Coast Community Pelican Post 042 by Central Coast Newspapers

Voice of the Peninsula 13 JANUARY 2022

ISSUE 042

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

OUT & ABOUT

Scraps for Peninsula in Council’s draft three-year plan

Ettalong singer-songwriter Jamie Lindsay is straight out of the blocks in 2022 with an uplifting new single. See page 13

Business

Last year was a big one for Pacific Link Housing, with the completion of a major affordable housing project on the Central Coast and a number of award wins. See page 21

Education

No money is earmarked for the Pearl Beach Lagoon Coastal Zone Management Plan actions for stormwater treatment until year three of Central Coast Council’s latest operational plan draft. See page 3

Five COVID deaths on Coast over holiday period Recorded COVID cases on the Central Coast over the Christmas-New Year break were in the vicinity of 8-9,000 but Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) CEO, Scott McLachlan, says in reality the numbers are probably around three times that. CCN can report that there have been five COVID-related deaths on the Coast since December 27.

On December 27 a woman in her 90s died Wyong hospital, she had received two doses of vaccine and had underlying health conditions. Then on December 30 a woman in her 70s passed away at Gosford hospital who had not been vaccinated and had underlying health conditions. A woman in her 80s passed away on January 5 in Gosford hospital where she acquired the infection.

She had received two doses of vaccine. On January 9 a man in his 70s who died at Gosford Hospital was not vaccinated and had significant underlying health conditions. The latest COVID-related death to be reported on the Coast at the time of going to press was a man in his 80s who died at Gosford Hospital from cancer. He had two doses of the vaccine but he was COVID-

positive at the time of his passing. CCN send our condolences to all families and loved ones of those who have passed. “The holiday period was a really difficult time, with a lot of the private test providers shutting down to give their staff a much-needed break,” according to McLachlan. “Unfortunately it was a time when a lot of people needed to get tested which put added pressure on the public clinics.

“Our staff did an amazing job working up to 12 hours a day to get people tested.” McLachlan acknowledged queues were constantly lengthy and results were taking five or six days on average to be delivered. “A lot of people were testing positive so fewer tests could be grouped together which meant the results were taking a long time to get out,” he said. Continued page 4

The Central Coast sub-branch of the Independent Education Union is calling for consultation and clarity from the NSW Government for students in the return to school... See page 27

Sport

Central Coast Mariners Head Coach Nick Montgomery says a full Mariners squad will take the field at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday afternoon (January 15) against local rivals Newcastle Jets in the M1 Derby. See page 32

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

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13 JANUARY 2022

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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

Coast Community Pelican Post would like to offer two lucky readers the chance to win a copy of The Shadow House, a novel written by Central Coast author, Anna Downes. The Shadow House is the newly released novel from the Central Coast’s own international bestselling thriller writer Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place. Another bolt of accumulated tension, The Shadow House is a gripping thriller about working your way through fear towards hope and optimism. Set in rural New South Wales, with an incredibly vivid sense of place, it follows single mum Alex

DO YOU WANT TO SEND US A STORY? CCN welcomes contributions from all members of the community, including citizen reports, media releases and letters to the Editor. All contributions should be emailed to editorial@centralcoastnews.net CCN reserves the right to use, or not use, any material sent to us in our publications and to validate, amend, update, expand or reduce information at our sole discretion and in accordance with our editorial standards.

have stumbled into someone else’s. And this time, there may be nowhere to run. For your chance to win, write your full name, address, email and daytime telephone number on the back of an envelope and mail it to Coast Community Pelican Post The Shadow House Competition, PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250, before 5pm on Jan 18.

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Letters to the Editor will generally be published in their original but possibly edited form, while other published material sent to us may vary from its original form. Material that is offensive, defamatory or overtly political will not be published. We may publish promotional information based on our assessment of the level of genuine news content, and any material used which is clearly advertorial in nature, will be marked as such.

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as she flees an abusive relationship and seeks sanctuary in a rural ecovillage with her teenage son and baby daughter. Pine Ridge is idyllic: the off-grid lifestyle and remote location are perfect, and the community is welcoming – mostly. Charmed by its magnetic founder, Kit, and the natural beauty of the former farmland, Alex settles easily into her new home. But her arrival at Pine Ridge disturbs barely submerged secrets, and she’s shaken by a series of eerily familiar events that seem to be connected to the abandoned farmhouse on the hill. Alex realises that, in escaping her own shadowy past, she may

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Deadline: 18 January

see www.coastcommunitynews.com.au/ aboutus/advertisingrates We also offer discounts for not-for-profit organisations and other community groups. Advertisers are invited to talk to us about becoming a DIGITAL PARTNER, which provides exclusive opportunities to promote your product, services or events on our digital platform as well. If you would like to be a DIGITAL PARTNER please call us on 0428 138 109 or email us at keeper@centralcoastnews.net

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Pelican Post covers everything relating to Woy Woy, Woy Woy South, Umina, Pearl Beach, Patonga, Horsfield Bay, Phegans 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, Skaie Hull, Merilyn Vale, Hayley McMahon, Nicola Riches, Haakon Barry Head of Distribution: Anthony Wagstaff ISSN 1839-9045 - Print Post Approved - PP100001843 - Printed by Spotpress Marrickville Voice of the Peninsula 17 DECEMBER 2021

PM kills PEP11

10 DECEMBER 2021 22 DECEMBER 2021

News

See page 5

Out&About

High notes were heard echoing across Gosford CBD on December 4 as Central Coast Stadium hosted Coast Opera Australia’s Night of Enticements in the rafters. See page 17

Community organisation We Care Connect has received over 1,100 requests to provide Christmas gifts to disadvantaged Central Coast children this year.

Business

CCN

“Some people were happy with the quality of service but about a third raised the issue of water quality. “We heard (about ongoing concerns with) water quality at Davistown, Saratoga and Yattalunga and there were also concerns around water pressure, reliability of service and environmental responsibilities, particularly around the beaches.” Donnelly said a huge area of concern was that the proposal would see a large increase in service charges rather than usage charges. “Some people felt they worked very hard to manage their use of water and would not be able to have as much influence over what their bills

were going to be (with an increased service charge),” she said. “A lot of people had looked through the Council proposal carefully and drew our attention to specific details.” Donnelly said all issues raised would be looked at thoroughly and independent advisers would also be engaged before a final decision was reached. A draft report will be handed down in March next year, with another call for submissions and a public hearing to be held, ahead of the final report, which will be handed down in May and will determine prices to apply from July next year. Terry Collins

Central Coast builders have taken out a number of categories at the 2021 HIA-CSR Hunter Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards. See page 25

New emission limits don’t satisfy campaigners

Sport

Vales Point power station has been issued with an order to limit its emissions of nitrogen oxide.

Ten Central Coast “ninja warriors” have qualified for the USA World Titles next year after achieving success at the Australian National Ninja League World Qualifier held in Gosford last week. See page 40

In an application to the EPA, Vales Point requested a further five-year license exemption which allows for the emission of more than 800mg per cubic metre of nitrogen oxide (NOx) per day. The EPA granted Delta an exemption to the licence, however, the exemption went hand in hand with an order to reduce current daily levels. The new ruling states that the power station must cut NOx

Puzzles page 22

It all starts with spirit

levels by 35 per cent to 850 mg per cubic metre for 99 per cent of the time, and 23 per cent to 980 mg per cubic metre for the remaining one per cent, which allows for occasions when burning at higher temperatures occurs. Delta Electricity applied to continue to operate with 1,500mg per cubic metre for a further five years to January 1, 2027. Broadly seen as positive move for guaranteed air quality on the Central Coast, emissions from Vales Point remain at odds with those permitted in the Clear Air Regulation Act, which

came into effect in 2012. Eraring power station, also on Lake Macquarie, emits on average 330mg of NOx per cubic metre. Community and environmental groups engaged in a relentless campaign for Vales Point’s NOx levels to be reduced, based on health impact studies that showed the effect the pollutant can have on adults and children. In response to the campaigning, the EPA engaged in community consultation during the decision-making process for

the exemption request. This was Vales Point’s third request for an exemption. On the previous two occasions, the exemption was granted by the EPA without community consultation. The EPA received 1,800 submissions, while the issue became the subject of several protests. “This is the first time the public have had an opportunity to express their views to the EPA on this issue, so that’s significant,” said campaigning group Future Sooner’s Will Belford.

Many of those submissions called for the EPA to go further than it has and requested that Delta Electricity fit low NOx burners at the station, much like those in use at nearby Eraring and in power stations across the world. It is believed that the fitting of the low NOx burners would have resulted in a halving current emission levels. Reports suggest that low NOx burners would have cost owners Delta $90m.

Central Coast Council is inviting community feedback on what makes up the unique character of Toukley, Canton Beach, Noraville and Norah Head... See page 21

Sport

On Saturday, December 18, the Central Coast Mariners confidently defeated the Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 at Central Coast Stadium to secure a second win in a row.

Continued page 4

Page 32

Puzzles page 19

The Federal Government announced last week it has taken the first steps towards cancelling the PEP-11 permit for offshore gas exploration over an 8,200 square metre area from Newcastle to Wollongong, with waters off the Peninsula a possible drill site. Labor and independent candidates for the Federal electorate of Robertson said, however, they were unconvinced by the declaration and permit holder Asset Energy also claims the fight is not over.

The permit expired in February, with an application for renewal hanging in the balance for 10 months as environmental groups and residents waited for Federal Resources Minister, Keith Pitt, to sign off on a refusal. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, announced last week at Terrigal that the Government, which includes Minister Pitt, has advised NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole as the joint authority partner, as well as the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA), of its intention to refuse the renewal application.

NOPTA, as the regulator, will grant the applicant 30 days to respond to the notice of intention to refuse the application. But with permit holder Asset Energy (a subsidiary of Advent Energy) foreshadowing a “consultation and assessment process that could take several months” and Labor candidates for Robertson remaining cynical, doubts are emerging that a final resolution will be reached before the next Federal election, which will take place by May next year. Morrison said last week that while gas is an important part

of Australia’s current and future energy mix, this is not the right project for the “pristine beaches and waters” off the east coast of NSW. He said the major reasons for refusal were high levels of community opposition and the fact the Government was not satisfied that the applicant is able to raise sufficient funding to progress the work. Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks, who was with the Prime Minister, said the move was an “important decision” for the Central Coast and reflected the “values and care” the community has towards the

Kindergarten students at Woy Woy Public School received a very special delivery during Week 10 of Term 4 2021.

environment and oceans. But Asset Energy Executive Director, David Breeze, said the announcement ignored science and the need for gas and the company looked forward to working with NOPTA and the Government over an “assessment process” he said could take “several months”. “Our focus will be on addressing concerns and letting people know about the positive environmental and economic benefits which would come from our proposal,” Breeze said. Continued page 4

See page 27

Sport

Central Coast Surf Academy recently received $2,500 to help encourage women and girls into surfing as part of a new focus on equality in the sport. See page 29

Puzzles page 18

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

With major storms and bushfires likely to occur in the region in coming months, Central Coast Council is urging residents to start a conversation with their family, friends and neighbours about preparing for seasonal hazards.

Community invited to give feedback on latest blueprint for the region The State Government has revisited its Regional Plan for the Central Coast and announced an updated vision for the next 20 years, focussing on what it is calling a “15-minute region”. The premise is to concentrate on taking a holistic approach to neighbourhoods and ensure that planning,job,infrastructure and housing decisions are coordinated with the aim of providing everything residents need withing a 15-minute walk, cycle or drive from their home. Building on the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036, which was

released in 2016, the government has widened the net and extended its vision in the Draft Central Coast Regional Plan 2041, largely influenced by changes in the way people work and live in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, launched the revised plan at Gosford waterfront on December 6, together with Business NSW Central Coast Regional, Director, Paula martin, and Chair of the Central Coast Chapter of Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), Caine King. The government is encouraging community

feedback on the revised draft plan before March 4 next year. “This is our blueprint to ensure the Central Coast prospers and the community’s feedback is critical to make sure we get it right,” Crouch said at the launch. “Tourism will play a major role in helping our region recover from the pandemic, which is why we proposed strategies to keep public transport operating later and allow bars and galleries to open longer in our tourist hotspots. “Housing affordability is a key priority and the Plan would set up a group of housing experts and service providers to track and supply the land, housing

and infrastructure needed for communities to thrive.” King said the Central Coast is unique in having one Regional Plan, one Local Government Authority and one Local Aboriginal Land Council. “We must capitalise on this opportunity to act in a cooperative manner to deliver the jobs and housing needed on the Central Coast,” he said. “Our members are up to the challenge of building smarter and more sustainable and compact communities, where daily activities are contained within a 15-minute walk or ride. “We need this strategic

planning developed for both future green field and brown field developments, to provide direction and confidence for the development industry.” King said the plan sets achievable targets for infrastructure and affordable housing which was really important. It also outlines the work that needs to be done to unlock land and make it developer ready, he said. Martin said the Central Coast is blessed with natural endowments, a talented workforce and an enviable lifestyle. Continued page 6

Workers on the Central Coast stand to benefit from the powering up of renewable energy projects, with registrations of interest now open... See page 25

Sport

A 1-0 loss and frustration met the Central Coast Mariners at Penrith Stadium on Sunday, December 5, against their undominant hosts, Macarthur FC. See page 38

Puzzles page 22

13 JANUARY 2022

ISSUE 042

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

OUT & ABOUT

Scraps for Peninsula in Council’s draft three-year plan

Central Coast Football has been de-registered by both Football Australia and Football NSW after failing to reach agreement with the two associations on fees and insurance. See page 10

Out&About

Business

Parkhouse at Kibble Park will be hosting a range of interactive art exhibitions with locally made products available for purchase

Candidates not convinced by PM’s PEP-11 announcement

News

Mardi has made it to a list of the 20 suburbs across Australia where it is currently near impossible to find a rental property.

See page 11

See page 21

The NSW Government must find a way to provide rapid antigen tests for free, ensure the Service NSW app is working to provide recording of positive tests and properly educate GPs in the procedures to follow when their patients contact them for help, according to

Shadow Minister for the Central Coast and Member for Wyong, David Harris. “It’s time that the politicians who are being driven by ideology get out of the way and let the health experts back in charge so that the community can have confidence that this

pandemic is being handled in the best way,” Harris said. He said the recent surge in Covid 19 cases demonstrated that both the State and Federal Governments were underprepared for the increase in cases and for logistical considerations during the holiday period.

According to Harris, they had been “caught with their pants down”. “Lack of PCR testing facilities, access to rapid antigen tests, rules around isolation and supply chain issues have plagued the Christmas period and continue to cause problems, even as we approach

Sport

a planned return to school,” Harris said. “The Christmas holiday period saw many private testing facilities close for the holidays creating huge queues and uncertainty at a time when omicron was causing a huge increase in cases. Continued page 4

The new year brought an unexpected break for the Central Coast Mariners due to the emergence of Covid-19 throughout the camp in late December, 2021. Page 32

Puzzles page 19

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

Office: Level 1.01/86-88 Mann Street Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net - Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Business

Education

No money is earmarked for the Pearl Beach Lagoon Coastal Zone Management Plan actions for stormwater treatment until year three of Central Coast Council’s latest operational plan draft. See page 3

Government must restore community’s confidence - Harris

Ettalong singer-songwriter Jamie Lindsay is straight out of the blocks in 2022 with an uplifting new single. See page 13

Last year was a big one for Pacific Link Housing, with the completion of a major affordable housing project on the Central Coast and a number of award wins. See page 21

Beach access is being made a lot easier this summer for people in the Coast’s northern suburbs who have limited mobility or live with a disability. See page 13

Comedian Bob Downe will bring his high rolling cabaret Viva Bob Vegas! to the Laycock St Community Theatre in January. See page 17

See page 5

See page 13

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

Out&About

Education

Over 20 Santas donned their red hats and sacks for a festive paddle along the Ettalong waterfront last weekend.

Residents asked to prepare for rough weather

Rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of Central Coast nurses and midwives as they gathered outside Gosford Hospital on December 8 to protest unreasonable workloads...

Central Coast Council has a huge two months of events and activities planned to help bring Town Centres back to life with a new reIMAGINE Festival aimed to support local businesses and creatives.

ISSUE 271

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

See page 3

Business

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.

Community and visitors invited to reIMAGINE Gosford

Three restaurants on the Peninsula have been recognised in a national guide aimed at listing the hottest spots to enjoy this summer. See page 21

Business

12 JANUARY 2022

News

Members of the Patonga Beach Progress Association have paid their respects to Patonga resident Charles ‘Charlie’ Sproul who passed away this month. See page 5

The Shelly Beach Malibu Club, a short and long boarding club for women, has received an injection of funding following its successful application for a Surfing NSW grant. See page 13

spiritsuper.com.au

News

Out&About

See page 15

Majority oppose water price hike – IPART Chair

The Council has requested a huge rise in the amount it can charge for its water,wastewater, stormwater and other waterrelated services from July 1, 2022. In an exclusive interview with CCN, IPART Chair Carmel Donnelly said the community response had been extremely strong, with all submissions to be made public in the interests of transparency.

SUPer Santas

The team from Husqvarna HQ at Tuggerah donate toys to We Care Connect

ISSUE 322

ISSUE 041

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Ourimbah Region Residents’ Association (ORRA) have convinced Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart to send a draft masterplan back to town planners for further work. See page 3

See page 13

“We acknowledge that represents hardship for some people – there have been some very tough times during COVID. “By far the majority of respondents opposed the increases and even among those who were not opposed there was a strong feeling they should be brought in gradually. “Quite a lot of other issues were raised as well. “There’s a difficult situation with Central Coast Council and the public inquiry and quite a few people raised concerns about the Council’s performance and transparency and whether or not Council had maintained infrastructure adequately and would do so into the future.

23 DECEMBER 2021

A very caring Christmas

Primer Minister Scott Morrison making the announcement at Terrigal on December 16

“We are part way through our review and are undertaking analysis of the proposed water pricing and are still keen to hear from community members,” Donnelly said. “We put out an issues paper in September, which attracted 175 submissions and more than 1,000 survey responses, as well as 630 quick poll responses. “In October we put out an information paper on stormwater services and received 270 survey responses and one submission from Council. “There was a very strong response with particular concerns on the affordability of the (proposed) increases.

ISSUE 270

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

This year Soroptimist International celebrated its centenary with 72,000 members in 122 countries participating in a variety of events to mark the occasion.

