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Western News PROUDLY INDEPENDENT
Friday, 21 June 2019
ISSUE 87
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Be a Blood DonoR Pictured is Lisa Story a donor at the Bloody Great Friday event. See full story on page 6.
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Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
Rouse Hill residents welcome Council engagement
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Rouse Hill residents were given the opportunity to speak directly with their Mayor, Councillors and Council staff.
pgrades to local roads and long term planning for the North West Growth Area were the main issues raised at Blacktown City Council’s community forum in Rouse Hill on Tuesday night. Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali MP said: “This was a chance for people to have a say about what is important to them in newly developing suburbs. “Council is aware of the challenges people face when they live in an area which is going through a lot of changes,” Mayor Bali said. Residents were briefed on the recent upgrades to local roads and
infrastructure in the area, followed by a briefing on the plans for the Australian Catholic University’s campus in the Blacktown CBD. Council used the forum to inform residents about progress on the Riverstone Masterplan as well as upgrades to Hambledon Road and Railway Terrace. Residents were also keen to take the opportunity to raise issues of concern to them and their community. “One resident sought Council’s support to hold a public event while another asked Council to provide further information on infrastructure
around Grantham Estate,” Mayor Bali said. “Meeting with our residents and taking on board their questions is an important part of engaging with our community.” Mayor Bali said residents were satisfied that Council continued to engage with residents and face the hard questions, especially in the area of development. “Council understands that planning processes can cause frustrations for some residents but it is important that we continue to engage and consult with residents to achieve the best outcome
for the whole community. “The forum gave residents in Rouse Hill the opportunity for face-to-face engagement with Councillors and Council staff on matters that really affect their lives.” Mayor Bali said. Council’s next community forum is in Ward 3 on Tuesday, 2 July, 7pm at Tyndale Christian School 58 Douglas Road, Blacktown. Next community forum details: Tuesday, 2 July, 7pm at Tyndale Christian School 58 Douglas Road, Blacktown. Email: Forums@blacktown.nsw. gov.au
Prue Car MP Member for Londonderry
Ph: 9833 1122 154 Queen Street, St Marys londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au
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From the Editor’s Desk By BART BASSETT
Poor treatment of Veterans and Defence service personnel is a national disgrace As the Patron of the Western Sydney Suicide Prevention and Support Network it is astounding to me that as a country we are losing so many defence personnel to suicide. With recent figures stating we have lost the same amount of service personnel and veterans to suicide in one year alone as the 13 years of defence personnel lost in Afghanistan as well as an estimate that 10% of people living rough are ex veterans you have to ask the question, what is wrong in defence support for veterans and serving personnel? A Senate inquiry took place into suicide by veterans and service personnel in 2017 with public hearings held across Australia. During the inquiry there were over 450 individual submissions received. Now 2 years on there is still such a problem within defence regarding the support of veterans that there is now a call for a Royal Commission. How could things be so bad that all these people felt nobody was there for them? How could Defence itself have such a poor support structure and be so bureaucratic that this many people committed suicide after having served our country for us? Others are homeless. This is a national disgrace. Governments send people into conflict and they do their job for their country. The support for defence personnel both during their service and post service should be second to none. It should also be devoid of bureaucratic delays when it comes to access for general support and employment opportunities post service. If we want young Australians to join our defence force to protect our country and way of life then they should be supported by Government always. How as a nation can we expect young people to sign up to army, navy or air force when they have seen how appallingly our return service personnel have been treated? The Government should take action immediately to ensure that any bureaucratic impediments for assistance to defence personnel and veterans is removed. Waiting to act on any type of inquiry or Royal Commission could take too long with those delays allowing the possibility of more people falling through the defence support’s gaping cracks. Readers requiring support or information about suicide prevention can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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he Member for Mount Druitt Mr Edmond Atalla MP, has announced that ‘NSW Volunteer of the Year’ awards are now open for nominations. Now in its 13th year, these awards celebrate the efforts of state volunteers across a variety of award categories. These awards are an opportunity for communities to show appreciation to locals which make their home a better place. The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are also an excellent a platform to raise awareness about your cause, local issue or volunteering success. “Local volunteers are vital to the success of our local communities,” said Mr Atalla.
Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
Award open for nominations
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“It is important that we take the time to recognise them for their successes, as well as their sacrifices.” Categories open are; ◆ Young Volunteer of the Year ◆ Adult Volunteer of the Year ◆ Senior Volunteer of the Year ◆ Volunteer Team of the Year ◆ Corporate Volunteer of the Year (Individual) ◆ Corporate Volunteer Team of the Year ◆ Excellence in Volunteer Management All those interested in nominating someone they know, or are requiring further information should head to https://www.volunteering.com.au/ volunteer-awards/ Nominations close Friday the 12th of July 2019 at 5pm.
