Western Sydney Express - April 2023

ANGRY WORKERS

Post pandemic trend of young staff hating their job

“I HATE my job” is the comment you will hear a lot in the new generation of workers as they take over the workplace from the Boomers. The Boomer generation was proud to have a distinguished career, often spending their whole working life with the one employer. Most of them loved their jobs and told you so straight up. Younger workers replacing them in the first 20

years of this century were also full of hopes dreams, just like the Boomers starting out 50 years ago. But since the pandemic hit, there’s been a startling shift. From 2019 to 2022, according to Gallup surveys, the share of people under 35 who reported being engaged with their jobs dropped from 37% to 33%.

More page 2.

Dreamers VS reality for commuters Futurist vision of Western Sydney

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

FUTERISTS and dreamers see a Western Sydney where everyone lives less than 30 minutes from work, but the reality is far different for today’s commuters.

A recent survey showed the average trip to work in Sydney was 62 minutes – or more twice the ideal time. And that commute costs an average of $22, equal with Hobart as the dearest cities in Australia.

The Real Australian Commute Report said the average Australian travelled 33km at 54 minutes, paying $20 for the privilege,

And they sped $4003 per yearn on average, or $43 billion getting from point A to point B.

‘That’s a lot of money and with rising financial concerns and a potential recession, times are tough on the buses, trains and ‘freeways’,” the report said.

Most of the 5000 commuters surveyed at 85% believed that Governments could do more to ease the cost of their daily commute.

The report found 83% of commuters agree the trip to work has never felt as expensive as now and 47% said the growing cost had placed considerable financial pressure on their household.

When it comes to travelling on public transport, bad behavior is another major problem for our embattled commuters.

Three quarters of commuters believe that commuters with bad manners should be fined or banned from public transport. Life on the roads isn’t much better with Western Sydney roads clogged to a

standstill during commuting periods. A survey of drivers showed 91% of drivers surveyed should have better knowledge of road rules.

And 85% believe drivers are not courte-

ous or safe.

The pandemic also made a big difference with 59% of former fulltime commuters having changed their mind on how much they were willing to spend in time and money going to work.

Going green and saving the environment is also spruiked by civic planners, but commuters have a far more pragmatic view.

The research showed low running costs at 42% and good performance 39% were far more important than environmental friendliness at 21% when buying a new vehicle.

This could explain why the last State Government’s push for electric vehicles fell flat with voters at the recent election. Just 10% of commuters have bought an environment friendly car.

Surprisingly, of those who are considering buying an environment friendly car, men at 60% are far more interested than women at 46%.

But statistics show that this will change with Gen Z at 46% most likely to go hybrid or electric followed by Gen Y at 45%, Gen X 39% and Boomers 35%.

And finally, the best major city for commuters is Darwin. They average 36 minutes, spend $12 and travel 26km. Brisbane commuters travel 33km over 59 minutes costing just $19.

Melbourne with its vast tram network, costs $21, takes 57 minutes and the average commute is 30km.

The Exporess

appreciate and engage with the physical, community, cultural and business environments of one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Greater Western Sydney.

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Published by the Community Broadcast Network.

Publisher/editor: Michael Walls

M: 0407 783 413. E: michael@wsba.com.au

Associate Editor: Dallas Sherringham

Journalists: Di Bartok.

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Contributors: Adam Simpson, Jacob Richardson, John Mellor.

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readers to

Greater Western Sydney footprint

Social casinos highly ranked

THE Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released a report on social casinos, offering insights into consumer behavior and industry trends in this rapidly growing market. Social casinos offer online casino-style games without real money wagering, but users can make in-game purchases. Australia ranked in the top five markets by consumer spend in H1 2022, with global revenue expected to grow by 5% per annum until 2025. Research shows that social casino game players tend to be older, with slots being the most popular game.

Call for four-day working week

TRADEMUTT, Australia’s leading social enterprise workwear company, has shifted its five-day work schedule to four days to promote better work-life balance. The change in schedule aims to show that reducing working hours per week can still maintain the required output and increase productivity, lessening stress and increasing profitability. TradeMutt’s founders, Daniel Allen and Edward Ross, encourage business owners across Australia to implement a four-day workweek and discuss with their staff how they can support this change.

Cost of doing business too high

DENITA Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia, has warned that the

inflation indicator for February 2023 is a reminder of the risks of entrenching inflation without addressing supply-side hurdles. Although the annual rate of inflation fell from 7.4% in January to 6.8%, it is still declining too slowly. The cost of new dwelling purchases remained up by 13% over the year to February, demonstrating how more aggressive measures to tackle home building cost pressures could help reduce inflation across the economy.

Songs that are simply ear-resistible

DO you ever find yourself with a song stuck in your head, even if you don’t particularly like it or know where it came from? You may have an earworm, a catchy piece of music that plays involuntarily in your mind. Earworms are quite common, with some studies suggesting that up to 98% of people experience them. New research published in the journal Music & Science suggests that repetition is the key factor that causes earworms. The study’s author, Professor Emery Schubert, explains that the chorus of a song is usually the most repeated section, which is why it often becomes an earworm. However, repetition alone is not enough; familiarity and recency of the music, as well as being in a relaxed and low-attentional state, are also necessary preconditions. While some people may find earworms enjoyable, they can be a problem if the music is not liked. To get rid of an earworm, one can try finishing the music, consciously thinking of another song, or avoiding triggers like lyrics or memories associated with the music.

GPs struggle with Medicare

THE Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has expressed support for an independent review of Medicare non-compliance and has urged the Australian Government to offer more assistance for general practice care. The review was conducted by Dr Pradeep Philip and found that leakage in the Medi-

care system is mainly due to non-compliance errors caused by the complex system, rather than deliberate fraud. RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins welcomed the report’s findings, which cleared GPs of any allegations of Medicare rorting. She stated that GPs are struggling with a fiendishly complex Medicare Benefits Schedule and that an educative, rather than a punitive approach from the Health Department, would be more beneficial

GPs struggle with Medicare

Greg’s at the heart of the steakhouse

Nova worker a social media star

GREG, the kitchenhand who goes ‘above and beyond’, has been a rare and valuable find for the Outback Steakhouse.

"Greg is the heart of Outback Steakhouse," the North Strathfield Managing Partner Medha Ramgoolam said.

Medha was referring to the key worker she hired through NOVA Employment.

And he has become a star on the Outback Steakhouse Facebook page with thousands turning in to watch him at work in the restaurant.

The Outback Steakhouse is one of the top-rated restaurants in the West and they required staff they could depend upon to turn up every day and get their work done.

Such employees are few and far between in the volatile food and beverage industry.

NOVA Employment came up with a perfect employee in Greg and he has become one of the great examples of how the relationship between businesses and NOVA can do wonders.

NOVA Employment is an ‘open employment’ program. They find their jobseekers work in the general community, with the same working conditions as people who do not have a disability.

NOVA is not a sheltered workshop or ‘business service’.

NOVA supports people with all types of disability to gain employment and assists them in maintaining employment for as long as the worker requires.

If your business needs dedicated staff who love their job, NOVA Employment has skilled and talented jobseekers looking for opportunities.

They help employers find motivated and keen employees with the skills that match the role and assist workers to develop and advance in their careers.

If you are looking for staff for any type of industry or business size contact NOVA Parramatta Manager, Zore Blazeski Mobile 0405 507 546 or call 1300 ABILITY

Popular NOVA worker, Greg, right.

As the Boomers retire Young workers hate their jobs

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

“IHATE my job” is the comment you will hear a lot in the new generation of workers as they take over the workplace from the Boomers.

The Boomer generation was proud to have a distinguished career, often spending their whole working life with the one employer. Most of them loved their jobs and told you so straight up.

The younger workers replacing them in the first 20 years of this century were also full of hopes dreams, just like the Boomers starting out 50 years ago.

In fact, that’s why they’ve traditionally been more involved in and excited about their jobs than their greying counterparts the Boomers who are looking forward to retirement.

But since the pandemic hit, there’s been a startling shift. From 2019 to 2022, according to Gallup surveys, the share of people under 35 who reported being engaged with their jobs dropped from 37% to 33%.

At the same time, the share who reported being “actively disengaged” rose to 17% from 12%. This rise in workplace disenchantment has been so powerful that it has virtually eliminated the oldyoung engagement gap. Gen Zers and young millennials, in other words, have

soured on work just as much as everyone else.

And this is very bad for companies. Low engagement is linked to higher job turnover and reduced profits. Gallup estimates it costs the global economy $7.8 trillion a year in lost productivity. It’s also bad for young workers.

You see, if they were simply stepping away from their jobs and finding fulfillment elsewhere, that might be OK. But it’s far deeper than that.

According to the specific components

Do you need FREE help kickstarting

of engagement measured by Gallup, you find that workers in their 20s and early 30s report a plummeting sense of:

Feeling cared about.

Having someone who encourages their development.

Having opportunities to learn and grow.

Having a best friend at work.

Believing that their opinions count

All of this points to a single, troubling conclusion: Something about today’s workplace is failing our youngest workers.

If employees aren’t engaged, there is likely something about the way their work is designed that’s not optimal. If you can optimise that, then you’ll be unlocking all of their potential — as opposed to constraining it by legacy assumptions or processes or things that just don’t fit anymore.

First, the factors contributing to the growing workplace disgruntlement of younger generations:

Continued on page 7

1. Work from home

Chief scientist for Gallup’s workplace-management practice Jim Harter thinks a big factor is the pandemic-era shift to remote and hybrid work.

“We might think of Gen Z as the most flexible generation, but they’re actually the least likely to prefer a fully remote schedule. Only 24% of those in their 20s want to work from home all full time, compared with 41% of those in their 50s and early 60s.”

It means people straight out of school typically depend on work for their social lives more than older workers and they want more mentorship and guidance from their managers and more-experienced colleagues.

But young workers aren’t getting that as much from remote and hybrid work. And as a result, work has gotten less fun and less educational for them.

2. The Slack effect

A lot of the tips we picked up as cadet reporters didn’t come from formal instruction. It was often accidental, like when you overheard the older reporters debate the newsworthiness of their scoops with their editors.

