great,” Mackay said. “They really appreciated us being out there and helping out. We were almost always greeted with a joke or a yarn.” “It was great to be involved in a unique opportunity to set up

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a process of caring for close contacts in a new and exciting model of care that can be implemented in other rural areas.” Young, who usually volunteers overseas each year, agreed the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and she was grateful for the opportunity. “It was a wonderful experience and opportunity to participate in setting up a new model of care during the COVID response,” she said. Source: Central Coast Health District

PAGE 34 21 OCTOBER 2021 EDUCATION & SCIENCE

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More training opportunities coming in 2022 A program to improve education and career outcomes for high school students will be expanded over the next two years through $13.5M funding from the NSW Government. The Educational Pathways Program (EEP) introduces students to different postschool study and employment options and will expand from 24 schools to up to 139 public schools across NSW from next year. The program has been successful since it was introduced in 2020, with the number of students enrolling in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships tripling across the schools participating

in the pilot. Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, said investing in career education and skills training for young people was key to keeping the NSW economy strong into the future. “Encouraging the next generation to consider an apprenticeship or traineeship through this program will help reduce future skills shortages and create a highly employable workforce. “Through this program, a growing number of Year 10, 11 and 12 students are earning and starting their career in industry while learning new skills in the classroom. “The program is about exposing school students to

the different directions they can take in their career so they can make informed and confident decisions,” Lee said. Minister for Education, Sarah

Mitchell, said the NSW Government was supporting high school students looking to take the first step in their career.

“Greater Year 12 retention, increased completion of school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, and increased participation in post-school education are just some of the benefits of the program,” Mitchell said. Coast secondary public schools will share access to the Educational Pathways in 2022 with schools in the Illawarra, New England and North West, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, Parramatta and Blacktown. The NSW Government’s investment in the Education Pathways Program will fund things like strengthened career guidance and support for school students under

specialist teachers for schoolbased apprenticeships and trainees, immersion programs with Registered Training Organisations including TAFE NSW to give high school students vocational tasters of different industries. Other programs being funded include workshops to teach students employability skills, such as how to prepare for a job interview, how to communicate with employers, and how to manage their online presence, and finally dedicated careers support to connect students to local employers and jobs. Source: Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee

TAFE offers free online hospitality courses Local residents wanting a career in hospitality or those already in the industry can take advantage of three free online hospitality licensing courses being offered through TAFE NSW. The three courses are supported by global drinks giant Diageo through its Raising the Bar COVID-19 response initiative. The three courses: Statement of Attainment in Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA); TAFE Statement in NSW Liquor Licensee; and TAFE Statement in NSW Liquor Licensee (Advanced)

are targeted to existing industry members to upskill and to drive more workers to hospitality venues in NSW. In 2020, Diageo Australia pledged $11.5M to the Down Under instalment of Raising the Bar, through iconic brand Bundaberg Rum, to be invested over two years to help venues in Australia adapt and emerge stronger from the COVID-19 crisis. Diageo Australia Managing Director, Angus McPherson, said the fund had already provided thousands of venues across the

country with targeted support which included equipment to promote safe indoor and outdoor socialising. “The first phase of Raising the Bar supported venues with funds for … equipment to re-open, suchashandsanitiserdispensers, temperature scanners and personal protective equipment,” McPherson said. “We are now excited to offer the industry access to free digital training through TAFE NSW to help our hospitality workers understand complicated legislation and compliance and

support their business from the bottom up.” TAFE NSW Teacher of Tourism and Hospitality, Monique Fors, said the free courses would be delivered online and available to anyone in NSW who wants to learn how to comply with and understand NSW liquor laws. “These courses offer a great opportunity for people to upskill, whether you wish to become a compliant licensee, approved manager, club secretary, or simply require an RSA to secure bar and wait staff roles,” Fors said.

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“As the online courses are selfpaced, they can be picked up at any time of the day or week, such as in between work shifts.” Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW CEO, John Whelan, said offering the industry free training in mandatory areas will ease a little of the economic burden experienced over the last 18 months. “Support like the Raising the Bar initiative is exactly what we need to help our hotels get back on their feet, employing people and contributing to the Australian economy,” Whelan said.