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New blood donor needed every five minutes By KeRRIE DAVIES
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he Australian Red Cross Blood Service joined forces with entertainer Jimmy Rees to encourage more Sydney residents to roll-up their sleeves and donate blood, by launching the country’s first 24hr donate-athon, Bloody Great Friday. “Many of us may be surprised to learn that Australia needs a new blood donor every five minutes, however while one in three of us will need blood during our lifetime, only one in thirty donate,” says entertainer Jimmy Rees aka Jimmy Giggle from ABC For Kids flagship program Giggle and Hoot. “To mark World Blood Donor Day and highlight the need for new donors, the Blood Service held Australia’s first 24-hour donate-a-thon, Bloody Great Friday, at CBD centres in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.” The Bloody Great Friday event was aimed to raise awareness about the need for 99,000 new donors over the next 12 months and to encourage people to become blood donors. “You never know when you, or someone you love, will need blood. Donating blood is quick and easy so I encourage everyone who can to become a blood donor,” Rees said.
“I recently experienced first-hand how vital it is we have enough blood donors when my baby son, Mack, unexpectedly needed an emergency blood transfusion. I am forever grateful to the donors who saved my son’s life.” Blood donations only last for 42 days so the need for blood never stops. There is no substitute for blood and we need blood of every type, every day to save the lives of thousands of Australians. A third of donated blood goes to people with cancer and blood diseases and 20 per cent to surgical patients. Australia needs around 25,000 donations every week.
“In Sydney we saw 316 people during the 24 hour donate-a-thon which is just fantastic,” a Blood Service spokesperson said. “We’re so thrilled so many people were involved and how far our message of needing a new blood donor every five minutes has spread. “The need for blood never takes a break, so don’t worry if you couldn’t donate on Bloody Great Friday, making a blood donation at any time will still save lives.” To make an appointment to donate please call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au.
Community-based preschools urged to apply for capital works grants
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ember for Riverstone Kevin Conolly MP is encouraging communitybased preschools across the region to apply for the NSW Government’s $4 million Capital Works Grants program, which is now open for applications. Mr Conolly said this funding is part of the NSW Government’s $42.1 million investment in building new, and expanding existing early childhood services across the State. “There are more children attending 600 hours of preschool in NSW than ever before, and why, as a Government, we need to support services to ensure the appropriate infrastructure is in place to accommodate for the growing number of enrolments in preschools,” Mr Conolly said. Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said this round of grants will accommodate for an additional 230 preschool places across the State.
“Through the creation of more preschool places, even more children in NSW will have access to a top-quality early childhood education, which will set them up for life,” Ms Mitchell said. “This Government knows how important an early childhood education is on a child’s emotional, social and cognitive development, so it is crucial we support services to nurture kids to be the best they can be in the years before school.” The Start Strong Capital Works Grants program is open to all notfor-profit community preschools in NSW and can be used to build new services, extend or renovate existing services, or respond to crisis situations. Applications will be open until 4 August 2019 and can be submitted via SmartyGrants. For more information, visit the Department of Education website.
Battling the heat with trees Schofields and Mount Druitt are set to have more than 100 new trees lining residential streets as part of Blacktown City Council’s plans to reduce urban heat. Blacktown City Council is working alongside NRMA Insurance as part of the Cool Streets© program, enabling the planting of 113 trees. Cool Streets© is an initiative developed by Dr Libby Gallagher of Gallagher Studio that encourages local communities to take the lead in choosing the right trees to cool their neighbourhoods. Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali MP said: “Urban heat is a major challenge for Blacktown and tree planting is one of the methods to reduce the
impact. “The Cool Streets initiative allows communities to be involved, they are given the opportunity to choose and care for the trees planted around their homes. “Trees in residential streets are beneficial to the communities. They can reduce household airconditioning costs, reduce local air pollution, help store carbon and even add value to house prices.” NRMA Insurance Safer Communities Executive Manager Jen Cobley said: “We’re excited to be part of this Cool Streets© initiative and help to tackle heat stress in Western Sydney. “We know that when trees and vegetation are removed, the temperatures can soar and by
revegetating areas we’ll be creating cooler streets benefiting the community and the environment by increasing shade and reducing CO2 emissions. “The NRMA Insurance Good ‘Hoods program focuses on how we can support local communityled initiatives that will help communities feel more connected, which will allow them to be stronger, safer and more confident.” Media are invited to attend a planting day on Saturday June 15, with a morning tea from 10am – 11.30 at Jerralong Drive (opposite Taya and Flynn Street), Schofields. Trees will be planted in Mount Druitt in the coming months.
