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Friday, 6 May 2016
ISSUE 9
WESTERN NEWS WISHES ALL THE LOCAL MUMS A HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
WE’LL BATTLE ON Competition points stripped and heavy fines for Parramatta Eels following salary cap breach. Coach Brad Arthur said: “It’s tough but we are prepared for the fight.” Read more by Jarrod McGrouther on page 28
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Blacktown Workers Memorial
Man found injured
THE Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali has marked International Workers’ Memorial Day by unveiling a Workers’ Memorial in Blacktown Showgrounds. “On 28 April each year, countries around the world pause to commemorate workers who have died as a result of a workplace incident or occupational disease,” the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali said. “Everyone should have the expectation that family members return home safe and healthy. “Unfortunately this does not always happen and each year there are families whose Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey, Mayor Stephen Bali and artist Bronwyn Merman at the unveiling of the Blacktown Workers Memorial Sculpture. mothers, fathers, sons or daughters suffer workplace injury or death. “What’s more important than staying safe at work is The wreath-shaped sculpture is the work of staying safe for the family,” he said. artist Bronwyn Berman, who describes it as “a “It’s about returning home safely and being able to dedication to the men and women who have lost their spend time with friends, take the dog to the park and on lives in the workplace and the families they have left weekends hitting the beaches, walking tracks or the sports behind.” field to enjoy our favourite hobbies. “The memorial sculpture takes the form of a circle, the “We hope that by creating this place of reflection and shape symbolic of eternal life, inclusion, nurturing and memory that the living victims of workplace deaths will unity,” she said. be able to come and seek some solace. “Whilst suggestive of a wreath in its composition, the “It is also intended as a reminder to those responsible configuration of the elements can also be seen as a nest, for ensuring that workplaces are safe that they hold evoking memories of home; or as the rising sun of a new people’s lives and the wellbeing of families in their hands. day. “Workers’ Memorial Day is an opportunity to highlight “Memorials are important. Representing memories in the preventable nature of most workplace incidents and this way not only reminds people of their social history ill-health. without visiting a place specially, but also provides a “The slogan for the day is Remember the dead – Fight correlation and helps to develop an empathy with citizens for the living.” and strengthens urban memory,” Ms Berman said.
INFORMATION is being sought after a man was found unconscious in Tregear last weekend. It was just before 1.30am (Sunday 1 May), that a 29-year-old man was found in Aurora Drive at Tregear, suffering head injuries. NSW Ambulance Paramedics attended and took the man to Westmead Hospital; police have been told he is currently undergoing surgery. Officers from Mt Druitt Local Area Command attended and established a crime scene. Early investigations suggest the man may have been the victim of an assault; however, until detectives are able to speak with the man they are appealing for anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
A night for
Bryson Our aim is to raise enough money so Grant (Brysons Dad) can take time off from work to be at the hospital with his wife and son.
ST MARY’S LEAGUES CLUB | FRIDAY MAY 27 Tickets: $100 or $900 for a table of 10
Loads of entertainment including the fabulous Abbalanche We are also asking for any donations possible including prizes for raffles and memorabilia to auction on the night. Any help you can offer would be so appreciated. Ben Dicker 0402 283 324 - laddcom@bigpond.com or Westley Giles 0405 157 080 - Westley.giles@dcs.nsw.gov.au
Prue Car MP Member for Londonderry
Ph: 9833 1122 12/82 Victoria St Werrington Mail: PO Box 4001 Werrington NSW 2747 londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
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Prospect
From the Editor’s Desk by Kerrie Davies
YOU may have noticed we have two new journos on board - Keegan Thomson and Jarrod McGrouther. Both are exceptionally talented young lads and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading their contributions. Like most of their generation, they are pretty savvy when it comes to techno applications. As they are in their 20’s and I am in my 40’s, the 20-ish year age gap - or generation gap if you like - got us talking about the differences between beginning their careers in today’s technological times and when I was just starting. When I cast my mind back it really is incredible how far we’ve come. I remember going to North Sydney Tafe to do a week-long course learning how to operate a Wang Word Processor. Yes. A whole week. It almost sounds ridiculous now that it would take five whole days to learn what was essentially typing a letter on a computer and sending it to a printer. But at that time, the Word Processor seemed an amazing tool, because prior to that we used typewriters. I remember taking typing lessons at high school and the effort that it took to produce a document is mind-blowing now! Firstly, just learning to type was a challenge, because we didn’t have mobile phones or any other tools that made us familiar with pressing a letter and it appearing - unless we wrote that letter with a pen or pencil. On the manual typewriters, prior to the wham-bam electrical ones that came later, the letters had to be pressed with some force to get them to appear on the paper. Being taught to use all our fingers meant that the finished product was often a mixture of dark and light letters due to our stronger fingers being in charge of some letters and our weaker (pinkies) being in charge of others. Then there was the obstacle of keeping an eye on when it was time to make your words go down to the next line (this didn’t happen automatically) and bang on the carriage return - or you’d be typing off the page and on to the roller. And heaven forbid if you made a mistake, because then you were in for the dreaded ordeal of applying liquid paper to the offending word, waiting for what seemed forever for it to dry, before reinserting the paper into the typewriter to get it exactly in the right spot to retype the correct word. Of course it never ever lined up perfectly. So in amongst your light and dark letters you’d have words that looked like they were jumping for joy even thought you clearly were not. It makes you wonder, when we’ve come so far in just over 20 years, what on earth will the next 20 bring? Your thoughts? kerrie@nepeannews.com.au
Rose the rabbit loses an eye
Nepean
Veterinary REPORT
with Dr Antony Karolis and the team at WellPet Vets phone 1300 WELLPET
Senior Veterinarian and CEO WellPets Vets Mountains, Nepean and St Clair
THIS is the story of Rose the 5 year old mini lop Rabbit. Rose was brought into WellPet St Clair on the 22nd of March. She had received a mysterious injury to her left eye causing it to prolapse from its socket. Dr Amelia examined the eye and Rose. Although Rose seemed in good health, Rose’s damaged eye was no longer viable, she was uncomfortable and in pain. Dr Amelia recommended her eye be removed. Rose would need surgery and would live out the rest of her days with one eye. Although Rose might look a little strange, being a domestic pet rabbit meant that having one eye would have little effect on her living a healthy life. Rose was therefore admitted into hospital and given pain relief, antiinflammatories and antibiotic eye cream for her eye whilst Dr Amelia prepared for her surgery. Because Rose was entire, Dr Amelia also recommended she be desexed during her surgery as well. Did you know rabbits and some other pocket pets should never be fasted prior to an anaesthetic? Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits for example, have a very high metabolism, they require constant nourishment to ensure their gut flora
stays healthy and their gastrointestinal track remains “active”. If this does not remain active, rabbits can quickly stop eating become very ill, anorexic and they can also suffer from liver damage. So ensuring they continue to eat prior to their anaesthetic, ensures that after an anaesthetic, they return to normal eating habits quickly and with little complication. Rose was placed under general anaesthetic, the hair from her left eye and abdomen were carefully clipped and prepared with antiseptic by Nurse Emily. She was then moved into a sterile theatre room where Dr Amelia performed both her surgeries. Nurse
Emily remained by Rose’s side. She closely monitored Rose’s anaesthetic as well as her heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, breathing and ECG. Rose’s damaged eye was carefully removed. Haemostatic gauze was placed in the empty eye socket and her eyelids were sewn shut. She was then desexed through an incision in her abdomen. Her uterus and ovaries were removed. Rose recovered well with no complications. She was transported to our 24hr ICU service at WellPet Vets Nepean in the WellPet Animal Ambulance for overnight monitoring. This was to ensure Rose ate every few hours; a special recovery food called ‘criticalcare’. This food needed to be syringe fed every few hours to ensure her GI tract kept moving. The next day, Rose was transported back to WellPet Vets St Clair to continue her care. She began eating her regular diet of hay and pellets and to our surprise absolutely loved when it was time for her antiinflammatory and pain medications! She made a fast and smooth recovery and in as little as two days from her surgery was outside in an enclosed rabbit hutch enjoying the sunshine and eating fresh grass!
Budget laid out on election eve By Keegan Thomson
ON Tuesday night the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, announced his first Federal Budget and the people of western Sydney rightly deserve to know what is in it for them. Some of the sweeteners within the budget include support for unemployed young people, tax cuts for small business and $100 million, across three years, in funding to reduce and fight domestic violence. The small business company tax rate will drop to 27.5% for all businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million helping the hundreds of small businesses in western Sydney. Unemployed young people will get a leg up under the new Youth Job Path program, designed to get young people back into the workforce. Around 30,000 places will be open in a new internship program which will pay young people around $200 for up to 25 hours of work a week. On a local level the government will invest $115 million between 2016-2017 into the preparation for the Western Sydney Airport, including $26.2 million for the provision of a rail network. A $1.5 billion investment in
Treasurer Scott Morrison delivers boost for western Sydney infrastructure
rail across Sydney will include some funding towards the T1 Western Line. This will be on top of the $3.6 billion in combined funding for the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan building connecting roads around the proposed Western Sydney Airport. Senator for Western Sydney, and Minister for Defence, Marise Payne said the government’s investment
in infrastructure will produce more productive cities in the region. “Infrastructure is a key part of the Government’s plan to improve our economy’s productive capacity. Our investment in infrastructure in cities like Blacktown supports more liveable and productive communities through well planned, safer and more efficient transport networks,” Senator
Payne said. There will be a big increase on the cost of cigarettes, with smokers copping the rough end of an increased tobacco tax estimated to bring $4.7 billion into the government’s pockets. With this increase it’s been estimated the cost of cigarettes could reach $40 a packet by 2020. One of the government’s prebudget announcements included a boost of $1.2 billion dollars to education spending. This money will be passed around through a number of funding conditions, like the number of specialised teachers at a school and a school’s commitment to a standardised national assessment. The government claims it will be ‘the most significant package of education reforms in a generation’ however Kate Ellis, the Shadow Education Minister, said that if Labor were elected they would invest $3.5 billion more into schools by 2020. This budget isn’t like any normal budget, instead it is a short term election plan rather than a long term national economic plan. After all most of the proposed plans in Mr Morrison’s budget won’t be enacted or even debated until after the next federal election in some eight week.