“A large portion of this funding will see training for the next generation of leadership in the hotel sector. “It will see managers provided with the same training as licensees and will vastly improve pub operations.” The free courses are available until June 30, 2022. To enrol or find out more visit www.tafensw.edu.au/raisingthe-bar. Source: Media release, Oct 19 TAFE NSW

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EDUCATION & SCIENCE PAGE 35 21 OCTOBER 2021

More funding to help students catch up The NSW Government has announced the extension of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program into next year as Kindergarten and Year 1 students returning to Central Coast schools for face-to-face learning this week. Hundreds more primary students in other grades are set to return on October 25. Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell, said a further $383M would see the program extended. It was first introduced in Term 1 this year to help students who had fallen behind after last year’s disruptions improve their core knowledge and skills. Central Coast District P&C (CCDP&C) applauded the

announcement. “The program was very successful in supporting students after the loss of learning in the previous COVID lockdown environment,” CCDP&C spokesperson Sharryn Brownlee said. “Due to the massive disruptions of home learning the injection of $383M into this program will help ensure no child slips though the cracks. “It will ensure the resources schools need are available directly to them, to help the small groups of students and endure no further learning is lost. “Schools have done their very best to stay connected with individual students and their families but for reasons such as complexities around ages and stages of learning, individual children and their

siblings needs, family issues as well as technology issues have played a part in students falling behind and gaps in learning. “This program helps ensures those gaps are analysed and rectified. “It is reassuring for the Central Coast families and the

wider community to see the new NSW government leadership team move quickly to build on successful programs and act quickly to support those in need. “P&Cs are very pleased to see this injection of funds and look forward to a continuing focus on the educational needs of our

community.” Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said the move would help students who had “slipped through the cracks”. “Research shows that small group tuition, particularly in literacy and numeracy, makes a big difference at helping children catch up,” he said. “All 52 public primary schools on the Central Coast will benefit from this $383M program as well as some Catholic and independent schools in areas of highest need. “All of our public schools have already been benefitting since the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program commenced in Term 1 this year. “7,500 additional casual teachers, retired teachers, final

year University students and learning support staff will be employed across NSW to deliver this tuition.” Premier Dominic Perrottet said 2021 had been a tough year, with many students learning from home for twice as long as they did last year. “Early insights from the ongoing evaluation of the program show that students are bouncing back thanks to the intensive tutoring delivered through the program, and we are committed to helping them do so again next year,” he said. The Department of Education will work with schools and key stakeholder groups during Term 4 to refine the program to ensure the greatest benefit is delivered for students who need it most. Terry Collins

Public school upgrade works under way Several schools on the Peninsula have received funds to help upgrade their facilities as part of the NSW Government’s Regional Renewal Program. Under round one of the program, a Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) at

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Brisbane Water Secondary College’s Woy Woy campus will be upgraded. The project is currently out for tender. Construction commenced at Brisbane Water Secondary College’s Umina campus on September 10 to extend the library balustrades, and at Umina Beach Public School on

August 9 for an admin upgrade. The tender process is being prepared for an oval upgrade at Woy Woy Public School. Landscaping works at Woy Woy South Public School are currently out for tender. Under round two, Ettalong Public School will receive a new shade structure and

landscaping. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said a total of 59 projects across the Central Coast will form part of the program. “Projects like new sport courts, library facilities, bathroom upgrades and improved classrooms are being

funded through this program,” he said. “Some projects have already been completed, such as a new and improved outdoor learning area at Peats Ridge Public School and upgraded toilet facilities at Bateau Bay Public School. “We really are spoilt for choice when it comes our

public schools, and I am thrilled that the NSW Government is committed towards investing in the future of our next generation.” Source: Media release, Oct 15 Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch

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SPORT PAGE 37 21 OCTOBER 2021

Dragon boat club welcoming new members

Regatta at Point Wolstoncroft

DRAGON BOATING The Central Coast Dragon Boat Club is welcoming new members, catering for those looking for a social experience as well as those with aspirations to compete in racing.