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aron’s Wish was established by the Lori family in 2013, in memory of their son Aaron, who lost his brave battle with Brain Cancer earlier that year, and in the memory of many others who have been touched by Brain Cancer. Aaron Lori fought and lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of only 35. He left behind a loving wife, three children way too young to lose a dad, three great brothers and his wonderful parents, Kim and Michael. It was Aaron’s wish that awareness be raised of the devastation of a Brain Cancer diagnosis and that critical Brain Cancer research is desperately underfunded. Brain Cancer is the leading cause of Cancer deaths in children under 10 and young people under 39. Each year 1600 patients are diagnosed and 1200 will die. Aaron’s Wish Charity Dinner is an annual black tie fundraising dinner that is registered with and supported by the Cancer Council. The goal of the event is to raise awareness of Brain Cancer and raise much needed funds for Brain Cancer research whilst enjoying an elegant and amazing evening with an incredible meal, drinks and live entertainment. Aaron’s Wish team members have either been personally affected by Brain Cancer or are passionate for the cause, and all are unpaid volunteers trying to make a difference. All funds raised are donated to the Cancer Council for Brain Cancer research in the hope of finding better treatments and one day a cure. The seventh Aaron’s Wish gala dinner is being held at Lilys, Seven Hills on July 28th. The total raised by Aaron’s Wish since 2013 is well in excess of $350,000. All funds go to brain cancer research and the charity partner is Cure Brain Cancer.
This is well and truly a gala night. Last year they had 15 chefs preparing the dinner! The wines and food on offer are deserving of a five star restaurant and the raffles and prizes are astounding every year.
You do not want to miss out on the meat raffle valued at over $3,000 and many others on the night. Together we can make a difference! The stickytickets link to book tickets for Aaron’s Wish 2019 is : stickytickets.com.au/77215
Meet the GUEST SPEAKERS... ANNABELLE WILSON Annabelle has a deep personal connection to the brain cancer cause. Her husband Josh passed away from the disease after a ten year journey in November 2017, three months before the birth of their daughter Primrose. In Annabelle’s role as Cure Brain Cancer Foundation’s Head of Advocacy, she works with the tireless brain cancer community to lead impactful advocacy campaigns that deliver better options for brain cancer patients now and in the future.
A/PROF JOSHUA McCARROLL A/Prof Joshua McCarroll is a Group Leader based at the Children’s Cancer Institute at University of New South Wales, Sydney. He leads a team of researchers working on identifying new therapeutic drugs to treat childhood and adult cancers including, brain, pancreatic and lung cancer. His team also has a strong interest in developing new ‘nanoparticle-based’ medicines which can deliver drugs more efficiently to tumour cells.
Aaron Lori
Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
Gala night ahead to ensure Aaron gets his wish
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Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
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Western News
Students selected for the trek of a lifetime…
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nce again, St Marys Rugby League Club are giving two young students the opportunity of a lifetime...to participate in the fully funded Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge, trekking the Kokoda Trail in late September. Now in its 14th year, the Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge is designed to give participants: • An appreciation of our military history • A respect for the sacrifice made by young Australians of a previous generation • An appreciation of a culture whose values are not based on materialism • An appreciation of the qualities necessary for teamwork • An appreciation of the characteristics of leadership and • An understanding of the purpose and value of community service This year’s trekkers were selected from an incredibly high calibre of applicants. “Every year, the applicants just seem to be even more impressive,” said Club President Warren Smith. “The final two we selected impressed us enormously and we are thrilled to sponsor them on this life-changing trek”. Saints 2019 Kokoda Trekkers are 17-year-old Katie Dal Santo from Penrith Christian School and Connor Burke, also 17, from Jamison High School. Katie, from Claremont Meadows is incredibly passionate about trekking Kokoda and will be following in the footsteps of her Great Grandfather, Private Reginald A G Mills who served in the Australian Army in Papua New
Guinea as an ambulance driver with the Second Motor Ambulance Convoy. She has completed her bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards and is currently working towards her gold. Katie is an active member of Orchard Hills Rural Fire Brigade where she has been a member since she was 12 years old. Katie spoke passionately about her experience in the rural fire brigade and shared with us her achievement of completing the 1504 stair climb of the Sydney Eye Tower to raise funds for MND Motor Neurone Disease – dressed in full structural gear including the 20kg air tank. Connor Burke is a young man from Glenmore Park who is immediately likeable and confident and was instantly an ideal candidate for the Kokoda Trek. He
is part of the schools Representative Council who work towards implementing new ideas to improve his school and is actively involved and dedicated to water polo and swimming, both of which he has competed in at a State and National Level. In 2018 Connor was given the opportunity to be a part of the Max Potential Program, a leadership development program that helps to connect emerging young leaders with local community leaders who provide the participants with coaching and training. Connor will be following in the footsteps of his Great Grandfather George Albert Marshman, who fought in Kokoda and was part of the 2nd/6th Australian Commando Squadron known as “The Purple Devils”.
