Western Weekender July 12 2024

A mission to be Premier

Exclusive: One-on-one with NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman in Penrith

Mark Speakman’s alarm goes off well before 5am.

It’s always gone off early, but never quite this early on a daily basis.

But this is the life of an Opposition Leader.

And while the 2027 State Election may seem an age away, it is in these cold winters where future Premiers are born.

It’s where shoe leather is worn thin, and many hands are shaken.

The ground work for what is to come.

On this particular day, Speakman begins his journey from the Sutherland Shire to Penrith well before the sun has risen.

First stop is the Penrith CBD Corporation’s Coffee Catch-up at Panthers Leagues Club. Rather than deliver a pre-prepared speech full of political rhetoric, Speakman opts to mingle with business owners and managers instead – learning the lay of the land.

The first coffee of the morning is followed by a dart across Victoria Bridge to meet the Weekender at Laughin’ Boy café.

This is just the beginning of what is likely to be a regular trip west for Speakman as he tries to wrestle the seat of Penrith back

“We would like to win every seat we can at the next election and Penrith is sitting on a margin of one per cent so I expect our Labor opponents and ourselves will be having a fierce contest here,” he said.

“It’s been important to get on the ground here in Penrith, speaking to local businesses. A lot of people out here are doing it tough. Costof-living everywhere I go in New South Wales is the biggest issue, and that has a big impact on businesses as well.” Speakman delivered his verdict on the first third of Labor’s term in government, declaring it hasn’t been what the public had hoped.

“I think a lot of people are disappointed with this government,” he said.

“They were expecting a bit of vision and there is none. There is really no long-term vision for this state. The transformational infrastructure you saw under the Liberals and Nationals won’t be happening.”

Speakman said the Government needed to do more to tackle the cost-of-living and housing crisis in the state.

“There are people turning up in suits at Penrith Community Kitchen because they can’t afford to put food on the table,” he said.

“We’ve seen this government in the last Budget introduce no new cost-of-living support. Instead, a lot of the cost-of-living support we had has been slashed or cancelled.”

While the Coalition lost plenty of experience at the last election – including the long-time Penrith MP Stuart Ayres – Speakman is confident that he has the right mix to take to the next election.

“We’ve got nine MPs under 40, five under 35... Labor have got none under 35,” he said.

“And while you may not want a government run solely by 20-somethings, it’s important to have that input particularly in the middle of a housing crisis.”

While Speakman is yet to don his Speedos and have a splash at Penrith Beach, he did call for the State Government to think beyond the year-to-year beach set-up and investigate implementing Western Sydney Lakes’ full vision for the site.

And he’s determined to keep tackling the domestic violence crisis that continues to engulf the state he wishes to run.

“There’s no magic wand and there’s no doubt that domestic violence is a scourge that effects every community,” he said.

“There’s no easy solution. The key to it all is a lack of respect. That cultural change, calling out bad behaviour, teaching kids respect in schools, that’s at the very heart of it.”

While he admitted the legal system “isn’t perfect”, he backed Apprehended Violence Orders as a key component in tackling domestic violence cases, saying they had the desired impact in about 75 per cent of situations.

“There has to be a whole of government approach to this,” he said.

While the Coalition is some time off locking in a candidate to tackle the next State Election in Penrith, Speakman promised it won’t be the last we see of him in the area – committing to be a regular fixture in the coming months and years.

The Weekender ’s Troy Dodds chats with NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman at Laughin’ Boy cafe. Photo: Melinda Jane.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman. Photo: Melinda Jane.

TROY DODDS

A Penrith icon remembered: Tributes flow for our ‘pen man’

His place in Penrith never to be forgotten, John Boccanfuso was remembered by friends, family and community members at a funeral service on Wednesday morning.

Boccanfuso became known affectionately as the ‘pen man’, selling more than one million pens for charity for almost 50 years from his stand in Penrith.

The Penrith character was in a serious accident at 12-years-old that left him with brain damage. He would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

In 1974, disability charity Aruma (formerly known as House with No Steps), arranged for Boccanfuso to sell fundraising pens in Parramatta. He quickly moved to Penrith, his home for the next half a century. He would become an icon in the city.

For years he worked seven days a week selling his pens, leaving the nursing home that

would become his residence for many years to work between 10am and 2pm.

He has been in ill health for some time and hasn’t been spotted at Westfield for several years.

Boccanfuso received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2012 for his service to people with a disability.

He was also named among Westfield Penrith’s Local Heroes in 2018.

News of his passing has touched the Penrith community, with hundreds of tributes on social media.

And Westfield Penrith has confirmed it will work to establish a permanent memorial to honour Boccanfuso’s place in the shopping centre’s history.

At his funeral service on Wednesday, sister Patricia and nephew Ben both spoke, along with several friends and Jacinda Dobson from Westfield.

With a bottle of VB sitting on his casket, people shared memories of Boccanfuso and stories about his life.

The man himself remained happy despite the challenges he faced in his life.

“I was born into an Italian family and was the last of five children,” he once wrote.

“I liked playing cricket, soccer and I was particularly good at tennis and football.

“I also loved riding my bike. Being raised in an Italian family, I was a Catholic and graduated to being an altar boy.

“Life was full of adventure. However, when I was 12-years-old, my life changed dramatically.”

“Life would never be the same,” he said, and while that’s true, there can be no doubt that the life Boccanfuso did lead brought joy to many. He will never be forgotten.

all backgrounds to stand for election to their local council. Your council does more than just look after roads, rates and rubbish. It plays a vital role in your community and councillors’ decisions affect your daily life. Counci ls need to be diverse to better represent your local community

You, or someone you know, could help make life better in your available for elected councillors.

INDEPENDENT

John Boccanfuso’s sister Patricia speaks at his funeral service. Photo: Melinda Jane.

John Boccanfuso.

TROY DODDS

the western weekender

PO BOX 7105

South Penrith NSW 2750

P (02) 4722 2998 • F (02) 4731 6255

westernweekender.com.au

facebook.com/westernweekender

@wwpenrith

@westernweekender

@westernweekender

@westernweekender

The Editor’s Desk | Opinion

Troy Dodds

troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

There’s many ways to get your paper each week – including via email! Visit westernweekender.com.au/getapaper to find out more.

Advertising: sales@westernweekender.com.au

Editorial: news@westernweekender.com.au

Distribution/delivery queries: distribution@westernweekender.com.au

Published by: Western Sydney Publishing Group

Managing Editor:

Troy Dodds troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

@troydodds

Weekender Newsroom:

Deputy Editor: Nathan Taylor @natetaylor87

Journalist: Cassidy Pearce | @cass_pearce

Journalist: Emily Chate | @chateemily

Photographer: Melinda Jane

If you have a story suggestion or news tip, email news@westernweekender.com.au

Sales Executives: Andrew Harris, Chris Middleton, Angela Jevdich

To receive a copy of our media kit and advertising prices, email sales@westernweekender.com.au

Production: Ian Beard, Zoe Merrick, Kacey Wilson

Administration: Amanda Coskerie, Madeline Dantier

The Western Weekender is bound by the Standards of Practice of the Australian Press Council. If you believe the Standards may have been breached, you may approach the newspaper itself or contact the Council by email (info@presscouncil.org.au) or by phone ([02] 9261 1930). For further information see www.presscouncil.org.au.

Should Albanese bite the bullet?

If you believe some of the political pundits out there, we should be sharpening lead pencils en masse ahead of an early Federal Election on August 31.

On the surface, the arguments for an early poll are reasonably sound.

The theory is that with fears of an interest rate rise in September and the economy likely to get worse, it’s best to go now rather than wait until next year.

There’s also a belief that Peter Dutton simply isn’t quite ready for a campaign now, but he could gain the necessary momentum by the time a poll was held next year.

His recent nuclear energy commitment threw a spanner in the works. With little detail and costs available now, could Albanese produce a ‘if you don’t know, vote no’ style campaign against Dutton’s plan?

An early election shouldn’t be seen as a sign of desperation. Plenty of first term governments have done it, including legendary Prime Ministers Bob Hawke (1984) and John Howard (1998).

If the time is right, it’s right.

Labor is obviously and understandably desperate to avoid being a one-term government. And while it’s had its failures along the way since being elected in 2022, the Albanese Government is not so much on the nose that it would lose an early election, at least you wouldn’t think so.

But I’m not convinced Albanese will go early. And part of me thinks this is just all hot air so the political panel shows and columnists have something to talk about.

Spearheading my thoughts on this is the upcoming Queensland State Election, due to be held in October.

It’s commonly known that Queenslanders have their baseball bats out, ready to give it to Labor at that poll.

Steven Miles, who became Premier following the shock resignation of Annastacia Palaszczuk, is a sitting duck with David Crisafulli likely to be leading the state by the end of the year.

If Albanese went early, he would surely risk those baseball bats being directed at him instead. It would be a foolish move.

“The risk of an early election is just too great”

Labor also can’t take the electorate for fools and going to an early election with the narrative from political experts that it’s to avoid a potential interest rate rise distracting the campaign could backfire significantly.

The economy may well get worse, but individuals and businesses are already struggling with cost-of-living to the point where, as NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman put it this week, “people in suits are turning up to Penrith Community Kitchen”.

Labor may find that the voting public will make their feelings of the current crisis clear and take it out on Albanese at the ballot box.

Again, a risk too great to take, even if the road ahead in 2025 is uncertain.

There’s also every chance Peter Dutton could produce a strong campaign on nuclear energy, despite the lack of costings and detail.

As voters look at their sky-rocketing electricity bills, something Labor promised to bring down in their campaign ahead of the last election, perhaps they’ll be more open to Dutton’s plan than Labor thinks.

Again, why would you risk it?

Then there’s the obvious question: Is Labor even ready?

While they’d probably be happy to retain the seats they do have in Parliament and it would take a minor miracle for the Coalition to form any sort of government at the next

election, there would be plenty of seats Labor doesn’t hold that it doesn’t even have candidates in place for yet.

Here in Lindsay, for example, where redistribution makes sitting MP Melissa McIntosh slightly more vulnerable, there is barely even a whisper of a Labor candidate being locked in.

How can you fight a campaign in the western suburbs of Sydney without a voice or a presence in a seat such as this?

Labor has plenty of problems at the moment.

Its treatment of Fatima Payman in recent times is a great example of Labor’s ability to talk the talk but not walk the walk.

It claims that it is the party of diversity, and attempts to appeal to that space, yet when a diverse opinion is expressed, it wields the axe.

It’s not about whether her opinion was right or wrong, it should be about her right to have one.

And while tax cuts that came in last week have been welcomed by plenty, there’s a knowledge that they’ll likely be eaten up by interest rate increases in the next few months.

Regardless of what control they do or don’t have regarding interest rates and the economy, we all know where the electorate will shift the blame.

There’s definitely a sliding doors moment at play here.

Do you go early, ride the risks, and hope the baseball bats aren’t too brutal and you survive, with another three years being the reward?

Or do you wait, hope the economy doesn’t reach a disastrous point that leads people down the ‘change is needed’ path, and get that three years anyway, potentially ending Peter Dutton’s career in the process?

It has to be the latter.

The risks of an early election are just too great.

And if it’s not August 31, I doubt Albanese goes this side of Christmas.

But will he be able to resist the temptation? We’ll know pretty soon.

Fowler has more to give

Veteran Liberal Councillor

Ross Fowler has announced his intentions to recontest his spot on Council at the upcoming Local Government Election.

Penrith City Council will hold an election in September for residents to vote for representatives of the community and Fowler intends to go again.

“I believe I still have a lot to offer to the community and I have a good track record in representing the city and representing the people of Penrith,” Fowler told the Weekender

“I’ve taken a great interest in the financial wellbeing of the organisation, and I’ve still got plenty left in me.”

Fowler has now been a staple on Council for over three decades.

“At the moment, I’ve been on Council for 33 consecutive years, I think,” Fowler said.

“Someone thinks it’s the most consecutive terms, [but] I haven’t gone through the records.”

At the election there will be at least three new Councillors elected as former Mayor Tricia Hitchen

announced earlier this year her intention to retire from Council; Karen McKeown will not be rerunning as she is now the State Member for Penrith; and Jim Aitken resigned from Council in July of last year after battling ill health. His spot was not filled after his resignation at the time.

Fowler expects the incoming Councillors to be active members of the Council and to put their affection for Penrith and its people above all else.

“I expect them to be fairly attentive and willing to learn and most importantly willing to participate and represent the people who elect them in person,” Fowler said.

“It will depend on the individual how they approach it.

“Some will be gung-ho, [and] some will sit back and just see how it works but I hope they take [it all] on board...

“Hopefully they listen to their fellow colleagues and take direction, and hopefully ask questions about what goes on and what the process is, how to go about things and how to achieve [what they] want to achieve through their term on Council.”

There is just over nine weeks remaining until the Penrith City Council election, which will be held on Saturday, September 14.

Councillor Ross Fowler is seeking another term on Council. Photo: Melinda Jane.

LAW and ORDER

Police Snapshot Legal Matters

Penrith: Restaurant targeted in three break-ins

A man has been charged over three breakins at a restaurant earlier this year.

On the night of Sunday, March 10 a restaurant on High Street, Penrith was broken into. Staff at the restaurant discovered the break-in the next morning and reported the incident to police.

The business was then broken into again on Monday, March 11 and Friday, March 22 where cash, alcohol and other property was taken from the premises.

The subsequent police investigation and review of CCTV footage resulted in police identifying a single offender who was believed to have been responsible for all three of the incidents.

Police located and charged a 44-year-old male.

Penrith: Two teens charged after chase ended in car park

Two males have been charged following a pursuit last weekend that ended at Westfield Penrith.

About 2.52pm on Saturday, July 6 2024, officers attached to the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command observed an allegedly stolen black Audi Q7 driving in a dangerous manner on Nutt Road, Londonderry.

Police attempted to stop the vehicle; when it didn’t stop, a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit was terminated a short time later due to safety concerns.

The vehicle was then tracked by PolAir to a shopping centre car park on High Street, Penrith, where it came to a stop.

Two people were seen leaving the vehicle on foot.

A short time later, a 19-year-old man was arrested nearby and taken to Penrith Police Station.

The 19-year-old was charged with two counts of ‘be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner’, ‘larceny value less than or equal to $2000’ and ‘passenger not disclose driver’s/other passenger’s identity’. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Penrith Local Court on Tuesday, July 23.

The vehicle was seized for forensic examination.

Following further inquiries by officers attached to the Hawkesbury Police Area Command, the second person – a 17-year-old boy – who police will allege was driving the vehicle, was arrested in Windsor.

He was taken to Windsor Police Station, where he was charged with three counts of ‘drive conveyance taken without consent of owner’, three counts of ‘drive motor vehicle during disqualified period’, ‘exceed speed more than 45km/h’, ‘police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly’, ‘drive recklessly/ furiously or speed/manner dangerous’ and ‘breach of bail’.

The 17-year-old appeared before a children’s court where he was refused bail to appear before a children’s court on Monday, July 15.

Police will allege in court the Audi was stolen from an address in Glenwood on Monday, July 1.

Man arrested after police pursuit along M4 Motorway

A man has been arrested after leading police on a pursuit.

On Saturday, July 6 at 10.30pm police detected a vehicle travelling at 141km/h along the M4 Motorway at Minchinbury.

Police attempted to pull the vehicle over and were ignored, resulting in a police pursuit being initiated.

When the vehicle reached the Kent Road off-ramp the vehicle slowed down slightly in the breakdown lane before sharply accelerating away in an attempt to evade police.

The driver made several further attempts to evade police before stopping in Blaxland, where the driver and the sole occupant was arrested.

The 20-year-old male was taken to Springwood Police Station where he was formally charged.

Kingswood: Woman arrested after attack leaves victim injured

A woman has been charged after viciously assaulting another woman.

On Friday, July 5 three women arrived at an address in Kingswood where two of the parties got into an argument.

The argument escalated into a physical altercation where the offender punched the victim multiple times after pushing the victim to the ground. The offender also kicked the victim with both feet, multiple times. The victim had tried to yell out for help during the assault, but the offender used her hand to cover the mouth of the victim.

It is believed that the offender then used a broken metal can to cause lacerations on the skin of the victim.

A 21-year-old woman was charged.

DECEASED ESTATES – PREPARING FOR YOUR MEETING WITH YOUR LAWYER with Daniel McKinnon

If you are a next of kin or have been named as the executor in a deceased person’s Will you might be wondering what steps you need to take to begin the process of legally finalising their estate.

This is known as “administering” the estate. Where there is a Will, this is the executor’s job. Where there is no Will, this usually is the responsibility of the next of kin or major beneficiary of the deceased person’s estate under the laws of intestacy.

Irrespective of how you come to be the person who administers the estate, there are some things you can do to prepare for your first meeting with your deceased estate’s lawyer.

Firstly, much of how the estate is to be administered depends on the assets and liabilities the deceased person had at their date of death.

For this reason it is a good idea to compile a list of assets before your meeting. Sometimes you will have a thorough understanding of what a deceased person owned, for example if you are their spouse and had joint finances. Other times you might not have an intimate knowledge of a deceased person’s affairs so the best thing to do is to look through their paperwork and identify any documents that might indicate the existence of an asset.

This can be anything from bank statements, dividend or share statements, correspondence from a superannuation fund, accounting records like tax returns and things of that nature.

Even if the documents are somewhat outdated, it is best to bring them to your first appointment, especially if you did not have a detailed knowledge of the deceased’s affairs

so your lawyer can make thorough investigations about what assets might exist.

As the administrator of the estate, you are also responsible for using the assets of the estate to first pay any estate liabilities.

It is also a good idea when you are going through the deceased person’s paperwork to grab a copy of anything that looks like a bill or liability.

This might be council or water rates if the person owned real estate, or even more basic bills like electricity and other utilities.

The other important pieces of the puzzle is the deceased’s Will if they had one. Quite often when someone sees a lawyer to write a Will they will get the lawyer to retain the original in safe custody. Will makers are usually provided with a copy however, so if you find what appears to be a Will, even if it is not the original, you should take this to your lawyer.

In relation to a deceased person’s Death Certificate, your lawyer will most likely need to sight the original Death Certificate. This is usually ordered by the funeral director who organises the deceased person’s funeral and takes about two or three weeks to be provided by Births, Deaths and Marriages after the application is made.

If you are administering the estate of someone who you did not live with it is also a good idea to make a list of any of their personal belongings that might be valuable and take photographs of their home so you can accurately compile an inventory of property.

This will be important not only for any application for a grant of representation you make in relation to the estate, but to make sure as much as possible is accounted for.

FORMER OFFICERS TO STAND TRIAL

Two former police officers accused of stomping on a mentally ill woman and pepper spraying her genitals in Emu Plains in 2023 have been ordered to stand trial.

Timothy Trautsch, 29 and Nathan Black, 27 have pleaded not guilty to a range of offences relating to the incident.

The incident happened in January 2023 when the officers responded to a concern for welfare report.

A 49-year-old woman received injuries during her interaction with the officers. The pair remain on bail and the matter will return to court in August.

TRAVIS COLLINS

Join us for

Mini MAKE RS

We dnesday 17 July, 20 24

10am to 1p m

Ko ko da Park , St Ma ry s

Fr ee ev en t

Contact Us

Administration

Civic Centre, 601 High Street.

Queen Street Centre, 207-209 Queen Street.

Contact Centre Open 8.30am-4pm. Mon-Fri. 4732 7777

PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

council@penrith.city Council’s services are accessible via the online portal at my.penrith.city Services

Waste Services 4732 7777

Illegal Dumping

Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad).

