News

Westpac chief economist at Wexpo

WESTPAC chief economist, Besa Deda had joined Olympian Melissa Paige Wu has as a keynote speaker at this year’s WEXPO 2022 event at Blacktown Workers Club.

WEXPO 2022 will be held at Blacktown Workers Club on October 24. This expo-style event will showcase local businesses with more than 100 stalls and 18 specialty workshops on subjects including property, health, networking, marketing, social media, culture, personal development, professional development and more.

Besa Deda is the event’s lunch speaker and Melissa is the breakfast speaker.

Besa has been the Chief Economist of St George Bank since 2008 and since 2009, she is also the Chief Economist of several large businesses within the Westpac Group.

Melissa is an Australian diver and silver medal winner at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Summer Olympics. She is an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder and recently competed on SAS Australia.

WEXPO 2022 will also feature two unique round table sessions moderated by Dr Jim Taggart OAM, where up to 100 hand-picked guests will experience presentations about health and infrastructure.

The guests will then submit their feedback to the presentations which will be formulated into formal summary documents by Australian Catholic University Blacktown.

Charity partner for the event is the Better Foundation. The Blacktown News and Western Sydney Business Access (WSBA) are the offi cial media partners.

Event Patron, Stephen Bali MP, said he is heartened by the support that WEXPO is gathering among the businesses of Blacktown and surrounds.

Event partner and gold sponsor Blacktown Workers Club has allocated the Diamond Room for stall holders plus three separate function rooms for workshops and seminars

Event sponsors include: Blacktown Workers Club, Syd West Multi Cultural Services, QFirst Property Investment Group and ACU.

Besa Deda.

Ticket and stall enquiries visit - www.wexpo.com.au

Blacktown City home to one in 65 Aussies

NATIONAL census data has confirmed that Blacktown City is the largest, and one of the most diverse and fastest-growing council areas in New South Wales.

The newly released fi gures, obtained in the August 2021 Census, reveal that Blacktown City’s population has grown by almost 60,000 residents, from 336,962 in 2016 to 396,776 in 2021, with Department of Infrastructure and Planning estimating that fi gure to now be more than 403,000.

This means about 1 in 65 Australians now call Blacktown City home, an increase from 1 in 70 in the 2016 Census, making Blacktown City the largest Local Government Area in New South Wales by population.

Interestingly, Blacktown City’s population growth in this fi ve-year-period surpasses the entire size of some Sydney councils.

The average number of private dwellings has also surged from 110,800 to 133,887 in fi ve years, up 30 per cent, with the number of families exploding from 85,519 to 104,171.

The latest data also paints a picture of Blacktown City’s culturally and ethnically diverse communities, with residents from India comprising the top country of birth after Australia.

While just over 50 per cent of Blacktown City’s population identifi ed as being born in Australia, almost 12 per cent were born in India (47,090 people) and 6.4 per cent were born in the Philippines (25,292 people).

The top languages spoken at home in Blacktown City, other than English, included Punjabi, Hindi and Tagalog, with these languages representing almost 53,000 speakers.

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ISSUE 16 | JULY 2022

How to get The News

The Blacktown News is available at strategic locations throughout Blacktown LGA. To find a location near you visit our website.

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ISSUE16|JULY2022 TRUSTED LOCAL NEWS WWW.GREATERBLACKTOWNNEWS.COM.AU N

NO WAY Blacktown residents defiant over plan for new incinerator

Managing DIABETES Western Sydney is a diabetes hotspot with rates far higher than the NSW average. See our new health section for tips and risk factor analysis: 18

BLACKTOWN region has sent a resounding and defiant NO WAY! to the State Government over plans to dump a massive incinerator in the heart of our district. And if the recent ‘Say No to Eastern Creek Incinerator’ Rally at Minchinbury is any indication, the State Government has a major war on its hands; a war it come never win. The Rally sent a strong

Minister Chris Bowen described the proposed incinerator as “ridiculous and idiotic”.

‘No Incinerator’ message to Macquarie St over the construction of any largescale incinerators at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney. At the invitation of Mayor Tony Bleasdale, a large group of residents gathered at Minchinbury Oval to hear from a range of speakers including Federal MP and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen. More page 6.