In a remote world, those opportunities have begun to disappear, as faceto-face conversations which allow for educational eavesdropping are replaced by Slack messages - which don’t.

But the problem runs even deeper than that. In one study, researchers examined the effects of a hybrid schedule at a large company in China that randomly

divided its staff into two groups: one that had the option to work from home twice a week and another that had to come into the office all the time.

3. Unclear norms and expectations

Something else that workers used to pick up informally were the norms and expectations that make up a company’s culture. That’s much harder to do in remote and hybrid settings, making the experience of joining a new organisation more stressful for everyone.

And the uncertainty is extra tough for those coming straight out of school, with little knowledge of any professional workplace. When asked what was preventing them from going into the office, Gen Zers were more likely than other generations to cite social anxiety.

This can also lead to employees spending time on how to do the work, instead of doing the work itself.

4. Post-pandemic stress disorder

COVID was tough on all of us, but the forced isolation of the pandemic was especially harmful for young people. In June 2021, a McKinsey survey found, Gen Zers were 1.5 times as likely as the average respondent to say they were depressed or anxious. And the stresses of the pandemic come on top of a mental-health crisis among young people that predated COVID.

In order to overcome the problem, companies cite their young employees as a primary motivation for getting everyone back to their office.

Sources: Gallup, Business Insider Magazine

Council appoints a new CEO

CITY of Parramatta Council has announced the appointment of Gail Connolly PSM as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Donna Davis said Ms Connolly was selected by Council following an extensive national search and brings with her more than 30 years’ experience in the public sector.

“I am delighted to welcome Ms Connolly to the City of Parramatta. Council looks forward to working closely with Ms Connolly as we continue to deliver valuable services and important projects for our community,” Cr Davis said.

“Ms Connolly’s extensive leadership experience in local and state government will be an asset to our Council. With her deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead of us, we are confident Ms Connolly is the right person to lead the City of Parramatta through this unprecedented period of transformation and growth.”

Ms Connolly, who earlier this year was awarded a highly coveted Public Service Medal as part of the Australia Day Honour Awards, was most recently General Manager of Georges River Council, where she successfully led the Council during its amalgamation.

She was previously General Manager

at the City of Ryde and has held senior executive roles at several other large local government organisations including City of Gold Coast, City of Sydney, and Campbelltown Council.

Ms Connolly said she was honoured to accept the role and looked forward to serving the people of Parramatta and working in partnership with the community to achieve outstanding outcomes for the City.

“I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to lead the City of Parramatta through its next chapter. I look forward to working with the Lord Mayor, Councillors and staff in creating a dynamic organisation that continues to prosper and serve the diverse and vibrant community of Parramatta,” she said.

Gail Connolly.

AWARDS AWARDS AWARDS

FINALIST FINALIST

INNER WEST LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS 2023

Night when local finalists take the stage

BUSINESS’ NIGHT OF NIGHTS!

HOLLYWOOD has the Oscars and the music industry has the Grammys – but for Inner West businesses, the annual night of nights is Wednesday, May 10.

That’s the date of the 2023 Inner West Local Business Awards.

Precedent Productions Managing Director and Awards founder Steve Loe said: “There’s no doubt that local business owners and their staff work hard to provide the best possible service to their customers.

“That’s why the annual Inner West Local Business Awards presentation night is always such popular event.

“It’s a glittering event that gives finalists a chance to dress up and take a break so they can enjoy an evening of entertainment, good food, relaxed chat and celebration with their coleagues and people from other businesses from around the district.”

Mr Loe said being a finalist at the Inner West Local Business Awards presentation night was an enormous achievement.

“It’s also a chance for businesspeople and their teams to reflect on their successes with a fun night out,” he said.

“Making it to the finalist presentation is a great reflection on their efforts and everyone is always extremely proud to be there.

“All finalists in each category are announced, with their picture shown on the big screen.

“It’s heart-warming to hear the deafening cheers from the crowd as everyone celebrates the achievement of all the businesses in the room.”

Today is the day when nominees for the 2023 Inner West Local Business Awards discover if they have made it as a finalist.

Mr Loe said the high quality of all nominees had made the job of judges incredibly difficult.

“Western Sydney Express, which has supported the awards as media partner for many years, will announce the finalists in each category with a special feature in today’s paper,” he said.

“This is a chance for customers and clients to see if the businesses they nominated have become finalists.”

The Inner West Local Business Awards are only possible with the support of Presenting Partner, Commonwealth Bank and Major Partners, Inner West Council, NOVA Employment and BigClean and support partners, Burwood

Council, Strathfield Council, White Key Marketing, Cornerstone and Radio 2RDJFM.

“It’s with great pleasure that I congratulate all the finalists on their achievements, on behalf of the Inner West Local Business Awards,” Mr Loe said.

“I would also like to thank the Inner West community for the huge support that they continue to show for their local businesses through the Awards every year.

“Without them, these outstanding businesses would receive the recognition which they deserve.”

For more information about the Local Business Awards, visit www.thebusinessawards.com.au.

Last year’s Inner Wesy Local Business Awards gala event.

We are Project Managers offering services representing both client-side and secondment roles to contractors on the construction side.

We specialise in delivering projects in live and complex environments.

SRL represents:

Social Infrastructure (Hospitals, universities, Schools, Government works and the public sector)

Retail (Commercial Fit-outs, Roll-outs and tenancy works)

Leisure (Casino’s, Hotels, Restaurants and Gaming)

All these sectors share one main characteristic, they do not always have the ability to cease trade when delivering a project – the works need to be delivered in a staged live environment with Strategic planning.

Prepared for:

Suite 16/21-23 Norton Street, Leichhardt NSW 2040 (The Italian Forum)

(02) 8084 4954

srlm.com.au

9-11

AWARDS AWARDS

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U R S E R V I C E S

Our friendly and professional team are dedicated to meeting the needs of your entire family, while creating a lasting relationship with each of you.

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R V I C E S

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P A Y R O L L

W e t a k e o v e r f u l l f u n c t i o n s o f y o u r b u s i n e s s p a y r o l l i n c l u d i n g S i n g l e T o u c h P a y r o l l W e k e e p y o u r p a y r o l l c o m p l i e d w i t h a n y g o v e r n m e n t a n d r e g u l a t o r y c h a n g e s

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BOOKKEEPING PAYROLL ACCOUNTANT & CFO

o v i d e BUDGETING INNER WEST INNER WEST FINALIST

W e t a k e o v e r f u l l f u n c t i o n s o f y o u r b u s i n e s s p a y r o l l i n c l u d i n g S i n g l e T o u c h P a y r o l l W e k e e p y o u r p a y r o l l c o m p l i e d w i t h a n y g o v e r n m e n t a n d r e g u l a t o r y c h a n g e s u r , a s a x

W e p r o v i d e a w i d e r a n g e o f s o l u t i o n s t o t a k e c a r e o f y o u r f i n a n c e s a n d b u s i n e s s c o m p l i a n c e W e h a v e q u a l i f i e d a c c o u n t a n t s w h o w i l l e i t h e r l o o k a f t e r a l l y o u r n e e d s o w i t h y o u r s t a f f t o p r o v i e e t e a c c o u n t i n g s e r v i c e s

S O F T W A R E I M P L E M E N T A T I O & T R A I N I N G

W e i m p l e m e n t o r t r a n s i t i o n y o u r o r g a n i s a t i o n t o X e r o a n d o t h e r s o f t w a r e a t y o u r c h o i c e w i t h e a s e I t c a n b e c u s t o m i s e d t o y o u r o r a n i s a t i o n ' s n e e d s O u r c e r t i f i e d a d v i s o r s w i l l p r o v i d e s p e c i a l i s e d t r a i n i n g s a n d o n g o i n g s u p p o r t t o y o u a n d y o u r s t a f f

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W e t a k e o v e r f u l l u n c t i o n s o f y o u r b u s i n e s s p a y r o l l i n c l u d i n g S i n g l e

T o u c h P a y r o l l W e k r p a y r o l l c o m p l i e d w i t h a n y m e n t a n d r e g u l a t o r y c h a n g e s

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I N G & F O R E C A S T I N G r t i n g t o o l s a r e i n p a c e t o r o r g a n i s a t i o n s t r a c k a n d b u d g e t s a n d f o r e c a s t s T h e o p u l l r e a l - t i m e f i n a n c i a b l e s u s t o p r o v i d e m o r e u d g e t s a n d f o r e c a s t s t o y o u o u r m a n a g e m e n t t e a m

BUSINESS 2023 2023

S O F T W A R E I M P L E M E N T A T I O N & T R A I N I N G

IMPLEMENTATION & LOCAL BUSINESS

W e t a k e o v e r f u l l f u n c t i o n s o f b u s i n e s s p a y r o l l i n c l u d i n g S i n T o u c h P a y r o l l W e k e e p y o u r p a c o m p l i e d w i t h a n y g o v e r n m e n t r e g u l a t o r y c h a n g e s

A C C O U N T A N T & C F O

W e h a v e q u a l i f i e d a c c o u n t a n t s w h o w i l l e i t h e r l o o k a f t e r a l l y o u r n e e d s o r w o r k w i t h y o u r s t a f f t o p r o v i d e c o m p l e t e a c c o u n t i n g s e r v i c e s

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O u r q u a l i f i e d b u s i n e s s c o n s u l t a n t s w i t h y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e i n e n r e p r e n e u r s h i p a n d c o n s u l t i n g c a n a s s i s t y o u a n d y o u r o r g a n i s a t i o n o n b u s i n e s s t u r n a r o u n d , b u s i n e s s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s a n d b u s i n e s s p l a n s

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a n d l o d g e y o u r t y S t a t e m e n t s t y S t a t e m e n t s a s u a l c o m p a n y t a x i a n c e

W e h a v e q u a l i f i e d a c c o u n t a n t s w h o w i l l e i t h e r l o o k a f t e r a l l y o u r n e e d s o r w r k w i t h y o u r s t a f f t o p r o v i d e c o m p l e t e a c c o u n t i n g s e r v i c e s

Inner West Local Business Awards - Finalists 2023

We are a mobile General Practitioner Service providing home visits and telehealth to future, expectant and new mothers in Sydney’s Inner West.

info@sydneyperinataldoctors.com.au www.sydneyperinataldoctors.com.au

Inner West Local Business Awards - Finalists 2023

THE ATHLETIC BUDDHA

THE ATHLETIC BUDDHA KIDS

The Italian Bowl is an Italian Restaurant serving authentic Italian cuisine with affordable pricing. The menu allows you to pick and choose your pasta shape and your sauce, aswell, as your protein choice and sauce choice and has a range of rissottos. We serve a number of sides and desserts. Orders are cooked at time of ordering and in an open kitchen with the freshest ingredients. The Restaurant is a fun, loud and friendly ambience. We enjoy seeing meals completely finished and sauces licked off plates.