The Federal Government has taken the first steps towards cancelling the PEP-11 permit for off-shore gas exploration over an 8,200 square metre area stretching from Newcastle to Wollongong, with the Central Coast a likely drilling site.

The vast majority of more than 2,000 submissions and responses received by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) on Central Coast Council’s proposed 34 per cent water rate hike opposed the rise.

Voice of the Peninsula

ISSUE 323

News

The Central Coast sub-branch of the Independent Education Union is calling for consultation and clarity from the NSW Government for students in the return to school... See page 27

Sport

Puzzles page 18

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13 JANUARY 2022

Scraps for Peninsula in Council’s draft three-year plan No money is earmarked for the Pearl Beach Lagoon Coastal Zone Management Plan actions for stormwater treatment until year three of Central Coast Council’s latest operational plan draft. The Woy Woy Tip is earmarked for a swag of money with upgrades to electricity and leachate systems and almost $2M on bulk excavations. Peninsula Leisure Centre gets $50,000 for maintenance and some previously announced road upgrades are about all that’s noteworthy for the Peninsula in the draft. Council hopes to implement a masterplan for Warnervale Airport within three years and create three masterplan options for Gosford Waterfront in the next year. The timing is outlined in Council’s three-year operational plan currently on public exhibition for residents to comment on. The operational plan along with a swag of other documents are on exhibition as part of the Council’s push to tick all the boxes for an Independent

No funds for Pearl Beach lagoon in draft three-year operational plan

Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) submission. In the IPART submission, Council will argue it needs to keep its current rate variation for ten years rather than the three years IPART agreed to last year. Council says it needs the extra seven years of the one-off 13 per cent rate rise and annual rate peg to pay its bank loans. In late 2020, the then newly appointed administrator raised $150M in bank loans after the council revealed it had spent about $200M of restricted

funds in ways it should not have and the councillors were suspended. The restricted funds needed to be paid back and resulted in council downsizing staff, selling off assets and receiving a rate variation. Council published about 700 pages of draft documents on December 24 as part of its paperwork for the IPART submission and these are open for public comment until January 21. They are at the council website https://www.

yourvoiceourcoast.com/ They include the Community Strategic Plan; Delivery Program; Resourcing Strategy; and a fourth one entitled Amended Code of Meeting Practice which proposes to cut down on public council meetings. Currently they are held twice a month and Council is proposing to hold them once a month. The operational plan in the delivery program document shows Council’s focus on services and its

capital works budget. Sewerage works will attract 25 per cent of the total budget while water and stormwater drains gets more than 20 per cent, roads will get 21 per cent and buildings such as Central Coast Stadium, the regional art gallery and Laycock St Theatre will get 15 per cent. The road works will come from grant money mostly with Council not putting general revenue funds towards some road categories in the next two years. Another document, the LongTerm Financial Plan, outlines Council’s 10 year plan. Council says the annual operating surpluses match the expected principal repayment requirements for Council’s loans. But in 2031-32 Council is assuming an organisational restructure will be undertaken to rebalance the organisation once its rate variation comes to an end. This will reduce its revenue and council says it will need to reduce $6M in employee costs and $4M in materials and services.

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“This results in an estimated operating surplus of $1.5M which is necessary for remaining principal debt repayment,” Council says. A further document, Draft Resourcing Strategy, shows that Council has a high percentage of mature aged workers with 41 per cent aged between 51 and 70 which is significantly higher than the average local government statistic of 25.7 per cent. “Knowing this, it is essential that Council place emphasis on the recruitment of young people and provide career opportunities for this cohort, all whilst paying attention to the succession planning of the ageing workforce and supporting them through to retirement,” Council said. But it said lower rates of education mean specialist roles are difficult to fill with local people and with an inability to compete on salary and meet flexibility expectations, Council will struggle to draw candidates from bordering local government areas and regions. Merilyn Vale

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13 JANUARY 2022

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Five COVID deaths on Coast over holiday period From page 1 McLachlan said the situation had improved slightly with the private providers back on deck, but there is still a wait of threefour days for results. “The case numbers are really an under-representation because many people haven’t been able to get a PCR test and there has been a shortage of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs)

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But the emphasis now needs to be not on the number of cases, but on the number of hospitalisations, he said. As at January 11, there were 50 people in Gosford and Wyong Hospitals, six of them in intensive care. “Very few people are getting really sick and that’s a positive,” he said. “People getting their booster vaccination as they become eligible will be crucial.” Terry Collins

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available,” he said. “People have been out in the community, sometimes not knowing they are positive, and many may not be symptomatic. “The virus is spreading through our community and it is likely most of us will get COVID in coming weeks.” McLachlan said a huge supply of RATs expected in the region over the coming week and a reporting system now being finalised through Service NSW would allow for a more accurate count.

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Surf club issues COVID alerts Killcare Surf Life Saving Club has issued multiple COVID-19 alerts following the junior carnival it hosted on Sunday, January 9. Around 14 clubs and 700 competitors were expected to attend the second Newcastle Permanent Junior Carnival but the success of the event was overshadowed by the first report of a positive case on Monday, January 10. The first confirmation of a positive case was an U10’s competitor at the carnival.

Attendees were encouraged to monitor for symptoms and take a test if feeling unwell. The second case alert, also reported via the Killcare SLSC newsletter on Monday was from the U8’s spectator area at the carnival. A third alert was issued on the Tuesday following the carnival to advise those who had attended that a case had been confirmed in the U12’s spectator area. Source: Newsletter, Jan 10-11 Killcare SLSC

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Better testing needed to fix bare shelves Peninsula residents will have noticed a lot of empty supermarket shelves in recent weeks – but this time it’s not due to panic buying. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) says the empty shelves underscore the Federal Government’s failure to provide Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for transport workers, with up to 50 per cent of truck drivers absent due to COVID-19. The National Cabinet removed the requirement for truck drivers to have rolling seven days tests on January 6 but the move could be too little too late, with the TWU saying the country’s supply chain is under significant pressure. Large logistics operators are reporting up to half their workforce absent amid testing delays and the inability of workers to secure RATs. TWU National Secretary, Michael Kaine, said reports of empty supermarket shelves across Australia was a predictable outcome of the Government’s failure to prioritise rapid tests for the country’s most mobile workforce. “The union has been told by

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large transport operators working out of major Australia ports that between a third and half of their workforce are missing each day,” he said. “The TWU wrote to the Prime

Minister in October urging the Government to provide rapid tests to road transport workers to avoid unnecessary delays and keep drivers on the road. “Instead, we have a

completely predictable scenario where drivers are delivering rapid tests to be sold on the shelves of supermarkets and pharmacies - but they, like most Australians, can’t access them themselves.”

Kaine said road transport is Australia’s most mobile industry and interstate truck drivers are at increased risk of virus exposure. “The TWU and Australian

Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) have been calling on the Federal Government to implement a COVID-Safe National Transport Roadmap with rapid testing at its heart to combat the risk of COVID spreading across states and territories as other restrictions are eased,” he said. “We need to prioritise critical industries like transport. “These tests are an important weapon in the fight against the virus, and without them, the virus is hitching a ride through transport supply chains, putting workers and the industry in danger. “It’s always too little, too late with this government. “First it was the sluggish vaccine rollout that left transport workers behind, and now it’s the failure to protect transport workers and supply chains from Omicron. “It is vital that rapid tests are free and readily available. “The Government must prioritise access to transport workers and their employers who the community is again depending upon to keep Australia moving safely.”

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Two groups criticise regional plan

Central Coast Community Better Planning Group Chair, Gary Chestnut

Central Coast Friends of Democracy Director, Jane Smith

Two community groups have slammed the NSW Government’s Draft Central Coast Regional Plan 2041, which was released last month.

approach to neighbourhoods to ensure that planning, jobs, infrastructure and housing decisions are co-ordinated with the aim of providing everything residents need within a 15-minute walk, cycle or drive from their home. But the Central Coast Friends of Democracy (CCFoD) and Central Coast Community Better Planning Group (CCCBPG) claim the document “looks to have been written by developers for developers and to benefit developers”. “Not only does the draft plan look to allow unlimited development and growth at the expense of local communities and the

The Plan was launched on December 6 at Gosford waterfront by Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, along with Business NSW Central Coast Regional, Director, Paula Martin, and Chair of the Central Coast Chapter of Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), Caine King. Giving a vision for the next 20 years, the Plan focuses on what it calls a “15-minute region” taking a holistic

environment, it has also been released for public comment just before Christmas when residents and community groups take a well-earned break,” CCFoD Director, Jane Smith, said. The Regional Plan is a 20year land use plan required to be prepared for each region with the NSW Planning website indicating extensive community consultation with a “broad range of stakeholders” had been undertaken. But Smith said NSW Planning confirmed that the “broad range of stakeholders” largely comprised state agencies and groups representing the interests of developers. “The secrecy and lack of due process around the writing of this draft Regional Plan raises many questions,” she said. “We are calling on the NSW Government to release the details of how this draft plan was developed – including minutes of stakeholder meetings and who attended.” Central Coast Community Better Planning Group Chair, Gary Chestnut, said there

was is a distinct lack of trust in the Government’s intentions in the plan. “The current Central Coast Regional Plan that was developed in 2016 involved a number of community workshops leading up to the draft being released, including with youth,” he said. “This document has been written with the strong influence of the development industry, released for community comment just

before Christmas and has no face-to-face community workshops scheduled. “Our community needs to be driving the 20-year vision for our region – not developers and vested interests. “We are inviting local resident groups, community organisations and informal neighbourhood groups to contact us to organise a twohour workshop about what is being proposed, their local community priorities and

how to have a say.” Chestnut said time was running out with comments on the plan set to close on March 4. For more information or to arrange a local workshop – email: admin@ ccfriendsofdemocracy.com. The Plan is available for viewing at https://www.dpie. nsw.gov.au/ centralcoast2041. Terry Collins

UDIA Central Coast Chair, Caine King, Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, and Business NSW Central Coast Regional Director, Paula Martin, at the launch in December

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Lucy Wicks and the Morrison Government are upgrading sports facilities on the Peninsula. Construction has started on a jointly funded new amenities building at Rogers Park in Woy Woy, with the Morrison Government committing $800,000 towards the project which is due for completion in April 2022. The new amenities building will benefit local sporting clubs like Central Coast Cricket, the Woy Woy Junior Rugby Club and the Peninsula Junior Touch Association.

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The differences in childcare costs and pool entry fees across the Coast are highlighted in proposed increases to fees and charges that Central Coast Council is planning to introduce from July 1 for 2022-2023. Council is proposing to increase the pool entry fee at Gosford by 10 cents for both categories of adults and kids. But at Woy Woy the proposed increase is 20 cents for adults and 50 cents for kids. At Toukley and Wyong, the proposed increase is 20 cents for adults and 10 cents for kids. Toukley and Wyong would remain the cheapest with entry

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for adults $6.90 and $4.10 for kids. Gosford would be $7 for adults and $4.90 for kids. Woy Woy would be the most expensive at $8.20 for adults and $5.50 for kids. CCC requested Council explain why the prices were different but had not heard back at the time of publication. Residents have until January 21 to complain or compliment Council on the increases outlined in 150 pages of goods and services. It includes its least-used services, the Warnervale airport and its child care centres. Little Coast Kids Toukley and Northlakes, Niagara Park and

Kariong’s Children’s Centre, Terrigal Children’s Centre and Umina Children’s Centre will see a $7 increase per child per session. Little Coast Kids Kanwal and Little Coast Kids Wyong go up by $2 per child per session. The cost to land a plane being used as part of a business has gone up under the proposal with prices depending on Certified Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW). A commercial 700kg MTOW would pay an additional $12.51 per year in lieu of landing fees for a proposed total of $621.50. A non-business plane with the same MTOW would pay an extra 35 cents for a total of $9.35 per

landing or for a 20-minute block for circuit operations under a resident’s airport usage charge. The fees and charges are on public exhibition earlier than usual due to the Council needing to get its paperwork to submit an application – to extend the current rate variation for another seven years – to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal by February 7. Other increases include a $10 increase to release a seized motor vehicle – presuming Council hasn’t already sent to be crushed as happened late last year to a Point Clare resident who didn’t notice the warning sticker on her car and received a council warning letter two days after the Red Camry had

been crushed. The cost of hiring a hall by a Non Profit Organisation for a half day event will go up by $1 to $56 in round figures. The daily fee paid by circuses and carnivals is proposed to go up by $5. And a fitness business would have to fork out an extra $82 a year for a licence to use open space at Gosford waterfront. It will cost sporting groups such as soccer, rugby league, AFL, cricket and Oz Tag an extra $25 a year for a total of $1,456.45 for the seasonal hire of a sporting ovals, excluding the final series. Key bonds for associations have gone up another $36 to

$2,136.75. Costs for parking your car at Gosford City Parking are proposed to increase and the first two hours which used to be free will cost $3.30. Council has five categories of charging. The first price charged for a goods/service is a statutory charge set by regulation. The other four categories reflect subsidised contributions, full costs or somewhere in between. Council has published its proposed fee increases but does not include a comparison with the current fees. Merilyn Vale

Football Australia deregisters Central Coast Football Central Coast Football has been de-registered by both Football Australia and Football NSW after failing to reach agreement with the two associations on fees and insurance. It is understood that Central Coast Football has secured its own insurances for the upcoming season in a move that will see all 24 football clubs and 15,000 active

members on the Central Coast effectively become their own football association. Correspondence was received on December 31, 2021 from Football Australia’s CEO James Johnson advising that CCF would be deregistered from organised football in Australia and cease to be a member of Football NSW. The situation is not without precedent as footballers and clubs in Northern NSW have

been unaffiliated with Football NSW for many years after disagreements decades ago. Northern NSW Football is now a respected association affiliated with Football Australia. The first was in relation to the overall high cost of insurance cover, the second had to do with extending the insurance cover to non-completion games, such as Soccer 5s and trial matches.

The third was about refunding some of last year’s registration fees due to COVID and matches not played. In a statement to local clubs and players CCF management said: “Football Australia and Football NSW are not agreeable with our position, and we have met with CEOs and senior executives from both bodies several times. “A temporary concession was granted from FA on point 1

(albeit with significant unacceptable conditions and FNSW indicated their preparedness to negotiate on point 2 (but provided nothing concrete albeit the 2022 season was imminent), however point 3 was totally unacceptable to both FA and FNSW. FA sought advice from FIFA who directed that CCF must not be allowed to ‘fracture the football family’ and should our

position not change we should not be allowed to participate in ‘organised football’. As a result CCF is now no longer affiliated with either Football Australia and Football NSW. Local players need not despair, the local football season between the local clubs will go ahead as normal. David Abrahams

Central Coast Friends of Democracy Is this what the removal of local democracy is really about? A submission to the Public Inquiry into Central Coast Council from Assoc. Professor Graham Sansom raised questions about the labels of “financial calamity” and “serious financial crisis” that triggered the suspension of democratically elected Councillors. Although acknowledging that there were improvements needed in financial management, systems and processes, Mr. Sansom suggested that the touted $565 million debt is “an example of misuse of a big number”. This number appears to be made up of: • $ 317m debt inherited from the former Gosford and Wyong Councils—not considered a significant issue for a Council this size • B orrowings planned by Administrators • A n estimate of $200m to be repaid to restricted funds (however, the NSW Crown Solicitor’s advice from Feb 2021 suggests that this may not need to be repaid). The issues facing Council could have been managed with appropriate support by the NSW government. Instead, the Minister for Local Government chose to remove democratically elected Councillors in October 2020. There is some suggestion that this action created Council’s real financial crisis. TCorp (NSW Treasury) refused to make a loan to Council and the Minister did not respond to Council requests to use some of Council’s restricted funds (over $300m) to address the short term issues.

The Submission in Reply to the Public Inquiry from Administrator Rik Hart (10 Nov 2021) indicated that four days after the Minister put an Administrator in, “Council received a letter of demand from one of Council’s bankers to repay a loan book of $107m”. So, why did the NSW government remove elected representatives rather that work with them? Well, we don’t know of course. However, it is disturbing to observe what is happening while the community has no democratically elected Councillors to represent their interests. There are many documents and strategies that guide the future of the Central Coast over the next 20 years. Some of the important ones are: • C entral Coast Regional Plan (NSW Government) • C ommunity Strategic Plan (Council) • L ocal Strategic Planning Statement (Council) Just before Christmas, the NSW government released the draft Central Coast Regional Plan 2041 for consultation (submissions due 4 March 2022). The existing plan is being reviewed to extend its reach and “to reset priorities”. NSW Planning indicated that in 2021 they have been consulting with stakeholders to prepare the draft document but these have largely been agencies and groups representing development interests—and that is reflected in the document. Meanwhile, the NSW government appointed Administrator

www.ccfriendsofdemocracy.com

is amending Council’s Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and other key documents. The CSP is the overarching document that guides Council’s priorities for the next 10 years. Although an Administrator has all the powers of Councillors, the Local Government Act explicitly states that “following an ordinary election of councillors, the council must review the community strategic plan before 30 June following the election”. Words matter in legislation. There has been no ordinary election of Councillors. The Administrator put these documents on exhibition just before Christmas and submissions close on 21 January. The Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) continues to be unfinished business, with incomplete community consultation. Administrator Dick Persson chose to ignore lawful resolutions of Council when he adopted new planning rules without the Statement being finalised.

