Parklea Correctional Centre welcomed 22 new officers at the final swearing-in ceremony for 2022 the week before Christmas.
Parklea Governor Paul Baker said he was pleased to swear in the third group of trainee officers the year and witness their pledge to keep the community safe and help reduce reoffending.
“For many of our graduates, this marks the fulfilment of a long-held dream to become a correctional officer, while for others it signals a new career in a totally different industry,” Mr Baker said.
“Our officers come from all walks of life, from varying fields, different age groups, and many different cultural backgrounds and that’s what makes Parklea strong and unique.
“This diversity enables us to work with inmates from similar backgrounds in what is often a challenging and dynamic environment.
“Our new officers now have the opportunity to embark on a rewarding career, make a difference through our decency and respect principles and help reduce reoffending.”
The new officers range in age from 20 to 59 and have diverse cultural backgrounds and employment histories.
“Our Initial Training Course provides new recruits with the knowledge, skills and values they need
to safely and professionally respond to a variety of situations and manage people with diverse needs,” Mr Baker said.
“I’m delighted to welcome our new officers into the Parklea family and I look forward to working with them.”
Minister for Corrections Geoff Lee said correctional officers were the quiet achievers of the frontline, providing an essential service for the community behind prison walls.
“Graduates join the more than 10,000 men and women who work in correctional facilities and community corrections across the state and I’m pleased to welcome them into the justice sector,” Mr Lee said.
“Corrections staff play an important role in helping inmates break the cycle of reoffending by providing them with various tools for rehabilitation, including employment, vocational training, personal development programs, education and other interventions.
“While less visible than staff in other uniformed service roles, their work is no less important, and they should receive just as much recognition for keeping our citizens safe and reduce reoffending.
“I wish them a long and successful career and that their contribution makes a positive impact on inmates.”
To become trainee officers, the
graduates completed 10 weeks of rigorous training.
Subjects studied include legislation, policies and procedures, de-escalation and use of force tactics, mental health and general first aid. They also participated in simulated search and emergency response exercises and weapons training.
Trainees will complete 12-months on-the-job assessments to attain their Certificate III in Correctional Practice.
This is the eleventh graduating class since MTC began operating Parklea Correctional Centre on behalf of Corrective Services NSW in 2019. Recruitment for more new officers will begin in early 2023.
Blacktown city Mayor tony Bleasdale oaM has congratulated the ‘shining lights’ of the 2022 Blacktown city christmas lights competition.
Households across Blacktown city shared the joy of the festive season lighting up their properties for the popular competition.
More than $4000 in cash and prizes was awarded across several prize categories, including: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place overall city winners, Best overall townhouse/Villa Property, ward winners, Encouragement award, champion of champions and the Best Street.
the First Place overall city winner was awarded to the outstanding display at 12 Bracken Street, Marsden Park. this home was also crowned the winner for ward 5.
Mayor Bleasdale commended all winners and entrants for the effort they made to light up their streets, “this year more people took part, we had 110 entries that have all brought some festive cheer to our city streets.”
“this competition brings much-needed joy into our lives. It brings me great pleasure to see the time and effort households put into their entries year after year.”
“congratulations to all winners, thank you for spreading so much christmas cheer in your communities.”
the 2022 Blacktown city christmas lights competition was proudly sponsored by Hoyts and commercial christmas.
Blacktown city council congratulates the winners listed.
1st Place overall city winner – 12 Bracken Street, Marsden Park
2nd Place overall city winner – 11 chaplin crescent, Quakers Hill 3rd Place overall city winner – 19 climus Street, Hassall Grove
ward 1 – 16 coobowie Drive, the Ponds ward 2 – 11 chaplin crescent, Quakers Hill ward 3 – 45 Doonside crescent, Blacktown ward 4 – 9 Fleurs Street, Minchinbury ward 5 – 12 Bracken Street, Marsden Park
Encouragement Award -14 climus Street, Hassall Grove Nominators Prize - 37 Sebastian crescent, colebee Champion of Champions Winner - 9 trezise Place, Quakers Hill Best Town House/Villa - 22 Bellinger St, the Ponds / Unit 4, 79 Piccadilly St, Riverstone Best Street - Sebastian crescent, colebee
Families in NsW are set to benefit from a series of new videos designed to support children and parents through the crucial first 2,000 days of life.
The ‘Building Brains’ video series, developed as part of the NSW Government’s Brighter Beginnings initiative, is now available to all parents via the NSW Health website.
The launch of the series coincides with the two-day Brighter Beginnings Summit, hosted by the NSW Government.
Minister for Health Brad Hazzard attended Day One of the Summit recently and said the NSW Government is committed to giving every child in NSW the best start possible in life.
“At this Summit, we are working with health professionals and agencies across Government to deliver top-tier healthcare for children aged 0–5 years, both now and into the future,” Mr Hazzard said.
NSW Health Deputy Secretary Health System Strategy and Planning, Deb Willcox, said the ‘Building Brains’ resources will help parents better understand their child’s important developmental targets like how to play, learn, speak, act and move.
“We are encouraging parents and
carers to take their children for the health and developmental checks that are so crucial in the first 2,000 days of life. These videos are designed to help parents and carers understand why these checks are so important,” said Ms Willcox.