255 King St, Newtown NSW 2042. 02 9516 0857, theitalianbowl@optusnet.com.au, online ordering: www.theitalianbowl.orderup.com.au, Facebook: The Italian Bowl, Instagram: theitalianbowl, Tiktok: theitalianbowlnewtown

OUR

Services

At The Eye Piece, we strive on providing the best level of service. We endeavour to explore all available options to fulfill your eyewear and eyecare needs. Please find below our list of services.

COMPREHENSIVE EYE CHECK

CONTACT LENSES

CHILDREN VI SION CARE

GLAUCOMA, MACULA & CATARACTS CHECK

LENS FITTIN G

OPTICAL COHERENCE

TOMORGRAPHY (OCT) SCANS

ORTHO KERATOLOGY

SPECTACLE REPAI RS

Blue Tooth has two practices

DR Fatemeh Heidarygorji has 20 plus years of dental clinical experience and enjoys all aspects of general dentistry.

Dr Fatemeh owns and runs two reputable dental practices in Sydney.

Blue Tooth Dental in Newtown was established in 2011 and has a dedicated focus on treating patients who suffer from anxiety and dental phobia.

Dr Fatemeh’s husband, Dr Maziar Gorjipour - an Emergency Medicine Physician - and Dr Simon Briggs both have extensive experience in the field of conscious sedation and assist her in providing IV sedation to those who need it for their dental treatment.

Their close-knit team endeavors to always engage their patients with a smile and a compassionate approach.

The team at BTD demonstrates the highest level of values, ethics, and duty of care in the dental industry. Every patient is assessed and treated with respect as to their individual needs and circumstances.

Please join them for some exciting but busy times ahead for BTD as the practice is moving to their newly purpose-built practice in Newtown.

The new practice will be equipped with world-class equipment and the latest technology which will allow the team to continue providing gentle, safe, and premium quality dental treatment outcome for their patients.

New Address as of May 2023 is 9-11 King St Newtown NSW 2042. Phone 02 9519 2691. Website: www.bluetoothdental.com.au. Email: info@bluetoothdental.com.au

Pharmacy in the heart of Balmain

Inner West Local Business Awards - Finalists 2023

nity have come to know, like and trust.

Wall’s Pharmacy proudly supports the local primary schools and local charities with donations. The team at Wall’s make their customers feel as though they are part of the family with their friendly and professional service and advice.

“Our pharmacy loves to get involved in the community and we are a big part of local events such as the Dance for Dementia function and events held by the local primary schools,” Lynn said.

“The Dance for Dementia event is on May 31, 2023.”

“We have proudly been assisting generations of Inner West families with their health care for all these years. We offer a wide range of services such as vaccinations, complimentary home deliveries, blood pressure checks, baby weighing and ear piercing just to name a few,” Lynn said.

“Along with the traditional pharmaceutical products, we also stock an extensive variety of natural health products and vitamins. We have an interest and passion for natural health and wellness and love to stock organic brands especially ones made in Australia.

“We pride ourselves on our professional and friendly service.”

Martin’s dream is cooking away

“My day starts early morning and finishes late evening - it’s hard work but i enjoy what i do. For me cooking is a passion.”

Dolce Napoli Restaurant is at 336 Darling St, Balmain NSW 2041. Phone 02 85417725 or 0420 401 083. Email. Freshpasta00@gmail.com. www.dolcenapolibalmain.com.au

Bohemian spirit is alive

Mallouhi Property committed to service

MALLOUHI Property is committed to offering an exceptional level of unrivalled customer service, honesty and professionalism while maximising the sale price of your property.

“We are always looking at ways to improve and further develop the skills of our team and implement strategies to deliver you the very best in service and results,” long serving Principal Bill Mallouhi said.

“We continue to develop upon our strengths, providing a style of service that mixes professionalism with are high degree of care.

“At Mallouhi Property we are proud of our achievements and continually strive to set new standards of performance and service.

“Our unique presentation and marketing techniques set our properties apart, giving them a competitive edge in attracting top prices.

“We offer a very personal level of attention to all our clients, regardless of the size or value of their property.”

WALL’S Pharmacy has been a key part of the Balmain community for more than a century now in its Darling St location.

Wall’s Pharmacy is one Balmain’s first pharmacies, with a history dating back to 1902. First known as H.J.R. Mackey Chemist, it became Wall’s Pharmacy in the 1960s, when Mr Arthur Wall took over the business.

Wall’s has since become a Balmain institution. Through a number of changes in ownership, the pharmacy has retained its name alongside its unwavering commitment to the Balmain community.

Since Lynn Chien and Samuel Boktor purchased the business in 2016, they have been warmly welcomed by the locals and have built strong relationships with the other healthcare professionals in the area.

Lynn and Samuel are proud to run an independent community pharmacy that offers fantastic service and products at affordable prices. They are proud to continue the legacy that the Balmain commu-

DOLCE Napoli Restaurant is a “must do” restaurant at 336 Darling St, Balmain which is a labor of love for owner Martin and his staff.

And at Dolce Napoli they only use high-end quality products carefully chosen and picked to be just right for meals.

Most days owner Martin drives into Sydney markets to pick the best quality fruit and vegetables for his dishes.

Then he travels to the fish market to get the freshest seafood available.

“All our suppliers are well known for quality food and wine from all over Australia, this is my first Restaurant I have opened but it will not be the last,” he said.

“After working in the hospitality industry for many years since 2005 in Rome, Ireland, UK and the last six years in Sydney, it was time to start my own place.

“This includes all the experience I have with the world’s top chefs such as Jamie Oliver where I was head chef for his restaurant in Dublin and Sydney.

“After that covid hit our industry and I decided to open my own restaurant in Balmain and it’s been almost two years since I opened the restaurant and I’m very happy with the outcome.

“The feedback from locals has been incredibly helpful and all my customers love the fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli and pizza we make here every day,

THE enchanting restaurant La Favola is situated in trendy Newtown, just 10 minutes south of Sydney CBD.

Newtown has become well known for its quirky, bohemian spirit and colorful lifestyle down through the years.

The Italian-born chef Fabio Stefanelli and his team have created the unique La Favola experience.

It is a simple Italian diner designed to churn out fresh food fast. There are just six pastas with your choice of tasty sauce available. It really is worth your while to visit this unique authentic restaurant.

It is located at 170 King St Newtown. Phone 02 8021 0002

Specialising in SME Accounting

SASTRA Pty Ltd is an accounting and business consulting firm located in Homebush West.

They provide bookkeeping, payroll, BAS, taxation, business startup and business consulting services to SMEs and Not-for-Profit organisations across Australia.

They work at their clients’ offices or the Sastra office, depending on the client’s requirements and preferences.

“While we assist our clients in ensuring their compliance requirements are met on time, we go beyond compliance and provide financial and business information to assist in business decision making and growth plans,” managing Director Arun Arunasalam said.

“Our experience in combining accounting, technology and business process consulting, working with a wide range of clients in diverse industries and geographies, help us in enabling our clients to achieve sustained growth.

“We have accountants with experience and passion for helping businesses grow and prosper. Our senior staff have memberships in CPA, IPA, CIMA and ACCA and have tertiary qualifications in accounting or a related discipline,” Arun said.

Visit: www.sastra.com.au

“We are consistently seeking ways of improving and extending our services to meet consumer demand so we can offer our clients the very best.”

Proud Members of the Real Estate Institute, Mallouhi Property has earned a reputation as a boutique agency with strong negotiation skills and an unwavering commitment to their clients.

“This individual attention to detail is rare in the real estate industry and is the difference of the Mallouhi Property practice,” Mr Mallhouhi said.

“Though times have changed, at Mallouhi Property our basic values have not, and we pride ourselves on:

Local Knowledge, we are committed to an unequalled understanding of the areas we service.

Integrity, individually and collectively, our high standards ensure a professional experience.

Quality service, motivated team skilled at developing personal relationships.

Commitment, consistently working to deliver superior results.

“We at Mallouhi property are dedicated to developing the best team of profe:ssionals, supported by effective systems and technology so we can offer an exceptional level of customer service,” Mr Mallouhi said.

With 26 Years experience, Bill Mallouhi is a respected licensed agent whose dedication to his clientele in the Inner West region has propelled the success of many of his past businesses.

Bill has a solid reputation for his professionalism and dedication he commits to each and every client. In his previous agency Bill was ranked amongst the top 10% of salespeople amongst Australia and New Zealand.

A humble yet confident agent, Bill has repeatedly sold properties for his client’s time and time again, with his referral work being a huge part of his success.