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Searching for platypus
Lake St Clair By BEN CRANNEY
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hadn’t told my wife that I’d set the GPS to adventurous. ‘It’s the fastest way’ I said. It was definitely the shortest, up and over the Tasmanian highlands. But when the bitumen turned to gravel and then dirt, it should have slowed us right down. Now, according to Jeremy Clarkson, rental cars are the fastest cars, so I did my best Top Gear presenter impersonation so I wouldn’t get in trouble. We’d just come from what was meant to be fancy hotel at the bottom of Lake St Clair, a converted hydro electric pumphouse. They certainly charged like it was fancy, but it wasn’t quite up to scratch. We tested Clarkson’s theory on the way there,
arriving right on check in to maximise our time in the room, only for them to take over an hour to get the room ready. Worse, we were celebrating my wife being pregnant and she was ready for a hot bath, which ended up being lukewarm thanks to a broken thermostat. And the outdoor spa, which was under the stars, was dirty. We tested Clarkson’s theory on the way out too. Lake St Clair itself is stunning. And the best bit is that all of the beauty of the area can be accessed without paying for a dodgy room. The walks from the Park Centre range from a couple of hours to overnight, and they take in a lot of beautiful scenery. On one of the shorter loops you can take in the Aboriginal cultural walk, followed by a little river flat where
The Pumphouse
platypus play for the very patient, and a stroll along the rocky beachfront with views across to the pumphouse which is about as close as you need to get. For those who like a serious walk but a comfortable bed, a good option is to catch the ferry to Narcissus Bay and then walk back to the Park Centre. This is the last section of the Cradle Mountain Overland Track, which starts about five days walk further north, so you could claim you finished it.
The Park Centre itself will fill you in on the local geology, there’s trout fishing (you need a licence) and nearby is the huon pine carving ‘The Wall in the Wilderness’, giant carved panels showing the history of the area. On the way back to Hobart, stop in a place like Hamilton, a sandstone village with high tea. In fact, atop anywhere. It’s all so beautiful, you’ll wish rental cars were the slowest cars. Next time: the centre of the world.
The Unintentional Medium By Suzi Samuel La Ronde
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ow many times have you heard it or said it whenever someone has pulled a fast one, done the dirty on us or just plain teed us off? Instead of taking our revenge either because it wouldn’t do any good or because we are just really nice, non-vindictive people, how many times do we say, “Oh, well! What goes round, comes round”? Do we really believe that or are we just making ourselves feel a little less badly done by? I think that whether you believe in things spiritual or not, we can all agree that there are lessons to be learnt from our mistakes. So many of us keep repeating patterns of behaviour. I know I certainly kept making dreadful boo-boos in the romantic department between husbands until I met David and it is only in hindsight - a truly wonderful thing - that I realise I was continuously making the same errors of judgement. Now you can say that this was a product of my upbringing, my psychological background, whatever and I will happily believe you. I in no way discount our conditioning at a young age, but perhaps there is something deeper that we have to resolve. Working on the premise that our soul continues either in the spirit world or in a form of reincarnation, or indeed both as the soul can work in many and mysterious ways, it is not a giant leap of faith to believe that our life lessons carry over from one incarnation to the other. We bring forward unresolved issues as I discovered when I underwent regression which did a lot to explain certain fears and phobias. How many
really lovely people do you know who have terrible lives? And how many rats who just seem to sail through life, trampling others underfoot? Where is the justice in that, we say, but maybe it’s not in this world. When I was back in UK, I had a couple of examples of this from completely opposite ends of the scale. One of my dearest friends had a terrible life. She was married to an eminent physician who beat her mercilessly, tried to get her committed and then left her with no money. She had a huge battle with cancer and was in very poor health to the end of her life. There was another woman in our circle who, although not a really nasty person, was totally selfabsorbed and didn’t give a fig about anyone else. We never worked out if she was fool or knave, but I do
remember one shining example. Just after my first husband died she came to see me. She picked up a photo I had just had taken. “Oh I say, Sue. Aren’t you frightfully photogenic?” “Thanks Ange,” I replied. “You look almost pretty there”!! She had the perfect life. She was married to a charming, successful and intelligent man, had three lovely children, a beautiful house and a wonderful lifestyle. Admittedly she was slightly dim, but hey! They came to a dinner party one evening and Ange was talking about her social calendar. “Well, we are off to Corfu for a couple of weeks, then to see my brother in Melbourne, then to our house in Italy for the summer. The next few weekends we will be at the theatre or dinner parties,” and so she went on. David just looked at her. “God, Ange,” he said. You must have been really good in a previous existence.” Ange smiled vaguely. Her husband choked on his wine. What made the difference between the lives of these two women. Karmic influences? What were they working out or indeed what had Ange already worked out? There is a sect in India whose belief in reincarnation is so strong that they will not go outside without masks in case they accidentally swallow and kill a bug. So the next time you reach for the spider spray, take care. You may be scuppering horrid great uncle Fred’s chances of the road to redemption in his next existence. The Unintentional Medium is available online or from any good book store.
Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
The fastest way to Lake St Clair
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Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
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Western News
Ultimate lifestyle living on Jordan Springs Lake
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itting on the shoreline of a scenic lake, Geneva is one of Jordan Spring’s most desirable landmark developments. The project was conceived by prominent Sydney developers and builders, Coplex, after the outstanding success of their La Park development in Penrith. The development comprises two separate buildings known Ariana and Barton. Coplex is one of Sydney’s most esteemed builder / developers of high quality residential apartments. As a family business, Coplex has created a trusted team with unrivalled experience in design, construction, innovation and sustainability. No matter what or where the project, Coplex is driven by a passionate desire to create liveable communities that will thrive in the future. Geneva is a low rise low density lakefront apartment development that has been pitched at aspiring young singles / couples and discerning downsizers / early retirees. The lakefront position and preeminent architecture distinguishes the development from any other residential apartment development in western Sydney. The development was designed by renowned architects, Architex, and features a strikingly elegant contemporary façade and timeless luxurious fittings and finishes. Each apartment has generous open plan living areas and either lake or national park views. Common amenities are contained to one lift and a rooftop terrace to
minimise strata levies. According to Coplex’s Director of Sales & Marketing, Paul Woodbury, the project has been well received by a disillusioned / passive sector of the market; namely young singles / couples and downsizers / early retirees, who desire low maintenance, secure and affordable freehold strata title living but loath the plethora of high rise, high density investment blocks and leasehold title over 55’s / retirement living complexes with service and exit fees available in the market place. As a project marketer, it is extremely rewarding to experience the strong engagement / reaction
when prospective purchasers inspect our site and marketing display suite. Bearing in mind purchasing off the plan is new to our target market we have built a marketing display suite on the Jordan Springs Lake foreshore to allow prospective purchasers to touch and feel our fittings and finishes and appreciate the panoramic lake views. Whilst it is not the industry norm we also include a comprehensive schedule of fittings and finishes and floor plan with scale in all sale contracts. These little but important touches, coupled with the proven track record of the builder / developer and the
fact we are under construction gives prospective purchasers enormous piece of mind when buying off the plan. Jordan Springs is a new award winning masterplan development (Urban Development Institute of NSW Best Masterplan 2014) 7 kilometres north east of Penrith. The estate was developed by national masterplan developer, Lend Lease, and includes a neighbourhood shopping centre (Woolworth’s supermarket and 16 speciality shops), community centre, child care centre, proposed primary school (estimated completion early 2021), village oval and central lake (Jordan Springs Lake) in the town centre and pocket parks in each residential precinct. Coplex were attracted to the Penrith region due to the strong underlying financial and economic fundamentals such as the $3 billion investment capital committed in pipeline projects, 69,000 projected new local jobs in the next 20 years and 53,709 projected population growth (25,029 projected household growth) by 2036. Mr Woodbury commented that, with Geneva, I am very fortune that I have location, product and price. It is these key attributes and the uniqueness of the development that have yielded strong sales to date. Whilst the Barton building sold out last year, we still have a wide range of configurations, aspects, views and price points in the Ariana building. Notwithstanding the above, we strongly recommend any prospective buyers act now to avoid disappointment. Current prices range from $427,000, $499,000 and $632,000 for the one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom apartments respectively. To learn more and to register your interest, visit www.genenajordansprings.com.au or call Paul Woodbury direct on 0404 055 333.
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WESTERN HISTORY
Indigenous Affairs
By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc.
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ydney Arthur Cunningham “known as “Sid”, “Doc” and “Black Santa” was born in 1926 at Newtown and grew up in Redfern and La Perouse. He played Black Santa for almost 30 years. In 1974 he helped people devastated by Cyclone Tracy in Darwin and in 1982 he was named ANZAC of the Year. Sid served in the RAAF in WW2 as a General Hand between June 1944 to March 1945. In 1987 NAIDOC honoured him as “Aboriginal of the Year”. Sid was also awarded the Order of Australian Medal in 1989. He was a member of the Yuin Tribe from the North Coast of NSW and is best known for his tireless work in fundraising and filling food orders for needy families throughout Australia and for delivering toys to many disadvantaged Aboriginal children at Christmas time. He worked with the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs in Central Sydney as a Field Officer and established the Western District Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs in St Marys in 1976. The 1981 newspaper photo shows the year he was battling to meet the demands for genuine poor families who were forced to live in substandard conditions. The inset RAAF photo shows Sid at 19. He died in March 1999 at Balmain Hospital at the age of 72. More than 1,000 mourners attended his funeral at St Marys Cathedral with a number of Aboriginal Community Leaders, including Charles Perkins and Lyall Munro who spoke at the service. A Plaque to his memory is in the footpath at King Street at Newtown. He is buried at the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park at Matraville. In 1814 Governor Macquarie founded the first school for Aboriginal children called the Native Institution which was located at Parramatta until 1822. It was succeeded by the Native Institution at Blacktown but closed about the 1830s. The establishment of separate Aboriginal Schools in NSW led to the creation of records dealing almost exclusively with the primary education of Indigenous children. Education for all children in NSW became compulsory in 1880 with the proclamation of the Public Instruction Act. Initially the Act supported one public school system. Over time social attitudes, supported by the policies of the Department of Public Instruction, led to the establishment of separate Aboriginal