The Brighter Beginnings initiative is a partnership between the Department of Education, NSW Health, the Department of Communities and Justice, the Department of Customer Service, the Department of Regional NSW, Multicultural NSW, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Department of Premier and Cabinet to drive transformational change in early childhood development.
For information on Western Sydney Local Health District’s Child & Family Health services head to: www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/ Community-Health-Services/ChildFamily-Health/Home/home
Calling all thought-leaders, change-makers, trailblazers and inspired young people — applications are now open for the Y nSW’s 2023 Youth Parliament.
Young people in years 10, 11 and 12 (or equivalent age) in all 93 nSW state electorates are invited to apply. as nSW’s premier youth empowerment program operating for over 20 years, Youth Parliament offers young people the opportunity to debate in nSW Parliament, create Youth Bills on issues for change, and have their voices and recommendations heard by Members of Parliament.
Youth Parliamentarians receive specialised training through a series of camps and online workshops, parliamentary education and experience, plus opportunity for community engagement and teamwork which are all designed to nurture participants in developing their skills to create social impact and positive change.
Throughout the program, participants are invited to create reports with recommendations for policy change and debate their recommendations during a mock sitting week in nSW Parliament House chaired by Ministers of Parliament. The Y nSW then
actively works to facilitate ongoing engagement with relevant Ministers.
The Y nSW CEO Susannah le Bron commented that the Youth Parliament program provides an important platform to ensure young people are heard.
“Each year i am amazed by the immense passion, intelligence and insight participants bring to Youth Parliament as they speak on issues that are important to them.
“Young people are the focus of everything we do at the Y nSW so it’s incredibly exciting watching participants flourish as they are empowered to engage with civic leadership, policy development and democratic parliamentary debate,” said le Bron.
“if you are a young person in nSW looking for an opportunity to stand up and give a voice to issues that you’re passionate about, i urge you to put in your application for our 2023 Youth Parliament,” she concluded.
To apply to take part in the 2023 Youth Parliament, eligible young people should visit ymcansw.org.au/ youth-parliament and submit their application before 17 February 2023. School teachers and Members of Parliament can also nominate a young person.
Western sydney University researchers, youth mental health charity batyr, and clinical researcher Dr erin Dolan have released a new report that examines the help young people are providing each other, to better understand the care young people need when facing mental health challenges.
The findings reveal that 94 per cent of those surveyed had direct experience helping a friend through mental ill-health, with young people spending an average of 3.5 hours per week supporting friends. In addition, almost 70 per cent reported that during tough times, they felt most supported from friends, more so than parents or mental health practitioners.
the report, Being there: Young people supporting their friends through tough times, draws on findings from a national survey and focus groups exploring how young people support their friends through challenging times, amplifying the voices and experiences of young people around Australia.
the study highlights the critical work being undertaken by Australian youth and provides insight into the unique expertise of young people, that could foster the development of resources that not only include friendships but build on existing tools to better address services that support youth and address the fundamental issues such as poverty, discrimination, uncertainty that lead to those tough times.
Lead researcher Dr Benjamin Hanckel, senior research Fellow from Western sydney University’s Institute for Culture and society said
the findings were significant as they highlight the role young Australians can play in unlocking better support for youth challenges.
“For the first time, our research shows the ways young people across the nation provide critical support for their peers when they are struggling or going through tough times. Importantly, highlighting how through providing personalised support to their friends, young people are well placed to notice changes in behaviour or mood while having a unique understanding of their friends’ individual needs and circumstances,” said Dr Hanckel.
“By simply ‘being there’ for their friends in their toughest moments, young people create spaces for their friends to be vulnerable. By understanding the benefits of peer-topeer support, we can better address the challenges our youth face and build on this knowledge to foster useful support resources.”
Findings of the report also include improved understanding of the level
of support young people provide to one another. Significantly, they are assisting during tough health and finance difficulties, exam stress and other mental health stressors.
“Young people are going above and beyond by providing financial help, temporary housing, and being strategic in asking specific questions that make it easier for their friends to open up. this is happening in both an online and in-person setting. We need to think about how we best resource young people in acceptable ways, so they have the tools to continue to support friends and manage feelings of responsibility,” said Dr Hanckel.
CeO of batyr, nic Brown said young people care about their peers and communities particularly given the disruptions and uncertainty they experienced in the last few years.
“Friendships are playing a central role in mental health care, with around 70 per cent of this cohort more likely to turn to their peers and friends before their parents or teachers,” he said.
“not only are young people providing ongoing support when friends are dealing with mental illhealth, but they are recognising when friends need professional help too, connecting friends to more formal pathways of care. they are working really hard to support their friends when their access to professional help is limited.”
In terms of professional help, the results have significant implications for clinicians. With clinicians under pressure from increased demand on services due to COVID-19, this study has the potential to support the ways clinicians help young people who are taking on critical roles supporting their friends.
Co-author of the report Clinical psychologist Dr erin Dolan, recognises the important role friendships play in day to day support changes that need to happen to better support youth.
“Young people often feel adults are inexperienced or minimising their issues. the best thing clinicians, parents and other adults can do is to listen without judgement and offer validation and support. Learning to see the world from their point of view is essential to help them navigate their support journey,” said Dr Dolan.
the report makes recommendations developed from discussions with young people and consultations within the sector. this includes that mental health support provision should look to solve youth challenges through youthled approaches and should factor in the expertise of young people and the critical support they are already providing to their friends.
