Western Weekender March 17 2023

Dominic Perrottet chatted with locals on High Street.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

and Opposition Leader Chris

KIDNAPPING CASE RETURNS TO COURT

One of three men facing charges over their alleged involvement in a violent kidnapping and assault at Cranebrook last year has returned to court.

Sozo Loukis, 59, fronted Penrith Local Court on Friday, March 10, charged with ‘wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm’ and ‘take/detain in company with intent to obtain advantage occasion actual bodily harm’.

Loukis and the co-accuseds allegedly detained the victim with the intention of obtaining a financial advantage, court documents reveal.

According to police, officers were called to a Cranebrook property at about 11pm on Monday, October 31 last year.

Upon the arrival of police, they attempted to flee the property on foot, before they were arrested with the assistance of PolAir.

Police found a 31-year-old man inside the home, with a suspected broken jaw and numerous other lacerations and bruises.

It is alleged that the man had been detained at the home and physically assaulted for several hours prior to the arrival of police.

He received hospital treatment for his injuries which were serious but not considered life-threatening.

The court heard that more time will be required to serve their brief of evidence.

Bail was not applied for and formally refused.

Loukis will remain in custody on remand until the next court date.

He is due to reappear before Penrith Local Court today (Friday, March 17) as the case continues.

- Makayla Muscat

Tradie misses shot at TV fame after assault

MAKAYLA MUSCAT MAKAYLA MUSCAT

Alovestruck tradie has missed out on travelling to Spain to feature on reality show ‘Love Island’ after he assaulted a woman at a football match.

Troy McCowan, 25, fronted Penrith Local Court on Friday, March 10, charged with ‘common assault domestic violence related’.

It is alleged that he was watching the Penrith Panthers take on the Brisbane Broncos at BlueBet Stadium in Penrith last year when he unexpectedly came across his former partner in line at a bar inside the stadium.

According to documents tendered to the court, McCowan approached her and started yelling in her face.

He then allegedly grabbed the victim by the arm and pulled the chain of her Louis Vuitton handbag, causing it to break.

Concerned about further confrontation, the victim and her friends left the stadium about half-time.

However, they ran into the accused again at the Leagues Club across the road.

According to police, McCowan approached one of the victim’s male friends and engaged in a fight which saw them both ejected from the club.

That night, he sent the victim a number of text messages including a screenshot of an Uber order with the caption “on my way”.

McCowan was arrested two months later.

When questioned by police officers, he denied touching the victim’s arm but admitted to grabbing the bag.

“I just yanked at it, it was just a give it here sorta thing,” he said.

McCowan was represented by a lawyer who told Magistrate Geoffrey Hiatt that the altercation was a “one-off”.

The court heard he had been accepted onto reality show ‘Love Island’, which would have been filmed in Spain.

However, he was unable to go after charges were laid in June.

In sentencing, Magistrate Hiatt acknowledged that the accused has had issues accepting the end of his 18-month relationship, but reinforced that alcohol is no excuse for violence.

“Perhaps it’s good you didn’t go on ‘Love Island’,” he said.

McCowan, who had no criminal history and submitted a guilty plea, was given a Conditional Release Order without conviction.

He was ordered to be of good behaviour for 12 months and was also served an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order which will remain in place for two years.

ASt Clair woman has been sentenced to 21 months behind bars after a magistrate found she embezzled $317,282.00 from a former partner’s bank account.

Leonie Connell, 46, fronted Penrith Local Court on Friday, March 10, charged with ‘dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception’.

It is alleged that she was given Power of Attorney to manage her partner’s finances while he was serving a lengthy custodial sentence for a break and enter offence.

The court heard that Connell closed the victim’s bank accounts as requested.

She then opened a Maxi Saver in the victim’s name and a new joint bank account to cover their expenses.

It is alleged that Connell withdrew $10,000 from the joint account before the victim met with his solicitor and formally revoked the Power of Attorney in December 2018.

In April 2019, the victim was informed that his accounts were empty after attempting to pay some legal fees.

Police allegedly reviewed the bank statements and found that 40 phone transfers had been

made to the accused’s accounts between October 2018 and March 2019.

They also found that $54,000 had been transferred into an account in the name of the accused and her new partner, court documents reveal.

Police made several attempts to speak with Connell about the issue and allege that she understood the limited nature of Power of Attorney.

They say she was reckless in her dealings with the money obtained from the victim’s account, which totalled $317,282.00.

Connell was represented by a lawyer who told Magistrate Geoffrey Hiatt that “it was something that was always going to come to light”.

The Magistrate told the court that “the offence was committed for financial gain” and “involved a degree of planning”.

However Connell has a limited criminal history and is not previously known for offending of a like nature.

In sentencing, Magistrate Hiatt said “the significant fraudulent activity over a significant period of time” meant a custodial sentence was the only appropriate penalty.

Connell was convicted of the offence and sentenced to three years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 21 months.

St Marys man cops prison sentence

sequences, but tried to change some of his pleas after speaking with a Legal Aid lawyer.

methylamphetamine and other drugs which have impeded his ability to recall the event.

ASt Marys man accused of possessing a prohibited firearm and stealing almost $2000 worth of items will spend four months behind bars.

Ashley Fullerton, 34, fronted Penrith Local Court on Wednesday, March 7, charged with ‘possess unauthorised prohibited firearm’, ‘possess housebreaking implements’, ‘larceny’ and two counts of ‘goods in custody suspected of being stolen (not m/v)’.

He previously pleaded guilty to all five

“I think Legal Aid’s got a real problem,” Magistrate Fiona Toose told the court.

According to documents tendered to the court, police executed a search warrant in relation to unrelated matters and found a semi-automatic Gel Blaster Rifle in a locked cupboard above the kitchen range-hood.

Police allegedly seized the item for forensic testing which identified the accused’s DNA on the trigger and handle.

When questioned in relation to the firearm, he allegedly told police that he frequently uses

He also came to police notice at St Marys Station on two separate occasions.

It is alleged that they searched his suitcase and found approximately $1,316.92 worth of items which may be reasonably suspected of being stolen or otherwise unlawfully obtained.

He was also sentenced for ‘larceny’ after the magistrate found that the accused stole a Segway Electric Scooter, worth $469.

“If it’s not yours, don’t take it,” the magistrate said.

Fullerton’s lawyer told the court that his release would enable him to “better integrate into the community” and requested either an Intensive Correction Order (ICO) or a custodial sentence with a short non-parole period.

“I need to send a message that this behaviour is unacceptable,” Magistrate Toose said. “Hopefully the time in custody will stop you from reoffending because clearly being on parole doesn’t work for you”.

Fullerton was sentenced to four months imprisonment for each offence to run concurrently.

He will be released next month.

MAKAYLA MUSCAT

Driver pleads not guilty

Woman involved in crash that killed beloved St Marys grandmother denies charges

Awoman accused of crashing her car into a beloved grandmother’s bedroom denies that she failed to stop and help.

Batoul Sleibi el Dirani, 29, was charged with ‘aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death’, ‘dangerous driving occasioning death’, ‘fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact occasioning death’, ‘negligent driving (occasioning death)’ and two counts of ‘assault police officer in execution of duty’ following a fatal crash in St Marys last year.

She was excused from appearing before Penrith Local Court last Friday as she was represented by an agent.

He told Magistrate Geoffrey Hiatt that Colyton resident El Dirani has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Despite this, the court heard the charges would proceed.

According to police, emergency services were called to a home on Monfarville Street just before 5.30am on Saturday, October 8.

They allege that El Dirani’s Jeep Grand Cherokee crashed into a room where 62-year-old Robyn Oxley was sleeping.

She was treated by police and NSW Ambulance paramedics, however died at the scene.

Police allege that El Darini was exceeding the speed limit by more than 45 kilometres per hour at the time of impact.

They say she fled the scene without rendering assistance after the collision, despite knowing that a person had been killed or grievously injured.

The 29-year-old and her uninjured baby were stopped by police shortly after the crash occurred.

El Dirani was arrested and taken

to Nepean Hospital for mandatory testing.

The court heard that the brief of evidence has been served, but some elements are still “outstanding”. Some of the matters will return

to court on Friday, April 21, to be certified before proceeding to the next stage.

The magistrate set the matter down for a defended hearing later this year.

El Darini will remain on conditional bail until the next court date later in the year.

She is due to reappear before Penrith Local Court on Monday, November 13.

Tributes to Robyn Oxley at the crash site in St Marys last year.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

The scene of the crash last year.

MAKAYLA MUSCAT

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The Editor’s Desk | Opinion

Troy Dodds

troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au @troydodds

Life bans not the answer to racism

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Now that emotions have been tempered a little in the wake of last week’s racism drama surrounding South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell at Penrith, can we accept that banning a teenage boy from rugby league games for life would be over the top in the extreme?

There is no place for racism in rugby league, or in any area of life for that matter. It continues to baffle me that we deal with such matters in 2023, yet here we are.

Indeed, Mitchell should not come to Penrith and be subjected to what is alleged to have happened last Thursday night. That, surely, we can all agree on.

And it is understandable that emotions were high in the 24 hours that followed the incident at the foot of the Mountains.

On the night, Souths coach Jason Demetriou erupted in support of his player, and called for a life ban for the individual who allegedly made the remark.

The next day, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo called a press conference and labelled the incident unacceptable, promising action would be taken. Souths CEO Blake Solly issued a long, detailed statement condemning what happened, and said the “strongest possible action” needed to be taken.

The rugby league fan base, and the wider community, also piled on, with this ‘life ban’ term continually thrown about.

Penrith were criticised in some corners for not being louder in their stance, with the club’s only official response coming via a short statement on the night.

Truth is it was the most sensible response of all. The old ‘wait for the full story’ scenario may not be popular on Twitter, but it’s the right thing to do. The club was aware of the general age of the alleged offender and opted to put the noose away, just so a breath could taken. The club also knew it was not its place to play judge, jury and executioner.

Even if the kid did say what it is alleged he said, the suggestion of a ‘life ban’ is preposterous.

A ‘life ban’ is the easy way out of the scenario and a robotic response to dealing with such issues.

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MARY BAKER EDDY, spiritual thinker, healer, and church leader. Her concept of God was as universal Love, both male and female. She established a non-hierarchal church governance where women had equal access to all positions. She was opposed strongly by male dominated 19th century society but never gave up in her quest to reveal to all humanity the universal law of Love bestowed on all from our Father-Mother God Christian

It is designed to make you look tough and ensure that everyone knows you understand how serious the situation is.

Let’s take a step back for a second.

This is a sport that welcomes back into its fold convicted criminals, and bans drug users who impact the integrity of the sport for just a few years, not life.

And it welcomes back those people as players and participants, not just spectators.

It would be hypocritical then, surely, to issue a life ban to a spectator for a remark he allegedly made; a remark that is disgraceful in the extreme, but certainly not up there with some rugby league ‘crimes’ of the past.

Mitchell himself was the subject of pre-season drama when he was involved in a fracas with Canberra’s Jack Wighton at a nightclub. The pair deny the charges, and will be back in court towards the end of the year.