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One out of 744 survey responses made public Local resident Madeleine is not at all satisfied with Central Coast Council but she believes the best service it offers is the six curbside garbage collections per year. Madeleine is the one and only person identified from the 744 Central Coast residents who participated in a “statistically representative community survey” undertaken for Council. The survey asked respondents to choose between cutting services or continuing to pay increased rates to help Council stay on track financially. The survey allows Council to tick the “Community Consultation” box when submitting its request to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to keep its current rate rise. Last year Council was given a one-off rise of 13 per cent plus

the annual rate pegs for three years after which the 13 per cent is meant to be removed. Council will apply in February to keep that 13 per cent rate variation (RV) for another seven years. The survey found an almost 50 per cent split between those who were prepared to cop the RV for 10 years and those who preferred Council cuts services. The services the 744 respondents used the least were Warnervale Airport and council-run child care centres but 60 per cent of the respondents didn’t have children. The survey didn’t ask how many flew planes, at least not the survey shown that Madeleine filled in. Madeleine, who is retired from paid employment and self-identified as being in the 70 to 84 age bracket, wants

less Council money spent on artworks painted on footpaths, and on parks and playgrounds in general. However, Madeleine is prepared to pay the special rate variation for another seven years. Older residents were more likely to favour the SV extension option, while younger residents favoured the reduced services option. Madeleine said it was something that residents were being forced into but the RV was “a no-brainer” because “who would want to reduce service levels”. “We are not being given any other option,” Madeleine said. The survey showed that Warnervale airport and childcare centres were the least used of services Council provided while roads and rubbish and public toilets were

most used. Respondents were most satisfied with lifesavers, libraries, leisure centres and waste services and least satisfied with council’s performance on roads, the airport, estuaries, coastal lagoons, creeks, wetlands and coastal management. But when it came time to decide where Council should spend less money, most respondents still preferred to have the same or more investment across 47 identified service areas. MicroMex Research said that a number of those who chose the reduced services option may have been doing so due to dissatisfaction with Council more than a real desire to see service levels drop. The report about the survey said that one in two respondents mentioned Council should be

held responsible for its financial situation. But these comments are not public – only Madeleine’s comments are public. Like many of the older, longterm residents who did the survey, Madeleine said she was dissatisfied with Council. Madeleine recounted how she and her husband watched an ad on TV promoting NSW tourism. “It highlighted the southern highlands, Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and Port Stephens as well as other further north destinations – not one word about the Central Coast – it just beggars belief,” she said. Madeleine requested that her completed survey be identified and provided to Council. It was attached to the survey results that were presented to Council on December

20 last year. At that meeting, the Administrator Rik Hart agreed to a raft of Council strategies going out on public exhibition over the Christmas-new year holiday period. Council needs to prove to IPART that it has met its requirements to apply for a SRV. As part of IPART’s process, Council must update its Integrated Planning and Reporting documents to identify the need for an SV and to detail the options or scenarios that are available. These documents remain on public exhibition for your comments until January 21. Go to Our Coast Your Voice to see them all. https://www. yourvoiceourcoast.com/ Merilyn Vale

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Central Coast Council’s commitment to “Meaningful Dialogue” with the community would disappear from its proposed revised Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP represents the highest level of strategic planning undertaken by a local council and identifies the main priorities and aspirations of the community. It is supposed to provide a clear set of objectives to achieve the vision over a 10year plan for the future. Council says it has to update the plan because it no longer aligns with current community sentiment or acknowledgement of Council’s commitment to financial responsibility. The changes include words that say the council will be

financially responsible but other changes mean council and community “meaningful dialogue” has disappeared. Once the CSP said Council will: “Engage with the community in meaningful dialogue and demonstrate how community participation is being used to inform decisions”. Council now proposes it will: “Provide strong leadership that is accountable, makes decisions in the best interest of the community and ensures Council is financially sustainable”. The council has changed the wording to a second objective. The original objective said Council would: “Communicate openly and honestly with the community to build a relationship based on transparency, understanding, trust and respect.”

It has been rewritten to say Council would: “Engage and communicate openly and honestly with the community to build a relationship based on trust, transparency, respect and use community participation and feedback to inform decision making”. Council says it wants to know if these two “small, but meaningful changes” capture the community’s sentiment on financial management and sustainability. The community has until January 21 to provide feedback on the changes. Council was using feedback it received from its consultation with the community in early 2021 to make the changes. The consultation was about applying for a rate rise – which was granted in May 2021 by IPART.

But the IPART decision only allowed the rate rise for three years. Council is now trying to get that extended to ten years. In its updated CSP, Council says the community wants a guarantee that Council will be financially sustainable in the future. “The community also feels as though they are paying for Council and the Leadership Team’s incompetence and mistakes, with the community wanting any changes to benefit them,” Council said. “An overwhelming number of residents feel there is no accountability, and this is the key driver in proposing a financial accountability objective in the CSP. “There is a lack of trust in Central Coast Council, in both governance, skill and capacity

to deliver services within budget. “Many respondents expressed frustration with the lack of transparency around who is accountable for the financial situation and what actions will be taken against individuals or entities. “The community wants acknowledgement. “The changes included in this revision are part of that acknowledgement. Central Coast Council knows it needs to do better, as an organisation and for the Central Coast community and is committed to this.” To comment, go to https:// www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/ sites/default/files/2021-12/ summary_draft_revised_ community_strategic_plan_0. pdf Merilyn Vale

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Labor makes fast rail election promise Federal Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese, joined Labor candidate for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid and Member for Dobell, Emma McBride, on the Central Coast last week, committing to make a fast rail corridor between Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle a reality. Following a speech in Newcastle Albanese visited Tuggerah to confirm that, if

elected, a Labor Federal Government would “make the corridor from Newcastle to Sydney, which includes stops at the Central Coast, its first priority.” “We’ll start with a fast rail corridor – but we’ll plan and build for the move to High Speed Rail,” Albanese said. “Faster rail would see travel times from Newcastle to Sydney cut to just two hours,” he said.

“Once High Speed Rail is up and running, this journey would take only 45 minutes. “It will make the region more connected, giving businesses opportunities for closer collaboration and integration as well as an incentive for people looking to relocate to the region.” Source: Media release, Jan 5 Emma McBride, Member for Dobell

From left, Labor Candidate for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid with Anthony Albanese and Emma McBride

Government must restore community’s confidence - Harris The NSW Government must find a way to provide rapid antigen tests for free, ensure the Service NSW app is working to provide recording of positive tests and properly educate GPs in the procedures to follow when their patients contact them for help, according to Shadow Minister for the Central Coast, David Harris. “It’s time that the politicians who are being driven by ideology get out of the way and let the health experts back in charge so

that the community can have confidence that this pandemic is being handled in the best way,” Harris said. He said the recent surge in Covid 19 cases demonstrated that both the State and Federal Governments were underprepared for the increase in cases and for logistical considerations during the holiday period. According to Harris, they had been “caught with their pants down”. “Lack of PCR testing facilities, access to rapid antigen tests,

rules around isolation and supply chain issues have plagued the Christmas period and continue to cause problems, even as we approach a planned return to school,” Harris said. “The Christmas holiday period saw many private testing facilities close for the holidays creating huge queues and uncertainty at a time when omicron was causing a huge increase in cases. “Access to rapid antigen tests has been difficult with low supplies and high prices impacting on the community’s ability to follow government

advice about self-testing, leading to businesses and families being adversely impacted. “The Federal Government’s promise of free rapid antigen tests has also been shown to have been bad planning and messaging with pharmacies finding out that they are responsible for sourcing the tests, including paying high prices up front, and then finding out that they have two seek reimbursement from a system that has not yet been developed. “At a NSW Government level, the Service NSW app is not ready

to record positive rapid antigen tests, leading to underreporting of cases. “Now with students returning to school at the end of the month, we are experiencing a lack of vaccine supply for children with many pharmacies and GPs having to cancel appointments because promised stocks have not arrived. “The community’s confidence in both the NSW Government and the Australian Government response to COVID is being undermined because of a chaotic approach since November, with

both levels of government scrambling to react to the reality on the ground being experienced by communities including the Central Coast. “People are trying their hardest to be responsible and follow the rules but the basic infrastructure needed to comply either doesn’t exist, is too hard to access or doesn’t work and this is adding to the stress families are already feeling with sickness spreading through their loved ones. Source: Media release, Dec 10 David Harris, Member for Wyong

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FORUM

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Inquiry a ‘publicity stunt’ More window-dressing and flummery from the Morrison Government in a blatant attempt to divert attention from real issues in the run-up to the 2022 election (‘Wicks chairs first hearings of social media committee’, PP 041). We can expect much sound and fury on this subject over the next few months, because (i) it is a subject that many people have strong feelings about and (ii) the committee will make no findings until the election is conveniently over, so that the Government will be under no obligation to accept any recommendations and reveal how powerless it is to take any meaningful action in this area. Short of completely blocking access for Facebook et al., the

FORUM See Page 2 for address and contribution conditions. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of the newspaper Government cannot exercise any control over the business models of the anti-social media which originate far outside its jurisdiction but waving a big stick has stood SloMo in good stead in the past, so it is always worth another try. It is, however, interesting that Ms Wicks has been chosen to spearhead this pseudo-action by the Government. It suggests a real fear that her seat is under threat and that

she needs a boost in favourable press coverage to hang onto her majority. Putting her in charge of a committee is a harmless way to garner extra publicity and, at the same time, gives everyone with a complaint the opportunity to express their feelings publicly, as well as registering their views via the anti-social media about which they are so unhappy. Not being linked to any antisocial media outlet, I feel free to advise anybody dissatisfied just to stop using the platform that distresses them: I can assure them that it is perfectly possible to live a normal life without exhibiting every facet of one’s affairs to the scrutiny of anybody with an Internet connection. Email, Dec 23 Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy

Attention parents I write this purely to alert parents that may or may not be aware that teenage boys were skylarking, smoking and disrespecting adults as they waited to board the 3:30pm ferry to Palm Beach on Christmas Eve 2021. Firstly a drink bottle full of heavy wet sand came flying through the air narrowly missing a gentleman sitting in a wheel chair and a woman sitting on the seat beside him, before smashing into the tin wall on the toilet block, between the couple. When approached by a

FORUM woman sitting nearby, the boys sniggered, then continued to ride bikes down the stairs scattering travellers on the wharf. When the ferry approached, they thought it was hilarious making large splashes of water as they jumped off the wharf rail into the water, where travellers were waiting to board the ferry. Once again they laughed as they were chastised by a woman, they continued to jump. A dog became very stressed

when it was splashed. The man in the wheelchair entered the ferry with wet clothes. It’s very sad to see such disrespect that some young people have for adults, the disabled and dogs, by thinking it is funny. We all know many young people who display empathy while enjoying their surroundings, the above attitude does not reflect all young people. So sad that the minority can’t see that. Email, Jan 3 Carolyn Petch, Ettalong Beach

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Grave concerns about anti-vax sentiments While l respect your newspapers policy on the freedom of opinions expressed in the Forum, l hold grave concerns on the publishing of antivax sentiments by unqualified and ill-informed community members. Antivax sentiments which question the efficacy of vaccines to suppress infection and reduce severe side effects and death would be quickly removed from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. This is because they are from dubious sources and designed to raise question if vaccines cause harm rather than protect from Covid 19 and its variants. This “fake news” can have terrible consequences in reaching herd immunity to reduce the number of variants

FORUM and get us past this pandemic. A case in point is George Bocska’s claim (Forum 17th December) of “the world leading renowned virologist” advocating to: “Never ever – allow anything or anybody to interfere or supress your immune system”. The doctor in question is in fact a former veterinary virologist, specialising in microbiology and animal hygiene who has not published a research paper since 1995. So the claim that he is a world expert is highly inaccurate. Although, l respect the right of people to voice their opinions on issues in which they have some knowledge, publishing opinions by non-experts on issues of complex virology and

immunology is about as enlightening as Mr Bocska’s views on the Theory of Relativity. My advice to George and other community members who believe they are immunosuppressed is to listen to your doctor and trusted sources like ATAGI on appropriate treatment regimens. The science fraternity in Australia is of the highest calibre so you don’t need to spend time trawling the internet to find self- appointed “experts” who confirm your worst fears. Rather than educating you on vaccines, you are instead likely to find they are more interested in selling you horse deworming medication. Email, Dec 18 Tahir Turk, Springfield

Simply live up to promise May I respectfully disagree with Bruce Hyland’s view that I am possibly being ‘a little hyperbolic’ in describing the Rawson Rd level crossing at Woy Woy as ‘deadly’. Hyland wrote that in his memory ‘there have been two trivial accidents at the level crossing’ (‘New alignment required’, 23 December 2021, page 12). It is five years now (January 2017) since an elderly man was hit and killed by a train as he was crossing the tracks at the level crossing on a mobility scooter. And, it is just two months (November 2021) since a Newcastle-bound train, carrying about 70 passengers, hit a blue Volkswagen polo on the level crossing at Woy Woy reigniting

FORUM calls for the state government to fix the deadly intersection. The woman’s car was a writeoff. I do not think the families and friends of the victims, the accident victim herself, or the train drivers, conductors, train passengers, pedestrians, car drivers and passengers who were traumatised and/or inconvenienced by these fatal and critical accidents would agree. And I respectfully disagree with Bruce Hyland’s proposition that the problems with this level crossing can be fixed with ‘enhanced signage to alert careless drivers to a need for caution’.

As for the widening of the existing underpass at Shoalhaven St, that was the third phase of the Project, after completion of the pedestrian underpass at Rawson Rd, and then the new underpass at the base of Bull’s Hill. The fact is that the NSW Government made the commitment to replace this deadly level crossing in 2011. And after spending millions on the consultation and planning and completion of the first stage of the commitment, it reneged on this promise in 2016. Simply, the NSW Government should live up to its promise to replace the deadly Rawson Rd level crossing. Email, Jan 7 Stephanie Short, Woy Woy

More vision needed I have to disappoint the wellinformed Bruce Hyland this time. I have been using the Rawson Road Bike and Walk Underpass. Not that it excited me much. By the time I went to the side road to enter the Underpass and came out at the other end, it took me longer than I would have stepped off my bike, walk over the rail crossing and hopped on my bike again. So, I agree indeed that it is a great waste of money. I am also disputing the talk about the Level Train Line Crossing at Rawson Road.

FORUM It is not that train crossing that is dangerous, it is the road crossing next to it. From Railway St to the other side of the Railway St the crossing is in an absurd angle. It is hard to see traffic coming from Rawson Rd and by the time your crammed neck is back from turning left and right, traffic is already oncoming from the other side. The view of the oncoming traffic on this crossing is very bad and people had many misses.

So, I do agree, an underpass at Rawson Rd is very much needed as it will hopefully also rectify the Railway St alignment at the same time. Governments should also improve the under-pass at Shoalhaven Drive and connect Umina at that spot. Was that never discussed? Why hasn’t that been done yet? It would ease traffic away from Woy Woy and the new proposed round-about at Ocean Beach Road. There is so much more vision needed! Email, Jan 2 Johanna Reygersberg, Woy Woy

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OUT & ABOUT PAGE 13 13 JANUARY 2022

A song for our times Local singer-songwriter Jamie Lindsay

Ettalong singer-songwriter Jamie Lindsay is straight out of the blocks in 2022 with an uplifting new single. Carry On is a message to those battling to get through each day. Inspired by growing up around rural suicide and losing family and friends to their mental health battles, Lindsay said the song was a message of hope and about being grateful for all the positives we have in life. Two years ago Lindsay was asked to support a men’s health and suicide awareness event at Wyong, and lost a

friend not long after. He wanted to let people know they need to reach out when suffering. “I’ve never been that dark where I’ve felt I need to end my life, but we all have these really hard times in our lives (with) relationships, divorces, money pressures or whatever and you have these questions of would it just be easier if I left this world?” he said. “I always just kick my own arse, and whatever it takes, find it in myself to see that others are doing it harder than me. “I want people to fight on and know they’ll get through this.

“Carry On (says that while) some days are dark, there will be people out there who will listen to you, people who love you and people who rely on you being here in the moment and being on the earth.” Lindsay said if he reached just one person with Carry On, his purpose would be fulfilled. “I want people to know that if they’re down, they need to reach out to someone,” he said. “There are people out there doing it really hard – there is always going to be someone doing it harder than you, but at that moment you can’t escape yourself.”

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Carry On, written, recorded and produced by Lindsay, was released on January 7 on all digital music platforms. It features the mastering prowess of Nashville’s Billy Decker, and some of Australia’s finest musicians - Alan Jurcan, Shannon Stitt, Clare O’Meara, Jy Banks and Chris E. Thomas. Born in Tasmania in 1977, Lindsay is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, performer and music producer. Jamie picked up the guitar at the age of nine and began writing songs through his early teens. By the end of high school, he had become quite accomplished

at the guitar and so the natural progression was for him to begin singing in order to get his songs heard. He released his first music E.P when he was 18 and went on to become a top 10 finalist at the prestigious StarMaker talent quest at the Tamworth County Music festival in 1997/98. Also in 1998, Jamie attended the Country Music College now knows as the “Academy”. Jamie’s fundamental style is country music, however, throughout his 20+ year career, he has been involved in various other projects in genres such as Pop, Blues and Hard Rock.

As a performer, Jamie has been a big part of the Australian music scene with an average of 150 shows a year at various clubs, pubs and festivals with highlights such as a yearly spot on the NRL state of origin lineup and internationally through a Telstra hosted event on the USS Missouri in Hawaii. Jamie has been fortunate enough to work alongside and learn from many industry personalities such as Harry Vanda (Easybeats/AC/DC), Tim Farriss (INXS) and Mark J Feist (Destinys Child/John Legend/ Celine Dion). Source: Media release, Jan 11 The Country Journo PR

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Auntie Di’s book tells of strength from adversity The launch of Auntie Dianne O’Brien’s book, Daughter of the River Country, was a joyous occasion attended by over a hundred people at Mingaletta Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation. It was held to coincide with the delayed celebration of NAIDIOC week, on December 10, 2021 at Umina Beach. The book was launched by local resident Benny Agius of Echo Publishing. Aunty Di signed copies for those who purchased her book, and said: “I wrote the book because I wanted my children to understand why I am like I am.” Aunty Di is a much-admired and respected community leader, especially well known as an elder and a tireless

worker and advocate for the Aboriginal community. The book, co-authored with Sue Williams is written in chronological order, comprising 27 chapters in three parts: Lost, Searching and Found. Although a gripping read, the subject matter is particularly traumatic. It can be difficult to read so persevere. Dianne was born in Wagga Wagga on July 3, 1946, and taken at birth from her Aboriginal mother. She was well cared for by her adoptive family but tragically lost the only mother she knew at 14. She left school at 15, whilst living in Granville, to work in the nearby Arnott’s biscuit factory. It is a vivid description both of her life and growing up in

the western suburbs of Sydney at that time. Dianne had her first child, conceived through rape at the age of 15, and was forced

to marry in order to keep her child. Dianne describes this period as an “unending cycle of violence”.