MArLene Miller is a proud western sydney mum of two children with severe autism.
After dealing with the barriers of accessing assistance for her kids as they navigated adolescence – all while managing her own serious health concerns, Marlene is now able to rattle off a stream of accomplishments that her children, Michael and Lauren, have already managed as young adults.
Marlene and her family’s story was a touching highlight of the recent launch of Western sydney Local Health District (WSLHD)’s first Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), and speaks to the foundations of the plan: empowerment and respect.
The DIAP sets out specific actions to be undertaken across the district to support equitable access to services and employment for people with disability in western sydney.
the plan is split into four pillars:
• Promoting a positive attitude and behaviour regarding disability inclusion
• Creating liveable communities for people with disability
• Providing equitable systems and processes
• Supporting access to meaningful employment opportunities
“the DIAP is a really critical part of who we are as an organisation and as a district,” WsLHD Chief executive Graeme Loy said.
“to have a plan about how we get inclusivity working better is a key part of who we are and what we do. It’s important that this becomes a launching pad for us into the future.
“the greatest measure that I had in
any workplace I’ve been in about how culture works is when parents allow their children to come work with us. If someone says that place is safe enough for my children to work in, I know we’ve done a great job.
“What I’m looking for with this plan is not just for people with lived experience with disability to want to work here, but for their families to say this is a great place for my family to work.”
this sentiment was echoed by Acting District Allied Health Director, Bobbi Henao Urrego, who added that the DIAP is a living document and the
aim is to continuously meet the needs of the community as they emerge.“the DIAP is a hard copy document, but we know that life is ever changing and so this is just the starting platform,” she said.
“We know that things will change from here and we will continue to adapt and grow as we need to.”
For Marlene, the DIAP is an important investment in the skills and independence of people living with disability.
“these children and adults who deal with disability everyday need to be respected and given the chance to find their way in the community, like looking for work and having the life we take for granted,” she said.
“Give them a life. Give them a chance to have that freedom – they have so much to offer. Let them shine because they deserve it.”
to view a copy of the WsLHD Disability Inclusion Action Plan, please go to https://ebooks.cld.bz/ WSLHD-DIAP22
December 2021 stands out as a big moment for staff at the blacktown Hospital cOVID-19 Vaccination clinic.
Sydney was struggling through its highest number of cases and blacktown was at the coalface of Western Sydney Local Health District’s (WSLHD) cOVID response.
Shah Huda, Vaccination System Support Lead in the Western Sydney cOVID-19 Vaccination Program, said this was one of the many times that the hard work of the clinic’s staff really shone.
“blacktown Hospital’s cOVID-19 Vaccination clinic was designed to vaccinate 800 recipients a day. Staff were on leave and others were sick with cOVID – we were anticipating a christmas slowdown,” he said.
“The summer cOVID wave created unprecedented demand and saw my WSLHD colleague Leanne Watson the Acting Vaccination Program Lead and her team deliver over 1000 vaccinations a day between christmas and the new year.
“This was a great achievement for the team in light of the challenges in resources and demand in vaccination from the community.”
The doors of the clinic first opened on 30 march, 2021 and after running
for almost two years, the clinic shut down on 23 December, 2022.
Following the fantastic effort by the local community to get vaccinated over the past two years, the scaling down of the clinic closes a chapter of critical care during a historic period in Australian healthcare.
“As blacktown Hospital is a local landmark and one the community are familiar with, the service was able to set up a safe and convenient space at the SImS centre for community residents to receive their vaccinations,” Shah said.
“The clinic was able to provide numerous pathways for vaccinations including general public, high risk
needs, low sensory needs as well as paediatric vaccinations. The broad range of services meant that vulnerable community members we able to get fair and equitable access as well as convenient vaccinations in a familiar setting.
“The clinic was only possible with the unwavering support of the SImS centre, Dr Harry elizaga emergency Department Staff Specialist, his team and Jasmine ellis General manager Integrated & community Health.”
meera Patel, WSLHD cOVID-19 Vaccination Program Lead, said being able to witness the passion of the staff in delivering this essential care has been a career highlight.
“The vaccination program was a beacon of hope for the blacktown community during the pandemic,” she said.
“The cOVID-19 outbreak locally and worldwide has been the most challenging experience that we as healthcare workers have faced. The vaccination program was a quick and robust service initiated to provide safe vaccinations to the valuable and most vulnerable community members.”
cOVID-19 vaccinations are readily available at GPs and pharmacies. To find your nearest vaccination clinic go to www.health.gov.au/resources/ apps-and-tools/covid-19-vaccineclinic-finder
THe final stage of the 24-hectare riparian Parklands – bordering Stockland elara in marsden Park and Winten’s New Park in melonba – has now opened.
The centrepiece of the parklands, delivered by Stockland, comprise a 3-hectare lake, 2,000 square metre playground, pedestrian bridge, and several picnic shelters, all complementing the established green spaces.
“The opening of the parklands is an exciting milestone for the growing community and marks the completion of the regeneration of the South creek Tributary into an urban riparian parkland,” said Stockland Project Director, mike milligan.