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Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
Final stage of Schofields Road upgrade PARLIAMENTARY Secretary to the Premier for Western Sydney and Member for Castle Hill Ray Williams MP, together with Member for Riverstone Kevin Conolly MP, have inspected work on the third and final stage of the $340 million Schofields Road upgrade between Windsor Road and Richmond Road which is now in full swing. “The NSW Government is delivering on this major investment to provide road upgrades in Sydney’s north-west where more than 200,000 people are expected to move by 2045,” Mr Williams said. “This population growth will see the region expand and grow into a thriving community and we are improving major roads like Schofields Road to provide better connections to and from the area. “We are pushing ahead to progressively upgrade Schofields Road to four lanes, with provision for six lanes when needed, between Windsor and Richmond roads to improve capacity along this critical east-west corridor,” Mr Conolly said. These roads will be required to support Sydney’s fast growing North West including Schofields, Riverstone and Marsden Park, where more than
70,000 new homes will be built. “The Schofields Road upgrade will improve journeys for road users between Rouse Hill and future Marsden Park town centres,” said Mr Conolly. The work also complements the NSW Government’s $135 million Richmond Road upgrade which will also improve access and travel times for people living in the area. Work on the $140 million Schofields Road stage three upgrade includes extending 2.5 kilometres of Schofields Road to four lanes from Veron Road to
Richmond Road. “The project will feature two twin bridges across Eastern and Bells Creeks, new traffic lights at Carnarvon Road and provide for a future Fermoy Road connection to Schofields Road” said Mr Conolly. Meanwhile, work is also continuing on Stage Two between Tallawong Road and Veron Road which was fast tracked with a $70 million commitment from the Housing Acceleration Fund. Already more than 130 people on average are working each day to
THE G SPOT
HAVE you ever wondered why doctors’ surgeries have magazines dating back to 1975 in their waiting rooms? I know that it doesn’t really have anything to do with security, but they are either stuck in a time warp or that was when the last patient went in and you’re next. I dunno, just some trivial crap I was pondering over whilst contemplating my navel. Today kids, we are going to dabble in the subject of (drum roll) SAFETY! And the crowd goes wild (roar). Now, before you all go into a self-induced coma because safety is about as interesting as watching your wife knit a scarf with sewing needles and scrubbing tile cracks with a broken tooth brush, it is something that people are not really proactive in. (Stern voice with finger point, maybe a tut, tut, tut thrown in). Speaking of safety, I must say I was really impressed a couple of weeks ago whilst travelling to Queensland. On the side of the road (both sides)
was a kangaroo safety fence. Yep, in the middle of nowhere, there it was, in all its gracious glory to assist our little skippies from jumping out onto the road. My heart was overwhelmed and full of love for who ever thought of this ingenious idea, and then the fence stopped. What the hell!!! So let me get this straight, approx. 5-10 km of fencing and then nothing? I immediately thought: “Gosh the kangaroos are smart out here and know not to go over that border where no fence is and know to stay behind the fence that is there….sigh…..next subject! Anyway, getting back to it, let’s talk about child safety. Oh, before we start I don’t actually have any kids myself so this is purely from a safety program that I poached off the internet, however (before all of the copyright people get there knickers in a knot) I have read it and placed it into my own words, as only the G Spot can!
build both stages of work, delivering local jobs and economic growth for the region. Work on both projects is carried out Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm and on Saturdays between 8am and 1pm, weather permitting. “The Schofields Road upgrade between Windsor Road and Richmond Road is expected to be completed in mid-2018, weather permitting” Mr Conolly said. For more information on road upgrades in Sydney’s north-west visit www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roadprojects
With Gina Field, Nepean Regional Security
Okay, page 1 (cough, cough, clear throat) Burns and scalds: It says don’t let kids near hot water (like friggin’ derr!), heaters and irons, BBQ’s , cooking appliances whilst hot (what sort of moron wrote this?), cigarettes, fires, candles, matches and lighters and let’s not forget the sun. (This writer was institutionalised for his/her whole life). Next, Poisoning: Medications, household cleaning products (yeah, I will give them that one, I clean the shower with that bleach crap and I need an ambulance and an oxygen mask), pool chemicals, pesticides (have you ever noticed Areoguard doesn’t work? I got the bird from a mosquito last summer). Okay next! Choking: Small items like beads, toys, foam, coins, food items, lollies and a pair of parents hands around one’s throat. Not long to go folks - we are nearly there, stay with me now, get up take a walk outside and come back to
me. Next subject: Entrapment? Is that like when you tell your husband the dress was on sale and he reads the price tag? Is that Entrapment? Okay, I will stick to it: Between cot railings, vertical railings, curtain and blind cords and playground equipment. (Yeah gotta agree with the blind cords one, almost choked myself running out the back with a six pack, gotta be careful with those - might drop the beer . Last but not least: Breaks and Sprains: It says - falls , trips, collision? (flipping the page). That’s it! Falls, trips, collision. Did I miss something? Because I don’t know about you but you don’t really have to be Einstein to work that one out. Okay wake up now, it’s the end. So there you have it folks, always take your own mag to the doctors, realise that kangaroos are really intelligent and wrap your house and kids in 15 kgs of bubble wrap.
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Fighting for funding
Deputy Mayor runs for Libs in Greenway By Keegan Thomson
By Kerrie Davies
STATE Member for Londonderry, Prue Car has launched a blistering campaign against education cuts, including a video that has been viewed nearly 40,000 times on social media. In the video, Mrs Car also says ‘Smart and Skilled’ - a new vocational educational and training policy launched by the NSW government means that Tafe has to compete for students and funding with private providers in a private market. She further states that since its introduction, there are 43,000 fewer students enrolled in Tafe and those who are left are paying higher fees. Mrs Car, who is also the Shadow Minister for Skills and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Education, said new data released last week shows an investment failure for the future of NSW schools and TAFE. “An Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) report detailing government expenditure in education over the last ten years paints
a damning picture for the Premier and Education Minister Adrian Piccoli,” Mrs Car said. “Spending on new capital works in NSW primary and high schools is the lowest in ten years. NSW spent less on new schools and new buildings in 2015 than it did in 2005. New building works fell by $54 million between 2013-14 and 2014-15 – a cut of 15 per cent in just one year.” New building works includes new primary and high schools and upgrades to existing schools including new and refurbished classrooms, libraries, science labs and halls. “Schools across NSW are overcrowded, playgrounds are full of demountable classrooms and existing facilities are crumbling under a $732 million maintenance backlog,” Mrs Car added. “Mike Baird’s budget cuts are hurting schools in NSW. The priority needs to be building modern schools with the facilities our kids need to get the best education possible.” You can view the video on the Prue Car MP Member for Londonderry facebook page.
THE Hills Shire Deputy Mayor, Cr Yvonne Keane, has been endorsed by Liberal Party and will contest the seat of Greenway at the upcoming federal election. Ms Keane spoke to Western News and Yvonne Keane running Liberals’ chance at laid out a campaign Greenway. Source: Supplied. focusing on building a stronger business community for Greenway and furthering family support in the region. “My clear focus for Greenway is to build a stronger local economy and deliver better family support. I believe that only through stronger families and stronger communities will we build a stronger future,” she said. Reflecting on the federal budget, Ms Keane said she was pleased to be a part of a government that is championing small business and working families. “I’m delighted to be a part of the team that is focused on lowering the tax burden on small business. Not only will this help to encourage new opportunities and growth but more importantly it will help people who work every day for a living to get ahead,” she said. She has also welcomed the Youth Jobs Path program, an unemployment jobs package announced in the budget, saying it will mean young people will have better employment chances. She said, “the budget delivers a great platform for better outcomes for the business community which will also mean that young people will have more opportunities for employment.” Greenway is considered by some a safe Labor seat with Labor incumbent Michelle Rowland holding the seat with a 3.1 percent margin. Ms Keane will also be up against Greens candidate Chris Winslow.
The Ponds Parkrun Celebrates its 1st Birthday
By Keegan Thomson
THE Ponds parkrun, a celebration of life, fitness and exercise, will be celebrating its 1st birthday with a special running event on May 28. Parkrun is a timed 5 km running and walking event held across 800 parks worldwide every weekend no matter what the weather conditions. Rio Lambino, the organiser of The Ponds parkrun, told us no matter the weather runners will always turn up ready to go.
“Rain, hail or shine we will be running,” she said. “Last winter, even with temperatures of 0 degrees, we still had over 100 runners turn up to the parkrun.” Compared to other running events that focus on one person beating a pack, The Ponds parkrun is more of a personal and individual endeavour to beat your own person time on the 5 km track. “It is more of a personal competition where people can chase and improve themselves, no matter if it is walking
or running,” Ms Lambino said. Ms Lambino said she started The Ponds parkrun simply because she wanted to share her love of running with a wider public. “I love running. I always used to run the Ponds park area and then I heard about parkrun and started running at their Parramatta event. Soon I thought why am I travelling all the way to Parramatta to run when I could start one at The Ponds?” A year after she started, The Ponds
parkrun a year ago her cohort of runners has grown to over 370 people from a wide age range. “Since January we’ve got 376 runners and they range from the age of 4 to the age of 80. We have some very fit people, a team of 64 year old runners performing they’re in their mid 30s,” Ms Lambino said. The event is free and kicks off from 8:00 every Saturday from The Ponds Community Hub. Their special 1st birthday event will be held on May 28.
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Get an inside look at your local fire station By Jarrod McGrouther
FIRE & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) will be holding its annual Open Day on Saturday, May 21 this year, giving the local community an inside look in to what it is like to be a firefighter. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on inside your local fire station, or want to get your fire safety questions answered, Open Day is the event for you. The beauty of Open Day is that it includes activities for people of all ages. Activities include being part of a fire station tour, helping firefighters with the inspection of firefighting equipment and the opportunity to sit inside a real life firefighting appliance. Firefighters enjoy opening the doors for the day, and look forward to the event each year. If you ask nicely you might even get the chance to dress in some of the firefighter’s protective clothing, which helps keep them safe during emergencies. Open Day runs from 10am to 2pm, but be aware that some fire stations may combine the event with neighbouring sites. The firefighters are also still on call so if the bells go off they will need to respond to emergencies as normal. The best way to ensure your local station is participating is to drop in and ask, or to look for the ‘Open Day’ posters hanging in the station windows. Contact details can also be found online. Fire safety education is always an important part of Open Day. 2016 marks
Photo: Fire & Rescue NSW
the 10th anniversary of the NSW smoke alarm legislation, which specified that all residential buildings must have at least one working smoke alarm per floor. With most smoke alarms needing to be replaced every 10 years, the focus this year is not on NSW residents being asked to change their smoke alarm batteries, but to update their entire alarm. Be sure to speak to one of your local firefighters on the day about replacing your older smoke alarms with new photoelectric smoke alarms (the only type recommended by Australian fire services). FRNSW has also created an exciting partnership with LEGO, meaning at this year’s Open Day children have the chance to obtain a limited edition Brigade Kids activity booklet featuring LEGO City characters. Make sure to be quick though, as there is already huge interest and stock is limited. With 80,000 people expected to attend around the State, it is sure to be another successful event. Keep an eye out too for fundraising efforts for NSW Kids in Need, which helps six kid’s charities, including Westmead Children’s Hospital Burns Unit and Muscular Dystrophy NSW. Last year over $20,000 was raised, making a real difference in the lives of children. For more information on the day, visit www.fire.nsw.gov.au and select ‘Fire Station Open Day’ under the ‘for community’ tab.