Freecall 1800 022 182

Meeting Dates

22 July 2024 – 7pm (Ordinary Meeting) Online via penrith.city

penrith.city.council

penrithcouncil

penrithcitycouncil

penrithcitycouncil

penrith.city visitpenrith.com.au

Council Briefs

● A local media editor, a young athlete, a disability champion and a mental health advocate are among the honourees in the 2024 Local Celebration Awards, with the winners announced at Council’s June Ordinary Meeting.

This year seven individuals have been acknowledged across four categories:

• The 2024 Citizen of the Year: Troy Dodds

• Our Young Citizen of the Year: Jack Conroy

• There are two Mayor’s Local Heroes for 2024: Mike Hicks and Julie Parsons

• There are three recipients of the Making a Difference –Community Service Award: Angela Lambros, Bailey Hand and Lucinda Harvey

Learn more about these outstanding individuals at penrith.city/local-celebration-awards

● It’s back! School holidays are here, so come down to Kokoda Park, St Marys on Wednesday, 17 July for a morning of fun activities and entertainment at Council’s Mini Makers event.

There will be arts and crafts, face painting, Penrith City Council’s mobile play van, active games and live music – and the best part, it’s FREE!

Activities start from 10am. Go to penrith.city/events

● The Draft Plan of Management (POM) for the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct is on public exhibition until Monday, 22 July 2024.

This Draft POM was prepared by Council as the next step in the development of the project, to provide direction and inform decisions as to the use and management of Council-owned community land in the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct.

The Draft POM is a requirement of the Local Government Act.

Plan for the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct concluded in March 2021 and will not form part of this public exhibition.

To view the Draft Plan of Management for the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct and submit comments, visit yoursaypenrith.com.au/gippsst

Hard copies of the Draft Plan of Management are also available to view at the Civic Centre by request.

Submissions for the Draft Plan of Management can be made until 11.59pm on Monday, 5 August 2024.

● Save the date for the Local Government elections on Saturday, 14 September 2024! If you live in Penrith and are on the electoral roll, you must vote in the Local Government elections on or before Saturday, 14 September 2024. Voting is compulsory,

If you are over 18 and haven’t yet registered to vote, now is your chance. You can enrol to vote by visiting the website aec.gov.au/enrol

If you want to nominate as a candidate for the elections, nominations close Wednesday, 14 August 2024.

elections.nsw.gov.au/lge24

Development Application

The following Development Application has been received by Council:

• Celestino Developments Pty Ltd

2903–3017 Park Road, Luddenham

DA24/0421

Demolition of existing structures and remediation of site

Contact: Robert Walker on 4732 7409

Closing Date: Sunday, 4 August 2024

Development Consent/s Determined

Pursuant to Section 4.59 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the schedule below lists applications recently determined by Penrith City Council.

Approved Development Applications

• Dream Drafting Sydney Pty Ltd

Lot 858 DP 1279915, 7 Distillery Drive, Caddens

Two-storey dwelling

• Joseph Anthony Rodi

Lot 4 SP 71443, 4/34 Robert Street, Penrith

Demolition of storm and termite damaged villa

• Kingston Building (Australia) Pty Ltd

Lot 1 DP 776250, 27 Riverside Road, Emu Heights

Reinstatement of culvert and driveway

• Sumir Diwan

DA24/0415

DA24/0079

DA24/0260

DA22/1216

Lot 184 DP 654214, 187 Oxford Street, Cambridge Park

Demolition of existing dwelling, construction of detached dual occupancy with Strata subdivision x 2 lots

• Matt Early Pty Ltd

Lot 8 DP 718139, 37 Leland Street, Penrith

DA23/0530

site for the receiving, sorting and storage of waste from skip bin collections, and subsequent transfer off site

Just 21, Nunia’s life ends at the hands of partner, police claim

Nunia Kurualeba this week became the 49th woman killed by violence in Australia this year.

And in an all too common story, police allege she met her end at the hands of her partner.

21-year-old Kurualeba, originally from Fiji, was stabbed twice in the chest at her Kingswood unit on the Great Western Highway on Monday afternoon.

Police and paramedics rushed to the scene at about 1.40pm, but she couldn’t be saved despite their best efforts.

It is understood that a housemate made the call to emergency services.

Kurualeba’s partner, 21-year-old Jeremaia Tuwai, was allegedly seen running from the unit following the stabbing.

After a nearly six-hour manhunt Tuwai was arrested on Derby Street, Penrith without incident on Monday night.

He was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was formally charged with ‘Murder Domestic Violence’ and bail refused.

On Tuesday, July 9 Tuwai appeared briefly in Penrith Local Court via video link where he did not apply for bail and the matter was adjourned until Friday, September 6.

What is believed to be family and friends of

Kurualeba were gathered at the crime scene on Monday afternoon comforting each other.

When questioned at a press conference on Monday evening, Nepean Police Area Command Superintendent Trent King indicated that there had been no history of domestic violence between the pair, but it was a domestic violence related crime.

“It’s alleged that a 21-year-old male in a domestic relationship with this person is the perpetrator of this incident and caused those injuries to the female,” King said.

Tuwai will remain in custody until his next court date.

As the news of the stabbing slowly broke on Monday afternoon, neighbours of the unit

New community centre opens

CASSIDY PEARCE

Anew multicultural community centre has officially opened in Penrith, offering a wide range of services promoting diversity, inclusivity, and understanding.

Mujgan Tahery first came to Australia from Afghanistan at age 15 on June 6, 2001, and has been living in Penrith ever since.

Growing up, Tahery recalls having limited access to education. However, thanks to her parents’ determination to teach her to read and write, and her own drive to catch up in other areas like science and mathematics, she was able to join St Marys Senior High School for years 11 and 12, before heading to university to study business.

Since then, she’s vowed that no one would have to go through what she did.

“Once we came here, I promised myself that one day I would make a difference. One day, I would do something that can change many people’s lives,” she said.

In the years since, Tahery has been incredibly involved in community work, acting as a voice for local groups and working with different sectors of government to enhance

last Friday night.

the multicultural services available in Penrith, which she calls her homeland.

Two years ago, she came up with the idea for the Uniting Circle Multicultural Community Centre.

“I’m an NDIS provider as well, and with my background in business and qualifications that I have, I came up with the plan of having a hub or community centre that can be an umbrella for everybody to be able to walk in and get those services they need, rather than them not knowing where to go or what to do,” she said.

The Lethbridge Street centre finally launched on June 6 this year – the anniversary of her first coming to Australia – with a Grand Opening held last Friday.

The centre provides services including NDIS support, refugee services, language classes, free educational courses, cultural events, counselling sessions, health initiatives for women, and more.

“I’m very honoured and very happy to be able to say that this is a place, a hub, a community centre that can bring all the communities together,” she said.

block on the busy Great Western Highway began to filter out onto the street.

Many of them were shocked by the news with two young females, who asked not to be named, saying that they were frightened by the crime.

“I was at home, and I heard the helicopter, and I thought it was a police one. Then I walked down here and saw the helicopter and the police cars and I’m wondering ‘what’s happened?’,” one of the residents said.

“I’m scared. I’m scared now.

“That’s scary because that is right where we live, I’m scared now.

“I hope she rests in peace now.”

Local resident Brock Blackborrow said he

was shocked by the news of a murder so close to home.

“I’m a bit shell-shocked,” Blackborrow said.

“We had just got back from playing a couple of games of pool and saw a bunch of cops and ambulances and CareFlight.”

Another nearby resident, who asked not to be named, shared that she was sitting at home when she heard emergency services arrive at the scene.

“I was literally just sitting in my lounge room and heard the sirens, and I looked out and saw it all,” the resident said.

“It is scary because it is just so close to home.”

Development Consent/s Determined (cont.)

• Daniel Briffa

Lot 93 DP 239087, 58 The Sanctuary Drive, Leonay

• Carmen Robson

Lot 13 SP 36754, 13/566 High Street, Penrith Fitout and use of premises as cosmetic clinic

• Fernleigh Eaglesham Pty Ltd

Lot 20 DP 260503, 7 School House Road, Regentville

DA23/0808

DA24/0355

DA24/0261

Demolition of existing carport and shed and construction of a new carport and shed

• Jakanda Pty Ltd

Lot 100 DP 828255, 19 Ferntree Close, Glenmore Park

• IMSU Pty Ltd

Lot 6205 DP 1211124, 4 Cerdon Place, Jordan Springs

Two-storey dwelling

• BJD Design Pty Ltd

Lot 271 DP 204977, 1 Emily Avenue, Emu Plains

Refused Development Application

• Caddens Estate Pty Ltd

Lot 1 DP 1268507 and Lot 2 DP 1268507, 80 OConnell Street, Caddens

Viewing of Development Applications

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/DATracker Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts

DA24/0318

DA24/0350

Mod24/0086

DA23/0281

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Nunia Kurualeba was allegedly killed by her boyfriend on Monday.

The scene at Kingswood on Monday.

EMILY CHATE

Penrith MP Karen McKeown and Mujgan Tahery at the Grand Opening

PAGE TEN A

cupboard prize

ustralia’s Favourite School Holiday Program, Code Camp, returns this winter School Holidays to encourage Aussie kids to explore their creativity through acquiring essential tech skills, forging lasting friendships, and most importantly, having fun!

Code Camp now offers over 20 different programs at 100+ in-person locations across Australia and online. You can explore the full range of camps at www.codecamp.com.au.

With an array of in-person and online programs available for kids aged 5-13 years old, there’s something for everyone. Kids around Australia will have the opportunity to choose from beginner or advanced coding camps, robotics, stop-motion animation, DJing, video production and so much more.

Returning this season is Design Camp! For kids with an eye for design learn

fundamentals and use the latest digital tools to transform their ideas into an on-trend fashion collection and dreamy interior designs.

Code Camp’s most popular creative camps are also back this season including Minecraft Engineers, Roblox Legends, Robotics Camp, and YouTube Creators, offering the coolest few days of STEM learning and fun.

For more information, head to www.codecamp.com.au.

The Weekender has a Code Camp voucher to give away (expires 2025). For your chance to win, send an email to competitions@westernweekender.com. au with ‘Code’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Friday, July 19 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and conditions are available at www.westernweekender.com.au.

paceway winners lucky

Members of the Penrith Paceway in Penrith have the chance to win great prizes thanks to a special promotion involving the club and your favourite newspaper, The Western Weekender Club members can pick up a free specially numbered

bumper sticker from the Paceway or the Weekender office, and our spotters will be out and about in the community.

Three spotted bumper sticker numbers will be printed each week, with winners needing to report to the Pace-

Dose Dorin of SPY

way to verify their bumper sticker number and collect their prize. Look out for new winners on this page every single week! This week’s lucky winners are: 0245, 0932, 1010.

Tell us exactly where this week’s featured I Spy image is located in Penrith and you could win! Email ispy@westernweekender.com.au with your answer for your chance to win two movie tickets. Our winner will be notified by email. Entries close each Wednesday at 5pm.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWER

The ‘Door Bell’ sign above the green button is located along Station Street, directly across from the new City Park in Penrith.

“They are degrading her”

Pinegrove conducts maintenance review after devastated family raises concerns

ASt Clair woman is disgusted at the state of her grandchild’s grave at Pinegrove cemetery.

Larraine Bemrose had her still born granddaughter, Aimee Jessie Miranda, laid to rest at Pinegrove Cemetery 28 years ago and has seen the grave fall into disrepair.

Flowers sit at the site dead for weeks, dirt and grime have built up, and nearby plaques are twisted and coming off from the stone.

“To me it is absolutely disgusting,” Bemrose said.

“It doesn’t take much to remove flowers, they’re sitting here for three weeks at a time, and we can’t keep coming down all the time.

“When we bought the plot, we were told that they maintain it, so we didn’t have to come down… and yet they’re not doing it.”

Bemrose said that she was willing to do the maintenance herself but was told she couldn’t.

“I came down and it hadn’t been [cleaned], so I contacted them, and I told them I was going to bring my own whipper snipper, and they told me I couldn’t do that, I wasn’t allowed,” she said.

“I’m not allowed to clean it and yet they’re not doing anything to it. This is now three months that we’ve had to come down and clean it and maintain it ourselves.

“I paid $600 28 years ago for the little space, which was a lot of money back then, and they said to me ‘We will maintain it, so you don’t have to come’.”

Bemrose’s daughter lives in Queensland and can’t come and visit her daughter often, and Bemrose said that it’s hard when they do visit.

“We’ve only been coming for the last three months this often,” Bemrose said.

“Sometimes it’s hard coming here, it brings back memories and I don’t like coming here.

“That’s why we chose this place, to make sure it would always be looked after and it’s not.”

Bemrose spoke to the cemetery and was told that a request would be made but since then nothing has changed.

“It’s just not right,” Bemrose said.

“If I’d known what it’d be like I’d have never put her here.

“They are degrading her.”

A spokesperson from Pinegrove Memorial Park said in a statement that an urgent review of the maintenance roster will be conducted.

“Pinegrove Memorial Park is commit-

ted to ensuring all areas of the site are maintained and presented to the highest standards for all families when they visit their loved ones,” the spokesperson said.

“We take any concerns raised with us seriously and our team review these as a priority and conduct any necessary remedial work.

“When made aware on June 20 of the family’s issues with the memorial site, the Pinegrove team acted to ensure the site was tidied within the week and the flowers were removed.

“In response to the family’s concerns, Pinegrove has also initiated an urgent review of its general maintenance roster to ensure this situation is not repeated.

“Unfortunately, the site involved is located within an older area of the park and plaques and memorials can be impacted during times of increased rainfall, resulting in the need for additional maintenance attention.

“It is important this maintenance is carried out by the team at Pinegrove to ensure the integrity of the material used on memorials.

“At the request of the family, Pinegrove Memorial Park has provided this update to the Western Weekender and also management contact details for the family so they can offer any further support."

Larraine Bemrose wants her granddaughter’s grave to be upkept, as promised. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Hospital staff take a stand as horrifying assaults escalate

From shootings to stabbings, hospitals in western Sydney are continuing to take the brunt of violent assaults. Now hospital staff are saying enough is enough.

On June 22, a 39-year-old man allegedly assaulted four hospital staff at Westmead Hospital.

He cut two security guards with a knife, while a third security guard had his shoulder dislocated and a male nurse sustained minor injuries. He was later arrested and charged with five offences.

It’s only the latest violent attack hospital staff in western Sydney have faced.

There were almost 1,000 assaults recorded on hospital grounds from March 2023 to 2024, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

It’s almost double the number of assaults that were recorded 10 years ago.

The highest number of assaults were recorded in western Sydney, with 105 incidents in the Penrith Local Government Area (LGA). Hospitals in Sydney and Randwick were close behind, followed by the Parramatta LGA, which recorded 60 assaults.

Nurse Teaghanne Sarina, who works as a Health and Safety representative to the Emergency Mental Health Assessment Area within Westmead Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED), was recently assaulted herself by a patient.

“We had a patient that was under the influence of illicit substances, had a history of drug abuse psychosis,” she told the Weekender

“He appeared to be cooperative at the time, he asked for a pillow, I walked in, he stood up and kicked me in the chest and broke my ribs.

“He went from being polite and courteous to agitated and spitting at security, kicking me in the chest, screaming about… I think his delusions were fixated on the Government being demons from the underground. It was such a rapid change of events – there was nothing we could do.”

Westmead Hospital ICU nurse of almost 30 years

and NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) Branch Secretary Wing Besilos said there have been many times where hospital staff have been verbally abused and threatened with everything from IV poles to scissors.

She believes the growing population of western Sydney combined with the short staffing of nurses and a lack of beds for patients all contribute towards the rising number of assaults against hospital staff.

“We have security personell who are not

trained in de-escalation, like for example here in ICU whenever we call them sometimes they tell us they can’t touch the patient. So, what are they here for?” she said.

“It’s probably going to be more productive if we properly staff ED, get more beds so that patients don’t have to wait 24 hours in the waiting area for the doctor, or be seen and be told to go back to the waiting area because there’s no bed in ED.

“Nursing patients in the waiting area is really bad, so that would contribute to anxiety and aggression.”

Sarina, who is also the Assistant Branch Secretary at the NSWNMA Cumberland Hospital branch, added that there needs to be more community resources to help those who are struggling with their mental health.

“I want to see the acknowledgement of the violence of these patients. We are seeing more and more presentations of mental health in the community because we’ve got less and less resources community-wise to help manage it effectively,” she said.

“Our community teams are so overwhelmed, so under-resourced, so understaffed, so under-funded that by the time these patients are presenting to us in ED they are presenting in such a state that the only thing we can do to manage them is to sedate them.

“I think if we’re going to look at solving the problem with the over-influx of aggressive and violent patients to the ED, first and foremost we need to look at the supply in the community.”

Calling for greater security numbers and protection, Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said the senseless violence against health and hospital workers is horrifying.

“For the workers on the receiving end, the trauma will continue long after the physical scars have healed,” he said.

“For the last decade we have had shootings, stabbings and flesh torn from the bodies of our members.

“We have argued consistently for greater security numbers and powers, and will continue to push for this and better personal protective equipment.”

It comes as the NSW Government announces it will undertake a 12-month trial of body worn cameras for security staff.

The trial is part of the ongoing implementation of recommendations from the Anderson Review of Hospital Security.

Up to 300 body worn cameras will be in operation across NSW hospitals, including Nepean, when the trial begins to test whether they are an effective tool for security staff, as well as potentially collect vision that could be used as evidence in prosecutions.

Planning work is currently underway to ensure privacy and security processes are in place to support the commencement of the trial in public hospitals as soon as possible.

“The safety of our healthcare staff and patients is a priority and the NSW Government has a zero-tolerance approach to violence and aggression in our public hospitals,” NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said.

“The trend in assaults in our hospitals is unacceptable and we are taking action.”

Hayes said the trial is a “great first step” but there is still more to be done.

However, both Besilos and Sarina fear the cameras may only heighten aggression among patients.

“The body cameras won’t stop the aggression, it will just document it and probably escalate the aggression,” Besilos added.

“I have a feeling that this might actually escalate patient responses and patient violence,” Sarina said.

Tell us your experiences: Email Ellie. Busby@westernweekender.com.au.

NSWNMA members Teaghanne Sarina, Nick Howson, David Russell, and Wing Besilos. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes.

ELLIE BUSBY

Curtain comes down on career

After more than 50 years of involvement in the local arts sphere, Valda Silvy OAM is retiring from her role as Music Producer at The Joan.

Despite her parents not coming from a musical background, Silvy was interested in music from a young age, taking both piano and voice lessons, competing in eisteddfods, and completing a range of tertiary courses within the creative and performing arts space.

Growing up in Penrith, she very quickly realised that the area had little in the way of musical performance and education venues when compared to the city, and, with the help of Allan Mullins, decided to form an arts organisation to raise funds to build one.

Though she said that this organisation didn’t go far, interest for the venue grew, forcing Silvy and other local musicians to take matters into their own hands.

“We used to bring out amazing performers from the city, and each of us would do a concert in our homes,” she said.

Silvy then turned what was at the time merely an old home near Penrith Library into the Penrith Music Centre – a place for those without a grand piano at home to practice.

Following its success, she led the proposal of the building of a performing arts centre for the bicentennial in 1984, and The Joan would open in 1990.

“The Board asked what we were going to call it, and I thought... Joan Sutherland represents everything. The opera is acting, it’s singing, it’s musicians, it’s stage hands, it’s everything,” she said.

“Richard [Bonynge] spoke to Joan, and Joan said yes, and the reason being that she knew how hard it was for people in the west to travel into Sydney for the arts.”