Last year Penrith’s Taylan May was found guilty of assaulting a fan. The NRL suspended him for two matches and laughably delayed the suspension so he didn’t miss the Finals (ironically, he was injured and missed the big end of season games anyway).

May was also fined $7,500 (50 per cent of which was suspended), and ordered to undergo counselling and education.

The incidents are very different but the point is that the NRL does not hold its own

News.........................................................1-30

Life & Style.........................................31-34

Extra Time.......................................35-46

players to ‘life ban’ standard when it comes to unsavoury incidents so it surely can’t do so to its fans.

Rugby league is a sport that prides itself on education and second chances. It has often been bitten on the backside for doing so, but it is largely a good thing. The game is often the circuit breaker for a lot of young men who have gone off the rails.

Just because a ‘life ban’ sounds like the right language to use to make it loud and clear you’re against what happened, does not mean it’s the right course of action.

This will all continue to play out in the days, weeks and perhaps even months ahead.

Telling a 15-year-old kid he cannot attend rugby league ever again because of a dumb, immature and inappropriate comment would be about as hypocritical as you could get.

Let’s afford him the same offer of education, training and counselling that we do rugby league players.

Let’s understand exactly what happened and how it happened before we jump to throwing the kid under the bus.

The teen himself is, according to reports over the weekend, disputing some of the circumstances around the incident, denying his exchange with Mitchell was racially motivated.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that there are conflicting reports of what was said on the night.

Which is exactly why Penrith’s short statement on the matter was the right approach and why we need to hold our tongues before convicting the kid in the court of public opinion.

The wider issue of racism in sport is one that continues to be of significant concern.

As Roosters coach Trent Robinson said last Friday, there’s people in society who can’t stand players like Mitchell having a proud, loud Indigenous voice.

We have done so much in our sporting codes to encourage inclusivity and stamp out racism, but when incidents like the one last week occur, it’s clear we still have a long way to go.

We must do better.

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Travel & Fun Feature..............49-58

Entertainment................................59-71

Business Directory.....................72-75 Auto...............................................................76 Sport.....................................................77-80

“The NRL does not hold its own players to ‘life ban’ standard, so it surely can’t do so to its fans”

Premier promises upgrades to popular local football ground

NATHAN TAYLOR

The junior club of rugby league greats Greg Alexander and Brad Fittler will enjoy the spoils of a $2 million investment if the current State Government is re-elected next week.

The whopping multi-million-dollar commitment by the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will be used to construct a brand-new clubhouse at Allsopp Oval, the home of the Cambridge Park Junior Rugby League Club.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Penrith MP Stuart Ayres visited Cambridge Park on Monday afternoon, to make the announcement in front of scores of excited club volunteers and players.

Home to more than 400 players and over 150 volunteers, Cambridge Park Junior Rugby League Club was formed in 1968. Among the dozens of NRL players it has produced over the decades, the club is also doing plenty of good work in the female rugby league space.

“Penrith is a sporting powerhouse, and this funding commitment will

go a long way to boosting grassroots participation and developing local talent,” Perrottet said.

“We’ve got to make sure that we continue to invest in facilities and Stuart (Ayres) raised this one with me and I can now see why we need to invest $2 million and get better amenities here.”

Ayres said the new amenities

building will do wonders for the growing club and its thriving women’s program.

“We’ve done a lot of work on community facilities right around Penrith… but this club haven’t seen any love in a really long time,” he told the Weekender

“This club has now over 400 people that are registered with it, a growing

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women’s program and their facilities just do not meet anywhere near what happens here on a weekend.

“We’ve got to be able to provide more change rooms, so men and women can use the same field on the same day in appropriate conditions and that’s what we are going to deliver here.”

Cambridge Park Junior Rugby

League Club Secretary Nicole Brennan said new amenities would help accommodate for the growing number of players the club has.

“This will give the club the facilities we need to improve the experience of players, volunteers and supporters, plus having a fit-for-purpose female friendly building is a gamechanger,” she said.

Penrith MP Stuart Ayres and Premier Dominic Perrottet with members of the Cambridge Park Junior Rugby League Club.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

Positions drawn as race heats up

With the State Election race well underway, candidates across all electorates discovered their ballot paper positions last week.

Seven candidates are set to battle it out for the seat of Penrith, with five in Londonderry and five in Badgerys Creek (formerly Mulgoa).

The Weekender attended the Penrith ballot paper draw where sitting MP Stuart Ayres and Labor candidate Karen McKeown were the only candidates present to witness the event.

Animal Justice Party candidate Vanessa Blazi was the first drawn, placing her in the most sought-after position.

Second to appear on the list will be Timothy Pateman from the Legalise Cannabis Party, and Minoo Toussi from The Greens will be third.

Ayres, who will be fighting to retain his seat for the Liberal Party, said he was not “overly concerned” with being called out fourth.

“I just think the ballot paper is a cool little process that we go through for election here in Australia,” Ayres said.

“I think it’s time to get on with it and make sure Penrith is looking after its future and I think we are

offering really strong positive plans for the future of this region, local commitments, and a strong focus on the economy.”

Geoff Brown from the Sustainable Australia Party was picked fifth and while it is not ideal for Labor’s Karen McKeown to be in the sixth position, she isn’t letting it bother her.

“Just going from what I’ve seen, I think a lot of people have already made up their mind,” she said.

“I’m just hoping that in doing that they are going to vote for a positive change for Penrith and vote Labor.”

The seventh and final spot went to Belinda McWilliams, who is representing One Nation. Londonderry was also drawn with sitting Labor MP Prue Car being pulled out first.

Nabbing the coveted number one position won’t lessen her drive: “I’m very proud to be standing

for re-election as the Member for Londonderry and will continue to work hard for this community to earn each vote.”

The Liberal Party’s Samantha Talakola, who is also vying for the job was just behind, being placed second on the ballot, while new entry David Bowen for the Sustainable Australia Party will be bottom of the list.

Over in Badgerys Creek, Liberal member Tanya Davies, who was drawn first, told the Weekender that she is committed to her work as the local member.

“While the position on the ballot paper is the luck of the draw, what really matters is that I’ve always been a strong advocate for my community and will continue to be one,” Davies said.

“My proven track record and experience speak for themselves –I’ve fought hard for the issues that matter most to my constituents, and I won’t stop now.”

Running for the first time for Labor, Garion Thain will sit at number four on the list.

“It was good to go – sort of makes the run-up feel a bit more tangible,” Thain said.

“Either way it doesn’t change how I’ll be campaigning; I’ve been out as much as I can to meet our residents and that’ll continue.”

Election day is March 25.

BALLOT PAPER ORDER:

PENRITH

Vanessa Blazi – Animal Justice Party

Timothy Pateman – Legalise

Cannabis Party

Minoo Toussi – The Greens

Stuart Ayres – Liberal

Geoff Brown – Sustainable

Australia Party

Karen McKeown – Labor

Belinda McWilliams – One Nation

LONDONDERRY:

Prue Car – Labor

Samantha Talakola – Liberal

David Maurice – The Greens

Luke Tester – One Nation

David Bowen – Sustainable Australia Party

BADGERYS CREEK:

Tanya Davies – Liberal

Benjamin Green – One Nation

Nick Best – The Greens

Garion Thain – Labor

Peter Cooper – Sustainable Australia Party

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NEWS@WESTERNWEEKENDER.COM.AU

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Election a tight race

At the start of this year I was certain that I would vote Labor at this election, and in the past election campaigns have done very little to change my mind. But I must admit, the longer the campaign goes on the less and less I like Chris Minns as a potential Premier. He’s gone from the new guy with a different approach to the same old political rhetoric politicians believe they need to say to get elected. At the moment, I really can’t decide who I will vote for – the final week will be big for me.

DAWN CASEY, VIA EMAIL

Penrith could stay Liberal

As much as I feel Labor will win the State Election, I do wonder if Penrith will repeat what Lindsay did at the Federal Election and stay with the Liberal Party. Growing up in Penrith in the 1980s, I could never have imagined the working class city I left behind would one day be ‘blue’. But generational shift has happened, and I get the feeling Stuart Ayres will win Penrith but Labor will win the election. Perhaps this is not such a bad result for a potential future Premier?

ED CLARKE, VIA EMAIL

Voice concerns

The Voice representing the First Nations people seems to be against Australia’s first settlers, our Constitution, and our history. Our democracy must be protected, there shot not be any them and us, we are all one.

DEL ADAMS, PENDLE HILL

Annoying footy music

I have a real gripe with a new thing, the inane music played in any break at the football. They play it while they set a scrum, review a try, take a kick or any other time they can. We would normally discuss the action between ourselves, boo the ref, or just try and watch what’s happening, we don’t need a 45-second snippet of music. We are not a boring Big Bash cricket match.

STEVE ROBERTS, VIA EMAIL

Life ban tough to enforce in

Latrell Mitchell racism

row

The old adage that “any law that can’t be policed is a bad law” is fairly relevant here. Aside from any other consideration, how does a club – let alone a sporting code –‘police’ a ban? Short of having ID checks at every ticket point of sale, or facial recognition equipment, it would be easy for anyone to gain access to any ground I’ve ever visited.

ROB WEAVER, VIA FACEBOOK

Teen deserves to learn lesson

Nothing has been proven, and the kid is 15. If this is the worst thing he does in his youth then he’s not doing too badly. Players themselves have said a lot worse. The shame and embarrassment of the whole saga is quite a punishment and I doubt he’d want to go to another game anyway after it all. I am sure he will learn a valuable lesson, if he even did anything wrong – sounds like the allegations are disputed, as I have heard from those that were there at the time.

SIMON MILLER, VIA FACEBOOK

The Western Weekender reserves the right to edit letters for the sake of accuracy and space. For more information, see our public notices section.

Penrith Election Manager Carolyn Townsend conducted the draw.

Photo: Emily Feszczuk.

EMILY FESZCZUK

Minns pushes Labor’s case

Opposition

With just over a week until the NSW Election, Opposition Leader Chris Minns is remaining “hungry but humble” as he works to secure the state’s top job.

Starting last Saturday by taking part in the Nepean River Parkrun, the Labor leader spoke with the Weekender at Nourishmint Café within Lennox Village at Emu Plains while refuelling with an omelette.

Favoured to be the next Premier according to polls conducted by Roy Morgan Research, Minns believes there is a real mood for change in the community, but acknowledges the challenge of making voters aware of what his party will do differently.

“We believe we can rebuild essential services without selling off essential assets and there is a sharp difference between our platform, particularly in relation to schools and hospitals compared to what you are seeing inside the government,” Minns said.

“There are a few distinctions I would point to. The discipline of the team, the focus on issues effecting

in town as election edges closer

regular people in the community and no privatisation.”

Labor wants to remove the wage cap to keep essential workers, instate safe staffing levels in hospitals and look at encouraging more people to teaching to improve the education system.

Committing $485 million to help lower power bills and fight inflation and over $100 billion towards infrastructure over the next four years, Minns maintains spending will be sensible and some sacrifices made.

With $300 million allocated in the NSW Budget for a stadium in Penrith, Minns said he would need to think carefully about signing off on anything above that amount.

“If you are going to run for re-election and you have plans either involving Paceway, the current site, expansion beyond that, that’s north of $300 million and if he [Stuart Ayres] does have plans for that, well where is the money?” he said.