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Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
Guide Dogs: Respect my uniform YOU wouldn’t place your hands over the eyes of a taxi driver concentrating on the road ahead, or pat a surgeon on the back mid-way through an operation, as the consequences could be disastrous. It would be just as irresponsible to distract a working Guide Dog. Each day, members of the public place the safety of Guide Dog handlers at risk by patting, feeding and interacting with Guide Dogs, tasked with assisting those who are blind or vision impaired to independently get to where they need to go. To address this issue, on International Guide Dog Day (Wednesday, April 27), Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is launching its public education campaign, Respect My Uniform, calling on the community to resist patting or distracting working Guide Dogs. Like other professionals, once a Guide Dog has its uniform on – its easily recognisable harness – it has a very important job to fulfil. Each highly skilled working dog has undergone almost two years of intensive training including how to navigate obstacles, travel on public transport, find landmarks such as busstops, and cross the road safely, before graduating. The Respect My Uniform campaign follows the findings of a 2015 survey, in which 89 per cent of Guide Dog handlers reported that their Guide Dog had been distracted by members of the public in the past 12 months. It will aim to educate the community that a well-intentioned pat can undo months of training, and frequent distraction can cause anxiety or serious injury for Guide Dogs and their handlers. “Guide Dogs play a vital role in enabling people who are blind or vision impaired to get around independently and interference from members of the public can compromise this,” CEO of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, Dr Graeme White said. “Any distraction to a working Guide
Dog can put its handler’s safety at risk. If a Guide Dog is distracted while guiding its handler across the road, the consequences could be tragic,” he said. “If 89 per cent of taxi drivers were distracted while driving, there would be national outrage.” For Guide Dog handler and Australia’s Got Talent finalist, Matt McLaren, the incidence of members of the public attempting to distract his Guide Dog, Stamford, is a daily occurrence. Matt, who has been blind since birth, received Stamford about eight years ago. With the amount of travel required for the talented musician to get to gigs, having a Guide Dog has allowed him
to maintain an independent, busy life and a thriving career. “Stamford enables me to do so much more than I could with a cane, such as carry music gear and travel confidently to new places,” he said. However, the public sometimes restrict his ability to move through different environments. “People will try to talk to Stamford while I am walking, make clicking noises, pat him while I move past them and try to make eye contact with him,” Matt said. He said although most members of the community know they should not pat a Guide Dog in harness, many will often say, ‘I know I shouldn’t be doing this’, as they proceed to pat Stamford.
“It’s like a person on a diet saying ‘I know I shouldn’t eat this piece of chocolate cake’ but then going ahead and eating it anyway,” Matt said. “The problem is people often don’t perceive the consequences of their actions.” At a recent gig, Matt was carrying a keyboard into a venue and a member of the public wanted to play with his Guide Dog. “There was a staircase straight ahead, but as Stamford was not on the ball, I walked straight into it,” he said. “I want the public to understand that distracting a working Guide Dog reduces its capacity to do what it has been trained to do, potentially putting my safety at risk. It can also be time consuming as I often need to refocus Stamford after he has been distracted before moving on.” It is important for the community to understand that Guide Dogs in harness are on duty, whether they are physically guiding a person or sitting at their feet. Dr White said in rare serious cases, ongoing distraction can result in the premature retirement of a Guide Dog, which costs more than $35,000 to breed, raise and train. “This is why it is so important that people understand they should not feed, pat or otherwise distract a working Guide Dog,” he said. “Of course once the harness comes off, and with the handler’s consent, you can pat and interact with a Guide Dog.” Guide Dogs NSW/ACT will launch a new television commercial about Guide Dog etiquette on International Guide Dog Day and is also calling on the community to pledge to not distract Guide Dogs through a change. org petition. For more information on Guide Dogs NSW/ACT please visit guidedogs.com.au or join the conversation follow us on Facebook at facebook/guidedogsnswact or Twitter @guidedogsnswact.
Mayoral Message: A Growth Budget for a Growing City By Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali
Blacktown City Council has brought down a balanced budget that continues all services yet provides for the needs of the rapidly growing city. This year’s budget was just over a half a billion dollars and I am proud the 2016/17 budget increased to $563 million. Our Works Improvement Program (road works, footpaths, building projects, parks improvements and drainage work) totalled 42 million
dollars at the start of our term. This budget year, it’s increased fourfold to $167 million dollars This is despite the income restraints placed on us by the State and Federal Government. During a time of rapidly increasing costs, our ability to increase income from rates - our primary source of revenue – has been pegged at 1.8 per cent, in line with State Government policy; yet their anticipated revenue growth for 2016-17 is 4.9%. How would the NSW State Government cope if their revenue was restricted to 1.8% increase? Probably not well. Yet we are
not only coping, but through sound financial management we are providing even more services to our community. Blacktown City Council is a compassionate council: one the few to give a bigger than required pensioner rates rebate. We are community minded: our pools, our community hubs and our libraries are all brimming with customers. We are growing: our population is set to grow by approximately 200,000 over the next 20 years and in this budget year some $100 million will be needed just to purchase land so we can
build roads, parks and infrastructure like drains and bridges. We are sporting: key reserves that had master plans drawn up, but sat idle on the shelves will be completed. These include: $5 million for Popondetta Park (Ward 5); $3million for Federation Forest (Ward 4); $1.5 million for William Lawson Park, Prospect (Ward 3); $1.5 million for Alwyn Linfield Reserve and Pearce Reserve (Ward 2) and $1.4 million for Riverstone Park and Pool (Ward 1). Blacktown City Council is your council and we are working hard so you can feel Blacktown is a great place to live.
Labor says ‘no-fly’ zone but Liberals can’t see it happening ON a pre-election campaign fly-by visit to western Sydney, Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, backed up by Chris Bowen, the Federal Member for McMahon and Shadow Treasurer, announced his plans to create a nighttime ‘no-fly zone’ over residential areas that surround the yet to be constructed Western Sydney Airport. Mr Shorten said, “Labor will act to ensure there is no noise impact on existing residence and communities from night time flights as part of Badgerys Creek Airport master planning.” This is welcome news for local residents, however Mr Shorten fell short of offering up a curfew, something which people living under the proposed flight path are calling for, and something which the federal and state governments have previously ruled out. Unlike the Sydney airport at Mascot, Western Sydney Airport won’t have an imposed curfew on it, meaning residents living under the flight paths will have planes flying over their homes 24 hours a day. Fiona Scott, Federal MP for Lindsay, is worried strong southerly busters could hinder the take off and landing of a plane at the yet to be constructed airport. She said Mr Shorten’s plan was a “reckless thought bubble.” “When the wind is blowing too high and the conditions won’t allow for a safe landing, what will you do? Do you simply fly around and around until the wind has eased and you can land, or will the divert flights to Sydney?” Ms Scott said. Diverting flights is something that could happen if there is a strong southerly buster associated with a thunderstorm, said Professor Kenny
Street talk: Western Sydney Airport By Keegan Thomson and Jarrod McGrouther
WESTERN Sydney Airport will be a contentious issue at the upcoming federal election. Politicians claim the new airport will create jobs and improve growth in the region but skeptics say it will bring too much noise and air pollution. Western News asked western Sydney locals what they really thought about the airport.
Kwok, an expert in wind engineering from Western Sydney University. “If the issue is, what happens with a southerly buster associated with a thunderstorm, the professionals (air traffic controllers) at the airport will have a protocol to deal with it. Sometimes that might include a diversion,” Professor Kwok said. “The pilot will also have a protocol to deal with the situation. There is only one person in control of the plane, that is the pilot,” he added. But he also said the main issue isn’t always the southerly winds, instead it could be the prevailing winds of the area. “We are talking about the normal winds. The prevailing winds will dictate the alignment of the airport runway(s), not the southerly busters because other operational protocols will come into effect around those,” he said. So far the proposed location of the runway will be a north-east/ south-west orientation. Bart Bassett, a commercial helicopter
pilot and former NSW Health Department helipad consultant, says the safety of all those involved and the operational requirements will always be put before any political policy. “Whilst I accept that noise abatement should be put in place, when it comes to hard and fast rules on take off and landings that decision will always begin with and end with the pilot in command, as it always should be,” Mr Bassett said. He also said the conditions will decide which runway will be used. “Whilst you may have a preferred runway between certain hours, when weather conditions dictate the pilot will use the runway that is safest for those conditions,” he said. With all the pushing and shoving of government policy around the Western Sydney Airport you’d think the thing would be build within the next six months, when actual fact the airport won’t be finished until the mid 2020s. A lot can change between now and then.
Natasha Skrypka - “I’m all for it. More jobs, I’m all for it. As long as the negatives are sorted like double glazed windows.”
John O’keefe - “I think it would create a lot of work in the area, you know, the western area is growing really quick.”
Great day out for doggie day-trippers
IF you like good food and coffee, as well as taking your pooch for a romp with friendly canines then the newly opened dog park in Kurrajong is the place for you and “man’s best friend”. The Kurrajong Bark Park and Ugly Mug (Pug) Mobile Express Cafe is now open and offers a great off-leash
experience for your dog whilst you sit and enjoy a great coffee and food looking out over a magnificent view towards the great dividing range. Kids have not been forgotten either, with a kids play area also on offer. As all coffee lovers know there is nothing worse than buying a
coffee which then lets you down in the flavor department. You will not be disappointed here, as the coffee is first-class, as is the food menu, and the helpings are plentiful and delicious. Live music is also a feature of this new destination so take the short
drive to 16 Old Bells Line of Road Kurrajong and enjoy this unique family experience. Operating hours are 3pm to 7pm Friday and 7am until 7pm Saturday and Sunday. You and your pooch will not be disappointed!
11 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
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Legends of the West By Garion Thain
Ms Boulous is personally involved with various community groups, and says “People are often surprised how much Guardians is involved in the community.”