“It provides the community with plenty of green, open space to support an active lifestyle.
“We’re pleased to celebrate the official opening of riparian Parklands with blacktown city council, and the community, and we look forward to seeing everyone enjoy it,” added mr milligan.
NSW Deputy Leader of the Opposition and member for Londonderry, Prue car said, “It’s fantastic to see more recreational facilities delivered for families in marsden Park and melonba as the area continues to grow.”
The broader riparian corridor includes 12 kilometres of continuous paths and trails, lookout platforms, wetland areas, outdoor exercise hubs, barbecue facilities, inclusive play environments and informal play areas.
riparian Parklands also includes a series of vegetated ponds, flowing channels, basins and raingardens which work to improve urban water quality.
A revegetation strategy has been implemented to regenerate the riparian ecosystem, with more than 34,000 new trees planted and approximately 900,000 native plants grown from seed. This will provide critical urban canopy for the area, as well as habitat for wildlife.
For more information, visit the Stockland elara website.
CliniCal Professor Smita Shah OaM is known at Westmead Hospital for her work in education and prevention, and her innovative approach to youth engagement with healthcare in Western Sydney local Health District (WSlHD).
as a full-time Community Physician and the Director of the Prevention Education and Research Unit (PERU), her work includes award-winning programs that have been running in schools for more than 15 years – and have benefited over 50,000 students.
acknowledging the success of these programs, this year Smita was awarded an Order of australia Medal (OaM) for her work in community health.
and with a career at WSlHD spanning over 40 years, it’s no wonder Smita’s contagious enthusiasm for her work has been recognised on such a prestigious national level.
represented in all the work we do in our team,” she said.
“i would like to take this opportunity to thank the executive of WSlHD for their ongoing support.”
as an OaM recipient, Smita says the significance of this achievement is not just about acknowledging past work, but the opportunities this hopefully opens up for the future.
“it gives me a wonderful platform to be able to highlight the work we are doing in prevention in the community and schools,” she said.
“
It’s fantastic that my passion for education and research in the community has been recognised. My parents, who arrived in Australia from Tanzania in the 70s, would have been very proud.
“
Professor Smita ShahSmita has primarily focused on prevention of non-communicable
diseases, such as asthma, obesity and respiratory issues, through health leadership programs for high schools and university students.
She is particularly passionate about working with disadvantaged communities, and is currently working on a WSlHD project about the impact of e-cigarettes on young people.
“The concepts of empowerment, diversity and equity are strongly
“We work in partnerships with schools, universities and with a range of organisations including general practitioners’ associations to deliver evidence-based prevention programs and interventions to improve the health and well-being of young people.
“By delivering evidence-based programs to the community and reducing inequity, we are empowering youth to be agents of change.”
THE family of the late Senior Constable Kelly Foster has met the police pup named in her honour , ahead of a blessing ceremony.
as part of a longstanding canine recruit tradition, a puppy recently bred though the nSW Police Force’s Dog Unit Breeding Program has been named ‘Foster’ in honour of Senior Constable Kelly Foster, who died following a canyoning incident while off-duty at Mount Wilson on Saturday 2 January 2021.
Kelly bravely went to the aid of a fellow canyoner, who had been swept into a whirlpool in Wollangambe Canyon, and despite her gallant
efforts, both she and the 24-year-old woman lost their lives.
Foster, a German Shepherd, was born on Sunday 25 September 2022, the only male pup of the litter.
He will remain at the Dog Unit until he is aged 12 weeks, before being placed into the foster carer program until he is old enough to begin training as a General Purpose dog.
now that he was old enough to have visitors, Foster met the family of his namesake at the Dog Unit on Monday 28 november, before a blessing was conducted by a Senior Police Chaplain.
Hosted by the Dog and Mounted Unit
Commander, Superintendent Julian Griffiths, and Dog Unit Patron, Marc Webb, the Foster family also toured the facility and viewed a demonstration of the skills Foster will learn as part of his future training to become a police dog.
The nSW Police Force Dog Unit was formed in 1932 and currently forms part of the nSW Police Force Police Transport and Public Safety Command.
it is the largest police dog unit in australia and its canine police officers include German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, labradors, Border Collies and English Springer Spaniels.
aS the weather warms up, Western Sydney University once again conducted its highly successful Beach Safety Day to help international students stay safe in the water this summer.
The University’s inclusive Communities and Peer Programs held its most recent Beach Safety Day on 17 november, with 28 international students travelling to Sandon Point Beach in Bulli to take part in the proactive program.
The program teaches international students vital beach safety skills such as how to identify a rip, the value of flotation devices, body surfing and more.
For international Master of Translation and TESOl (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) student, Chi Duc Ho, this was his first experience in australian water since arriving to study in March 2022.
“Being at the beach is part of australian life. learning about beach safety is necessary knowledge and i recommend this program to other international students as you learn a lot while having fun and being social with other students,” said Chi.
“i found the experience changed my relationship to the beach. not only did i gain tips about water safety but also specific tips about Australian beaches
from the program leader who is a very informative local, full of passion for sharing the whole life experience about the beach with us.”
Western Sydney University’s inclusive Communities Coordinator, Daniel Jantos, said the Beach Safety Days not only provide students with the essential skills they need to remain safe and comfortable in the water, it also helps to create a sense of place and belonging with australian beach culture.