By the age of 25 Dianne O’Brien had six children (three boys and three girls) to four fathers, she had been raped four times, been the victim of domestic violence, moved countless times, and run away so many times it is difficult to keep track. It was also a period when she searched for her birth parents, and found that she had been stolen, like so many others - it is a harrowing read. In the lighter third part of the book Aunty Di at the age of thirty-six discovers her Aboriginal heritage as a Yorta Yorta woman, through LinkUp. She is subsequently connected with her Aboriginal birth mother and finds out about her deceased Aboriginal father, and extended family including her

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great grandfather, William Cooper, a prominent advocate and founder of NAIDOC. She then moved to her home with the Yorta Yorta people near Cummera on the banks of the Murray River and worked as an Aboriginal health worker and eventually CEO of the Aboriginal Medical Service in her community hence the sub-title of the book, ‘Daughter of the River country’. In the early 2000s she moved to Woy Woy and then to Blue Haven and has worked as an Aboriginal Health Worker for the Central Coast Area Health Service, the Medicare Local, and currently with Coast and Country Primary Care, and in an honorary capacity on the Board and volunteering three days a week at Mingaletta. Daughter of the River Country brings to life the cycles of disadvantage experienced by members of the Stolen Generations. In doing so Dianne O’Brien inspires us with the unbelievable strength of character and determination that enabled her to triumph over these evils. As Aunty Di writes:”... yes, I’d been the victim of a great deal of violence but it made me stronger and more resilient, with the confidence to know I could withstand whatever life threw at me.” Source: Media release, Jan 6 Dr Stephanie Short and Sue McCarthy

BOOK REVIEW

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Bewilderment Author: Richard Powers Publisher: Penguin

From the author of Overstory (previously reviewed) comes a story about Theo, a widower who is raising his son Robin (Robbie). Theo is an astrobiologist who lives in Wisconsin and teaches at the university. He is also working with Carl Stryker, co-authoring “a paper about detecting biosignature gases from lensing-revealed exoplanets”. Riveting stuff. However, Theo is behind on his edits for the paper, he is behind on his teaching responsibilities, grant money is scarce and there is a chance his research funding will be pulled.

The government in power is unreasonable. But what is Theo to do? Robbie needs him. When we meet Theo and Robbie, they are on a camping trip. Robbie is eight and going to be nine. They are both struggling with the loss of Alyssa, Theo’s wife and Robbie’s mother, who died in a car accident. She was an environmental activist, and word is that the accident happened when she swerved to avoid hitting a possum. Robbie is having trouble at school – he is different and gets bullied. The threat of expulsion is always looming. Doctors have recommended medicating Robbie, but Theo refuses: “When a condition gets three

different names over as many decades, when it requires two subcategories to account for completely contradictory symptoms, when it goes from non-existent to the country’s most commonly diagnosed childhood disorder in the course of one generation, when two different physicians want to prescribe three different medications, there’s something

wrong.” Robbie is a sensitive to living things. Each night he says the prayer his mother taught him: “May all sentient beings be free from needless suffering.” But they are not free: “Only two percent of all animals are wild? Everything else is factory cows and factory chickens and us?”

Robbie has become addicted to watching videos of Inga Alder, a young activist. Theo is running out of options to help Robbie, until Marty Currier, an old friend of Alyssa suggests Decoded Neurofeedback. This is something that Theo and Alyssa dabbled in when Marty first started his research. Marty had kept Alyssa’s results, from all those years ago, and plans to use them to help Robbie. Now this is where I get confused. I am not sure how this all worked, maybe those smarter than me will understand, but the takeaway is that it did help Robbie. There were no more emotional outbursts, he was thriving, creating, growing. But the authoritarian government in power cut the

funding. When we leave Theo and Robbie, they are camping, and Robbie is ten. The woods always offered solace to Robbie. Can it still? I have mixed emotions about this book. Some parts were terrifying (the power of government, destruction to the environment) some parts were touching (Theo’s love for his son), but other parts were simply not interesting (descriptions of other planets and galaxies, which Theo would go on and on about). I ended up skimming these sections … there were a lot of them. But I still think it was is book worth reading. Kim Reardon The Reluctant Book Critic

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OUT&ABOUT PAGE 15 13 JANUARY 2022

Twist shifts but make way for Foxy Silvers COVID-19 has claimed another casualty, with the Coastal Twist LGBTIQ Arts & Culture festival due to take place on January 1923 now rescheduled to September 27-October 3. Originally scheduled to take place over the October long weekend last year, the festival was put off until January due to health restrictions – and now is put off yet again. “Given the evolving nature of the current Omicron outbreak, it’s not just lip service when we say the safety of our artists, audiences, volunteers, crews and partners particularly our Higher Risk groups is and always will be our number one priority,” Festival director, Glitta Supernova, said. “The Twist team has worked tirelessly over the past 12 months to reduce risk, put in place multiple plans and prepare for the worst but this time around there was simply

Photo: Lisa Haymes

no way forward. “A record number of cases surrounding us and close contact isolation and result times present too great a risk for the festival to take place amongst the chaos.

“There is a very real sadness at seeing a year’s work snuffed out just two weeks from delivery and with thousands of hours of work undone. “We had been so very excited by the elevated and expanded

January Festival program offering to be shared this summer.” Current ticket holders will receive an email detailing their options which include keeping their tickets for the new dates

or cancelling and getting a full refund). Supernova said the new Foxy Silvers 55+ Social Club, ThursGAY and Drag Bingo would continue.

Foxy Silvers will launch on January 19 at Baker Street café/restaurant from 11.30am1.30pm. The regular social club meetings will be for people of diverse sexualities and genders (LGBTQ+) aged 55 and over. Foxy Silvers is sponsored by the Coastal Twist Festival and ACON Health and is an initiative to empower older LGBTQ+ people to lead rich and stimulating social and cultural lives, while creating new friendships and building community connections. At the launch event, all registered guests will receive $5 off their coffee or meal with ACON sharing some local resources and information. You must register to attend the free event: https://events. humanitix.com/foxysilvers01 Source: Media release, Jan 3 Coastal Twist

Access to Peninsula beaches set to improve Access to Peninsula beaches will be a lot easier for people with limited mobility or living with a disability this summer, with the availability of beach wheelchairs at selected beaches and the installation of beach matting at Umina and Ocean Beach. The beach wheelchairs are available at Killcare Beach, Ocean Beach and Umina Beach. To accommodate varied needs, there are three models of beach wheelchairs including the Sand Cruiser (available at all the above locations), plus the Hippocampe and Water Wheel (at selected suitable locations). While beach wheelchair hire

can be arranged on site through the lifeguards at individual Surf Life Saving Clubs, online bookings are highly encouraged to ensure the preferred model of beach wheelchair is available. This is also the best way to arrange relocation of beach wheelchairs for individual or group bookings in advance. Beaches where matting has been installed have been chosen because erosion is low to moderate and they are relatively flat. The bright, blue matting is rolled out and secured over the sand and usable by all beach goers providing a stable, nonslip, cool surface particularly for people who may use wheelchairs, mobility aids, or prams to have easier access

across the sand. Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said it’s important to ensure that everyone in the community and visitors can participate in all aspects of community life. “With an abundance of beautiful beaches on the Coast, heading to the beach is a major part of our community’s lifestyle and these natural assets attract hundreds of tourists to our region each year,” Hart said. “Providing beach wheelchairs and beach matting improves access and inclusion and ensures everyone can join in and enjoy our coastline. “Council is committed to the continual improvement of access for people with disabilities, and this is one

example of delivering on this goal and implementing actions from our Disability and Inclusion Action Plan.”

search ‘beach accessibility’. Source: Media release, Jan 11 Central Coast Council

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Saturday 15 January

Friday 14 January

Thursday 13 January

ABC (C20/21)

PRIME (C61/60)

6:00 News Breakfast [s] 6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 9:00 The Morning Show Summer 10:00 Back Roads [s] Series [s] 10:30 Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “Blast From The Past” 11:00 The Heights (PG) [s] (PG) (’99) Stars: Brendan 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 The War Of The Worlds (M) [s] Fraser 2:00 A Very English Scandal (M) [s] 2:30 Border Security International (PG) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s] 4:00 Think Tank (PG) [s] 5:00 Restoration Australia (PG) [s 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] (PG) [s] 6:30 Summer Drum [s] 7:00 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 Mates On A Mission: Germany 7:30 7.30 (PG) [s] (PG) [s] 8:00 Kurt Fearnley’s One Plus One: 8:50 Movie: “Horrible Bosses” Saya Sakakibara (M) [s] (MA15+) (’11) – Three friends 8:30 Movie: “Goldstone” (M l,v) (’16) Stars: Aaron Pedersen (In conspire to murder their awful English/ Mandarin) bosses when they realise they 10:20 You Can’t Ask That (M) [s] are standing in the way of their happiness. Stars: Jason 10:55 ABC Late News [s] Bateman, Steve Wiebe 11:25 Aussie Inventions That Changed The World (PG) [s] 10:50 Movie: “Blazing Saddles” (M s) 12:20 Call The Midwife (PG) [s] (’74) Stars: Mel Brooks 6:00 Sunrise [s] 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 The Morning Show Summer 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] Series [s] 10:00 Kevin McCloud’s Top 10 (PG) 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 11:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 12:00 Surveillance Oz - Dashcam 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] (PG) [s] 12:55 Kurt Fearnley’s One Plus 12:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v One (PG) [s] England: Pre Game [s] 1:30 Van der Valk (M v) [s] 1:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] England: Test 5: Day 1: Session 4:00 Think Tank (PG) [s] 1 *Live* [s] 5:00 Restoration Australia (PG) [s 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery 3:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: The Lunch Break [s] (PG) [s] 4:10 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 6:30 Summer Drum [s] England: Test 5: Day 1: Session 7:00 ABC News [s] 2 *Live* [s] 7:30 Midsomer Murders: The Lions Of Causton (PG) [s] – Barnaby 6:00 Seven News [s] gets to relive his former days of 7:00 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 1: Session sporting glory when a death at 3 *Live* [s] the local Rugby Club sends 9:00 Movie: “Horrible Bosses 2” Barnaby and Winter into a (MA15+) (’14) Stars: Jason muddle of rucks. Bateman, Jason Sudeikis 9:00 The War Of The Worlds (M) [s] 11:15 Movie: “Night Shift” (M l,n,s,v) 10:00 Mum: April (M l) [s] (’82) Stars: Pat Corley 10:35 ABC Late News [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 11:00 Van der Valk (M v) [s] 6:00 Home Shopping 6:00 rage (PG) [s] 7:00 Weekend Sunrise [s] 7:00 Weekend Breakfast [s] 10:00 The Morning Show Summer 10:00 rage (PG) [s] Series [s] 11:00 rage Guest Programmer (PG) 12:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] England: Pre Game [s] 12:30 Movie: “Becoming Jane” (PG) 1:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v (’07) Stars: Anne Hathaway England: Test 5: Day 2: Session 2:25 Midsomer Murders (PG) [s] 1 *Live* [s] 4:00 Throwback (PG) [s] 3:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 4:30 Landline Summer [s] England: The Lunch Break [s] 5:00 Basketball: WNBL: Round 7: 4:10 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v Melbourne Boomers v England: Test 5: Day 2: Session Southside Flyers *Live* From 2 *Live* From Blundstone Melbourne Sports Centre [s] Arena [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 The Larkins: Christmas Special 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v (PG) [s] – The Larkins are England: Test 5: Day 2: Session preparing for Christmas, but 3 *Live* From Blundstone there’s been burglaries in the Arena [s] village. 9:00 Movie: “Batman Begins” (M v) 8:40 Call The Midwife (M) [s] (’05) Stars: Christian Bale, 10:35 Father Brown: The Scales Of Michael Caine, Liam Neeson Justice (M v) [s] 11:50 World’s Deadliest Weather: 11:20 Finding Alice (M l) [s] Caught On Camera (PG) [s] 12:10 rage Guest Programmer 1:00 Home Shopping (MA15+) [s]

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

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

NINE (C81/80)

TEN (C13)

6:00 Today [s] 6:00 The Talk (PG) [s] 9:00 Today Extra Summer (PG) [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “The Out Of Towners” (PG) [s] (M s) (’99) Stars: Goldie Hawn 8:00 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 1:45 Garden Gurus Moments [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 2:00 Pointless (PG) [s] 1:00 Program To Be Advised 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 6:00 NINE News [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 7:30 Space Invaders (PG) [s] 8:30 Movie: “Four Weddings And A 5:00 10 News First [s] Funeral” (M l,s) (’94) – Over the 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] course of five social occasions, 7:30 I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out a committed bachelor must Of Here (PG) [s] consider the notion that he may 9:00 Law & Order: SVU: They’d Already Disappeared (M v) [s] have discovered love. Stars: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell 10:00 Blue Bloods: Old Friends (M) [s] 10:55 New Amsterdam: Replacement (M) [s] 11:00 The Project (PG) [s] 12:00 The Late Show With Stephen 11:50 Chicago Med: Forever Hold Colbert (PG) [s] Your Peace (M mp) [s] 1:00 Home Shopping 12:40 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 4:30 CBS Mornings [s] 6:00 The Talk (PG) [s] 6:00 Today [s] 9:00 Today Extra Summer (PG) [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] (PG) [s] 12:00 Movie: “A Summer To 8:00 Studio 10 (PG) [s] Remember” (PG) (’18) Stars: 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] Catherine Bell 1:00 Program To Be Advised 1:45 Explore [s] 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 2:00 Pointless (PG) [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 6:00 NINE News [s] (PG) [s] 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 7:30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The 5:00 10 News First [s] Zoo: The Devil You Know (PG) 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Graham Norton Show 8:30 Movie: “Clear And Present (M) [s] Danger” (M v) (’94) Stars: 9:30 Just For Laughs Australia (M) Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe [s] – Recorded live from the 11:20 Movie: “The Gingerbread Man” Sydney Opera House. (M l,n,v) (’98) – A lawyer uses his power to help his lover put 10:30 Drunk History Australia (M l,s) [s] her father behind bars, but when 11:00 The Project (PG) [s] he escapes, they are all in danger. Stars: Robert Downey 12:00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s] Jr, Kenneth Branagh 1:00 Home Shopping 1:30 Home Shopping 6:00 Good Chef Bad Chef [s] 6:00 Easy Eats [s] 6:30 Religious Programs [s] 7:00 Weekend Today [s] 10:00 Today Extra Summer (PG) [s] 7:00 Healthy Homes Australia [s] 7:30 Escape Fishing With ET [s] 12:00 Surfing Australia TV [s] 8:00 My Market Kitchen [s] 12:30 Bondi Lifeguard World 8:30 Pooches At Play [s] Adventures (PG) [s] 9:00 Freshly Picked [s] 1:00 Making Of Ghostbusters 9:30 Studio 10: Saturday [s] Afterlife [s] 12:00 Pat Callinan’s 4x4 1:10 Movie: “Mr Holland’s Opus” Adventures (PG) [s] (PG) (’96) Stars: Richard 1:00 All 4 Adventure [s] Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly 4:00 Taronga: Who’s Who In The 2:00 Destination Dessert [s] 2:30 Three Blue Ducks (PG) [s] Zoo (PG) [s] 3:00 Farm To Fork [s] 5:00 NINE News: First At Five [s] 3:30 Taste Of Australia [s] 5:30 Country House Hunters 4:00 Waltzing Jimeoin (PG) [s] Australia: Dinner Plain [s] 4:30 Roads Less Travelled [s] 6:00 NINE News Saturday [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 6:00 Bondi Rescue (PG) [s] 7:30 Movie: “Jack Ryan: Shadow 7:00 Football: Isuzu Ute A-League Recruit” (M l,v) (’14) Stars: Men: Round 10: Adelaide Kenneth Branagh, Chris Pine United v Melbourne City 9:35 Movie: “The Hunt For Red *Replay* [s] October” (M) (’90) Stars: Sean 10:00 Ambulance UK (PG) [s] Connery, Alec Baldwin 12:15 Movie: “The Beguiled” (M) (’17) 12:30 Home Shopping 5:00 Religious Programs Stars: Nicole Kidman

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

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

Classifications: (G) General, (PG) Parental Guidance, (M) Mature Audiences, (MA15+) Mature Audience Over 15 Years, [s] Subtitles Consumer Advice: (d) drug references, (s) sexual references or sex scenes (h) horror, (l) language, (mp) medical procedures, (n) nudity, (v) violence

SBS (C30)

6:00 1:00 2:05 2:35

Worldwatch PBS Newshour Gourmet Farmer Hunting Egypt’s Lost Treasures: Hunt For The Pyramid Tomb (PG) 3:30 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) 4:00 Jeopardy! (PG) 4:30 Letters And Numbers 5:00 Motor Sports: Dakar Rally 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Britain’s Most Luxurious Hotels (PG) 8:30 A Short History Of Living Longer 9:40 La Fortuna (M d,l) (In Spanish/ English) 10:35 SBS World News 11:05 Gomorrah (MA15+) (In Italian) 12:10 We Are Who We Are (M l) (In English/ Italian) 1:05 24 Hours In Emergency (M) 2:00 Going Places With Ernie Dingo (PG) 6:00 Worldwatch 1:00 PBS Newshour 2:00 Cook Up With Adam Liaw Bitesize 2:05 Gourmet Farmer 2:35 Hunting Egypt’s Lost Treasures: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb (PG) 3:30 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) 4:00 Jeopardy! (PG) 4:30 Letters And Numbers 5:00 Motor Sports: Dakar Rally 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Good With Wood 8:30 Walking Britain’s Roman Roads: Ermine Street (PG) 9:25 Ancient Superstructures: Machu Picchu 10:25 SBS World News 11:00 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 11:50 Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games: Murder On Sale (M) (In French) 5:00 France 24 Feature News 5:15 NHK World English News 5:30 Worldwatch 1:00 PBS Newshour 2:00 Cook Up With Adam Liaw Bitesize 2:05 Football: FIFA World Cup 2022 Magazine 2:35 Going Places With Ernie Dingo (PG) 3:05 London’s Great Bridges 4:55 Motor Sports: Dakar Rally 5:55 Grand Tours Of Scotland’s Lochs: The Forgotten Lands (PG) 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman: North Country Breakout 8:30 World’s Greatest Hotels: Atlantis, Dubai (PG) 9:25 World’s Most Beautiful Railway 10:20 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 11:10 Dublin Murders (M l,v)

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

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PRIME (C61/60)

NINE (C81/80)

6:00 rage (PG) [s] 7:00 Weekend Breakfast [s] 10:00 Offsiders: Summer Edition [s] 10:30 Heywire [s] 11:00 Compass [s] 11:30 Songs Of Praise [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 12:30 Landline Summer [s] 1:00 Finding Alice (M l) [s] 1:45 Mum: April (M l) [s] 2:15 Doc Martin: Faith (PG) [s] 3:05 Aussie Inventions That Changed The World (PG) [s] 4:05 Nigel Slater’s Middle East [s] 5:00 Dream Gardens [s] 5:30 Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat [s] 6:05 Australia Remastered [s] 7:00 ABC News Sunday [s] 7:40 Quoll Farm [s] 8:40 Vera: Home (M) [s] 10:10 Doc Martin (PG) [s] 10:55 Harrow: Pia Mater (M l,n,v) [s] 11:50 McKellen (M l,s) [s] 1:20 Call The Midwife (M) [s] 2:20 rage (MA15+) [s] 3:55 Catalyst [s]