FIONA Boulous has recently received quite an honour. As the Location Manager for Guardian Funerals Minchinbury, she accepted an award for Best Financial Location in Australia – out of 240 locations all around the country, at the Invocare Australia Awards. She has also been nominated as a Legend of the West for her involvement in the community on top of said award. I gave her a call on Tuesday to tell her she’d been nominated, and to ask if we could talk about what she does, and also the woman behind the role. “Are you sure I’m a legend?” She laughed at first, but I was quick to say she was more than qualified, and after a visit, a coffee and a great talk with her at her Guardian Funerals office at Pinegrove Memorial Park, I can assure you indeed that a legend she is. Here is a bit about Fiona Boulous, legend of the west: Ms Boulous has only been in the funeral industry for three years. A Western Sydney native, Ms Boulous
was an educator at multiple Catholic primary schools, including Our Lady of the Rosary, Bethany, St Nicholas and Mary MacKillop. After leaving primary teaching, she went into sales for five years, but saw a small ad for Guardian Funerals in a local newspaper she had taken past Bathurst on one of her jobs. She enquired, and was called in for an interview. “I wasn’t frightened, more looking for a new challenge,” Ms Boulous said. “I came in raw, I didn’t know anyone in the industry - nobody does,” she laughed. The role of Location Manager becomes one akin to Public Relations services to some degree, she quipped, but is a role which brings a lot more community based work than one might expect. Ms Boulous helps steer Guardian Funerals Minchinbury’s community partnerships, and there are many. “People are often surprised how much Guardian is involved in the community,” said Ms Boulous. “We have our own bus – The Guardian Bus that sits 25 people,
FIONA BOULOUS
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“Teaching helps you to be timely, organised and also communicate with people,” she said. “9/10 people come to us only a day after a loved one has passed away, and when they’re in a delicate state it’s a matter of reassurance. “It’s really rewarding to be there for people, and have them thank you for your effort.” Operating out of the very contemporary, 177 acre Pinegrove Memorial Park, Guardian Funerals Minchinbury is, without a doubt, a tranquil place. Talking with Ms Boulous, I was quick to say how beautiful a place it is and how well it’s run. After talking to Ms Boulous, I can definitely see that people like her steering the ship are the reason why. Ms Boulous is well deserving of last weekend’s award, and it was truly lovely to talk to such a community minded person. As any legends story goes, Ms Boulous’ love of her role and the assortment of activities her and Guardian Funerals participate in are the true heart. Surely there are even more good tidings ahead for Fiona Boulous, legend of the west.
Ms Boulous after receiving the recent award.
Fiona Boulous nominated as a Legend of the West by Korena Hale. If you know a local legend, send us a nomination at greg@nepeannews.com.au
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and operates 46 weeks a year with various community groups.” “We’re proud sponsors of the Western Sydney Wanderers,” she also said. Ms Boulous is involved with ten nursing homes in the area, and also services a knitting group that knit for nursing homes, as well as Mt Druitt and Blacktown Palliative Care. Furthermore, she sponsors local sports, including Colyton and Mt Druitt football teams. She fondly brought up a story where she sponsored a team so the children would have the money to keep their jerseys after the season was over. On top of this, she is involved with the Country Women’s Association, Nepean Food Services and is on the Penrith and Blacktown Chambers of Commerce. All by themselves impressive feats, but together owing to the legend status. When I visited Ms Boulous on Wednesday, she had two new TV’s from the Good Guys sitting in her office, ready to be donated. She believes her previous work as a teacher sets a foundation for her work today.
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Guardian Funerals was awarded number 1 for most successful location in Australia Fiona Boulous, Funeral Director
EVERY GOODBYE IS DIFFERENT
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Plan ahead with someone you can trust.
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Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
WHO AM I? Social Housing Improvement
? ???
- My family is from Bosnia
- I was raised in Western Sydney and was educated at Blacktown South Public School and Mitchell High School
- You can frequently find me on the basketball court - I regularly make the trek to Canberra Result on page 19
MOUNT DRUITT MP, Edmond Atalla has welcomed the granting of more than $175,000 of funding in the Mount Druitt Electorate under the NSW Governments Social Housing Community Housing Fund (SHCIF). The Fund which was established in 2015 is used to create better and stronger social housing communities. The funding that has been granted comes as part of the first round of applications which closed in September 2015. The Projects to be funded are all located in Bidwill. They are: • $50,000 for a Bidwill Reserve Playground Installation • $42,493 for upgrading of a Disability Bathroom and new tiled Flooring in the Meeting Room • $32,000 for improvements at the Bidwill Community Garden • $50,000 for a Child Friendly Space, storage and Covered Outdoor Area. Applications for funding for Round 2 of the SHCIF funding will commence on 29 April 2016 and is available for projects that include improving Community Facilities, enhancement of local open space, increasing accessibility for older people and people with disabilities and for improving resident’s safety. Details and the relevant application
information can be obtained at www. facs.nsw.fov.au/shcif or by phoning the SHCIF Team on 1800 379, 184 or by email at SHCIF@facs.nsw.gov.au “These funds are most welcome and will make a huge difference to these facilities in the Bidwill Community,” Mr Atalla said. “The new round of Applications is now open and I encourage local groups in the Mt Druitt Electorate to apply.”
Riverstone festival
LOOKING for something fun for the whole family? Here’s an invitation for you! Blacktown City Council and The Combined Churches of Riverstone would like to invite the local community to their annual Riverstone Festival and Street Parade to be held on Saturday 14 May on the corner of Park and Pitt St, Riverstone. The festival will be held from 9am-3pm, with a range of activities and entertainment for the whole family, including stalls, stage performers, rides and workshops. Highlights of the festival include the street parade which will commence at 11am from Mills St Reserve. The greatly anticipated street parade will showcase local community groups, car clubs, marching bands and many more.
The Unintentional Medium By Suzi Samuel IT’S exciting to be a new columnist with Western News. I thought I’d dedicate my first instalment to telling you a bit about me. When my husband and I decided to move to Australia, I was very ambivalent about the whole idea. Part of me couldn’t wait to live in the country I had learned to love, but the other part of me hated the thought of being half a world away from my nearest and dearest. I was crying to my cousin about my dilemma when she looked me in the eye and said, “You lucky cow, having an adventure at your age” - and she was right. It has indeed been an excellent adventure. However, nothing prepared for the far bigger adventure that is now happening to me. Many years ago, I had been told by my lovely old clairvoyant, Mrs Butterfield that I would find myself doing what she was doing and, in fact, I have worked as a clairvoyant for more than thirty years. On one
a voice as clear as day said, “Wrong book. Write about what you know.” Well, you can imagine my surprise! Who was that? What did they mean? But when I started to think about it, I realised that maybe I should write about my work and the weird and wonderful people and experiences I had encountered along the way. And so was born The Unintentional Medium. Being a typical Scorpio I have dillied and dallied for the past six years before finally getting the opportunity to do something about it, but now it is happening. I was even interviewed on The Daily Edition recently which was really visit she said to me, “One day my duck you will write a book guided by spirit”. Well, I thought she had gone a bit doolally and didn’t really take much notice, but she was right. Here I am at age sixty-nine having written a book and at the same time starting a whole new career when I should be settling down and swopping my high
heels for slippers. When I first came to Australia on holiday, I had a vague idea of writing a book about my travels. Unfortunately, when I got back to the UK I was diagnosed with breast cancer and to pass the time whilst undergoing radiotherapy, I started to write the book in my head. Suddenly,
exciting. A few months ago, I said to my husband that a whirlwind was about to come into our lives. Well, that whirlwind has arrived and we just have to hold on tight and see where it takes us. I will keep you posted over the coming weeks and hope you will join me in my excellent adventure.
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Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
Opinion: Commuting inequality a glaring problem By Bart Bassett
A RECENT NRMA report has highlighted what most of us know in western Sydney and that is the inequality between western Sydney workers compared to their inner city counterparts when it comes to public transport access. The NRMA research showed that of the businesses surveyed in western Sydney, only 2 per cent of their workers were able to use a single mode of public transport between home and work with a further 16 per cent combining a private vehicle with public transport to travel to work. Compare this to the Sydney CBD workers where 61 per cent of all work trips were made by public transport and the inequality is glaringly obvious. NRMA President Kyle Loades said in responding to the research, “In Western Sydney the only option for most workers is the private vehicle. Quality of life in a region that’s home to almost half of Sydney’s population diminishes by increased exposure to the grind of commuting. Meanwhile most Sydney CBD workers can rely on train, busies, light rail, ferries or cycle paths. The glaring inequality in commuting options means government must shift focus from the CBD to Sydney’s population epicentre.” We here at Western Sydney News Group have been highlighting the need to link western Sydney with cross regional transport connections through infrastructure projects like the connecting of the Sydney Metro Northwest with the South West Rail Link and Badgerys Creek Airport which will provide a network of public transport connected options which in turn will encourage businesses to be establish along these connected corridors and create much-needed western Sydney based jobs. The Prime Minister’s announcement of a Smart
Cities infrastructure funding plan sounds like a step in the right direction to unlock private and public funding to help achieve the construction of these much-needed public transport projects and I believe the connecting of public transport in western Sydney should be top of the list as it will provide economic, social and environmental benefits for generations to come. For all current and future public transport in western Sydney to be utilised to its full potential and assist in reducing congestion on our roads, access must be simple and safe which means the “park and ride” concept needs to be enhanced. Whilst I acknowledge that over the last few years the NSW State Government has created over 4000 additional “park and ride” spots across NSW with over a quarter of those on the new South West Rail corridor, many new parking stations on the western line were not built large enough to cater for demand
meaning roads around railway stations are choked with parked vehicles. This in turn leads to resident complaints and many councils then establish time limited parking which discourages commuters from the “park and ride” initiative. Western Sydney is an enormous geographical area with vast distance involved when travelling to work or education precincts which many inner city politicians and public servants simply do not seem to understand. You will never be able to provide enough bus routes and railway lines in western Sydney to achieve the same ease of access that the inner west, eastern suburbs and city commuters have, but by providing a well-connected public transport network with parking stations that have adequate capacity it will be a vast improvement on the current unacceptable inequitable situation.
The art of a good Selfie with TP OK I do love a good selfie. And there’s an art to it. For those of you who may have been born into a less technological time, let me explain what a selfie is. A selfie is like a self portrait using a camera or more commonly a mobile phone with a camera. The beauty of using the mobile phone is of course the speed at which the image can be uploaded to the plethora of online social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, snapchat, and Instagram. Here the hoards of exhibitionists can expose themselves to their hearts content and voyeurs can gorge themselves on thousands of images. My selfies don’t turn up on social media but are kept for future posterity. You know, for when the skin is wrinkled and the hair is grey so I can look back on my image and say “I was young once.” Anyway back to the selfie. A really good one demands that the poser raise their arm above their head in order to get a shot from an elevated position. Now you may not know but this is the key to a great selfie. It ensures your face looks slim and elongated and just add a a knowing look and you have it. Many a poor nonce positions the camera directly in front of their face - or worse - aims up from below. You can fluke a good shot front on but let me tell you the upward angle should be banned at all costs. Even slim people fall victim to the dangers of the upward selfie. It’s incredible how this magical position can turn one chin into a series of chins, an image of Jabber the Hut comes to mind. Please don’t post these ones guys!