“During the program, students get to familiarise themselves with this well-known aspect of australian life and realise that it can be a source of much enjoyment if approached safely,” said Mr Jantos.
“Students who were expecting to never have much to do with the beach find themselves really enjoying it and wanting to participate in beach life. it changes their experience of being in australia, opening them up to even more opportunity for social connection.”
Mr Jantos said knowing how to identify rips is particularly important for all beach goers, including international students.
“The students may be more drawn to the quieter part of the beach with less waves as it may appear less intimidating to those unfamiliar with the water. This program teaches them that it could be where the rip is strongest and that’s why it is quiet. Knowing how to identify this makes incredible difference to safety.”
The University’s Beach Safety Days are run in partnership with Surf Educators international. Representative Ken Holloway said that knowing what to do if faced with a dangerous situation in the water makes all the difference.
“Even for strong swimmers, there is a natural risk in water, whether that be a beach, lake or river. Research has shown us that when people are faced with aquatic danger it triggers a fight or flight response,” said Mr Holloway.
“We don’t overcomplicate the program, by teaching people how to float to survive it can help in resisting the temptation of those natural instincts. The longer someone can float, the greater chance they have of being rescued safely.”
in addition to the annual Beach Safety Days, Western Sydney University’s sports program offers swimming lessons at St Marys.
With wands at the ready, our Antimicrobial Stewardship leaders across Western Sydney Local health District (WSLhD) have armed their staff with knowledge in the fight against antimicrobial overuse – complete with harry Potter themed prizes and cupcakes.
Antimicrobial Awareness Week is held each year. the focus of the week is sharing information and resources about antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the impact of this on the future of medicine.
“AMR is a global threat, and not enough people understand or are aware of the consequences,” Blacktown hospital’s Lead Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist Kylie tran said.
“inappropriate use of antibiotics can result in these bugs becoming resistant – known as ‘superbugs’ –and with this, we have less and less antibiotics. We need to preserve our antibiotic armamentarium to ensure infections can be treated for future generations.”
Antimicrobials include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitic medication, and antimicrobial resistant infections pose a big threat to the delivery of effective healthcare. this is because there are a limited number of antimicrobials available, and the rate of development for new microbials has decreased over time.
the impact of AMR for patients is severe, including ineffective treatment, toxicity issues, recurrent infection, delayed recovery and even death.
For the team at Blacktown hospital, this is a big motivation for engaging with consumers and patients: to empower them to be able to advocate with informed opinions about antibiotics when seeking medical treatment.
“We’re trying to engage consumers, as well as Allied health and nursing staff, to try to share a better understanding of the process. So many people who are on antibiotics don’t know why they’re on them or what they’re for,” Blacktown hospital Staff Specialist infectious Diseases, Dr Lucy Somerville said.
“A whole part of using antibiotics
appropriately is about empowering patients to use them correctly and ask questions about them. if people can understand why we’re prescribing them, what they’re used for and the goals of therapy, i think that makes a whole lot more sense for people.”
the stall at Blacktown hospital included games like ‘match the bacteria to the antibiotic’, a ‘spin the wheel’ quiz for consumers, themed cookies, cupcakes and a lolly jar guessing game.
Westmead hospital also hosted a stall during the week, with special games and consumer information available.
“We need unwavering and consistent commitment to use antimicrobials judiciously, teamwork to reduce the rate of hospital acquired infections, and investment in innovative
ideas to tackle this world crisis,” Westmead Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Jenny Park said.
“One of the ways we can combat this is with ‘Phage therapy,’ which uses naturally found bacteriophages to destroy multi-resistant bacteria. this makes it a harmless, easy-toproduce alternative to antibiotics and can be the last line of defence against untreatable infections.
“Professor Jon iredell (Director of the Centre for infectious Disease and Microbiology at Westmead hospital and Director of the Westmead institute for Medical Research Centre for infectious Diseases and Microbiology), and tammy Nguyen (Gene and Cellular therapy Pharmacist at Westmead hospital), and the team at Phage Australia are now making Phage therapy available in Westmead hospital and all across Australia.”
For Dr Somerville, the main takeaway she hopes consumers, doctors, staff and patients have from this focus this week is to ask questions when dealing with antimicrobials and embrace the education opportunities available during these awareness weeks.
“Antibiotics Stewardship gets a bad rap because people think we’re just out there to police and stop antibiotics, whereas it’s about taking a step back and having appropriate prescribing and usage,” she said.
AN innovative research program led by Western Sydney University researchers is calling adults over 55 years old to be part of a new pilot program tackling dementia in rural, regional and remote areas.
the Brain Bootcamp Frontiers program, originally founded by Dr Joyce Siette from the University’s MARCS institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, aims to improve awareness and decrease dementia risk by providing information and resources to help create and sustain healthy brain behaviours.
the highly successful program is now expanding further into rural areas to reach older people living in the nation’s rural communities who have a higher risk of dementia.
Led by PhD candidate Laura Dodds, also from the MARCS institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, the new program has been tailored to support brain health and meet the needs of older people living rurally.
“the risk of dementia is higher for individuals living in regional areas,
most likely because the presence of modifiable risk factors in rural areas are much higher than in urban communities, with issues around alcohol use, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure more prevalent,” said Laura.