Bill has lived in the Croydon area for 49 years and he joins the agency to leverage their widespread network of agents and technology to ensure his clients are supported in every way, whether it be buying or selling It is not uncommon to see Bill selling real estate all over Sydney,

Finalist list

Automotive Services

• AMR Mazda

• Balmain Mechanical Repairs

• Blue Chip Auto

• CMR Leichhardt & Marrickville

• Cosgrove Smash Repairs

• Harley-Heaven

• Kismet Mechanical

• MPSR Group

• NB Rim Repairs

Bakery/Cake Business

• 27THREE Boulangerie

• Alegria Lane - Norton Plaza

• Baked Republic

• Black Star Pastry

• Brooklyn Boy Bagels

• Locantro Bakery

• Lushcups

• Meli-Ann Cake Designs

• Mezzapica Cakes

• Nutie

• San Valentino Haberfield

• Strawberry Fields Patisserie Cafe

• Sweet Belem

Beauty Services

• Allison Harvey Makeup

• Beauty By Bella Iskander

• Daniela Costa Brows & Beauty

• Emmadene Beauty Therapy

• Eyelash by Lucy

• Lana Tarek Eyebrow Specialists

• Lunula

• Makeup by Mikayla Khoury

• Meraki Skin & Laser by Rosie

• My Tanning Lady

• Skin Therapeia

• The Skin Clinic

• VELOUR Beauty Parlour

• Velvet & Brown Hair Studio

• Violett Bella Casa

Butcher

• Dulwich Hill Gourmet Meats

• Elvy’s On Allen

• Great Meats Co

• Jimmy’s Chicken - Westfield Burwood

• Tanta Meats

Cafe

• Brew Ha Ha Coffee Roasters

• Buddha Bowl Cafe

• Cafe Calibre

• Cafe Tabouli

• Dom Panino

• Espresso Tony

• Kelby’s

• Ladies & Gentlemen Cafe Diner

• Lillys Espresso & Cucina - Rhodes Waterside

• Plunge No.46

• Quatre Cafe

• Tommy Black Espresso

• Trafalgar St Espresso

• Twinkle Kids Café - Burwood Plaza

Delicatessen/Gourmet Food

• CK Grazing Co.

• Deli-Xioso

• Golden Mart Richer

• La Petite Fauxmagerie

• Peppe’s Pasta

• The Deli Erskineville

Early Childhood Centre

• Ashfield Early Learning Centre

• Burwood Montessori Academy

• Burwood Road Montessori Academy Childcare

• Figtree Early Learning Centre

• Get Set Grow Early Learning Centre

• Greenwood Early Education Centre Concord

• Jenny’s Kindergarten & Early Learning - Leichhardt

• Kids@Play - Adams Lane

• Leichhardt Montessori Academy Child Care

• Lighthouse Childcare - North Strathfield

• Oz Education Homebush West

• Raising Stars Early Learning Centre

• Strathfield Montessori Academy

• ToBeMe Early Learning Burwood

• ToBeMe Early Learning Five Dock

• Woodgreen Early Learning Centre

Education Service

• Advance College

• BrainFOOD Education Inner West Tutoring

• Examiner Driving School

• Mathnasium of Five Dock

• Onroad Driving Education

• S2P Connect

• Sydney Metropolitan Institute of Technology

• The Guitar Lab

Fashion

• Bell Street

• Chen Xi Bridal

• CORSO 98055

• M.J. Bale - Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre

• Styelle Swim

• undicloth

Fast Food/Takeaway

• Baby Rey’s Burgers

• Chargrill Chooks

• Clems Chicken Shop

• Concord Seafood

• El Jannah Newtown

• Mister Gee Burger Truck

• Oricco Charcoal Chickens

• Petersham Kebab

• Saigon Summer - Summer Hill

• The Burg Five Dock

• THE LITTLE HUT Ashfield

• Viet Rolls n Cafe

• Zest Chargrill

Fitness Services

• A Team Fitness

• Camperdown Fitness

• Fitbodz - Burwood Plaza

• Hipe Athletic

• InnerFit - Leichhardt

• J.R. Fitness Coaching

• Kefi Studio Pilates

• Lets Do It Fitness

• LIFT Inner West

• Marrickville Yoga Centre

• Mummas On The Move

• Scout Pilates + Yoga

• The Athletic Buddha

• Tribe41 Leichhardt

• Zeus International Martial Arts Academy

Fruit & Vegetable Shop

• Farmers Fresh - Westfield Burwood

• Harris Farm - Norton Plaza

• Mayfair Fresh

• Panetta Mercato - Marrickville Metro

• Panetta Mercato Leichhardt

• Summer Hill Village Fruit Shop

• Wholefarms Market - Enfield

Hairdresser

• A.H Salon

• Adore Me Hair & Beauty Salon

• BARBERSIDE

• Botanik Eco Salon

• Cello Hairdressers

• Hair Angel

• Hair By Bel Artistry

• Hair By Rachel

• Hair Colosseum - Westfield Burwood

• Hairlab By George

• Ladies Hideaway Salon

• Laura and Co. Hairdressing

• Lookin Sharp Barbershop

• Memphis and Co.

• New in Town Barber Salon

• Willow Hairdressing

Health Improvement Services

• Blue Tooth Dental

• Concord Eye Care

• Concord Foot Clinic

• Diabetes Alive

• Distinct Dental Centre

• FXNL Rehab

• Insync Health Clinic

• Point Health Performance

• Pure Health

• Rhodes Podiatry - Rhodes Waterside

• Rough Patch Affordable Counselling

• Sportsfit Health and Rehab

• The Eye Piece

• Therapies for Kids

• Yoga Budz

Jewellery Store

• Angus & Coote - Westfield Burwood

• Campione Jewellery

• COSIMO.

• JC Fine Jewellers - Marrickville Metro

• Nader Jewellers - Westfield Burwood

• Prouds the Jewellers - Ashfield Mall

• Prouds the Jewellers - Westfield Burwood

Most Inclusive Employer

• Canada Bay Club

• Delicious Dairies

• Outback Steakhouse

• WOTSO North Strathfield

New Business

• 12 Taps Marrickville

• Andrew Wong Psychology

• Chiswick Convenience

• Concord Podiatry

• Creative Corner Studio

• Flow Laundry & Drycleaners

• iDental Surgery

• Minas Barbery

• Paws & Claws Academy

• Strathfield Veggie Shed

• Studio Inner West

• Sydney Perinatal Doctors

• The Fluid Project

• Theia Optical

• Ultra Dance Academy

Performing Arts

• All Age Music School

• Camelot Lounge

• Elevate Performing Arts

• Inner West Institute of Music

• International School of Music Leichhardt

• IX Dance Studio

• Kinetic Dance Force

• Lazybones Lounge Restaurant & Bar

• Platinum Vocal Studio

• ROCKSTAR School of Music

• Sydney Vintage Dance Studio

Pet Care

• Animal Tracks Veterinary Clinic

• Bark Busters Inner West Sydney

• Dogue Balmain

• Pawfect Doggy Day Spa

• Pepper & Murphy’s Dog Grooming Salon

• Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic

• The Hound Lounge

• The Little Dog Club

Pharmacy

• Abbotsford Family Pharmacy

• Blooms the Chemist - MarketPlace Leichhardt

• Blooms the Chemist - Marrickville

• Concord West Pharmacy

Finalist list

• Day and Night Chemist Ashfield

• Destro’s Pharmacy

• Healthmore Pharmacy

• Pharmacy 4 Less - Ashfield Mall

• Pharmacy 4 Less - Great North Road, Five Dock

• Pike’s Day & Night Pharmacy - Burwood

• Wall’s Pharmacy

Pizza Restaurant

• Andiamo Trattoria Summer Hill

• Dolcissimo Haberfield

• Mario’s Pizza Bar

• Moretti Ristorante

• Pizza Vibe

• That’s Amore

• Tipo “00” Balmain

• Trattoria Sotto Casa

Plumbing Services

• Abbotsford Plumbing

• Daniel Vecchio Plumbing Services

• Expert Plumbing Services

• ServicePro Plumbing & Relining

• Silver Water Plumbing Inner West

• Sydney Emergency Plumbing

• Tycon Plumbing

Professional Services

• 1300apprentice

• All in IT Solutions

• Burwood Accounting Services

• Fimmano Lawyers

• Halo Marketing

• IGM Group

• L&B Bookkeeping

• Mastermind Consulting

• Maxiron Wealth

• Milestone Creative Australia

• Nina Khan

• Progressive Accounting & Taxation

• Sastra

• SRL Management

• Sydney Finance Specialists

• The Grey Area

• Titles Strata Management

Real Estate Agency

• DibChidiac

• Exclusive Real Estate

• First National Five Dock Drummoyne

• Home Delight Property

• Mallouhi Property

• McGrath Estate Agents Strathfield

• OTTO Property Burwood

• Raywhite - Ashfield

• Seeto Real Estate

• Supreme Strata

• The Gallery Real Estate

• Zoom Real Estate Burwood

Restaurant

• Cafe Paci

• Corinthian Rotisserie Restaurant

• Dolce Napoli

• Europe Grill

• Forli Ristorante Italiano

• Francobollo

• Koutouki

• La Favola

• Little Lagos

• Mezepotamia Restaurant and Bar

• One Penny Red

• Sindoor Indian Restaurant Petersham

• Sud Restaurant

• The Eate

• The Italian Bowl

• The Reverie Cat - Modern Vietnamese Service & Trade

• Brad’s Joinery

• Buildrite Sydney

• Clover Homes

• COB Bricklaying

• Fox Mowing & Gardening (Canada Bay)

• Get Laid Landscapes - Turf Installation Specialists

• Kelly Kim Cleaning Services

• Lightning Electrical Group

• Main on Construction and Maintenance

• Maxi Green Landscaping

• Payless United Flooring

• Quick-Cut Lawn & Garden Services

• SHEETH

• SKYZ Electrical Services

• SPL Interior

• StartBuild

• Thrifty Seal

• Workzone Handyman Services

Specialised Business

• Croydon Tennis Centre

• Forge Disability Services (16 to 25 years old)

• Fortunate Son

• Injxu Cosmetics

• Portrait Hub Studio

• Referee College of Australia

• Strathfield Superbowl

• The Athletic Buddha Kids

• Underwater Dive Services

Specialised Retail Business

• Allegria Flowers & Homewares

• Enfield Pet and Produce Supplies

• Hunter Candles

• Istanbul Authentic Bazaar

• Liquor Emporium - St Peters

• One More Chocolate & Confections

• Petersham Liquor Mart

• Souvlaki Boys

• TabTimer

• Tales & Tea

• Unique Wholefood

• Village Wholefoods

• Vodafone Partner Burwood Plaza

Inner West Local Business Awards - Finalists 2023

Continued from page 19

his extensive clientele has secured Bill as an agent for life. His straightforward honest approach attracts respect from his vendors and purchasers.

Contact Bill on 0411 318 817. mallouhiproperty. com.au

McGrath opens Strathfield office

MCGRATH Estate Agents Strathfield has officially opened a new office in the heart of Strathfield.

The office is proudly led by lifelong Strathfield residents Michael Murphy and Tarun Sethi who were both ranked in the Real Estate Top 50 and Top 100 agents of 2022.

