Westernnews 20may2016

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Council’s blood challenge BLACKTOWN City Council is taking part in the Red25 NSW Blood Challenge and wants other local organisations to sign up as well.

Red25 is the Australian Red Cross Blood Service group donation program for workplaces, community groups, schools and universities around Australia.

The goal is to collect 25% of the blood needed for Australia’s transfusions.

“Within the Red25 NSW Blood Challenge there is a Council employees’ category, and the biggest Council in NSW is aiming to donate the most blood,” said the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Mayor Bali.

“A bit of friendly competition during the challenge will assist in raising awareness throughout our workplace and the community, and hopefully we will encourage other councils and organisation to get on board and donate.

“Did you know that one blood donation can save up to three lives?

“Think about it. You can save three lives in the hour it takes to donate blood.”

According to the Red Cross, Australia needs 25,000 blood donations a week, which works out at 1.3 million

Mayor Bali and the Red Cross blood donor mascot, “Billy the Drip”.

every year.

The inaugural Red25 NSW Councils Blood Challenge 2016 finishes on 30 June, 2016.

“Donating isn’t as scary as many would think, the whole process takes up to an hour but giving blood only takes 8-10 minutes”, Mayor Bali said.

“I encourage everyone in the community who is able to donate blood to think seriously about giving because it’s an incredibly worthy cause”, said Mayor Bali You can get your organisation involved by registering at www. donateblood.com.au/red25 .

Free concert BLACKTOWN City Council is providing a free concert starring Prinnie Stevens and David Lorenz as part of the Blacktown City Festival week.

The concert, on May 28 at Blacktown RSL starts at 7.00pm.

Since her debut in the Australian premiere of Rent: The Musical, Prinnie Stevens has gone from success to success which includes a number one on the R&B soul chart.

After returning from her time on London’s West End, Prinnie Stevens, is back in Australia, paying homage to pop icons Whitney Houston, Sade and Donna Summer in a special Tribute “The Diva Series”.

“I have always been a huge fan of all of these timeless artists, not only for their musical talents but there fashion and style,” she said.

Joining her on stage will be the award-winning bright new talent, David Lorenz.

Born and raised in a small town in the Philippines, David has won the “Rising Star Award” at the Australian Clubs ACE Awards, the Australian Pinoy Singing Idol and was awarded the “Johnny O’Keefe Encouragement Award” for best new talent at the 39th Annual Australian MO Awards.

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3 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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From the Editor’s Desk

by Kerrie Davies BE warned, your eyes are probably about to glaze over, but one of my favourite hobbies would have to be following politics.

When I get the chance to watch telly, I just can’t sit through the over-abundance of reality shows on offer.

I have absolutely zero interest in who gets a rose on the fake-dating shows, nor do I have any desire to watch people cook food that I will never get to eat on all the cook-off shows.

My kind of reality tv are shows like Q and A, where I get to sit in my arm chair and turn my back on those I think are fruit loops and yell “Get off” to the people who make me sick.

Equally, Parliament House is my Hollywood and I would rather watch a good sesh of question time than a blockbuster movie.

It might sound weird, but that’s me. And funnily enough I managed to find possibly the only other person on the planet who is just like me, so I married him. But that’s where our similarities end, because when it comes to determining who is a fruit loop and who should get off, we are NEVER on the same page. But the nightly debates sure are stimulating.

Which brings me to the federal election, a fabulously fun time for political nerds such as us.

But alas, we actually agree on something this time around - this election is so far nothing short of BORING. Where are all the political personalities with the cheap shots and gold oneliners? We’ve got a Prime Minister who, in my mind, rarely puts a foot either right or wrong. He just cruises. And we’ve got an Opposition Leader with the personality of a garden gnome, who never ever, ever smiles. Does he have teeth? If so, I’m still yet to see them.

I find myself - shock horror - watching the US election more than ours, if purely for the entertainment value of Trump.

We’ve got seven weeks to go so things might hot-up in that time, but in all honesty if it stays on the even keel it is now, I just might flick the channel on the remote to see who gets the rose!

Your thoughts? kerrie@nepeannews.com.au

What is the best food for our pets?

Nepean

Veterinary REPORT

with Dr Antony Karolis and the team at WellPet Vets phone 1300 WELLPET

Senior Veterinarian and CEO WellPets Vets Mountains, Nepean and St Clair

WITH the current furore over the influence major pet food companies are having in our Veterinary Nutrition curriculum, the question “what is the best thing to feed my pet?” has never been more relevant. If the designated experts in our community are not being taught in an unbiased manner, how can

they be relied upon to provide unbiased advice?

Regular “Pet Food” is not the best solution At the moment the majority of graduating veterinarians advise people to feed their pets a premium dry commercial dog or cat food.

They are supposed to contain all the nutrition your pet requires for optimum health. But the immediate question that springs to mind is, “If I go to a human nutritionist, they would never advise me to live on a diet of highly processed, mass produced biscuits. So what is different about our pets?”. The answer is “nothing” of course; highly processed food is not ideal for your pet.

The pet food-marketing situation has reached the point that new pet owners are afraid to feed their pets anything but “Pet Food”, for fear of injuring their pets.

The reality is that a large number of health problems are caused by commercial pet food diets, and that every day animals are suffering and even dying (many in agony) because of the excellent marketing techniques of the large pet food companies.

Mismatch between dry food and the pet’s normal diet In their natural diet, dogs receive a lot of water through their food, which is not given with the dry “pet food”.

The water content is but one issue.

The high carbohydrate content and non-animal protein sources have been implicated in our pets (dogs and cats) developing diabetes, obesity, and other

diseases.

So where does this leave the pet owner and the veterinarian? It is hard to find unbiased scientific research because the large pet food companies control the research agenda. Vets are scientists and like to have scientific studies to back up their clinical decisions. Yet all the studies are based around the biscuits rather than foods designed to replicate a wild diet.

I am currently gathering data from zoo veterinarians, research that has been done on wild and zoo animals, a range of experts in pet nutrition, and the limited research that does exist in this area.

The right diet Dogs are not very difficult to provide a balanced diet. If you make a diet that is balanced to you then it is likely to be balanced for your dog. When in doubt add a multivitamin and mineral supplement. There are proponents of various raw diets for dogs, and some of the concepts behind these diets have merit. However, given dogs love to scavenge and eat a range of foods in the wild, I would avoid getting too strict about what your dog eats. A common sense approach with the usual no go foods such as onion, etc. is fine. Don’t forget that domestic dogs have been living on the food we throw away for thousands of years. They are amazingly well adapted to eat a human like diet.

As we learn more about the mistakes humans have been making in their own diets (such as ingesting large quantities of carbohydrates since 1980), we must

also transfer that to dogs.

There are diets on the market that are supposed to replicate a wild diet.

These diets are definitely a big step in the right direction. However, there are a couple of caveats I would mention.

Firstly, make sure they have the correct nutritional profile (try and find one that is linked to a veterinarian or someone similarly trained in animal nutrition). Secondly, they generally use a large animal (such as kangaroo) as the primary source of meat. There is mounting evidence that if you want the best for your pet then a similar weighted animal diet is important. Not many small dogs are capable of taking down an Eastern Grey Kangaroo or Cow. Conclusion So the answer to the original question is evolving. My current advice is not to over complicate it. A range of foods, avoiding those on the dangerous list, and a raw lamb shank or something similar with the meat on the bone for some fun and a bit of a dental work out. Avoid dry commercial foods (particularly in cats), and watch this space as new foods are produced that truly do represent the ideal diet for our pets.

For more details about this issue and more please visit www.vet.expert, the site shall be up and running by May 2016 and will contain unbiased information for the public from veterinarians and other pet health experts recognised for their expertise in a particular area of pet health.

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Honouring excellence in nurses and midwives

DEDICATION, compassion and kindness symbolises the highlyskilled nursing and midwifery staff at Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD).

To celebrate International Nurses Day, WSLHD recognised nursing and midwifery excellence at an award ceremony at Parramatta Park Café and Events Centre.

Award winners included registered nurses, midwives, enrolled nurses and assistants in nursing from Auburn, Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Cumberland and Westmead hospitals, and Community Health, Drug and Mental Health.

WSLHD executive director Nursing and Midwifery Joanne Edwards congratulated the extraordinary group of staff who provide care, comfort

and support to patients, often under difficult circumstances.

“Nurses have the privilege of providing care to families at times of great joy such as the arrival of a healthy newborn,” she said.

“They also care for patients and families when they are at their most vulnerable – to the dying, and to those in pain.

“Our nurses and midwives are dedicated, committed and hard working.

“Western Sydney is on the path to be the employer of choice for nurses and midwives.”

International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12, the birthday of the founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale.

Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

2016 Federal Election coverage Opposition lays down infrastructure plans SCHOFIELDS will get an extended commuter car park at the local train station if the ALP is elected into government.

Michelle Rowland, MP for Greenway, recently distributed a petition to the locals of her electorate in which she told Western News “highlighted a need for more access”.

If the ALP are voted into government on July 2, they’ve promised a $5 million extension to the carpark at Schofields Train Station.

In a statement Ms Rowlands said, “People need an incentive to use public transport. You cannot make it difficult to access or people simply won’t use it, adding to more congestion on our roads.”

This comes after the Turnbull government announced $115 million spend on the proposed Badgerys Creek airport and a $1.5 billion investment in rail across Sydney, which will include some funding towards the T1 Western Line.