“We cater for men and women of all ages,” said Club President Donna Lerway. “We have teams participating in regattas in Sydney and in the northern region. “We’re located at Peel St, Toukley next to the Marine

Some of the club’s Women Paddlers winning Silver for Women’s 40+ age group at NSW State Championships 2021

Rescue Centre and train late afternoon on Wednesday as well as Sunday mornings on Budgewoi Lake. “After a short five years in the sport I have had the opportunity to compete in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Gold Coast and

Adelaide as well as Regatta’s all over NSW, I am now the Club Captain. “Previously being a Rugby player, I am stoked that I still get to compete in sport in my 50s,” she said. Central Coast Dragon Boat

Club has just held its AGM and with a COVID Safe Plan approved, is ready for a new season. “We will be holding some Learn to Paddle Sessions over November and December and are offering five sessions free

of charge. “You can check out our Facebook Page Central Coast Dragon Boat Club.” Source: Media release, Oct 19 Central Coast Dragon Boat Club

Partners get active for Veterans Health Week FITNESS The Partners of Veterans Association of Australia Central Coast Sub-branch held an excursion to Somersby Falls, Wisemans Ferry and Dural on October 19 as part of Veterans Health Week. Organiser Robyn Cresswell said the 16 women enjoyed the excursion which included a healthy picnic lunch. The adventure started from the Ettalong office of the Vietnam Veterans Peacemakers and Peacekeepers Association. Other activities are being held across the Coast as part of Veterans Health Week including an introduction to the world of

ocean racing in outrigger canoes will be held at Gwandalan. Purple Warriors Australia Outrigger Canoeing will hold the come and try day on Saturday, October 23, starting at 11am on Lake Macquarie at the Point Wolstoncroft Sport and Recreation Centre on Kanangra Dr. On November 4 at Long Jetty, the Terrigal Wamberal RSL Sub-Branch will stage a Health Week Ride & Walk event. The event at Saltwater Creek Park on The Entrance will be held between 10am and 2.30pm and involve a 5km bike ride or 2km walk, followed by a barbecue. Participants will need their

FORT DENISON

Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect.

own bike, helmet, chair, hat, water bottle and appropriate attire. During the event, a clinical psychologist will address the group on mental health matters. These events are among 720 being held to focus on veteran wellbeing during the largest Veterans Health Week held in the country. The Australian Government has provided a record $540,000 funding for Veterans Health Week activities that focus on enhancing the overall health of our veterans and their families. Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel, Andrew Gee, said this year’s theme, Get Moving, is

promoting physical health and encourage veterans and their families to stay active. “I’m delighted this year’s Veterans Health Week is the biggest yet, with ex-service organisations and community groups coming together to host more than 720 events around the country until the end of November,” he said. “We know that staying active can have many flow-on benefits to our physical and mental health, and so I encourage veterans and their families to get out and get involved in Veterans Health Week. “As part of the event calendar, veteran charity Swiss 8 has also been supported to host

TIDE CHART

barbecues across the nation during Veterans Health Week and in the lead up to Remembrance Day, to help raise awareness of the importance of mental health. “Improving mental health starts with connection and meaningful conversations, and where better to have a chat and check-in with your mates than with a snag by the barbie. “I’d like to thank all our exservice organisations and community groups for showing their support and putting on a raft of fantastic COVID-safe events and activities for veterans and their families to participate in,” Minister Gee said. “Among the planned virtual

events is the Bravery Trek Challenge 2021 run by the Bravery Trust, which challenges veterans and their families to walk, run or cycle 100km to celebrate 100 years of the Royal Australian Air Force. “I encourage you all to check out the events on offer near you, and perhaps broaden your network by participating in virtual activities outside your local area.” A full list of Australian Veterans’ Health Week events and information about how to register is available on the DVA website dva.gov.au/vhw or by calling DVA on 1800 838 372 or email vhw@dva.gov.au Sue Murray and Jackie Pearson

LAT 33° 51’ S - LONG 151° 14’ E - TIME ZONE - 1000 Times and Heights(m) of high and low waters