Sutherland performed and attended shows at The Joan until her passing in 2010, with Bonynge continuing to do so to this day.

In the 34-year history of The Joan, it has experienced a wealth of growth and

expansion, particularly with the introduction of the Q Theatre, and the Penrith Conservatorium of Music.

Hundreds of performers grace its stages, and the work of countless artists decorates the walls each year, many thanks to Silvy.

But, all good things must come to an end, with Silvy wrapping up her time at The Joan at the end of June.

“Music is always evolving, and it’s changing. I thought it was time for the next generation to step in, and step up, and take it to its next level,” she said.

In light of her retirement, Silvy’s impact on the local arts industry was addressed at the most recent Penrith City Council meeting, with Silvy in attendance.

“Valda, I think we really do owe you a profound vote of thanks in relation to what you’ve done from a cultural point of view for the City of Penrith, but also from an educational point of view from having that facility there which enables people in western Sydney to be able to educate in music rather than having to travel to the city to the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney,” said Councillor Ross Fowler.

“It’s a great legacy that you’ve created and it’s a legacy that will go forward, so thank you for your significant contribution.”

In the midst of all The Joan’s changes, one consistent thing was Silvy’s Morning Melodies – a program which saw a concert and pre-show morning tea take place every fourth Wednesday since the venue’s opening.

Last month’s show was the final one she produced, leading to mixed emotions for both Silvy, and the regular attendees.

“We’ve become such good friends,” she said.

“I don’t know them all, but they know me, and that’s why I love that program, because I could walk out and talk to them. They’re just so beautiful. They’re lovely people.”

Though she said she’ll be skipping this month’s show to give the new producer space, Silvy promises she’ll still be around Penrith and The Joan.

“I’ve found retiring hard, but I’m also not really stepping away from it, because I will always be involved in the music,” she said.

“They’ve called the new ensemble the Valda Silvy Ensemble, so I can’t really escape!”

Even without her at the forefront, Silvy said she has high hopes for the future of The Joan, and Penrith’s music industry more generally.

“It will go from strength to strength. It has to,” she said.

Shake-up to ANZAC Day trade

The State Government will introduce new trading restrictions on ANZAC Day, starting from next year.

Currently, retail traders such as supermarkets and fashion retailers are required to stay closed until 1pm under the Retail Trading Act. The change will see them remain closed until midnight.

“As of next year, NSW will extend our retail trading restrictions across ANZAC Day, to make sure our veterans are recognised and free to take part in services throughout the day,” said Premier Chris Minns.

The restrictions do not apply to small businesses and businesses not considered retailers or with exemptions such as markets, cafes, chemists, newsagencies and takeaway restaurants.

CASSIDY PEARCE

Valda Silvy. Photo: Melinda Jane.

CELTIC ILLUSION

Immerse yourself in the Irish Dance and Grand Illusion sensation that has taken the world by storm. With new spellbinding illusions, entrancing music,

Brace yourself for an outrageously cheeky evening with one of Britain’s best-loved comedians in this delightful new live show experience from David Walliams.

SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY’S MOMENTA

momenta is a journey into the poetry and physics of human connection by celebrated choreographer Rafael Bonachela. Image by Pedro Grieg

Winter pressure builds

Charities experience surge in demand as weather and cost-of-living

As we shiver through the coldest part of the year, local organisations are calling out for help in hopes that the community will give generously in support of those in need.

According to Centre Manager of Barnardos Penrith, Grace Hong, the cooler months cause demand to widen.

“During wintertime, we often have families coming in to request warmer clothes, such as jumpers, scarves and beanies. It’s also because a lot of those families don’t have access to money to get those warmer winter clothes,” she said.

“But also, because of the cost-of-living and the rise of grocery prices, there are always people coming in to request food and groceries as well.”

Barnardos Penrith, situated on Hosking Street in Cranebrook, is doing everything they can to provide for everyone who visits.

“In Penrith, the food pantry is run on a daily basis. We also open up a food pantry outside externally if we have any leftovers, so that the community can access it,” she said.

However, for those wanting to help, Hong said there are a few key things they’re always looking for.

“Shelf food always helps, because it is very hard to donate fresh vegetables and fruit,

because those things don’t last. Warm clothes and also household items like blankets, doonas or pillows are also very helpful,” she said.

struggles bite

Banks said that demand has changed recently, with people you’d never expect to need help now flowing in.

“What we have in place now is a demand from families who are facing the financial hardships through increased rates and rent and that sort of thing – some of them are just cutting out a meal a week at home and coming to us for a free meal,” he said.

“We even get people on their way home from work that have actually been working, earning money, but they still can’t afford to feed their family, and that’s a bit of a tragedy in itself.”

Primarily, the organisation needs help with their free meal service, held six nights per week.

“For our cooking process, we’re looking for pasta sauces, diced tomato, pasta – penne, number 18 is the one we usually use – olive oil, basmati rice, and mayonnaise,” he said.

Donations can be dropped off Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm, or during night service from 7pm to 8pm at The White House, 56 Woodriff St, Penrith.

Alternatively, they’re also on the lookout for monetary donations.

“Anyone who could help out with our electricity bill, that would be gratefully received. That’s our biggest one at the moment,” Banks said.

and their community garden.

added that volunteers are also always needed, particularly to help out with the food

Visit www.barnardos.org.au and www. mamalanas.org.au.

Hosking

pantry

Over at Mama Lana’s, volunteer Graeme

Melissa Cook and Simone Reynolds from Barnardos. Photo: Melinda Jane.

CASSIDY PEARCE

NOW OPEN

FREE Facepainting & Balloon Artist

Saturday 13 July

Sunday 14 July

Saturday 20 July

Sunday 21 July 10am till 2pm

Credit to our health system

I write to offer my sincere gratitude and humble thanks to the men and women who make up the Western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains Local Area Health District, in particular the staff and personnel of the area’s four main hospitals, Mt Druitt, Blacktown, Westmead and Nepean, each of which I have, unfortunately, been up close and personal with after a series of issues over the past few months.

As with each of these incidents they began with the need for ambulance transport, under the care of Paramedics who also offered extreme care and concern, and professionalism.

I cannot praise highly enough the manner in which I have been treated at all these institutions, by all staff from the surgical team at Blacktown, led by Dr Richard Curran, the Breast Surgery team at Westmead under the tutelage of Professor Elisabeth Elder to Radiation Oncologist Dr Kirsten Van Gysen and Medical Oncologist Dr Maria Cristina Mapagu at Nepean, to the nursing staff, physiotherapists, radiologists and radiation therapists, as well as those who keep the patients fed, the caterers, the cleaners whose obvious care and attention to hygiene is evident as they do their rounds each morning, as well as the wardsmen and women transporting patients to and from examination appointments.

In recent times there have been publicised complaints about patients being left waiting for long periods in the corridors of Nepean Hospital’s magnificent new Emergency Department, amounting to claims of neglect.

In my two experiences in ED, I also spent some time “parked” in a corridor while staff

DEAR WEEKENDER

worked to treat the constant influx of patients in the designated areas. But neglect could never be further from the truth. In each case nurses “hovered” around the gurney as they worked, while one of the several doctors on duty also checked my condition.

The recent experiences have also allowed me to watch and learn the extent of the dedication needed to take up a career in nursing. Each of the young (and some not so young) men and women we encountered always appeared to be in a hurry as they strode between patients and assignments.

Even the ritual, hourly, “obs” check on blood pressure, temperature, oxygen intake etc throughout the day and night is carried out with care, concern and cheeriness, despite the early morning/late nights and long shifts that the nurses work. In all these recent months not one “grouch” emerged.

It has also been comforting the see the next generation of nurses coming through, the “red shirt” trainees at each of the hospitals. In fact it was my pleasure to be asked by one of the tutoring nurses to allow a young trainee to give me the first injection he has given (no it did not hurt). In another instant we encountered a young woman of Somalian extraction, who has lived in Australia all her life, and is so enthusiastic about her future in the health system.

My experiences within the local hospitals have not only proved to be enlightening but also life saving.

TERRY GALLAWAY, VIA EMAIL

Response to nuclear letter

I would like to reply to a letter you received, ‘Dutton's Costly Folly’, printed on July 5.

I’M HERE TO HELP YOU

Mr Vaughan should educate himself on the renewable energy debate and what constitutes an “expert” before criticising Mr Dutton. Energy prices in this country have skyrocketed as subsidies provided to the renewable sector are only distributed to the end user. Solar and wind energy do not provide energy at night or when the wind is still, and as the letter “Power debate surges” notes, nothing is being told about the actual cost of turbines to the environment when they reach their end of life cycle. Furthermore, Mr Vaughan questions Mr Dutton's lack of costings for nuclear power but doesn't offer his opinion on the cost of a massive offshore wind farm of the coast of Wollongong approved by the State Government. Renewable energy companies are not in the business to support the environment or the community, only to make a profit for shareholders. I’d suggest Mr Vaughan's comments are based on his political persuasion and not on saving his grandchildren the costs of pointless waste of government spending on an ideology that Australia will save the planet one wind farm at a time.

DARREN BLACKWELL, EMU HEIGHTS

Stadium stoush sparks idea

Reading the dispute regarding the redevelopment of the Penrith Stadium in the Western Weekender, July 5, caught my interest. The issue involves the Environmental Impact Statement and the owner of SHMH4 Pty Ltd., the land bordering Station, Woodriff Street, and Jamison Road. The proposed development is a major high-rise housing project. Whether you like it or not, we lack a say. The concerns include overshadowing in the afternoon, noise impacts, construction manage-

ment, and lighting of the Penrith Stadium. The grant promised by the previous Government was reduced by the Minns Government, resulting in a smaller new development that was supposed to be utilised for NRL football, concerts, etc.

A solution could be found if SHMH4 Pty. Ltd. were approached to subsidise the difference in the building cost of the new stadium as an investment opportunity on the present Showground site, a previously ideal site suggestion. This would give Penrith a larger stadium and a parkland on the present Penrith Stadium for many uses as previously mentioned, giving back to the Penrith community more parkland at the same time, and providing SHMH4 Pty. Ltd with a solution to the dispute.

Along with incorporating the Paceway Club and the Printing Museum, would be ideal for the Penrith community.

A thought... A win-win all-round.

JIM EVANS, VIA EMAIL

Better mental health care needed

We have children, young adults, and older adults with mental health issues living amongst us. Some with low to medium issues and some with issues that need constant observation. They are not getting the correct help. They often control their own medication. As soon as the medication is working they decide I’m fine now and they stop taking their tablets. This is when trouble starts. It’s time to bring back the fenced and sometimes locked wards in these special hospitals where these people can live and get the treatment they need.

MYEE LALLYETTE, VIA EMAIL

Karen’s Comment

The weekly views of the State Member for Penrith

Celebrating our Community’s Achievements

Mayoral Charity Fundraiser

On June 21 2024, the sold-out Mayoral Charity Fundraiser at St Marys Leagues Club was a huge success, with $67,000 raised for the Penrith Community Kitchen. A huge thank you to the Mayor of Penrith and the generosity of the Penrith community. Your donations will help support those in our community experiencing financial hardship, homelessness, or isolation.

2024 Local Celebration Award Winners Citizen of the Year Award

Congratulations to Troy Dodds, editor of Western Weekender on his well-earned award for volunteer work around Penrith. The Western Weekender has helped to launch the careers of many a local rookie journalist, who have gone on to work at major national and international media organisations.

Young Citizen of the Year

Jack Conroy has achieved accolades across many sporting codes, representing NSW at athletics and cross-country championships. Jack’s volunteer work in the Western Sydney area, and fundraising efforts for Everyone Can Dance make him an inspiration for all.

Mayor’s Local Hero Award

Mike Hicks’ visibility in our community as an organiser and advocate is almost unmatched. He has supported and worked alongside many local organisations, including Penrith’s Chamber of Commerce, CBD Corp, Panthers on the Prowl and Penrith Community Kitchen.

Julie Parsons is admired by everyone for her tenacity and strength. Despite her disabilities, she found peace in competitive swimming at a young age. After facing challenges, Julie now volunteers at Blackwell Primary School.

Making a Difference – Community Service Award

Bailey Hand has dedicated his life to volunteering his time and skills. Today, he volunteers at Mama Lana’s Community Kitchen.

Angela Lambros began volunteering her time to run the Penrith Women’s Walk and Talk four years ago.

Lucinda Harvey founded her charity Saving True Blues to help people fight feelings of isolation, spread suicide awareness and forge stronger connections. Congratulations to all the award winners and those nominated!

Volunteers needed at Colyton Maddison earns rare honour

CASSIDY PEARCE

13-year-old Girl Guide Maddison Leonard has officially completed the Baden-Powell Award, the peak award for her age group, after it not being gained by anyone in her unit for over 20 years.

Maddison has been a Girl Guide for almost three years, initially encouraged to join by a close friend.

“There was this night where one of the Girl Guides got to bring along a friend for the night and make friendship bracelets,” she said.

“One of my friends brought me over, and we just had a whole night together, and that really inspired me!”

Over the years, Maddison said that she’s enjoyed plenty of aspects of being a Guide, from the friendships she’s made to the skills she’s learned.

“I love how I can be myself around these girls,” she said.

“I’ve developed new skills throughout the time I’ve been a Girl Guide, and it’s really helped me come out of my shell.”

Recently Maddison decided to take on a new challenge – the Baden-Powell Award.

The Baden-Powell Award is the peak award for Guides aged 10 to 14, and involves completing 18 challenges including hosting a debate, raising money for the RSPCA, planning and leading a bush walk in the Blue Mountains, and cooking a three-course meal outdoors. Though she admitted it was tough, Maddison completed this in just eight months – when usually it takes a Guide one to two years – in order to do so before she ages out of the unit.

Maddison said that she’s incredibly excited to have completed this achievement, and to celebrate in a ceremony with the whole region, consisting of 400 Guides and 100 leaders from Katoomba to Blacktown.

“It’s so crazy – it somehow still hasn’t kicked in to me yet even though it’s in a week,” she said.

Maddison is a part of St Clair Girl Guides, from which no girl has gained the award since 2003, making the achievement even more special.

Given how much she said it’s impacted her life, Maddison said she’d encourage anyone to give it a go.

“It really did make a difference to me, it’s changed me a lot,” she said.

“I believe that if some of the girls I know, or girls from other units, had a shot at this, I think they would complete it successfully with the courage and strength of the people surrounding them.”

EMILY CHATE

Agroup of local volunteers are looking for more to join their ranks.

Team Colyton is a purely volunteer based group that spends the year fundraising for their grand finale event, the Colyton Carols.

Team members Gayle Wyatt and Lucie Morched shared that the group is great for retirees but is open to anyone who wants to join.

“Volunteers can be any age,” Morched said.

“It’s also about embracing that next generation, Gayle is older than me, but we are able to have a friendship.

“In Team Colyton we are open to any age group and even though there is a difference in our ages we have formed a great friendship because we base it back on growing up in Colyton.

“I’ve been in Colyton for 38 years; I grew up here and so we have those memories that we can connect about.”

The group spends the year fundraising at Bunnings to be able to put on their grand finale event.

“We are just a small group of volunteers that live in

Colyton. We get together once a month and we spend the year fundraising and our big finale at the end of the year is the Colyton Carols,”

Wyatt said.

The Colyton Carols is a well-loved community event and Wyatt said that the community attendance has grown each year.

“Back in 2014 when it was

first put on, 250 people attended the Colyton Carols event… and it has now grown to over 2,500-3,000 people,”

Wyatt said.

“It has become quite traditional and historical in Colyton.

“We’ve actually already started to prepare… this year we want to go a little bit bigger.”

Wyatt and Morched are calling for anyone in the Colyton community to reach out to the group and contribute what they can.

“There is only nine of us on Team Colyton and the majority of us are retirees and aging and we have all lived in this community now, me personally for 46 years,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt said it was important to connect with older residents via traditional means, after a neighbour told her he missed last year’s Carols event because he didn’t spot a flyer in his letterbox.

“We stopped the letterbox drop-off because it is labour intensive and it costs money for printing and everything, that’s when we went to social media,” she said.

“But we are missing out on that older crowd.”

For anyone wanting more information or to volunteer with Team Colyton, visit their Facebook page or send an email to teamcolyton@ gmail.com.

“It’s kind of expected that the team puts this on at the end of the year. I think many people would be disappointed if we didn’t go to this trouble.

e Silver Fox is no more

Malcolm Castledine joins wife Barbara and darling daughter Belinda with God in Heaven.

“ ose who knew me, know my joyful love of singing and entertaining w ith my poetr y in the country, and my adoration of our youngest daughter, Lee, who has been our strength and our shield.”

Will be greatly missed by all of his family & friends.

Aged 83 years.

Contact Grace Funerals on 4735 6900 or at gracefunerals.com.au/ for funeral details.

In lieu of owers, kindly donate to e Cancer Council Australia in Malcolm’s name.

«

Maddison Leonard.

Team Colyton members Ara, Katelan, Lucie, Natasha, Mark, Tiffany, Julie, Gayle, Linda, Karen.

Rallying for awareness

Penola Catholic College student’s special involvement in Beyond Bitumen Car Rally

Penola Catholic College student Lachlan Perrin has been commended for his involvement in this year’s Beyond Bitumen Car Rally, an event established by Peter and Trish Fehon to raise awareness and funds for Beyond Blue after losing their 16-year-old daughter Beth in 2005.

According to Lachlan, his parents have been taking part in the event for years, due to his dad having worked with Peter and Trish.

“My parents have done it for three years, and this year I decided to join them,” he said.

“I wanted to do it because it just seemed fun to go on a car rally!”

But, Lachlan had an even more special job – painting a mural which would be turned into a sticker for the back of their ute.

The mural features butterflies from the Beyond Blue logo, as well as a blue tree, inspired by the Blue Tree Project – an initiative to plant blue trees all over the country, including right here in Penrith, to start up conversations around mental health.

“When we’re on the rally, we paint a blue tree – the organisers will coordinate it with a farmer or somewhere – and this year it was just a few minutes out of Young, which was the final night of the rally,” mum Linda Symonds said.

“Any participating car who wants to stop can come help paint the tree.”

Designing and creating the sticker

was a lengthy process, but for Lachlan, seeing it completed made it all worthwhile.

“Just drawing it took maybe two days, but I’m really happy with how it turned out,” he said.

The rally as a whole is even more significant to Lachlan and his family because Beth also attended McCarthy/Penola Catholic College, with the school having a plaque in

her honour within their memorial garden. But, they didn’t find out until they were there.

“Trevor didn’t put the connection together, although he was working with them all those years ago. It was the Fehons that mentioned it to Lachlan,” she said.

Lachlan said that after the success of this year’s mural, including being noticed by Beyond Blue, he can’t

Mayor’s News

The weekly views of Penrith’s Mayor

2024 Local Celebration Awards

The honourees of the 2024 Local Celebration Awards have been announced, and what an outstanding group of people they are.

Once a year, Penrith’s Local Celebration Awards shine a light on everyday acts of service happening in our community –things like volunteering and charity work, the pursuit of sporting and academic excellence, or overcoming personal challenges to lead by example. Our 2024 honourees are exceptional people who inspire others with both their ambition and selflessness.

The winners are acknowledged across four categories: Our 2024 Citizen of the Year is Troy Dodds, who champions local stories and voices in the pages of the Western Weekender, while also finding time to volunteer and mentor others.

There are two Mayor’s Local Heroes for 2024: Mike Hicks is a dedicated fundraiser and supporter of many local organisations through his work as the Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse. Julie Parsons gives back tirelessly to her local school

wait to return to Beyond Bitumen next year. Symonds added that the Year 8 student chose visual arts as an elective next year in hopes of continuing on his artistic journey.