Labor MP for Greenway, Michelle Rowland and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese, inspect Schofields station. Source: Supplied.

Infrastructure and the proposed 24 hour Badgerys Creek airport is an issue that will continue long after the election, particularly with the ongoing WestConnex work on the M4 and the North West rail link.

Calls for more LGBTQI support in western Sydney ONE of the most contentious issues of the upcoming Federal Election is marriage equality and the Liberal Party’s proposed same sex marriage plebiscite.

The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is sticking to his guns on the issue, and said he will run the proposed national plebiscite on marriage equality if the Coalition is returned to government on July 2.

Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, has ditched the notion of a plebiscite in favour of a parliamentary vote held within the first 100 day of him becoming Prime Minister, that is only if he becomes PM. Even with the political bickering around same sex marriage, support networks for LGBTQI people within western Sydney say they’re not getting enough backing and funding from the government.

Brett Paradise, the Executive Director of the Twenty10 Association which runs the western Sydney LGBTQI support group Out West, says there isn’t enough help for the increasing population.

“Traditionally young people moved to the centre of Sydney to be around peers but that was 15 to 20 year ago when everything was a whole lot more affordable. These days it’s not possible.

More and more people are staying around western Sydney because it is more affordable but the supports aren’t moving out with the people,” Mr Paradise said.

Politicians running in the upcoming election have voiced their opinions about the issue.

Liberal candidate for Greenway, Yvonne Keane, stuck hard to the party line saying in an email, “I, like the Government, believe a decision on same sex marriage should be made by a vote by all Australians via a plebiscite and my voice will count just as much as every elector in Greenway.”

MP for Greenway, Michelle Rowland, voted against marriage equality when it was first raised in the government, however she said she would vote in favour of it if it were introduced again.

“Originally I voted no but I said when it came up again I would consult the electorate,” Ms Rowland said.

“I did an online survey and also did some outreach and I must say it came back pretty even, like for and against,” she said.

“I’ve been looking into social inclusion and the way in which we accept people who are different, so I would actually find it quite difficult right now to reconcile a no vote, with a view that we need to be as inclusive of all Australians.”

Labor MP for Chifley, Ed Husic, is on the record stating he is in the affirmative for marriage equality in Australia.

It seems in this election that the issue of LGBTQI rights is being swept under the rug, with both sides of government occasionally kicking around the issue like a game of football, yet with such wide approval for same sex marriage equality across the country it makes you wonder why it is still being debated.

with Keegan Thomson

Education a hot topic in the campaign

Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and Minister for Education, Simon Birmingham, meeting business women in western Sydney.

Source: Keegan Thomson

CAMPAIGNING from Tregear Public School Ed Husic, MP for Chifley, launched an attack on the recent Federal Budget, in particular school funding.

Mr Husic met with parents at Tregear Public School to discuss the detail of Labor’s plan for schools in Chifley.

“Even though they promised to protect school funds, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull will cut around $270m from Chifley’s schools over the next ten years,” Mr Husic claimed.

School funding is a contentious issue within the western Sydney area.

Angela Maguire, a western

Sydney business woman and public education advocate, suggested neither parties are doing enough for local school funding.

“I’m not going to be voting for for a Prime Minister, I’m looking at my local member because they’re the ones fighting for us.

For me I will probably be voting for the member who supports the things that I care most about on a local level,” Ms Maguire said.

Ms Maguire spoke personally with the PM when he was visiting western Sydney recently.

So far in this election the ALP has made eight announcements regarding educational funding.

Labor a safe bet in the west AUSTRALIA is a lucky country, and we can test just how lucky we are by placing a bet or two on the upcoming Federal Election.

Sportsbet is running the odds on every electorate across the country as well as the final results as for who will form government.

There is even a cheeky little special bet called the Jacqui Lambie Extra Market, where punters place bets on how many Senate seats the Jacqui Lambie Network will get.

Currently bets on the local electorates are running at pretty predictable odds.

For Greenway, Labor MP Michelle Rowland, is sitting on $1.12 with Coalition candidate, Yvonne Keane running at a staggering $5.

The candidate for the Greens,

Chris Winslow, would bring in big rewards to any punter, with his bet sitting on $26.00.

For Chifley, safe Labor incumbent, Ed Husic, is the safest bet around with $1.01, and Coalition candidate, Mohit Kumar, is trailing on a far away $16.00. If you place a bet on any other minor party or the Greens you’ve got equal odds, with both sitting on $21.00.

In McMahon you’ve got pretty much the same odds.

Shadow Treasurer, Chris Bowen, is flaunting a safe bet of $1.01 with the Coalition running at $11.00.

We’ve got a long election ahead of us and we’ll keep you up to date with any changes that happen on the betting front.

Dig Deep for the Salvos Red Shield Appeal

By Garion Thain

THE Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal is a community driven charity event so ubiquitous with giving a helping hand, it hardly needs an introduction. The Red Shield Appeal is making its return this year over the May 28th/29th weekend, and the Salvos are keen for any good wishes and help the community can offer, as they look to maintain their community programs.

The Salvation Army is in need of volunteers – there is a direct sign up link on their website, salvos.org.au Susanne Geracia from Salvation Army Blacktown offered some time to briefly reflect on the Red Shield Appeal. She says the Red Shield Appeal is for what the organisation takes pride in – simply helping people. “[Salvation Army Blacktown] love the Red Shield Appeal!” Said Ms Geracia.

“It’s really a time for the community to come together and to serve each other.”

With the Salvation Army spending

The Salvation Army takes pride in its community and youth related ventures. The Red Shield Appeal helps keep these programs active. Photo: Salvation Army.

100% of the money collected in community and youth projects, Ms Geracia says it’s heartening to see the level of involvement from institutions like schools.

“We often have many volunteers from the community and schools who invest their time and energy in support of The Salvation Army.”

When asked if there was a specific

aim for the 2016 appeal, Ms Geracia commented, “Our monetary goal is $28,000 and this is to help people in the Greater Blacktown Area.”

The Salvation Army has a simple mission, even though their community work is very extensive.

“We believe in the power of community. People loving other

people, and people helping other people,” a spokesperson states on the official Red Shield Appeal website.

“Those who ‘have’ sharing generously – sacrificially – with those who don’t.

People finding acceptance, encouragement, healing and support without discrimination. We believe no-one should have to ‘go it alone’.

“Our goal is to be community builders, not just service providers. We don’t give up on people – not only responding to immediate needs but journeying with people for the long haul, helping them to find freedom and stay free as well.”

As their one main collection drive of the year, The Red Shield Appeal is traditionally the time that Australians pull together and dig deep to help those in crisis.

Whether it is a fire, flood, family breakdown or another disaster, the Salvos are always there to offer a helping hand.

Blacktown salvos can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/ blacktownsalvos

7 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

Opinion: Are good journalism and democracy gone for good?

By Bart Bassett

WELL the federal election campaign is in full swing and the leaders of the two major parties are crisscrossing the nation kissing babies, shaking hands and walking through shopping centres (and sometimes not).

What has become an interesting technique by mainstream media in a desperate attempt to create a story in their 24 hour news cycle churn, is to now target questions at the local candidate during the leader’s visit to the seat in the hope they will make a faux pas and provide fodder for “news”.

Whilst it may be entertaining for desperate journos to satisfy the needs of their chief of staff to “create” news, it does nothing for the average voter who is interested in what the Party will be doing if elected rather than a cheap shot at a local candidate who will never be listened to by the inner sanctum of their major political Party anyway.

Can I suggest the journos focus on policy questions to the leader or Minister / Shadow Minister rather than trying to create news out of nothing - because you are wasting everyone’s time especially the voter.

Now let’s look at NSW democracy; in my opinion last week it was actually the death of democracy in NSW when the Premier sacked Mayors and Councillors in all forced amalgamated councils.

It is one thing to amalgamate in order to create larger councils based on the tenuous argument of efficiency and savings, but to make the undemocratic decision to sack the Mayors and Councillors and appoint Government handpicked administrators for 18 months is an unacceptable smashing of basic democratic principles.

This trashing of democracy has happened without any enthusiastic persistent strategic argument from the Leader of the Opposition, it’s like the Premier and Luke Foley have a bro-mance and only go through the motions of criticising each other.

Luke Foley has not targeted the Premier aggressively on any matter including massive Tafe cuts and now the death of local democracy. Do they have some secret agreement not to make each other look bad, to give themselves an easy life? It certainly looks and feels like that is the case!

Without strong effective opposition you empower

arrogant governments.

Add this to the deafening silence from the large number of coalition members who have been previous Mayors and Councillors before entering State Parliament and you have to accept that Government members are silent because they know if they oppose Emperor Baird their chances of elevation to cabinet or senior roles in Government will vapourise, unfortunately this is what is being dished up as democracy in NSW. We may as well be living in some socialist dictatorship in a foreign land.

Modern-day manners; where the heck are they with TP? I’M sorry, but when did basic manners drop off the face of the earth?

Perhaps the decay started when job applicants no longer received a “thanks but no thanks” letter.

It’s a sad time when a person’s earnest efforts to apply for a job are not even acknowledged with such a short polite note.

Modern-day manners seem to be reserved for tight-knit cliques and if you are in the outer you are undeserving of such niceties.

With technology that is meant to make us more connected than ever the silence is deafening when attempts to email or text are like unrequited love sonnets.