Okay, so we know what makes a great selfie and a really bad one. But what do people do to make them down right hilarious? I’d have to say when there is too much pout. You know the ones where it looks as though the taker is having a flashback to when they threw tantrums at the age of three. Then there’s the, “I’m so sexy” look with
bedroom eyes that should definitely be reserved for the bedroom. Add to this the ridiculous shots of super-buffed men with menacing glares saying look at me bro. Ha ha. So as you can see I’m not mocking the selfie, just the fact that some people take it from the wrong angle or try a little too hard. Just shoot from above and give a knowing smile :)
18 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
E N T E R T A I N M E N T Travelling the English Countryside
By Ben Cranney
I’M not sure that I should admit it, but I’ve developed a taste for warm, English beer. Mind you, it must be a pint, in an English pub, as part of rounds coming so fast you wonder if they’ll notice you order a middy. I developed this taste on a drive from London to Bath, which has plenty of worthy drinking stops, left over from a time when a journey of 30 miles might need an overnight stop. And if people didn’t travel far, no-one would know they were all called things like ‘Red Lion’. There’s something worth visiting
within stumbling distance of most pubs: castle ruins, picturesque villages, giant horses carved into chalk hills. The countryside alone will keep you occupied. Our target was Stonehenge. The two busy roads means the approach loses some magic, but it still took my breath away. So much so, I almost rear-ended the truck in front. Apparently, you can now walk to Stonehenge from the Avebury Stone Circle, like in ancient times, if you’re game to navigate the artillery range. It is worth a visit as it’s built around a thatched roof village and you can get right up to the stones, unlike
Stonehenge. Or if you’ve seen enough ancient stone structures, go for a pint at the Red Lion. My favourite stop was West Kennet Longbarrow, a 5000 year old tomb. A stone wall protects the world from the spirits within, and on an overcast and sleetswept day, we were transported to another place as we ducked for cover on entry to stop from being attacked by dozens of swallows. It’s still a spiritual place, with a number of new offerings inside, and I wondered if these came from the crop circle chasers down the road at Wiltshire. The crops get some very intricate patterns, which the locals at the pub
claimed no knowledge, even after too many pints. There are plenty of other sights between Bath and London. On a four day round drive, you can comfortably see William the Conqueror’s first castle, Old Sarum, and nearby Salisbury and its impressive cathedral. Detour into an English period drama at Lacock with its absence of electricity poles, and in Bath, enjoy the Georgian architecture, punt along the canals or visit Jane Austen’s house. And if you’re done with warm beer, try a drink from the Bath hot springs. The minerals give the water a strong taste, but you’ll get used to it.
By Keegan Thomson
SHANNON Noll is the most downto-earth, unapologetically Australian musicians touring to-date. Across his career he has produced some of the most recognisable Aussie rock singles of the past decade and recently he brought his red hot live show to the Ettamogah Hotel, in Kellyville Ridge. Western News caught up with the man after his big gig. After taking a break from the music business Nollsie said he was “as keen as mustard” to get back into the business. “I took some time with my family and bought some property in Victoria. We bought some horses, we bought some motorbikes, it was all great fun. But after a while I started feeling a little too comfortable so we came back to Sydney to have another go at it,” Shannon Noll said. Part of his brand new ‘go at it’ includes a new album, the Shannon Noll Live tour, and a potential trip to the U.S. to record at the home of country-rock music, Nashville, Tennessee. “There is talk that we might be recording my new album in Nashville, but we’ll see how it plans out,” he said. “There is so many players over
“Someone started a petition to get me to sing at Eurovision, but that didn’t go anywhere, so the committee asked me to be a judge,” he said. Nollsie said he will be looking for a song which tells a great story. He said, “I’m a big believer in a really good story, lyric content is important to me. It also has to have artistic power and really great instruments and production.” When Nollsie hit the Ettamogah he delivered a great night filled with tunes and great entertainment. “It is really great to have a solid back catalogue of songs to play that people know well,” he said.
19 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
E N T E R T A I N M E N T Shannon Noll rocks the Ettamogah
Shannon Noll before a nearly sold-out crowd. Source: Facebook.
there, so many people to work with and write with it would be great.” Nollsie became a household name in 2003 after he was the runner up in the inaugural Australian Idol television contest, but even though he came second in the talent competition,
he managed to etch himself a special place on the Aussie rock landscape. Recently Nollsie was announced as a member of the Australian judging panel for this years Eurovision Song Contest, which for some reason will again feature an Australian performer.
WHO AM I? from page 14
Ed Husic, Federal MP for Chifley
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Hunting guide (7) 5 Jobs (7) 9 Rehearsed (9) 10 Forest god (5) 11 They decide what goes in a magazine (7) 12 Teach (7) 13 Well-kept (9) 15 Speed competitions (5) 17 Head of a city (5) 19 Nightstick (9) 22 Invigorate (7) 25 Bringing two people together (7) 26 Silk-cotton tree (5) 27 Lacking in refinement (9) 28 Pushes forcefully (7) 29 Braids (7)
DOWN 1 Dinners (7) 2 Inaptitude (9) 3 Things done (7) 4 Without ceasing (9) 5 Mooch (5) 6 Savior (7) 7 Additional (5) 8 Roads (7) 14 Things needed to accomplish a task (9) 16 Elements (9) 17 South African mongoose-like animal (7) 18 Rescinds (7) 20 Pertaining to the most populous country (7) 21 Cancels (7) 23 Outcast (5) 24 At the ends of fingers (5)
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Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
SUDOKU: EASY
WORD SEARCH
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
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AUSTRALIA SOLUTION: 22nd April
INSTRUCTIONS Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 with no duplicates
ADELAIDE AUSSIE BEACHES BOOMERANG BRISBANE CANBERRA COMMONWEALTH CONTINENT CORAL SEA CROCODILES DESERTS
DIDGERIDOO DINGO DOWN UNDER EMUS EUCALYPTUS TREES HUGH JACKMAN KANGAROO KEITH URBAN KOALA KOOKABURRA KYLIE MINOGUE
MARSUPIALS MELBOURNE MONARCHY NEW SOUTH WALES NICOLE KIDMAN OCEANS OUTBACK PARLIAMENT PERTH PLATYPUS PRIME MINISTER
QUEENSLAND RAINFORESTS RUSSELL CROWE SEAFOOD SHRIMP SURFING SYDNEY TASMANIA VEGEMITE VICTORIA WOMBAT
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
21 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
A guest at the footy show! By Jarrod McGrouther
THANKS to local legend King Brian McCombe, I was invited along to represent Western News at last weeks filming of ‘The Footy Show’. As a Sports Journalist and overarching sports fan, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the show has been running on Channel 9 for 23 seasons and is a rugby league institution. Being 26, it has been a part of my weekly routine for as long as I can remember and is known for its humour, wit and editorial style rugby league stories. Tonight’s filming was no different. The show featured rugby league greats Billy Slater, David Klemmer and Trent Hodkinson, along with a handful of Cronulla Sharks current squad of players. Full credit must go to these guys, as the filming ran until after 11pm but at no point did they hesitate to speak to, or engage with, the audience. Unlike other shows I’ve seen recorded, the footy show beams live across the nation, so there’s no second takes or cover ups. This makes it unique and real, and the audience feels a part of the production. If it means ‘dance offs’ between ad breaks,
or encouragement to cheer for your team whenever they’re mentioned, the producers and team behind the scenes keep the audience engaged throughout. If the Footy Show’s main aim is to give Rugby League news and opinions, then comedy finishes a close second. Much of the show is about humour, and countless times the content had the audience in stitches. I took my girlfriend along who isn’t much of a rugby league fan and she too enjoyed the show. All in all the night was an enjoyable experience. If you are interested in attending a show, the process is easy. Jump online, search ‘the footy show’ and book your free tickets each Wednesday from 9pm. Tickets are allocated on a weekly basis and you must be 15 and over to attend. A side note, be prepared to get there early and wait a while before the filming, as the network needs to screen you and get the set ready, but once it all begins you will have a night to rave about. Once gain, thank you to Brian and to Channel 9 for your hospitality. The Footy show airs weekly, Wednesday from 8:30pm on Channel 9.
Secretdebate
WHY ARE YOU A RUSTED-ON VOTER?
He Says........................... .........................She Says Why I would never vote conservative Its amazing when I hear the tories talking about how unfair it is that the Greens preference the ALP in an election, yet I never hear them saying anything about the Nationals who help them form Government. Another case of “we are privileged and allowed to say and do whatever we like.” Its precisely this “born to rule” mentality that would prevent me ever supporting them. Well that’s one of the reasons, but I can add more like: 1. Having no big vision or the guts to build that vision if they think of one. For example, Australia was built on big projects, big dreams. Think of the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Snowy Mountains Scheme, Warragamba Dam, Murray Irrigation area and now we can’t see any future in investing in High speed rail. We know we have to do it eventually but let’s build an airport first. Rail - a project for 100+years, versus an airport that will eventually become redundant without
WIN!
fuel. 2. Being so focused on money that they forget a lot of expenditure can really be classed as an investment in the future. (Remember the NBN) See those projects above and look closely now at the NBN. Properly done, serving every household in this country, this would add billions to our economy and provide the thousands of jobs that are part of the innovative employment we talk about for the future. The conservative’s answer is second rate internet will do for the peasants, and whilst pushing innovation we will cut scientists at the CSIRO. Doh!! 3. Being focused on the “well to do” and assuming that everyone has the same chance no matter what circumstances life has dealt you. Late breaking news…..Not everyone is born equal, some have to struggle and some get a nice kickstart. But rich or poor, a lot give up because life seems too hard. The problem is that the harder the road the more chance of giving up and the poor have a much harder road to hoe.
Why I would never vote with the left 1. Victim mentality My biggest gripe with the left (Labor and Greens) is they seem to promote a mass-victim mentality. “Woe is me, why can’t I have this, I should be entitled to that” I believe that the “visions” from the left - including doling out handouts to those who don’t even bother trying to have a go have had an incredibly negative impact on the productivity level of our country. Blind Freddy can see that some people will not even bother to strive to be employed if they’re going to get handed cash for doing sweet bugger all, laying on the lounge all day playing playstation. 2. Pandering and apologising too much to minority groups Once laws have been made to ensure minority groups are not discriminated against and have the same opportunities as everyone else, it needs to stop
Who do you agree with? Send your vote to nepeannews@aol.com for a chance to win a table for 4 at the Major Oak Theatre Restaurant including dinner and show.
there. But the left never seem to stop. They expect the silent majority to give, give, give and are not happy until we get to the point that its actually the majority who are being discriminated against. I saw a facebook meme that said “Middle-class Caucasian Australians: the only group you’re allowed to rubbish and discriminate against” It might actually be funny if it wasn’t true. 3. The left seem jealous of success Tall Poppy Syndrome is rife in the leftie ranks. The rich are greedy. Bosses are jerks. Landlords are money-hungry creeps. This mentality drives me nuts, because without the go-getter folk who are willing to risk all and take chances, where would all the jobs and the rental properties come from? If all jobs were government, and all properties housing commission, guess what we have? Communism.
WHO’S WINNING
DOES “RECLAIM AUSTRALIA” HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST IN TODAY’S SOCIETY?