Schools. Early policies supporting segregation permitted Aboriginal children to attend the local school only if they were considered adequately dressed, clean, courteous and well fed. The practice of separating Aboriginal children from the non-Aboriginal local school system was illustrated in 1902 with the ‘exclusion on demand’ policy. The then Minister of Education gave instructions to schools in NSW to remove Aboriginal children on the request of white parents. From 1883–1869 the Aborigines Welfare Board and its predecessor the Aborigines Protection Board, was the main NSW State Government agency responsible for implementing and administering legislation and policies affecting Aboriginal people. The records of the Board are important because they document activities that had a major impact on the lives of Aboriginal people, especially the ‘Stolen Generations’ who were removed from their families and communities. The Board for the Protection of Aborigines was established in June 1883. Comprising six members appointed by the Governor it held weekly meetings at which
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recommendations concerning the State’s Aboriginal population were considered. The Board functioned without any statutory power until the Aborigines Protection Act 1909 when the board was enlarged with the principal expenditure being the distribution of rations, clothing and huts for accommodation. The Aborigines Protection Amending Act 1915 gave the Board the power to assume control and custody of Aboriginal children if it believed this action to be in the moral or physical interest of the child, and to remove the child to “such care and control as it thinks best”. The Board was reconstituted again under the Aborigines Protection (Amendment) Act of 1940, and its name changed to the Aborigines Welfare Board. The Board held its final meeting on 29 April 1969 and was replaced by the Aborigines Welfare Directorate, Department of Child Welfare and Social Welfare (later the Aborigines Services Branch, Youth and Community Services). Another Aboriginal advocate was Henry “Harry” Aylwin Barrenger who was born in May 1900 at Prahran in Melbourne. Harry was educated at Hawksburn State School in 1915. He joined the Postmaster-General’s Department as a messenger and two years later he was appointed clerk in the Department of Home and Territories. In February 1924 at All Saints Church in St Kilda, he married Lily Adelaide Danson. They moved to Canberra in 1927 with the first relocated Federal public servants and their families. Advancing steadily within the Department of the Interior, Harry was involved in the administration of the Northern Territory and made frequent visits there. His responsibilities included Aboriginal welfare policy and he served as secretary to the initial conference of Commonwealth and State Aboriginal authorities that was held in Canberra in April 1937. In 1938 he became an associate member of the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants. As first assistant-secretary from 1948, he oversaw the substantial expansion occasioned by the transfer of most of the remaining government departments to Canberra and acted as secretary of the department. On one such occasion in January 1949, there was controversy over the enforced removal to Adelaide and Alice Springs of Aboriginal children who had been evacuated to Penrith during World War 2, where he dismissed protests against the move, arguing that the children had to obey the orders of their legal guardian which was the Northern Territory Director of Native Affairs. In 1954 Harry became a nominated member of the ACT Advisory Council. Aboriginal barkpainters at the Maningrida settlement in the Northern Territory benefited from his efforts to establish a forest reserve to provide a future source of bark. Respected for his hard work and integrity, Harry was never ruffled and had an ‘unfailing sense of humour’. He related well to others and was noted for his sympathy and compassion. He was accessible and supportive of his staff and he improved morale in his department. Harry received an O.B.E in 1964 and retired from the public service and the advisory council in 1965. He died in August 1976 at the Woden Valley Hospital and was buried in Canberra cemetery.
Sources: Aboriginal Welfare, Initial Conference of Commonwealth and State Aboriginal Authorities, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian (Canberra edition), Canberra Times, Canberra Courier, ACT Advisory Council minutes, National Library of Australia, Australian Dictionary of Biography, NSW State Archives, J.J. Fletcher-A History of Aboriginal School Education in NSW, Monument Australia Website, Ancestry, BDM website, Family Search Website, National Archives Service Records, The Koori Mail 1999,
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Western News
SUDOKU: EASY & every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 with no duplicates
SOLUTIONS: 7 June EASY
70’s Songs AMERICAN PIE BAD GIRLS BROWN SUGAR DREAM ON DREAMS DRIFT AWAY EBONY EYES FEELINGS
IMAGINE LAST DANCE LOLA LOVE HURTS LOW RIDER MAGIC MAN MY LOVE NIGHT FEVER
PIANO MAN REUNITED SIGNS SUNDOWN SUPERSTAR THE GAMBLER WITHOUT YOU WOODSTOCK
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Rigidity (9) 6 Celebrations (5) 9 Jaunty (7) 10 A gland found near the kidneys (7) 11 Varnish (7) 12 A thousand thousands (7) 13 Pleased (9) 15 A literary style (5) 16 Breastplate (5) 19 Receiver (9) 22 Before long (7) 23 Rebuffed (7) 25 Small falcon (7) 26 Quip (7) 27 Gentle push (5) 28 Faiths (9)
solution 7/6/19
down 1 Thralls (5) 2 Modulate one’s speech (7) 3 Idiosyncrasies (7) 4 Moral principle (5) 5 Convulsive (9) 6 Front limb of a horse (7) 7 Stress (7) 8 Lustrous or brilliant (9) 13 Exuvia (9) 14 Deviating from the usual (9) 17 Lubricated (7) 18 Nemesis (7) 20 Sulking (7) 21 Trade stoppage (7) 23 The grave (5) 24 Hemispherical roofs (5)
13 Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
WORD SEARCH
INSTRUCTIONS Fill the grid so that every column, every row
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Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
14
REAL ESTATE
Alex Soncini
T
Western News
Buy Now Pay Later - the hidden danger potentially stopping you from owning your own home
he Buy Now Pay Later sector is winning-over the youth demographic with the promise of instant gratification, but leading mortgage brokers are warning that with every sugar-high comes the risk of a corresponding low. ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ providers such as AfterPay and Zip Pay have experienced massive growth in popularity, with the number of users jumping from 400,000 to approximately 2 million between 2015 and 2018. Driven by a simple proposition whereby the Buy Now Pay Later provider pays the merchant on behalf of the customer, allowing the customer to obtain the goods or receive a service immediately while subsequently paying off the debt generally through instalments, Buy Now Pay Later presents a tempting offering.