“As we begin this exciting new chapter of our careers and have officially opened our brand-new office in the heart of Strathfield, we are thrilled to be bringing Australia’s strongest Real Estate brand to our local community,” they said.

“The choice to align our business with McGrath was an easy one with John McGrath being a long-standing mentor of ours.

“We understand that buying or selling a home is one of the biggest decisions anyone can make and we are always humbled to be a part of that journey.

“With our leadership and the support of the McGrath Brand we are confident that our team can take our service and results to the next level and help even more people achieve their real estate goals.

“To our past and current clients, we are grateful for the trust and faith you have put in us over the years, and we promise to continue delivering exceptional service at McGrath Strathfield.”

The new office is located at 44 The Boulevarde Strathfield.

Businesses moving to flexibility

agreements. No lock-in contracts, leasing deposits, or legal fees are involved when using a WOTSO.

Whether you’re looking to escape the isolation of the home office, scaling your business or merely curious about the increasingly popular industry of coworking spaces, then exploring the endless options that WOTSO FlexSpace has to offer is recommended.

WOTSO is becoming the provider of choice for shopping centres and fit out has started at WOTSO’s newest workspace space flexible workspace at Westpoint, Blacktown in Sydney’s West where it will open an 1800 sqm space in the coming months.

This newest location for the FlexSpace provider is a continuation of the company’s 20 sites across Australia and New Zealand.

WOTSO already operates in large shopping precincts such as Chermside Westfield, Qld, Woden Westfield, ACT and Macarthur Square Shopping Centre, NSW. Shopping centres have the amenity, transport links and convenient near to home locations that suit local businesses.

You can move away from traditional office leases and join the flexible workspace movement with WOTSO today. For a complete list of memberships, locations and office amenities, head to www. wotso.com

Clients in their sight

THE Eye Piece is a family-owned and operated boutique optometrist with customer satisfaction and eye health being a priority.

Their team of qualified Dispensers and Optometrists pride themselves: “’on providing exceptional service for every customer to ensure both lifestyle and cosmetic needs are met.”

“We are meticulous and personal with our process, from edging and fitting lenses ourselves to hand-selecting from a range of unique frames from global brands,” a spokesman said.

“It is our continuing commitment to provide an experience that will set us apart. With over 16 years of experience, we are excited to bring our passion and service to Inner West and the local community of Balmain.

“Come and see why we claim to be Australia’s finest optometrist.”

Undicloth born in COVID

THE unique Undicloth launched in May of 2020 as Sydney was settling into its first COVIiD-19 lockdown.

And undicloth loves being Australian made and part of the local community, recently donating over $5000 worth of underwear to Wayside Chapel who provide a judgement free safe place for people from all walks of life doing it tough.

They also make a donation with every sale to Re Forest Now, an organisation which plants native trees in Australia’s cleared lands and forests, having planted over 400,000 native trees to date.

Visit: www.undicloth.com.au

Inspiring potential for children

Handwriting and pencil grip, development of social skills and their popular school readiness groups also help prepare children for school and any concerns teachers raise once they start school. Therapies For Kids do not have a waitlist so you can call to book an appointment without delay!

Clinic locations: 370 Norton Street, Lilyfield and 155 Balmain Road, Leichhardt. Ph 02 9519 0966

E: enquiries@therapiesforkids.com.au. W: www.therapiesforkids.com.au. Instagram @ therapiesforkids

Holistic approach to fitness

THE team at The Athletic Buddha believe in a holistic approach to health and fitness, according to the Co-Founder, Mika Ucchino.

“We offer a range of group classes, including Strength and Conditioning, Body-Fit Boxing, Run Club, Teen Squad, Yoga and Meditation and much more.

HOW people work has changed significantly, so it comes as no surprise that small to medium Aussie businesses are turning to flexible workspace arrangements over traditional leases to meet their business needs.

Many businesses also now understand that they don’t need to commute to CBDs to run their business.

WOTSO is your local FlexSpace. WOTSO is a permanent solution for business- in fact over 2000 of WOTOS’s members have been using WOTSO for longer than two years now.

Put simply, WOTSO offers offices, desks, meeting rooms and events space on an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly

Stephen the designer worked as a props technician for Opera Australia dressing sets and it was while working on ‘Opera on the Harbour, he could not get comfy, so he decided to start making his own undies.

From there he could not be the only one in Aussie made comfort so undicloth was born.

undicloths are made from fabric that is knitted in Victoria and manufactured in Sydney’s Inner West. Designed with a pouch the style allows room to hang about naturally.

Slowly growing over the years undicloth have ribbed singlets along with socks and tradie underwear specifically designed with a higher waist and longer leg to keep you comfy for the long dirty days.

THERAPIES For Kids is a highly sought after allied health practice located at the heart of the inner west, with locations in Leichhardt and Lilyfield.

The children’s allied health practice offers Intensive Therapy Programs, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology and Exercise Physiology for children of all abilities.

Therapies for Kids is led by Executive Director Deb Evans, who is a well-regarded paediatric physiotherapist with over 40 years’ experience delivering therapy to children.

Families feel warmly welcomed by the friendly admin team and professional therapists who are a fun, energetic group, passionate about helping children achieve their goals.

The therapy gym floors, and therapy rooms are brightly coloured, therapists use state-of-the-art equipment, and the play cupboards are bursting with the latest games and toys.

Overall, Therapies For Kids playbased environment is ideal for helping children to achieve their goals.

Therapies For Kids specialises in Intensive Therapy Programs and Early Childhood Early Intervention for children of all abilities.

Director Deb said: “Our Intensive Therapy Programs accelerate functional motor skills, improve independence with activities involving motor skills and improve motor coordination, motor control, strength, and balance.

“Our Intensive Programs are particularly suited to children with Cerebral Palsy, neurological conditions, acquired brain injuries, rare diseases, genetic conditions and ASD/ADHD”.

Their holistic approach to Early Childhood Early Intervention inspires children to reach their full potential before starting school.

By taking a transdisciplinary approach, their speech pathologists and occupational therapists work with younger children who may have problems or are being frustrated by not being understood, problems understanding what people say, stuttering, and difficulties with spelling, reading or writing.

“Our facilities are designed to cater to families, with free child-minding services and specialised fitness sessions for kids and teens.”

Owner and Director, Daniel Ucchino, agrees. He has been a personal trainer for more than 26 years and said: “I know that health and fitness goals are not just about physical well-being, but are interconnected with all aspects of life - family, business, finances, and social circles”.

“That’s why we train hard and smart, but we also prioritise the importance of mindfulness and self-awareness through meditation, yoga, and mind-balancing exercises.

“At The Athletic Buddha, you will embark on a new and invigorating fitness journey, surrounded by like-minded individuals who are passionate about health and wellness. Join us and become a part of our well-balanced community.”

The Athletic Buddha is at 202-210 George St, Concord West. Ph: 0451 932 013. www. theathleticbuddha.com.au www.instagram. com/theathleticbuddha www.facebook.com/ theathleticbuddha

Maxiron the investment experts

MAXIRON Wealth is a Managed Investment Fund, located in Burwood in Sydney.

They specialize in Mortgage Investments for everyday Investors.

“We pride ourselves on offering high and consistent return rates for all investors,” a spokesperson said.

“Our team has a combined experience of more than 100 years in Finance, Investments and the Mortgage industry.

“The team at Maxiron provides a topnotch investment experience to all investors. We are all committed to maintaining high ethical standards and transparency in all our business practices.

“With our expert management, we aim to help our investors achieve their financial goals. We welcome the opportunity to help you secure your financial future with our investment fund.”

Phon 1300 118 112. Email: investor@ maxironwealth.com.au

Therapies For Kids has been a part of the inner west community for 14 years. We are a paediatric allied health service which specialises in Intensive Therapy Programs, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology and Exercise Physiology for children of all abilities. Our therapists are a passionate, energetic and caring team who take a transdisciplinary approach in developing your child's full potential. We believe our transdisciplinary approach integrates the knowledge and methods from different disciplines so that the child receives a uniform, holistic individualised approach in a fun play-based environment - our clinics offer state of the art equipment within a fun, brightly coloured play-based therapy environment, to maximise the learning and enjoyment of children during their sessions and intensive programs.

Our clinics are led by our Executive Director Deb Evans, who has over forty years experience delivering therapy to children of all abilities and sharing her knowledge with her professional team.

We believe in every child’s potential, we have the vision to see it and we have the knowledge and expertise to unlock it. Therapies For Kids welcomes children funded by the NDIS and we are an Early Childhood Early Intervention provider We welcome new clients and look forward to hearing from you. Check out our Instagram for more on what we do!

Our family plumbing business is grateful to its many loyal customers, celebrating over 37 years of amazing local support. Located in Concord West, our plumbers cover residential, real estate and strata plumbing.

Inner West Local Business Awards - Finalists 2023

A Special Thank you to all our wonderful customers who took time out of their busy life voting for us in the “Local Business Awards”. We are honored to be a finalist .

Mayfair Fresh would not exist without the ongoing support of our customers, local suppliers and team members. We are a small independent business trying to make it easy for all Australians to access the finest quality Food e.g, Fresh produce, Deli and grocery made in Australia and Europe. From hand-picked Australian fruit and veg to the finest Cheese and crackers, we have got them all ready for you to make every day a festive day to enjoy.

This nomination also reflects our incredible team that makes our daily operation possible. Our team members are all passionate and hardworking individuals who make the store what it is.

Without ongoing support of customers and a passionate team, we would find it hard to compete with the big-budget marketing pull of the large supermarket chains.

We look forward to continuing to provide the best customer service and tastiest Australian-grown food to the inner west community.

Inner West Local Business Awards - Finalists 2023

A pharmacy that is more like a community centre, Abbotsford Family Pharmacy has become synonymous with quality, care and support. No matter what your needs may be, even if it’s just a chat, Silvana and the team are here for you.

Abbotsford Family Pharmacy

310 Great North Road Abbotsford

Ph: 0424 886 560

L A FAVOL A PROVIDES THE COMMUNIT Y WITH A COZ Y, INVITING SPACE, DELICIOUS HOME-ST YLE AND FRESH PASTAS, IS BASED ON THE SIMPLE CONCEPT OF BEAUT Y, WARMTH, TRADITION.