FUTURE SUPERMARKET Over the last two years retailers have had to operate at start up speed, rolling out new services to engage customers: 15

WEXPO RAMPS UP Westpac chief economist, Besa Deda has joined Olympian Melissa Paige Wu has as a keynote speaker at this year’s WEXPO: 3

WESTLINK M7 BLACKTOWN RUNNING FESTIVAL SUNDAY 31 JULY 2022Blacktown International Sportspark - AFL/Cricket Precinct$20,000 in prize money full, half and kids marathon 10km, 5km and 2km fun runs Register at blacktown.nsw.gov.au/runningfestival

12

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News Editor Dallas Sherringham dallas@accessnews.com.au

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NEW AQUATIC CENTRES

These are just some of the projects Blacktown City Council is hoping to fund from the WestInvest grant program.

13

PAY RISE FAST TRACKED

Blacktown Workers Club Group will fast-track the Fair Work Commission’sminimum wage increase to July 4, 2022

21

SYLVIA UNITES MIND, BODY

Ftness trainer Sylvia Iskandar is undertaking a university degree to help locals flex their mental and physical muscle.

25

BE KINDER DAY INSPIRING

In a world where young people are subject to bullying and mental health issues but if we maybe b kinder it wouldn't be as prevalent.

MY COVID EXPERIENCE

It all came as something of a shock to test positive after week of excruciating pain which stopped me from typing stories.

SUBARU ORDERED

Subaru Australia has secured stock of the 2023 Forester, which can be ordered for delivery during the fourth quarter of 2022.

News ..............................................3 Stephen Bali ..................................7 Blacktown Workers ........................8 Hospitality ....................................15 Michelle Rowland ........................16 Magazine .....................................17 Health ..........................................18 Games .........................................20 Travel ...........................................22 Fitness .........................................23 Property .......................................24 Auto .............................................25 Films ............................................26 Mental Health ..............................27 Sport ............................................30

SECTIONS

WEXPO coming soon to Blacktown Workers Club

BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL’S $650M PLANS 16 projects submitted for funding

A$200M aquatic, cultural, community and library complex in Riverstone, a $95M basketball and volleyball hub in Rooty Hill, a $30M regional netball and multi-sports centre at Schofields.

These are just some of the projects Blacktown City Council is hoping to fund from the WestInvest grant program.

Blacktown City Council has been allocated $34.548M as part of the $400M WestInvest allocation directly to 15 Western Sydney Councils. Council has now submitted designs and costings for approval for 16 projects to be covered by this funding.

Blacktown City Council is seeking a further $647M for 12 major infrastructure projects for consideration under WestInvest’s $1.6B community grants program.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said that WestInvest will fund and deliver transformation projects that will enhance communities and create jobs throughout Western Sydney.

“Blacktown City is the biggest council area by population in NSW - and the fastest growing. We have the greatest community infrastructure needs due to the massive residential development in suburbs such as Marsden Park, Schofi elds and Riverstone, and the economic and social disadvantage in some areas of our City.

Blacktown City, along with other rapidly growing cities in Western Sydney, is badly in need of funding support for community infrastructure.

“Our Council is now involved in a competitive bidding process for funding the 12 major projects with the 14 other Western Sydney councils.

“Our Council’s 12 major projects have been identifi ed after extensive community consultation, and I sincerely hope that the process for selecting the projects to be funded will be transparent and free from the political favouritism that has been so widely criticised in the past,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

Among the projects Council has prioritised for funding from its direct allocation is a $27M transformation of the Mount Druitt Town Centre.

Council is seeking $1.3M from its WestInvest allocation for the construction of a splash pad and heating of the outdoor pool at the Charlie Lowles Leisure Centre in Emerton.

Ashley Brown Reserve in Lalor Park is set to be refurbished, with a new playground, paths and improved seating and access, while Rosenthal Park in Doonside will be allocated $1M for improvements including multi-purpose court areas, picnic areas, seating, tree planting and new pathways.

Heading Council’s list of the 12 major infrastructure projects for consideration under WestInvest’s $1.6B community grants program is the proposed construction of a $232M community resource hub and aquatic facility at Riverstone.