“Will it be funded by the future privatisation of assets? I suspect that they’re deliberately opaque about where they’re up to in terms of the process, hoping to get over the election campaign.”

Penrith MP Stuart Ayres rejected

the claim that privatisation would fund the project when questioned by the Weekender

“The most important thing here is that we are working with the Paceway, the Valuer-General will be determining what that relocation cost is and we will let the independent valuer make that determination,” Ayres said.

“We think it is an appropriate investment for this community and we think it’s more than affordable within our budget.”

Confident in Prue Car for Londonderry, Garion Thain for Badgerys Creek and Karen McKeown for the marginal seat of Penrith, the Opposition Leader wants locals to think long and hard about how their future can look.

“After 12 years this government’s best days are behind them and their most experienced, respected leaders have left,” Minns said.

“Unlike many other seats in the state it could come down to Penrith, so the votes in this community will have a big decision about whether we get a government whose best days are behind them or a new group of people who are looking at these problems in a different way.”

Opposition Leader Chris Minns with Karen McKeown and Prue Car at Lennox Village.

EMILY FESZCZUK

Administration

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

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Services

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

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Online via penrith.city (Ordinary Meeting)

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Friday 31 March • 5pm - 9pm Free Event

● On Saturday, 25 March 2023, people across the globe will stop what they’re doing and switch off for Earth Hour. As a proud supporter of Earth Hour, Penrith City Council will once again take part by turning off non-essential lighting at our facilities across the City for the full hour from 8.30–9.30pm. Council is a leader in sustainability and as we continue to grow our environmental initiatives and reduce our emissions, we encourage our community to do the same and help shape our future. earthhour.org.au

● Join us for a weekend of movie magic at the StarBurst Film Festival and Filmmaking Symposium on Saturday, 1 April and StarBurst at St Marys Film Festival on Sunday, 2 April. Be inspired by local filmmaking talent and hear from industry experts at the StarBurst Film Festival and Filmmaking Symposium on Saturday, 1 April at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre from 9am.

A day of movie fun for the whole community awaits at StarBurst at St Marys Film Festival on Sunday, 2 April with a range of free filmmaking workshops running at St Marys Library and St Marys Public School, as well as a free green screen experience and film screening of short, family-friendly films at Coachmans Park from 6pm.

For more information and to register for workshops, go to penrith.city/events

● Nominations for Council’s 2023 Local Celebration Awards are now open. Do you know an unsung hero in the community who should be recognised and thanked?

We’re calling for nominations for the Mayor’s Local Heroes Award. This award recognises the person or group of people who have made a significant contribution to Penrith and are involved in activities that help make our community and City a better place.

The recipient needs to be a Penrith resident, and there’s no age limit. Find out more about the award program and how to nominate at penrith.city/local-celebration-awards

● Want some tips to recycle right? Check out the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on the back of many packaged items. It states whether part of the packaging can be recycled or not, please remember that soft plastics can’t be taken to Woolworths or Coles, but they can be collected from your door for free with RecycleSmart Power Pickups.

Plastic bags do not belong in the recycling bin and get tangled at the facility; it’s also important to keep items loose, as if they are bagged, or in a box, they won’t be recycled.

To Recycle Right just follow ‘Know it, Empty it, Rinse it and Sort it’ and you’ll be right!

Know what belongs in your bin, Empty out anything left inside of your items, Rinse out the contents, Sort your waste into the right bin – the yellow bin!

To find out more, visit penrith.city/3bins

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

• Nawiri Design & Development

Lot 37 DP 236060, 32 Beauty Point Crescent, Leonay Additions and alterations to the existing dwelling

• Gj Gardner Homes

Lot 1 DP 1242079, 1–5 Vane Street, Cranebrook

DA22/1025

DA22/0955

Construction of a detached dual occupancy an on-site waste water management

• Better Built Homes & Developments Pty Ltd

Lot 3 DP 260373, 132–144 Mayfair Road, Mulgoa Shed

• Barker Ryan Stewart

DA22/1108

DA22/1048

Lot 1 DP 610862, Lennox Shopping Centre, 2–20 Pyramid Street, Emu Plains

Installation of illuminated ALDI Supermarket business identification sign

• Mark Solomon

Lot 1 DP 715198, 122 Station Street, Penrith

Awning fascia sign (Shop SP010A – Roll’d Vietnamese)

• Salar Ahvazi

Lot 290 DP 270417, 18 Humewood Place, Luddenham

DA22/1109

DA23/0063

2-storey dwelling, swimming pool, detached shed and tree removal

• Janssen Group Pty Ltd

Lot 1 DP 567556, 187–189 Adelaide Street, St Marys

DA21/1004

Demolition of existing structures and construction of a centrebased child care facility for 83 children with basement car parking

• Capitol Constructions

Lot 25 DP 827856, 1 Barrett Place, Cranebrook

Construction of an attached dual occupancy

• The Trustee for Manns & Troup Unit Trust

Lot 6 SP 34007, 6/13 Kurrajong Road, North St Marys

Use of existing factory unit as vehicle repair station

• Xgolf Penrith Pty Ltd

Lot 17 SP 70306, 17/55–61 York Road, Jamisontown

DA22/0848

DA23/0015

DA23/0026

Fitout and use of premises as indoor recreation facility including golf simulators & ancillary licensed bar

• Hi-Craft Home Improvements Pty Ltd Mod23/0025

Lot 4062 DP 260391, 59 Tanbark Circuit, Werrington Downs

Modifications to the approved deck to remove BAL-12.5 condition

• Fernleigh Drafting DA22/0964

Lot 109 DP 28389, 26 Maranie Avenue, St Marys

Awning

Perrottet’s push: Premier on the ground as election day nears

EMILY FESZCZUK

As the State Election campaign draws to an end both major parties have zoned in on the marginal seat of Penrith, which could be a key decider of who comes out on top on March 25.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet made his way down High Street on Monday, visiting local businesses, before announcing an upgrade at Kingswood Public School.

“We are announcing an upgrade to Kingswood Public, which will provide upgraded classrooms and we want to make sure we continue those investments,” Perrottet told the Weekender

“We are going on the biggest school building program since Federation and western Sydney is a growing area and we want to make sure that we continue to invest.”

Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres said he hopes to deliver the improvements if his party is re-elected.

“We have been working with the school for a while now about what their needs are and we’re modelling the investment there on what we’ve already delivered for Penrith Public School,” Ayres said.

“We’ve had Norma the Principal and her deputy do a walk through the site to discuss what we are looking to deliver.”

Penrith Public School had a new two-storey building built along with 12 permanent teaching spaces within the exiting campus, updated toilets, a minor refurbishment to the existing administration building and improved open play spaces.

Meanwhile, while NSW Labor Leader Chris

Labor promises to clear up plan for future of Luddenham

Candidate for Badgerys Creek (formerly Mulgoa) Garion

Thain has committed to finalising a plan for the future of Luddenham Village if a Labor Government is elected on March 25.

After speaking with residents about unconfirmed plans regarding how the town will develop with the new Aerotropolis and airport, along with the Shadow Minister for Planning, Thain made the announcement on Wednesday.

“While the rest of the Aerotropolis plan is forging ahead, Luddenham residents have been forced to wait without news for agonisingly long – leaving them uncertain of their future,” Thain said.

“They’ve told me that without the plan being finalised they won’t know what the future of their homes or of their town looks like.

“A NSW Labor government would work with relevant stakeholders to finalise the plan as quickly as possible so Luddenham can move forward with the rest of our

area’s future – I’ve listened to them and I think that’s only fair.”

Residents, Penrith and Liverpool Councils, along with local members have all previously supported a plan that would allow more houses being built in the historic town.

Vice President of Luddenham Progress Association, Wayne Willmington welcomed the promise as residents and businesses

want to prepare to be a part of the growing electorate.

“State members like Tanya Davies and Stuart Ayres were happy with the plan residents wanted but the Planning Minister wouldn’t sign off on it,” Willmington told the Weekender on Wednesday.

“The village has been in limbo ever since so if Labor allows this it will provide clarity and give Luddenham a future.”

Minns has his doubts that the $300 million allocated in the Budget will cover plans to build a new stadium in Penrith, Ayres thinks it is achievable.

Perrottet echoed his confidence in the plan and the ability of his party to deliver the project.

“When Labor opposed this construction as a vanity project, they have no idea what these stadiums mean to local communities and it is all about building culture, bringing people together and that’s what I want for western Sydney,” he said.

“Stuart has been passionately advocating for that stadium for his community all the time and we are delivering it and we are delivering it in the best site possible that works.”

The Liberals remain adamant they want to build the new stadium on the site of the Penrith Paceway and Showground.

Penrith Paceway CEO Tash Greentree does not believe that the added costs associated with relocating the Paceway will be feasible within the allocated budget.

“Public information tells us that Allianz Stadium final delivery cost was at just under $20,000 a seat so for a 25,000-seat stadium we are talking about half a billion dollars just on the stadium alone,” Greentree said.

“Infrastructure NSW advised us that they were preparing an evaluation and order of cost for relocation over a month ago, but we haven’t heard back, so negotiations have still not commenced.

“Based on previous racecourse builds and the infrastructure we have in place here, we believe we are looking at $80-100 million to set us up somewhere else and that doesn’t include land cost.”

Development Consent/s Determined (cont.)

• Joe Rober

Lot 38 DP 1194171m5 Burrawang Close, Kingswood

DA22/0929

Alterations and additions to the existing dwelling including change of use and partial fitout of lower ground floor to a secondary dwelling

• Eden Brae Holdings Pty Ltd

Lot 60 DP 2488, 3 Smith Street, St Marys

2-storey dwelling

• D & C Consortium Pty Ltd

Lot 4 DP 27144, 118 Victoria Street, Kingswood

DA23/0065

DA22/0931

Demolition of existing dwelling, construction of an attached dual occupancy and Strata title subdivision x 2 lots

• Mark Zeina

Lot 325 DP 1231225, 170 Forestwood Drive, Glenmore Park

Mod23/0016

Section 4.55 modification of DA22/0452 removal of basement and workshop and minor façade alterations

• Tudor Building Services

Lot 21 DP 826109, 6 Paperbark Close, Glenmore Park

Additions and alterations to existing dwelling

• Fernleigh Drafting

Lot 6147 DP 1211125, 46 Nagle Street, Jordan Springs

Shed

Refused Development Application

• Prosperity Group 888 Pty Ltd

Lot 95 DP 241989 and Lot 96 DP 241989, 12 Edna Street, Kingswood

DA23/0083

DA23/0037

DA22/1021

Demolition of existing structures and construction of a 2-storey co-living housing development containing 22 rooms (6 x single rooms and 16 x double rooms) and associated works pursuant to State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021

Viewing of Development Applications

The above development application/s may be viewed on Council’s DA Tracker via penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/DATracker Officers of Council’s Development Services

Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts

By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council. Call 4732 7649 or visit penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Stuart Ayres and Dominic Perrottet at Kingswood Public School.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

EMILY FESZCZUK

Wayne Willmington with Garion Thain in Luddenham.

TEN

The Easter holidays are a great opportunity to connect with nature, relax, and spend quality time with friends and family.