SHE WINS
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22 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
Minchinbury Winery
Minchinbury Wine Cellars. Electricity hub (right) about to receive electricity installed in 1933. Left, the receiving area for all bulk wine deliveries.
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HE former Minchinbury Winery is of national significance for its special role in the establishment and development of the Australian wine industry. It was the first and largest champagne producer in New South Wales and was the second most important producer in Australia after the Great Western Cellars in Victoria. For over a century Minchinbury was the focus of an industry which required specialised skills which were intially imported but, through generations, an indigenous culture of wine making emerged and a world class wine industry developed. James Angus who established the Minchinbury winery is credited with introducing modern wine making techniques into Australia in the late nineteenth century. In 1903 he also introduced the sparkling wine that has made the name Minchinbury famous in Australia. Leo Buring, one of Australia’s most famous winemakers, had a long association with Minchinbury winery, working there from 1902 to 1918. The longest and one of the most important historical associations with the former Minchinbury Winery is that of Penfolds Wines Pty Ltd who operated the estate from 1912 to 1978, developing the winery to its final form. Ensign William Minchin left England to travel to Australia on 2 March 1797 as commander of the military guard on the Lady Shore. The prisoners mutinied on 1 August 1797, casting Minchin, his wife Ann and 27 others adrift. The group landed in Brazil two days later. Minchin and his wife returned to England before leaving again for Australia, finally arriving in Sydney in November 1800. They settled in the Hawkesbury district until 1808 when they travelled to England, returning to Australia in 1809. In 1810 Minchin was again in England, to give evidence at the trials that followed the Rum Rebellion. During the following years he was promoted to Captain and served in a number of areas before retiring from military service in 1817. Minchin returned to Australia in September 1818. The following year he surrendered a number of earlier land grants made to him in exchange for a grant of 1,000 acres at Melville, which he named Minchinbury. In 1820 he was appointed Principal Superintendent of Police and Treasurer of the Police Fund. He died on 36 March 1821 leaving his wife and a daughter Maria Matilda. In 1859 Minchinbury was purchased by the Army Surgeon, Dr Charles McKay. He used the property to establish vineyards as well as planting mulberry trees to cultivate silkworms. McKay also acquired Rooty Hill and Lubin Park estates, amassing a total of 2,000 acres in the area. Dr McKay planted about 40 acres of grape vines six feet apart in rows six feet wide. Varieties planted included Lambruscat, Riesling, Shiraz, Verdellho, Burgundy, Pineau Blane, Hermitage and Muscatel. The first cellar on the site was built in 1870 using bricks made on the estate. It was 60 feet long and 40 feet wide, with a hipped roof. The first room held two large vats and a screw press worked with a windlass. A grape crusher was also housed in the cellar. Dr McKay entered his wines in the International Exhibition held in Sydney in 1879 and was awarded one Highly Commended, one Commended and one Honourable Mention. Mackay did not live at Minchinbury, preferring to reside in his 26 room house on the Rooty
In 1913, Penfold’s Wines purchased the estate and operated the winery until June 1978, when the cellars closed and transferred into Penfold’s Wine Cellars at Tempe. The Estate became known as a housing complex.
Hill estate that he also owned. This house became known as Dr McKay’s mansion and later as Minchinbury House. James Angus and Sons, who are also described as railway contractors, owned Minchinbury from 1890 to 1912. They purchased the Rooty Hill estate of Dr McKay and lived at Minchinbury House, changing its name to Artornish Hall. In 1900 the Minchinbury estate comprised 2,000 acres. It was described at that time as having “been improved by clearing, subdivision into paddocks, the sowing of exotic grasses - the conservation of water in reservoirs, dams, tanks, and wells; and clumps of timber have been left here and there for shelter of cattle and horses.” Minchinbury was purchased by Penfolds Wines Pty Ltd (Penfolds) in 1912. Penfolds undertook a program of upgrading the facilities at the winery. Alterations in 1919-20 joined the cellar buildings into one structure where they produced their well-known Minchinbury champagne style wine as well as Hermitage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot, Alicante Bouchet and Durif. Penfolds closed the Minchinbury winery in June 1978. The wine still in the Minchinbury cellars was transferred to their Tempe cellars and the estate was acquired by the Land Commission. The Lands Commission in conjunction with Rex Homes developed it for housing. The entrance gates and row of olives were retained. The winery buildings were retained at the centre of the new suburb. A fire broke out in the winery buildings on 13 April 1987, destroying much of the roof structure. The buildings were offered for sale soon after. The winery site was further subdivided in 2006 for the creation of Anne Minchin Drive and additional houses. The winery remains continued to deteriorate until the site was converted to residential housing in 2010-13. The adaptaion works have restored and reconstructed parts of the winery, converting the cellars to a gym and pool area, and providing an interpretive walk through the site. The stills store has been adapted to contain a café restautrant. Penfolds closed the Minchinbury winery in June 1978. The wine still in the Minchinbury cellars was transferred to their Tempe cellars and the estate was acquired by the Land Commission. The Lands Commission in conjunction with Rex Homes developed it for housing. The entrance gates and row of olives were retained. The winery buildings were retained at the centre of the new suburb. A fire broke out in the winery buildings on 13 April 1987, destroying much of the roof structure. The buildings were offered for sale soon after. The winery site was further subdivided in 2006 for the creation of Anne Minchin Drive and additional houses. The winery remains continued to deteriorate until the site was converted to residential housing in 2010-13. The adaptaion works have restored and reconstructed parts of the winery, converting the cellars to a gym and pool area, and providing an interpretive walk through the site. The stills store has benn adapted to contain a café restaurant. Source: NSW Environment & Heritage
PROPERTY SALES AND LEASING, NOW OPEN IN MARSDEN PARK 9835 3355 | www.bennettproperty.com.au
WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME? By Matthew Bennett, Bennett Property Group
THERE are a number of factors to consider when deciding to list your property for sale and choosing the right time to sell can, for many, be confusing. Currently, Australian properties are in high demand with foreign investors because the weak Aussie Dollar equates to cheaper purchases. High demand means that property prices are pushed upwards. Assessing the Australian Dollar is important when determining if it is the right time to sell. Assessing property trends and monitoring patterns is also a valuable tool in the decision making process. Increases in local property prices is an obvious indicator that it’s the right time to sell and using property trends helps sellers make informed and educated decisions. Interest rates also play a role in determining the strength of the market. The lower the interest rate, the higher the volume of buyers who are marketready. The recent announcement by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to lower the cash rate to an all-time low of
1.75pc means buyer levels are at an alltime high. The most surprising factor, for many, is that the seasons can largely influence buyers. Spring and Autumn are often the busiest seasons for buyers, due to the milder climate, with many home owners believing that Spring is the best time to sell. This belief creates a lot of competition during this time of the year, however, by selling your property in Autumn there will be far less other properties to compete with, thereby introducing the chances of a quick sale. Now that it’s Autumn, and the school holidays are over, families are able to concentrate on purchasing their new home and there are many families looking to do just that. If you’re interested in selling your home this Autumn, call the Bennett Property Group team on 9835 3355. Our three office network means we are able to service all towns within Sydney’s northwest.
Interest rate update THIS week, as the end of the financial year draws closer, the Reserve Bank of Australia has announced the outcome of its board meeting and it has decreased the cash rate by 25 basis points. The official cash rate is now 1.75%. In taking this decision it appears the Reserve Bank has reacted to concerns around the relative strength of the Australian Dollar and the impact this is having on exporters and tourism, talk of a slowing housing market and new data showing inflation has dropped below their target range of 2.5 - 3%. The market is speculating that some lenders may not pass the decrease on in full, citing increased funding and regulatory costs. Therefore a fresh round of competition is likely to be sparked amongst lenders so it is a great time for us to review current finance arrangements. How does this impact the average mortgage holder? Here is a table showing how Australia’s average mortgage sizes may be affected:
LOAN AMOUNT EXAMPLES
LIKELY DECREASE IN REPAYMENTS
$150,000
$31.25 per month
$250,000
$52.08 per month
$350,000
$72.91 per month
$450,000
$93.75 per month
$550,000
$114.58 per month
$650,000
$135.41 per month
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss the current finance market in light of this announcement and how it may impact you.
Edwin McCoy | Smart Choice Mortgage & Finance | Mob: 0412 660 074 Email: eddie@smartchoicemortgage.com.au | Web: www.smartchoicemortgage.com.au
23 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
realestate real
RICHMOND
2
EXTRA LARGE BLOCK CASTLEREAGH
1
1
$000,000
2
RICHMOND QUALITY VILLA CASTLEREAGH
• In a popular cul-de-sac location • Freshly painted with new carpets • Updated kitchen with stainless-steel dishwasher, natural gas • 2 bedrooms, each with built-in robes • Security alarm and reverse-cycle air conditioning • Covered and paved outdoor entertaining area • Fenced courtyard with 3m x 3m steel-frame shed • Walk to schools and city train, Richmond Club
Inspect:
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 11:00 - 11:30am
Inspect:
Address:
93 Lennox Street
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 10:00 - 10:30am
Address:
5/3 Strong Place
Land Size: Approx 793 square metres
Price:
Just Listed
Price:
$780,000 - $820,000
Details:
Karen Rigg - 4573 1228
Details:
Michael Bennett - 4578 1234
“THE WHITE HOUSE” circa 1837 CASTLEREAGH
3
1
1
$000,000
1
$000,000
• Approx 793 square metres, Zoned R3 Medium Density • Very central location. Walk to city train and shops • Very comfortable full brick Californian bungalow with character • 10 foot ceilings and ornate cornices, original cedar joinery • Updated kitchen with oregon timber and dishwasher • Two room garden studio and carport • Fenced and established yard with potential
RICHMOND
1
4
RICHMOND LARGE FAMILY HOME CASTLEREAGH
2
$000,000
• Historic Home on an extra large garden block • Very comfortable brick residence with many original features • Entertainers kitchen opening onto a private garden courtyard • Separate brick studio with guest accommodation, a loft and garaging • Delightful gardens with an entertaining gazebo • Fully fenced with a gated entry. Tool shed, chook pen • Approx 1000 square metres - potential 2 lot subdivision (STCA) • Ideal Professional Rooms. Close to city train and shopping centre
• In a very central location • Updated single level, BV/tile home with ducted air, ensuite • Freshly painted with new floor coverings • Spacious living and dining areas Rumpus Room. Two covered outdoor areas • Fenced and level, established yard • Walk to city train and shopping centre, park
Inspect:
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 10:30 - 11:00am
Inspect:
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 12:00 - 12:30pm
Address:
74 Lennox Street
Address:
150 March Street
Land Size: Approx 1001 square metres
Land Size: Approx 650 square metres
Price:
$860,000 - $890,000
Price:
$799,000
Details:
Michael Bennett/Scott Lee - 4578 1234
Details:
Michael Bennett - 4578 1234
1
KURRAJONG (02) 4573 1228 80 Old Bells Line of Road RICHMOND (02) 4578 1234 239 Windsor Street MARSDEN PARK (02) 9835 3355 Cnr Richmond Road & South Street www.bennettproperty.com.au
ROPES CROSSING
3
POPULAR LOCATION CASTLEREAGH
2
1
$000,000
3
AGNES BANKS • Spacious family home on 744sqm corner block • Entertaining deck, outdoor kitchen/BBQ, gazebo • Comfortable bedrooms with BIR, master with ensuite • Saltwater swimming pool with water feature • Studio with bathroom, power, water, internal access • Infinity gas hot water, reverse cycle air conditioning • Triple-car garage with rear access and room for a boat
Inspect:
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 10:30 – 11:00am
Inspect:
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 12:00 - 12:30pm
Address:
10 Wiseman Circuit
Address:
2 Wardell Place
Price:
$590,000 to $615,000
Land Size: 744 square metres
Details:
Linda Bennett/Maurice Mantovani - 4578 1234
Price:
$849,000
Details:
Rhonda Schellnack - 4578 1234
3
QUALITY CUL-DE-SAC LOCATION CASTLEREAGH
2
2
$000,000
4
STUNNING PROPERTY WITH PANORAMIC VIEWS CASTLEREAGH $000,000
• Beautifully presented, single level family home • 3 good-sized bedrooms with robes, ensuite • Study/home office or potential bedroom 4 • Open plan living and dining area • Delightful alfresco area with ceiling fan, screens • Easy walk to park and playing fields, shops
RICHMOND
3
3
RIVERSTONE DEVELOPMENT CASTLEREAGHPOTENTIAL
• Superb location with an idyllic rural outlook • Grand and imposing two storey residence • Formal living and dining area. Tiled formal entry • Open plan kitchen and family area with walk-in pantry • Quality features include ducted air, ducted vacuum • Extra large yard, fully fenced • Fully landscaped with water feature • Plans drawn for a detached 2 bedroom Granny Flat
• Approx 2.8 acres in The Avenue • 3 bedroom country homestead • Large 18m x 9m shed with 3 phase power • Three (3) road frontages • Multiple (38) titles • Excellent Opportunity in this location!