170 King S treet Newtown

02 8021 0002inf

When Decisions Matter

At Supreme Strata, we strive to be the best strata managing agent you will work with. We achieve this by working closely with the owners corporations throughout every step of the journey, to protect and add value to your property asset.

Phone: 02 8007 7221 | Fax: 02 8007 7113

Address: Suite 5, Level 1, 1-17 Elsie Street, Burwood NSW 2134

Postal Address: PO Box 305, Burwood NSW 1805

Email: yennie@supremestrata.com.au

Website: www.supremestrata.com.au

Mario’s aiming at a WORLD record…

56 hours of a continuous podcast

SASWATI MUKHERJEE

COME April 29, 2023 and Western Sydney businessman Mario Bekes will attempt to create history and enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

The 51-year- old is looking at a 56-hour marathon of continuous radio broadcast.

This, Mario says, is his way of challenging life. “I want to set an example, live life to the fullest and inspire people to believe in their abilities,” says Mario who first came to Canberra in Australia in 1998 on an official task.

He took a liking to this country and later moved to Sydney in 2003. This city has been his home since then.

With a background in military and diplomatic affairs, Mario did quite a lot of odd jobs to start off with as a migrant in a new country and eventually started his own business.

A successful businessman now, he took to podcasting as a hobby during lockdown. A few years down the line and Mario is attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records – his proposed schedule would have him in his podcast studio, the ‘Secret Location’ for 56 straight hours and one minute from 11 am that day. That means he must give up on his sleep and talk continuously for the entire length of time. For him, the longest pod-

cast so far has been a two-hour stint.

“I am mentally setting myself up for the challenge, I want to create a legacy,” says Mario who is in the final stages of preparing my script. He wants to touch on his personal experiences around health, friends, family, business and maybe even his books.

Yes, Mario is a successful author of seven published books too.

At this point in time, he is still working out the nitty-gritty’s of the program, and is certainly hoping to make it as interesting as possible.

Sponsorship opportunities are avaiolbale.

The entire broadcast would be available for streaming live through his website: https:// mariosworldrecord.au/

Building a Voice for Western Sydney

WentWest, the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, is working with the community to improve health equity. Our aim is to deliver services that are co-designed by the community, for the community, and we are constantly expanding ways to improve our community relationships and partnerships.

Our West Sydney

To help listen and respond to community members in Western Sydney, we have developed an online community hub, Our West Sydney. Our West Sydney is an interactive online forum for community members, health care professionals and partners to come together and share high-quality information, ideas and events.

Facilitated by WentWest, the platform is designed to build and strengthen positive relationships and partnerships that focus on creating a healthier Western Sydney for everyone. By opening up the conversation, Our West Sydney allows you to play a role in the design of quality health care services in our region

Community-led Solutions

When is the last time that someone asked you what the most important health and social care priorities are in your community? At WentWest, we’re trying to shift the way health care is approached and bring community into the conversation about their own health.

We’re already fortunate to have great feedback from our Consumer Advisory Council, but we’re now expanding our reach and creating a series of “Community Juries”.

Community Juries

It’s called a “jury” because the group is randomly selected and representative of the community. Collectively, members will learn about a health and social issue, then debate and discuss the information to come up with recommendations.

At WentWest, we will be running our first two Community Juries in Western Sydney in August 2023. One will be a First Nations group, led by a First Nations facilitator, and the other will be multicultural. Both groups will consider information about the health and wellbeing of Western Sydney communities to provide wellinformed recommendations about what matters to communities in our region.

To prepare, WentWest is listening to communityled Advisory Panels to guide the development of the evidence and refine the language being used to describe and run these groups. Juries will be made up of Western Sydney people randomly selected from a ballot.

Healthy Western Sydney is delivered by WentWest, the Western Sydney Primary Health Network.

If you want to join our network of community leaders and be a regular part of the conversation, sign-up to Our West Sydney: bit.ly/ourwestsydneycommunityvoices

Travelling and working….

We explore some cool options

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

THERE has been a dramatic 12-month increase in searches for remote work locations in Australia as thousands of workers move to regional centres.

Exclusive data from Instant Offices has revealed a dramatic increase of 82% in searches for remote work since last year- confirming people are growing tired of the city office lifestyle.

With the world opening up since the covid pandemic and workers getting excited to jump back to normality, there was a buzz of excitement last year for everyone to get back to the office, but the new data shows the enthusiasm was short lived.

CMO for The Instant Group John Williams said the significant rise in searches from the Instant Offices data showed a vast surge in searches for remote working.

“It indicates a robust demand for remote and hybrid working, including both careers and workspaces that can enable this working pattern.

"Most people have moved on from the initial post-covid freedom and return to office and are now looking for a more permanent routine that strikes a comfortable work-life balance between commuting, working hours, collaboration, and flexibility.”

People are also using caravans and motorhomes as work bases as they travel around Australia.

However, the best we came across was a Meta employee who plans to work remotely from a new mega cruise ship for several years.

Austin Wells, whose job in augmented and virtual reality for Meta is fully remote, has bought a 12-year lease on the soon-tolaunch MV Narrative cruise ship, which markets itself as a “residence at sea”.

Mr Wells said he spent $300,000 on a 12-year lease for an entry-level “Discover” studio on the ship, which will launch in 2025.

Living onboard the ship full-time, the tech employee will have access to a medical centre, a gym and spa, a co-working space, three swimming pools, a bank and even a farmer’s market.

It will make stops in the likes of Rome, Venice, Croatian islands and Greece, as well as travelling to the Arctic Circle, on a yet-to-be-confirmed three-year itinerary.

“The thing that most excites me is [that] I don’t have to upend my daily routine in order to go see the world,” Mr Wells said.

“I’m going from this model where if you want to go somewhere, you pack a bag, you get on a flight, you rent a room... to now my condo, my gym, my doctors and dentists, all of my grocery stores travel the world with me.”

Passengers can choose to pay an “all-inclusive” living rate per month, meaning all meals, clinic visits, fitness classes and laundry would be covered, or simply pay as they go.

The 18-deck vessel will also feature 20 restaurants and bars, a school, library and a cinema. It is currently under construction in Split, Croatia, from where it will set sail in 2025.

Studies have shown that a stimulating working environment can help to increase productivity. Couple this with advances in mobile technology and you open up a plethora of interesting workplace solutions.

Workspace-sharing website Vrumi offers users a wide variety of locations available to hire, with current listings ranging from a private dining room in Notting Hill to a retro barge moored just outside Little Venice to a pond-side cabin for 10 in Enfield. England.

Many larger corporates are also embracing this trend with PR giant Ogilvy & Mather adopting a carnival-themed design at their offices in China, where workers can enjoy giant Nutcrackers and merry-go-round horses suspended from ceilings.

Google’s Zurich base offers themed gondolas for team meetings alongside break-out spaces where employees can sing, dance, enjoy a massage or perfect their slam-dunk on a mini basketball court.

We have taken a closer look at some other unusual places to work around the world. Here are our top 5:

1. Sphinx ObservatoryFieschertal, Switzerland

This astronomical observatory is located above the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland. Standing some 11,716ft above sea level, it is precariously balanced on a steep narrow summit high in the Bernese Alps. The observatory has accommodated a multitude of the world’s top scientists and includes living quarters, several laboratories, high-tech weather station, astronomical and meteorological domes, and a 76-cm telescope. It can only be accessed via the Jungfrau railway buried deep within the mountain and entered via James Bond-esque doors carved out of the ice.

2. Stanley Hotel - Colorado, USA

Situated in the beautiful Estes Park and nestled within the Rockies, The Stanley Hotel is said to be America’s most haunted hotel. Staff and guests alike have reported witnessing ghostly apparitions and hearing children playing in the corridors with music drifting from the Concert Hall deep into the night. The hotel is thought to have inspired Stephen King’s novel ‘The Shining’ following the author’s nightmarish stay here. Today, visitors flock to the hotel to see the strange goings-on for themselves and the hotel now employs clairvoyants and Night Spirit Tour leaders amongst its staff!

3. Village Underground –Shoreditch, East London

The Village Underground is an art collective in Shoreditch, East London where creatives can hot-desk within the four refurbished London Underground tube carriages and two shipping containers, all sitting atop a Victorian warehouse which can be hired for events. Holywell Lane Wall, the largest dedicated street art wall in London, is located just outside the warehouse and is repainted every three months by local and world-renowned artists.

4. TREExOFFICE - Hoxton Square, London

The TREExOFFICE in Hoxton was a joint initiative by Groundwork London, Artsadmin and Hackney Council and formed part of the Park Hack project in 2015. The group aimed to create more sustainable, innovative and flexi-working spaces for the local businesses and community. They teamed up with designer Natalie Jeremijenko, in collaboration with artists Shuster + Moseley, architects Tate Harmer and briefing architects Gensler, to create this eight-pod tree house office space in Hoxton Square. This project has since inspired similar ventures across the world such as the TREExOFFICE build, designed by students at the University of Colorado in 2017.

5. Inventionland –Pittsburgh, USA

Davison Design & Development’s Headquarters represent America’s largest innovation factory at 70,000sq ft. The self-titled "idea incubator" is the brainchild of Davison founder and CEO, George McConnell Davison. Inventionland is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a state of the art production facility for educational materials and corporate innovation products. It houses no less than sixteen themed workspaces, including a shipwrecked pirate ship, three running waterfalls and a castle complete with turrets and drawbridge.

At Halcyon, we may not be able to boast a fire-breathing dragon to inspire our workers, but we certainly have some beautiful and unique locations, such as the Thorncroft Manor Estate in Leatherhead, Surrey which offers small businesses both flexi-working options and a permanent base.

My Narrative.

Stanley Hotel.

John Wick: Chapter 4 - 4 Stars

John Wick, and Keanu, are back and this final film is a complete bloodbath; giving fans of the series everything they could want.

RUNNUING tiemn is epic. At 2 hours and 49 minutes, it’s a long one for sure - and particularly with the sort of film that has less story than could be expected. Instead, it’s a lengthy slugfest; with mammoth action sequences, endless shoot outs, and blood by the bucketload.