But as the sector’s breakneck growth continues, mortgage professionals are warning users, particularly in the younger demographic, to be cautious of overdoing it as this could risk effecting their chances of securing a home loan further down the track. “It’s the layby of our day but in reverse. It’s your forward credit for an item, which I don’t agree with,” said one leading mortgage broker. “In theory, it makes sense. You get the item or service and pay it off over instalments, so you’re actually putting forward your liability. “This might be ok for someone that manages their money well, if they pay off the item on time and use their mortgage offset account correctly. This way they’re delaying expenses and offsetting more of their savings against their home loan. “But there’s probably one per cent of people doing that and the rest
of them are spending beyond their means,” the broker added. As a result, according to this broker, there may also be a stigma associated with using Buy Now Pay Later schemes rather than paying upfront and in-full. “Utilising this payment method may potentially send the wrong message to a bank. “If a lender sees a ‘buy now pay later’ provider frequently on a client’s bank statements, that can trigger more questions about their spending behaviours and ultimately may mean they choose to decline the application.
“I would much prefer to see my clients save for the item and demonstrate those good habits.” If you are concerned about your level of expenditure or your ability to secure a home loan, a conversation with an mortgage broker and Wealthwiz could set you on the right path. “It’s important to appropriately manage your expenses well in advance of applying for a home loan, that way you can show the bank that you can save and afford to service a mortgage when the time comes.”
Special Offer For a free RP Data-Core Logic Property Report for your home or a property you’re interested in (Valued at $39.95), email Alex the address details. alex.soncini@wealthwiz.com.au
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Western News
SPORT
with MARK GEYER
Seismic shift in our lineup - will it pay off?
F
rom the moment the NSW state of origin team was read out last Sunday night there hasn’t been a moment that it hasn’t been discussed or dissected. EVERYONE has had an opinion. And I mean everybody! My 12 year old daughter even bought into the pandemonium and asked what every Blues supporter was thinking “where’s Latrell Mitchell dad?” Of course this is the biggest shock coach Fittler delivered for game 2 in Perth this Sunday night. But I’ll get back to that. Other selection ‘water cooler’ convos have centered around who isn’t in the team rather than who is. I get that. I feel for Josh Morris and Cody Walker, but am over the moon for Jimmy Maloney, Dale Finucane and Wade Graham. Gone from game 1 are Latrell, Crichton, Morris, and Walker, all dropped. Klemmer, Haas, and Cotric succumbed to injury.
The boys are back together
Latrell dropped for game
In for the above 7 players are Blake Ferguson, Tom Trbojevic, James Maloney, Daniel Saifiti, Dale Finucane, Tariq Sims, and Wade Graham. Ballsy move by Freddy but one he must totally be at ease with, hence his decisions. But if I have to find both pros and cons in this team then I will. Pros: it’s a big team full of big mobile units. The halves know each other and were the halves in last year’s winning series. The bench is awesome. Finucane, Sims, Murray and Graham provide impetuous of the pine. Cons: No Latrell. Massive call leaving the world’s best centre out of this team but the distractions that are obviously following Latrell were his downfall. No recognised centres. Trbojevic (fullback) and
Wighton (5/8th) aren’t centres. No utility on the bench. What happens if a back is injured? Thank God these aren’t questions I have to answer. I fully back Freddy in his selections and know for sure he’s picked his team to win game 2, nothing else! The outcry of emotion is the epitome of origin. It’s the toughest, most uncompromising rugby league there is and it isn’t for the faint hearted. The debate will continue to rage up until kick-off this Sunday night. All I can hope and cross my fingers for is a Blues victory with the decider back here in Sydney in a few weeks. C’mon the BLUES!!! See you at the game.