0407 0.58 0444 0.63 0243 1.19 0332 0.54 0001 1.22 0048 1.19 0143 1.17 1116 1.70 1004 1.75 1040 1.73 0524 0.67 0610 0.72 0702 0.75 0805 0.77 THU 1642 0.41 FRI 1721 0.44 SAT 1802 0.47 SUN 1157 1.65 MON 1242 1.60 TUE 1331 1.55 WED 1430 1.51 2238 1.29 2318 1.26 1848 0.51 1938 0.54 2033 0.55 2130 0.53 0435 1.17 0212 1.11 0324 1.12 0531 1.26 0003 0.43 0044 0.35 0123 0.29 0732 0.77 0844 0.79 1000 0.76 1107 0.69 0616 1.38 0659 1.51 0740 1.65 THU 1408 1.46 FRI 1515 1.45 SAT 1624 1.47 SUN 1725 1.53 MON 1204 0.59 TUE 1258 0.47 WED 1348 0.36 2118 0.60 2223 0.57 2317 0.51 1816 1.60 1905 1.65 1953 1.67

APPROX. TIME LAG AFTER FORT DENISON Ettalong 40 min, Rip Bridge 2hrs Wisemans Ferry 2 hrs 30 min, Koolewong 2 hrs 10 min In view of the variations caused by local conditions and meteorological effects, these times are approximate and must be considered as a guide only. They are not to be relied on for critical depth calculations for safe navigation. Actual times of High and Low Water may occur before or after the times indicated

PAGE 38 21 OCTOBER 2021

INFO

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BOOK REVIEW

CCN

The Blue Line Down

Author: Maris Lawyer Publisher: Hub City Press

The Blue Line Down is a book I chose after seeing it pop up on Kirkus Reviews (one of the sites I look at to help me chose books). This is a debut novel about Jude Washer growing up in West Virginia in the early 1900’s. His father works in the mines and that is where Jude’s future is heading. His mother passes away while giving birth to Willis and that is when Jude’s life falls apart. Jude’s father blames Willis

for his wife’s death and punishes him harshly. Linnet Myers, a neighbour comes to the house to help put but eventually she marries and has her own children to tend to leaving Jude and Willis at the mercy of their cruel father. Willis grows up but still bears the brunt of Pa’s punishments. Eventually he goes to school and Jude has a sense of relief as he can keep an eye out for him, but he can’t watch him all the time and sometimes Jude would come home, “to find Willis with a boxed ear. Jude did not let on that he knew about the beatings. He did not know how.” During one brutal punishment Jude tries to

pull his father off Willis but Willis is so ashamed he runs into the mines to hide out. The mines will extol the ultimate punishment and Jude will be in such pain he does something to punish his father … but which will punish others as well. Jude ends up with the Baldwin-Felts, a group of thugs who are hired to

squash mine workers from unionising, by any method necessary, and that doesn’t mean by talking. There is a particularly brutal attack on a mining camp where Jude’s underling, Harvey Morgan is wounded when he speaks out about the cruelty. Jude decides he has had enough and takes the injured

Harvey on a journey that will lead them down to South Carolina where they meet some bootleggers who they now owe a debt to. But the Baldwin-Felts aren’t going to let them get away without a flight. This is a fast pace novel with some gritty writing set against a backdrop of the Appalachian coal wars and the bootlegging South – an engaging step back in time a hundred years ago during the times of prohibition and outlaws. It is a story about violence and suffering, revolution, morals and redemption. Jude is a person in pain that made a terrible decision, but he will try to make things right. The descriptions are so

detailed you can almost view the movie version. It isn’t a long book but it sure packs a punch. Kim Reardon The Reluctant Book Critic For those of you who aren’t familiar with this section, I am an avid book reader that writes about the books I read. I am a simple person with simple views on what makes a good story. I choose books that I want to read, usually from acclaimed lists (so most are pretty good, but some can be surprisingly bad). I always write what I honestly think and, as reflected in the Editor’s name for me, I do it all a little bit reluctantly. I have read some books from some amazing local authors – Dr Kwong, Donna Cameron and Nina Angelo all come to mind – and have written reviews on these. Over recent months however, I have had a lot of requests to review more local authors’ work, many in the form of unpublished manuscripts or self-published titles. While I do look at these requests, if you don’t see your book reviewed, it means it just wasn’t working for me.

NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANISATIONS Art & Culture

4385 5027

ccmdc@bigpond.com www.ccmdc.org.au

4341 5984 or 4341 0800

Central Coast The Krait Club Art Society Community Centre - Cooinda Central Coast Weekly paint-outs enquiries Village, Neptune St, Umina Community Tuesday. 10.30am For seniors. Gentle Legal Centre Phone: 0428 439 180 Not for profit service providing exercises, quizzes, games, Workshops: 1st and 3rd social activities, guest free legal advice. Wednesdays 9.30 am Monday to Friday speakers, entertainment and to 12.30 pm, at Gosford 9am to 5pm bus trips - 4344 3277 Regional Gallery & Art Centre. 4353 4988 Phone: 0409 666 709 contact@centralcoastclc.org.au Social Meetings 1.30 pm Volunteering on 4th Wednesday for Peninsula men’s shed Central Coast demonstration Open Monday - Thursday Refers potential volunteers 4325 1420 8am - 4pm to community orgs. Supports publicity@artcentralcoast.asn.au 117 Memorial ave, both volunteers and Ettalong Cnr koolabah. community orgs. Training for Ettalong Beach Art Come along and join us for volunteers & their managers. & Crafts Centre coffee and biscuits 4329 7122 Adult classes in Pottery recruit@volcc.org.au 0411 242 242 Watercolours, Oils, Acrylics, Community Groups Pastels, Silvercraft, Wagstaffe to Killcare Patchwork & Quilting ABC “The Friends” Community 0412 155 391 Support group for Public Protect and preserve the www.ebacc.com.au Broadcaster. environment & residential ebacc.email@gmail.com Aims: Safeguard ABC’s nature of the Bouddi independence, adequate Central Coast Peninsula and to strengthen funding, high standards. Watercolour Society community bonds Meetings through the year + Art society for artists 2nd Mon, 7.30pm social mornings painting in watercolour Wagstaffe Hall 4360 2945 info@wagstaffetokillcare.org.au Well-known guest speakers Workshops, beginners 0400 213 514 classes and paint outs www.fabcnsw.org.au Details on our website Entertainment ccwsinc@gmail.com www.centralcoastwatercolour.com.au

Community Centres Empire Bay Probus Club Friendship, fellowship, and fun in retirement. Very active club, outings, excursions, dining - 3 times a month 1st Thur 1.30pm Club Umina, Melbourne Ave, Umina Beach Visitors Welcome. 0414 280 375 Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre The revamped CCMDC is open. Schools and Group bookings welcome by appointment. Building has special needs access and toilets Open 7 days 9am – 3pm. Terrigal.

Central Coast Caravanners Inc 3rd Sun - Jan to Nov Visitors - New Members welcome, Trips Away, Social Outings, friendship with like minded folk Details from Geoff 0447 882 150 Peninsula Village Playgroup Carers, Grandparents, parents & children ‘Intergenerational Playgroup’ Tues 10-11.30am 4344 9199 Peninsula School for Seniors Community Centre, McMasters Road, Woy Woy Discussions, rumikin, craft, history, walks, & coach trips Tues, Wed, Thur

Weekly meetings at Woy Woy and Wyong. Grow is anonymous, free and open to all. 1800 558 268 or www.grow.org.au Meals on Wheels Delicious meals delivered free - Join us for a midday meal - Help with shopping and cooking classes 4341 6699 Overeaters Anonymous (OA) 12-step fellowship for those with eating disorders. No dues, fees, or weigh-ins. Peninsula Com. Cntr, cnr. Mc Masters Rd & Ocean Beach Rd. Woy Woy, Fri 8pm 0412 756 446 www.oa.org

Company, up-to-date info, hydrotherapy, bus trips 1300 650 594 S.A Is Internet porn destroying your life. We may be able to help. We are a 12 step fellowship like AA. Meets every Sat at 7pm on the Central Coast Contact for further details 0473 631 439 newcastlesagroup@gmail.com

Schizophrenia & Bipolar Fellowship For Schizophrenia Bipolar & Mental Health sufferers. Family carers & friends.are welcome. Meetings 1st Thursday Inquires re-venue please ring 4344-7989 or 4368-2214