And that’s exactly what it should be.

Keanu is pulling his usual Wick Schtick, grunting his way through the bare minimum dialogue they give him.

Director Chad Stahleski wisely keeps him out of the first section of the film; making him more of a bogeyman than before. In particular, the scenes at the Tokyo Continental are particularly effective, with Wick standing like a painting atop the roof, hunted by everyone around the world.

It’s the newcomers, though, that really shine! Donnie Yen is an absolute standout as the blind assassin Caine. He is a complete badass, and worms his way into your heart over the course of the nearly 3 hour film despite being predominantly the villain. Perhaps most surprising is Scott Adkins, who plays the villain Killa in a fatsuit. He monologues fantastically, but more impressive is the physicality of his role. In a film filled with a heap of frankly over the top, fantastical gun violence, the fist fight between Killa and John in a water soaked Berlin club feels the most

visceral.

The fight scenes continue to be striking in this franchise. This installment continues to up the ante. There’s fantastic moments peppered throughout, but the best scenes happen in Paris - one particularly fantastic staircase sequence, a gorgeously shot overhead gun battle in a

Air - 4 Stars

SONNY Vaccaro (Matt Damon) works for Nike, tracking down talent that the Basketball Division can entice to wear their fledgling array of basketball shoes. He, marketing director Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), Howard White (Chris Tucker), and the CEO of Nike Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), are all trying to use their paltry budget for the year to entice some lower tier players to join their shoe roster. But Sonny has an idea, to go after just one player and pour the whole budget into that venture; Michael Jordan.

The 3rd round draft pick famously hates Nike shoes, and is almost guaranteed to go to Adidas. In fact, his agent David Falk (Chris Messina) refuses a meeting outright.

But Sonny believes Michael has the chance to be great. He goes down to meet with Michael’s mother Deloris (Viola Davis), as he and his team break all the rules, and all the conventions, to get this future NBA star into a shoe with a swoosh on it.

Air is such an interesting film, because you can see exactly how easily it could have gone off the rails. It’s the sure hand of Ben Affleck here in the director's seat, and the script from Alex Convery, that makes certain Air never overreaches.

It never grabs for the tempting fruit around it; the mile a minute pace of a basketball game, or the tempting headlines that could be generated by having some young up and coming actor play Michael Jordan himself. Instead, it grounds itself in the core heart of this story, and one that ultimately is fascinating.

Affleck makes the imaginably staid process of designing a shoe, doing financial deals for revenue share, and enticing the family into a single meeting, extremely fun.

Parisian apartment, and a tense gun battle amidst hectic traffic around the Arc De Triomphe. It’s gorgeously shot, stunningly brutal, and completely inventive - as we’ve come to expect from this franchise. Ultimately, you find yourself longing for the feel of that first John Wick. What happened to the simplicity of that movie?

More importantly, what happened to the character work?

There is nothing dialogue-wise here that could possibly match John Wick’s speech in the first film where he proclaims that, yes, he is back.

Perhaps that is because Wick has nothing to fight for here other than his own life. In the first film, John sought revenge; he was hurt, angry, and nothing could stop him.

For the last three films, this one included, his motivation is solely self-preservation; trying to save a life that, even once he saves, he barely wants to live in. Keanu had so much more to work with in that first movie, and while the action has intensified, the emotionality behind it and the simplicity behind it has gone. For that reason, no John Wick film could top that first installment.

That being said, while this film suffers by comparison to the first one in the franchise, it is still the second best in the series by a long stretch. It’s also a fitting end, and head and shoulders above the action fare offered by other modern movies.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

be stock standard, but Damon tackles it winningly.

Bateman plays a sort of more earnest version of his usual character, and has a number of winning jokes. Affleck’s Phil Knight is iconically 80’s, perfectly self-doubting, and a fan fave. Viola Davis, in her brief screen time, also impresses. Chris Messina is an absolute standout as the foul mouthed agent, Falk. He is frequently hilarious, completely over the top, and brings a smile to your face constantly.

He has a fantastic balance for flair and character, and delivers this melting pot of 80’s memorabilia, office politics, and adjacency to big basketball, in a very compelling way. The film gives a very lived in and authentic view of the 80’s vibe, avoiding some of the more poppy versions done in other recent fare.

Character-wise, the balance is all here. Damon delivers the lead role as the straight man, and does so with aplomb, delivering the needed inspirational speech as required. The dialogue may

Ultimately, what makes Air such a winning film is the fact that it tells an interesting story, self-contains it, and is confident in delivering what it sets out to do. The ambition here is curtailed, but in doing so it foisters a vote of confidence in the source material it’s dealing with.

The tale of this shoe deal is interesting, almost anecdotally, and Air tells it in a fun, enjoyably engaging, funny and affecting way. This movie probably isn’t going to change your life, but you’ll have a blast watching it.

Reviews

by

Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

Air is the sort of simple, wholesome content that - when done well, and it is done very well here - makes an impact.

AUTO

But the Volkswagen MEB-based electric five-seater will not be heading to OZ

„ MATT BROGAN

FORD has debuted its all-electric Explorer SUV this week, with the Volkswagen-based five-seater to go on sale in Europe later this year price from €45,000 ($A72,000) plus on-road costs.

The stylish mid-sized model – which will not be offered in Australia – will be produced at Ford of Europe’s Cologne facility in Germany. It shares underpinnings with the VW ID.4, making it one of two Ford models that will stem from Volkswagen’s MEB electric platform before the end of 2024.

For the EU, Ford will offer the Explorer EV in three configurations: an entry-grade rear-wheel drive with a 52kWh battery, 350km range and 125kW output; a mid-tier rear-wheel drive with larger 77kWh battery, 540km range and stronger 210kW output; and a range-topping all-wheel drive dual-motor with the same 77kWh battery, 490km range and 250kW output.

DC fast charging can replenish the smaller battery pack at a capacity of up to 130kW, while the larger battery pack supports a charging capacity of up to 170kW. A 10 to 80 per cent charge is said to take just 25 minutes.

Ford says the Explorer EV receives its own suspension tune with a familiar MacPherson strut front and multilink rear arrangement providing a “different driving experience” to the Volkswagen derivative.

The 2024 Ford Explorer EV measures 4450mm in length, giving it a similar stature to the Honda HR-V, Nissan Qashqai or Toyota Corolla Cross. It will be offered in two model grades in Europe: Explorer and Explorer Premium, each with a generous list of standard equipment.

Ford’s 15.0-inch SYNC Move central infotainment array offers a moveable, portrait-oriented display that combines wireless app integration with a tailored audio package and advanced driver assistance technology. The screen conceals a storage cubby ahead of the centre console, which itself offers a separate compartment of 17 litres.

The “ultra-modern” interior combines premium materials and sculpted sports

seats across two rows. Like many EVs, pre-conditioning of the cabin’s climate is possible, the space also boasting heated

front seats and a heated steering wheel, a massaging driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, as well as keyless entry and start.

Further back, and with access via an optional handsfree electric tailgate, the Explorer EV provides “about 470 litres” of cargo space in five-seat mode.

Advanced driver assistance systems include assisted lane change and clear exit assist among a raft of active and passive safety systems.

“(The) Explorer is a trailblazer for a new breed of exciting Ford electric vehicles,” said Ford Model e Europe general manager, Martin Sander.

“Steeped in our American roots but built in Cologne for our customers in Europe, it is road-trip ready for the big adventures and fully loaded with everything our customers will need for their daily drives.”

Speaking to GoAuto about the possibility of an Explorer EV for Australia, a local spokesperson said simply, “while we have no plans to introduce the all-electric Explorer in Australia, we’re looking forward to sharing the next phase of our EV journey very soon”.

Wider track, improved ground clearance add to variant’s (off) street cred

„ MATT BROGAN

FORD has this week announced its special edition Ranger Wildtrak X as an off-road focused competitor to the likes of the Toyota HiLux Rogue (from $70,200 +ORCs) and Nissan Navara Warrior Pro4-X (from $67,515 +ORCs).

Bridging the gap between the Wildtrak and Raptor within the Ranger line-up, the Wildtrak X boast uprated Bilstein Position-Sensitive dampers, a wider wheel track front and rear (+30mm), and improved ground clearance (+26mm) –as well as Ford’s off-road focussed Trail Control and Trail Turn Assist technology – to give buyers even more go-anywhere capability.

Due in showrooms from the second half of this year (2023), the model is further equipped with Ford’s Flexible Rack cargo system making it easier to carry loads of different shapes and sizes.

Ford’s second-from-top-tier Ranger is priced from $75,990 plus on-road costs and is further characterised by grade-specific 17-inch alloys with 265/70 profile General Grabber AT3 tyres, a new off-road grille, Matrix LED headlights with auxiliary LEDs, a 12.4-inch digital instrument panel and premium Bang & Olufsen audio package.

“Ranger is more than just transportation: it enables an unlimited lifestyle, giving owners the ability to tackle work, family and play with one, feature-packed vehicle,” said Ford Ranger chief platform engineer David Grice.

“We have designed and engineered Wildtrak X with the overlanding community front of mind.”

The Wildtrak X is offered in a Cyber Orange paint finish with complementary accent strips and also features a steel bash plate, cast aluminium side steps, blackened Ford badging, variant-specific badging and RANGER letting across the bonnet.

The grille surround, bumper H-bar, wheel lip mouldings, fender vents, mirror caps, door handles and rear bumper are all finished in asphalt black.

Inside, the Wildtrak X boasts new leather-accented seats with Miko suede and Wildtrak X embroidered into the

seat backs, upper glovebox and all-weather front and rear floor mats.

Terra suede wraps the glovebox, instrument cluster hood, door trim and centre console rails while Cyber Orange contrast stitching is used on the seats, steering wheel, gear shifter, doors and the upper glovebox. The Wildtrak X is also fitted with an overhead auxiliary switch bank for aftermarket accessories. Power comes from a 150kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine which gains Ford’s more advanced

2023 Ford Ranger 4x4 pricing*:

full-time four-wheel drive system and 10-speed automatic transmission as standard. The 3500kg braked towing rating offered elsewhere in the range is retained.