If you plan on spending time outdoors, it’s important to protect yourself and your loved ones from pesky mosquitoes that can ruin the fun. The Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller is a stylish and effective gadget that uses Zone Mosquito Repellent technology to create a 28m2 zone of advanced protection.

The Thermacell E55 is the perfect solution for backyard entertaining, camping, and picnics. It is portable and easy to use, allowing you to enjoy your outdoor activities without worrying about mosquito bites. The E55 comes equipped with

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-

a 5.5-hour battery that can be charged while the device is in operation, and comes with 40 hours of unscented and smokefree liquid repellent.

Its stylish design and advanced technology make it the perfect addition to any outdoor activity, allowing you to enjoy nature without any interruptions.

The Weekender has four Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repellers to give away. For your chance to win one, send an email to competitions@westernweekender. com.au with ‘Mosquito’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Friday, March 31 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and conditions are available at www.westernweekender.com. au or Weekender reception.

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: 0710, 4310, 0511.

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 cool-looking ‘Fly Thru’ sign is located at Oporto Penrith, 2215 Castlereagh Road. Have you seen this on your travels for some late-night take away?

The lowdown

Penrith has been held by the Liberal Party since the 2010 by-election. A recent redistribution has cut sitting MP Stuart Ayres’ margin from 1.3 per cent to a thin 0.6 per cent. Glenbrook and Lapstone are no longer in the Penrith electorate, while Cambridge Gardens and Werrington Downs come into the electorate.

Where to vote

Penrith electorate: Razor thin margin makes seat one to watch STUART AYRES

Andromeda Community Centre (early voting), Cambridge Gardens Public School, Cambridge Park High School, Cambridge Park Public School, Cranebrook High School, Emu Heights Public School, Emu Plains Community Centre (early voting), Emu Plains Public School, Henry Fulton Public School, Jamison High School, Jamisontown Public School, Jamisontown Uniting Church Hall, Jordan Springs Public School, Kingswood Anglican Church, Kingswood Park Public School, Kingswood South Public School, Leonay Public School, Nepean District Hospital, Nepean High

School, Penrith Paceway, Penrith South Public School, Samuel Terry Public School, St Dominic’s College, St Nicholas of Myra Primary School, Werrington County Public School, Werrington Public School.

When to vote

Polling places will be open from 8am until 6pm on Saturday, March 25. Early voting closes March 24.

TAB

Labor $1.35, Liberal $3.00.

STUART’Slocal plan

This NSW election is not about politics or politicians, it’s about you and Penrith.

You must make a choice about who is best placed to represent the interests of our community in the Parliament. Who, when the going gets tough, will fight hard for you? Who will ensure that Penrith gets the right share of resources and investment and who is best placed to manage the finances of our state?

As your local member, every single day in this job I have been putting Penrith first.

That has led to our community seeing a $1 billion redevelopment of Nepean Hospital, upgraded roads; with the Northern Road complete and the next stage of widening Mulgoa Road to six lanes about to start.

All our train stations have been upgraded and all our schools are air-conditioned, with many also receiving significant upgrades to their facilities.

None of these things have happened by accident.

They have required hard work, listening to our community and very importantly, the budget and economic management capability to deliver them.

I am as passionate about Penrith today as the day I started in this job as your local MP. My plan for Penrith includes improving our parks and community playgrounds, completing Stage 2 of the Nepean Hospital upgrade, building a new Indoor Sports Arena, and stopping thousands of apartments being built on the Paceway site by building our new stadium there.

Now is not the time to put your job and our economy at risk with a Labor Government. Together we can keep Penrith and NSW moving forward.

to keep Penrith moving forward

• Keeping our local economy strong, so your job stays secure.

• Making Childcare more affordable with rebates of up to $4,220.

• Completing Stage 2 of the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment and employing more Nurses and Doctors.

• Upgrading local infrastructure, most importantly, widening Mulgoa Road.

• Enhancing our local lifestyle with major upgrades to community parks, playgrounds and sports facilities.

• Build Penrith Stadium on the Paceway site, relocate the Paceway to a new home and turn the old stadium site into a public park

Ihave lived in the Penrith area since coming to Australia in 2007 and it has been such a great place for my husband and I to raise our two children that there’s no way we would want to live anywhere else.

Now I want to represent our vibrant community.

I will fight to lower the cost of living for the people of Penrith and deliver affordable housing, better public health (including dental and mental health) and education.

I believe we all have a right to this standard of living, which must be promoted and recognised in all interpersonal, community, institutional, and structural settings.

We are in a housing crisis and our environment is in a concerning ecological state as a result of investor greed, over-development and our economy’s over-reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, the gender pay gap and lack of access to health and disability support is merely maintained and rarely spoken about.

Working with refugees from the MiddleEast living in western Sydney as a humanrights activist has made me passionate about inclusion, equality and defending women’s safety here in Australia and around the world.

As a Mum, an immigrant, an interior designer and an activist for human rights, I have a vision that combines the demand for inclusion and diversity with a sustainable future for all.

Our community deserves equal and universal access to high quality public services with enough diversity to take into account everyone’s needs.

Notice of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Investigation and Invitation to Register Interest in the Project: Orchard Hills

On behalf of the Department of Planning and Environment, Extent Heritage Pty Ltd is undertaking Aboriginal cultural heritage investigations for the proposed rezoning of Orchard Hills. The project is located between the Northern Road and the M4 Western Motorway. The project aims to deliver a precinct planning that provides for diverse housing supported by transport and other essential infrastructure in western Sydney. The proposed works would involve construction associated with infrastructure, bulk earthworks, environmental controls, and landscaping.

The Proponent, Department of Planning and Environment (4 Parramatta Square, Parramatta, 2150) can be contacted via Carolyn Scott (carolyn.scott@planning.nsw.gov.au).

Aboriginal individuals and organisations who hold cultural knowledge relevant to the significance of Aboriginal objects and/or places in the area, and who wish to be involved in the consultation process, are invited to register. This process will inform the investigations and support any subsequent approvals.

Please register prior to 1 April 2023 by contacting: Hannah Morris (02 9555 400 / hmorris@extent.com.au / Extent Heritage, 3/73 Union Street, Pyrmont, 2009).

Ilove Penrith. I’ve lived here for over three decades and raised my four children locally with my husband Brendan. Having served on Penrith Council since 2004, including two terms as Mayor, I’ll never forget what’s important to our community.

After 12 years in office, Dominic Perrottet, Stuart Ayres and the Liberals are more focused on themselves than they are on us. Worse still, despite already selling off our electricity network and motorways to private companies that are now making super profits, the Liberals still won’t rule out selling even more of our essential assets – which means you will pay more.

Chris Minns and Labor have listened, and developed a Fresh Start Plan that will:

Deliver improved staffing levels at Nepean Hospital – because what’s the point of upgrading Nepean Hospital if you don’t have the staff to run it?

– Introduce a $60 a week toll cap and putting an end to the privatisation of our energy assets, keeping the lights on, and putting downward pressure on power prices.

Create local jobs by building our trains, trams and ferries here in New South Wales – and give us public transport that actually works.

Address the teacher shortage and upgrade Cambridge Gardens Public School with new softfall playground surfacing and toilets, and Kingswood Public School with new permanent classrooms.

With your support, we can give Penrith a fresh start.

Authorised by Bob Nanva, Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) 9/377 Sussex Street Sydney NSW 2000

will happen you it

Iam running as candidate for the Animal Justice Party because their values of Kindness, Equality, Rationality and Non-violence align with mine.

I am passionate about helping people and their pets through this economic crisis and protecting urban green spaces and native habitats.

From a very young age, I have always had a passion for animal justice, welfare and rights.

Seeing the mistreatment of animals led me to a path of animal rescue. For years, I have stood on the frontline trying to make a difference for animals, but it never felt like it was enough.

I believe that each animal deserves to be treated with respect, compassion and consideration.

I am proud to member of the Penrith community.

We have stood together through a global pandemic, major floods and bush fires. I have lived in the Penrith area for 15 years and am a local small business owner.

I strive to support other businesses to make our community a safe and thriving one.

I feel honoured to live and work in such a beautiful part of NSW and would be privileged to represent the people and animals of our wonderful region, which is adorned with natural beauty; from bushland to water, Penrith has it all, including a flourishing CBD.

I believe in a diverse culture in which every person has the right to express themselves and their beliefs without prejudice or bigotry.

I am standing for the animals, people and planet. I am standing for you!

VOTE 1

Penrith needs a change. For too long the LNP – ALP two-party system has not delivered improvements to the area or better living standards.

I have been a PROUD resident of the Penrith area for over four years and I can see with my own eyes the neglect of parts of our community – the lack of health capacity of our hospitals and clinics (speaking by experience), education, environment, sanitation and sewerage. This Government wants to divide Penrith by building the new stadium on the Penrith Paceway site, instead of rebuilding on its existing site. Therefore, tearing down 177 years of Penrith’s history, which evicts numerous charities, the printing museum and harness racing.

Infrastructure is a big issue, with highrise and housing estates being built at a phenomenal rate. Improvements to our road, rail and bus network not keeping pace. Our major road junctions are bottlenecks in peak hours and weekends (the M4 Mulgoa junction is only one example). This Government keeps promising new roads and rail lines, but when? If they start tomorrow, new transport infrastructure will take years to build. We must keep them accountable for their lazy promises! The ALP has said that if elected, they will not put money into infrastructure. Overall Penrith needs a shakeup! If elected I would like to work together with you to secure a better future for Penrith. I want to do this as a local, who knows and shares the day-to-day struggles, and not as a career politician, which will PUT PENRITH FIRST!

Mr Latham, One Nation Leader, NSW and I will shout out and stand up for the residents of Penrith, and we will not back down in parliament to champion our wonderful city and its community. It would be an honour to me to the GOOD people of Penrith if you would support me and Vote for One Nation.

VOTE 1

Vanessa Blazi for Penrith

I am passionate about helping people and their pets through this economic crisis, and protecting urban green spaces and local bushland such as the Cumberland Plain Woodlands.

I will:

Vanessa Blazi for Penrith

• Protect renters’ right to have pets and allow pets on public transport – these are real issues during this cost-of-living crisis

I am passionate about helping people and their pets through this economic crisis, and protecting urban green spaces and local bushland such as the Cumberland Plain Woodlands.

I will:

• Bring in Veticare – like Medicare for animals. Being on a low income shouldn’t mean your companion animal suffers.

• Protect renters’ right to have pets and allow pets on public transport – these are real issues during this cost-of-living crisis

• Strengthen controls over illegal fireworks – protect our urban wildlife and companion animals from unnecessary terror and injury.

• Bring in Veticare – like Medicare for animals. Being on a low income shouldn’t mean your companion animal suffers. Strengthen controls over illegal fireworks – protect our urban wildlife and companion animals from unnecessary terror and injury.

ANIMALS CAN’T AFFORD YOU TO PUT US #2 GIVE ANIMALS YOUR

If we are going to tackle the housing crisis we must change the mindset about housing and homes. Like schools, hospitals and transport, public housing is an essential public service and asset. It must be a priority for government and it must be funded appropriately.