Perhaps some young people need a short swift lesson in the etiquette of communicating and could benefit from the lessons below.

It costs nothing to respond politely to correspondence in all its forms. So a quick note saying that you are not interested is not only okay, but necessary.

If someone has done you a favour or service a thank you is good manners and mandatory.

Sadly the decline in social etiquette is not exclusive to correspondence.

Simple things like respecting personal space seem all but gone. I’m sure you can recall a not-sodistant experience where you are still standing at a sales counter putting your change back into your purse when a person has already invaded your space

to commence their own purchase. It’s times like that you wish you were nine foot tall and a simple glance would make them step back or even scamper away in fear.

What’s the rush people? What could be making life so busy that you cannot adhere to the old rules of good manners and wait a moment? Surely your needs are not so desperate and different to everyone else’s that gives you the right to impose your person onto ours.

I often contemplate the simple art of conversation and my grave fear that it too is disappearing.

You only have to listen to hear that most words uttered are falling into a dark abyss of apathy. So many times you see people talking over the top of one another steam-rolling each other with their

own opinions. Not hearing a word of what the other is saying and caring even less.

There is a saying which says “ you have two ears and one mouth” meaning you should do twice as much listening as speaking. This is wise advice.

Especially if you believe that the listener is the one holding the power. Power you ask? Yes people who are silent hold the power. The people who feel uncomfortable with silence feel obliged to fill the void with more information than they would normally. Totes awkward!

This brings me to one of the worst abominations in modernday manners. The over-sharer!

Ah yes, you know you’ve met one when you can’t help visibly cringing when someone you have just met has downloaded their whole list of past lovers and explained in great detail their bedroom prowess or lack thereof.

I’m sure the development of social media has facilitated the over-sharer’s capacity to spread their irrelevant over-personal drivel to a wider audience.

With life becoming so fast-paced it’s like a frenetic energy has taken us over making us feel so self-important and incapable of seeing the needs of others.

Let’s take the time to slow down, politely reply to that email, wait our turn and consider that it’s just possible that person is not at all interested when you tell them everything about you.

Blacktown’s 2016 Youth Ambassadors BLACKTOWN City Council is proud to announce Kieran Hagerty, of Colebee, and Patrick Gleeson, of Kings Langley, are Blacktown City’s 2016 Youth Ambassadors.

The Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali, congratulated the two youths on their achievement and thanked outgoing 2015 Youth Ambassadors, Rachelle Rativo and Olivia Sargent for representing the interests of the young people of Blacktown City.

“I would like to commend Kieran and Patrick on becoming Blacktown City’s 2016 Youth Ambassadors,” Mayor Bali said.

“It’s wonderful to see young people like Kieran and Patrick wanting to be actively involved as leaders in their community.

Kieran, aged 17, attends Oakhill College and is also a Corporal in the Australian Air Force Cadets.

“I would consider it a privilege to be able to continue building upon my leadership and public relations skills through this program but most importantly to make a change in the community of which I am a part,” he said.

“I would also love to meet new people and discover more about the diverse community and culture of

Blacktown.”

Patrick, aged 15, attends Glenwood High School and coached the school’s support unit for their involvement in athletics.

“Seeing the impact that it had on their lives as they were given opportunities they never thought imaginable, had an immense impact on my life,” he said.

“From this and representing the school at interschool promotional events I’ve developed a diversity of skills that will aid a Youth Ambassador including: seeking any help needed but also being self-reliant, a “why not” attitude and strong ability to converse and relate with people from various

backgrounds or situations.”

Mayor Bali said the Youth Ambassador selection process is quite competitive.

“Applicants are interviewed, followed by a quiz relating to their knowledge of the local area, as well as presenting a three to five minute speech to a panel audience,” Mayor Bali said.

“Both Kieran and Patrick performed exceptionally well during the selection process and are congratulated for their efforts.

“Their role as Ambassador will keep them busy over the next 12 months, where they will represent and speak to young people at public events such

as civic receptions, ceremonies, as well as taking part in various Council meetings.

“I am very much looking forward to working with Kieran and Patrick in their role as Youth Ambassadors, no doubt they will very much enjoy their 12 month journey representing the interests of young people in our local area.

“I’d also like to thank outgoing 2015 Youth Ambassadors, Rachelle Rativo and Olivia Sargent who have done a wonderful job in representing the interests of the young people of Blacktown City,” Mayor Bali concluded.

Blacktown City Council’s Youth Ambassador Program has been running since 1982 and is a chance for young people to represent the youth of Blacktown City for a period of twelve months.

Mayor Stephen Bali, 2016 Youth Ambassadors Kieran Hagerty, of Colebee, and Patrick Gleeson, of Kings Langley and BCC General Manager Kerry Robinson.

Further information about the Youth Ambassador Program can be found at: http://www.blacktown.nsw.gov. au/People_and_Community/Awards_ Scholarships_and_Ambassadors/ Youth_Ambassador_Program

Leading citizen honoured with award BLACKTOWN City Council has recognised one of the city’s most modest achievers, John Velcich, the founder of Red Lea Chickens, as the 2016 Blacktown Corporate Citizen of the Year.

Founded on a family farm in 1957, Red Lea Chickens is now one of Australia’s largest chicken processing companies, and is still located on its original site in Blacktown.

Blacktown has a thriving business sector, and it is important that its leading contributors are recognised.

John Velcich’s story is the classic Australian success story, of a migrant coming to the country with not more than a suitcase and then developing an extraordinarily successful enterprise.

What started as a one family company on a small farm at the end of Flushcombe road is now a multimillion dollar company.”

The Corporate Citizen Award recognises outstanding contributions to the City of Blacktown.

It is designed to recognise both individuals and businesses who have clearly demonstrated a social responsibility and community involvement in the Blacktown City.

John Velcich was born in Croatia and came to Australia in 1953 as a 16 year old.

The family settled on a farm in Blacktown, growing tomatoes.

Red Lea chickens started as Red Leaf chickens in 1957 on the same farm in Flushcombe Road, Blacktown as a family business; with John rearing and processing some 300 chickens per week.

Today Red Lea Chickens employs around 500 staff, processes some 500,000 chickens each week, operates

nine breeding and rearing farms across NSW, runs a fleet of 50 trucks and has 38 retail outlets – fhe first of which was in Alpha Street, Blacktown.

When John married his wife Mary in 1960; a partnership with his fatherin-law and brother-in-law allowed the business to expand. They operated

layer sheds to produce eggs whilst building up the processing side of the business.

John is also known as a philanthropist and has supported many local and national charities.

John Velchich is a local example to the nation and we are honoured to have him in our community.

9 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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Blacktown Hospital’s new building MEMBER for Riverstone, Mr Kevin Conolly MP, recently joined the NSW Premier Mike Baird and Health Minister Jillian Skinner and local MPs Mark Taylor and Tanya Davies to officially open Stage 1 of Blacktown Hospital’s redevelopment.

The event included a tour of the new Clinical Services building, which includes a comprehensive cancer centre with a new radiation therapy unit, as well as units for cardiac, respiratory medicine, aged care, stroke and rehabilitation, neurophysiology, pharmacy, pathology and a women’s health clinic.

“We are investing more than $700 million in two building stages at Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals to meet the health care needs of this rapidly growing region for decades to come,” Mr Baird said.

“Today is a great day for the people of the greater Blacktown region with the opening of this new state-of-the-art health facility at Blacktown hospital,” said Mr Conolly.

“The growth in the region has been recognised by the NSW government which is providing the funds to meet the needs of people who live here.

“Now more patients can be treated at their own local hospital, rather than having to travel to Westmead or Nepean Hospitals to access some specialist services.

“And the best news is that work has already started on the $400 million Stage 2 redevelopment, the focal point of which will be a multi-storey Acute Services Building which will include a new emergency department, operating theatres, an intensive care unit, birthing services and a special care nursery,” said Mr Conolly.

Early works are progressing well, with piling and excavation commencing later this year. The main works contract will be awarded in

early 2017.

“We are spending $10 billion in our first two terms of government to rebuild NSW hospitals - close to $2.5 billion of it building and upgrading health services across Greater Western Sydney,” Mrs Skinner said.

“This wonderful building is indicative of so many of our projects. By utilising space, light, art and vegetation, as well as modern equipment, we are creating environments where staff want to work and patients and visitors

feel comfortable and supported in their recovery” Mrs Skinner said.

The expansion of Blacktown-Mt Druitt Hospital is being funded entirely by the NSW government.

“We all know that action speaks louder than words. The opening of this new hospital shows that the Baird Liberal government provides action, while Labor was all talk when it came to Blacktown Hospital,” said Mr Conolly.

How well do you know your skin?

MELANOMA continues to be a major health issue, particularly for young people, prompting Westmead Hospital to host a public information session on the skin cancer.

The Melanoma Monday in May event will feature a panel of experts from several hospital fields, discussing the science of melanoma, early detection, imaging and the latest treatment options.

Speakers will include Prof Graham Mann, from the Westmead Institute for Medical Research Centre for Cancer Research, Dr Cathy Zhao and Dr Shelley Hwang from Westmead Hospital’s Dermatology Department, Dr Julie Howle, from surgical oncology, and Dr Matteo Carlino, from medical oncology.

Westmead Hospital Department of Dermatology head A/Prof Pablo Fernandez-Penas, who will also speak at the event, said Australia had one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world.