The proposal includes a state-of-theart library, aquatic centre, indoor recreation facility, cultural and performance space, community hall, family areas and a cafe.

A $95M NSW Basketball and Volleyball Hub at May Cowper Reserve, Rooty Hill is also up for funding consideration. This regional sports hub will include 12 indoor courts, including a show court with seating for 3,000 people.

Council will provide an update on the projects over the coming months.

Artist impressions of the Riverstone and Mt Druitt Aquatic centres.

A full list of the 16 projects submitted for WestInvest funding is available at www. greaterblacktownnews.com.au.

WE SAY NO TO INCINERATOR PLAN State Government on notice

 DALLAS SHERINGHAM

BLACKTOWN region has sent a resounding and defiant NO WAY! to the State Government over plans to dump a massive incinerator in the heart of our district

And if the recent ‘Say No to Eastern Creek Incinerator’ Rally at Minchinbury is any indication, the State Government has a major war on its hands; a war it come never win.

The Rally sent a strong ‘No Incinerator’ message to Macquarie St over the construction of any large-scale incinerators at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney.

At the invitation of Mayor Tony Bleasdale, a large group of local residents gathered at Minchinbury Oval to hear from a range of speakers including Federal MP and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Hon Chris Bowen.

Speakers at the rally also included Mayor Bleasdale, the Member for Blacktown Stephen Bali, the Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla and representatives from the Greens and the ‘No Incinerators for Western Sydney’ residents’ group.

“We had a range of speakers with a range of views but they were all united in their opposition to building any large-scale incinerators at Eastern Creek.” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“Council has been fi ghting against these incinerators for nearly eight years. In 2018 plans for an energy from waste incinerator at Eastern Creek were thrown out by the NSW Planning Department and the Land and Environment Court.

“In March 2019, then Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on radio that an incinerator would never be built at Eastern Creek and then late year, the NSW Government announced its Energy from Waste Infrastructure policy that clearly ruled out any new energy from waste incinerators being built in proximity of residential areas in Sydney

“But now, Next Generation is asking the Land and Environment Court to consider an amended development application for a proposed Incinerator at Eastern Creek.

“I can’t explain why, but the NSW Government has simply failed to put its policy announcement into action. Simple regulations would put an end to building these incinerators in the Sydney basin – that’s why we organised the rally to tell the Government to bring in the regulations immediately,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

It’s a ridiculous proposal

Mr Bowen described the proposed incinerator as; “This ridiculous, stupid, idiotic proposal.”

“This community doesn’t deserve to have an incinerator planted right in the middle of us. It’s not hard, both sides of politics support the ban, they can just do it by regulation.

‘They said they’d do it in a press release, but a press release doesn’t stop an incinerator,” Mr Bowen said.

MP for Blacktown Stephen Bali said: “No one in NSW Government is taking responsibility to enforce the announced Government policy.

“The Treasurer Matt Kean, Environment Minister James Griffi n and Planning Minister Anthony Roberts all want to take credit for the policy but the people of Blacktown, through Council, are today before the courts fi tting this proposal.”

“Fix the laws and regulations so as to end the nightmare for the local residents.”

“This toxic incinerator must be stopped to protect the lives of local residents and no one wants to hear excuses from the Government – we all want action now.”

Kim Wright from ‘No Incinerators for Western Sydney’ told the meeting; “The ACT has banned incineration, if it’s not OK for the ACT, it’s not OK for the rest of us.

“Let’s be clear about one thing. Our elected politicians (NSW Government) have the ability to stop this, but they don’t.”

Both local Members of NSW Parliament, Edmond Atalla and Stephen Bali said their number one priority was to see the Government bring in the regulations immediately that would prevent any incinerators being built in Western Sydney.

Mayor Bleasdale told the rally; “The people of Western Sydney need a ‘full stop’ on these incinerators. NSW, Matt Kean, you announced the policy, now it’s up to your government to give it teeth, bring in the regulations!”

We approached the State Government and Mr Kean for a response.

Mayor Bleasdale addressing Sunday’s Rally. MP Stephen Bali says “No”.

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