“The rally next year will be its 10th anniversary, and even at the presentation night this year the organisers said, ‘Well Lachlan’s got to come up with something bigger and better for next year’,” she said.

community and is an incredible example of personal resilience.

Our 2024 Young Citizen of the Year is Jack Conroy, whose long list of sporting and academic achievement is astonishing for anyone, let alone a person of his age who faces the challenges that Jack faces every day.

There are three recipients of the Making a Difference – Community Service Award: Angela Lambros is the founder of Penrith Women’s Walk and Talk, a support network and social initiative; Bailey Hand is a valued volunteer at Mama Lana’s Community Foundation, serving up meals to people experiencing food insecurity; and Lucinda Harvey founded the mental health charity Saving True Blues, which creates connections and combats of the stigma of discussing mental health.

The 2024 Local Celebration Awards ceremony will be held on July 25 at Western Sydney Conference Centre. I look forward to congratulating all these worthy recipients in person.

CR TODD CARNEY Mayor of Penrith

PLEDGE TO SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS

Find out how you can support your paper at www.westernweekender.com.au/pledge.

Lachlan Perrin and his family took part in the Bitumen Car Rally.

Lachlan’s work was commended by rally participants and organisers.

CASSIDY PEARCE

Simple gesture adds a bit of fun to end of school term for kids

Students at St Marys South Public School were treated by their local convenience store last week on the final day of school for the term.

Andrews Corner Store for the last year and a half has been holding a small giveaway for primary school children on the last day of school. This term they were treated to six free lollies of their choosing.

Co-owner of Andrews Corner Store Martin Mati said that having the giveaway is a small way for them to give back to their community.

“It’s just something I came up with to give back to the community,” Mati said.

“The school is right around the corner, [and] it is fun for the kids. I’m a high school teacher, so I understand how excited they get for the last day of school.

“For them, this is something

extra and five or six lollies is nothing for us but for them it’s a big deal, so it makes it fun.”

The giveaway has been a hit in the community with kids lining up for their turn.

“The kids love it; they absolutely love it,” Mati said.

“[It] depends on the weather, but we have had lines outside the shop. It works for us, [and] it works for them, it’s good for everyone.”

The giveaway for this term was lollies but, in the past, it has been other sweet treats.

“During summer, we do ice blocks,” Mati said.

“The first time we did slushies and now because it is a bit

cold no one is going to want an ice block and so we are doing the lollies.”

Ultimately, the convenience store is proud to have a positive impact in its local community.

Toughest call of all

Family’s heartbreak after their little boy’s cancer diagnosis

Alocal family is asking for support from the community after their one-yearold was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.

Just after Christmas last year, Jessica Chalk recalls almost-one-year-old Huxley King getting sick. Initially, she said his parents, Alisha Francis and Brendan King, thought it was COVID, but the next thing they knew, he was in the hospital, with a 9cm tumour located in his lung.

Huxley started chemotherapy the very next day, followed by radiotherapy, with the family travelling from Penrith to Westmead Children’s Hospital daily whilst Alicia was still pregnant with their second child.

“She can’t hold him because he’s now radioactive. She can’t change his nappy,” Chalk said.

“He’s begging for mummy, and she can’t touch him.”

Brendan hasn’t been able to work consistently since Huxley’s diagnosis, with Alisha also on and off with pregnancy, and now a newborn.

After months of treatments on additional tumours which developed throughout his body, Huxley has been diagnosed with malignant rhabdoid tumours – a rare condition which means he will continue to develop more tumours which won’t respond to treatments.

The family has since made a decision that no one should ever have to make.

“They decided that after 149 days of putting

this poor baby through all sorts of treatment, that there was nothing further that they could do for him except pain relief,” Chalk said.

It’s because of this that Chalk has planned a trivia fundraiser, set to take place at Richmond Club on Saturday, July 20.

The event will kick off at 6pm with dinner at the Villago restaurant before the activities begin at 7pm.

It will also be accompanied by a raffle with

over 40 prizes, as well as an auction.

“We have some awesome prizes that have been donated, like a signed Panthers jersey, a signed Adam Sandler photo, we’ve got a flight where you get to fly an airplane and learn how to do loop-de-loops, and I think that’s amazing,” she said.

With all the funds raised set to go directly to Huxley and his family, Chalk said it will make a huge difference.

“It’s fun for everyone,” Mati said.

“Everyone wins with something like this. “They come to the shop, and they get something good, everyone wins.”

“We understand that we’re not going to buy him time, but it’s a matter of buying them quality time with what they’ve got left,” she said.

“I don’t think anybody should have to choose between keeping a roof over their head and feeding their family, and spending those last moments with their child.”

Chalk is hoping to see the Penrith community showcase their generosity and support on the night.

“We’ve got capacity at Richmond Club for 200 people, so we’re hoping that that’s what we get,” she said.

“I think it takes a village to support a family, and I think as Penrith locals, the one thing I’ve always loved about Penrith is when there’s a good cause, we all rally around it.”

For more information, visit https://bit. ly/3LeX6o3.

To donate, visit https://bit.ly/3Ldc8uJ.

Kids lining up to get their free lollies. Photo: Emily Chate.

Co-owner of Andrews Corner Store, Martin Mati. Photo: Emily Chate.

EMILY CHATE

Huxley and his family are intent on spending as much time together as possible.

CASSIDY PEARCE

Huxley King.

This photo shows iconic ‘pen man’ John Boccanfuso in Penrith in 1988.

The Penrith character was in a serious accident at 12-years-old that left him with brain damage. He would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

In 1974, disability charity Aruma (formerly known as House with No Steps), arranged for John to sell fundraising pens in Parramatta. He quickly moved to Penrith, his home for the next half a century.

Boccanfuso received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2012 for his service to people with a disability.

He was also named among Westfield Penrith’s Local Heroes in 2018.

He passed away last week, sparking an outpouring of grief from the community.

He was farewelled earlier this week.

(Photo thanks to Penrith City Library)

READ ALL ABOUT US

Leading private mental health care in the heart of Penrith

Many people need support for their mental health and well-being at di erent times in their lives.

Matilda Nepean, a recently established private hospital in the Penrith health precinct at Kingswood, provides private mental health care to people over 18 with common mental health needs.

Senior local psychiatrists provide mental health care for people experiencing:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Major depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder

• Personality disorders

• Age-related mental health conditions.

e mental health team als support individuals who requir neurostimulation therapies such a rTMS and ECT

Mental health care is available as an inpatient, where patients stay in oversized single/private rooms in boutique hotel-like setting, or as a da patient.

Matilda Nepean’s mental health team includes psychiatrists, psychologists, and multidisciplinary health care professionals who o er warm, caring, and compassionate care and suppor using a recover y-focused approach.

e mental health service at Matilda Nepean provides individuals with:

• Immediate access to leading local psychiatrists

• Personalised care in a group therapy setting

• Evidence-based therapies

• A safe and nurturing environment

• Modern, luxur y facilities in a

Matilda Nepean has arrangements with most major health funds. Individuals with DVA status, Workcover, or third-party insurance claims can also access mental health care programs with approval from their insurer.

com.au. You can also read more about Matilda Nepean’s mental health care programs at https:// ma ti ld anep ea n.com.a u/mentalhealth.

Deli ve r ing the next generation of health care to the Nepean region e r

Matilda Nepean provides specialist inpatient care and day therapy programs that foster health and wellbeing

Matilda Nepean provides specialist health care services in rehabilitation, medical, ger iatr ics, palliative care and mental health within a purpose-built five-star boutique hotel-style environment.

Visiting hour s: Mon to Fr i 8am to 8pm Sat & Sun 9am to 5pm

Δ Hog’s Breath giveaway: A momentous year unfolded in 1989 – the Berlin Wall crumbled, the World Wide Web was born, ‘Seinfeld’ made its debut, Nintendo unleashed the Game Boy, and Taylor Swift entered into this world. Amidst these milestones 35 years ago, Hog’s Breath Cafe (pictured above) emerged, setting up its flagship restaurant in Airlie Beach on July 4. Hog’s has since become a beloved icon in Australia’s culinary scene, marking its 35th year with 26 restaurants nationwide. Two of those restaurants are in our local area – one at St Marys and one at Penrith. To celebrate 35 years in operation, Hog’s Breath Cafe is inviting patrons old and new to

join in the festivities throughout the month. Special promotions, events, and exclusive offers will be available at all restaurants. And here at the Weekender, we’ve got five $50 vouchers to give away. Email competitions@westernweekender. com.au with ‘Hogs’ in the subject line for your chance to win. Winners will be notified by email and entries close Friday, July 19.

Δ Pizza Hut joins hot honey craze: The hot honey craze is officially here, and it’s taking over! With over 148.7 million posts on TikTok and projections to eclipse all other foodie flavours by 2027, it’s earned cult status both in Australia and worldwide. So, Pizza Hut has turned

up the heat and launched their very own Hot Honey Drizzle (pictured above), set to become the reigning champ of condiments. The secret? A perfect blend of honey’s sweetness and chilli’s kick, creating an irresistible sauce that takes any dish to a whole new flavour level. You can try Pizza Hut’s spicy Hot Honey Drizzle on a variety of menu items, including Stuffed Crust Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza, Wings, and even the famous Cheese Dunk. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Pizza Hut has introduced a brand-new menu item: Hot Honey

Δ Brave new Doritos flavour: Brewing up a bold new way to beat the afternoon slump, Doritos has announced the release of the limited first batch of Doritos Coffee – the perfect pick-me-up to battle Australia’s 3pm slump. With Aussies around the country being frustrated by their favourite coffee shops being closed at 3pm every day, the new chip flavour will not only satisfy those afternoon cravings for

snacks but indulge that need for a delicious cup of coffee too. Whether you’re at work, or just in need of an afternoon boost, the bold, aromatic taste of coffee, combined with the iconic Doritos crunch, is your dream afternoon snack and coffee all in one. Currently not available for purchase, Doritos is offering Aussies the chance to try the limited first batch of Doritos Coffee flavour by giving away 25 packs per day at 3pm via a giveaway on the Doritos Instagram page. Head over to @ doritos_aus for your chance.

Δ Got some Source? We want to hear about store openings, new menus and more! Email news@ westernweekender.com.au with your content submissions.

Come

are welcome to contact the school to book a school tour anytime.

Cheese Bites, featuring gooey cheese wrapped in a crispy, spicy hot honey crumb.

Sun goes down, fun comes up!

When the sun goes down the fun comes up at Eastern Creek Quarter (ECQ), with plenty of free, family-friendly entertainment all year round.

Experience the vibrant transformation as ECQ lights up with excitement every Friday and Saturday evening, courtesy of the Sundown Fun Up campaign.

Nestled conveniently on Rooty Hill Road South, ECQ has become a beloved hub for families seeking free, family-friendly entertainment under the stars.

At ECQ Social, their inviting alfresco dining area complete with a spacious outdoor deck, children’s play area, and a striking outdoor digital screen, families can immerse themselves in a world of joy and laughter. This area is perfect for enjoying evenings out with the family, offering a variety of kid-friendly restaurants with menus tailored for children.

Friday nights at ECQ Social are all about free family fun, featuring delightful balloon bending and neon face painting. On Saturdays, enjoy outdoor movie screenings starting at 5pm, because movies are better under the stars! Choose from beloved family films like ‘Kung Fu

Panda 4’, ‘Trolls Band Together’, and ‘Paw Patrol Mighty Movie’, on their large outdoor cinema screen.

From Tuesday to Thursday between 5pm and 8pm, ECQ invites families to ‘Dine out & Eat in’. Spend $40 or more at participating ECQ Social retailers and receive a $20 Woolworths gift card. With over $45,000 in giveaways, it’s a chance to enjoy a family meal out and have dinner covered at home too.

ECQ offers a diverse array of dining, shopping, and entertainment options, guaranteeing there’s something for everyone. Bite into burgers, baos, burritos, and more at popular spots like Burger Point, Kerbside Eatery, The Chocolate Room and more!

Local mum Sarah Carroll shares, “We love going to ECQ as our two eldest boys play a soccer game every Saturday. Our extended family attends the game, and we regroup at ECQ for a bite to eat, family time, and memories”.

Join Eastern Creek Quarter and create unforgettable moments with loved ones at a sundown experience like no other. Stay connected via Instagram @easterncreekquarter or Facebook for the latest updates on events and promotions.

WITH HANNAH STACK

AI: The buzzword of the decade BUSINESS

With so many businesses trialling AI – Chat GPT-4, Gemini, Claude, and the list goes on – it can quickly get overwhelming. AI can be used in all areas of your business, from creating reply emails to prospective clients to enhancing your presentations in Canva. But to truly benefit from AI, it’s essential to go back to basics. Here are some steps to approach AI effectively: Identify the problem

Be very clear about what you want AI to help you fix. Define your main challenges in detail.

Pinpoint issues

Use data to find areas where you’re wasting time or missing opportunities to connect with customers. This helps you focus on areas with the highest potential for improvement.

Understand causes

Analyse your data thoroughly to understand why these problems are happening. This means re-evaluating underlying assumptions to ensure you address the root causes, not just the symptoms.

Explore AI solutions

Research and find AI tools that can automate tasks and address your specific needs. There are many AI solutions available that can streamline your efforts, such as automating email responses or creating training videos.

Test and implement

Start with small projects to see what works best before scaling up. Experiment with AI in controlled settings to learn and adapt without risking large investments.

By following these simple steps, you can effectively integrate AI into your business, boosting efficiency and improving your overall strategy.

Trending AI apps

Superhuman

An email management tool designed to make email faster and more efficient with AI-powered features.

Pro: Superhuman significantly reduces the time spent managing emails with its speed and efficiency.

Con: It has a high subscription cost, which might not be ideal for smaller budgets.

Mailerbutler

A productivity extension

for email clients that adds features like tracking, scheduling, and smart templates.

Pro: Enhances email productivity with features like follow-up reminders and email tracking.

Con: Some advanced features require a premium subscription.

Heygen

A tool that uses AI to create engaging video content quickly and easily.

Pro: Heygen makes video creation simple and fast, perfect for marketing or client updates.

Con: The quality of auto-generated content might not meet all professional standards.

Devi

An AI-powered tool that monitors keywords in Facebook groups, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Reddit to find leads.

Pro: Devi helps businesses discover potential leads by monitoring relevant keywords across multiple social media platforms.

Con: The tool may generate a high volume of data, requiring lots of time.

Aboriginal Stakeholder Consultation Sewer Lead-in

Multiple Lots adjacent to the M4 Motorway and Claremont Creek

Orchard

Hills, NSW

(LegPro Orchard Hills Pty Ltd, Level 45, 25 Martin Place, Sydney, NSW 2000)

AECOM, on behalf of LegPro, is seeking to identify Aboriginal persons or organisations who wish to be consulted in relation to an Aboriginal heritage assessment that has been prepared for a proposed sewer lead-in across multiple lots adjacent to the M4 Motorway and Claremont Creek, Orchard Hills, NSW

The purpose of community consultation with Aboriginal people is to assist in the preparation of an Aboriginal heritage assessment, and potential Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit as well as assist Heritage NSW in its consideration and determination of the application.

Interested Aboriginal persons or stakeholders who hold cultural knowledge relevant to determining the signi cance of Aboriginal object(s) and/or place(s) in the development area and who wish to participate in a process of community consultation for the project are requested to register their interest in writing to:

Geordie Oakes

c/- AECOM Australia Pty Ltd

PO Box Q410, QVB Post Of ce, Sydney, NSW 1230

Ph: +0410513509

Email: Geordie.Oakes@aecom.com

Please be advised that if you register an interest in consultation, your details will be forwarded to Heritage NSW and the Local Aboriginal Land Council, unless you specify that you do not want your details released.

The closing date for registration is 28 July 2024

PENRITH’S NEXT BIG THING

LURON PATEA HAS ONLY PLAYED ONE NRL GAME, BUT IT’S CLEAR HE HAS A BIG FUTURE AT PENRITH. ONE-ON-ONE WITH NATHAN TAYLOR: SEE PAGE 31.

ADVERTISEMENT

Photo: Melinda Jane.

LOVING LURON: FORWARD ON THE RISE

With his dad the most recent coach of the Penrith Emus, Luron Patea’s career could’ve went in a whole different direction.

Playing both union and league growing up, Patea is a product of the famed Panthers Pathways system but, something many may not know, he was also a gun in the sport his dad Ronnie lived and breathed.

While Patea played his entire junior representative footy with the Panthers – Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg – he also devoted plenty of time to the 15-man game.

A Penrith RSL Rugby Union junior and Penrith Emus Colts rising star, Patea was selected to represent the Australian Schoolboys in Japan back in 2022.

During his time with the Emus in the ACT Vets Colts Cup, Patea played alongside his close friend Isaiya Katoa, who is now making a name for himself as halfback of the Dolphins.

Eventually, when it got to the crunch, Patea had to make a choice between a potential career in the NRL or one in the wild world of rugby.

He could’ve easily been a star in both, but it was rugby league and the defending Premiers that won out in the end.

So, when Patea called his father Ronnie late last month to let him know he was debuting in first grade for the Panthers that weekend, the tears started flowing.

“Dad was really emotional after I called him to let him know that I was going to play,” Patea told Extra Time

“He was just so happy for me whether I played union or league, he was just happy to see me happy playing footy.

“He’s been really supportive, especially last year when I made my decision to stick with

league. He just wanted me to be happy and play my best footy.”

The 19-year-old prop was strong on debut, playing a solid 21 minutes off the bench and racking up a perfect 17 from 17 tackles.

Patea said everything about his debut, apart from the result, was a dream come true.

“I’m still buzzing!” he said.

“It was a really big moment for not only myself, but also my family. It’s something that I’ll remember forever and I’m just really grateful.”

Just a week prior to his debut, it was confirmed that Patea would be remaining with the Panthers until the end of 2027 – meaning Penrith supporters and the entire playing group will be getting to know him more and more in the years to come.

“We’ll be seeing a lot of him,” three-time premiership winner Moses Leota said.

“He’s got plenty of talent. He’s very powerful, skilful and just really aggressive. That’s what you want from your forwards and he’s a good candidate for next year.”

Along with departing Panther James Fisher-Harris and former Panther turned Rooster Spencer Leniu, Leota is a mentor to the young New Zealander, taking him under his wing at training and away from the paddock.

“Me and Fish just try and instil work ethic into them, especially the young boys coming through,” Leota said.

“We teach them some drills that we do at training, we also do a bit of extras and stuff like that. We try and build their game around work ethic.”

Patea, who will turn out for Penrith in NSW Cup this weekend, said he’s beyond grateful for all the advice and mentorship he receives.

“There’s things they do that I watch or see that I want to implement into my game,” he said.

“Having those guys here, being mentors towards us young fellas, they’re really good to learn off.”

Panthers rookie forward Luron Patea. Photo: Melinda Jane.

panther rumblings

WHAT’S UP WITH TURUVA?

! The trouble with Turuva: You’d have to wonder if Sunia Turuva will finish the season in first grade for the Panthers. Last Friday, he was dropped for the second time this season, relegated to 18th man against the Broncos while Daine Laurie was shifted to the wing. As it turned out, Laurie suffered a hamstring injury and Turuva is likely to be back in the side against the Dolphins next week – unless coach Ivan Cleary goes in a different direction. Cleary rested Turuva earlier this year after contract negotiations became a distraction. With the 2023 Rookie of the Year off to the Tigers next year, it’s clear not everything is 100 per cent hunky dory with the 21-year-old.