Inspect:
Saturday 7 & 14 May, 2:00 - 2:30pm
Inspect:
Address:
6 Victoria Place
Land Size: Approx 2.8 acres
1
5
$000,000
By Appointment
Land Size: Approx 750 square metres
Price:
Just Listed
Price:
Upcoming Auction
Details:
Maurice Mantovani/Ken Chua - 9835 3355
Details:
Karen Rigg - 4573 1228
KURRAJONG (02) 4573 1228 80 Old Bells Line of Road RICHMOND (02) 4578 1234 239 Windsor Street MARSDEN PARK (02) 9835 3355 Cnr Richmond Road & South Street www.bennettproperty.com.au
No Grand Final glory for Wanderers By Chris Layland
DESPITE going from second-last to second-place in one season, the wait for an elusive Grand Final trophy was cruelly extended for the Western Sydney Wanderers as Tony Popovic’s side succumbed to a 3-1 defeat in front of an Adelaide Oval crowd of 50,119. The trophy looked out of reach when a dominant Adelaide United surged to a 2-0 lead at half-time courtesy of Bruce Kamau’s opener and Isaias’ exceptional free-kick. Unlikely goal scoring hero Scott Neville could not have picked a grander occasion nor better time to open his Western Sydney account when he restored a glimmer of hope after the break but It couldn’t spur the side on to an equalising goal despite a frenetic late rally from the visitors, with Pablo Sanchez striking at the death to end the Reds’ 13-year wait for championship glory. Entering their third Grand Final in four seasons, the Wanderers will rue a flat first-half performance that saw Adelaide seize a commanding lead. And with just one loss in their last twenty, and just eight goals conceded since Round 8 of the regular season,
Heading
Fans descend on Adelaide hoping for victory
Guillermo Amor’s side were never at risk of implosion, nor could the Wanderers replicate their dramatic comeback from 3-0 down against Brisbane Roar in last Sunday’s semifinal. The Red & Black fell behind to the second quickest goal in Hyundai A-League Grand Final history.
Kenyan-born winger Bruce Kamau timed his run to perfection to steer the ball beyond Andrew Redmayne after Marcelo Carrusca had broken free down the Wanderers’ right. A brilliant chance to restore parity fell to Brendon Santalab but the forward could only direct his diving header wide and the Reds
Western Sydney Wanderers Fan Day xxxx
Social Butterfly
doubled their advantage moments after Santalab’s miss through an unstoppable free-kick from Isaias. Popovic rued both goals with Adelaide’s two strikes coming directly from Wanderers losing unnecessary possession, leaving the Red & Black with a mountain to climb. But they were back in the contest when Scott Neville lashed home a superb effort inside the box after good work from Romeo Castelen and a clever flick from Brendon Santalab. It was deserved reward for the Wanderers who turned in a valiant second half display. It could have been 2-2 too as first Neville’s cross went just behind two on-rushing attackers in the six-yard box before Topor-Stanley’s header went directly to the keeper. But it wasn’t meant to be for the Red & Black who were dealt a hammer blow on the cusp of stoppage time when Pablo Sanchez swept home Adelaide’s third. After three Grand Finals, one Premiership win and one Champions League victory in only four seasons of existence, the Wanderers have a history to be proud of but will have to wait at least one more season for Championship glory.
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Parramatta cop the harshest of punishments By Jarrod McGrouther
IT will be known as the darkest day in the history of the Parramatta Eels. Tuesday morning it was announced that the club was stripped of all 12-competition points accrued this season, along with copping a $1 million fine (a quarter of which is to be suspended if the Eels comply with the NRL’s conditions). Five Eels officials have also been given show cause notices as to why they shouldn’t be deregistered. Parramatta were found guilty of breaching the NRL salary cap five of the last six years. The current crop of players has now been punished for
back of house staff getting it all wrong. With the recent concerns surrounding key playmaker Kieran Foran, the news could not of come at a worse time. Reports state that the Eels are over the salary cap again in 2016. It is believed this season’s breach is around the half a million-dollar mark. This adds more fuel to the fire, with
the Eels unable to accrue competition points until this is addressed. The most likely scenario to address this is the culling of players contracted to the current first grade squad. Todd Greenberg, CEO of the NRL, has also given Parramatta the opportunity to respond to the NRL’s decision. There will no doubt be more news on this in the coming days. The electrifying Eels were well on their way to a semi finals birth in 2016, playing tremendous, spirited football. It now seems that all hope of that has come crashing down. With 15 fixtures remaining, the Eels will have to win roughly 12 of their remaining
games to be any hope of a top 8 finish. Moving forwards, the Eels next game will be an emotionally charged home fixture against Souths Sydney. With rep round this weekend meaning no regular season games will take place, the attention now shifts to not only that game, but to how quickly the Eels can make the changes needed to compete for points once again in this years competition. As a playing group, the Eels have already shown they are more than capable of sticking together, and that resilient nature will need to shine through for the remainder of 2016 and beyond.
The Eels bench, an underrated commodity By Jarrod McGrouther
THE Parramatta Eels started the 2016 season with great hype and expectation. With a record of six wins and three losses to date, having defeated premiership heavy weights the Cowboys, Manly and Canterbury to start the year, the sky was the limit for the talented young squad. Then Tuesday came along, and with it, the punishment in relation to the now infamous salary cap breaches. There has been plenty reported on the breaches and the associated consequences, and rightly so, but lets get back to focusing on the footy. At the end of the day the Eels still have a hope of finishing inside the top 8 this season, and have the squad capable of doing so. A big contributing factor to the Eels early success this year has been the four men that start the game on the bench. Men like Peni Terepo, Danny Wicks and Isaac De Gois have been the backbone of the side and their statistical numbers have been extremely impressive. No better example of their importance was last
Players (L to R): Michael Gordon, Danny Wicks, Daniel Alvaro, Peni Terepo
weekends win over the Bulldogs, where the Eels lost two key players to injury, leaving the bench to fill gaps and help their team over the line. One of those important men is Danny Wicks, who is playing big minutes this season; often times coming off the bench and going on to finish the contest. In 9 games this
year, he has missed only 13 tackles and committed only 3 errors, which are fantastic stats for a big man with a mammoth workload. Crowd favourite Peni Terepo is a destructive ball runner and consummate nice guy, who applies his trade in bursts off the bench. He has an average of 8.5 metres per carry, and
has only 5 missed tackles all season. This dependability has him cemented in the side on a weekly basis. Catching up with Peni earlier in the week, he said he was happy to come off the bench and knew he had to have an impact on the game. “My role is really just to control and bring that speed back into the middle. The amount of work you do depends on how long you’re out there for. The impact you have on the game will depend on how long you’ll be out there for too.” Isaac De Gois is another exceptional talent off the bench, adding defensive steal, quick feet in attack, and has yet to commit an error this season. This consistent performance from an experienced head is having a calming influence on the side. Parramatta’s bench may not get the credit it deserves, but it’s fair to say their efforts aren’t going unnoticed. It will be interesting to see how the Eels approach the remainder of 2016, but one thing is for sure, the steely determination of the playing group, 1 through 17, will continue to shine through.
Storm losing strength By Noel Rowsell
THE Blacktown Storm Youth League Men’s team has slipped out of the top six teams in the 2016 Waratah Division One Youth League Men’s competition, after dropping crucial games against high-ranked opponents in Rounds 7 and 8. Round 7 gave the Storm a perfect opportunity to grab a win on their home court, with the Central Coast Crusaders missing several players due to commitments with their senior team in the Championship League division. Storm head coach Greg Radford would however lament after the 81-72
loss - “The harder we tried, the worse we got”. “Too many turnovers, missing easy baskets - including one at the end of regulation - and poor shooting from the free throw line” said Radford. Diing Mawein led the scoring for the Storm with 18 points, ahead of Simeon Murray 16, Rhyss Limguangco 16 and Atier Manzl 13. Round 8 heralded the return of Australian representative Makuach Maluach to the Storm line-up but even with his imposing presence, the Storm would fall 87-81 to the Sydney City Comets at Alexandria. The Storm led 21-16 in the first term, before trailing 38-37 and 66-
59 at the end of the second and third terms respectively. Makuach left the game early with 5 fouls but still led the Storm with 22 points, ahead of Murray 17, Mawein 14 and Junior Madut 14. The Storm head to Maitland this Saturday to play the ninth-placed Mustangs, who are a considerably stronger proposition on their home court due to a higher player availability from the Mustangs’ Championship League team. Radford will be aware the Storm have dropped out of the top six and cannot afford to lose this game, with every result crucial even at this early stage of the season.