“The number of people diagnosed with melanoma in Australia is still growing; every year, we see the numbers rise,” he said.

“It is also the most common cancer in young people; we are still seeing teenagers who want to have tanned

skin, they think it is nice and beautiful and they’re willing to sit out in the sun to get it.

“What they don’t realise is that melanoma kills more young Australians than any other single cancer – that’s why prevention is so important.”

Melanoma is a form of cancer that develops in the skin’s pigment cells.

It is mainly caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun and can grow very quickly if left untreated.

A/Prof Fernandez-Penas said the information session would focus on detection and the importance of regular skin checks.

“We want people to be able to check

their own skin and the skin of people they care for, and know what to look out for,” he said.

“The ABCDE guidelines are a useful way to monitor skin and check for warning signs.”

It is important to seek expert advice if you notice any of the following: • A – asymmetry – one-half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.

• B – border – the edges of a melanoma are uneven, scalloped or notched.

• C – colour – a mole with a variety of colours could be a sign of melanoma.

• D – diameter – the area is larger than six millimetres (about the size of

a pencil eraser) • E – evolving – be on alert if a mole has changed in size, shape, colour or any other trait.

Prof Fernandez-Penas said the forum would also cover the importance of sun protection, particularly for people with fair skin.

“Overexposure UV light causes 95 per cent of melanoma, so protecting your skin from the sun is critical,” he said.

“People should make sure they wear sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and sun protective clothing and seek shade, especially in the hottest part of the day.”

Early detection of melanoma is key, according to Prof FernandezPenas, who said nearly 95 per cent of cases caught in the early stages were curable.

“If a melanoma is less than one millimetre in thickness, it is generally easily treatable; a biopsy may be all that is required,” he said.

The Melanoma Monday in May event will be held on Monday, May 23, 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Westmead Hospital Education Centre (enter through main entrance).

To book, call (02) 9845 7983.

Refreshments will be provided.

IKEA celebrates its first birthday milestone IKEA is a landmark at the still developing Western Sydney Business Park.

By Garion Thain

IKEA Marsden Park is celebrating its first birthday on 28 May. The big blue box is a landmark of the still developing Sydney Business Park is inspiring and thrilling customers a year on.

In 2004, IKEA closed a small

store in Blacktown Homebase. The customers that visited the Blacktown store 10 years ago are very pleased IKEA has moved back into Western Sydney.

IKEA Marsden Park has a strong focus on family activities, there is a large supervised play area for the kids called Smaland. So next time you’re there be sure to drop the kids off so

you can enjoy your shopping in peace and the kids can have a ball.

The upcoming birthday celebrations will be very much family-focused with lots of activities for all the family.

There will be free breakfast and free cake during the week. Face painting and balloon twisting for the kids, competitions and scavenger hunt for the adults. A day out the whole family

can enjoy.

Continued growth of Sydney Business Park will soon welcome a host of new stores to join IKEA Marsden Park, so there will be many more shopping opportunities in the near future.

Turn to pages 15-18 to see the great activities IKEA has planned for their birthday weekend!

Image Limousines, from Riverstone to Malaysia

By Jarrod McGrouther

“King” Brian McCombe with Ray Ellard at Image Limousines

By Jarrod McGrouther

HAVE you ever seen custom limousines cruising around western Sydney, or on their way to some of the biggest and most famous casinos Australia has to offer? Image Limousines, based in Riverstone, has been developing and distributing these beautiful machines for over 23 years, and is now being recognised on a global scale.

The team at Image Limousines, which consists of four staff members, enjoy the challenges and hard work that goes into making these custom vehicles.

Such is the quality of the workmanship involved, the western Sydney products have now made their way into Asia, with the Sultan of Johor in Malaysia purchasing two of the companies limousines.

Ray Ellard, one of three of the same surname

involved in the construction of the limousines said the business is proud to produce the vehicles in western Sydney and that quality is the main focus.

“We all live locally, it’s a family affair. Our approach is on quality first, if it takes longer to build, or costs a little more to get it done right, we do it.”

The process is to first purchase a base car, which is then cut down the middle and transformed into a custom limousine. A common base car is a Chrysler 300, however they can include higher end vehicles such as Porsches.

The process usually takes between 14 and 16 weeks from start to finish, with each team member having a specific skillset to contribute to the process.

When business is booming, more casual staff are brought in to help meet deadlines, with everyone working tirelessly to get the job done.

For more information on the vehicles, or to speak to the team about having one made, email imagelimo@bigpond.com or call 02 9838 1006 during business hours.

11 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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Legends of the West

By Garion Thain

Mr Price lives in Mount Druitt, in his old seat of Chifley.

THE Hon. Roger Price is a man who hardly needs an introduction to many of you dear readers. For those that would like one, Mr Price is a man whose name is practically ubiquitous with Western Sydney politics – as he held the seat of Chifley in Sydney’s Greater West for 26 years before choosing to retire in 2010. Mr Price is an intelligent man and politically astute, he has a big heart and has always held a reputation as a man of the people, and has always been a “bloody Westie,” as he says.

I had the privilege of telling Mr Price that he had been nominated as a legend, and met with him at his Mount Druitt home this week to talk about a community he loves, a long spanning career and his thoughts on 2016 politics. As Labor’s longestserving member in the parliament at the time of his retirement, there was never a doubt this conversation would turn political, but Mr Price is a fair man, and his insights come from years of experience and a place of care for the electorate he loves.

“After 26 years, one thing still really tickles me,” Mr Price began with.

“I was someone who was thrown out of high school, been through a number of jobs – but I still managed to be endorsed by the Labor Party and become a Member of Parliament.

“I’m fond of telling that to students,” he continued with a chuckle.

“I made it to 5th class in Primary before they discovered I couldn’t read!”

That’s not to say Mr Price undervalues education. In fact, one of his proudest fights was the fight to bring a university to Western Sydney, and a senior high school to the region.

This culminated with the founding of St Mary’s senior, a school he said is a “big success,” and the eventual founding of a senior high school in Mount Druitt.

He also calls himself Western Sydney University’s “harshest critic,” but only because “[his] expectations are so high.”

Mr Price, as mentioned before, has always been a Westie. His journey began in Parramatta where he lived until his father’s fencing business went broke in the credit squeeze, and he moved to Mt Druitt. He was

always interested in politics, and has been a member of the Labor Party for over 50 years.

In school, he got in trouble for being political.

“I had a good mate, who went on to be Dux of the school, and I tried to start a Labor Party group, he tried to start a Liberal Party group – we both got in trouble from the Principal.”

It may come as a surprise in retrospect that Mr Price wasn’t aiming to chase high office at first, in fact the thought of running for local council petrified him.

“Tony Johnson – the member for Mount Druitt – was my mentor and I was his first campaign director.

When he asked me to run for Local Government in a bi-election, I was scared, thinking ‘what did I do wrong?’” He laughed.

Local Government gave Mr Price his first taste of public representation, and he still says he likes the immediacy of it.

“In Local government, when someone asks you to fix a pothole, you can go and fix the pothole, as opposed to being a state member, etc.”

In 1984, Mr Price was elected as the Federal Member for Chifley, a

THE HONOURABLE ROGER PRICE member of the last intake into the old parliament. He successfully held his seat for 26 years with continued community support. During his tenure he saw the entire spans of the Hawke, Keating, Howard and first Rudd governments. Despite the outcome of the Rudd government, Mr Price says the 2007 federal election is one of his happiest moments.

“You could say I’ve seen a few leadership challenges in my time,” Mr Price said.

I then asked about Hawke-Keating for good measure. Mr Price said he liked Keating, and said people often “accuse him of being arrogant,” when Mr Price found him to be “very patient, respectful.”

Turning the topic over to 2016, we noted the long-term governments of old haven’t been happening recently.

Mr Price said a higher influx of information may have led to more swinging voters, which he believes is good for democracy, if not the traditional party politics.

“Some people might zone out for long periods of time, but in the end they’ll zone in,” he said.

“I’ve never thought there’s such thing as a ‘safe seat.’ I’ve always

campaigned hard at every election.”

He also said that recent leadership switching isn’t something he believes voters will easily forgive, and when it comes to problems with leadership, there needs to be a more direct dialogue.

“I always thought there might be a problem in the second term of Rudd government, not the first,” he said.

“The irony is in my opinion, Abbott made Rudd’s office look like a well-oiled machine. Perhaps there should have been more direct confrontation.”

It was Kevin Rudd who sent Mr Price to the United States as ConsulGeneral to Chicago, an experience Mr Price greatly enjoyed. He still loves the West though. His closing comments?

“I’m truly grateful for the overall support I had,” he said.

When asked about his legacy, he said he hoped he gave a good name to the Labor party, and hoped he helped the idea that people in the Greater West can achieve great things.

With all the legends of the West, including Mr Price himself – he might just be right.

13

The Hon. Roger Price early into his time as Federal Member for Chifley.

Outside the west: Mr Price served as the Australian Consul-General to Chicago for three years. Mr Price says he was quite close with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and was happily surprised by the amount of Australians leading innovation ventures in the United States, including Westies.

The Honourable Roger Price nominated as a Legend of the West

by Greg Davies.

If you know a local legend, send us a nomination at nepeannews@aol.com

Give us a call now on

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POLICE FILES Teenager stabbed and robbed in Blacktown POLICE are investigating after a girl was stabbed during a robbery in Blacktown last Thursday evening.