! Vegas, baby!: The NRL finally confirmed details of next year’s Las Vegas footy festival earlier this week. An almost-secret launch was held last week with only selected media invited, all holding their stories and photos until everything was finally announced on Tuesday afternoon. As expected, the Panthers will play the Sharks in the final match of an action-packed day at Allegiant Stadium on March 1. Four games will be played in total, including a Women’s Test between Australia and England, a Super League match between Wigan and Warrington and another NRL game between the Raiders and Warriors. Travel packages are on sale now.

! Panthers stick with the strip: While planning for Vegas is still in the early stages, I’m told Penrith plan to spend the entirety of their build-up in Las Vegas itself. Some clubs last year opted to train away from Vegas and came into the city late. The Panthers are planning to spend all of their time at accommodation

in Vegas, and will lock in nearby training facilities.

! Taylan jets off: Former Penrith back Taylan May (pictured) headed to England some time before last Friday’s settlement was revealed. Keen to avoid a nasty legal battle, May and Penrith agreed on terms to facilitate the controversial player’s exit from the club last Thursday night. The exact details of May’s pay out are being kept confidential. May was already in England by then to catch up with his brother Tyrone, who ironically also left the Panthers in less than ideal circumstances back in 2021. Taylan watched on as Tyrone played for Hull KR in a 15-14 loss to Catalans over the weekend. Taylan’s future may well be in

if he is ultimately found guilty of domestic violence offences next year.

! Staff put through their paces: Things are certainly kept interesting if you’re working for the Panthers. Kevin Kingston recently took 20 staff through an NRL training session, starting in the gym before heading out onto the field. I’m told it was a huge hit – and Julie from reception was the star of the show. Marketing man Darren Micallef also aced the session.

! Spotted: Is there nothing Ivan Cleary can’t do? He helped set up the advertising signage for his press conference after the game against

the Broncos last Friday night after media manager Michael Blok declared it was a two man job. Always looking after the sponsors.

! Laurie in halves frame: Daine Laurie is among the leading contenders to replace Jarome Luai in the halves next season after signing a one-year extension last week. Coach Ivan Cleary said Laurie is a chance to wear the number six on his back next year. “There’s a real chance for that and he’s definitely an option,” he said. “He’s got good instincts and this year when he’s got the opportunity, he’s just taken it.”

! McRae backs comeback: Scott McRae has confirmed he would return as ground announcer for a one-off cameo to farewell Penrith Park later this year. It comes after the Weekender’s Peter Lang began a push for

McRae to return as a nod to his tenure at the ground. The Panthers may find the reaction hard to ignore – there’s been a huge response to Lang’s column. I’m told it’s one of the most viewed ‘Lang on League’ columns of the year.

! Bookies lock in 2003 re-match: The Sydney Roosters have shortened significantly with the bookmakers after a strong middle part of the season. They’re now at $3.75 to win the competition with the TAB. That makes them second favourites behind Penrith at $3.00. The TAB is backing a Panthers v Roosters season decider in October, with Penrith at $1.80 to make the Grand Final and Trent Robinson’s side at $2.10. Despite leading the competition, Craig Bellamy’s Melbourne are third favourites to win the title at $5.00 and $2.50 to make the Grand Final.

England – his list of suitors in Australia will be reasonably small, especially

Sunia Turuva and Daine Laurie chat last week. Photo: NRL Photos.

is Winter, Hear Clear Australia are having an unbeatable promotion on hearing aids starting from the 15th June to 15th August.

How do es it work?

For eligible Pension Concession Card and Department of Veterans’ A airs (DVA) card holders, the Australia G overnment provides fully-subsidised hearing aids, or you have the option of paying for partially-subsidised hearing aids. Partially subsidised hearing aids typically have more features and enhanced technology

So, what are we o ering?

Hear Clear Australia are o ering Oticon Jet 1 receiver in the ear hearing aids which are traditionally

partially-subsidised at no extra cost to you!

You may be asking, what do I need to do?

It’s simple. Just present your Pension or DVA card on the day of your appointment. You will be eligible for a fully subsidised hearing assessment and hearing aids if this is your rst hearing test and pair of hearing aids, or if it has been 5 years since you opted for hearing aids using your Pension or DVA card. If you are unsure about your eligibility, bring your card to our clinic and we can check for you.

If you are eligible and hearing aids are a suitable hearing solution, you will be entitled to our complimentar y upgrade.

Missed last week’s results? Here’s a rundown of what happened in key Penrith Panthers games...

Tries: J Cole, B To’o, M Kenny Goals: D Edwards 1/3

Tries: R Walsh Goals: R Walsh 1/1

Tries: P Hotere-Papalii 2, J Liddiard, B Moran, A Leilua, L Philp, A Hotere-Papalii Goals: J Liddiard 3, Z Lamont 1

Tries: S Loka 2, A Qoro Goals: S Vunibola 2/3

Tries: P Kepaoa 2, V Tamati, N Verevakabau, J Rizk Goals: V Tamati 5/5

Tries: R Stokes, J Nohra, L Magalogo Goals: J Nohra 3/3

There’s been a lot of speculation as to who will fill the huge shoes of James Fisher-Harris when he departs Penrith at the end of the season.

Plenty of names have been bandied about but personally I’d like to see new recruit for 2025 Isaiah Papali’i get first crack at the soon-to-be-vacant front row spot alongside Moses Leota.

First up, yes, the Panthers already have some classy contenders within their playing ranks to cover the position and careful consideration must be given to Lindsay Smith, Liam Henry and even Luron Patea being given a shot.

Of those three contenders, I don’t support Patea being thrust into a starting spot so early in his first-grade career. He’s a good kid and looks like a fine prospect but no way is he ready to take on the ‘week-to-week grind’ of playing front-row in the world’s toughest rugby league competition.

Liam Henry is a little further down the track but he’s still developing and getting used to playing with the big boys, so he’s probably ideally, a year or two off a starting spot as well.

Which leaves the team with Lindsay Smith, who from of all the above suggestions, is probably next-in-line and worth careful consideration.

signed a three-year contract, which will see him become a Panther until the end of 2027. Now for starters, Papali’i is no rookie. He has played 148 first grade games and been playing regular first grade since 2017.

He also has the frame for it. Papali’i is 182cm tall and weighs between 108-111kg. For comparison Fisher-Harris is 5cm taller but also five kilos lighter.

Papali’i has also already played prop during his career. Granted it’s only been in five games, but he’s shown that he can handle the position.

Yes, it’s true that in 2021 Papali’i won the Dally M Second-Rower of the Year Award but that was three years ago and a lot has changed for the man nicknamed ‘Ice’ since then.

SOLVING FRONT ROW HEADACHE lang on league

There is no way in the world that I would entertain the idea of moving an edge weapon like Liam Martin into a battering ram position like prop. Martin is fast becoming the best secondrower in the game, so to stunt his development in that position would be criminal.

with Peter Lang

Finally, Scott Sorensen is a warrior and a workhorse but at his age (31) he is best served as an edge forward, so let’s take him out of the equation too.

So, I come back to Isaiah Papali’i who recently

His stint at the Tigers, which began last year, can best be described as ‘disappointing’. In the second-row, he has struggled to get involved and when he has, he looks uninterested and ineffective at times.

At prop Papali’i would get far more involved and bring the type of leg-speed and drive which would make him a perfect ‘one-two punch’ with Moses Leota, who also possess a similar frame and leg speed drive.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Papali’i ends up in the front-row at some point in his career with Penrith.

I’d just rather see that transition happen sooner rather than later.

player of the year

The Western Weekender Penrith Panthers Player of the Year competition runs throughout the season, with our four experts delivering a 3, 2, 1 rating for the best Panthers players from each Penrith game. The player with the most votes at the end of the season is crowned our Player of the Year.

Isaiah Papali’i should play prop for Penrith, says Peter Lang. Photo: NRL Images.

panther memories

The Panthers struggled through the 1960s and 1970s, but by the time 1984 rolled around, they were maturing into a competitive footy side.

That was evident in the 1984 season, when the Panthers missed the Finals by a single point. They won 12 games, lost 11 and drew one – finishing on 29 points, behind Souths and Canberra on 30 who played off for fifth spot.

Penrith were in the box seat to make the Finals with two rounds to go, but lost to the Raiders and Eels in the final games of the season to miss out.

While the Panthers didn’t make the Finals, there was so much room for optimism.

Teenager Greg Alexander would make his debut in 1984, playing 22 games for the club.

And there was a feeling a sleeping giant had been awoken.

Pictured is Steve Robinson and Warren Fenton sharing a winning moment during the 1984 season.

(Photo thanks to Panthers: Men In Black).

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS KNIGHTS

SHARKS

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

DOLPHIN SHARK TITAN DRAGON KNIGHTS

RABBITOHS TIGERS EELS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

RABBITOHS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

DOLPHINS TIGERS EELS BRONCOS KNIGHTS

DOLPHINS TIGERS TITANS BRONCOS

EAGLES

RABBITOHS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

RABBITOHS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS

EAGLES

EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS

RABBITOHS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS

RABBITOHS SHARKS TITANS DRAGONS

RABBITOHS TIGERS EELS DRAGONS

EAGLES

EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRISBANE SEA EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

RABBITOHS TIGERS EELS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

RABBITOHS SHARKS TITANS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

DOLPHINS SHARKS EELS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

DOLPHINS TIGERS

EAGLES

RABBITOHS TIGERS EELS BRONCOS SEA EAGLES

DOLPHINS SHARKS EELS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

DOLPHINS SHARKS TITANS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

RABBITOHS TIGERS EELS DRAGONS KNIGHTS

DOLPHINS TIGERS EELS DRAGONS SEA EAGLES

C addens

C addens News (C addens Corner)

Woolworths

C ambridge Gardens

Coles

McDonald's

Overlander Hotel

C ambridge Park

C ambridge Park Newsagency

Cellarbations

Friendly Grocer

C astlereagh

Ampol Ser vice Station

Claremont Meadows

Iga Claremont Meadows

Coly ton

Coly ton Centre Pharmacy

Coly ton Friendly Grocer

Coly ton Hotel

Coly ton Newsagency

Hewitt Street Takeaway

Cranebrook

Aldi Cranebrook

Cranebrook Community Health

Cranebrook Village

McDonald's

Mother Earth Nurser y Plus Pharmacy

Woolworths Cranebrook

Emu Plains

Chambers Cellars

Lennox Centre Newsagency

McDonald's

Penrith Regional Galler y Woolworths Lennox Village

7/ 11 Emu Plains (Gre at Western Highway)

7/ 11 Emu Plains (Old Bathurst Rd)

Emu Height s

Super Save Compounding Chemis t

Erskine Park

Ashcroft’s Iga

Erskine Park Ctc

G lenmore Park

Coles

Mags News

McDonald's

Medi Advice Pharmacy

The Valley Junction

Woolworths

J amisontown

Abcoe

Atmosphere Fitness Signature Gym

B att Street Take Away

Grey Gums Hotel

Har vey Norman

New On York Takeaway

Parrabey Gourmet Kitchen

(Penrith Homemaker)

Patt y’s Place

S alt C afé (Penrith Homemaker)

S hell Ser vice Station

The Coffee Club Nepean River

Three Sugars C afé

We stern Weekender

York Takeaway

Zoo Fitness

7/ 11 Jamisontow n

Jordan Springs

Brooks Tavern

Jordan Springs Newsagency

Woolworths

Kemps Creek

C altex Ser vice Station

Kemps Creek Bowling Club

Kingswood

B arista Bar Coff ee Shop

(Nepean Private Hospital)

Countr y Brewer

Hallani’s

Kingswood Hotel

Kingswood Newsagency

Kingswood Smash Repairs

Kingswood Sports Club

Penrith Gaels Club

Volunteers Desk Nepean Hospital

7/ 11 Kingswood

Leonay

Emu Sports Club

Grow C afé (formerly Willow Tree C afé)

Llandilo IGA

Londonderr y Londonderr y Liquor Store

S hell X Roads

Luddenham

Au stralia Pos t IGA Luddenham

Minchinbur y McDonald's

Minchinbur y Fruit Market

Mulgoa

Glenmore Heritage Golf Club

Mulgoa Newsagency

Mulgoa Pharmacy

The Bunker

Nor th St Mar ys

Boronia House (Retirement Community)

MFC Food Stores

Orchard Hills Flower Power

Oxley Park

Morris C are & Advice Pharmacy

Penrith

Aldi

Astina

Atmosphere Gym

Brisket Boys

Ca fé Fre d

Au stralian Arms

C altex Coreen Avenue

Coles Penrith (Nepean Village)

Coles ( We stfield Penrith)

Crescent Mini Mar t

High Street Pies

Hoyt s Westfield

Joan Sutherland Arts Centre

Liquor Stax Pe achtree

McDonald's High Street

McDonald's Panthers Le agues

McDonald's Pe achtree

Mercure Hotel

Museum Of Fire

Nepean Aquatic Centre

Nepean Motor Group C afé

Nepean Rowing Club

Nepean Village Coffee Club

Nepean Village Newsagency

Nextra Westfield

O ffice of Karen McKeown MP

One Point Health

Panthers Le agues Club

Pe achtree Hotel

Penrith Bowling Club

Penrith CBD Corporation

Penrith City Council

Penrith City Librar y

Penrith Golf Club

Penrith Hotel

Penrith Paceway

Penrith RSL

Penrith Senior Citizens’ Centre

Pioneer Tavern

RE/MAX

Sittano s Restaurant

Tattersalls Hotel

The Chicken Run

The Heritage Terrace C afé

The Log C abin

We stfield

World Gym

7/ 11 Henr y Street

Regentville

7/ 11 Regentville

Ropes Crossing

Coles

Ropes Crossing Newsagency

Silverdale

Mobil Ser vice Station

The Chemist Shop

S outh Penrith

Budget Ser vice Station

Fish Fish

Friendly Grocer

Grose’s Pharmacy

Southlands Newsagency

Borec Road Takeaway (Valley C afé)

Lemongrove Community Health Centre

South Penrith Neighbourhood Centre

Woolworths

St Clair Blue C attle Dog Hotel

Foodworks

St Clair Librar y

St Clair Shopping Centre

7/ 11 St Clair

St Mar ys Andrew ’s Corner Store

Ampol Foodar y Astley Pharmacy

C assand ra’s On Queen

Cr ystal C afé

Guido s Hair C are

Jayam Supermarket

Monfar ville Corner Store

Queen St Newsagency

St Mar ys Band Club

St Mar ys Fish Market

St Mar

St Mar ys Le agues Club

McDonald's St Mar ys South

FOUR TIMES THE LAUGHTER!

You’ve heard them all before on your TVs and radios. Now, four of Australia’s top comedians are hitting the road together, and they’re making a stop in western Sydney.

According to Marty Sheargold, what started as a drunken conversation between himself and his promoter Artie Laing quickly became ‘The Comedians’ – a joint comedy show where he would perform alongside Mick Molloy, Lawrence Mooney, and Sam Pang.

“I think Artie suggested putting this whole thing together, and I think I said, ‘What a great idea, Artie. If you do all the work, I’ll turn up!’,” he said.

That was a few years ago, and since then, the four of them haven’t been able to stop bringing the show back – partially because it’s just such great fun.

“The four of us, including Artie and our tour manager have such a great time. We’re all quite busy, so it’s as much of a chance for the four of us to just catch up as it is to work,”

Sheargold said.

“We don’t get to see a lot of each other these days, so it’s lovely. It’s like O Week at university every time we all get together – we drink a lot of negronis and eat a lot of carbs!”

But, the main reason is the fans, who Sheargold said have been loving it since the start.

“If it was terrible, we’d stop, but we all enjoy it as much as the audience. It’s contagious,” he said.

Like each of the other comedians in the show, Sheargold has spent most of his career entertaining audiences from a studio, rather than a stage. However, he said going back isn’t as daunting as you might think.

“It’s instant feedback, it’s exciting, and it’s still thrilling to work in front of great rooms,” he said.

“I’m really enjoying it, and it’s great to be able to stand side of stage and watch these other blokes as well, because they’re elite!”

Having sold out their show at Newtown’s Enmore Theatre already, Sheargold said he can’t wait to bring the show out west for the first time.

“You sort of forget how big Sydney and Melbourne are that you can go and work different theatres in these big cities, and it’s just people

who didn’t want to go into town,” he said.

“There’s a whole world of people that, if you go into their area, they’re happy to come. I get not travelling into the CBD to see a show, because it’s a pain in the ass, but if you’ve got a beautiful theatre out in the western suburbs of Sydney, why wouldn’t you go and do it?”

As far as what audiences are getting for their ticket, Sheargold promises a night full of ‘mature comedy for immature people’.

“You’re going to get a lot of laughs, some inappropriate language, fun,” he said.

“It’s a date night show, if you don’t want to talk to your date until you’re driving home.”

The Comedians will be on at Sydney Coliseum Theatre on Saturday, August 3 from 8pm. Tickets start at $89. For more details or to book, visit sydneycoliseum.com.au.

CASSIDY PEARCE

9 - 15 JULY

WesternSydney GigGuid e

IF YOU HAVE A GIG OR EVENT YOU Would LIKE TO PROMOTE PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA at AMANDA.COSKERIE@WESTERNWEEKENDER.COM.AU

Junkyard Beats

11am - 3pm

Tickets $10

Parramatta Town Hall

Generators

Live band from 8pm

Macquarie Arms Hotel

Dance party night ft. The travellers band

Music from 8pm, Upper entertainment area guildford leagues

Beats, brews & BBQ festival

11am - 10pm

penrith showground

Mon 8 Tues 9

EMO Plains

Doors open 9:30pm o’donoghues pub

nite beat

Music from 6:15pm nbc sports club Fri 12

Friday Night Live- $35 Brookvale Union Buckets

Live music from 6pm ‘til late

Daniel Skinner

Log cabin

jamnation

Spyda White Duo

Sunday Sesh from 3pm

Clarendon Tavern

Music from 9pm Free entry before 8:30pm

Bella Vista Hotel

Hawkesbury race club

Crown Jewel Band Sun 14

Family fun raceday

JULY 21

Kids under 18- FREE

Adults $15 per ticket

Hawkesbury race club

Scan me to check out these events!

THINGS TO DO

BBQ festival full of entertainment

Prepare to indulge in a vibrant weekend filled with delicious BBQ, refreshing local brews, and energising music at the inaugural Beats, Brews & BBQ Festival. Spanning two exhilarating days at Penrith Showground, this festival promises non-stop entertainment for all ages. For more information, visit beatsbrewsbbq.com.au.

BARGAIN BUYS

Op Shop at Kingswood Thursdays and Fridays, 9am to 3.30pm. Kingswood Anglican Church, corner of Bringelly Road and Second Avenue, Kingswood. Morning tea every Friday morning.

BUSINESS

Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce

For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit www.penrithchamber.org.au.

Penrith CBD Corporation

Regular meetings and networking for Penrith CBD businesses. Visit www. penrithcbdcorp.com.au.

CLASSES AND FUN

Free weekly Tai Chi classes

Saturdays 4.30pm, WSU Kingswood Campus. Guan 0422 120 738. Tai chi and qiqong exercise.

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Jordan Springs Probus Club

Fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am, Jordan Springs Hub. 0414 766 763.

Nepean Riverlands Probus Club

Meets on the second Wednesday of the month at Nepean Rowing Club

Local theatre at its best

From this Saturday, July 13, Ruby Productions will be hitting the stage at the John Lees Centre with another one of their fabulous shows. In ‘Blood Moon’, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson’s investigative skills are put to the test against new, magical characters. Tickets are $30. For more information or to book, visit www.rubyproductions.com.au.

from 10am. New members are always welcome.