6:00 Home Shopping 7:00 Weekend Sunrise [s] 10:00 The Morning Show Summer Series [s] 12:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Pre Game [s] 1:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 3: Session 1 *Live* From Blundstone Arena [s] 3:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: The Lunch Break [s] 4:10 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 3: Session 2 *Live* From Blundstone Arena 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 3: Session 3 *Live* From Blundstone Arena [s] 9:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: Melbourne Stars v Brisbane Heat *Live* From The MCG [s] 11:20 Criminal Confessions: Cold Justice Confessions (M v) [s] 12:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Easy Eats [s] 7:00 Weekend Today [s] 10:00 Drive TV [s] 10:30 Golf: Jack Newton Celebrity Classic *Live* From Crowne Plaza, Hunter Valley [s] 11:30 The Xtreme CollXtion (PG) [s] 12:00 Ultimate Rush (PG) [s] 12:30 Great Barrier Reef [s] 1:30 Driving Test (PG) [s] 2:00 Movie: “Rocky IV” (M v) (’85) Stars: Sylvester Stallone 4:00 Bondi Vet (PG) [s] 5:00 NINE News: First At Five [s] 5:30 RBT: Mini Moke (PG) [s] 6:00 NINE News Sunday [s] 7:00 60 Minutes (PG) [s] 8:00 David Attenborough’s A Perfect Planet: Making Of Perfect Planet (PG) [s] 9:10 Movie: “High Crimes” (M s,v) (’02) Stars: Ashley Judd 11:30 Chicago Med (M) [s] 12:20 The Bad Seed (M) [s] 1:10 The Xtreme CollXtion (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Religious Programs [s] 5:00 France 24 Feature News 8:00 Toddlers Behaving (Very) 5:15 NHK World English News Badly [s] 5:30 Worldwatch 9:00 Good Chef Bad Chef [s] 10:00 Cycling: Road National 9:30 Studio 10: Sunday (PG) [s] Championships: Women’s Race 12:00 Program To Be Advised *Live* From Buninyong, Victoria 1:30 Everyday Gourmet [s] 12:00 Cycling: Road National 2:00 My Market Kitchen [s] Championships: Studio Show 2:30 Farm To Fork [s] *Live* 3:00 Taste Of Australia [s] 1:00 Cycling: Road National 3:30 Roads Less Travelled [s] Championships: Men’s Race 4:00 All 4 Adventure [s] *Live* From Buninyong, Victoria 5:00 10 News First [s] 5:30 Tony Robinson’s Forgotten 6:30 The Sunday Project (PG) [s] War Stories’ Gulf: A Storm In 7:30 I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out The Desert Of Here (PG) [s] 6:30 SBS World News 9:30 FBI: Grief (M) [s] 7:30 Treasures Of Istanbul (PG) 10:30 FBI: The Lives Of Others (M) [s] 8:30 Pompeii: Sin City (PG) – The son of a prominent (In English/ Italian) mommy blogger is kidnapped, 10:00 Searching For Cleopatra (M) and the FBI must sweep through 11:30 The Great Plague Epidemic her two million followers to find (PG) the culprit. 12:25 24 Hours In Emergency: 11:00 The Sunday Project (PG) [s] Call Of Duty (M) 12:00 Home Shopping 1:20 Going Places With Ernie 4:30 CBS Mornings [s] Dingo: Darwin (PG)

Monday 17 January

6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 10:00 Australia Remastered [s] 11:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 The Cook And The Chef [s] 1:25 Vera (M v) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 4:00 Think Tank (PG) [s] 5:00 Restoration Australia (PG) [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery (PG) [s] 6:30 Summer Drum [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 7.30 [s] 8:00 Back Roads [s] 8:30 The China Century [s] 9:30 The Rise Of The Murdoch Dynasty: Kingmaker (M l) [s] 10:25 Strong Women (M l) [s] 10:55 ABC Late News [s] 11:25 Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds (PG) [s] 12:25 Call The Midwife (M) [s] 3:25 rage (MA15+) [s] 4:55 Summer Drum [s]

6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show Summer Series [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Motorbike Cops (PG) 12:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Pre Game [s] 1:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 4: Session 1 *Live* [s] 3:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: The Lunch Break [s] 4:10 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 4: Session 2 *Live* [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v England: Test 5: Day 4: Session 3 *Live* [s] 9:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Renegades *Live* From The Blundstone Arena [s] 11:30 Fantasy Island: Welcome To The Snow Globe (Part 2) (M) [s] 12:30 Home Shopping

5:30 Today [s] 10:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Pre Show *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] 11:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Day Session *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] 4:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Afternoon Session *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] 6:00 NINE News [s] 7:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Night Session *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] 12:00 New Amsterdam: The Denominator (M) [s] – When Iggy and Kapoor discover a patient might be suffering from lead poisoning, they are forced to take on the city; Max’s unsolicited attempts to help a patient backfire. 1:00 Bondi Lifeguard World Adventures (PG) [s] 1:30 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 (M) [s] 1:00 Program To Be Advised 2:45 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (PG) [s] 9:00 FBI: Most Wanted: Gladiator (M) [s] 10:00 FBI: Most Wanted: Obstruction (M) [s] 11:00 The Project (PG) [s] 12:00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s] 1:00 Home Shopping 4:30 CBS Mornings [s]

6:30 Worldwatch 2:00 Gourmet Farmer 2:30 Scanning The Nile: Lost Cities Of The Delta 3:30 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) 4:00 Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys: Ninilchik To Wasilla (PG) 5:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Britain’s Scenic Railways 8:30 Secret Scotland: Stirling (PG) 9:20 24 Hours In Emergency: Guardian Angels (M) 10:15 SBS World News 10:45 The Crimson Rivers (MA15+) (In French) 11:45 Wisting (M l,v) (In Norwegian/ English) 12:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 1:35 The Kimberley Cruise: The Full Journey

5:30 Today [s] 6:00 Sunrise [s] 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 10:00 Tennis: Australian Open 9:00 The Morning Show [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] Tennis: Pre Show *Live* From 10:00 Nigel Slater’s Middle East [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] Melbourne Park [s] 12:00 Motorbike Cops (PG) 11:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 12:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 11:00 Tennis: Australian Open 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] Tennis: Day Session *Live* England: Pre Game [s] 1:00 The Big Blue [s] From Melbourne Park [s] 1:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 1:50 The Larkins (PG) [s] England: Test 5: Day 5: Session 4:00 Tennis: Australian Open 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] Tennis: Afternoon Session 1 *Live* [s] 4:00 Think Tank (PG) [s] *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] 5:00 Restoration Australia (PG) [s] 3:30 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 6:00 NINE News [s] England: The Lunch Break [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home 4:10 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v 7:00 Tennis: Australian Open Delivery (PG) [s] Tennis: Night Session *Live* England: Test 5: Day 5: Session 6:30 Summer Drum [s] From Melbourne Park [s] 2 *Live* [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 11:00 Tennis: Australian Open 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:30 7.30 (PG) [s] Tennis: Late Night Session 8:00 Anh’s Brush With Fame (M) [s] 7:00 Cricket: The Ashes: Australia v *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] England: Test 5: Day 5: Session 8:30 Old People’s Home For 4 12:00 New Amsterdam: The Karman 3 *Live* [s] Year Olds (PG) [s] Line (M) [s] – When Sharpe has 9:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: 9:30 Griff’s Great Australian Adelaide Strikers v Sydney a case that hits close to home, Rail Trip (PG) [s] Sixers *Live* From The Adelaide she and Max team up to make 10:20 QI: Past Times (PG) [s] Oval [s] things right for the patient; Iggy 10:50 ABC Late News [s] and Bloom are forced to make a 11:00 Born To Kill?: 11:25 Hawke: The Larrikin And tough call on a unique situation. Richard Chase (MA15+) [s] The Leader (MA15+) [s] 1:00 Bondi Lifeguard World 12:20 Movie: “Goldstone” (M l,v) (’16) 12:00 Absentia: Adventures (PG) [s] Me You Him Me (MA15+) [s] (In English/ Mandarin)

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 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (PG) [s] 9:00 NCIS: Docked (M v) [s] – NCIS investigates the death of a man on a cruise ship whose body is discovered in the ship’s sauna. 10:00 NCIS: Los Angeles: A Land Of Wolves (M v) [s] 11:00 The Project (PG) [s] 12:00 The Late Show (PG) [s] 1:00 Home Shopping

5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:00 2:30

6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 10:00 Griff’s Great Australian Rail Trip [s] 11:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 The Cook And The Chef [s] 1:30 Maigret In Montmartre (M) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 4:00 Think Tank (PG) [s] 5:00 Restoration Australia (PG) [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery (PG) [s] 6:30 Summer Drum [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 7.30 (PG) [s] 8:00 Hard Quiz (PG) [s] 8:30 Spicks And Specks (PG) [s] 9:35 Fisk (PG) [s] 10:00 A Very English Scandal (M) [s] 11:00 ABC Late News [s] 11:30 The China Century: Unify The Motherland [s] 12:30 Silent Witness (PG) [s] 2:30 Call The Midwife (PG) [s] 3:30 rage (MA15+) [s]

Sunday 16 January

ABC (C20/21)

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

6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “What A Girl Wants” (PG) (’03) Stars: Colin Firth 2:15 Surveillance Oz - Dashcam (PG) [s] 2:30 Border Security International (PG) [s] 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 4:30 Cricket: Big Bash League: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades *Live* From The Sydney Showground [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades *Live* [s] 7:45 Cricket: Big Bash League: Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes *Live* From The MCG [s] 11:30 Autopsy USA: Chris Cornell (MA15+) [s] 12:30 Home Shopping

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

TEN (C13)

PAGE 17 13 JANUARY 2022

Tuesday 18 January

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Wednesday 19 January

SBS (C30)

France 24 Feature News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour Gourmet Farmer Scanning The Nile: Lost Routes To The Pyramids 3:30 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) 4:00 Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys: Talkeetna To Juneau (PG) 5:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Great Continental Railway Journeys (PG) 8:40 Robson Green - Walking Hadrian’s Wall 9:35 Australia In Colour (PG) 10:35 SBS World News 11:10 Man In Room 301 (M l,s) (In Finnish) 12:05 The Looming Tower (M l,s,v) (In English/ Arabic)

6:00 The Talk [s] 5:30 Today [s] 5:00 France 24 Feature News 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 10:00 Tennis: Australian Open 5:15 NHK World English News Tennis: Pre Show *Live* From 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 5:30 Worldwatch (PG) [s] Melbourne Park [s] 1:00 PBS Newshour 8:00 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 11:00 Tennis: Australian Open 2:00 Gourmet Farmer 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] Tennis: Day Session *Live* 2:30 Scanning The Nile: Looking 1:00 Program To Be Advised From Melbourne Park [s] For The Pharaohs Of Luxor 4:00 Tennis: Australian Open 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:30 The Cook Up With Adam Tennis: Afternoon Session 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Liaw (PG) *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] 4:00 Great Canadian Railroad 6:00 NINE News [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] Journeys: Skagway To 7:00 Tennis: Australian Open 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful Vancouver (PG) Tennis: Night Session *Live* (PG) [s] 5:05 Jeopardy! (PG) From Melbourne Park [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 5:30 Letters And Numbers 11:00 Tennis: Australian Open 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 6:00 Mastermind Tennis: Late Night Session 7:30 I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out 6:30 SBS World News *Live* From Melbourne Park [s] Of Here (PG) [s] 7:30 Great Australian Railway 12:00 New Amsterdam: Righteous 9:00 Bull: Frontotemporal (PG) [s] Journeys: Canberra To Right Hand (M) [s] – When 10:00 Bull: Her Own Two Feet (PG) Melbourne (PG) women who are on a retreat end [s] – Bull helps a famous social 8:40 The Royal House Of Windsor: up in the ED, Max gets some media influencer, take her father Shadow Of A King (PG) troubling information that could to court to overturn his legal 9:35 Departure (M) put a patient in jeopardy. guardianship over her empire. 10:25 SBS World News 1:00 Bondi Lifeguard World 11:00 The Project (PG) [s] 10:55 In Therapy (M l,s) (In French) Adventures (PG) [s] 12:00 The Late Show (PG) [s] 11:55 Witch Hunt (M l,s) 1:30 Home Shopping 1:00 Home Shopping (In Norwegian)

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

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

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

PAGE 18 13 JANUARY 2022

PUZZLES

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Across 1. Pitiless (8) 4. Slope (8) 9. Cure-all (7) 14. Rabid (9) 16. Greek letter (5) 17. Small openings (9) 18. Choose (5) 19. Obstructions (9) 20. Brother or sister (7) 21. Atmosphere (3) 22. Insinuation (8) 24. Small fry (7) 25. Type of hat (6) 29. Announces (8) 31. Lackadaisical (7) 33. Desert plants (5) 36. Unfathomable (7) 37. Mundane (7) 39. Measure of size (9) 40. Improvement (11) 42. Subdivided (11) 45. Heedful (9) 48. Fruit (7) 49. Large rock (7) 50. Throw out (5) 51. Ordinary (7) 53. Teeth (8) 55. Light beams (6)

57. Accumulate (7) 59. Astonishes (8) 63. Hearing organ (3) 64. Obtain (7) 66. Eggplant (9) 68. Become liable to (5) 70. End (9) 71. Scottish landowner (5) 72. Sapient (9) 73. Hates (7) 74. Longing (8) 75. Postponed (8) Down 1. Declination (7) 2. Variety of mandarin orange (9) 3. Svelte (5) 5. Root vegetable (6) 6. Breed of dog (9) 7. Empowered (7) 8. Surpassed (11) 9. Gratify (6) 10. Illustrious (7) 11. Welsh canine (5) 12. Tryst (11) 13. Singing voice (4) 15. Large church building (9)

23. Merit (7) 26. Sentiment (7) 27. Exemplify (10) 28. Fraudulent scheme (4) 30. Light (9) 32. Unforseen (10) 34. Goes on (9) 35. Nemesis (4) 38. Deduct (5) 41. Milliners (7) 43. Keeps back (7) 44. Arrow (4) 45. Increased speed (11) 46. Scintilla (4) 47. Intricately (11) 49. Waving (9) 52. Musical instrument (9) 54. Atificial lake (9) 56. Dried grapes (7) 58. Herbaceous plant (7) 60. Lauded (7) 61. Part of a flower (6) 62. Concealed (6) 65. Unit of weight for precious stones (5) 67. Direction (4) 69. Hoard (5)

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

MISSING LINK

B S K T MISSING LINK Fill in each letter of the alphabet once only. S I E S O A MISSING R V LINK A X Fill in each letter of the alphabet once only. Y C B T E I K N U T K D O O E S I E R T I A UEL NA B IO P UT A E EI T A O S U K E A R AN E I U L A RR E S T H X O O G O A A H O IE E I C E L O V O S T S E OM I N L L L R E A A N T R E N O D E F I IU S E EO O D D N E S U A E NI TG E O ML U D E S E S W F OA NR U A K L A M T D T T C L K P S EE E I E N E R A L ES A SA S E S S E G A DO E S U I Y E B A R S T O T K R O I T O I N S Y S C B P R K U D O S O O Z E S Fill in each letter of the alphabet once only.

Missing Link Solution:

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OUT & ABOUT PAGE 19 13 JANUARY 2022

Residents asked to prepare for rough weather With major storms and bushfires likely to occur in the region in coming months, Central Coast Council is urging residents to start a conversation with their family, friends and neighbours about preparing for seasonal hazards. Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said that being prepared for emergencies can save lives, property and help the community recover quicker from disaster events when they do occur. “This year we’re facing La Niña climate conditions, which means we can expect to see above average rainfall and more severe and more frequent storms,” Hart said. “The Central Coast is a

beautiful place to live, work and holiday, but we must remember bushfires and storms happen every summer in Australia so we must be prepared.” Commissioner of Resilience NSW, Shane Fitzsimmons, said conversations need to be had around being prepared for any emergency. “Our emergency service organisations do an incredible job of keeping us safe, but they can only do so much,” he said. “Being aware and prepared is everyone’s responsibility, whether you’re at home, at work or away on holidays.” Five simple steps are recommended to get ready for whatever the coming months throw at us: know your risk; make a plan; get your home ready; be aware; and look out

for each other. Fitzsimmons said you need first to think about the area you’re in or the location of your holiday destination and the types of disasters that could affect you. You should sit down and talk with your family and plan for what you will do if a disaster affects your area or when you are away on holidays. Prepare your home by doing general home maintenance and checking your insurance coverage. Find out how to prepare, what to do if there is a disaster in your area or while you are away on holidays. Connect with NSW emergency services or keep on top of news reports if travelling so you can stay informed.

Share information with your family, friends, neighbours and those who may need assistance. Community members can download their copy of the Central Coast Get Ready Guide to create a detailed plan to prepare for emergencies. Visit the Central Coast Emergency Dashboard for more information on how you can get ready and to see live updates from lead emergency services for the Central Coast. Central Coast Council is part of Get Ready, a community preparedness program coordinated by Resilience NSW. Source: Media release, Jan 10 Central Coast Council

NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANISATIONS Art & Culture Central Coast Art Society Weekly paint-outs enquiries Tuesday. Phone: 0428 439 180 Workshops: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, at Gosford Regional Gallery & Art Centre. Phone: 0409 666 709 Social Meetings 1.30 pm on 4th Wednesday for demonstration 4325 1420 publicity@artcentralcoast.asn.au

Ettalong Beach Art & Crafts Centre Adult classes in Pottery Watercolours, Oils, Acrylics, Pastels, Silvercraft, Patchwork & Quilting 0412 155 391

lizzy@gosfordcommunity.org.au

Community Groups

ABC “The Friends” Support group for Public

Broadcaster. Aims: Safeguard ABC’s independence, adequate funding, high standards. Meetings through the year + social mornings Well-known guest speakers 0400 213 514

Central Coast Watercolour Society Art society for artists painting in watercolour Workshops, beginners classes and paint outs Details on our website ccwsinc@gmail.com www.centralcoastwatercolour.com.au

www.fabcnsw.org.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

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

Wyoming Community Centre 147 Maidens Brush Rd.Venue Hire (Covid Rules apply)Financial CounsellingCommunity Support and AssistanceNDIS ProviderOut of School Hours CareWork Experience and Student Placements. 43237483 www.gosfordcommunity.org.au

www.ebacc.com.au ebacc.email@gmail.com

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. 4385 5027

Peninsula men’s shed Open Monday - Thursday 8am - 4pm 117 Memorial ave, Ettalong Cnr koolabah. Come along and join us for coffee and biscuits 0411 242 242

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 4341 5984 or 4341 0800 The Krait Club Community Centre - Cooinda Village, Neptune St, Umina 10.30am For seniors. Gentle exercises, quizzes, games, social activities, guest speakers, entertainment and bus trips - 4344 3277 Volunteering Central Coast Refers potential volunteers to community orgs. Supports both volunteers and community orgs. Training for volunteers & their managers.