“this program incorporates evidence-based techniques to support the development of new habits to support healthy ageing. these techniques build on our previous program where we used several
different activities to encourage seniors to tackle different modifiable risk factors to help reduce their dementia risk.”
People participating in the program will have the opportunity to receive a bespoke Brain Bootcamp Frontiers box which contains brain health items and resources to use over the 9 month program.
the box will be provided for free to help them set goals, track, and evaluate their progress and participants
will also engage in regular online brain health surveys and memory assessments via telephone.
“We’re hoping this tailored program will have a real impact in reducing dementia risk, and increase dementia awareness in rural communities, including improving cognitive performance in the long-term,” said Laura.
“i would encourage anyone who is wanting to improve their brain function and be dementia aware to sign up and take part.”
A previous Brain Bootcamp participant who lives rurally said of the program: “i had no idea how much an influence different parts of your life affect dementia. Just the practicalities that Brain Bootcamp reminded me of, that’s the type of thing that was really good.”
Brain Bootcamp Frontiers is a research program run by researchers from Western Sydney University and Macquarie University.
For more information and to take part in the program, please visit www.brainbootcamp.com.au Places are limited.
In December 1897 Messrs Richardson and Wrench offered the property “Lenore” belonging to Mr E W P Cox for auction and St Marys tanner Andrew Thompson was the highest bidder at £2,550, later becoming known as the “Lenore Estate”. When Andrew died of a massive stroke at his country property “Tyrone” in October 1918 at the age of 68, his daughter Mary inherited all the household furniture at the time of Andrew’s death. His estate for probate purposes was valued at £26,766. The residue of the estate was left upon trust for the benefit of his widow and his children in equal shares, but in December 1919 the first sale of the Thompson Estate was advertised as township property, shops, cottages, building acre allotments and with each property positioned close to the township and Railway Station. In 1920 the “Lenore Estate” was resumed by the Crown for the “Closer Settlement scheme” a Government scheme whereby land was resumed, then sold back to selectors or returned soldiers who were able to purchase the land on generous terms. The Lenore Estate was subdivided into seven lots of roughly equal size. The subdivisions were designed to enable the settlers to quickly establish themselves as mixed or dairy farmers utilizing existing infrastructure, but the subdivisions on the Lenore Estate did not strictly adhere to the pre-existing boundaries but rather they were configured to incorporate existent outbuildings and dwellings that seemed to account for the odd shape of some of the allotments. “Tyrone” was bought by SecondLieutenant Charles Hely of the 3rd Battalion AIF who returned to Australia in 1917 wounded, and on a war pension. In December 1923 a coroner’s inquest was held into the fire at “Tyrone,”. Charles said he was a dairy farmer residing at “Tyrone” and the deeds were in his name and were being held by the Minister of Land as security under the “Closer Settlement Act” and having 38 years to pay off the purchase money. Charles had an employee, a single man Mr A J McDonald residing with him in the house but at the time of the fire Charles was alone and he was invited to a dance at Hamilton’s at Bailey Park, so he cooked his evening meal at the rear of the premises and because he was late he didn’t wash the dishes but put them under the tap outside. He put some wood in the stove in the kitchen and put some towels in a pot on the stove to boil clean and shut the dropdown door, put his kerosene lamp out and left leaving the doors open apart from the wire doors, leaving in the dark about 8 pm. He walked to Hamilton’s about 1½ miles and it was about 8.30 pm when he got there. He remained there dancing and enjoying himself without leaving the building until about 10 pm when he was told that his house was on fire and he immediately went to the front of Hamilton’s where he had a good view of his house on the hill opposite and saw that the front of the house was burning but he could not see the rear of the property. Charles said that the fire seemed to be burning fiercely on the verandas on both sides but it had not reached the centre of the building in front and he immediately ran as fast as he could in the dark and when half a mile from the house he met Frank “Fletcher” Roberts a neighbour and returned soldier who lived on the “Lenore” estate walking down the avenue away from the fire. Roberts told him it was futile going up there as he couldn’t save anything as the house is burnt out but he took no notice of him and commenced
to run again and ultimately reached the house in tine to save two stretchers and a quantity of bedding. The fire was burning fiercely and the roof of the house and verandah collapsed just then. The fire had died out in the back of the house having apparently burnt out and he put out the tank stands which were burning and saved the tanks that were situated one at the kitchen and one at the rear of the house and removed several things from a shed at the rear of the house in case they would catch alight, which included a can of kerosene, a rifle, service bag, and military gear. Roberts arrived just then and said, “if you are without a bed I will find you one.” But Charles said, “no, thank you I’ll look after myself.” (It seems that Hely and Roberts were not neighbourly and Roberts believed Hely set fire to the house). In the meantime, the tower had fallen down into the house. Charles then walked back to Hamilton’s and met Walter neil Mitchell another returned soldier and farmer at “Lenore” on the way. who expressed his sorrow and offered to befriend him but Charles thanked him and then went on to Hamilton’s and rang up the police to report the matter to Constable Cafe of St Marys who said he would come out in the morning. Charles met him and made a statement at the scene. Charles did not suggest any cause for the fire but said that he left a fire in the kitchen and had been using a kerosene lamp. Charles at that time was camped in a stable at the rear of the premises. The only thing he could say as to the possible cause of the fire was that when they both examined the stove they found the door open, but he had closed it on the evening previous when he left home. Charles bought insurance on 8th April 1920 for a brick dwelling at “Lenore” but not for furniture or effects, and the house was insured for £450 with the Standard Insurance Company and he said that he had signed a number of documents in connection with his transactions with the Soldiers Settlement Board. Before the fire Charles had entered into a contract to sell 29 acres of the land with the premises for £2,500 in cash and 8,500 shares fully paid up to £1 each to the “Tyrone Blue Metal Company” that was proposed to work on his land. Permission was granted by St Marys Council about november to use the road for a tramway but no proposal was made by the engineers for the company to remove that beautifully built dwelling that was totally destroyed that would cost at least, £1600 or £1800 to reerect, and being in a unique position would make it difficult to replace. He had some valuable paintings, originals given to him by the artist norman Lindsay, he also had a gold watch and fob etc, a valuable craft ring given to him by his grandfather, in addition to £17 in notes planted under his mattress. Charles said that the furniture alone was worth over £2,000 and the jewellery, etc., £70, but he could not put a value on the other items as they could not be replaced. He insured the contents of the house for £150 and his burnt clothing was included. The inquest continued for another day. The Coroner viewed what was left of the house and returned an “Open Verdict”.