#1 SPOT

Make your vote count. With preferential voting, a #1 Vote for the Animal Justice Party is a powerful message that you care about animals and the environment. If we don’t win, your vote goes to your 2nd preference at full value.

ANIMALS CAN’T AFFORD YOU TO PUT US #2 GIVE ANIMALS YOUR #1 SPOT

Make your vote count. With preferential voting, a #1 Vote for the Animal Justice Party is a powerful message that you care about animals and the environment. If we don’t win, your vote goes to your 2nd preference at full value.

If we are going to tackle the housing crisis we must change the mindset about housing and homes.

Like schools, hospitals and transport, public housing is an essential public service and asset. It must be a priority for government and it must be funded appropriately.

TIMOTHY PATEMAN

Iam the candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Party NSW and I am running in the Penrith electorate.

I have been local to Penrith and the Blue Mountains my entire life and I know that legalising cannabis is something a lot of locals care deeply about or are in support of.

I believe that legalising cannabis is a common sense change that Australia needs.

It has majority population support and comes with some great medical benefits which have a long documented history with proven results. Recreationally as an alternative to alcohol and as an alternative pain relief that isn’t reliant on highly addictive opioids.

I believe it would be a massive boost to our local and national economy. Currently we are leaving the possibility of a multi billion dollar industry just sitting on the table. That would be an economic boost that would go far to repairing the devastation that COVID lockdowns and restrictions had on small businesses and creates new opportunities. Not to mention the millions saved on policing and prosecution.

Around of 90 per cent of cannabis related prosecutions are for personal use. This resource would be better served tackling crime affecting our communities.

I believe adult Australians should have the right to choose when it comes to cannabis and a right to grow at home, eradicating the necessity to deal with the current black market which can be extremely dangerous. It is time to modernise and end a losing war on a beloved plant.

Let’s go Penrith.

GEOFF BROWN

Penrith is being overdeveloped, congestion is unbearable, our environment is being trashed yet the Liberal and Labor parties keep supporting overdevelopment.

Sustainable Australia Party is an independent community movement with a science and evidence-based policy platform. We’ve developed sustainable solutions to address Australia’s growing economic, environmental and social problems. We are fighting to: Protect our environment, stop overdevelopment and stop corruption.

I’ve lived in Penrith for nearly 50 years. I play lead guitar in local band The Diamond Dogs. I’m a Panthers fan but I’m concerned about the redevelopment of the Paceway. I oppose the absurd raising of Warragamba Dam and the shocking proposal to develop 900 hectares of Deerubbin Land Council owned bushland in North Penrith (supported by Stuart Ayres).

I’ve organised and led community campaigns in Penrith resulting in:

• Protection of the 900 hectare Wianamatta Regional Park and stopping Lendlease removing its beloved emus.

• Stopped the development of the Air Services Australia site at Cranebrook.

• Successfully lobbied the Federal Government for $37.5 million to create a Cumberland Conservation Corridor. Money used to create the Mountain View Reserve at Cranebrook.

• Started Werrington Community Festival.

• Rallied Orchard Hills locals to form STORC to stop the NSW Government putting the North South Rail Line and Outer Sydney Orbital through their homes.

• Opposing continued plans for a housing development at Penrith Lakes and the removal of the historic old growth Mulgoa Road Grey Gum trees.

Sustainable Australia Party

Legalise Cannabis Party

Badgerys Creek electorate: New name as seat gets a shake-up

The lowdown

Previously named Mulgoa, the electorate of Tanya Davies has faced significant change heading into this election but remains on a safe Liberal margin of 9.7 per cent (down from 11.3 per cent prior to the changes). The redistribution sees it take in the new housing estates of Oran Park as well as parts of Badgerys Creek and Bringelly. But it still maintains significant suburban areas like St Clair, Glenmore Park and Erskine Park.

Where to vote

Autumnleaf Neighbourhood Centre (early voting), Banks Public School, Barramurra Public School, Bennett Road Public School, Blackwell Public School, Bringelly Community Centre, Camden Public School, Clairgate Public School, Cobbitty Public School, Erskine Park High School, Fernhill School, Glenmore Park High School, Glenmore Park Public School, Glenmore Park Youth Centre (early voting), Harrington Park Commu-

nity Centre, Harrington Park Public School, Horsley Park Public School, James Erskine Public School, Jamison High School, Kemps Creek High School, Luddenham Public School, Mt Hope Uniting Church, Mulgoa Hall, Oran Park High School, Oran Park Library, Penrith Paceway, Regentville Public School, Rossmore Public School, St

TANYA DAVIES

Clair Public School, Surveyors Creek Public School, Wallacia Public School.

When to vote

Polling places will be open from 8am until 6pm on Saturday, March 25. Early voting closes March 24.

Sportsbet odds

Liberal $1.25, Labor $4.00.

“ If it is to be, then it’s up to me!” is a motto I live by.

That was how I felt almost 16 years ago when my husband and I first started our family.

I looked around at the growing population in western Sydney but didn’t see essential services and infrastructure keeping up. I wanted to make our community better but the NSW Labor Government were taking western Sydney for granted and failing to deliver.

So in 2011 I became a part of the Liberal team who had the economic ability and vision to turn our State around.

Over this time I have helped to transform western Sydney including new motorways, upgraded local roads; the new Bradfield City being built at Badgerys Creek; $1 billion Nepean Hospital Redevelopment; new Fernhill and Nangamay Public Schools in Glenmore Park; $65 million to transform Fernhill Estate into a magnificent public park; air-conditioned classrooms; new sporting amenity blocks; and I could go on.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that my first priority to relocate the St Marys Methadone Clinic would have led to this extraordinary transformation in my community.

Whilst big infrastructure projects make our lives more efficient, it is also the individuals who I have helped along the way that I reflect upon with joy.

There are hundreds of people who I have had the privilege of helping which also makes our community a better and happier place.

I hope to continue in service of my community for many years to come.

Liberal Party

I’d like to preface this by saying that I’m profoundly grateful for the time spent with the community so far, and to residents who have told me what they need for their communities or just stopped to have a yarn.

Having the chance to represent our local community is a mission that I would cherish.

I’ve lived here out west my entire life. My first job was in St Clair. I studied at Western Sydney University, and worked at a local transport business for years during that.

I still live here with my partner Bianca, and my future is here. I have a great role model – my Dad – who absolutely loves his community and showed me it’s important to fight for it.

Badgerys Creek is a huge seat that takes in land from five different Local Councils.

Our residents in Glenmore Park, Wallacia, Luddenham, St Clair and Erskine Park aren’t just represented, it stretches all the way down to Oran Park in Camden. I’ve been going end-to-end to listen to residents.

We already know out here in Penrith that western Sydney is driving Australia’s growth.

The Western Sydney International airport is only a few years away.

Labor is taking policies to this election to address the bread-and-butter stuff, the looking out for cost-of-living relief and better outcomes, investment in services and local infrastructure like the new hospital announcement.

If you live in Badgerys Creek, please consider giving me your vote on March 25. I promise to put our community first.

The impacts of climate change are not felt equally, and communities in outer western Sydney and on the urban fringe are often the most affected. The Greens’ policies address these issues together, promoting both social justice and environmental sustainability.

Development must be sustainable and must prioritise the needs of our community. I will oppose over-development in the Badgery’s Creek area and ensure that all new projects are done in a way that is responsible and protects our natural environment. The Greens will work to maintain green spaces in Luddenham, Bringelly and Mulgoa and create shade in Glenmore Park and Orchard Hills to combat the urban heat island effect and create a more liveable environment. The Greens have consistently opposed the Western Sydney Airport and, if we cannot stop it altogether, I will continue to fight to minimise the damage to our quality of life and to the environment with a curfew and caps on the number of flights.

Suburbs from Glenmore Park to Oran Park need better access to essential services. The Greens understand that frequent high-quality transport is essential for the health of local economies and the people in them. We will bolster the public health sector so you can access a GP, dentist or mental health professional, as well as safe reproductive healthcare, for free through your local community health centre. Likewise, we have a plan to deliver what is needed to recruit, resource and retain teachers, and to grow free and secular access to public education.

40 years ago, my wife and I bought a block of land and built a house in a brand new suburb called St Clair. It was a wonderful place to raise a family, and, as our family grew, we knocked our house down and built our dream home to accommodate them.

Along the way I gained a Degree in Computing and Masters in Accounting to support my career, which included senior IT leadership roles at Macquarie Bank, The Reserve Bank, Woolworths and the University of NSW.

Now I run my own cyber risk consultancy.

Unfortunately, St Clair is no longer the tranquil place we knew. We lived through the nightmare that was the Erskine Park Road “upgrade”, and now we have the benefit of constant truck noise. Mamre Road is now undergoing the same. I regularly drive through Orchard Hills and the construction mess where the new Metro is going.

These examples of the state’s desire for excessive growth have convinced me that The Sustainable Australia Party, with their platform of “Protect the Environment, Stop Corruption and Stop Overdevelopment”, are the group with the focus needed to leave our children a planet worth living on. We are an independent community movement with a science and evidence-based approach to policy – and will put our local community first.

Iam a 28-year-old Penrith local and recently retired from RAAF who has decided to run as a candidate for One Nation. In doing so, I am giving the people of Badgerys Creek an alternative voting option to the major party madness.

I joined One Nation because of their genuine representation of the people in the State of NSW and their standing up for all communities. One Nation is the only voice of the people keeping the major parties accountable.

I have chosen to represent the people of Badgerys Creek, who, like myself, are feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living from electricity, housing, and grocery bills.

I stand with the community who want representation in government from a party that will ensure local community needs are met with long-term solutions to issues within the area.

With the current development of the Western Sydney Airport, Badgerys Creek needs the appropriate infrastructure to support the community in the years to come. This includes new roads, rail, bus networks, and emergency services to support the growth of the electorate.

I support the One Nation policy to reform law and order, and give criminals the appropriate sentencing for their crimes, providing a safer community by keeping criminals off the street and showing there are consequences for breaking the law.

I am honoured with the opportunity to work with the people of Badgerys Creek, representing the community needs to parliament.

Londonderry electorate: Labor looks to continue dominance

The lowdown

Held by the high profile Deputy Opposition Leader Prue Car, Londonderry is considered a safe Labor seat heading into this election. However, redistribution has slashed the margin from 6.5 per cent to three per cent. Londonderry includes the key suburban areas of St Marys, Werrington and parts of Kingswood and Caddens, as well as rural areas.

Where to vote

Andromeda Community Centre (early voting),

Iam passionate about representing our community and I want to be your strong voice in a Chris Minns Labor Government.

As the Member for Londonderry, I’ve been proud to stand alongside the community to deliver Jordan Springs Public School, upgrade local infrastructure and stop the demolition of hundreds of family homes and businesses in Castlereagh, Cranebrook and Llandilo.

This local community stood by me through my health challenges last year, and that support has made me even more determined to deliver for western Sydney.

After 12 years in power, Dominic Perrottet and the Liberal Party have lost their way. The Liberals are either arguing amongst themselves or heading for the exits. They’ve privatised toll roads to a near monopoly and sold off our energy assets, leading to higher tolls and higher energy bills.