About 8.30pm emergency services were called to Swinson Road, following reports a girl had been injured.

NSW Ambulance Paramedics treated a 14-year-old girl, for a laceration to her back. She was taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead with non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers from Blacktown Local Area Command attended and established a crime scene.

Initial investigations suggest the girl and a 15-year-old boy were walking

together when they were approached by a man, who threatened the pair and demanded the girl’s backpack.

An altercation took place, before the man stabbed the girl and fled with her backpack.

Officers from Blacktown Local Area Command conducted a patrol of the area, however the man could not be located.

Police are hoping to speak with a man who may be able to assist with inquiries.

He is described as Pacific Islander/ Maori appearance, with a thick black beard and a large build. He was seen wearing dark clothing.

Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Man killed by his own car - Rooty Hill A REPORT will be prepared for the information of the Coroner following the death of a man in Rooty Hill last Thursday night.

About 8.45pm, emergency services were called to Rupertswood Road, Rooty Hill, following reports that a man had been run over.

Police from Mt Druitt Local Area Command have been told the 40-yearold man was run over by his own

Toyota Camry when he tried to stop it from rolling forward.

Neighbours attempted to lift the vehicle off the man; however, he had died by the time Paramedics and police were on scene.

The man’s wife and two children were in the back seat of the car at the time.

The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious.

Armed robbery at Rooty Hill service station POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the robbery of a service station in Rooty Hill on Sunday night.

Shortly after 6pm (Sunday 15 May 2016), a man entered the Rooty Hill Road South service station and purchased a packet of cigarettes.

As the male employee placed the money in the register, the man produced a firearm and allegedly threatened him while demanding money and cigarettes.

The man grabbed money from the register and cigarette packets before he fled from the store.

Fortunately, no one was injured

during the incident Officers from Mount Druitt Local Area Command are investigating the incident and would like to speak with the man who may be able to assist with inquiries.

The man is described as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, aged in his 20s, with a tall, thin build and unshaven. He was last seen wearing blue work pants, a black and fluorescent orange work shirt and grey bucket hat.

Anyone who may have information that can assist investigators should contact Mount Druitt Police Station, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

West Words Fellowship help emerging writers THE West Words Emerging Writers Fellowship is open for applications for all western Sydney creatives who have a story to tell.

This year the fellowship has a topical category for writers who specifically write for children and the increasingly popular genre of Young Adult.

Michael Campbell, the Executive Director of West Words, said he was on the lookout for writers who use their skills to communicate in a unique way.

“We’re looking for distinctive voices. We are looking for writers who are at the stage where this opportunity will make a significant difference for them, and a unique perspective too. We want writers with worldly views and interpretations,” Mr Campbell said.

Each of the three fellowships on offer will include a one-onone mentorship from a leading Australian writer or poet. Last year the fellowship matched winners up with leading contemporary poet Judith Beveridge, academic Sara Knox and writer Walter Mason.

Mr Campbell things western Sydney writers should be able to

Michael Campbell, West Words Executive Director. Source: Supplied

come up with world class submission simply because of the cultural demographics of the region.

“One of the exciting things about working in western Sydney, is the 150 cultures, the 143 language groups in the region. 1 in 10 Australians live in Western Sydney. It is an extraordinary cultural mix. With all these traditions and perspectives on the world, amazing things happen,” he said.

Applications are now open for the fellowship but hurry applications will close 6 June. Head to www.westwords. com.au for more information and details on applying.

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Critical Incident Investigation – Glenwood A CRITICAL Incident Investigation has been launched following an incident with a man in Glenwood on Monday.

Police observed a vehicle with collision damage on Old Windsor Road, Glenwood, just after 2pm (Monday 16 May 2016), and it was stopped.

When officers approached the car, the driver, a 44-year-old man, exited the vehicle and an altercation took place. The man subsequently required medical treatment by NSW Ambulance Paramedics at the scene.

He was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

A Critical Incident Team from Penrith will now investigate all the circumstances surrounding the incident.

That investigation will be overseen by the Professional Standards Command.

No further details are available at this time; however, police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Anyone who can assist police should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

BEFORE

AFTER

Call Kurtis on 0475 555 000 for a FREE QUOTE All work comes with a 5 year guarantee

Don’t let winter put you off AS the days continue to get cooler the idea of swimming often loses its appeal, but there are many benefits to swimming throughout winter.

Continuing swimming lessons during the cooler months can help a child maintain their confidence as well as safety and swimming skills which have already been developed.

According to 2015 National Drowning Report, one fifth of all drowning deaths took place in winter, with 55 per cent of them occurring in New South Wales and Queensland alone.

Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali said Blacktown City Council is committed to promoting water safety year-round.

“Drowning is a danger all year round, which is why it’s important to ensure that our children maintain their swimming skills and knowledge even when the temperature starts to become cooler,” said Councillor Bali.

“Families may not visit public pools or the beach as much during winter, but when the weather starts to get warmer many of us gravitate back to the water, so it’s important to maintain your swimming skills.”

To spread the message about water safety and the importance of learning to swim Pip the Penguin, the Aqua

Pip the Penguin at Hassall Grove Child Care Centre

Learn to Swim mascot will be visiting Council Child Care Centres in May. The pre-school visits will include a water safety talk by the Aqua Learn to Swim team, covering topics such as water safety around public pools, swimming between the flags at the beach and what active supervision

means.

The children will also have an opportunity to meet Pip the Penguin and have a photo with him.

For further information on Aqua Learn to Swim or to register your interest please contact your local centre.

Disgraced FOLLOWING its Australian premiere sell-out season at Sydney Theatre Company (STC), Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Disgraced, will be brought to the Riverside Theatres stage from 16 to 18 June.

Directed by STC Resident Director Sarah Goodes, with design

by Elizabeth Gadsby, a stellar cast including Sachin Joab and Paula Arundell will explore this fiercely intelligent and entertaining drama.

Corporate lawyer, Amir Kappor, is living the Manhattan dream – he is happy, in love, and about to land a huge promotion, but to get there he has had to renounce his culture and faith. When he and his artist wife, Emily, host an intimate dinner party, it does not take long for the civilised surface to crack and urbane chit chat is abandoned in a tense battle.

Dates: 16 to 18 June at 8pm, 18 June at 2pm (Audio Described) Tickets: Adult $59, Conc $54, 30 & Under $45 Bookings: From the Box Office (02) 8839 3399 or www. riversideparramatta.com.au Venue: Riverside Theatres – Corner of Church and Market Streets, Parramatta

The Unintentional Medium By Suzi Samuel MOST mediums I know have Red Indian, or should I say in these politically correct times, Native-American guides.

This is probably because the great Indian nations are very much in tune with the spirit world and put a lot of faith in visions.

I have one friend who “goes into the smoke tent of the elders with Grey Owl” quite regularly and, no, she does not smoke anything strange. Well, I don’t have a Red Knife or a Crazy Horse, I have Grannies and believe me they could give Grey Owl a run for his money any day.

My Grannie is called Emily. We have always had an amazing bond because I was born just two weeks after her beloved husband died and that bond has continued even after her death. She is always there with advice and comfort and is my main guide when I do readings.

Rather disconcertingly, when I was between husbands, she would run a bit of interference in my love life.

If any erstwhile husband material was even thinking of straying, Gran

would suddenly materialise in front of him, frightening him to death and quickly putting paid to any thoughts of dalliance. However, once I met my husband, she thoroughly approved and did everything in her power to get us together. She is also a whizz at finding parking spaces. It doesn’t matter if we are in the thick of the CBD, Gran will always find us

somewhere to park, which is a very handy talent to have.

The other Grannie is my husband’s grandmother, Prucel. His father was born in Kalgoorlie and so on our first holiday before we moved to Oz we went to check out his roots. The first evening we went out to dinner and just as we sat down this lovely little lady popped in to the next chair. “Hello,

dears,” she said. “I think your grandmother is here,” I said to David and for the next three evenings, as soon as we sat down to dinner, I heard “Hello, dears.” Well, that put paid to any thoughts of romantic twosomes because the whole time was spent with me saying, “Prucel says this,” or “Prucel says that”. My husband was absolutely amazed as I was telling him things I could not have possibly known.

Now my Gran might find parking spaces, but Prucel gives me cooking tips. A few weeks ago, I was cooking a whole salmon for a party and, true to form, we had bought a salmon the size of a small dolphin.

Having managed finally to shove it in the oven and kick the door closed, I had no idea at all how long to cook this fish for. Suddenly Prucel’s voice said, “Give it about an hour and a quarter dear” and, do you know that fish was perfect.

So, although Grey Owl may dole out words of wisdom and take you into the smoke tent of the elders, I really think on balance I would rather have parking spaces and cooking advice, so thank you Grannies.

More next time.