Soundwaves chorus Male singers wanted No experience required, rehearsals 7pm Mondays at Parkview room Central Coast Leagues Club 0431 225 489

Political Groups Central Coast Greens Active regarding ecological sustainability, social & economic justice, peace & non-violence, grassroots democracy & getting Greens elected 3rd Thur centralcoast.nsw.greens.org.au centralcoastgreens@gmail.com

Australian Labor Party Political discussions, national, state and local government Central Coast Asbestos issues Diseases Support Group Peninsula Day Branch Support for those suffering 1pm 2nd Mon with asbestos diseases and CWA Hall Woy Woy others interested in asbestos 4341 9946 issues. You are not alone, Peninsula Village Meals meet with others who can Service Groups Delivered daily to your door share their experiences. Bring LEARN TO DANCE Nutritious, great for the elderly a family member or friend. Lions Club of Woy Woy Social ballroom dancing for all 1pm at Ourimbah RSL on 4344 9199 Everglades Country Club ages, all you need is a desire fourth Wed of each month. 3rd Monday of each month to learn and dance, Make new friends and Maree 0419 418 190 Peninsula Village no partner required. have fun while serving your Music meet every Wed at Tuggerah Carer’s Support Group community. For carers of loved ones with community hall, 2:00pm 0478 959 895 Coastal a Cappella dementia - 1st Wed - 10 to Anne - 0409 938 345 Award winning women’s a 11.30am anneglazier@y7mail.com cappella chorus. Rotary Clubs Paula 4344 9199 Health Groups Music education provided. International service club Rehearsals Tuesday 7pm @ improves lives of communities Alcoholics Anonymous Prostate Cancer Red Tree Theatre Tuggerah. in Aust. & o/seas. Fun-filled - Someone cares. Support Group Performance opportunities. activities, fellowship and Wed-Thurs-Fri - 12.30pm, (Gosford) Hire us for your next event. friendship. Progress Hall Henry Parry & Last Fri, Terrigal Uniting 0412 948 450 Rotary Club of Woy Woy Wells Street East Gosford coastalacappella@gmail.com Church, 380 Terrigal Drive, Tues 6pm Everglades Terrigal Country Club. 9.30am to 12 noon Grow Mental Troubadour Central Don Tee 0428 438 535 4367 9600 Health Support Coast Folk, www.pcfa.org.au Small friendly groups formed Traditional & Acoustic Special Interest Music and Spoken Word to learn how to overcome Woy Woy Stroke Peninsula Concerts, Ukulele meets, anxiety, depression and Recovery Club and Sessions Environment Group loneliness and improve Everglades Country Club 4342 6716 Environmental projects, mental health and well being. 2nd Tues 11am troubadourfolkclub@gmail.com (incl. Woytopia), Peninsula Village Wellness Centre Offering holistic and complementary therapies including aromatherapy, massage and music therapy 4344 9199

Woy Woy community garden, social events, workshops, organic food buying group www.peg.org.au

Sport Umina Beach Bowling Club Learn to play lawn bowls Male, Female and Mixed. All ages and abilities. Free coaching. Social or competition bowls. Make new friends and have fun Phone 02 4343 9940 mens_bowls@clubumina.com.au

Veterans Veterans’ Help Centre’ Assist all veterans & families with pension & welfare issues. Mon & Wed 9am-1pm 4344 4760 Cnr Broken Bay Rd & Beach St Ettalong. centralcoastveterans@bigpond.com.

Women’s Groups Blackwall Girl Guides Girl Guides meets near you! Blackwall Girl Guides Unit For girls 7-13 years old Mondays 5:30 – 7:30pm Blackwall Guide Hall, 120 Memorial Ave, Ettalong Beach (Cnr Lurline) 0414 863 183 blackwallgirlguides@gmail.com

Country Women’s Association Woy Woy 30 The Boulevarde, Woy Woy Craft & Friendship: 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Wed 9AM Meetings: 4th Wed 9.30 Ph: 0411 434785 woywoycwa@gmail.com

Peninsula Women’s Health Centre Counselling, therapeutic and social groups, workshops, domestic violence and abuse issues. All services by women for women 4342 5905 www.cccwhc.com.au

If you would like your Community Organisation listed here call us on 4325 7369 Entries in the Not For Profit Community Organisations Directory are free. However, we require each organisation to subscribe to each newspaper to ensure that someone from that organisation keeps their entry up to date. Subscription rates $75 for 25 editions.