And the Liberals have hit NSW families with more taxes than any other state because

My name is Samantha Talakola, and I’m the Liberal Candidate for Londonderry.

Born and raised in Southern India, I came to Australia as a young woman to pursue higher education in Business Management.

Western Sydney has been my home for more than a decade, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support I’ve had from our community.

This community inspires me – it’s the reason I became a community worker, and why I’m putting up my hand to represent you in our State Parliament. I want to represent the growing and diverse communities of Londonderry, and make sure that every voice is heard.

I draw great strength from those in our community, it has led me to volunteering and working on a range of important issues –disabilities, mental health and working with women escaping domestic violence.

As a single mum, with my two kids in local schools, I am passionate about the future opportunities that we can create for our kids.

This experience of working with some of the most vulnerable people continues to inspire me to do more for local families struggling with rising costs and financial pressures.

We need an experienced and capable Government, with strong leadership, to deliver a strong economy that will provide the services and infrastructure that our community needs.

Locally, we need someone with a positive vision, and someone who is part of a team who will continue to deliver the roads, community amenities, and services that our community needs.

As part of Dominic Perrottet’s Liberal Team, I will use my experience to fight for our community, provide cost of living support, and make this an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.

02 9670 4141

Erskine Park Shopping Centre, Shop18 Swallow Drive, Erskine Park NSW 2759

Open Monday- Saturday

www.erskineparkdental.com.au

y name is David Bowen. I am 51-years-old and have lived in the Penrith area all my life, with family ties going back to the early 1800’s in Castlereagh. I am a qualified horticulturist and have had my own garden maintenance business since 1995, have worked as a TAFE teacher and as a supervisor for various environmental restoration companies. I have shown an interest in this party because I believe their policies are sensible and address the driving forces for many of the problems I have seen evolve over time.

The main policies of protecting our natural environment from over-development and stopping corruption are balanced and warranted. The major parties are obsessed with limitless development and as a result, our environment, for which we rely upon, is decaying and we have become a congested society with heat related illnesses now a dangerous threat. I oppose the raising of the dam wall because I believe it will simply be a green flag for yet more endless development. Flooding will still occur from creeks and other waterways north of the dam, with mass hard surfaces such as roads and pathways adding to the runoff problem. I do not believe that blanket destruction of our few remaining critically endangered forests should be allowed to occur for new estates. There needs to be more respect for delicate ecosystems to connect to each other. This does not mean simply leaving creeklines overrun with noxious weeds year after year.

I do not want to see another ocean of dark rooved houses at Penrith Lakes. Our community deserves better than that. It should be a recreational and tranquil place to explore and enjoy by all, including our wildlife. I also strongly oppose the proposal of developing a massive 900ha of rare bushland north of Penrith, not surprisingly supported by the Liberal Party.

Sustainable Australia Party

Liberal Party

Iwant to fight for the people of Londonderry, from my community in St Marys, to the residents of the new suburbs around Melonba, and the often-waterlogged inhabitants around Londonderry itself.

Challenges face us here, as existing bushland is cleared for new housing without sufficient thought for the infrastructure and services the people actually need.

We see the current Government pushing ahead with raising the Warragamba Dam wall in an effort to rezone the land for their developer mates, regardless of the destruction of Aboriginal sites and wildlife.

As we’ve experienced over the past few years, building on floodplains will mean massive insurance costs for homeowners, let alone the isolation and repairing of flood damage, not to mention what has been allowed to happen with sinking houses in Jordan Springs. The Greens stand against this brazen government-sponsored developer landgrab.

The Greens represent good policy for a fairer Australia.

I will defend the rights and living standards of families and children in our welfare system, and of disabled people doing their best around the hurdles society sets up for them.

Western Sydney represents 63 per cent of NSW gambling losses, and we want to be able to help people with a gambling addiction by allowing them to control their own limits.

Similarly, The Greens want to minimise drug harm by decriminalising and taxing drugs like cannabis, treating them as we do alcohol, and providing community mental, rehabilitation and health support with those taxes, as jailing addicts has not worked.

At 32 years of age, I decided to get into politics because I am not impressed with the condition of our state. I see families financially struggling, a declining education system and an energy crisis. And if what we are seeing now is any insight into the future, then things are going to get worse. As both a member of this community and a father, I refuse to sit by and watch this continue to happen. Instead, I will do all I can to improve this state.

I joined One Nation because it’s the only party that genuinely fights for the people with common sense solutions and openly challenges the madness of the major parties.

I stand with parents who want full transparency and consent with what is being taught in NSW classrooms. The NSW education system has the fastest-falling academic results in the world, as shown in the NSW 2021 Curriculum Review. Whilst other parties remain silent on the political and gender ideologies being taught in our classrooms, One Nation is fighting to Let Kids be Kids and is committed to abolish these harmful teachings.

I stand for increasing housing affordability, reducing the cost of living, and reducing economic pressures due to failed energy policy. We need a strong mix of gas, coal, nuclear and renewable and must stop aimlessly rushing into spending billions of taxpayer money focusing only on renewables. I am committed to understanding the community’s real struggles, to be the voice for those that have been left behind.

At A and D In Home Care we provide a personalised continuity of care services to our aged and disability sector in our local community. We pride ourselves on offering a wide range of services from Aged and Disability care to Mental Health and Support Coordination. We help those who need it to live their best lives at home and within the community. We are a registered NDIS provider and offer 24/7 phone hours to support you whenever you need it. We do whatever it takes to bring you and your loved ones peace of mind.

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COMPILED BY EMILY FESZCZUK

Cambridge Gardens: Man charged after road rage incident escalates

A man has been charged after a road rage assault in Cambridge Gardens.

About 9.50pm on Tuesday, March 7, a 24-year-old Cambridge Gardens man was driving along Grange Crescent, Cambridge Gardens.

A 68-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were on the side of the road and beeped the horn of their car as they were concerned about the 24-year-old’s manner of driving. The man stopped his car and approached them as an argument began.

The 24-year-old pushed the woman and punched the man in the face.

A 19-year-old woman attempted to intervene, and the 24-year-old pushed her as well, before he got back into his vehicle and left.

Police attended the residence of the man where he was arrested and taken to Penrith Police Station.

He was charged and will appear at Penrith Local Court on Thursday, April 20.

St Marys: Police search for duo after man attacked and robbed

Police are appealing for information after a robbery in St Marys.

About 10.20pm on Tuesday, March 7, a 28-year-old man was walking along Harris Street, St Marys when he was approached by two unknown men who confronted him.

The men punched and kicked him, causing him to fall to the ground.

The offenders stole a pair of Apple AirPods then left the man.

He continued his commute to work at a health facility where he received treatment for his injuries.

Police are appealing to the community for anyone with information, CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage to contact St Marys Police Station or Crime Stoppers.

The first offender is described as a Caucasian male with a medium build, 5’11 tall, clean shaven, wearing white Nike TNs with A light blue contrast, white baggy pants, a black hoodie with the hood on over a black ‘Nike fit’ cap.

The second offender is described as a Caucasian male with a slim build, 6’4 tall, clean shaven, wearing black Nike Air Maxs, baggy black pants, a dark zip-up jacket which was fully zipped at the time of offence, with the hood over a dark cap.

He had sunglasses with black lenses on his forehead.

Londonderry: Stolen car set alight, sparks bushfire twice

Police are investigating after a car was set on fire in Londonderry.

About 5.50pm on Saturday, March 11, a silver Ford Mondeo was driven into bushland by an unknown person or people on Smeeton Road, Londonderry before being set on fire.

The car was destroyed and a small bush fire was started.

The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) attended and extinguished the fire, but a short time later it reignited.

The RFS then controlled the fire and allowed it to burn for hazard reduction purposes.

Police discovered that the car had been stolen earlier that day from Cambridge Park and are appealing for anyone with information, CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage to contact Penrith Police Station or Crime Stoppers.

Cranebrook: Police search for clues after fire at unoccupied townhouse

Anyone with information is urged to contact police after a house fire in Cranebrook.

About 7am on Sunday, March 12, a resident of Challenger Way, Cranebrook noticed a fire within an unoccupied townhouse.

The upper storey of the residence was destroyed and there was significant damage to the lower storey.

An unknown person of interest wearing dark clothing and a face covering was in the area prior to the fire.

St Marys: Woman busted stealing items from homes

A woman will attend court after stealing in St Marys this week.

About 11.20pm on Sunday, March 12, a 39-year-old woman from Whalan was walking along Saddington Street, St Marys when she entered the front verandas of several units to steal several personal items.

The woman was stopped by witnesses who confronted her before she ran.

Police were able to locate the woman a short distance away and she was searched with several bank and transport cards not in her name found in her wallet.

She also stole a pair of Nike shoes but threw them away while running.

The shoes were unable to be recovered.

The woman was given a move on direction and a Future Court Attendance Notice to attend Penrith Local Court on Wednesday, April 26.

There has been a lot of talk in the news lately of the doom and gloom associated with rising interest rates.

Economists are tipping that we are getting close to the end of the constant monthly rate rises, but understandably the fact it costs a lot more to borrow money than it did a year ago has led to a softening in the local property market.

It is not that good properties are not still achieving good prices, there is just limited stock as people are a little unsure about whether or not it is the right time to sell.

As people adjust to the new higher interest rate environment, and if the Reserve Bank does is what is expected and stops raising interest rates, it is likely that the market will settle down, there will be greater supply, and prices will stabilise.

One of the questions we are getting a lot at the moment is what does it mean in the media when reporters use the term “foreclosure”?

Foreclosure refers to the ability of a Bank or financial institution who holds a mortgage over someone’s house to forcibly sell their house to recover the amount they are owed under the mortgage if someone falls into arrears or stops payment of their loan repayments.

Most people who buy real estate have to borrow money from a Bank or financial institution to do so.

This is commonly known as a “home loan”.

In return for providing you with a home loan your Bank takes security over the property you are buying in the form of a mortgage.

A mortgage is essentially a document/ instrument you sign where you agree that if you do not make your loan repayments then the Bank can sell your house to get their money back.

The Bank will not usually foreclose or force the sale of your home unless you have been in arrears for some time and have not been able to rectify the arrears.

The reason this is a hot topic at the moment is because as interest rates increase, and people on variable interest rate loans have to pay more, there is a chance that they might not be able to afford their loan repayments and so will fall into arrears, requiring the Bank to take action to recover their money.

with Daniel McKinnon WW48104

When you get a home loan, in addition to your mortgage you sign loan documents.

Your loan documents are a contract between you and the Bank that says how much money you are borrowing, what interest rate or rates will apply, and what other fees are payable in certain circumstances. For example, usually if a Bank forecloses and forces the sale of you home, they are also entitled to recover their legal costs on top of the loan amount and interest that you owe them.

Most Banks or financial institutions will usually give you a number of chances to pay your arrears or enter into some sort of payment plan or other arrangement with them before they will foreclose.

Whilst every lender is different, you will usually receive some form of correspondence (such as a letter or email) advising that you have missed one or more loan repayments and asking you to pay the arrears.

If you miss lots of repayments over a period time the Bank will usually send you formal documents telling you that if you do not pay your arrears and get back up to date then they may exercise their power to foreclose and sell your house.