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SUDOKU: MEDIUM

WORD SEARCH

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

20

MOODS & EMOTIONS SOLUTION: 6th May

INSTRUCTIONS Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 with no duplicates

AFRAID AGITATED ANGUISH BLUE BORED CHEERY DARK DOWN DREAD EDGY

ELATION FURIOUS GENIAL GLOOMY GROUCHY HELPLESS HOPEFUL HUMILIATED HURT IRKED

JADED JOVIAL LONELY LOVE MELLOW MERRY MISERY OFFENDED ORNERY PANIC

PEACEFUL PLEASED REMORSE SOMBER SUNNY SYMPATHY UNEASY UPBEAT WEARY

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Law enforcement assistants (8) 5 Evaluate (6) 9 Dimmed (8) 10 Coiffure (6) 12 Draw out (5) 13 Hindrances (9) 14 Main course (6) 16 Savior (7) 19 When the moon blocks all sunlight (7) 21 Expel (6) 23 Bizarre (9) 25 Forest god (5) 26 An introductory section to a story (2 words) (6) 27 Found on roofs (8) 28 Harm to property (6) 29 Baffle (8)

DOWN 1 Avoid (6) 2 Employees (9) 3 Not those (5) 4 Something very ugly (7) 6 Swordsman (9) 7 Enlist (5) 8 Financial supporters (8) 11 Utilizer (4) 15 Atoning (9) 17 Fazed (9) 18 Revolted (8) 20 Beige (4) 21 Excavator (7) 22 Found on most pencils (6) 24 Assertion (5) 25 The mountain of the Ten Commandments (5)

solution 6/5/16

The Fossicks fight for a place in western Sydney

By Keegan Thomson

IN this day and age, where we’re being overloaded by radio hottest 100s and online top download charts, it is hard to find completely original music. Fighting for the creatives is the Fossicks, a band hailing from western Sydney, who’ve decided to turn their back against the sounds coming from the west and gone done a more original path.

Fusing a blend of music which they’ve personally described as Queens of the Foo Monkeys, a play on Queens of the Stone Age, the Foo Fighters and the Arctic Monkeys, the Fossicks are forging their own blend of punk and alternative music.

Jack Vietze, the band’s lead guitarist, said “we saw the music was coming out of the inner west, western Sydney and the Blue Mountains and we thought, screw that we don’t want to sound like that.”

Drummer, Tristan Blackett, said the secret to their success is their humble beginnings.

“We met at TAFE and we are all multi instrumentalists, so we all came together and bounced ideas off one and other, and a lot of these ideas stuck,” he said. “We’ve always wanted to

make something really different.”

David Pedrucci, the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the Fossicks and Doonside local, added by saying, “ We grew up with a lot of heavy rock influences, a lot of bands that have something to say, so that has inspired us and gave us some voice. As cliche as it sounds, we are going to do what we want and we don’t care what anyone thinks.”

To change up their sound they’ve employed local blues and roots legend, Claude Hay, to help mix

their forthcoming EP, which they recorded at Sky Valley Studios in the Blue Mountains.

“We want to make something that sounds really different so we asked Claude in and what he has done with the band is pretty freaking cool,” said David. “Our new stuff will sound completely different to our older stuff.”

But even with a new album in the mix and a strong following of fans, the Fossicks said because of the lack of music venues willing to support local up and coming bands they often find it hard to get gigs in western Sydney.

“We have met a lot of good musos and bands from the west and it seems everyone is struggling. We’ve got nowhere to have a home base. It is killing the buzz,” David said.

Despite the issues with gigging the band is warming up more material for more shows and an album in the future.

“We are going to be trying to release an EP soon.

We want to get the finishing touches and then we will start an album,” Tristan said.

You can find the Fossicks on facebook and on soundcloud.

If you’re a local western Sydney band and you want your story told email keegan@nepeannews. com.au and we’ll get in touch.

Holiday with a difference in bustling Bangkok

By Ben Cranney

THE thing that struck me first about Bangkok was the almost paradoxical mix of calm and chaos. People drive too fast and cut into spaces that don’t exist, but there was no road rage or horns. Intense sales people will compete for you dollars outside a peaceful temple.

The chaos is part of the fun, and you’ll see it in full swing on Khao San Road. This is a street of make shift bars, neon lights, competing sound systems, drinks sold in buckets, and interesting nibbles like skewered

scorpions. Apparently, they increase virility, but I decided I was just fine.

One lady wasn’t making many sales. She was my grandma’s age, still working at midnight. After a bit of haggling, we bought a fancy hat.

We must have paid too much, because when she put it on my head, we could see the thanks in her eyes and feel it in the way she clasped our hands.

Enjoy more of the chaos travelling around the city. Whether standing shoulder to shoulder on a rickety wharf before a boat ride down the canals or blasting through the streets on a tuktuk, it’s all good fun.

When you’ve chosen your method of transport, head to the Buddhist Wat Arun, with its part climbable white spire, shrines to the Buddha, and depictions of Chinese soldiers and Hindu gods. Then cross the canal to Wat Pho, to see the 46m reclining Buddha. Drop a coin into each of the 108 bronze bowls to bring good luck.

Then go next door to the Grand Palace to see a touch of the Royal life. Just be sure to wear, or at least carry, your long sleeve pants and shirts, so you don’t get turned away.

If you want to get out of Bangkok, consider a day trip, by boat or bus, to

Ayutthaya. We didn’t make it, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about Thailand’s ancient capital.

When you’re done with the sites, do a bit of shopping. Bangkok is great for quality, handmade clothes at Australian off the rack prices. Just watch out for the friendly locals looking to chat on street corners. They’ll build your confidence and then try and take you shopping at expensive places where they take a cut. A polite ‘no thanks’ is all that is needed, though.

And if you see Khao San’s grandma navigating the chaos, buy a bracelet for me.

21 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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22 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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Alroy House

LROY is located on Rooty Hill Road, Plumpton, N.S.W. It is a single storey home, built in the mid-Victorian period.

The most distinctive feature of the house is its interesting and complex roof structure.

In 1887, Walter Lamb established the first fruit cannery in this area, which he originally called Woodstock. He set up many orchards on nearby land, to provide fruit for the cannery. Thomas Bowring, who also designed and built the cannery, probably built Alroy between 1886 and 1888. It was occupied by Edward Lamb, brother of Walter Lamb, and formally transferred into Edward’s name in 1891. Edward named the house after a property, Alroy Downs in the Northern Territory, which he had taken up a lease on.

In 1894, Alroy was transferred to Thomas Cable. After Cable’s death, several different people owned the house before being purchased in 1916 by Julius White who was a farmer. During his ownership of Alroy, White appears to have added more modern bathrooms. Although much of the land around the house had been subdivided and sold as smaller farms in earlier years, approximately 6 acres (4,000m2) of land at the rear of the house was included in the property and used for fruit growing.

James Wilson purchased the house and land in 1921. It remained with members of the Wilson family until 1981 when it was held by the Public Trustee, before being purchased by the Blacktown City Council in 1985. During the time that it was vacant, Alroy suffered fire damage and the marble fireplaces were stolen from inside.

In 1989, Blacktown City Council approved plans for the restoration of Alroy, which was estimated at $400,000. At the time, however, the funding for this proposal seemed uncertain. In 1996, Blacktown City Council reportedly spent $200,000 to restore the exterior and were planning to spend a further $200,000 the following year on restoration of the interior. In 2006 the interior and grounds were restored and the property reopened as Alroy Tavern.

Source: Blacktown City Library

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As the market changes, experienced and qualified agents will lead the way

PROPERTY SALES AND LEASING, NOW OPEN IN MARSDEN PARK 9835 3355 | www.bennettproperty.com.au

23 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

realestate real

By Matthew Bennett, Bennett Property Group

OVER the last decade, the training requirements for Real Estate Agents has been relaxed to allow for more competition. This has lead to training providers keen to make money fast tracking courses and making exams easy to pass. The more they pass, the more money they make.

We now have many agents who have only seen the good times of real estate calling themselves experts.

As a result, trust account fraud, misleading and deceptive conduct, underquoting and a lack of knowledge about property and the laws relating to its transaction are now common.

New Agents take a pretty photo, say they are the best and get a facebook page. Ask them about zoning issues or the legal implication of a clause in a contract and you will get a confused look. Throw them in the deep end of a negotiation that needs experience and

tact to put together and they go to water.

In the 1980s and 1990s, to become a licensed Real Estate Agent you would be required to complete a University degree or spend years at night at TAFE. Experience was valued and was an integral part of your learning. You put in the hard yards before you called yourself an Agent.

“On the surface real estate sales and management appear to be very simple,” said Real Estate Institute President John Cunningham. “However it is in reality a very complex and multi-layered process that requires a high level of knowledge and diverse skills to carry it out in a professional manner.

“Most people would expect that an agent has been properly trained and has the required qualifications to fulfil their obligations. It actually requires more training to become a barista than a Real Estate

Agent,” Mr Cunningham said.

The last few years has been very easy for Agents.

Get a listing, put in on the web and someone pays lots of money for it then #soldanotherone. The next few years will require hard work, knowledge and experience to get properties sold. The ones with the social media hashtags will disappear and the real Agents will be left to make deals happen.

If you are looking to sell, look for the Agents who have been around through the harder times. They are tougher and keener and will work harder for you.

They have seen it all before and have been properly trained to assist you. The inexperienced ones will start to disappear.

Call the Bennett Property Team on 9835 3355 to discuss your property needs. We have been leading the market for 70 years for a reason.

WealthWiz Blacktown would like to thank all our loyal clients for your support and votes in winning the 2016 Local Business Awards for Professional Services for a second year.