MG (random Westie) OAM
Mt Druitt Town impressive in win over Rockdale City By CONNER LOWE
M
t Druitt T o w n Rangers have improved significantly in the second half of the NPL NSW Men’s season and impressed in a 2-0 win over Rockdale City Suns at Popondetta Park on Saturday night. The result was the Rangers second win in as many games with their performance sure to put a smile on coach Aidan Desmond’s face. Mt Druitt had the first decent effort of the match in the 4th minute when inform attacker Fabricio Fernandez found space on the edge of the area only to fire inches over the crossbar. The Uruguayan attacker was to find the back of the net on his second attempt. Alameddine with some great play on the right and squared the ball to Fernandez who dribbled past the two Rockdale centre backs and slotted the ball into the bottom right to make it 1-0 in the 12th minute. Mt Druitt continued to dominate the opening stanza and almost doubled
Photo by Dan Ullman
their lead again through Fernandez who hit the crossbar after connecting from a Jake Mammone cross, with Roberts unable to score from the following rebound. Alec Urosevski found himself oneon-one with the Mt Druitt keeper after stealing the ball from the Rangers defence, however his chipped effort was well saved after Carlos Saliadarre made himself big coming out and closing down the Suns attacker.
In the 34th minute a dangerous cross from the left by Mick Neill deserved to have someone on the end of it, but there was no one home for Rockdale and the chance went begging. Rangers doubled their lead just before the end of the first half thanks to Roberts who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right. It was Mirijan Pavlovic, the former Marconi Stallions player, who created doubt in the minds of the defenders but had his
shot blocked, but then the ball fell to Roberts who on the turn managed to find the bottom corner of the net. The second half almost seen Rangers add a third when Alameddine found himself with a great opportunity however was unable to make great contact with his shot as it rolled to the Rockdale keeper. Mt Druitt almost scored an own goal through Joshua Gould when he volleyed a Rockdale City cross in the 53rd minute onto his own goalpost for what would have been a classic own goal. A corner from Fernandez in the 73rd minute went straight onto the crossbar and then a delightful counter-attack shortly afterwards saw Esposito charge from inside his own half and deliver a great ball to Fernandez who eventually hit the side netting. The game was well closed out by Mt Druitt Rangers with the game finishing 2-0 in favour of the home team. The inform Mt Druitt Rangers will look forward to their match against Sydney FC at Lambert Park on Saturday 22nd June, kick-off 7pm.
Western News 21 June 2019 Issue 87
MGon the mark
15
Western News Friday, 21 June 2019
SPORT
Blacktown City suffer set back after defeat to Sharks By CONNER LOWE
B
lacktown City have suffered a huge setback in their chase for the NPL NSW Men’s Premiership with a 2-1 loss to Sutherland Sharks at Seymour Shaw on Saturday. It was a Blacktown City mistake in the 6th minute that gave the Sutherland Sharks the first opportunity of the match. A poor pass back from Matt Lewis allowed Charles Lokolingoy to charge into the box and win a penalty after being taken down. Raul Romero took the spot kick and planted it firmly into the bottom corner and beyond the reach of City shot stopper Tristan Pendergast to make it 1-0. Blacktown then pushed for an equaliser and came close through Leroy Jennings after he skipped past multiple Sharks defenders but could only find the side netting with his effort on goal. It was an open match with only the last line of defence halting the countless counters, each probing for the weak link, in a thoroughly absorbing half of football. The Sharks almost doubled their lead through Romeo again after Lokolingov played an excellent ball through, however Pendergast was up to the challenge and easily parried the ball away. The Sutherland Sharks new comers Skotadis and Antoniou combined moments later to test the Blacktown keeper, but once again Pendergast made
Photo by Jeremy Ng
the save to keep the deficit to 1-0. Jeremy Cox was introduced for Sutherland at the start of the second-half for Tarik Ercan, a midfielder replacing the handy right-back. Blacktown began the second half strong and created numerous opportunities with the best coming in the 52nd minute when Versi got to the bar line and cut it back for Berry, however he only managed to clear the bar with his first-time effort on goal. Sharks almost found their second goal of the match through Antoniou. It was great play from Cheng on
the right who played it to Antoniou, however his shot was tipped onto the post by a fantastic save from Pendergast in the 62nd minute. Sharks then continued to look dangerous with Pendergast forced into multiple saves with another great save after a header from close range from Lokolingoy following a corner. It was short lived, and City were soon back on the offensive, yet still struggled to find the telling pass that might restore parity. It proved a false dawn as tenacious work from Lokolingoy unlocked the City defence once more to set up substitute Morfitis who stabbed the ball home from 12-yards to double their lead. To their credit Blacktown never gave up and found the back of the net in the 88th minute through Campbell. A great header after an error from the Sharks keeper gave the away side hope, however they were unable to find an equaliser with the match finishing 2-1. Blacktown City will look to bounce back against Manly United at Lily Homes Stadium on Sunday 23rd June. It will be a tough match with Manly sitting only one point behind Blacktown on the ladder. With little options available, credit City who continued to force the pace in their search for something from the match and set up a grand finale after Campbell netted late on, but at the full-time whistle it was the home side who extended their unbeaten run.