4329 7122

recruit@volcc.org.au

Wagstaffe to Killcare Community Protect and preserve the environment & residential nature of the Bouddi Peninsula and to strengthen community bonds 2nd Mon, 7.30pm Wagstaffe Hall 4360 2945

Grow Mental Health Support Small friendly groups formed to learn how to overcome anxiety, depression and loneliness and improve mental health and well being. 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

Woy Woy Stroke Recovery Club Everglades Country Club 2nd Tues 11am 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

Troubadour Central Coast Folk, Traditional & Acoustic Music and Spoken Word Concerts, Ukulele meets, and Sessions 4342 6716 troubadourfolkclub@gmail.com

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

Special Interest Peninsula Environment Group Environmental projects, (incl. Woytopia), 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.

Australian Labor Party Political discussions, national, Central Coast Asbestos centralcoastveterans@bigpond.com. state and local government Diseases Support Peninsula Village issues Women’s Groups Group Wellness Centre Blackwall Girl Guides Support for those suffering Offering holistic and Peninsula Day Branch Girl Guides meets near you! with asbestos diseases and complementary therapies 1pm 2nd Mon Blackwall Girl Guides Unit others interested in asbestos including aromatherapy, CWA Hall Woy Woy For girls 7-13 years old issues. You are not alone, massage and music therapy 4341 9946 info@wagstaffetokillcare.org.au Mondays 5:30 – 7:30pm meet with others who can 4344 9199 Service Groups Blackwall Guide Hall, 120 share their experiences. Bring Memorial Ave, Ettalong Beach a family member or friend. Entertainment Lions Club of Woy Woy Peninsula Village Meals (Cnr Lurline) 1pm at Ourimbah RSL on Everglades Country Club Delivered daily to your door LEARN TO DANCE 0414 863 183 fourth Wed of each month. 3rd Monday of each month blackwallgirlguides@gmail.com Social ballroom dancing for all Nutritious, great for the elderly Maree 0419 418 190 Make new friends and ages, all you need is a desire 4344 9199 have fun while serving your Music to learn and dance, Country Women’s community. no partner required. Association Woy Woy Peninsula Village Coastal a Cappella 0478 959 895 meet every Wed at Tuggerah Carer’s Support Group 30 The Boulevarde, Woy Woy Award winning women’s a community hall, 2:00pm Craft & Friendship: 1st, 2nd, & For carers of loved ones with cappella chorus. Rotary Clubs Anne - 0409 938 345 3rd Wed 9AM dementia - 1st Wed - 10 to Music education provided. International service club anneglazier@y7mail.com Meetings: 4th Wed 9.30 11.30am Rehearsals Tuesday 7pm @ improves lives of communities Ph: 0411 434785 Health Groups Red Tree Theatre Tuggerah. Paula 4344 9199 in Aust. & o/seas. Fun-filled woywoycwa@gmail.com Performance opportunities. activities, fellowship and Alcoholics Anonymous Hire us for your next event. Prostate Cancer friendship. - Someone cares. 0412 948 450 Peninsula Women’s Support Group Rotary Club of Woy Woy Wed-Thurs-Fri - 12.30pm, coastalacappella@gmail.com Health Centre Tues 6pm Everglades (Gosford) Progress Hall Henry Parry & Counselling, therapeutic and Country Club. Last Fri, Terrigal Uniting Wells Street East Gosford social groups, workshops, Don Tee 0428 438 535 Church, 380 Terrigal Drive, domestic violence and abuse Terrigal issues. All services by women 9.30am to 12 noon for women 4367 9600 4342 5905 www.pcfa.org.au 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.

PAGE 20 13 JANUARY 2022

OUT & ABOUT

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DOWN IN THE GARDEN Office Plants that Thrive pebbles that are kept moist. Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) does need bright light, but it can live happily in cooler temperatures and as a bonus, it can stay alive for weeks without watering. Jade Plant brings luck and financial gains. Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginate) is a ‘false palm’ meaning it looks like a palm but is not one and this leaves us with the palm feel but a plant that can tolerate cooler spaces. This plant will help heal relationships. Desk Mates CHERALYN DARCEY

Planning on a home office for 2022? Going back to work soon and want to take a green friend with you? Indoor plants can make us healthy, happy, calm, more focused and breathe a little easier, science has proved it, but can you plonk any old plant anywhere? The secret is, there is no such thing as an ‘indoor’ plant, just ones that usually live in the understories of forests and jungles, the shadier side of life on rocky outcrops, caves and cliffs and ones who are simply good at adaptation. While you must ensure that your indoor environment matches your plant’s needs to thrive there are also meanings and energies that many cultures across the world attribute to plants. Here are some of my suggestions for plants that will not only match your workspace but will bring with them some interesting and helpful energies. Almost indestructible These are the tough guys of the plant world, but you can also use selfwatering pots and devices to do the work for you and slow-release fertilisers if you want to try other plants. Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) is almost indestructible. It adapts, half dies and revives but if you treat it nicely this plant will love

you back. It is said that this plant brings good work ethics and increases productivity. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) can handle just about whatever you can dish up and still look amazing. Low light is also no problem for this stunner either. Said to increase security and smooth negotiations. An honourable mention goes to Spider Plant because while not as tough as most, they are easy to grow. Spider Plants (Chlorophytum colosum) are enjoying a big comeback from their 1970s heyday and why not? They are also very easy to propagate from their ‘jumping spiders’. It is said they boost mindfulness. Low light lovers You will need to find plants that can survive and hopefully thrive in these low light conditions or place a few strategic grow lights over them. Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum) will grow in filtered light to shade and can handle the top few centimetres drying out. In the Language of Plants, they are thought to build prosperity and block unwanted visitors. Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) is a shady lady as well and only needs watering once a week.

GARDEN BOOK REVIEW When did our modern obsession with houseplants begin? They also feature in mass produced artworks, textiles, and designs.

The Hidden Houseplants

Histories

By Maddie & Alice Bailey, Hardie Grant London, 2021 ISBN: 9781784884055

Each of our indoor friends has a fascinating back-story and often connections with fashion, culture, and even politics. Maddie and Alice have written a gorgeously illustrated book full of the tales and histories of many of our beloved indoor green friends. Daughters of highly respected horticulturalist and author Fran Bailey, they also run the destination plant stores ‘Forest London’ and I think they have done their heritage proud with this title. It is a fresh, fascinating, and beautiful plant book for all.

Thought to help stimulate new ideas and encourage communication. Radiator Plant (Peperomia spp.) suits a desk but will tolerate a bit of shade. They are very easy to grow with a huge number of beautiful varieties available. This plant brings with it the ability to see the facts and truth. High light lovers Care needs to be taken if you have a lot of light and placement of your plants. Do not sit them on windowsills or next to window if they don’t open as it will be akin to sticking it in an oven. Move the plants into the middle of rooms. Light loving plants: Swiss Cheese Vine (Monstera obliqua) likes to be in the light and makes a lovely desk plant on a trellis or even left to run along surfaces. Can help boost opportunities and helps others see your point of view. Wax Plant (Hoya spp.) can be trained to climb up or along a support or left to cascade over an edge. They also do not need much water, preferring things on the dry side. This plant brings with it protection and prosperity. We like it hot Beware, all the ways you try to cool yourself will not be taken as well by the plants but if the area is hot, try these. Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) prefers things on the warmer side and humid side so make such you mist, mist mist! In winter they can survive with a drink every few weeks. They boost interest and help those learning. Succulents and Cacti are both warmth lovers and enjoy light so don’t keep these babies in the corner. Don’t overwater as this is the usual cause of death. With various meanings, most will bring longevity and ingenuity. We like it cool Chilled environments also usually have dry air. If your workspace is just a touch on the cooler side, then you can try standing pots on trays filled with

I’ve had a few accidents with water and plants on my desks so while you can forgo flowers and plants around electronics and paperwork all together, these two can work well with you. Painted-leaf Begonia (Begonia rex) are great substitutes for flowers with their pretty colours, but they will need to be watered with rain or distilled water. These plants boost creative thinking and set a firm boundary. Air Plants (Tillandsia spp.) are the perfect desk mates because there are no pots of dirt or saucers of water to tip onto your electronics. They do need good airflow, just like you!They bring calm and peacefulness.

GARDENING GUIDE FOR COAST GARDENERS THIS WEEK You can plant the following now: Culinary herbs, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cape gooseberry, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, chilli, choko, cress, cucumber, eggplant, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, okra, parsnip, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb, rocket, salsify, silverbeet, spring onion, sweetcorn, squash, tomato, ageratum, alyssum, amaranths, aster, begonia, California poppy, celosia, cockscomb, coleus, cosmos, cyclamen, gazania, gerbera, marigold, nasturtium, petunia, phlox, portulaca, rudbeckia, salvia, snapdragon, sunflower, torenia, verbena, vinca, Viscaria, waratah, zinnia Next Week: Technology for Gardeners Cheralyn Darcey is a gardening author, community garden coordinator and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 10am live every Saturday on CoastFM963. She is also co-host of @ MostlyAboutPlants a weekly botanical history & gardening podcast with Victoria White. Send your gardening questions, events, and news to: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com

YOU AND YOUR GARDEN Can I Plant my Christmas Poinsettia? Crystal from Woy Woy

Hi Cheralyn, I’ve heard that you can plant a poinsettia in the garden. Is that right and if so, what do I need to do? Hi Crystal, if you go down to the garden centres today, you will find a very reasonably priced plant that will turn into a rather lovely shrub that provides a burst of winter colour every year in your garden. You also may have been given or purchased a poinsettia already this Christmas and they can most certainly grow in your garden. Find a sheltered, sunny spot, but they will tolerate part shade. Dig over the soil and improve with some well-rotted cow manure or commercial soil improver about two weeks before you plan to plant. Take the poinsettia out of the pot and gently tease out the roots. Don’t remove all the soil from the root ball. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root

ball and the same depth as it. Place into the hole and then backfill, pressing down soil around the plant and water deeply. Make sure you surround with an organic mulch and keep at least 6cm from the base of the plant. Feed with a manure or weed tea or commercial liquid feed every fortnight. Your poinsettia flowers are the tiny cream-coloured blooms surrounded by bright red, but sometimes white or pink, bracts (modified leaves). This show of colour occurs naturally in winter and to make this happen in Australia for the popular Christmas potted plants they are placed in cold and dark green houses. Poinsettias are prone to aphids and thrips so a pyrethrum spray will help if you notice them. Prune back dead or dying branches in late winter to about 10cm and leave a few leaves on the stem to encourage new growth.

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BUSINESS & PROPERTY

PAGE 21 13 JANUARY 2022

Business & Property Mixed tenancy model has a strong future

From Left, Adrian Harrington (NHFIC Chair), Ian Lynch (Pacific Link Housing CEO), Mark Glew (Pacific Link Housing Executive Manager, Property Development), Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks and Wal Edgell (Pacific Link Housing Chairman) at the opening of the Adira development

Last year was a big one for Pacific Link Housing, with the completion of a major affordable housing project on the Central Coast and a number of award wins. The social housing provider celebrated the completion of the Adira Development at Woy Woy in December, providing housing security for older women who are facing the ongoing rental affordability and availability crisis. The 12-unit mixed-tenancy complex includes a combination of social, affordable and private market rentals, specifically designed to be safe and secure for older women. One of the new residents, Kay, moved into the apartments before Christmas and said it

was a blessing to have a safe home after being through a difficult time in her previous, sub-standard, private market tenancy. “I believe that everybody deserves a safe and secure home that is affordable and relevant to their circumstances, and I have found mine here at Adira,” she said. “I am so grateful to the wonderful staff at Pacific Link Housing for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful property where I feel safe and secure.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, were on hand for the official opening of the complex. While on the Coast, the PM announced an increase to the

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131-133 Donnison Street Gosford brazelmoorelawyers.com.au

National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation’s (NHFIC) lending cap by $500M. Wicks said the move would create even more opportunities for community housing providers such as Pacific Link Housing, which has received more than $11M in low-cost financing from NHFIC. “I am pleased their latest development in Woy Woy will focus especially on getting older women into housing,” she said. The Adira development attracted a $1.6M contribution through the NSW Government’s Community Housing Innovation Fund, which cemented the allocation of six units to women eligible for social housing. The remaining units are a mix

of affordable housing and private market rate rentals which were fully leased within a week of obtaining practical completion from the builders, Mars Building. Pacific Link Housing’s social enterprise Real Estate Agency, Key2 Realty, had a huge response in leasing the rentals, with a one-bedroom unit receiving 75 applications and 1,896 views on realestate. com. Pacific Link Housing Chairman Wal Edgell said the mixed tenancy model has proven successful in other projects completed by the organisation. “The building’s name Adira is adopted from Hebrew meaning strong and powerful,” he said. “It is a message to residents

that Pacific Link Housing is here to support them on their journey to build capacity and create improved opportunities for their future.” Pacific Link Housing also recently celebrated several award wins including a prestigious award for a mixed tenancy development recently completed. The Property Council of Australia’s Innovation & Excellence Award for the best National Affordable Housing Development was received for Pacific Gateway, a 21-unit mixed tenancy complex built and owned by Pacific Link Housing in Glendale, Lake Macquarie. CEO Ian Lynch said receiving the award demonstrated the

company is delivering quality, mixed tenancy developments, that are recognised at a national level. Three more award wins were celebrated by Pacific Link Housing including the Australasian Housing Institute’s Response to COVID-19 NSW Award and Executive Excellence NSW Award for CEO, Ian Lynch. The PowerHousing Australia National Awards also recognised the efforts of Pacific Link Housing’s Together Home Program Manager, Nicole Harvey, who was runner up in the Outstanding Achievement category. Source: Media release, Jan 11 Pacific Link Housing

Wills & Estates At Brazel Moore Lawyers, we understand how sensitive Estate and Will matters can be.

Our experienced team can assist you with a wide range of services from the drafting of simple wills, to complex estate planning, including Testamentary Trusts and Powers of Attorney. Our service is tailor made to your needs, drawing on years’ of experience in the production of highly effective documents and the administrative management of estates.

PAGE 22 13 JANUARY 2022

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Brought to you by moneymag.com.au

CREATING FINANCIAL FREEDOM

More than 1 million Aussies to receive higher benefits in new year WITH

Julia NEWBOULD Managing Editor • Money magazine

Young people living away from home as well as carers who support frail aged people or disabled people or those with a medical condition will be receiving higher benefits from January 1 this year. So too will students either living at home or away from home. More than 1 million Australians on different government allowances will receive more money. The payments are in line with a 3.5% indexation rate, the highest rate since 2012. The rate of Youth Allowance for young people living away from home will increase by $17.90, from $512.50 to $537.40 per fortnight. For those aged 18 or over living at home, it will increase by $12.40, from $354.60 to $367.00 per fortnight. Singles with children will receive $23 more, lifting the rate from $656 to $679 per fortnight.

For those on a special rate of Youth Allowance who are over 22 years old, singles living away from home will have $21.40 more, increasing the fortnightly payment from $611.90 to $633.30. The qualifying threshold of the income limits of parents for students to qualify for Youth Allowance also increases by $511 per annum up to $56,137. Austudy for students will increase by $17.90, from $512.50 to $530.40 per fortnight. For singles with children, the rate will increase from $656 by $23 to $679 per fortnight. Students are allowed to earn $15 more per fortnight up to $452 to qualify for full Austudy payments. Carer Allowances to support people who care for someone with a disability, medical condition, or a frail aged person will increase from $131.90 by $4.60 to $136.50 per fortnight. Also benefit payments for the

assistance of isolated children, the youth disability support pension, mobility allowance, double orphan pension and additional child amounts paid under some social security agreements, will also increase by 3.5%. A full list of new rates and thresholds is available online. Changes to Child Care Subsidy (CCS) have been brought forward and around 250,000 families will be approximately $2200 a year better off from March 7 this year. Families with two or more children aged five years and under in care will have their CCS

rate increased by 30% for their second child and any younger children, up to a maximum rate of 95%. More than half of eligible families will receive the maximum 95% subsidy. A family earning $110,000 a year with two kids in care, four days a week, will be better off by around $100 each week. The $10,655 annual CCS cap was scrapped on 10 December last year and applied retrospectively for the whole 2021-22 financial year. Anyone who reaches the cap before this date will have any additional out-of-pocket costs

for the 2021-22 financial year reimbursed. Women leaving a violent relationship are able to access a one-off Escaping Violence Payment (EVP) of up to $5000 to help set themselves up. The payment comes in the form of $1500 in cash and the remainder in goods and services or direct payments of rental bonds, removalists, school fees and other support to establish a safe home. Violence includes physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, psychological or economic abuse. You may qualify if you are the intimate partner who is

experiencing violence, or who has experienced violence and has recently left the relationship for safety reasons and you are struggling with finances. The EVP was introduced at the end of October last year and runs for a trial period of two years. It is being run through Uniting as well as eight other organisations around Australia such as the Wesley Mission. Call 1800 RESPECT or 1800 737 732 if you are experiencing family violence and need immediate support or advice and you will be helped with information about the $5000 payment. SUSAN HELY

The money tips that Money readers are acting on this year Most of us know what we should be doing with our money, but actually doing it is another matter. We asked our readers to share the money tips they’ll finally be acting on in 2022.

Here’s what 10 readers had to say.