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Linda Bennett/Maurice Mantovani - 4578 1234

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KURRAJONG (02) 4573 1228 80 Old Bells Line of Road RICHMOND (02) 4578 1234 239 Windsor Street MARSDEN PARK (02) 9835 3355 Cnr Richmond Road & South Street www.bennettproperty.com.au

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• Beautifully presented property in a picturesque rural setting • Very spacious, single level family home • Open plan kitchen and family with slow combustion fireplace • Large rumpus room with split system air, ideal teenagers retreat • 4 good-sized bedrooms with robes, ensuite. Spa bath • Established gardens with outdoor entertaining gazebo • All arable land with 2 fenced paddocks • Popular rural area, only minutes from Penrith and Richmond

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GWS Giants, premiership contenders in 2016

By Jarrod McGrouther

THE GWS Giants have been a surprise packet in 2016, with many pundits starting to consider them as genuine premiership contenders.

They’ve started the season with 6 wins from their 8 matches, which is a much-improved effort considering their recent history.

For those not familiar with the club, the Giants debuted in the AFL competition proper in 2012, recording only two victories all season. 2013 was much of the same, with the Giants

losing their first seventeen games in a row. The western Sydney side have never made the finals and have struggled with crowd figures in recent times, but 2016 may just be the year that all changes.

The Giants have been superb all over the park this season; with a high scoring offence and strangling defence key areas of their game. Their early success has even resulted in them embarrassing last year’s premiers Hawthorn by more than 12 goals in front of a healthy 13,766 home crowd.

The Giants currently sit third on the

AFL ladder, sitting proudly on top of their much bigger brother the Sydney Swans. The side is full of exciting youth and is building for big things this year and beyond.

As of round 8, GWS have outscored every other AFL club, averaging a whopping 114 points per game. They play an exciting brand of football, showcased last weekend by a goal scored where the ball travelled the length of the field in under 20 seconds.

Do yourself a favour and get out to a game sometime soon, the product is entertaining and the Giants always

host a family friendly event.

There is no doubt the AFL has invested wisely in western Sydney.

With the Giants succeeding, the AFL female youth league underway and a healthy academy system in place, the future looks bright. With the season now in full swing, GWS will now turn their attention to this weekend, when they host the fifth placed Western Bulldogs. The stern test is scheduled for a 3:20pm start on what is tipped to be a pleasant autumn day. Tickets are still available so visit afl.com.au or gwsgiants.com.au to secure your seat.

Wanderers sign academy players Scott and Shabow

By Chris Layland

THE NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have signed Lachlan Scott and Mario Shabow to first team contracts.

Forward Lachlan Scott and midfielder Mario Shabow have both signed one year Hyundai A-League contracts, becoming the first players from the newlyestablished Wanderers Academy to earn deals with the first team.

It is an early mark of approval for the new academy which has seen the Red & Black establish a direct pathway from U13s to senior football with a total of seven teams in the PS4 NPL competitions along with the existing Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League, Foxtel NYL and Powerchair teams.

Fans have already seen a glimpse of Shabow when the teenager made a brief cameo in a win against Central Coast Mariners, highlighted by an impressive spin as a late substitute in the 2-0 victory.

The contract is a dream come true for Shabow who has become the first player to make the transition from the Red & Black Bloc to the Wanderers first team: the 18-year-old being a regular on the terraces since attending

the Club’s first ever game against Nepean FC in 2012.

“I’m a very passionate fan of the Wanderers: playing for the team I support just makes me more passionate and makes me want it more. Not a lot of players can say they play for the team they support so it’s a great feeling signing my first senior contract here,” said Shabow.

“I still remember the first preseason game in 2012 and the first few moments when I fell in love with the club and the crest and now being on the other side makes me look back and wonder how it came so quick. I can’t

wait to put that jersey on again.

“The time I’ve spent with the Wanderers so far has been the best in my life, I feel very strong, the fittest I’ve been and hopefully I can continue improving.”

Scott too is a name familiar with a number of Wanderers fans with the recently announced Foxtel NYL Player of the Season catching the eye with a number of impressive goal scoring efforts.

Having scored 15 goals in 18 appearances for the Wanderers this season in all competitions, the 19-year-old really turned heads when

he came off the bench to score five goals against defending champions, Spirit FC, in the Red & Black’s historic first ever NPL match.

“I’m really happy to have signed a professional contract with the Wanderers and I’m looking forward to a year of hard work to keep improving.

Popa is such a hard coach but so rewarding: he pushes you so you keep improving,” said Scott.

“Training with the first team is at such a high intensity but a lot of the boys have helped me: blokes like Bridgey, Santa and Dimas have kept me motivated and I’m enjoying training with such quality players.

“I’m a striker, scoring goals is my job and working hard so I can score for the Hyundai A-League team is what I have to do.”

Mario Shabow 18-year-old midfielder Hyundai A-League appearances: 1 Foxtel NYL appearances: 6 (3 goals) PS4 NPL2 appearances: 10 (5 goals) Lachlan Scott 19-year-old forward Foxtel NYL appearances: 8 (4 goals) PS4 NPL2 appearances: 10 (11 goals)

27 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

Storm grab a Hunter Valley double Junior Madut flies to throw down a spectacular slam dunk against the Hunters. Photos courtesy of Noel Rowsell (www.photoexcellence.com.au)

BARRIER RISE with Tony Brassel Tony Brassel is one of the most respected judges of horseflesh in the country.

He is a form expert and racing analyst with SKY Racing and radio 2KY and has now joined the Western Sydney News Group stable of journalists

By Noel Rowsell

THE Blacktown Storm Division One Youth League Men’s team has completed a clean sweep of their most recent opponents from the Hunter Valley.

The two wins, over the Maitland Mustangs 96-79 and the Newcastle Hunters 78-73, consolidates the Storm’s position in the top six of the 2016 Waratah Youth League competition.

Significantly, both games have seen the Storm start slowly, only to overwhelm their opponents in the second half.

Round Nine’s game against the Mustangs featured an up-tempo running game from the Storm, resulting in a powerful 56-41 scoreline in the second half to carry the game.

Diing Mawein led the Storm with 27 points, ahead of Junior Madut 24, Makuach Maluach 19 and Simeon Murray 17.

Round Ten saw the Storm face the win-less cellar dwellers but quickly discovered the Hunters had

CONCHITA: Was one of several impressive triallers at Newcastle last Monday. She ran second after showing a lot of pace, then cruising late. Paul Perry has a slick filly in this daughter of Uncle Mo, sire of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.

FLIRTATIOUS FEMME: Is prepared by boom young conditioner Michael Costa. She’s a big miss likely to improve off a debut trial defeat last year. Powerful in romped up to win at the Warwick Farm session last Monday.

GHISONI: Is all class and she’s bang on target for her Brisbane campaign after cruising around in a Warwick Farm heat on Monday. Undoubtedly one of the land’s best female gallopers.

GUARD OF HONOUR: Is a lightly raced Northern Meteor youngster trained by Kris Lees. Rolled at Rosehill in January, he bounced back to win his fourth

significantly bolstered their line-up.

The return of leading centre Ryan Beisty from College in the US and the inclusion of two state Under 18 players changed the Hunters from a team which had struggled to win a game this season, to suddenly be a powerhouse combination.

The Hunters dominated the game from the outset, capitalising on the Storm’s reckless and wasteful offensive rushes to lead throughout the first three quarters.

Storm head coach Greg Radford told his players at half time the game was still there for the taking, if they could stay close, and the fourth quarter saw the home team dominate.

The Storm were a different looking team in the final quarter, lifting their defensive intensity to shut down the Hunters’ offence and finally executing their own offence efficiently to run out 5-point winners.

Mawein again led the Storm with 21 points, ahead of Murray 18, Madut 17 and Atier Manzl 10.

The Storm are on the road this weekend, heading to the Ryde Community Centre to face the Inner West Bulls.

barrier trial to date last Monday.

HURRARA: Maintained it’s ranking as a high speed horse by winning its short course trial in convincing fashion. From Garry Frazer’s Hawkesbury yard and primed to do something fresh.

MOUNT NEBO: Did everything right – as you’d expect – in a Newcastle heat. This burly chestnut possesses a fine turn of foot and Alan Denham is bound to place him to advantage.

OXFORD ART: Is a stylish, baldy-faced chestnut from Kim Waugh’s in-form stable at Wyong. He sustained pace impressively to win at the Newcastle trial session earlier this week.

STAR CROSSED: Won upon debut at Scone late in 2015. He’s an imposing juvenile aiming to maintain an unbeaten record after blitzing rivals in a Newcastle trial.

Trained by local horseman Phillip Atkins.

Isaac De Gois ready for his new role

By Jarrod McGrouther

WITH the recent departure of representative regular Anthony Watmough, along with star hooker Nathan Peats, Isaac De Gois has been thrust into the starting side to help fill the void. De Gois, a 210 game NRL veteran, is now the most capped NRL player at the club and will be heavily relied upon with Parramatta now only a faint hope of playing finals football in 2016.

With Kieran Foran still missing from the side, combined with the salary cap dramas still plaguing the club, Parramatta have every right to make up the numbers this season.

De Gois says the players have other

ideas, and it starts with the culture and feel around the club, which is still fantastic.

“We’re a pretty tight group here, its really important, not just with everything going on, if nothing was going on, its just important to have a good culture, a good core of not only players but staff that all get along and we ‘ve got that here, its’ enjoyable coming to training.”

De Gois has played first grade for the last 12 seasons with 4 different clubs. After stints with Wests Tigers, Newcastle and Cronulla, the 31 year old says he wants to extend his career beyond 2016 and revealed the club he wants to play for next year.