Kingswood-Caddens Probus Club

Meets on the last Monday of the month at Kingswood Sports Club at 10.30am.

Probus Club of Nepean

First Wednesday of the month at Emu Sports Club, Leonay from 10.30am. Visitors and new members welcome. Contact Faye on 0417 267 866 for more information.

Penrith Lions Club

Second and fourth Monday of the month. Penrith Bowling Club. 4736 1546 for more information.

Nepean Valley RSL Day Club

Meets every Friday from 10am-2pm at Penrith Senior Citizens Centre. Volunteers needed. 0407 014 542.

Penrith Hospital Auxiliary

Craft stall at Nepean Hospital on the first Tuesday of each month from 9am2pm. Volunteers needed. Call Helen on 4572 5244.

Red Cross Penrith

Meetings held the second Thursday of the month for lunch. Members and

Family day at Museum of Fire

Winter family day is back for the July school holidays at the Museum of Fire. This Sunday, July 14, head down and enjoy historic and modern firefighting displays and demonstrations, as well as free face painting, and a book signing with Nathan Spare, author of When The Station Bells Ring. Visit www.museumoffire.net.

volunteers knit teddies for trauma victims. Call 0438 244 414.

Penrith NASHOS

Monthly meeting on the third Sunday of the month at Penrith RSL. Call 0448 983 399 for details.

Nepean Evening VIEW Club

Meets the third Monday of the month at Panthers from 7pm, with dinner and interesting speakers. Call 0411 306 150.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Nepean Food Services

Delivered meals available to purchase for those over 65 or with a disability. Call 4733 7200 for details or visit www.nepeanfoodservices.org.au.

Free food shop

9am-11am every Tuesday at 51 Henry Street, Penrith.

MUSEUMS

Penrith Museum of Printing Sundays from 10am. Penrith Paceway. 0415 625 573 for more information.

Nepean Naval Museum

Open Sundays 11am-3pm. 40-42 Bruce Neale Drive. 0411 138 700 for more details.

Arms of Australia Inn Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am-1pm, 4735 4394. 127 Gardenia Avenue, Emu Plains.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Penrith Stroke Recovery Group

Third Thursday of the month at 10am, Panthers. 1300 650 594.

Penrith Carer Support Group

First Thursday of the month. Headspace. 8880 8160.

Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk Thursdays from 5.30pm. Meet at Coffee Club Nepean River.

Penrith Women’s Health Centre Domestic violence support services. 4721 2499.

Penrith Autism Community Network Carers support group. Meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6.30pm at Maze Cafe, Penrith RSL. Phillip on 0420 209 015 for more details.

Prostate Cancer Support Group Meets third Monday of the month at Emu Sports Club from 6.30pm. Call 1300 13 38 78 for more information.

FLAME FEST IN PENRITH

Fans of Pink Floyd will be in for a treat this Saturday, July 13 when a new show bringing the evolution of the band to the stage makes its way to The Joan.

The show was originally created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, but following its success, it’s heading on tour for everyone to enjoy.

It begins with ‘Echoes’, a 23-minute long aural extravaganza recapturing the themes and melody lines of some of the band’s earliest work – more ambitious than anything Pink Floyd had attempted before, and wild beyond anything they would attempt after.

This is then followed up by hits from ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, known as one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time.

Then, it will end with ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ – a nine-part Pink Floyd composition written by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright, and a tribute to Pink Floyd founding member Syd Barrett. This show is not to be missed!

Pink Floyd’s Evolution will be on at The Joan on Saturday, July 13 at 8pm. Tickets start at $74.90. For more information or to book, visit thejoan.com.au.

A MUST FOR PINK FLOYD FANS

Anew event promising fun for the whole family is making its way to Penrith next weekend.

On Saturday, July 20, Penrith Showground will be transformed into a wonderland of light and sound with Flame Fest.

The event is set to be full of breathtaking fire performers and mesmerising fire stunts that will leave audiences in awe.

There will also be a host of amusement rides and jumping castles for little ones to enjoy.

But, if you’re not so keen for the thrill, instead opt to spend your night dancing to live music, indulging in a variety of delicious treats from food trucks, or shopping until you drop at merchandise stalls.

Don’t miss out on this unforgettable celebration of fire and fun at the Flame Fest! Bookings are essential.

Flame Fest will be on at Penrith Showground on Saturday, July 20 from 5.30pm to late. Tickets are $10, or free for kids under 12. For more information or to book, visit www.clubpacewaypenrith.com.

• Saturday night accommodation for two in the heart of the festivities

• Indulge in a lavish 7-course Christmas Dinner

• Delight in a special visit from Santa Claus, creating magical moments

• Be captivated by live festive performances, adding a joyful soundtrack to your evening

• Wake up to a delightful breakfast for two the next morning Book your Yulefest accommodation and add our Yulefest experience for an additional $360 per couple twin share Available Saturdays 6, 13, 20 & 27 July 2024

CASSIDY PEARCE

CASSIDY PEARCE

At the movies...

REVIEW

A Quiet Place: Day One

1 hour, 39 minutes

‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ is a strong film with moving themes but it has one problem: it’s just not scary enough.

Don't get me wrong, there is a few good jump scares, but in some of the other scenes, where tension is supposed to be rife, I thought it felt flat.

As a prequel to one of the most intriguing monster movie series’ in the last five years, this movie had quite a bit to live up to.

The story follows Sam (Lupita Nyong'o), a poet who is living in a palliative care facility in New York after being diagnosed with cancer; Sam's cat Frodo; and Eric (Joseph Quinn), an English law student.

Sam, Frodo and some other care residents get taken into the city for a day out, but during their outing the monsters invade.

The initial invasion scene was a highlight for me – it effectively builds tension and makes the audience feel what the characters are experiencing.

These monsters are a little different though because they use sound to locate prey – everyone in New York now needs to be silent to survive.

This is an interesting concept and adds higher stakes into the survival of the characters.

Going into the movie I was originally worried about the safety of

Frodo the cat, but once the movie was done I was only angry.

Can we finally move past the days where the characters don't look after their animals correctly and they consistently run off? Once is fine, twice is pushing it but more than that? C'mon!

It moves from being a device to move the plot along to taking the audience out of the film because they are too busy rolling their eyes. Ultimately, the movie was a swift 90 minutes with a focus on friendship and a few scary moments thrown in. The action, acting and cinematography were all good but I wanted to be more scared.

–Emily Chate

www.hoyts.com.au

Ê UK talent quest ‘Starstruck’, which sees music fans appear as their favourite star, will premiere on Channel Seven on Thursday, July 18 at 8.30pm. Singer Olly Murs hosts the series, which will feature four teams of superfans going head-to-head every episode. Each team experiences the ultimate star makeover as they transform into their musical icon before stepping onto the stage to sing one of their biggest hits. The starstudded panel featuring Queen frontman Adam Lambert, country music legend Shania Twain, soul sensation Beverley Knight and comedian Jason Manford will then decide their favourite team of the night before the studio audience vote just one person to go through to the final.

Ê Exciting news for blood-thirsty fans of ‘Interview with the Vampire’, with season two to screen on ABC Entertains on Wednesday, July 31 at 8.30pm. And if you can’t wait week to week, all episodes will be available on ABC iview right away. The new season only just premiered on streaming service AMC+, so this is pretty groundbreaking stuff!

Ê ‘The Dog House Australia’ is casting! Network 10 is seeking families and individuals from all different backgrounds who would like to adopt a rescue dog. They will take the time to work hand-in-hand with an established rescue shelter to match you with the best dog for you or your family. Applicants must be at least 18 and citizens or permanent residents of Australia. To apply, visit https:// shortaudition.tv/The-Dog-House-S5.

Ê ‘Colin From Accounts’ star Patrick Bramall has been cast as the lead in an upcoming six-episode thriller for Apple TV+ titled ‘The Dispatcher’. In the series, which will be filmed in Australia, police detective Ian Hunt’s life fell apart 10 years ago when his young daughter Maggie disappeared without a trace. Now working as a police dispatcher, the only thing that has kept him going is his implacable refusal to accept that she might be gone forever. When he receives a distress call from a young girl he is certain is Maggie, he will stop at nothing to find her and reunite

his broken family, whatever the cost.

Ê Epic western drama ‘Horizon: An American Saga’, starring Kevin Costner, will screen on Stan on Thursday, September 26. ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won – and lost – through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner’s ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America. It recently made its world premiere debut at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, receiving an 11-minute standing ovation, but somewhat mixed reviews.

Ê Still on Stan, and the entire ‘Friends’ library has made its way back to the streamer. Stan also has ‘Friends: The Reunion’ from 2021. Netflix also has 10 seasons of ‘Friends’.

6:00 News Breakfast 9:00 ABC News 10:00 Rulla’s Cooking On Country 10:30 TBA 11:00 Antiques Roadshow 12:00 ABC News

1:00 Troppo (M l) 2:00 The Split (M l,s) 3:00 Restoration Australia 3:55 Martin ClunesIslands Of America (PG) 4:45 Grand Designs - House Of The Year (PG) 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Hard Quiz (PG)

7:00 ABC News 7:30 Love Your Garden

TV Guide: July 12 – 18

Your guide to the week’s television viewing

8:20 Troppo (M l) 9:20 Gruen (PG) 9:55 Hard Quiz (PG) 10:25 Austin (PG) 6:00 Sunrise 9:00 The Morning Show (PG) 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 Movie: “Big Sky River” (PG) (’22) Stars: Emmanuelle Vaugier 2:00 House Of Wellness (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Better Homes And Gardens 8:30 Movie: “The Dressmaker” (M l,s,v) (’15) Stars: Kate Winslet 10:50 TBA 12:35 Criminal Confessions (MA15+) 1:35 Harry’s Practice 6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra 11:30 NINE News Morning 12:00 Movie: “Sparks Over Brooklyn” (PG) (’23) Stars: AnnaMaria Demara 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE News Afternoon 5:00 Tipping Point Australia (PG) 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 NRL: Sharks v Tigers *Live* 9:55 NRL: Knock Off 10:30 Tennis: Wimbledon: Day 12 *Live* 4:00 Postcards (PG) 4:30 Home Shopping 5:30 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo 12:00 10 News First: Midday 1:00 Entertainment Tonight (PG) 1:30 Judge Judy (PG) 2:00 Ready Steady Cook

American Pickers (PG) 6:30 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:00 AFL: Friday Night Countdown 7:20 AFL: Round 18: Collingwood v Geelong *Live* 10:30 AFL:

4:35 Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood 5:00 Peppa Pig 5:35 Fireman Sam 6:05 Little J And Big Cuz 6:25 The Adventures Of Paddington

3:15 Modern Family (PG) 3:40 Delinquents Make You Laugh Out Loud (PG) 4:40 Baking It (PG) 5:40 Dodger (PG) 6:40 Movie: “Hotel Transylvania 2” (PG) (’15) Stars: Adam Sandler 8:30 Movie: “The Ugly Truth” (M) (’09) Stars: Katherine Heigl

6:00 rage Charts (PG) 7:00 Weekend Breakfast 9:00 rage (PG)

July

Saturday

1:30 Seven’s Horse Racing *Live* 5:00 Bargain Hunt 6:00 Heathrow (PG) 6:30 The Highland Vet (PG) 7:30 The Yorkshire Vet (PG) 8:30 Escape To The Country 11:30 The Yorkshire Vet (PG) 12:30 Escape To The Country

3:45 Bushwhacked 4:10 Spartakus And The Sun Beneath The Sea 4:40 Motown Magic 5:05 Our Stories 5:35 NITV News: Nula 6:05 Little J & Big Cuz 6:40 Coastal Africa 7:30 Movie: “Rabbit-Proof Fence” (PG) (’02) Stars: Everlyn Sampi

7:30 Would I Lie To You? (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Wrath Of The Titans” (M v) (’12) Stars: Sam Worthington 10:10 ER (PG) 11:40 rage (M) 5:30 My Market Kitchen 6:00 Guillaume’s Paris 6:30 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Restaurants At The End Of The World 8:30 Secret World Of Snacks 9:30 Come Dine With Me Couples UK

8:30 Jake And The Fatman 9:30 Diagnosis Murder (PG) 11:30 JAG (PG) 1:30 Star Trek: Voyager (M v) 2:30 Jake And The Fatman (PG) 3:30 Diagnosis Murder (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS: (M v) 9:25 FBI (M) 11:15 Blue Bloods (M)

4:00 ABC World News Tonight 4:25 PBS News Hour 5:25 The Curse Of Oak Island (PG) 6:15 Forged In Fire (PG) 7:05 Jeopardy! 7:30 NITV News Update 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:35 Travel Man’s Greatest Trips

2:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 3:00 Frasier (PG) 4:00 Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield 4:30 Friends (PG) 5:30 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 6:30 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang

(M) 9:30 Two And A Half Men (PG)

4:30 The Addams Family 5:00 Bewitched 5:30 Transformers: Cyberverse (PG) 5:45 Movie: “Penguins Of Madagascar” (G) (’14) Stars: Tom McGrath 7:30 Movie: “Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian” (PG) (’09) Stars: Ben Stiller

At 5 5:30 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Free Guy” (M) (’21) Stars: Ryan Reynolds 9:50 Movie: “Deadpool 2” (M) (’18) Stars: Ryan Reynolds 6:00 Getaway (PG) 6:30 A Current Affair (PG) 7:00 Weekend Today 10:00 Today Extra Saturday 12:00 Surfing Australia TV 12:30 Great Australian Detour 1:00 Movie: “Mr Holland’s Opus” (PG) (’96) Stars: Richard Dreyfuss 3:50 Do You Want To Live Forever (PG) 5:00 NINE News First At 5 5:30 Getaway (PG) 6:00 NINE News Saturday 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 Rugby Union: Wallabies v Wales *Live* 9:50 Rugby Union: Post Match 10:00 Ready Steady Cook (PG) 11:00 Australia By Design: Innovations 11:30 The

3:00 NDRC Top Doorslammer Highlights 4:00 Barrett Jackson: Revved Up (PG) 5:00 Counting Cars (PG) 5:30 Storage Wars (PG) 6:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:00 AFL: Round 18: Melbourne v Essendon *Live* 10:30 AFL: Post Game

Compass

6:00 rage (PG) 7:00 Weekend Breakfast 9:00 Insiders 10:00 Offsiders 10:30 The World This Week 11:00 Compass (PG) 11:30 Songs Of Praise 12:00 ABC News 12:30 Landline 1:30 Love Your Garden 2:15 Grand Designs - The Streets (PG) 3:50 Secrets Of The Museum 4:45

Quiz

Karma’s World 7:30 Movie: “Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania” (PG) (’22) Stars: Andy Samberg

2:30 Creative Types With Virginia Trioli 3:00 ABC News 3:30 Offsiders 4:00

2:35 Dancing With The Stars (PG) 4:05 Britain’s Got Talent (PG) 5:30 Movie: “Playmobil: The Movie” (G) (’19) Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy 7:30 Movie: “Under The Tuscan Sun” (PG) (’03) Stars: Diane Lane 9:50 Movie: “Snatched” (M) (’17)

4:05 Would I Lie To You? (PG) 4:35 Mythbusters (PG) 5:25 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces 6:15 Car S.O.S (PG) 7:00 Would I Lie To You? (PG) 8:00 QI (PG) 8:30 Live At The Apollo (M l) 9:20 Absolutely Fabulous (PG) 10:45 ER (PG)

3:30 Karla Grant Presents (PG) 4:30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo (PG) 5:00 NITV News: Nula 5:30 Coastal Africa 6:30 The Big Wet (PG) 7:30 Big Backyard Quiz *(M l,s) 8:30 Movie: “Bran Nue Dae” (PG) (’09) Stars: Rocky McKenzie

5:30 Luca’s Key Ingredient 6:00 Food Affair With Mark Wiens 6:30 Raymond Blanc’s Royal Kitchen Gardens 7:30 Hairy Bikers Go North 8:30 Rick Stein’s Long Weekends 9:40 Anthony Bourdain: A Cook’s Tour

9:30 Diagnosis Murder (PG) 11:30 Camper Deals 12:00 Jake And The Fatman PG) 1:00 I Fish 2:00 JAG (PG) 4:00 All 4 Adventures (PG) 5:00 Escape Fishing With ET 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (PG) 9:25 Bull (M v) 12:15 Blue Bloods (M)

4:00 ABC World News Tonight With David Muir 4:25 PBS Newshour 5:25 Tattoo Age (PG) 5:55 The Food That Built The World (PG) 7:35 Impossible Engineering 8:30 The Nine Lives Of Paris Hilton (M d,l,n)

2:00 Country Life For Half The Price 3:00 Antiques Roadshow 3:30 Movie: “Night Boat To Dublin” (PG) (’46)

(M) 9:00 Cycling:

12:30 Impractical Jokers (PG) 1:00 Two And A Half Men (PG) 1:30 The Neighborhood (PG) 2:30 Becker (PG) 3:00 Frasier (PG) 4:00 Friends (PG) 4:30 Deal Or No Deal 6:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 10:30 Two And A Half Men (PG)

3:20 Movie: “Loch Ness” (G) (’96) Stars: Ted Danson 5:20 Movie: “The Water Horse” (PG) (’07) Stars: Alex Etel 7:30 Movie: “Edward Scissorhands” (PG) (’90) Stars: Johnny Depp 9:40 Movie: “Practical Magic” (PG) (’98) Stars: Sandra Bullock

3:00

12:45 Movie: “State Secret” (G) (’50) Stars: Glynis Johns 3:00 Rugby Union: Shute Shield: Warringah v Eastwood *Live* 5:00 Movie: “Taras Bulba” (PG) (’62) Stars: Yul Brynner 7:30 Movie: “The Great Escape” (M) (’63) Stars: Steve McQueen

Manu (PG) 12:55 Home And Away (PG) 3:45 Dancing With The Stars (PG) 5:30 Puppy School 6:30 Bondi Vet (PG) 7:30 Law & Order: Criminal Intent (M) 8:30 Law & Order: SVU (M) 10:30 Law & Order (M) 2:15 The Big Wet (PG) 3:15 Sing About This Country 5:10 Big Backyard Quiz (M) 6:10 NITV News Update 6:20 Animal Babies (PG) 7:30 Who We Are In Sport (M) 8:30 Movie: “The Tracker” (M v) (’02) Stars: David Gulpilil 11:30 JAG (PG) 1:30 Luxury Escapes 2:00 MasterChef Australia (PG) 3:10 Buy To Build 3:35 On The Fly 4:00 Pooches At Play 4:30 What’s Up Down Under 5:00 I Fish 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 10:20 Bull (M v) 12:15 Blue Bloods (M)

(PG) 7:00 Would I Lie To You? (PG) 8:00 QI (PG) 8:30 Louis Theroux: Choosing Death (MA15+) 9:35 Brian Johnson’s A Life On The Road (M d,l) 10:20 ER (PG)

5:30 The Streets Hong Kong 6:00 A New Zealand Food Story 6:30 Simply Raymond Blanc 7:30 Be My Guest With Ina Garten 8:30 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 9:40 Anthony Bourdain: A Cook’s Tour 10:40 Alex Polizzi Secret Italy

4:00 Blaktrax 4:35 ABC World News Tonight With David Muir 5:05 PBS Washington Week With The Atlantic 5:30 Alone Denmark (PG) 6:40 Great Australian Walks With Julia Zemiro (PG) 7:35 Abandoned Engineering (PG)

6:30 Frasier (PG) 7:30 Neighbours (PG) 9:30 Becker (PG) 10:00 Frasier (PG) 11:00 Becker (PG) 11:30 Frasier (PG) 12:30 The Middle (PG) 5:00 Deal Or

3:30 Movie: “Gremlins” (PG) (’84) Stars: Zach Galligan 5:40 Movie: “Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” (G) (’09) Stars: Jason Lee 7:30 Movie: “Gladiator” (M v) (’00) Stars: Russell Crowe 10:35 Movie: “RoboCop 3” (M v) (’93) 2:00 Movie: “The Gentle Gunman” (G) (’52) Stars: Robert Beatty 3:00 Movie: “The Unforgiven” (PG) (’60) Stars: Burt Lancaster 6:30 M*A*S*H (PG) 8:30 Movie: “The Negotiator” (M l,v) (’98) Stars: Samuel L Jackson

Classifications: (G) General, (PG) Parental Guidance, (M) Mature Audiences, (MA15+) Mature Audience Over 15 Years Consumer Advice: (d) drug references, (s) sexual references or sex scenes (h) horror, (l) language, (mp) medical procedures, (n) nudity, (v) violence

Get Macca’s® delivered.