“We know Australian customers love the versatility their Ranger offers them,” said Ford Australia and New Zealand president and CEO Andrew Birkic.

“(The) Wildtrak X really captures their desire for exploration, with new hardware and features so they can head across the country or go further off-road than ever before.”

The news comes at the same time Ford Australia announces modest price increases for the Ranger line-up, full details of which are listed below.

XL Double Cab Chassis SiT (a) $48,280 (+$250)

XL Double Cab Pick-Up SiT (a) $50,180 (+$250)

XL Double Cab Chassis BiT (a) $51,780

Have you heard of cortisol? Tips for managing stress

„ DR JOHN HINWOOD

CORTISOL is the hormone we release as part of the stress response.

When the body perceives a threat, cortisol is released to help us respond appropriately. Now, bear in mind, as part of the animal species, a threat is something that will impact on our wellbeing or livelihood; such as a predator.

However, in this modern world, the things that threaten our wellbeing are losing our phone, not being able to connect to the internet, not finding a park when you’re running late for meeting etc.

So, you can see, it’s not difficult to be living with a chronic level of stress that can cause cortisol levels to remain elevated, which can then lead to a range of health problems.

Here are five warning signs that you may have high cortisol levels:

1. 2-4 AM Wake Up: Cortisol levels naturally peak in the early morning, helping us wake up and feel alert. However, when cortisol levels are chronically high, it can cause you to wake up between 2-4 AM and struggle to fall back asleep.

2. Hard-to-lose Belly Fat: Cortisol can contribute to the accumulation of fat, particularly around the midsection.

High cortisol levels can make it difficult to lose belly fat, even with regular exercise and a healthy diet.

3. Cravings for Salty and Sugary Foods: High cortisol levels can cause you to crave salty and sugary foods regularly. This is because cortisol triggers the release of glucose, which can cause cravings for foods that provide a quick energy boost.

4. Exhausted but Energized: High

cortisol levels can cause you to feel exhausted and wired at the same time. You may feel like you are always on edge, even when you are tired and need to rest.

5. No Morning Hunger: Cortisol is responsible for suppressing hunger in the morning, so when cortisol levels are high, you may not feel hungry when you wake up. This can make it difficult to get the nutrients you need to start the day.

Things you can do to reduce stress levels:

1. Exercise… choose exercise that you love to do.

Research has shown that low-intensity exercise lowers cortisol levels.

2. Sleep… make sure you get enough.

Research tells us that 7 to 8 hours sleep is ideal to allow your brain to complete its cleaning process. Also, you need to get enough sleep.

3. Do things that you enjoy and find relaxing.

Focus on these joyful activities – like reading a book, listening to your favourite music, gardening, going for a walk, matching movies, or whatever these special things are for you.

4. Re-think regular alcohol. TV and movies constantly show us people engaging in alcohol as a destress tool, where in fact, it has an opposite effect of the body. The way to go is to cut back on alcohol.

5. Avoid the late-night news just before bed.

Anticipatory stress is a major problem for many people. Research has identified that bad news can increase your stress levels and interfere in a major way with healthy sleep.

The Hinwood Institute.

Exercise can relieve stress.

QUICK CROSSWORD SUDOKU

10 Refuge (7)

14 Lucky (10)

17 Methods of travel between floors (9)

18 Husbands or wives (7)

20 Staggered (6)

22 Military student (5)

23 Japanese dish (5)

HARD MEDIUM

25 Sat (5)

1 From 1897 to 1905, what was Sydney’s Kings Cross named?

2 In the comic strip Garfield, what is the name of Garfield’s owner?

3 Who played the third ghostbuster in the film series of the same name, alongside Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis?

4x4

4 YouTuber Lindsay Ellis released which sci-fi novel in July 2020?

5 Which Queensland town holds the record for the highest ever annual rainfall in a populated area of Australia?

6 Michael Mancini and Amanda Woodward are characters from which 1990s US TV series?

7 Who wrote the 2000 Booker Prize-winning novel The Blind Assassin?

8 Which character did Audrey Tautou (pictured) play in the 2006 film adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code?

9 In what month does the winter solstice occur in Australia?

10 In which year was Tim Flannery awarded Australian of the Year?

ACROSS

1 Hit

5 Competent

6 Behind

7 Border DOWN

1 Naked

2 In bed

3 Waste

4 Location

WORD FIND No. 026

R N

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list?

A B QUIZ

The leftover letters will spell out a secret message. BARRACK

BLUES BOMBERS BOUNCE BROWNLOW BULLDOGS DOCKERS EAGLES GOAL HANDBALLS KANGAROOS LIONS MAGPIES OVAL POWER PREMIERSHIP TACKLE UMPIRE

HINT LEEK OGRE OILY OPAL RIOT SHOO TEAK VARY 5 LETTERS ADOBE ADORE ALBUM ALONE APPAL ATONE AUDIT BERRY BLADE CADET CLEAR DOSES DRIPS ENDOW ENROL ERECT EVENT GASPS HEDGE IDLER IDOLS INTER ISLAM ISLES LLAMA MACES NESTS

Insert each number from 1 to 9 in the shaded squares to solve all the horizontal and vertical equations.

Multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.

TR IA L AT ON E GA SP S WE DG E RI PE N AP PA L IS LE S IN TE R BE RR Y GE E SA D ID OL S EK E ST RE ET SM IL E GE AR AN T HU E GE L CL AS SR OO MS AU DI T AL LY AG O TR AV ER SE DA B VC R IR E IL L EM UL AT ES HO T OP AL TA ME R CR IT IC IS MS EY E HE N CO L TE AK ER EC T LA YM AN EN D BL AD E HE

Each number corresponds to a letter. Can you crack the code?

S AL E

AD OR E NUDG E TA CO S

NUDGE PARKA RANCH RESET RIPEN ROBIN SLYER SMILE SPREE SWEPT TACOS TAMER TEARS

TELLS TRIAL TWIGS WEDGE 6 LETTERS LAYMAN STREET 7 LETTERS ARTICLE ATTRACT COASTED

LESSENS OPTIMUM RECEDED 8 LETTERS EMULATES NEEDIEST

SCHEDULE TRAVERSE 10 LETTERS CLASSROOMS CRITICISMS

Solve all the clues and an eight-letter word will be spelled out.

1 Places that store your money

2 in Wonderland

6 White fluffy thing in the sky

7 Opposite of friend

O S

L A S

3 There are 52 of them in one year

4 French for ‘thank you’

RO BI N CL EA R EV EN T SW EP T HE DG E DO SE S A T R

8 Person who fights with gloves

5 Jumps

Olivia WORD FILL No. 001 No. 002 No. 001

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW...

A. Sidebottom

B. Smith

C. Cockburn

3. In which teen drama did Wilde have a role?

A. gossip girl

B. Dawson’s Creek

C. Skins

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

dabs, debar, debt, derby, drab, drabs, nearby, sabre, stab, standby puzzles

D. Brown

2. In which medical drama did she star?

A. grey’s Anatomy

B. House

C. Nurse Jackie

D. The O.C.

4. With which movie did Wilde make her directorial debut?

A. Drinking Buddies

B. Cowboys & Aliens

C. Booksmart

1C, 2B, 3D, 4C. × + = 35 + + + –× = 1 ––× × × = 84 = = = 7 0 39

D. The Change-up TOdaY’S SOlUTiONS

D. Scrubs

G E A C T O R N O I S E G R A I N E G R E T L I A R S

MATH HIDDEN WORD banks, Alice, weeks, merci, leaps, cloud, enemy, boxer, (BEWILDER)

ANSWERS:

8 × + 3 9 = 35 + + + 1 –× 4 5 = 1 ––× 2 × × 7 6 = 84 = 7 0 39 0423

SPORTS QUIZ

SPORT QUIZ

1. Which player scored three goals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final?

2. Which two teams played in the NBL's first Christmas Day fixture in 2022?

3. Leg spinner Rehan Ahmed took five wickets in his Test debut playing for which country?

4. The NBA’s Most Valuable Player trophy is named after which former Bull and Wizard?

5. Before moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers were established in 1883 in which borough of New York City?

6. The NBA’s Defensive Player Of The Year trophy is named after which Nigerian-born former Rocket and Raptor?

Which country has won the most FIFA World Cups?

The NBA’s Rookie Of The Year trophy is named after which former Warrior, Sixer and Laker?

Pato, a team game played on horseback similar to a cross between polo and basketball, is the national sport of which country?

Bob Dylan’s song Hurricane is about the imprisonment of which middleweight boxer?

Which A-league team was fined $550,000 after their fans’ violent pitch invasion during a match?

12. Aussie swimming star Matt Temple tattooed which teammate with their record breaking butterfly time trial?

13. NRL prop Matthew Lodge planned to debut in which other sport in Dubai?

14. The 2022 literary novel Carrie Soto Is Back is about which sport?

15. What is the name of golf champion Tiger Woods' yacht?

16. Which viral celebrity chef was criticised for his behaviour at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?

17. What special tradition did the Argentine government declare to celebrate their World Cup win?

18. In which year did F1 racer Daniel Ricciardo win the Canadian Grand Prix?

19. Who was named the best coach at the 2022 FIFA World Cup by a French newspaper?

20. And which country/team did they coach?

21. A post by which Argentine soccer player holds the record for the most-liked post on Instagram?

22. Which martial art is the national sport of South Korea?

23. Ivan Cleary and his son Nathan Cleary, are coach and co-captain of which NRL club?

24. Which three-time Wimbledon champion was released in December after serving eight months prison time?

25. Cristiano Ronaldo recently signed with a soccer club in which country?

26. And what is the name of that soccer club?

27. The Greensboro Swarm are an NBA G League team affiliated with which NBA team?

28. Which Brazilian soccer legend’s real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento?

29. By what nickname is New Zealand’s national baseball team known?

30. What medal did Australian 200m sprinter Peter Norman win at the 1968 Olympics?

Cristiano Ronaldo

Enjoy life while staying connected to your Blacktown community, your local sports, your family and friends... every day.

Exclusively for over 55’s and located next to Workers Sports Club, Parkside Lifestyle Community will commence construction soon.

To receive progress updates and an invitation to events, register your interest at parksidelifestyle.com.au