Sources: Information from State Archives - Historical Archaeological Assessment and Heritage Management Strategy: Oakdale Concept Plan Kemps Creek, NSW Prepared by Australian Museum Business Services for Goodman International Limited – December 2007, from the pages of the Nepean Times, National Archives of Australia, Trove.
Soncini
The Christmas holiday season was welcome relief after a tumultuous period with covid, war in Ukraine, inflation issues and interest rate increases. Many Australians were wanting to celebrate having been freed from Covid restrictions and enjoy the Christmas period and may have overspent. A recent poll of consumers has shown many have used credit facilities including “buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) products to cover their expenses in the lead-up to Christmas.
Consumers returning to work may review their Christmas shopping lists and holiday spending waiting for their credit card and BNPL statements to arrive.
The many gifts around might make them feel glad. They might bring a smile to the face as well. however, smiles and emotions are of little value when you need to pay bills. This is especially so, when you’re on a tight budget – as many Australians unsurprisingly are.
however, these credit services could easily affect a users’ credit scores, particularly if they perform credit checks or if there are missed payments. Although the Buy Now, Pay Later form of payment is widely promoted as ‘interest-free’ there may be costs associated with account management, late fees and other charges which can add up quickly.
Therefore, as Christmas makes way for the New Year, now is the time to prioritise paying off your cards and BNPL debt.
The New Year often becomes a period of stress and anxiety as people try to cope with their bills in January. For many people, the problem does not remain confined to having a large amount of credit card or BNPL debt. Some people don’t even
have sufficient reserves of cash for paying their monthly household bills. This can lead to stress and unhappiness.
Therefore, here’s a list of tips to help you deal with your excessive Christmas holiday shopping bills. That too, while you get your finances back on track.
Manage Credit Card Debt and BNPL accounts
Focus on paying credit cards that have the highest Annual Interest Rate and or high BNPL debt first. You might find that you can’t realistically repay your balances within three months. In this scenario, consider getting a credit card that levies no interest on balance transfers for 12 – 24 months.
Pay the nominal transaction fee (approximately three percent of the amount transferred). You will be able to save more money on this card. Remember that your existing card will charge you interest once you cross the interest-free period. Similarly for BNPL debt, pay within the specified timeframe or late fees will apply.
Consider getting financial help and advice if your credit card debt amounts are $10,000 or more. The counsellors will work with your credit card company to formulate a repayment plan that fits your budget.
Sell any Unused Stuff You Might Have
Many people often have things that they don’t use. When you need additional cash, consider selling these items. You could sell them online via sites like Gumtree or eBay.
Make some money, while you get rid of some of the clutter that surrounds you. Some stores even accept unopened and unused items that retain their price tags. You could receive a refund or a store credit in return. Similarly, if you have gift cards that you don’t plan to use, sell them online.
Consider a Part-Time Job
Depending on your schedule, consider getting a part-time job. Investing a few hours each day of the week could give you sufficient earnings to pay off your debt at a faster pace.
Cut your current levels of spending. Avoid eating out and eat at home. Similarly, make your own coffee instead of spending money at the local café.
Until you repay all your bills, avoid making any further purchases on your credit card or BNPL. Only use your debit card (or cash) for making purchases. Doing this would ensure that you avoid adding to your existing levels of debt. This will enable you to clear your debts faster too.
Prepare a budget that tracks your income and expenses for each month. In the expenses, list your priority bills first i.e. mortgages, phone bills, electricity, gas etc. Then, place some money into an emergency or savings account. Thereafter, utilise the remainder for repaying your debts. Avoid overcommitting yourself when it comes to repaying your debts. Instead, pay off your debts at a rate that you can adhere to consistently.
Utilise all (or a combination of) the methods listed above. This could help you pay off your bills and debts faster than you thought you would. however, you would do well to heed the lessons of overspending and avoid a recurrence in the subsequent holiday season. Just because you’ve been fortunate enough once, does not mean that you will be able to tackle your debts similarly the next time.