Diing Mawein elevates to hit a field goal for the Storm. Photo courtesy of Noel Rowsell (www.photoexcellence.com.au)
BARRIER RISE Blue Sox batter up with Tony Brassel
Tony Brassel is one of the most respected judges of horseflesh in the country. He is a form expert and racing analyst with SKY Racing and radio 2KY and has now joined the Western Sydney News Group stable of journalists
ATTENTION: Raced on the pace but was trapped wide throughout when a smart third at the Warwick Farm trial session. He’s a lovely moving horse from the formidable Peter and Paul Snowden operation. CHUCKLES: Is an unraced colt also from the Team Snowden stable and does he move like a decent galloper. Impressed when wheeled out for the first time in public at The Farm. CLEARLY INNOCENT: Has been kept ticking over by trainer Greg Bennet up at Scone. He chased home the fleet-footed Music Magnate in a cruisy Wyong heat last Monday. HEBDEN: Is in the formative stages of this preparation but expect a prominent showing whenever John O’Shea send her out. The Exceed And Excel mare was very willing when under restraint in a Warwick Farm heat. INVINZABEEL: Has come up a
treat for Chris Waller judging by the way he trialled last week. Always on the speed, the rangy sprinter was never out of first gear down the stretch. MAGIC PANTHER: Looks a bit of a prospect for young trainer Michael Costa. This youngster unleashed a beaut gear change to score at the recent Warwick Farm barrier trial session. MUSIC MAGNATE: Is trained at The Farm but trainer Bjorn Baker sent him up to Wyong for a blistering trial win last Monday. He’s straight into winning form and looks set for a big campaign. SEBRING SUN: Is a cracking sort under the Gary Portelli care and he strolled up to win a heat. He hasn’t raced for six months but has earned prizemoney six times from 10 goes and looks more than ready.
THE Little League Champions hail from the west as Macarthur was crowned 2016 NSW Little League Champions after overcoming a valiant Manly side 8-7 in the final at Blacktown International Sportspark. The game was in the balance up until the final out with both sides showing true hunger, grit and determination. They traded the lead five times on Sunday but Macarthur edged the contest in the end. They pulled the win thanks to a strong fourth inning through a two-run single by Tyrone Fergie off Nick Gall, which plated Noah Lepre and Jack Bennetts. Macarthur got the lead and would not relinquish it as Manly were unable to weather a four-run fourth inning deficit. To their credit Manly staged a fightback late in the game to cut the lead back to one through an RBI single by Joshua Beezley in the sixth but despite their efforts they fell just short. Jacob Veres racked up three RBIs on two hits for Macarthur. He homered in the third inning and singled in the fourth. Macquarie will now head to the National Championships in Lismore
later this year as NSW champs and will hope to emulate last year’s winners Cronulla who won the right to go to an all-expenses paid trip to the Little League World Series. Qualification for the National Championships was up for grabs and the major goal for all the teams in this tournament. Along with the finalists Central Coast, Ryde North and Hills also secured their place to Lismore. Baseball NSW would like to thank all the players, officials, staff, umpires, parents, coaches and volunteers for all of their efforts in ensuring the competition ran smoothly. Thank you also to Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali who attended the final to present the winners.
CelebrityTIPSTERS
ROUND UND STG V CAN PAR V SOU PAN V NZW MEL V NQC MAN V BRI NEW V CRO WES V BUL GCT V SYD
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May 12, 7.50pm
May 13, 7.50pm
May 14, 3.00pm
May 14, 5.30pm
May 14, 7.55pm
May 15, 2.00pm
29 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
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May 15, 4.00pm
May 16, 7.00pm
SCORE
Clr Stephen Bali Mayor - Blacktown City Council
93 Matthew Bennett - Bennett Property
95 Tony - Choices Blacktown
87 Paul Maher - Loxley on Bellbird
89 Troy - Urban City Consulting
73 Michelle Faint - Kidz Zoo
71 Kimberley Talbot - CEO Richmond Club
91 Barry Locock - Turtle Landscape Supplies
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30 Western News 6 May 2016 Issue 9
MY WORDS WITH MARK GEYER
THE INCREDIBLE CARTWRIGHT BLOODLINE
I HAD the real privilege of playing right alongside John Cartwright for six years of my Panthers career. I also watched and admired him when as a youngster - I would especially wait around after my club game for St Marys under 17’s for the A grade fixture in which ‘Carty’ would star. I also know John’s older brothers Dave and Cliff very well too. Dave was the St Marys enforcer back then, and Cliff was my first coach in u/23’s. In fact the entire Cartwright family have had a massive affect on Rugby League full stop in the greater West of Sydney. I was also coached by John’s brother-in-law Jamie Jones, who like his family in-law has the Panther blood running through his veins. To witness Bryce Cartwright’s ascendency in the NRL ranks is quite surreal. That right arm off-load. That step and jink and running style that is a lot swifter than it looks. The similarities between Carty and his nephew (Dave’s son) are mind blowing. But with all due respect to my partner in crime, I think Bryce is on the cusp of an even greater career than his famous uncle. Which alone is a feat. He also MUST be picked for NSW this year. Surely his 195 running metres, 2 offloads, a try, a try assist, a line break assist and 30 tackles against the Raiders last Saturday in Bathurst all but confirmed a spot in Laurie Daley’s Blues this season. The Panthers now find themselves in 8th spot, mainly on the back of a forward pack energized with youngsters like Cartwright, Campbell- Gillard,
and Fisher- Harris leading the way. With the rep round upon us with plenty of Panthers players involved, the club’s depth will be surely tested over the next couple of weeks. But one gets the feeling the 2016 version of Mountain Men will handle it astutely. And another thing..... Tuesday this week the 4th instalment of the MG cup kicked off again. It’s been a real highlight of my post footy career to be able to watch this rugby league schools competition go from strength to strength. With the help firstly of Mark Bohan and now Ben James from the NRL the initiative has been supported wonderfully by them and their team. The loyal sponsors ( Hogs Breath, North Penrith McDonalds and Master Coaching) have also made it a competition that has great scholastic rewards for the individual deemed the best in each age group. I’m excited to see the students and teachers of the schools participating really buying into the comps motto ‘I learn so I play’. Students have to tick three boxes each week before they are allowed to partake in any up-coming game that they may have. The results have been unbelievably rewarding. If you’re looking for some entertaining school footy make sure to try and get to a venue (school) near you as the comp plays out over the next 8 weeks. See you at the game.
MG (random Westie) OAM
Warriors whitewash weekend By Jarad Weston, BRUFC Committee Member
THE Blacktown Rugby Union Football Club (BRUFC) is enjoying a successful 2016 season to-date. All four grades remain undefeated after Round 4 of the NSWSRU competition with each win more convincing than the last. BRUFC Second Grade Co-Coach & Club Treasurer, Keith Murphy said the Club have not had a big day like this in a number of years. “This success has been great for the
Club. Last time we had big wins like this we won the comp in First grade and were finalists in all the other grades,” Keith said. On Saturday, the Warriors played at their home ground, Alwyn Lindfield Reserve in Glenwood. The day commenced with Fourth grade playing against local rivals Hills Rugby Club. In what was a close game, BRUFC finished with a classy try from Fly Half Tamana Samuela to secure the win 17-12. Third Grade took on Macquarie University Rugby Club who have been
historically strong in the lower grades. The BRUFC forwards had a busy game which resulted in plenty of tries for the backs and a 45-12 score line. Mac Uni were no trouble for the Warriors Seconds with 99 unanswered points, 22 of which came from the boot of Tim Crowe by the way of conversions. The Players’ Player, Joshua Sika had an outstanding game in Number Eight, and team captain Clinton Kirk lead by example, both of which scored 5-pointers in the huge 99-0 win. This game was also the celebration for Centre Brendan
Weyland, who ran on for his 100th Club Game for Blacktown. To finish the day, BRUFC First Grade blitzed Macquarie Uni with 15 tries to finish 93-0. Man of the Match, Filimoni Vulimailaucala scored 4 tries in the encounter, with another 6 tries added by star Fullback, Maciu Kubunameca. BRUFC will take on Briars Rugby Club next Saturday at Rothwell Park in Concord. With Briars currently sitting second on the ladder in Second and Third grades there will no doubt be some great rugby on display.
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Western NEWS
sport
Friday, 6 May 2016
HARPO’S MARKS
R REMEMBER Fred P Pagano? d who? h I hhear you ask! Fred Fred played in the Sydney Rugby League competition throughout the latter half of the 70’s. He played 11 games for CronullaSutherland in 1975-76, made 24 appearances at Newtown in 197778 and ran on in six games for the Rabbitohs in his swan-song year of 1979. While he was with the Bluebags – yes, that was Newtown’s nickname for yonks before John Singleton took over at the club and changed it to the Jets – Fred became known as a tackling machine. In those days, each club’s statisticians compiled the tackle counts and match after match, Fred was accredited with making 80 or so tackles – yep, one a minute if, of course, the Bluebags had 100 per cent of the possession!
Methinks the person compiling Newtown’s tackle count was Fred’s mother! I reckon that if Fred, a forward, was within 10 metres of a tackled player, he was accredited with making the stoppage. Crikey, at all the other clubs, a player making 30 or so tackles was believed to have had a tremendous impact in defence! I well remember that in those days, the bloke stopping the ball carrier’s forward motion was accredited with the tackle. Which brings me to Jake Friend! Statistics on the NR: website reveal Jake is the leading tackler in the league with 499 put-downs in nine matches, averaging just under 56 tackles per game. That’s 117 tackles more than the next bloke on the tackle count ladder! As you, dear reader, is aware, for
most of the six tackle count, it is a case of iust one pass from dummy half to a ball carrier who charges into the defence, only a few metres away from the play-the-ball. Friend simply darts across and does his hatching an egg impersonation by flopping on the real tacklers in a bid to slow down the play-the-ball. Look, don’t get me wrong, Friend is a handy player and puts in his all on the footy field but as the bloke who does most of the marking at the play-the-ball, he is able to chalk up a huge number of supposed tackles by being second or third man on the lamentable pile-up tackles that are a scourge on the game. When my fellow columnist, Mark Geyer, was playing in the 80’s and 90’s – crikey, was it that long ago? – he was probably the forward on the field with the least number of tackles to his name.
Because of the ferociousness of his big hits, invariably the ball carrier would head off to territory unmarked by the tough-as-teak MG. MG just had to stand on a big blindside and normally that part of the field was declared a no-go area by ball-carriers which gave the Panthers plenty of players to defend in the MG-Free Zone. Yes, its, not the number of “tackles” you make but what impact they have on the eventual outcome of the game. I’m sure each and every Panthers supporter who saw MG at his lethal best would agree! HIGH MARKS: Just thinking about MG and those hits. Aaah! LOW MARKS: I digress. Why is it so that Channel 9 has to provide viewers with a daily update in the mundane lives of the British royal family? Who gives a rat’s rectum!
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