5 $10PO.S9 G TA E FREE

1. Boosting my savings by selling unwanted and unused goods around the house. I’m finally going to act on it! – Raelene 2. To stop wasting money on stuff and to stick to a budget so I don’t have to fret over money in my retirement. – Joshua

3. Time to start salary sacrificing into super after a pause to buy the family home. Automation, baby! – Joshua 4. I’m researching an area to buy an investment property and doing due diligence and next year I’m committed to finally buying! – Andrew

5. Source more secondhand items, and reuse , repair or upcycle what I can. Be more concious regarding buying things I really don’t need. – Melissa. 6. I’m going to forgo my weekly lotto ticket and daily bought coffee, and put that $40 into super as salary sacrifice. – Jason

7. I’m going to pay myself first. – Kim 8. Making a superannuation contribution and claiming it back on tax! Small win in the short term while investing long term too! – Alexandra 9. Invest in the stockmarket

regularly! Because it’s about time in the market, not timing the market. I’ll be dollar-cost -averaging fortnightly. – Nena 10. I’ll be asking my HR/payroll to pay extra amounts into my super before I get paid. That way, I won’t miss it. – Kim SUSAN HELY

magazine’s bumper Best of the Best issue is out now! Visit moneymag.com.au and click Best of the Best

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BUSINESS & PROPERTY

PAGE 23 13 JANUARY 2022

Macleay rezoning “would not impact Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland” A Planning Proposal to rezone the western part of the lot at 18 Macleay Avenue, Woy Woy, has received a Gateway Determination by NSW Planning so Council’s consultations with government agencies will be underway with public consultation to follow. The proposal would see part of the lot rezoned from RE1 Public Recreation to R1 General Residential under Gosford LEP 2014 or the Central Coast LEP, whichever is in effect at the time. The site adjoins other land zoned R1 and developed for medium density housing, according to the NSW Government’s Planning Portal. The eastern part of the site will remain zoned RE1 and be dedicated to Council via a Planning Agreement. There are now 13 documents live on the NSW Planning Portal in relation to this planning proposal (which we reported on last July when Central Coast Council determined to send it to NSW Planning for approval). The documents include a letter from Ian Lynch, CEO of Pacific Link Housing to Central Coast Council formally agreeing to offer at nil cost to Central Coast Council the eastern

From the Umina Coastal Sandplain Assessment Report for Macleay Avenue, Woy Woy

portion of the lot to be retained as RE1 zoned land. The letter also stated that Pacific Link Housing Limited accept ownership from Central Coast Council of the two 1.37m wide footpaths located on the northern and southern boundaries of the lot to be incorporated into the R1 General Residential zoned land. A heritage impact assessment report on the portal said that no Aboriginal sites or potential

archaeological deposits were located when the site was surveyed in September 2020. In an assessment report related to the presence of endangered Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland (UCSW), the consultant, Conarcher, wrote that it had prepared a previous Flora and Fauna Assessment Report in 2019-20 but Central Coast Council requested a revised Test of Significance for the UCSW Endangered Ecological

Community. “Council has instructed that the revised Test of Significance is to restrict the extent of local occurrence of the EEC to the study area considered by Council to be the vicinity of Hillview and Railway Streets. “The UCSW in the Sydney Basin Bioregion is an endangered ecological community listed in Schedule 2 (Part 2) of the BC Act and occupies approximately 0.26

ha of the subject site,” the revised assessment said. “In relation to the patch of UCSW present within the site and the immediate areas of Hillview and Railway Streets, the area of the UCSW covers approximately 6.3 ha. “If development proceeds the remaining area of the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland in this patch will total 6.11 ha following the removal or modification of 0.19 ha of Umina

Coastal Sandplain Woodland within the subject site. “The removal or modification of 0.19 ha of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland is equivalent to three per cent of the local patch area (6.3 ha) of this vegetation type. “There are no other land development proposals adjoining the patch area which will require removal or modification of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland. “The extent of the adjoining patch of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland will continue to be viable as the largest patch of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland in the Woy Woy/Umina area and is not likely to be placed at risk of extinction by the proposed development. “The proposed removal or modification of 3 per cent of the patch area (97 per cent retained) is not likely to have an adverse effect on the extent of the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland EEC, such that its local occurrence is likely to be placed at risk of extinction.” CCN has asked the Planning Department to confirm when the planning proposal will be exhibited for public comment. Jackie Pearson

Rebates available for al fresco dining Local hospitality businesses still have time to register for the NSW Government’s $5000 Alfresco Restart Rebate announced late in 2021. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the funding would provide thousands of businesses with the opportunity to grow and expand.

“NSW is the best place to be during summer and we want more businesses to take advantage of our desirable, sunny weather,” Perrottet said. “Whether you’re … a restaurant in a regional community or a pub on the coast, this is about providing businesses with more choice and convenience.”

Up to 5000 small and medium-sized businesses which are opening or expanding alfresco dining areas may be eligible for the rebate. “We know being outside is the safest way to enjoy ourselves during the pandemic, and this rebate will make it easier for businesses to embrace everything outdoor dining has to offer.

“The $25.5M program will see the dreams of business owners of turning their courtyard into a café or expanding to serve a summer curbside chardonnay into a reality. “Applying for the rebate can be done online and once the registration has been approved, businesses will be able to claim it through their Business Profile

from late February.” The funding was part of the NSW Government’s $66 million Alfresco Restart Package. Businesses are encouraged to get onboard as soon as possible as the $5000 rebate is capped to the first 5000 successful applicants. Hospitality businesses will be able to claim eligible expenses

incurred from October 14 2021 to April 30 2022. Claims must be made by 30 April 2022. For more information on the Alfresco Restart Rebate visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/ projects/outdoor-dining Source: Media release, Dec 23 NSW Government

PAGE 24 13 JANUARY 2022

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BUSINESS & PROPERTY

PAGE 25 13 JANUARY 2022

Regenerative design expert to speak at Pearl Beach The Pearl Beach Environment Group will host Architect Caroline Pidcock to give a talk about Regenerative Design and Development at Pearl Beach Hall on Friday, January 28. Regenerative design is a whole systems approach to design. The term “regenerative” describes processes that restore, renew or revitalise their own sources of energy and materials. It encourages communities to support and create positive relationships that will benefit society and environments by evolving and adapting to changing circumstances. The Pearl Beach Environment Group seeks to “protect and enhance the environment and encourage nature conservation within the village of Pearl Beach”. PBEG take the definition of ‘environment’ in its broadest sense which includes both the ‘built’ and the ‘natural’ environment; and the

environmental and ecological ‘setting’ of Pearl Beach. Caroline Pidcock is passionate about the importance of architecture, biophilia and regenerative design, and how they can contribute to a “culturally rich, socially just and ecologically restorative” future. Her practice – Pidcock – has been inspired by the possibilities of creating beautiful places that demonstrate how the many issues that are fundamental to sustainability can be potent and profound influences. Her genuine interest and experience in sustainable built environments has been developed and enhanced through her involvement in a diverse range of professional, academic and community commitments. In 2018 Caroline transitioned her practice (after 26 years) to another way of working, so that she can focus on how to strategically accelerate the uptake of regenerative ideas.

She combines her work as sustainability guide with roles on a number of professional and community environment groups, advisory panels and teaching/ talking. In 2021, Caroline was jointly awarded the National AIA 2021 Leadership in Sustainability Award and in 2019 the AIA NSW President’s Award. In 2014, Caroline was recognised by the International Living Future Institute as a Living Building Hero and in 2011 was awarded the Marian Mahony Griffin Award in recognition of her contribution to architecture in NSW. In 2009, Caroline was awarded a Byera Hadley Scholarship to study “The Architecture of (Net) Zero Emissions Housing”. Numbers are limited to ensure the event is COVID-safe so RSVP is essential via pearlbeach environmentgroup@gmail. com. Jackie Pearson

Caroline Pidcock

Land tax relief extended Applications for land tax relief will be extended until February 28 to give eligible commercial and residential landowners more time to access the program. NSW Minister for Finance Damien Tudehope said the land tax relief was designed to make it easier for landowners who supported their tenants during a challenging year.

“Extending the deadline for landowners to access land tax relief will give people more time to get the necessary documents together and access any help they may need to complete an application,” Tudehope said. “Many renters, commercial and residential, had a financially tough 2021 with reduced turnover or work hours due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

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“We heard from landowners that they wanted to help their tenants, but they also have bills to pay. Providing land tax relief enabled them to work with their tenants to offer rent reductions and to alleviate some of the cost-burden during restrictions. “In response, the NSW Government is helping commercial or residential landowners who have reduced

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their tenants’ rent, between July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021.” NSW landowners may be eligible to receive a reduction of up to 100 per cent of their land tax payable for the 2021 land tax year if they provided a reduction in rent to a tenant between July 1 and December 31. This package follows a similar program run for the 2020 land

tax year. Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said the Government was always committed to assisting those in need. “We know this program has previously helped to keep businesses in business, people in jobs, and roofs over heads,” Petinos said. “That’s why we are extending this package to ensure

Phone 4344 2599

landlords can continue to provide relief to small businesses and residents while we get through this challenging period.” To be eligible for land tax relief, a landowner must be leasing to a commercial tenant who has a turnover up to $50M and has been deemed eligible for NSW Government COVID-19 support grants or a residential tenant who has lost 25 per cent or more of household income due to COVID-19.   The landowner must have reduced rent for the affected tenant for any period between July 1 and December 31, without any requirement for it to be paid back. Landlords can also access the Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund, which provides small commercial or retail landlords with a monthly grant up to the value of any rental relief provided, to a maximum of $3,000 per month per property. To be eligible, a landlord cannot claim land tax relief for rent reductions provided to tenants between July 1 and December 31. Applications for the Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund close March 31. Source: Media release, Jan 4 NSW Government

PAGE 26 13 JANUARY 2022

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Fun 4X4 day to support prostate cancer awareness Two Central Coast brothers are getting into gear for a major fundraiser to be held on January 15 to support the work of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). Logan Grattan, 19, and his brother Ronan Grattan, 17, are inviting 4X4 enthusiasts to join them for a day of driving, food and fun in support of the cause. The brothers were inspired to give back after their uncle, Mike Berton, passed away from advanced prostate cancer last year at the age of 53. “We want to honour Uncle Mike and start a conversation about men’s health in the hope it saves even one family from going through what our family has,” Logan said. “Considering each of the guys involved in the event will have a male figure in their life, this conversation and awareness could potentially save a life.” Ronan said Mike had loved four-wheel-driving so the event was a no-brainer. “Through 4X4 we’ve found a community of people who would never drive past someone that needed a hand without stopping to help,” he said. “This is what this fundraiser is all about – helping out where we can. “We couldn’t have done this without the help and support of our Aunty Jen, Mike’s wife, who

Logan and Ronan Grattan

has helped us get this off the ground.” Jen Berton, who also lives locally, said she couldn’t be prouder of her nephews. “Mike was a fit, healthy and active man,” she said. “He had no family history of prostate cancer, and it was

never on the radar. “But after being tested at 51 they found a high PSA level (with further investigations showing) an aggressive form of prostate cancer. “Twenty-two months later he passed away at just 53 – leaving behind his family and

5@5

friends. “I don’t want any other family to go through what we have so I am proud of Logan and Ronan for thinking up a way to raise awareness of prostate cancer. “I know that their Uncle Mike would be so proud of them.” PCFA CEO Anne Savage

commended the brothers for their commitment to helping locals impacted by prostate cancer. “Logan and Ronan are an inspiration to us all – taking up the challenge to make a difference in their local community and raise vital

funds for the cause,” Savage said. “Their support will help us fund new research and support services to ensure that every man diagnosed with prostate cancer has the best chance of successfully treating this disease. “Every 30 minutes one of our fathers or sons will hear the news that he has prostate cancer. “Alarmingly, it remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian men. “Across the Central Coast alone over 3,400 men are living with prostate cancer, with an additional 300 men newly diagnosed each year. “Together, with the help of community champions, we can continue to strive for a future free from prostate cancer.” The event on January 15 will take place from10am to 3pm at Watagans National Park. Drivers are asked to meet at Pines Picnic Area at 10am (entry through Martinsville Rd then onto Watagans Forrest Road, Onley). Those interested in attending can RSVP via Facebook. Donations can be made at pcfa.org.au/ fundraisers/jenberton. For prostate cancer information and support, call PCFA on 1800 22 00 99. Terry Collins

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Reid calls for better supply of rapid tests

Residents line up for rapid antigen tests at Point Clare Pharmacy on January 6

COVID-19 concerns dominated the Central Coast over the ChristmasNew Year holiday period, with residents queueing for many hours at testing clinics and a drastic shortage of homeadministered Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs). As many residents reported lining up for five hours or more at testing clinics, some only to be turned away after the lengthy wait, the Federal Government announced changes on January 6 to encourage more use of RATs in an attempt to free up clinic queues. It announced up to 10 Rapid

Antigen Tests would be provided over three months to various concession card holders at pharmacies and said only those with symptoms or who are close contacts should line up for a clinic test. A massive supply of RATs is also expected to arrive on the Coast in the next week for purchase by the general community. Those who test positive on a RAT no longer need to confirm with a clinic test and residents have been made more responsible for their own isolation periods. The only problem is that even as we went to press, a huge shortage of RATs on the Coast has left many stranded with no

means of self-testing. Labor Candidate for the seat of Robertson, Dr. Gordon Reid, last week called on the Federal Government to ensure the Coast community has access to free RATs as a matter of urgency. “The Australian Medical Association, our medical professionals and our health workers have been calling for increased testing capacity and availability for months,” Reid said. “Once again, this government is not prepared.” Reid said with RATs in short supply, he had heard reports of residents parking their cars at Central Coast clinics overnight

in an attempt to secure a PCR test. “People are wanting to do the right thing and are genuinely trying,” he said. “However, with the inability to access or afford RATs, the inconceivable wait times for PCR tests and the unexpected closure of PCR testing sites, our community is feeling abandoned and vulnerable.” Reid said small businesses are short-staffed with enforced isolation absences and medical and testing staff are under severe strain. Meanwhile the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is calling for more RAT stocks for general

practices and high risk locations such as aged care facilities. “We must do everything possible to ensure that anyone can access a Rapid Antigen Test when they need one,” RACGP President, Dr Karen Price, said. Catholic Health Australia (CHA) says RAT tests should be free for all Australians. CHA Chief Executive Pat Garcia said subsidising RATs only for those already receiving government payments is flawed. “Fully funding COVID-19 testing, as governments have done since the start of the pandemic, is a very cost-

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effective way to help manage the enormous public health challenge COVID-19 presents,” Garcia said. “It is untenable to ask Australians to exercise personal responsibility for managing the risk of COVID-19 without ensuring they have the tools to do so.” The call has been seconded by the National Council of the St Vincent de Paul Society. National President, Claire Victory, said access to supply and cost are major issues for the Society with vulnerable people at increased risk of contracting COVID. Terry Collins

PAGE 28 13 JANUARY 2022

EDUCATION & SCIENCE

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Just hanging around

Woy Woy South’s year 6 students from 2021 enjoyed a day at the Treetops Adventure Park

Woy Woy South Public School’s 2021 year 6 cohort finished off their

time at primary school with an adventurous day at the Tree Tops in Ourimbah

State Forest. Students and staff described the day as “awesome”.

Not only will the students at Woy Woy Public School be back in the classroom on February 1 but they will also be hitting the swimming pool.

With just two weeks to go until school resumes, Central Coast parents might be looking for something to keep the kids occupied.

The school’s swimming carnival is on the first day back. The carnival is planned to be held at the Peninsula Leisure Centre from 9:15am to around 2pm. 2022 Swimming Championships Notes for the annual swimming

registered participants two days before the program begins along with a preprogram activity. Secure your place in one of these sessions: Animal Health, Monday, January 24 at 2pm; Animal Training, Monday, January 17, at 2pm; Animal Rescue, Monday, January17, at 10am and Thursday, January 20, at 2pm; RSPCA Shelter Tour, Thursday, January 20, at 10am; Pet Care, Tuesday, January 18, at 2pm and Monday, Janwuary 24 at 10am;

“All with smiles on our faces and lots of encouragement from our friends.”

Source: Social media, Jan 12 Woy Woy South Public School

Back in the swim of things

Animal fun for last weeks of holiday

Th RSPCA NSW’s School Holiday Program, back in virtual form, could be the answer with its fun, animalcentred activities. Due to the ongoing risks associated with COVID-19, RSPCA NSW is offering eight different programs that children can participate in from the comfort of home. Topics include animal rescue, animal health, animal training, shelter tours, pet care, and trivia. “Our virtual School Holiday Programs are a great way to meet the experts, participate in animal activities and learn how to care for our furry friends,” RSPCA NSW Education Officer, Sarah Nagle, said All virtual programs will be hosted on Zoom. The link will be emailed to

“We climbed high and conquered our fears,” they said.