After that, if you have still not responded or been able to pay your arrears the Bank might approach the Court seeking an Order that they can take possession of your house and sell it from under you.

This is obviously an incredibly stressful thing for anyone to go through.

The best thing you can do if you find yourself unable to pay your loan repayments, even if only temporarily, is to contact your Bank and see if they will agree to enter into some sort of payment plan.

Most lenders also have a Hardship Department who will work with people who are in financial trouble to try to avoid having to foreclose.

The best thing you can be do is to be honest with your Bank or lender before it is too late. If you need legal assistance in relation to any sort of property matter, make sure you get in contact with us.

Don’t miss today’s copy of Western Property magazine, free with the Weekender.

Long charge sheet revealed

MAKAYLA MUSCAT

Awoman who breached an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) for the second time this year has been refused bail.

An emotional Lana Burns, 38, appeared in Penrith Local Court via video link on Wednesday, March 8, charged with ‘contravene prohibition or restriction in an apprehended domestic violence order’.

According to court documents, the order was served on the accused in September 2021 and will remain in place until September this year.

On Monday, March 6, Burns allegedly failed to report to police.

She also attended the victim’s Werrington residence, where she approached the front door and spoke with them.

Police say the victim was of the opinion that Burns was heavily affected by methamphetamine.

They say the victim allowed the accused into the house with the intention of caring for her.

The victim allegedly contacted NSW Ambulance to assist Burns because she was becoming difficult to manage.

At around 6.30am police attended the location and located the accused outside in the company of paramedics.

She gave a Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief Video statement before being escorted to Nepean

Old coffee cups used in road project

Hospital for treatment, police facts reveal.

A short time later, Burns was medically cleared.

She was then arrested and conveyed to Penrith Police Station where she was taken into custody.

Burns was represented by a lawyer who told Magistrate Gregory Moore that she has an underlying diagnosis of schizophrenia and “is clearly vulnerable in custody”.

“The difficulty is that Ms Burns is homeless, and that she has been for some time,” she said.

She requested a referral into the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) Program to address her underlying drug use.

However the prosecutor, who was clearly concerned by the accused’s drug use, recommended full-time residential rehabilitation instead.

Burns has a lengthy history with police and a total of 46 charges for offences including ‘malicious damage’, ‘possess prohibited drug’ and ‘resist arrest’, according to documents tendered to the court.

“Based on the circumstances of the case I refuse bail,” Magistrate Moore said.

“There is a limited history of violence, but there is a history of non compliance with court orders.”

Burns will remain in custody on remand until the next court date.

She is due to reappear before Penrith Local Court for sentence on Friday, March 24.

Aroad in Penrith has become the first in Australia to include a unique recycled product in its construction.

390 metres of Jamison Road near Doonmore Street in South Penrith has been resurfaced with a revolutionary product that is made of recycled coffee cups. The more sustainable asphalt, known as PAKE-PAV has been developed by State Asphalts NSW and Closed Loop Environmental Solutions who run the Simply Cups paper cup recycling program. The product will soon be used to also resurface 350 metres of Swallow Drive, Erskine Park, with the mixture for both diverting over 135,000 takeaway cups from landfill.

Closed Loop Managing Director Rob Pascoe told the Weekender that the project, which had been three years in the making, is a wonderful example of the circular economy in action.

“We started our program around coffee cups five years ago as people were not sure if they were recyclable with the waterproof lining and we got 7-Eleven on board as they are a major supplier of single use cups, so we found opportunities to recycle for them,” Pascoe said.

Fast Food + Fries + Salad

10% off

Valid Until 29th April 2023

Butternut is a small cafe in the blue mountains of Springwood. We pride ourselves on providing delicious, homemade food and five-star customer service. You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, coffee and a warm welcome from 6am. Catering is also a service that we are proud to offer.

Winning the blue mountains local business award for outstanding cafe in 2022 and now a finalist in the Australian small business awards. We are extremely grateful for all the support we have received and would like to thank all of our amazing customers.

Ph: 4751 1665

Shop 1/150 Macquarie Rd Springwood, NSW

@butternutspringwood

“Asphalts NSW then came to us as they were buying a product that was a paper and plastic mix that they would add into roads then they wondered if they could use them combined as the cups include both, so we created a pelletised product.”

In addition to the recycled paper cups, the two local roads will use asphalt that includes over 1.2 million glass bottles – a mix that has proven successful in the resurfacing of 8.4 kilometres of pavement throughout the Penrith Local Government Area (LGA).

The fibres in the cups help create a more durable and quieter product than regular asphalt which Director of State Asphalts NSW John Kypreos is proud of.

“We have enjoyed great support from government at all levels to get to this point and congratulate

Mayor’s News

The weekly views of Penrith’s Mayor

Film festival comes to St Marys Penrith City Council is an advocate of the creative arts in our community and the upcoming StarBurst at St Marys Film Festival on Sunday, April 2 is an opportunity for people of all ages to be part of movie magic.

As part of the Festival, there are free stop motion animation workshops at St Marys Library from 12pm where the ever-popular LEGO figurines are brought to life in this free, hands-on and interactive workshop.

For ages 8 onwards, participants will be guided through the creative process by industry professionals. A free all-day filmmaking workshop at St Marys Public School for people aged 9-16 is a chance for young people to learn all about visual effects, and the power of teamwork as they navigate through the process of creating a short film. This will surely be a memorable day for all involved, and participants of workshops get to take a copy of their film home to share with family and friends.

Penrith Council for being the first to use PAK-PAVE Roads,” he said.

“It is exciting to be delivering a practical circular economy solution in partnership with Closed Loop, and we hope that other councils and state governments will start specifying PAK-PAVE Roads, both as a high-quality road surface and a product that uses a high percentage of recycled materials.”

Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen said the product is delivering a high-quality road surface.

“Users may not notice the subtle differences between PAK-PAVE and other road surfaces under normal driving conditions apart from it being quieter, however in adverse conditions the new surface is reported to improve braking and wet weather performance,” she said.

To conclude StarBurst at St Marys Film Festival, we head to Coachmans Park where the big screen and comfy range of colourful beanbags set the scene for a relaxed night out for the whole family.

From 4pm, a green screen experience will provide some fun and laughter as the audience is invited to try out different green screen experiences, whether it’s flying through the sky or walking among dinosaurs.

As the sun starts to set from 6pm, a selected screening of family-friendly StarBurst Film Festival finalists will light up the big screen, showcasing some of the best up-and-coming talented filmmakers we have in our LGA.

StarBurst at St Marys Film Festival is a unique opportunity to enjoy free, creative events in our community – I hope you can join us!

CR TRICIA HITCHEN Mayor of Penrith

Jamison Road recently being resurfaced.

Hindu Temple on track to open at Kemps Creek late next year

Penrith City Council has approved further modifications to a place of worship as construction on the $41 million Hindu Temple in Kemps Creek continues.

In 2017, a Development Application (DA) was lodged for a Mandir (Hindu Temple) at 230-242 Aldington Road, Kemps Creek. This included an assembly hall, community kitchen, dining hall, monks’ residence, in the Hindu architectural tradition, landscaped areas, internal roads and car parking.

The Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) lodged with the original application stated that Hinduism was the fastest growing religion in greater Sydney at the time.

“At 3.5 per cent of the population, Hinduism is the fifth most common religion in greater Sydney, after Catholicism, Anglican, Islam and Buddhism,” it said.

“Hinduism grew by 56,827 people from the 2011 Census, or a 50 per cent increase making it the fastest growing religion in greater Sydney by number of followers.”

Behind the application are BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, which is a Hindu religious and social organisation with temples around the world.

The SEE states that the temple is expected

to be used for meditation and prayer between 7am to 11.30am and 4pm to 7pm weekdays.

“The assembly hall is anticipated to be used for congregations on Sundays between 4.30pm to 6.30pm,” the document said.

“The community kitchen and dining hall is anticipated to be used for gatherings

in conjunction with congregations in the assembly hall. The hall will also be used for programs such as recreation programs for young people, yoga and children’s programs.”

The ridgeline of the Mandir building was set to be over nine metres, with five spires that rise to a maximum of over 22 metres in height.

The plans for the site, which is over 101,000 square metres in size, went before the NSW Planning Panel in 2019 and were approved. Further adjustments have been brought to Penrith Council spanning from 2020 to 2022, which have been allowed, that addressed a variety of planning aspects.

A ground break ceremony for the place of worship took place in April 2021.

The new modifications, which were most recently approved by Council this year, were for a minor reconfiguration to enlarge the ground and first floor plans slightly to allow for greater internal circulations spaces that would allow visitors to distance themselves.

An increase to the spire height on the temple by approximately 1.47 metres was also proposed.

The Major Assessment Report said that consent for the approved changes was granted.

“The proposed modifications maintain the overall building footprint and orientation, and are considered to adequately respond to the emerging character of the area,” it said. “Overall, it is considered that [it] satisfactorily responds to key planning considerations, including in relation to built form, streetscape and neighbourhood amenity.”

The first phase of the project is expected to be completed in 2024 with a second phase to follow.

Construction of a Hindu Temple is taking place in Kemps Creek.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

CHARITY BALL

The first step to a safer, better life

Support services in the Penrith Local Government Area are actively educating residents about domestic and family violence to ensure that more people in need know where to reach out for help. In a bid to tackle the issue at a community level and meet the growing demand for assistance, many services on the ground function as a first point of contact.

One of these services is The Haven – Nepean Women’s Shelter, which provides support and crisis accommodation for local women and children escaping domestic and family violence.

According to The Haven’s Shelter Manager, Samantha, it takes strength and courage to ask for assistance or advice on how to leave, and often people experiencing abuse are unsure of what those first steps look like.

She says there are a number of services people can contact to see what help is available, to learn what support best suits a person’s individual needs.

“Making the decision to leave can be really difficult, and then taking the action to leave is equally as hard,” Samantha said.

“We see lots of different circumstances – some people are ready

to leave the day they contact us for help, others have planned ahead and know they will have a brief window when their partner may be at work or out with friends, while for others there has been an incident and they have picked up their children and left the family home immediately.

“We reassure them there is no right way to need support – reaching out for help is what matters most and there are many different ways people can access assistance.”

National helplines such as 1800RESPECT and the Domestic Violence Line on 1800 656 463 are free to call and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These helplines can offer practical support and options when planning to leave.

Victims of domestic and family violence facing homelessness can also contact Link2Home Homelessness on 1800 152 152 if they require a safe place to go.

The Haven can be contacted directly by residents in the Penrith area on their website or via their social channels.

“It is crucial for us that when it’s not safe to make a call, people can still make contact through online communication,” Samantha said.

“Trusting a community-based service is an important aspect of establishing safety and we find that once women approach a service there’s a sense of reassurance and a breath of relief.”

Those experiencing domestic and

family violence who are in immediate danger should call the NSW Police on 000.

Penrith City Council appreciates the ongoing work of local services in this space.

The Mayoral Charity Ball – Penrith

2023 will be held in May in support of The Haven, with all funds raised to be donated to the charity following the event.

Find out more at penrith.city/ events or see the advertisement below.