Speak to a Wealthwiz Wealth Manager who can help you understand your financial needs and options. Contact Alex Soncini on 0419 600 177 or alex.soncini@wealthwiz.com.au.
Western sydney Wanderers took another step on their journey to be the leading football club in Asia with the opening of their new $7 million Wanderers Fives facility at Wanderers Football Park.
Featuring nine all-weather five-aside FIFA grade synthetic turf pitches, Wanderers Fives will provide an integrated high-performance facility for community use and Western sydney Wanderers talent development pathways.
the facility, which was funded through a $5 million nsW Government grant, also includes a clubhouse with office space, function room and change rooms, new amenities building, landscaping, and supporting infrastructure.
Wanderers Chairman Paul Lederer said Wanderers Fives was an investment for the local football community.
“Our brand-new Wanderers Fives facility will be the centrepiece of our community engagement with an expected 200,000 visitors per year,” said Mr Lederer.
“There is a significant football facilities deficit in Western Sydney and Wanderers Football Park shows our club is playing a major role to sustain and grow football in our community.
“On behalf of my fellow owners Jefferson Cheng and Glenn Duncan, I would like to thank the nsW Government and Office of Sport for their funding support for this project and hope to work in partnership with the nsW Government in the future to deliver more transformational football infrastructure projects in Western sydney.”
Minister for sport Alister Henskens said Wanderers Fives would provide a dedicated facility for the development of Western sydney football talent as well as a home for community competitions.
“the Western sydney Wanderers have a brief but highly successful history,” Mr Henskens said.
“the new Wanderers Fives facility will ensure the Wanderers continue to develop players that dominate not just the A-Leagues but Asian and world football just like current socceroos stars and former Wanderers players Keanu Baccus, Mitch Duke, and Aaron Mooy.
“Featuring dedicated female facilities, Wanderers Fives will also help break down barriers in women’s sport and support the success of the Wanderers’ A-League Women’s team.”
Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee officially opened the facility on behalf of the nsW Government and said the project was part of a $1 billion sports facility construction boom across nsW.
“the nsW Government’s sports facility infrastructure program is creating thousands of construction jobs and providing an economic boost to our economy.”
Western sydney Wanderers CeO scott Hudson thanked the nsW Government for their support and belief in the Wanderers Fives project.
“We are delighted to open our Wanderers Fives facility at Wanderers Football Park today with the support of the nsW Government,” said Hudson.
“Our vision for Wanderers Fives has always been to make football more accessible as it addresses the significant football facility deficit here in Western sydney.
“We are excited for Wanderers Fives to be a home ground for diverse multicultural groups, local clubs, and associations for years to come.
“Importantly for this project we have adopted strong sustainability measures including solar and battery storage,
water capture and locally produced items including goals, turf, sand, and contractors to further promote the talent and resources we have in our own backyard.”
the project was funded through round two of the Greater sydney sports Facility which awarded $39.95 million to 22 projects for new and existing facilities to improve the quality and quantity of sports infrastructure for all sections of the community, including women, people with disability and multicultural communities.
sign-up to play at www.wswanderersfc.com.au/fives
Kids across Western sydney and the NepeanHawkesbury region have a variety of cricket holiday programs available to them this summer, giving them the opportunity to go out and play the game as their cricketing heroes are playing right now in the Big Bash League.
Various areas of sydney are hosting free cricket programs for 5-10-year-old children, aided by the Woolworths Community Fund (WWCF). The grants from WWCF ensure anyone who wants to play the game is able to play cricket through the generous funding.
The local WWCF-aided program will be held at Blacktown PCYC, Jan 12-13.
FiNd A HOLidAY PROGRAM NEAR YOU!
CLiCK HERE.
This summer, CNsW has a cricket holiday program you can sign up for near you, across the state, with over 50 programs available. There’s something for every kid. The 1-, 2- and 4-day programs range from Woolworths Cricket Blast clinics, where 5-10-yearolds can learn the basics of batting, bowling and fielding, to Junior Cricket coaching clinics, competitions and carnival-style days!
The majority of the programs are Woolworths Cricket Blast programs. All 5-10-year-olds are
welcome to learn the basics of cricket and get to truly play and love the game. All kids who register for a Woolworths Cricket Blast program get a tote bag, a drink bottle, and a Thunder or sixers themed stress ball.
The other great holiday program CNsW will conduct in the area are the Junior Cricket stage 1 coaching clinics and carnivals across various locations in the Nepean and Hawkesbury regions (Jan 23-25).
in addition to that, there are six coaching clinics this summer, five of which will be held in regional areas and one in our very own Cricket Central in sydney Olympic Park on Jan 13.
Martin Gleeson, General Manager, Community Cricket Experience, says:
“The fact that we are launching over 50 new holiday programs across NsW is testimony to our commitment to reaching the sport to every corner of the state. We want to inspire young kids to play and love cricket and these programs are a great way to test the waters.”
“Kids are watching the summer of cricket across the state, in stadiums and on televisions. The Big Bash League is on right now. The holiday programs will give the kids who are inspired by their cricketing heroes the opportunity to go out and play the game too.”
“if a one-day or two-day program can encourage kids to pick up a bat and a ball and grow the game around the state, it will be a great win for cricket.”