Guinea pig adventures with RSPCA VIC, Wednesday, January 19, at 10am. One-hour programs are $10 plus booking fees per participant and the two-hour programs are $20 plus booking fees per participant; bookings are essential at https://www. rspcansw.org.au/what-we-do/ education/school-holidayprogram/. Source: Media release, Jan 13 RSPCA NSW

Newspapers

championships went home before the end of the 2021 school year to all eligible students in years 2-6. As this event happens on the first day of the 2022 school year parents were asked to return and pay the $7 pool entry fee by year’s end. Department of Education advice late last year was that the school should plan for the event to go ahead. The pool is expected to be open to the general public but the area

surrounding the 50 metre pool is deemed to be a Department of Education site for the duration of the championships. The Championships are a compulsory event for all students in years 3 to 6. Students in Year 2 who are turning eight this year and can swim 50 metres competently may also attend. Source: Social media, Jan 12 Woy Woy Public School

Getting ready to return to school Ettalong Public School has issued its families with a few practical reminders for the start of the school year. Students in years 1 through 6 (including support classes) return to school on Tuesday, February 1. Kindergarten 2022 students will commence school at their allocated staggered start time on Thursday, February 3. Kinder students will come to school for their Best Start Assessment time on either

February 1 or 2. Ettalong PS has also encouraged families to make the most of the January sales and published a list of the stationery items required for 2022 on its facebook page. All items for students in K-2 and support classes are supplied by the school apart from glue sticks. According to the Ettalong PS list, items that may be needed for students in Years 3-6 include a pencil case, HB

pencils, Red pens (not felt tip), Blue pens (not felt tip), Highlighters (set of 6 colours), 30cm ruler, eraser, sharpener, scissors, glue stick (not liquid), and coloured pencils &/or textas. Teachers return to schools on January 28 so give your school a call or check social media for school-specific information. Source: Social media, Jan 12 Ettalong Public School

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EDUCATION & SCIENCE PAGE 29 13 JANUARY 2022

Teachers want a plan for safe return to school The Central Coast subbranch of the Independent Education Union is calling for consultation and clarity from the NSW Government as teachers, support staff and students prepare for the return to school. Given the current high COVID infection rates, the union expects the government and employers to work together on Work Health and Safety (WHS) provisions such as: ventilation in classrooms; student vaccination; access to COVID testing; booster shots for school staff; and the impact of potential staff shortages. Central Coast IEU organiser Charles Wheeler said, “Central Coast schools due are to reopen in two weeks’ time but there has been almost no communication from the NSW Government yet about how it is going to happen and how it is going to happen safely. “Teachers and support staff have to expertise to advise about best ways to proceed,” Wheeler said. He said “shortage” was the key word when discussing how schools on the Coast would need to prepare for the new school year. “There are currently 500,000 active cases [of COVID-19] in NSW and on the Central Coast there’s 10,000 give or take a few but there were only 200 active cases on the Central Coast when school finished last year so a lot has changed in a very short period of time and teachers need certainty. “I think the biggest issue for teachers at the moment is the fact there is a dire teacher shortage on the Central Coast. “It is never easy for schools to find casual teachers as it is and this existing problem is going to be exacerbated. “Who will teach students when schools are under staffed and who will even supervise them or will schools be forced to close? “Would we be teaching face to face or remotely? “Teachers don’t know this and they need to prepare to kick off 2022 – it is very difficult for teachers to completely change their lesson delivery at

Students are expected to return to NSW schools on February 1

the drop of a hat. “We need certainty about the mandatory status of the booster shots. “Central Coast school workers know that there is talk that a booster shot will become mandatory and as we know on the Coast it is not always easy to book in for a booster shot at the drop of a hat particularly when you are back working full time.” “If teachers and support staff require a booster to be fully vaccinated, what is the proposed timeline and what support will be in place to ensure they can access this vaccination?” said Acting Secretary of the NSW IEUA Branch, Pam Smith said. “The IEU is ready to work together with employers and the State Government to make the return to school as streamlined as possible, but there must be consultation every step of the way, and the resources and support to help teachers and other educational staff get back to work safely needs to be in place,” she said. “At the moment, the situation is confusing for teachers, employers, parents and the union. “It is critical that everyone’s health and safety is protected, otherwise the return to school could turn into a super spreader event.” Smith told CCC that the current levels of infection in the community could exacerbate an existing shortage of casual

FORT DENISON

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

0601 1.53 1248 0.65 THU 1829 1.18 FRI

0.53 20 0411 1041 1.80 21 THU 1718 0.37 FRI 2316 1.34

teachers. “We are short of casual teachers - it is an issue generally in the government, Catholic and independent sectors. “Last year our members were saying it was increasingly difficult to find casuals and if there are staff that can’t return at the beginning of the school year that will certainly put pressure on the supply of casuals.” When asked whether the NSW Government was engaging with the IEU, Smith said: “The answer is no and I am not sure they are communicating with the Teachers’ Federation in the government school sector either. “This government has a tendency for government by media release. “For example the Premier said today (Monday, January 10) there would be a focus on rapid antigen testing to schools. “He said if a child in a cohort tested positive there would be rapid antigen testing for all students in that cohort and that parents can do the testing at home and upload the results. “That sounds fine but where are they getting the supply, will the parents be able to do that and will they be able to upload or will they depend on the school? “Does that mean the child will come late to school that day, what does it actually mean?”

Smith said she was aware of some schools who had purchased a supply of rapid antigen test kits last year but not all schools could afford to do so. “Supply would need to be a whole lot better than it is now,” she said. “It is not clear where the supplies are coming from. “It is likely that supplies will be made available by the school to the parents but I didn’t read that clearly in the media release. “They are exactly the questions our members will be asking.” Smith said the IEU considered ventilation and air quality in classrooms to be a work in progress. Although vaccination eligibility for five to 11 year old children started from Monday, January 10 she said supply was an issue. “The Federal Government is certainly encouraging parents to take their children along but we are hearing that there are issues with getting a booking in the first place and if they have a booking, they are being informed supply is an issue and they will have to wait.” Access to booster shots for teachers is another issue that the IEU wants to see resolved before the start of the school year. There are two aspects of the issue - one is the availability issue of boosters.

TIDE CHART

“You would think that when you are eligible you can just go and get a booster and again we are hearing that is very problematic. “I have heard from members they try to get a booster and wait two weeks or four weeks and the government’s message is to shop around but it shouldn’t be that hard. “The current impact of COVID on the supply chain means it is not as easy to get a booster as it should be. “Then there’s the likelihood that State Governments will mandate that a booster is required to be fully vaccinated.

“What is the timeline for that because if they are going to mandate it – and I believe Victoria already has for health, education and disability services - people do become eligible at different times,” she said. While there is not yet a Public Health Order in place in NSW to mandate the definition of fully vaccinated to include a third or booster shot, Smith said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet “has referred to it”. Will schools be COVID-ready by the start of the school term? “That’s the big question and that is why the IEU is making these comments. “The Premier and Prime Minister have said they want schools to open after Australia day, with everything in place around testing, vaccination and the issue of what staff will be available. “There is a government determination for schools to open but what does it look like in practice? “Schools are at the heart of our communities. “We want schools to reopen safely for families and students and school staff and that means there needs to be consultation with staff and their unions.” Jackie Pearson

If you’re reading this, so are

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other people COMMUNITY

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or see the website www.coastcommunitynews.com.au LAT 33° 51’ S - LONG 151° 14’ E - TIME ZONE - 1000

Times and Heights(m) of high and low waters

0215 0.58 0007 0.63 0052 0.62 0135 0.60 0254 0.55 0332 0.54 0647 1.59 0730 1.65 0811 1.70 0849 1.75 0927 1.78 1004 1.80 1338 0.58 SAT 1420 0.51 SUN 1458 0.45 MON 1533 0.41 TUE 1608 0.38 WED 1644 0.37 1922 1.20 2008 1.24 2048 1.27 2126 1.29 2201 1.31 2238 1.33 0451 0.53 0040 1.38 0127 1.41 0218 1.45 0315 1.50 0534 0.55 1118 1.77 1157 1.72 0622 0.58 0715 0.61 0816 0.64 0929 0.64 1755 0.37 SAT 1831 0.39 SUN 1238 1.65 MON 1324 1.55 TUE 1418 1.44 WED 1524 1.35 2356 1.36 1911 0.41 1954 0.45 2042 0.49 2137 0.53

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

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SPORT PAGE 31 13 JANUARY 2022

Women make final of country championship CRICKET The Central Coast has finished runner up in the McDonalds Country Cricket NSW U19 Female Country Championships which concluded in Raymond Terrace, on Friday, January 7. The result, which saw them lose the final to a strong ACT Southern Districts, side is believed to be the best result by a Central Coast side and was remarkable given their massive loss to Riverina on Day 1. Entering the final day the Central Coast had to win their match against Western Zone and rely on both Greater Illawarra and Riverina to lose to

make the final. Central Coast did their part defeating Western by 36 runs led by excellent bowling performances from Grace Dignam 5/8 and Piper Hooke 4/9. With this result accomplished their finals berth was dependent on the two other results which both went their way resulting in the Central Coast entering the final against the undefeated ACT Southern Districts. Central Coast won the toss in the final and elected to bat and through the agency of Emily Cross 25 and Tara French 19 reached 5/82 off their 20 overs, a total which was considered to be acceptable but would require early wickets.

Central Coast Under 19 finalists

Unfortunately those wickets did not eventuate and ACT Southern Districts were able to pass the total for the loss of three wickets with14 balls to spare. Dignam was again the most successful bowler with 2/23.

Overall a fantastic performance and one the players and coaches should be very pleased with, according to Central Coast Zone Administrator, Garry Burkinshaw. “On another promising note,

Piper Hooke finished the carnival as equal leading wicket taker with 10 wickets at an average of 3.8,” Burkinshaw said. Northern clubs were well represented in the women’s lineup including four players from Lisarow Ourimbah – Annalise Brewster, Jade Burkinshaw, Piper Hooke, and Molly Kidd. The Entrance was represented by Olivia Field and Wyong by Eliza Thompson. Central Coast ended a disappointing Bradman Cup campaign with a 142 run loss to Greater Illawarra in Newcastle on January 7. After losing the toss and

having to bowl first the Central Coast boys chased leather for 50 overs as Greater Illawarra amassed 5/343. Liam Rocher was the pick of the bowlers with 3/32 from 8 overs and Matt Toohey also took 2/62 from his 10 overs. In replay the Central Coast were never in the hunt and despite 57 from Tom Alderson, 39 from Toohey and 26 not out from Rayden Gomez they were dismissed for 201. Central Coast finished the carnival in seventh position with two wins and five losses from their seven games. Source: Media release, Jan 7 Cricket Central Coast

Dynamic Tex redeems the Coast CRICKET Central Coast rebounded strongly after a disappointing day of the McDonalds Country Cricket NSW Colts Championships by winning both T20 matches on Day 2 (on Monday, January 10) and ironically it was the batsmen who led the way. Central Coast opened the day against Riverina and after being sent into the field the Central Coast restricted Riverina to

7/114 off their 20 overs with Karan Katli 2/14 and Seth Slominski 2/22 the most successful bowler. Chasing 115 for victory Central Coast lost the early wicket of Jordan McDonald however were able to establish two partnerships but lost wickets at crucial times. First Lachlan Shedden was run out for 16 then Joe Merlino for a well-made 33. With the score at 3/68 after 14 overs there was still plenty of

work to do, enter Tex Parry. With very little cricket under his belt due to COVID restrictions Parry was dynamic scoring 53 off just 36 balls with two fours and an amazing six sixes, and with the help of skipper Lachlan Rainger, 6no the Central Coast were able to reach the required target with almost three overs to spare. The afternoon match saw them take on archrivals Newcastle and it was Newcastle who took to the crease first and

put together a very competitive score of 3/131 from their 20 overs. Bailey Lidgard and Campbell Crossfield were the pick of the bowlers with 1/17 and 1/24 off their four overs respectively. Needing to be at their best with the bat, McDonald set the tone at the top of the innings taking on the Newcastle bowlers hitting two fours and two sixers before he was dismissed for 23 off just 13 balls. Shedden and Merlino again

kept the scoreboard ticking over with a partnership of 60 before Shedden was dismissed for 17. That was the last wicket Central Coast would lose as Merlino and Parry polished off the remaining runs with two overs to spare. Merlino was magnificent and continued his good carnival finishing unbeaten on 61 scored off 54 balls with five fours and two sixes whilst Parry finished unbeaten on 19 which included another maximum.

The two results were a credit to the players and coaching staff and with two days to go kept themselves in Championship contention. At the time of going to press we were awaiting the results of the Central Coast side’s Tuesday match against the unbeaten North Coastal in a 50 over match. Source: Media release, Jan 11 Garry Burkinshaw, Central Coast Cricket

COASTAL DIARY

A COMPREHENSIVE LISTING OF EVENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ON THE CENTRAL COAST FRIDAY, JAN 14 Stage Door Cabaret The Isolationists and Pippa Grandison, The Art House Theatre, ticketed, 8pm

SATURDAY, JAN 15

CANCELLED

Alliance Française French Conversation, Diggers Club Ettalong, 9:30am - 11:30am RSVP: 0416 303 804 Stage Door Cabaret - The Isolationists and Erin Clare, The Art House Theatre, ticketed, 8pm

WEDNESDAY, JAN 19

THURSDAY, JAN 20 Thursgay - queer travelling social club, Hotel Gosford, Free, 6pm

SATURDAY, JAN 22

POSTPONED

Broken Bay Road, Ettalong SUNDAY, JAN 23 Beach, ticketed, 6pm coastaltwist.org.au/event/dance/

POSTPONED

BBQ - 11:30am Broadwater park Seabreeze Ave, Kincumber SATURDAY, JAN 29

POSTPONED

FRIDAY, JAN 21

Coastal Twist: Coastal Twist: Free HalloQween - Pink Outdoor Festival - Coastie light dance party, Coastal Twist: Carnie Fair Day, PCYC Umina Beach, 101 Free Beach Day, Peninsula Recreation Osborne Ave Umina Beach, Umina Beach at the Precinct, Umina Beach, free - bookings required, Sydney Avenue entrance, register to show off your Coastal Twist: 6pm - 10pm Register to show off your fur babies at the infamous coastaltwist.org.au/event/halloqween/ Love Club - Rumpus long or short board skills Puparazzi Pooch Parade Cabaret Dinner and Show, and win prizes, 9am and win prizes, 10am Naughty Noodle Fun Haus, coastaltwist.org.au/event/ coastaltwist.org.au/event/ POSTPONED free-beach-day/ 5 Broken Bay Rd Ettalong coastie-carnie-fair-day/ Beach, ticketed, 6:30pm

POSTPONED

CA BA RE T S HOW 8 December Featuring the Good Morning Mounties Show Band Hosted by Roy Cooper Guest Artist: JANUARY 15

LISA CROUCH Guest artist: BRIAN LORENZ

D ECEMBER 8 Guest artist: LISA CROUCH Doors open: 10am | Show: 10.30am

Members $10 | Non-Members Doors open 10am | Show 10.30am $20 – 12.30pm Members $10 I Non-Members $20 Purchase tickets at reception PURCHASE

New! Good Morning Mounties - Guest artist: Lucky Starr, Club Wyong, ticketed, 10:30am 4359 7444 CA BA RE T S HOW 29 December Featuring the Good Morning Mounties Show Band Hosted by Roy Cooper Guest Artist:

LUCKY NOV EMBER 24 Guest STARR artist: LISA CROUCH

D ECEMBER 29 Guest LUCKY STARR Doors open: 10am artist: | Show: 10.30am

TICKETS AT CLUB

Members $10 | Non-Members $20 Doors open 10am | Show 10.30am – 12.30pm Members $10 I Non-Members $20 Purchase tickets at reception RECEPTION

Club Wyong | 02 4359 7444 | 15 Margaret St, Wyong NSW 2259 | clubwyong.com.au

Halekulani Bowling Club | 02 4390 6400 | 50 Natuna Ave, Budgewoi NSW 2262 | halibowling.com.au

Terrigal Antique & Vintage Fair, Lions Community Hall 8 Russell Drysdale Street East Gosford, 15/01 - 8am - 4pm, 16/01 - 9am - 3pm, 0414 614 659

terrigalantiquevintagefair@gmail.com

Free: 55+ foxy silvers social club (LGBTQ+), At Baker Street, Gosford, 11:30am - 1:30pm 4309 6703

coastaltwist.org.au/event/cabaret/

WEDNESDAY, JAN 26

Coastal Twist: Bauhaus Party Futurismo, Naughty Noodle Fun, 5

clubwyong.com.au Free Form Painting 2 Day Workshop With Peter Griffen, The Design Gallery, ticketed, 29 - 30/01

Australia day History exhibtion & BBQ, exhibtion - 9am Kincumber Village shops,

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.

PAGE 32 13 JANUARY 2022

SPORT

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A-League resumes with M1 Derby A full Mariners squad training in the leadup to this weekend’s M1 Derby

FOOTBALL Central Coast Mariners Head Coach Nick Montgomery says a full Mariners squad will take the field at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday afternoon (January 15) against local rivals Newcastle Jets in the M1 Derby. “We’ve probably got the strongest squad we’ve had all season,” Montgomery commented on Tuesday, January 11 in the leadup to the game. He said circumstances for the A-League side had been “difficult” over Christmas with close to 20 players and staff being forced into isolation with COVID-19. The M1 Derby is one of the most hotly contested in the A-League and both sides go into the match this coming weekend with 18 wins each

and the same amount of goals scored for and against. As of Tuesday, Coach Montgomery said only one or two players were yet to get back to training and morale was strong. “With the testing with the procedure we had here, the PCRs and the rapid tests, it was quite easy to detect and over Christmas the only option was for us to close down for seven days and isolate because it ripped through the squad,” he said. “I think we did the right thing to protect not only ourselves but the public as well and unfortunately the games were postponed but we are going to play the games moving forward and it will be a heavy schedule but it is the same for every A-League club. “The morale has been really good coming off the back of a good couple of results in the A League and then the FFA cup

result so obviously we were looking forward to really building. “We did what we had to do and that was really just keep everyone going.” Montgomery said the club had turned the situation into “a positive”. “I think it gave a few a little bit of time to reset, mentally and physically refresh. “This has been the first week where we’ve really ramped things up and we’re looking at preparing for a massive game against our local rivals Newcastle Jets come Saturday afternoon. “We had a good result down there and we know they will be coming back for revenge and we know both teams have had a couple of weeks without games so really everyone is itching to get back. “We really hope the supporters can come out in this difficult

time in safety and come to the stadium and really get behind us because I think it is a good game to start back with. “The boys are raring to go and we’ve got a full squad, probably the strongest squad we have had all season.” The new year brought an unexpected break for the Central Coast Mariners due to the emergence of Covid-19 throughout the camp in late December, 2021 Since defeating the Leichhardt Tigers in the FFA Cup Quarter Final with a mighty 6-0 thrashing on December 21, three Mariners’ A-League matches have been postponed. These include the Wellington Phoenix and Macarthur Bulls clashes at Central Coast Stadium on December 27 and 31 – the latter of which also disappointing with the cancellation of the New Year’s Eve 9pm fireworks – as well as the away fixture against

Brisbane Roar on January 9. The cause of the postponements is the thorn in the side of all A-League clubs presently – as well as in the country as a whole – and the 2021/2 season will continue with the indefinite threat of further COVID-19 interruptions. The club confirmed there had been no hospitalisations and many players and staff reporting no, or very mild, symptoms. Upon the return to training, players who have yet to test positive to COVID-19 complete Rapid Antigen Tests every day on arrival. Outside of training, players are limiting social behaviours and attempting to avoid high risk settings. According to Mariners Chief Executive Officer, Shaun Mielekamp, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) have ruled that any club with

more than five unavailable players on the team list will be given the choice of postponing an upcoming match. Mielekamp also raised hopes that the Macarthur match fireworks missed at 9pm on New Year’s Eve may be part of the match against the Jets. Montgomery said he would also be keeping a close eye on the result of the FFA Cup Quarter Final played between Sydney and Brisbane last night (Wednesday) which will determine who the Mariners play in the Semi Final next week. As far as trading players and hunting for new talent during the January exchange window, Montgomery said “We’re always on the lookout for boys who can strengthen the squad. “There possibly could be one player coming in and one going out - that’s football.” CCN

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