4:00 Medical Emergency (PG)

10 News First: Afternoon Neighbours (PG) 4:30 The Bold & The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:00 Deal Or No Deal (PG) 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 MasterChef Australia (PG) 9:00 Have You Been Paying Attention? (M l,n,s)

The Fatman (PG) 3:30 Diagnosis

(PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 9:25

(M v)

6:05 Little J And Big Cuz 6:25 The Adventures Of Paddington 7:05 Andy And The Band 7:35 The Inbestigators 8:05 Fresh Off The Boat (PG)

6:05 Little J And Big Cuz 6:25 The Adventures Of Paddington 7:05 Andy And The Band 7:35 The Inbestigators 8:05 Fresh Off The Boat (PG)

4:00 Afternoon

Friends (PG) 5:30 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 6:30 Neighbours (PG) 7:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Two And A Half Men (PG)

4:00 Reno My Rental 5:00 Fixer To Fabulous 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 8:30 Help!

12:00 ABC News 1:00 Maggie Beer’s Big Mission 2:00 Ladies In Black (PG) 3:00 Restoration Australia 3:55 Martin ClunesIslands Of Australia (PG) 4:45 Grand Designs (PG) 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Hard Quiz (PG) 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 Foreign Correspondent 8:30 Grand Designs - The Streets (PG) 12:00 Movie: “The Wedding Veil Legacy” (PG) (’22) Stars: Alison Sweeney 2:00 Kochie’s Business Builders 2:30 Border Security International (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 8:30 Starstruck (PG) 9:45 ABBA vs Queen (PG)

Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 4:30 The Addams Family 5:00 Bewitched 5:30 I Dream Of Jeannie 6:00 The Nanny (PG) 7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 7:30 Seinfeld (PG)

(M) 2:30 Jake And The Fatman (PG) 3:30 Diagnosis Murder (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M v) 9:25 FBI (M) 4:30 Friends (PG) 5:30 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 6:30 Neighbours (PG) 7:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Two And A Half Men (PG) 4:00 Reno My Rental 4:30 House In A Hurry (PG) 5:00 Holiday Homes

12:00 Movie: “Undercover Blues” (PG) (’93) Stars: Dennis Quaid 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE News Afternoon 5:00 Tipping Point Australia (PG) 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 RBT (M) 8:30 Australian Crime Stories - The Investigators (MA15+) 10:30 NINE News Late 11:00 The Equalizer (M v) 1:30 Judge Judy (PG) 2:00 Taskmaster Australia (PG) 3:00 Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield 3:30 10 News First: Afternoon 4:00 Neighbours (PG) 4:30 The Bold & The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:00 Deal Or No Deal (PG) 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 Taskmaster

5:30 Yorkshire Auction House 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 As Time Goes By 8:40 Midsomer Murders (PG) 10:40 The Madame Blanc Mysteries (M)

COUNTRY CORNER

Sunset Bash returns to Penrith Aussie country star Travis Collins (pictured) will headline the return of Sunset Bash in Penrith later this year.

It’s been announced that the country-themed event will return to Panthers on Saturday, September 21.

Collins will headline along with a top line-up of Aussie country artists including Lane Pittman, Missy Lancaster and Andrew Swift, Two-time 2024 Golden Guitar winner Duncan Toombs, 2024 Toyota Star Maker winner Wade Forster and Cass Hopetoun are also part of the line-up.

In addition to a stellar line-up of homegrown talent, The Backyard will also play host to an array of food trucks, western-wear and festival fashion stalls and an after party dj till late.

Tickets are on sale now from www.sunsetbash.au or Ticketek.

Kane Brown announces Aussie tour Multi-platinum award-winning entertainer Kane Brown (pictured right) has revealed additional dates for his highly anticipated In The Air tour.

As part of the global tour, Brown will visit Australia and New Zealand this November,

with special guests Kameron Marlowe and Kaylee Bell on all shows.

Returning to Australasia for the first time since 2022, when he headlined CMC Rocks QLD and performed acclaimed sideshows to sell-out crowds, Brown has continued his meteoric rise and will play his biggest shows down under yet.

On the heels of receiving the ACM Honors International Award for his contributions to the country music format on a global scale, Brown tours extensively through the US, playing major stadium shows including returning to Boston’s iconic Fenway Park, where he last year made history as the first black artist to sell-out a headlining show in the venue’s 100+ year history.

With a genre-defying catalogue that fuses country, pop, hip-hop and more, Kane Brown live in action is an experience for all music lovers. Don’t miss his In The Air Australia and New Zealand tour this November, when he returns to antipodean shores for his biggest shows yet!

Tickets for the Sydney show at Qudos Bank Arena on Tuesday, November 19 are now on sale through Ticketek.

CEILING FANS ARE A WINNER IN HOME DESIGN

As homeowners design their spaces in Australia’s diverse climate, functional additions play a crucial role in enhancing comfort and livability.

With its varying temperatures and sunny days, Australia’s climate highlights the importance of practical elements that contribute to a more comfortable home environment.

Ceiling fans, for instance, offer both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits, particularly during warmer seasons. They provide a cost-effective and sustainable solution for keeping homes cool

and energy-efficient by promoting air circulation and reducing reliance on air conditioning. This not only enhances comfort but also contributes to lower energy costs and sustainability efforts.

Integrating sleek ceiling fans into Mid-Century Modern (MCM) aesthetics further enhances the functionality and appeal of the design, creating spaces that are not only visually pleasing but also conducive to comfortable living and climate control.

“As we design our homes to match Australia’s diverse climate, incorporating elements like ceiling fans is essential for

both comfort and style. Choosing the right fan not only improves air circulation and energy efficiency but also enhances the overall aesthetic of your space. A well-selected ceiling fan seamlessly blends into your home’s design, making it a practical and stylish addition to any room,” said Paul Butterworth, a Brisbane-based architect and expert on MCM design.

To complement this aesthetic, ceiling fans should embody these principles:

1. Sleek and simple: Opt for fans with minimalistic designs, clean lines, and a

streamlined appearance.

2. Organic shapes: Consider fans with organic and natural shapes to ensure it seamlessly fits into the MCM style.

3. Functional elegance: Ensure the fan provides both style and functionality.

“INCORPORATING ELEMENTS LIKE CEILING FANS IS ESSENTIAL FOR BOTH COMFORT AND STYLE”

The Fanco Eco Style ceiling fan is an excellent example of a design that complements the MCM aesthetic, particularly through its distinctive blade shape. The fan’s blades feature a unique silhouette reminiscent of the clean lines and geometric forms characteristic of mid-century design. With their subtle curvature and tapered ends, the blades evoke a sense of timeless elegance and sophistication. Perfect fans for Modern Australian homes When selecting a ceiling fan for this style, consider the following:

1. Natural materials: Choose fans with blades made from natural materials like timber, which harmonise with the use of wood and stone in Modern Australian interiors.

2. Indoor-outdoor flexibility: Fans that work both indoors and outdoors are ideal for homes that blend indoor and outdoor living areas.

3. Energy efficiency: Sustainability is a key aspect of Modern Australian design. Opt for energy-efficient fans that reduce power consumption while providing excellent airflow.

Visit www.fanco.com.au.

CONTACT AGENT FOR PRICE

2 2 1

OPEN FOR INSPECTION

Drop in to our office in the shopping centre during business hours or Sat/Sun 10am-2pm

CONTACT:

PRD Glenmore Park

Darren Latty • 0414 6204532 darren@prd.net.au

What is so great about this property?

Brand-new apartment in the newly opened retail precinct

Glenmore Village. We have a small selection of apartments available for sale where you can move in straight away. A world of shopping and dining options is right at your front door.

Who does this property suit?

We have had a wide range of buyers purchase in the development. Predominately down sizers

looking for a low maintenance lifestyle, first home buyers looking to get into the market, and more recently investors looking to capitalise on the excellent rent returns.

Tell us about the suburb the property is in?

Glenmore Village is located in the suburb of Glenmore Park in the region known as Mulgoa Rise and Highland Views. It is a blue ribbon location with a range of schools and parkland nearby.

If you are considering selling your operty, please contact Gizzelle Powell today for a con dential discussion and market appraisal

Ma rian’s Mana is a pre stig iou s maste r-plan ne d pre ci nct offer i ng prem iu m land lots and a rchite ct ural ly des ig ne d res idence s i n one of South-West S yd ney’s faste st-g rowi ng com mu nities.

PR ICES START FROM $554, 50 0

FE AT URES MANICURED GARDENS AND GREEN SPAC ES , ALL MAIN TA INED UNDER A CO MMUNIT Y TITLE SCHEME

WELL PO SITIONED NE AR THE RA PI DLY EX PA NDING OR AN PA RK TO WN CENTRE

Located near Oran Park ’s most popular amenities and shopping precinct, Marian’s Mana invites you to enjoy an addres s that blends nature with urban conveniences. It ’s a place you’ll want to call ho me.

*Artist impression

The Experts

IMAGE CREATION USING GENERATIVE AI TECH

You can get Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot and Google Gemini to create complex high-definition pictures. These AI models can create stunning and unique images based on your descriptions, opening new doors for artists, designers, and anyone with a creative vision. This guide explores how to harness the power to bring your ideas to life.

The success of AI image generation is in your hands. Crafting clear and concise prompts is the key, as they act as instructions for the AI, outlining the desired content, style, and composition. Here are some tips to help you with this:

• Be specific: The more details you provide, the better the AI can understand your vision. Describe objects, characters, settings, colours, lighting, emotions –anything that contributes to the image.

• Use references: If you have a specific style or reference image in mind, include it in your prompt. This helps the AI understand the visual direction you’re aiming for.

• Experiment with language: Use adjectives, verbs, and descriptive phrases to create moods and atmospheres.

These AI tools can create a vast array of images, including:

• Realistic scenes: Landscapes, cityscapes,

interiors, historical settings – the possibilities are endless.

• Abstract concepts: Emotions, ideas, and data visualisations can be brought to life through abstract imagery.

• Stylised art: Generate images in the style

of famous painters, specific art movements, or even cartoons.

• Conceptual designs: Prototype product ideas, create mock-ups, or develop concept art for games and movies.

As an example, I asked each of the tools to generate an image of “a cat dressed as a burglar, sitting on a giraffe, wading through a river at sunset with palm trees along the river, a flock of flamingos in the distance, and a hippopotamus nearby.”

These models are designed to adapt to your needs.

They generated a selection of four unique images for me, and I was able to choose one and continue asking the tool to add modifications. They even make suggestions – one of mine was to add a monkey to one of the Palm trees. The process is user-friendly and flexible, allowing you to explore and experiment with your creative ideas. Most platforms have increased the limitations of using lifelike images of real people or characters. Of course, this raises issues around ethical considerations and copyright. And at least for now, any images you create cannot be copyrighted either.

So, jump on your favourite AI platform and ask it to generate some pictures. You will be amazed at the results.

HOW MASSAGE CAN HELP WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS The Experts

What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Let’s firstly explain some of the basic terms of the human body’s nervous system. Neurons are nerve cells that connect with one another throughout our body as a continuous network and is what consists of all our nerves.

Myelinated sheaths are basically an electrically insulating cover around most of our neurons that allows the nerve signals to transmit along the neurons efficiently and fast. The central nervous system (CNS) is referred to as just the brain and spinal cord that is situated in the centre of our nervous system and body.

Multiple sclerosis is believed to be an autoimmune condition as it involves abnormal activity from our own immune cells that attack and destroy the myelin sheath around our neurons in the central nervous system. Therefore, this damage means that the brain cannot communicate the signals with the rest of the body, leading

to a range of symptoms such as…

• Vision impairment, like double vision or loss of vision

• Fatigue

• Slurred speech

• Dizziness or vertigo

• Mental health issues like depression

• Numbness and tingling

• Muscle spasticity, which is described as painful involuntary muscle contractions and cramps

• Paralysis, typically in the legs, weakness and pain in legs upon walking, standing and getting up (although, all these movements can be almost impossible for some)

Everyone will experience a different course of symptoms and how the disease progresses.

Relevance to massage

Massage unfortunately cannot cure MS but research through multiple treatment trials on MS patients have shown its effectiveness in managing symptoms and improving quality of life.

Some benefits of massage for MS sufferers can be a decrease in muscle spasticity and tightness, improvement in joint range of motion, better sleep patterns and moods and a decrease in oedema (swelling), which can be common

symptoms and may have recently been diagnosed with it. If it is oedema that is the focus of the treatment, then gaining medical clearance from your doctor is advised, particularly, if the cause of the oedema is unknown or is a

amongst wheelchair bound individuals who have fluid retention in their legs and feet.

When massage may not be suitable for you

Massage is contraindicated in the acute phase of MS which is the early stages of the disease when you first experience the

result of another medical condition that is not well-managed or is under medical guidance.

Chronic fatigue is also a very common symptom of MS. The massage appointment must be scheduled when the client is feeling relatively good with their energy levels to avoid aggravating their symptoms.

IN THE MIRROR with Cassidy Pearce

The brand taking Australia by storm

If you’ve been on social media lately, or even just stepped foot in a Woolies, chances are you’ve heard of MCoBeauty.

MCoBeauty is a brand stocking everything from makeup to skincare and accessories, and is advertised as providing ‘luxe-for-less’. But, there’s a twist – many of their most popular products look startlingly similar to those of larger, more expensive brands.

In the last few months, the Aussie brand has well and truly taken the world by storm, recently launching in the US. But, are the dupes really as good as the originals, and are they worth purchasing?

About the brand

MCoBeauty was founded in 2016 by CEO Shelley Sullivan, 14 years after she created sister brand, ModelCo.

The brand first came into notoriety in 2019, when it was announced that they’d be one of the brand partners for

the second season of ‘Love Island Australia’, meaning influencers-to-be were seen sharing tutorials and reviews for the show and its social media channels. Sophie Monk, the show’s host, was also an MCoBeauty ambassador at the time.

But, in 2023, the brand entered another stratosphere with the release of its Flawless Glow – a tinted illuminating primer which was quickly dubbed a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter due to the almost identical packaging.

What’s a dupe, and why are they so popular?

Short for duplicate, a ‘dupe’ in the beauty industry refers to an affordable product which is similar to a higher end one. Shoppers are

encouraged to purchase dupes instead of the original product in order to save money, or to try something comparable to a product that they may not have access to.

Previously, a dupe has almost exclusively referred to a product’s colour and formula, meaning they perform alike, and look pretty much the same when applied. However, MCo Beauty has taken this to another layer by replicating the packaging of these products almost exactly.

You might be wondering –how is this legal?

In a story published by the ABC last week, Sullivan sat down with the brand’s external lawyer to break down the extremely thorough production process that they go through to ensure that no trademarks in name, shape, colour, or otherwise are infringed.

Replicating the packaging, however, infers that the product inside must be just as good – but is it?

Is it worth your money?

Over the last few years, I’ve avoided shopping from MCoBeauty. Despite there being no issues with legality, something about the concept of duping other products really leaves a sour taste in my mouth. However, when faced with a 40 per cent off sale at Big W, I couldn’t resist.

A standout product for me so far is their Makeup Grip Primer – a dupe of the Milk Makeup

Hydro Grip Primer. Having tried the original, I can say that this one is actually stickier, and feels like it does do a good job at keeping your makeup on your face.

Some other brand highlights for me are the Miracle Flawless Pressed Powder, Miracle Flawless Setting Spray and Soft Matte Beauty Wand – three more Charlotte Tilbury dupes. Next on my wish list is the Peptide Lip Treatment, a dupe for my favourite lip balm by Summer Fridays.

Overall, I do find MCoBeauty’s philosophy and strategies to be incredibly interesting. Whilst I do think some of the products are good, I wouldn’t buy them full price (at that point, you may as well buy the more expensive version!). But, with regular sales popping up, I’d say there’s no harm in giving the brand a go.

UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING ATTACKS

Recently, there has been a notable rise in dog fights and attacks, leading to pets requiring urgent medical treatment. Witnessing your beloved pet being attacked by another dog is a harrowing experience. While the instinct to rush in and rescue your pet is strong, it’s crucial to remain calm and exercise caution to avoid escalating the situation or getting injured yourself.

Any dog can exhibit aggressive behaviour, especially if they feel threatened or cornered. This can stem from a current perceived threat or past experiences that have left them feeling uneasy. Remember, understanding a dog’s body language are key to preventing potential attacks.

Dogs rarely bite without warning. They often display clear signs before resorting to biting. These signs may include growling, snarling, snapping, baring teeth or lunging.

However, dogs may also exhibit signs of anxiety or nervousness

well before these aggressive behaviours manifest. Recognising these early signs can help prevent an escalation:

• Licking their lips or yawning

• Ears going backwards or flattened on their head

If you notice another dog showing signs of anxiety or aggression around your pet, the best course of action is to calmly and quickly walk away. Avoid getting too close to the dog, and if possible, put a visual barrier like a gate, fence, or

• Showing the whites of their eyes (often called “whale eye”)

• Turning their face away

• Trying to move or turn away from the other dog

• Standing crouched or walking low to the ground

car between the two dogs.

Witnessing a dog attack can be frightening, but it’s important to stay calm and focused. Here are some steps to take if you find yourself in this situation:

• Do not put your hands within reach of the fighting dogs.

Trying to separate them physically can result in severe injuries to yourself and further harm to your dog if the other dog hasn’t let go.

• Call your dog away. If your dog responds to commands, try calling them to you. The other dog’s owner should do the same.

• Report the incident to local animal services who can take appropriate action and may help prevent future incidents.

• Take your dog to a veterinarian. Even if the injuries seem minor, a professional examination is necessary. Bite wounds can cause significant damage beneath the skin and carry bacteria that could lead to infection.

For more information or assistance following a dog attack, contact Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital on 4736 2027. Their experienced staff can provide medical care for your pet and offer advice on preventing future incidents.

Relax & Unwind

AQUARIUS

JANUARY 21 TO FEBRUARY 19 JOANNE MADELINE MOORE

Boho Astro bohoastro.com

@JoMadelineMoore

© Joanne Madeline Moore 2024

Aquarians are free spirits. And you could go missing in action this week, as Uranus and the Full Moon boost your tendency to detach or run away from difficult situations. Heading for the hills or escaping into a private fantasy seems appealing, but the current problems will still be waiting when you return. So you need to get the balance right between dealing with daily challenges when they occur, and retreating into your own quirky inner world.

TAURUS

APRIL 21 TO MAY 21

Bulls love to feel stable and comfy, and sudden changes can catapult you into a state of catatonia. This week the planetary patterns shake up your comfort zone – especially involving a planned trip, personal project or educational matter. Uranus urges you to banish boredom and take a smart calculated risk, as you stir things up via a brand-new goal or a local community connection. Sunday’s Full Moon also encourages you to be bold and adventurous.