“I want to definitely play on, the

body is feeling good, as long as it feels good ill keep putting my hand up to keep playing. I ideally want to stay at Parramatta.”

With senior players such as Danny Wicks, Beau Scott and Corey Norman with the club, De Gois isn’t feeling the extra pressure of being the most experienced head in the team. The consummate professional understands his new role in the side and feels blessed to be able to play the game he loves.

“When he (Peats) was out I was starting and playing more game time, so whatever brad wants me to do ill do my best to do it.”

De Gois is the definition of a player who gets the most out of his skills and body. He is tireless in defence

and is regularly the first man up in the defensive line, setting the line speed for his big forward pack. His most notable statistic this season is that he is only one of three Eels yet to commit an error, helping justify his new starting role.

“I wasn’t aware I had no errors but that’s obviously a great thing, we’ve got a pretty good bench here, it seems to be going well for us at the moment so hopefully we can keep plugging along.”

And plug along they must, with Melbourne at home Monday night, the Eels will face a stern test and must win to keep their finals hopes alive.

Kick off is at 7pm and tickets are still available.

Gearing up for State of Origin time

By Jarrod McGrouther

THIS Monday marks the start of the 2016 State of Origin campaign for the New South Wales Blues, with the side for game one set to be announced. New South Wales are surprising favourites to win back the shield that has been a mainstay in Queensland for much of the last decade. With two games in New South Wales this year, the Blues have every chance of success, with Laurie Daley already finalising much of his side leading into this weekend.

With Laurie Daley’s side mostly settled, any changes will likely be the result of injuries to key players during round 11 NRL games. The side is likely to feature big game players including Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson, Paul Gallen and Robbie Farah. Fresh blood is also set to be included, with rumours suggesting the fullback spot will go to either Matt Moylan or Lachlan Coote.

Local side Parramatta have two Blues hopefuls featuring in their starting side for Monday nights clash with Melbourne. Michael Jennings is set for a starting role at left centre for New South Wales, and is expected to be partnered with debutant Josh Mansour.

Beau Scott is the other name doing the rounds, his experience and defensive nous an asset to any rugby

league side, especially at state level.

With Parramatta set the arduous task of winning over 85 per cent of their remaining matches, having minimal disruption to the playing group is key. Losing only one or two players during the Origin period will be manageable, with the Eels set to face Newcastle, Souths and the Roosters during the all important Origin period. They will need to win all three of these

29 Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

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games to continue their drive for an unlikely finals birth.

Game one of this year’s State of Origin gets underway Wednesday June 1, with the game being played at ANZ Stadium. Kick off is at 8pm with tickets still available for the all-important clash. If you can’t make the game, keep an eye out on twitter for live updates of the clash @news_western

CelebrityTIPSTERS

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SCORE

Clr Stephen Bali Mayor - Blacktown City Council

105 Matthew Bennett - Bennett Property

107 Tony - Choices Blacktown

97 Paul Maher - Loxley on Bellbird

99 Troy - Urban City Consulting

81 Michelle Faint - Kidz Zoo

81 Kimberley Talbot - CEO Richmond Club

99 Barry Locock - Turtle Landscape Supplies

103

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Western News 20 May 2016 Issue 10

MY WORDS WITH MARK GEYER

BIG WEEK FOR TWO WESTERN SYDNEY TEAMS

Captain courageous against the Warriors last Saturday

Parra fans showing respect for Nathan Peats

WHAT a week for the two western Sydney rugby league teams.

One, Parramatta, have been in a world of pain given recent salary cap revelations, compounded by a last minute loss to the Rabbitohs last Friday night.

The other, Penrith, have started their climb up the premiership ladder after a statement-making victory against the Warriors in Christchurch last Saturday night.

The Eels dramas have had far reaching effects, the most significant being having to tell their future origin hooker Nathan Peats to move on. The Gold Coast Titans are the beneficiaries in the state swap. They now have the unenviable job of having to win 12 of their final 14 games, surely a task too great given the strength of the NRL circa 2016?

Their steely resolve as a footy team has to be admired though. In particular coach Brad Arthur should be applauded for his epic leadership from the front given the turbulent tsunami engulfing his team.

On to the Penny Panthers. After what could be described as an encouraging loss to the premiers North Queensland in round 6, Hook Griffin’s men have looked slick. A win over the Roosters, a 2 point loss to the Sharks, a field goal victory over the Raiders, and now last week’s most emphatic victory of the season over the unpredictable Warriors sees the mountain men firmly entrenched in the top 8. Bravo!

Penrith are fast becoming the must-watch team of the premiership. It’s no coincidence that since skipper Matt Moylan’s return the Panthers have upped the ante, and with players like Latu, Peachey, and Campbell Gillard improving by the game the future is looking mighty bright for Penrith.

The up-coming home game against the Titans is a game that needs as many

24 HOURS

Raff at Triple M

local supporters as possible, get along to see a team, dare I say it, up to their eyeballs in the running to be the 2016 premiers.

And another thing....

I remember vividly as a kid one of the highlights of having a day off school was going to work with my dad, who was a truck driver. I used to ride sidesaddle with him as he drove all over Sydney delivering, first wood to building sites, then plastic to factories.

The thing I remember most was getting up before the sun and eating a big morning tea (little lunch) and an even bigger lunch. I didn’t know it at the time but even as a 10-year-old the bond my Dad and I were establishing whilst chatting in his work truck was profound. And still incredibly strong to the current day.

My youngest child Rafferti got the same buzz just recently when I took her along to check out everything that goes on when putting a radio show together at Triple M in the city.

After coming to grips with the 330am alarm, off we went down the M4 to 50 Goulburn St. Raff sat in our morning prep meeting then helped the producers out running errands around the studio for them.

Then as we were nearing the end of the show our EP asked “MG, do you want to get Raff on-air for a chat?”

“Of course,” I responded. So there she was, my eight year old daughter chatting to us live on air as I just stood there and felt total pride that she was experiencing something that will live with her forever.

Just as it did with me so many moons ago.

MG (random Westie) OAM

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Western NEWS

Don’t forget to grab your scavenger hunt map!

Friday, 20 May 2016

sport

HARPO’S MARKS

LAST weekend, L rround 10 of the National league, was N ti l Rugby R as you are all well aware, was the annual Indigenous round, which had me looking up the Indigenous Team of the Century which was announced in 2008 to celebrate the game’s centenary in this country.

The team was: 1 Eric Simms 2 Lionel Morgan 3 Steve Renouf 4 Greg Inglis 5 Dale Shearer 6 Laurie Daley 7 Johnathan Thurston 8 Sam Backo 9 Mal Cochrane 10 Arthur Beetson 11 Gordon Tallis 12 Sam Thaiday 13 Cliff Lyons 14 George Green 15 Wally MacArthur 16 Frank Fisher 17 John Ferguson.

The majority of players in the team were names readily recognisable to footy fans but there were three players mentioned who were unknown to most of us – George Green, Wally MacArthur and Frank Fisher.

To quote Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: “Who are those guys?”

Frank Fisher (1905 – 1980) was described as the “Wally Lewis of Aboriginal Rugby league players”.

He was born in Townsville, the son of Frank Fisher Sr and his wife Esme. The senior Fisher served with the 11th Light Horse Regiment in WWI but Fisher’s attempt to follow in his father’s footsteps in 1940 was blocked on racial grounds.

Frank is the paternal grandfather of athletics great Cathy Freeman.

In the 1930s Fisher was captain of the Barambah rugby league team and in 1932 and again in 1936 he played at half-back for the Wide Bay representative side against the Great Britain touring teams.

The English captain, Jim Brough, said “Fisher was the best country player we have encountered.”

On Brough’s recommendation, Fisher was offered a contract with English club Salford but the Queensland Government refused his application to travel under the Aboriginals Protection and

Restriction of Sale of Opium Act 1897 (Qld).

He was been described as “fast, with a distinctive side-step, playing either at fly-half or centre threequarter.”

Fisher was a superb sportsman and was equally adept at cricket.

Once, playing for Cherbourg against Goomeri, he knocked up 105 not out in 32 minutes, thumping 11 sixes and 5 fours.

Edward Green was born in Grafton in 1883 and died in Sydney in 1938.

Ed is reputed to have been the first Indigenous Australian to play rugby league at first-grade level in Australia.

George Green played for the club sides Eastern Suburbs for four seasons - 1908–11 – and with North Sydney for 10 seasons between 1912–1916 and 1918–1922.

A utility forward, Ed played in Easts’ premiership-winning team of 1911 before moving to the Bears – he skippered the teams in 1916 and in 1918-1919 he was captain-coach and

then served as vice-captain during the club’s golden era in its only two premiership winning seasons 1921 and 1922.

After retiring, George went on to establish a successful career in coaching and administration.

Wally McArthur (1933-2015) was born in 1933 in Borroloola, Northern Territory.

McArthur, renowned for his sporting ability – he was a real flier - moved to Adelaide in the early 1950s and was regarded as stiff not to have represented Australia at the ’52 Olympics with the colour bar again raising its ugly head.

Wally played league in South and West Australia before landing a contract to play in England where he ran on in 165 games for Rochdale, Blackpool Borough, Salford and Workington Town.

HIGH MARKS: Learning about Green, McArthur and Fisher.

SAD MARKS: And still the discrimination continues!

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