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SPORT PAGE 39 21 OCTOBER 2021

Defender represents Australia in qualifiers FOOTBALL Central Coast Mariners’ defender, Lewis Miller, has been confirmed within the Australian U23 squad to travel to Tajikistan for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 qualifiers against Indonesia. Miller has played over 1000 minutes in yellow and blue since being called up from the academy into the Mariners first team under the leadership of Alen Stajcic in 2019. This includes one FFA cup win in 2019 against Brisbane Roar and, most recently, one A-league finals match against Macarthur FC. This is Miller’s first call up to represent his nation in the professional grades and the

21-year-old is taking it as an opportunity to develop his game alongside the best young players in the world. “I am really looking forward to travelling to Tajikistan and I can’t wait to get my first taste of international football and experience the Australian U23 set up,” Miller said. “Playing for your country is such a great honour and I want to give everything I have during this time.” The news has also been welcomed by Mariners Head Coach, Nick Montgomery, who wished his squad member the best ahead of this important career milestone. “Lewis has great potential in his playing style and has been nurturing well through the academy and now first team,” Montgomery said.

“It’s such a positive step for him in his career. “It speaks volumes for what we are trying to build here, a place where young talent can come, put the hard work in and be rewarded with opportunities like this, as we saw with Ruon (Tongyik) and Kye (Rowles) last season.” Miller was similarly praised by Mariners Head of Football, Ken Schembri. “He has worked hard during this pre-season and his performances over the years have rightly been rewarded,” he said. “I look forward to watching him on the national stage and we value this experience as adding to the season for us.’ Source: Media Release, Oct 15 Central Coast Mariners

Lewis Miller training with the Central Coast Mariners

Mariners to play Blacktown City in Mudgee FOOTBALL The Central Coast Mariners’ have sold their academy alumnus and first team player Jordan Smylie to Blacktown City FC, where he will play in the NSW National Premier League Men’s Division One (NPL 1).

Jordan Smylie from the 2020/21 Mariners campaign

Smylie will face the Mariners as part of the Blacktown City squad when the two sides meet at Mudgee in the FFA Cup Round of 32 on November 13. The Mariners suggested it was Smylie’s aim to increase his game time this season and have even suggested their potential willingness to take him back in the future. Smylie has lost his active affiliation with the Mariners

and must go his own way as a professional footballer. Since debuting in the A-League as a final third substitution in 2018, Smylie was not reselected for the first team until the opening match of the 2020/21 season against the Newcastle Jets. In the following Round Two home win against Macarthur FC, Smylie scored a late goal – his first and so far only in the A-League – to give the Mariners a final 2-0 lead. He was since subbed on for a further 10 matches throughout last season, always as an end game surge of energy, last appearing in the Round 23 loss to Newcastle at Central Coast Stadium. Now Smylie joins the NPL 1

with the team who were leading the competition before it’s recent cancellation due to the current lockdown. Jordan will have a chance to – as it were – get back at his old club in the upcoming FFA Cup Round of 32 fixture between the Central Coast and Blacktown City. It will be the first encounter between the two clubs since the similar Round of 32 match of 2017, when Blacktown were victorious at Lilys Football Centre, Seven Hills. The Blacktown City FC V Central Coast Mariners FC will proceed at Mudgee’s Glen Willow Stadium on November 13 at 5pm.

Humpback Highway Watch Ronny Ling and his Central Coast Dolphin Project and Central Coast Newspapers have combined to bring you a regular Humpback Highway report in each edition of this newspaper. A big thankyou to everyone who have reported their sightings for our “Dolphin Days” weekend. We’ve had a great response from the entire Coast, even if the weather wasn’t all that good.