LEO

JULY 23 TO AUGUST 23

The Capricorn Full Moon highlights your health zone so it’s a good week to try a detox diet or a disciplined new exercise routine. Mercury and Venus are both vamping through your sign, which boosts your Cat charisma and playful sense of fun. So it’s also a wonderful week to turn up the charm and call in a few old favours. However, too much happy hilarity (and no action) will just annoy others (who are doing all the work). So try to walk your talk.

SCORPIO

OCTOBER 24 TO NOVEMBER 22

It’s time for sensitive Scorpios to be clever, creative and communicative. But (courtesy of the Full Moon) it’s definitely not a good week to host a jolly neighbourhood reunion or bring up sensitive childhood issues with a sibling. The planets encourage you to let go of the past and stop worrying about the future. Focus on enjoying the here and now! Be inspired by music icon Carlos Santana (who was born on July 20), “The present is where everything begins.”

PISCES

FEBRUARY 20 TO MARCH 20

This week a fortuitous power surge could inspire fabulous creative ideas and spiritual insights. But do you feel dismally disorganised? Is a lack of a daily routine letting you down? If you confuse fact with fantasy, then you could end up with a complicated mess on your hands. So do your best to keep your feet on the ground! It’s time to tune into the strong energy of Sunday’s Full Moon in earthy Capricorn, as you try a more grounded and disciplined approach.

GEMINI

22 TO JUNE 21

The Full Moon shines a spotlight on money, business, investments, taxes and joint finances so make sure they are all in working order. And the Sun makes a fabulous aspect with Uranus, so an innovative financial idea could really take flight. Mars and Jupiter are transiting through Gemini so be proactive about maintaining your sense of humour! Be inspired by comedian (and birthday great) Robin Williams, “Laughter can be many things – sometimes a medicine.”

VIRGO

AUGUST 24 TO SEPTEMBER 23

You’ll feel compelled to connect with your inner world or help someone in need, as the planets highlight your spiritual, humanitarian and friendship zones. With Mars and Jupiter jumping through your career zone, decisive and dynamic action is required at work. So don’t waste your numerous talents with unproductive daydreaming that goes nowhere. If you worry and procrastinate, then promising opportunities and important connections will pass you by.

SAGITTARIUS

NOVEMBER 23 TO DECEMBER 21

This week the shimmering Sun’s transiting through your dream zone, while Mars and Jupiter (your patron planet) are revving up your relationship zone. So dreams and partnerships are highlighted at the moment. It’s important to nurture and develop them – but don’t get the two confused! Iconic singer Linda Ronstadt (who turns 78 on Monday) reminds us, “The thing you have to be prepared for is that other people don’t always dream your dream.”

MARCH 21 TO APRIL 20

The week starts with a Mars/Uranus spark, that will rev you up in a positive, proactive way. So it’s the perfect time to explore and experiment in exciting new directions. Then the week ends with a Mars/Neptune link that encourages creative projects and spiritual pursuits. So it’s the ideal time to paint and pray, play music and meditate, sing and chant, practice yoga and dance up a storm. Sunday’s Full Moon pushes you to follow your professional dreams.

CANCER

Calling all Crabs … the Sun is transiting through your sign (until July 22) which boosts your creativity and your moodiness. There’s a Full Moon in your relationship zone on Sunday, so it’s time to look after loved ones and nurture your inner self via meditation, contemplation and relaxation. Your quote for the week is from actress Selena Gomez, “I’m such a Cancer. I feel everything so intensely, which is one of my favourite things about myself.”

Expect some tension as the Full Moon stirs up old grievances with a family member or a work colleague. If you sit back and let others make decisions, then you’ll just feel powerless. So strive to be more self-sufficient, as you use your natural diplomatic skills to help smooth troubled waters. Getting the ratio right between your public and private lives is an ongoing challenge. But if anyone can juggle complex commitments, it’s a well-balanced Libran!

CAPRICORN

DECEMBER 22 TO JANUARY 20

On the weekend the feisty Full Moon lights up your sign. So relationship dramas are likely – unless you can slip out of fussy Capricorn control-freak mode and instead, try the gentle art of compromise. Other people are acting as a mirror, reflecting negative personal traits that you may be unaware of. Use these experiences to work on your weaknesses – and build on your natural strengths. As always, calm cooperation is the key to interpersonal harmony.

5.

6. Actress, ... Hepburn

7. Revise

8. Singer, ... Morrison

25. Conundrum 26. Gentle wave

29. Marine

32. Wined and dined

35. Decorative shrub pot

37. Hurt

38. Stowed

40. Rip-offs

41. Tiny cuts

42. Lop off 43. Ponds

44. Gives go-ahead to

47. Condemnation

51. Bistro

52. Oscar-winner, ... Bullock

53. Legislative body

54. Devoid (of)

58. Diva’s songs

59. Attila the ...

61. Filmmakers, Joel & ... Coen

63. Piano lever

64. Musical composition

65. Pamper

66. Choose

68. Baby’s disposable

71. Pigs

72. Crow

74. Pillage

76. Scolds persistently

78. Obsessive enthusiast

80. Type of lettuce

83. Screen on TV

number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org

If you like Str8ts check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

Word Search

Find all the words listed hidden in the grid of letters. They can be found in straight lines up, down, forwards, backwards or even diagonally.

Theme: SNAKES

ANTIVENOM

BROAD HEAD

CAMOUFLAGE

COMMON

CONSTRICTOR

DANGEROUS

DISTINCTIVE

GRASSLANDS

LENGTH

MARKINGS

PREDATOR

RAINFORESTS

REPTILES

TERRITORY

TREES

VENOM

WOODLANDS

Last week’s solution

Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge about the New South Wales Blues in our special trivia quiz this week...

1. In what year did the NSW Blues finally win their first State of Origin series?

2. Tim Sheens coached the Blues for a single Origin series. What year was it?

3. Based on win percentage, who is the most successful NSW Blues coach of all-time in the State of Origin arena?

4. In 2014, the Brad Fittler Medal for best NSW player was won jointly for the first time. One player was Jarryd Hayne, who was the other?

5. Nathan Cleary is one of two Penrith players to have won the Brad Fittler Medal, claiming it in 2020. Who is the other one?

. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

Tristal is right on target

Newest Sports Foundation award winner

from various movies and video games, but didn’t pick up a bow until Year 6 camp,” she told the Weekender

North Richmond teenager Tristal

Hoare always had a fascination with archery but didn’t shoot her first target until she was away on a Year 6 camp. Since then, the 16-year-old has become one of the best young archers not just at her club, but the entire state.

“I was always interested in archery when I was younger

As the years went on, Tristal started to get more and more involved in the sport.

She became a member of the Penrith City Archers and also secured a coach, who spends once a week with her to help her reach her goals.

Over the past 12 months, Tristal has enjoyed her best run to date.

At the Archery NSW

Presentation Night Dinner, the Year 10 Hawkesbury High student was awarded her Elite Bronze for Indoor Archery and Elite Silver for Clout Archery. She was also awarded third place in the Youth Series, beating out several other compound youth archers ranging up to 20-years-old.

But the highlight of the evening, Tristal was selected as a member of the NSW State Youth Compound Team for the National Youth Archery Championships, which were held in the ACT back in March.

“Those achievements have been my favourite so far,” Tristal said.

“At Youth Nationals, I got third indoor against all the kids across Australia. I am proud of that one. It was the only medal I got at Nationals other than the team medal.”

Another feat Tristal is immensely proud of is becoming the latest recipient of the Penrith Valley Sports

Award.

Tristal said she likes the competition aspect of archery, with clout archery her personal favourite.

“Clout archery is where there’s one big target on the ground far away and you shoot up in the air, hoping it lands near the target – it’s very medieval,” she said.

“I love compound archery too, but I find indoor archery more stressful.”

Last weekend at the

National Indoor Championships, Tristal secured second in NSW and third in Australia in her age group and division.

As for what comes next, Tristal plans to catch some archery on television during the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games – but her ultimate goal is to represent Australia herself.

“The top thing you can do in compound archery is compete at a World Cup. I’d really like to do that!” she

Nominated by her mum Leanne, Tristal’s PVSF Junior Sports Star Award is all thanks to sponsor St Marys Leagues Club. PVSF Junior Sports Star of the Month winners take home a cool $350 each for their efforts.

If you know someone who has achieved in their chosen sport, send in your nomination to Penrith Valley Sports Foundation.

DISTRICT TENNIS ASSOCIATION

Foundation Junior Sports Star

NATHAN TAYLOR

Tristal Hoare at archery training on Tuesday morning. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Teenage archery star Tristal Hoare.

Penrith puts itself in Pole position

and is a long-time advocate for inclusivity in sport, said APAC offered a fair and equitable environment that supported all abilities.

Australia’s leading pole and aeriel athletes will swing into Penrith this weekend, with the aim of representing their country on the world stage.

The 2024 Australian Pole and Aerial Championships (APAC) will be held at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre this Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14. It’s the second successive year the Cambridge Park venue has hosted the national sporting event.

In the biggest Australian Championships to-date, 64 athletes will present more than 80 awe-inspiring routines that combine strength, flexibility and musicality. Top-tier athletes will compete to represent Australia at the upcoming World Pole and Aerial Championships in Sweden.

Deborah Roach, Treasurer of the Australian Pole Sports Foundation (APSF) and threetime International Pole Champion, said participation in pole and aerial sports was growing across Australia, demonstrated by the increase in entries for 2024.

“Entries across all categories have increased, which means we’re in for a truly exciting competition across two days,” she said.

“Last year, we sent 10 outstanding Australian athletes to the World Championships, signalling strong growth in the sport and showcasing our talent on a global stage.” Roach, who was born without her left arm

“The APSF ensures a fair and inclusive competition environment where athletes of all ages and skill levels can thrive,” she said.

“From amateurs to elites, inclusivity remains central to our ethos.

“Our scoring system reflects our dedication to diversity and fairness, ensuring a rewarding experience for all participants and we’re the only competition that offers Para Pole categories that support participants with disabilities.

“We invite the Penrith community to come along and witness these awe-inspiring performances on a national stage.”

The two-day APAC schedule kicks off on Saturday at 1pm with an Opening Ceremony, which has free entry for spectators. It will be followed by Aerial Hoop Sport and Artistic categories from 2pm. Pole Sport and Artistic Pole will be contested on Sunday, starting at 9am.

“The competition offers a diverse view of Pole and Aerial Hoop disciplines,” Roach said.

“The Sports categories emphasise athleticism, while the Artistic categories put greater focus on storytelling and expression.”

Don’t miss your chance to witness Australia’s finest in pole and aerial athletics.

Two-day spectator tickets are now available to purchase via Humanitix.

Visit https://shorturl.at/BjZFt.

Netball event a huge hit

Strong results for Penrith as thousands of players converge on Jamison Park

The Penrith District Netball Association have enjoyed an extraordinary weekend at the 2024 Netball NSW Junior State Titles.

Not only did the association successfully host more than 1000 of the state’s most promising and up-and-coming netballers at Jamison Park, but Penrith Netball also managed to finish as runners-up in the U14 Division 1 competition.

Penrith Netball co-hosted this year’s Netball NSW Junior State Titles alongside the Baulkham Hills

Netball Association.

A flagship event on the Netball NSW calendar, the three-day tournament showcased the strength of grassroots netball with young players from all over the state coming together to play the game they love.

In total, 2,344 players from 234 teams and 900 officials hit the court with over 2,087 games played before State Champions were crowned last Monday.

Jamison Park Netball Complex hosted U14 Divisions 1 & 2, U13 Divisions 1 & 2, U12 Divisions 1 & 2 and U14 Male Division 1, while Baulkham Hills hosted Divisions 3 & 4 for all age groups.

Despite finishing on equal points after the three days, the girls from Sutherland Shire were crowned State Champions over Penrith in U14 Division 1.

“An amazing three days of netball by our U14’s State team, who finished on equal points with Sutherland on top of the ladder but, after a calculation of ‘for and against’ goals, [we] placed runner-up. We are super proud of you girls,” Penrith Netball posted on Facebook

on Monday night.

In other results, Randwick beat Northern Suburbs in U13 Division 1; Manly Warringah finished first over Sutherland Shire in U12 Division 1; and Ku-Ring-Gai became State Champions over Charlestown in U14 Male Division 1.

For the first time in Junior State Titles history, Penrith entered a male team into the U14 Male Division 1 competition, with the boys finishing fifth.

“It is hard to express in words how much planning and effort goes into running an event of this scale across two venues, but netball has always been a leader in this space,” Netball NSW Chair Sallianne Faulkner said prior to the event.

“It is the game’s huge volunteer workforce that merits special mention here, not just in Penrith and Baulkham Hills but at each Association represented at this year’s event.”

The Pole and Aerial Championships will be held in Penrith this weekend.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Athletes will compete in Penrith. The event takes place across two days.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Penrith were runners-up in the U14 Division 1 competition. Photo: Clusterpix Photography.

Penrith finished fifth in the U14 Male Division 1.

SPORTS SHORTS

Josh Green off to Paris

BASKETBALL: It’s finally official: Penrith Basketball junior Josh Green will represent Australia at his second consecutive Olympic Games later this month. The 23-year-old NBA star was confirmed in the Australian Boomers team last Sunday morning following two exhibition games against China in Melbourne last week. Joining Green in Paris will be Boomers captain Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Duop Reath, Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey, Will Magnay and Jack McVeigh. It was an interesting week for Green, who was also traded from NBA Finals runners-up the Dallas Mavericks to the Charlotte Hornets – the first trade of his career. Green appeared in 57 regular-season games (33 starts) with the Mavericks in 2023/24, averaging 8.2 points and posting career highs in rebounds (3.2), assists (2.3), steals (0.8) and 3-pointers (1.3) while helping Dallas reach the NBA Finals. Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven celebrated the three basketball teams named for Paris 2024.

“For the first time at the Olympics we will have three teams competing with the inclusion of 3x3 and that’s great for the growth of basketball,” he said. “We are extremely proud of our teams and the amount of work they do behind the scenes in the community to help grow our sport. The Olympics is the pinnacle for our athletes, and we wish them all the very best as they wear the green and gold with pride.”

BASKETBALL: The Penrith Panthers have been belted in both games in Round 13 of the NBL1 East Men’s competition. Last Friday night, the Panthers were crushed 102-71 by the Sydney Comets, while on Saturday, they went down by 17 to the Norths Bears 98-81. Atien Acuel again was one of Penrith’s best – recording 41 points and 12 rebounds across both games. Meanwhile, Penrith’s women’s team also lost both games in Round 13 of the NBL1 East Women’s competition. On Friday night, Shyla Heal (51 points) and the Sydney Comets were far too good for Penrith 97-84, while the following night the Panthers fared even worse, clawed by the Bears 92-45. Panthers skipper Tahlia Tupaea racked up 47 points across both games. Penrith’s miserable season will come to

an end this Saturday when they face the Inner West Bulls in both games at ELS Hall Park.

AFL: The Penrith Rams remain in second place after defeating the UTS Bats 60-26 in Round 12 of the AFL Sydney Men’s Division 2 competition. The players deemed best for the Rams were Tom Noble, Chris Nolan, Rhys Higgins, Ben McGovern, Jack McNamara and Nathan Rowley. The Rams will aim to keep their winning streak alive when they take on the Randwick City Saints this Saturday at Pioneers Park. Meanwhile, the Penrith Ramettes have enjoyed a tight 8-4 win over Southern Power in Round 12 of the AFL Sydney Women’s Division 2 competition. Best for the Ramettes were Neave Bottrill, Alyce Obrien, Tamara Mossfield, Emma Nolan, Jade Callander and Emma Kenny. The Ramettes will travel to Pioneers Park this Saturday afternoon to battle the Randwick City Saints.

AFL: The GWS Giants are finally back in the winner’s circle, defeating Carlton 116-104 in Round 17 of the AFL. The Giants trailed the Blues by as much as 39 points in the opening term but in a stunning turnaround then booted 14 of the next 16 goals to set up the 12-point victory last Saturday night at ENGIE Stadium. The Blues made a late charge to reduce the margin to two goals with less than four minutes remaining, but GWS were able to hold on to clinch a victory that lifts them back into the top eight. The Giants will play for back-to-back wins when they take on Richmond this Sunday afternoon at the MCG.

NETBALL: Panthers Netball have lost three-in-a-row, hammered by the ERNA Hawks 65-39 in Round 15 of the Netball NSW Premier League Opens competition. Meanwhile, the Panthers U23s team have lost a tight one to the Hawks 50-48. Both teams will take on the GWS Fury in Round 16 at Netball Central. The matches will be of significance, with Panthers and GWS battling for the inaugural Mayors Cup. Each year at the game with the Panthers and Fury, the Mayors Cup will be presented to the winning association. If each association wins one match each (Opens and U23s), the overall winner will be the association with the most goals scored. If goals are even, the Opens team winner will be presented with the Cup for this first year.

SUPER NETBALL: Giants Netball have lost four straight games, going down to the Melbourne Mavericks 55-54 in Round 13 of the Super Netball competition. In a nail-biting

finish, the Mavericks edged the Giants by a single point at Ken Rosewall Arena, propelling themselves into the top four with one round remaining. In the final minute, the home side were pushing for a winning goal until Player of the Match Kim Jenner made a crucial intercept and masterfully keeping it in play after a collision with Amy Sligar, setting up Eleanor Cardwell to score the winning goal. The Giants will aim to finish their disappointing season

The Giants continue to struggle.

on a high when they host the NSW Swifts in the final round of the season this Sunday at Ken Rosewall Arena. Both teams, who are out of Finals contention, will be playing for pride.

RUGBY LEAGUE: Round 14 of the NSWRL Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield competitions took place last weekend, with St Marys celebrating a victory and Brothers Penrith enjoying the bye. In the Ron Massey Cup, St Marys were too good for the Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 22-6. This weekend, St Marys will play the Glebe Dirty Reds, while Brothers Penrith will clash with the Hawks. In the Sydney Shield, St Marys went down to the Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 32-18. This weekend, St Marys will battle Manly Leagues, while Brothers Penrith take on the Hawks.

GET IN TOUCH: To make a submission to ‘Sports Shorts’, email Nathan@westernweekender.com.au.

WITH NATHAN TAYLOR

The GWS Giants celebrate a much-needed win over Carlton.

Boomer Josh Green.

BRILLIANT BRONZE

Emu Plains paddler Codie Davidson (right) has delivered a fantastic finish for Team Australia at the ICF

Junior and Under 23 Canoe Slalom World Championships, winning bronze in the Women’s Junior Kayak Cross.

It’s the second year in a row that the Western Sydney Whitewater Club paddler has won bronze at the Junior World Championships, taking out third place

at last year’s event in Krakow, Poland.

The 17-year-old Xavier College student finished the final in third place, behind Naja Pinteric of Slovenia and Haizea Segura from Spain.

A speechless Codie said she was so pleased to repeat her bronze medal performance, with a cleaner run this year.

“This is amazing – I don’t know how else to explain it,” she said.

“Last year I made a mistake, and so had to go back, but I was lucky that someone else made the same mistake, so I got third.

“This year there were no mistakes, and I still came third.”

While the Kayak Cross has been on the Junior and U23 World Championships program since 2018, the discipline will make its Olympic debut in Paris in two weeks’ time.

Codie’s Kayak Cross bronze capped off a strong Junior and Under 23 World Championships campaign for Australia, which saw five top-20 results in the K1 and C1, and five paddlers progressing to the Kayak Cross quarter finals.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Paddler Codie Davidson wins bronze.

Photo: Damiano Benedetto.