We will now work through the data and see what conclusions we come to for our research. Sightings have been fantastic for humpback whales as well. All whale sightings are valuable for our research, and we’ve been getting a lot, particularly mothers and their calves in recent days. Whale and dolphin sightings have come in from Killcare, Putty Beach, Box Head, Broken Bay, Ettalong, Umina and Patonga. Seals have popped up at

Killcare, Putty Beach, Brisbane Water, Box Head and Patonga. The Barrenjoey Seal Colony has 14 seals chilling there, at the moment. Remember if you see a seal on the shore or rocks, stay back at least 40m, never get between the seal and the water, keep pets and kids well away, and never try to touch or feed them. If you’re planning to go whale watching, remember to comply with Health Regulations and police/government directions.

If you are lucky enough to spot a whale, seal or dolphin, please text or call the Project on 0490 401 969 or email centralcoastdolphins@gmail.com

CCN

PAGE 40 21 OCTOBER 2021

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Dorf ditches his shoes to join the Dutchman

Local fundraisers Bryan Dorfling and Matthew Johnstone were so impressed by, Anton Nootenboom, also known as the Barefoot Dutchman, that they joined him when he passed through the Central Coast last week. Nootenboom was on his way to Manly where he completed is 2,600km journey on Sunday, October 17, walking barefoot from Cairns. Nootenboom spent the past six months walking barefoot down the eastern coastline raising money and awareness for men’s mental health, and in the process, setting a new Guinness World Record. Joining him for the walk in Budgewoi was Gorokan resident, Mathew Johnstone,

and Live to Give Oz advocate, Bryan Dorfling. Dorfling, who in 2020, swam from Bondi Beach to Budgewoi to raise money for Camp Breakaway, and walked from Budgewoi to Brisbane in 2019 to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, said the walk brought back memories of his swim and walk. “When he (Nootenboom) was walking through Budgewoi, a friend messaged me asking if I had heard of this Barefoot Dutchman, so I had a quick look and thought this is amazing. “I went to see him, he’s such a beautiful character, really jolly, really easy to chat with, and I’m going to walk with him to Sydney now. “I’ve ditched my shoes in support of The

Barefoot Dutchman. “I like my shoes, I think they’re comfortable and soft and squishy, but this legend has done nearly 3,000kms in bare feet, so I thought I could do a hundred or so with him. “The challenges I had pale in comparison to what he had, when I went on my walk, I had foot massages, and acupuncture and salt baths and he’s not doing any of that. “He’s just doing the hard yards and getting it done, and it’s completely amazing. “The Coasties have been amazing, I put out a little shout out on Live to Give Oz’s Facebook page which raised about $500 to cover his accommodation and food for the last few days. “He’s been sleeping in a tent,

so we thought the least we could do to make his coast trip comfortable. “Everyone that we’re meeting on the way has been affected by mental health, and he’s really given a great message for a good cause. “With all the lockdowns and all the fear and all the COVID restrictions, we need it now more than ever, so Anton getting out there and walking, it’s been able to really spread the message and do good for the community,” Dorfling said. Johnstone said he joined the walk at Lake Munmorah after having a conversation with Nootenboom. “It’s actually been pretty cool and just walking along, there were times that it got a bit tough, but we got the music out

and had a good deep and meaningful chat, so we kind of formed a little bit of a Brady Bunch, and a really good friendship too. “Being someone who has been in that situation myself a few years back, and then being involved with something like this, I don’t think I would have ever done something like this until I met Anton. “He’s such a humble bloke and it meant a lot to me, and also to support Anton getting to the finish,” Johnstone said. Speaking at the end of his trek, Nootenboom said he was feeling overwhelmed. “To make a statement like this, and to show everyone who is struggling right now to show them that they’re not alone,” Nootenboom said.

So far, Nootenboom has raised over $50,000 for the cause. “It’s crazy that it’s been doing so much, especially these last few weeks as I saw it going up, and the fact that that money is going to help so many people. “Everyone that has donated, thank you from the bottom of my heart. “Thank you for helping me, helping everyone. “It’s absolutely amazing,” Nootenboom said. In 2019, Nootenboom became the first person to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp barefoot, raising money and awareness for the remote communities and wildlife of the Himalayas. Harry Mulholland