THE DHARUG CONNECTION

A special weekly focus on local Indigenous affairs and services

Uncle Bryan and Uncle John Boney

www.nepeancommunity.org.au

Cousins share their history through art

Today we meet cousins, artists, and teachers

Uncle Bryan and Uncle John Boney.

John Boney is from the Muruwari nation, near the town of Goodooga.

He remembers spending his childhood years with the old people, walking out on country and learning the old stories. These stories he weaves into his art. The animals telling their stories. John is self taught, painting since he was seven.

John works at Muru Mittigar teaching art, doing some work with SRAC and will be working in the gaols to pass on culture through art. John says art has “kept him out of trouble. It’s good for the mind; if you feel stress, feel

sad – pick up art and everything negative is gone.”

Uncle Bryan Boney is a Gamilaroi man from Coonamble, Mother from Gulargambone, Dad from Pilliga. His parents were taken to Angledool station/ mission where they worked on the station for basics – flour, tea, sugar.

The family travelled by horse and sulky looking for work – shearing and droving, and domestic duties. A hard life!

Government and church policy forbade the teaching of their traditional language.

When Bryan was 10, the family moved to Coonamble, the family lived in tents near the river bank –back then the white people didn’t welcome them, so they moved

from place to place. He remembers one formative occasion as a child sitting with the old people around the campfire as darkness fell, the old people singing in language and dancing around the fire.

Bryan says the old people told him never to worry where you walk, there is always someone following you, looking after you. He didn’t start drawing with paper and pen till he was 13. Before that for years as a child he would draw in the sand, starting with kangaroos – capturing the way the animal moved in his sand drawings. Doing this trained his eyes to see things differently.

Life back then was hard, there was enormous racial abuse and stigmatism

History + Education with Muru Mittigar

www.murumittigar.com.au

Helpful Contacts

Bryan came to Sydney when he was in his early 20s to find work – and travelled the world as an Aboriginal dancer. After that, he studied fine arts for six years, and then worked for TAFE for many years. He is currently teaching at Kooly on Thursdays.

Aboriginal people don’t seek perfection in their art – but when you look at the symbols and the colours it’s beautiful.

It doesn’t matter if the lines aren’t perfect, the story is what matters.

Bryan’s message is that anyone can paint, its just about opening your mind and practicing.

Sitting down to paint with John and Bryan is guaranteed to lift your spirits. You can see the cousins’ work all over western Sydney.

Important background we should all know

The Dharug peoples are the Traditional Owners of Sydney; it was the first part of Australia to be colonised and is now the highly urbanised home for a very multicultural population.

Dharug Country covers the Sydney Basin, from the Hawkesbury-Nepean in the north to the Georges River in the south and west to the Blue Mountains

The Penrith region has an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander population of 7,745 people (nine per cent of the total population), only 255 of them aged 65 or above and over 34 per cent under 15 years (Penrith City Council 2018).

While Dharug people are the Traditional Owners, Dharug culture has been suppressed by colonialism, though a resurgence is underway now.

The area has also attracted very many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across Australia, with Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Bundjalung people common among them.

Muru Mittigar

Muru Mittigar is a not-for-profit Dharug social enterprise.

Muru Mittigar seeks to create a better understanding of the Dharug Aboriginal culture in the wider community, create new jobs, develop workplace skills training, and increase sustained employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians.

The organisation achieves this by providing quality contracting and consulting services to

Government and businesses in Land Management, Education and Tourism and through investing in the well-being and financial support services for the Aboriginal and the wider community. Muru is split into three divisions Culture, Community and Country.

Culture

Muru Mittigar provides authentic professional culture services for over 20 years. Our cultural programs are delivered by Traditional Owners of the Sydney basin, the Dharug people and other Aboriginal people who live in Dharug country.

The cultural team are guided by Dharug elders and hold collectively over 60 years of experience.

Community

Muru owns and operates a Community Finance Hub in High Street. We built this hub to be a comfortable place so people can come to get assistance. Some of the current services we offer are:

• Providing no-interest loans

• Providing financial counsellors

• Financial literacy workshops

• Community service facilitator

• Food hampers

Country

Muru’s land management division offers the following services:

• Landscape construction

• Landscape maintenance

• Bush regeneration and bushfire hazard risk mitigation

• Arboriculture.

Nepean Community & Neighbourhood Services 4721 8520 nepeancommunity.org.au

Greater Western Aboriginal Health Service 4729 7300 27-29 Lawson St, Penrith

Muru Mittigar 4730 0400 murumittigar.com.au

KARI Aboriginal Resources (02) 8782 0333 kari.org.au

Aboriginal Home Care 1300 973 058 australianunity.com.au

NSW Aboriginal Affairs 1800 019 998 aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au

Aboriginal Land Council (02) 9689 4444

Service NSW 13 77 88 service.nsw.gov.au

The Dharug peoples

One for the train spotters out there this week!

This photo shows V.Trains 1219 and 1243 marshalling at Penrith on January 19, 1963. These classic trains certainly look like they've attracted a lot of interest from locals on the day.

(Photo thanks to State Library NSW)

YOU BY BOHO ASTRO - JOANNE MADELINE MOORE

AQUARIUS

JANUARY 21 TO FEBRUARY 19

Powerful Pluto transits into your sign – for the first time since 1798! So curious, quirky Aquarians are keen to ricochet off in transformative new directions. And don’t worry about making messy, complicated (or embarrassing) mistakes along the way. Keep stretching your wings, trying new things and being the authentic you! Be inspired by birthday great, soul singer Aretha Franklin, “Be your own person, and always be confident in what you’re doing.”

Tuesday night’s fiery New Moon lights up your cash zone, which signals a fresh financial chapter. So the more proactive you are about money matters, the better your fiscal future will be. The Equinox also falls on Tuesday, which favours meditation and contemplation, as you aim for more equilibrium and perspective at Casa Pisces. And then Pluto shifts into your solitude and spirituality zone, which further highlights the focus on peaceof-mind and strong self-esteem.

Restless Rams are ready to charge off in exciting new directions as the Sun, New Moon, Mercury and Jupiter light up your sign. Time to percolate ideas, make plans and be proactive! Plus Pluto shifts into your hopes and wishes zone, so it’s a wonderful week to set transformative goals and dream powerful dreams. Be inspired by Aries birthday great, actress Reese Witherspoon, “I believe ambition is not a dirty word. It’s just believing in yourself and your abilities.”

The New Moon lights up your seclusion zone so you’re keen to meditate, contemplate, ruminate and rejuvenate. But don’t use it as an excuse to hide away and escape the worries and challenges of the world. For the first time in 248 years, powerful Pluto transits into your career zone, so there are ambitious goals to set and lofty heights to reach. Which will require hard work, passion and plenty of persistence. No snoozing on the sideline Bulls!

This week’s stars help you communicate your ideas with extra power and passion. You’re keen to link up with like-minded friends and influential people at work and within your peer group. But don’t get so stirred up and side-tracked that you lose sight of the authentic Gemini within. With Pluto transiting into your travel and aspirations zone, plan a life-changing trip for some time soon – an adventure that will stretch you in transformative new directions.

Have to been avoiding a tricky person or a difficult situation? Crabs tend to side-step problems (or just put your head in the sand). With four planets in Aries and Mars charging into your sign, try a more direct approach as you face challenges head on. Aim to communicate your ideas in positive and proactive ways. As birthday belle Reese Witherspoon observes, “Confidence is everything.” With Pluto powering into your loyalty zone, trust is also everything.

If you’re trying to get a project off the ground, make sure you cover all bases – from loved ones to work colleagues and international connections. It’s also a suitable time to plan your next holiday as the New Moon activates your adventure and aspirations zone. Make your goals and travel plans as exciting as possible. Be inspired by birthday great, pioneering feminist Gloria Steinem, “Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.”

Research something thoroughly (with your Virgo x-ray vision) and then tell it like it is. Other people will appreciate your direct, no-nonsense approach. It’s also a good time to read a detective story, uncover a secret, solve a puzzling problem, or get to the bottom of an intriguing mystery. But the more you try to control others, the more they are likely to resist. So, if you want to avoid ongoing power struggles, learn to diplomatically let go and move on.

Is a close relationship stuck in a stultifying rut? This week the Sun, New Moon, Jupiter and Mercury encourage you to blast away the cobwebs and look at things from a fresh angle. But how well do you really know your nearest and dearest? Powerful Pluto shifts into your romance, children and friendship zone – for the first time in 248 years! So it’s time to dig deeper and gain valuable insights into the inner motivations of a lover, friend or family member.

Prepare for some big changes, as your ruler Pluto transits into adventurous Aquarius – for the first time since 1798! There’s also a New Moon in your wellbeing zone, so take a close look at your diet and fitness levels. Can you introduce healthier food choices, stop bad habits (like smoking) or reboot your exercise program? Avoid the temptation to operate on autopilot. If you shake up your daily domestic routine, it will put an extra spring in your Scorpio step.

Sagittarians can be selfish, self-indulgent souls. This week, with the Sun, New Moon, Mercury and Jupiter spotlighting your leisure and pleasure zone, you’ll be preoccupied with your immediate entertainment wants and personal pampering needs. However, over the next few years, you’ll gradually shift your focus further afield as Pluto teaches you that social responsibility and local community connections are just as important as individual priorities.

This week - after over 14 years in Capricorn – Pluto transits into Aquarius. And the New Moon activates your domestic zone. So it’s a good time to support a family member, get stuck into a DIY project or clean and de-clutter your living space. But how will you decide what to keep and what to discard? Draw inspiration from designer and birthday great William Morris, “Have nothing in your house which you know not to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

BROUGHT

WITH EMMA NASSIF

ONE POINT HEALTH • 4732 5188

Incredible power of fibre in regulating bowels: What you really should know

It’s a topic that no one wants to talk about and also a topic that is absolutely essential to talk about, and that is how to regulate your bowels. Having regular bowel movements ensures you are maintaining hydration, absorbing the food you eat, feeding your gut bacteria and feeling comfortable and confident. Fibre intake is the number one nutrient that I analyse when a patient has any kind of issue with their bowel movements, whether it is constipation, diarrhoea or a bit of both. This is because the amount and type of fibre impacts the consistency and frequency, as well as the comfort of passing your stool.

Constipation occurs when there is difficulty in emptying your bowels, which is usually associated with hardened faeces. Insoluble fibre increases the physical bulk of your stool and speeds up the movement through your gut, reducing constipation. It is found in wholegrains, wheat bran, nuts and seeds and the peels of fruits and vegetables. Therefore if you find yourself constipated, it is worth increasing these foods on a regular basis.

Diarrhoea is defined as having loose, watery stools that occur more frequently than usual. If you experience diarrhoea unrelated to any other issues, it could be due to a lack of soluble fibre. Soluble fibre is found in oats, bran, barley and certain fruits and vegetables. It reduces diarrhoea by attracting water, removing excess fluid in the bowel and therefore can be beneficial when experiencing loose

stool. Be mindful that if your fibre intake is extremely low, increasing fibre at a steady rate is important, rather than a big increase all at once, otherwise you might feel discomfort or even have diarrhoea. The goal is to reach 25g of fibre per day for women and 30g per day per men. This might sound hard to achieve but with the help of an Accredited Practising Dietitian, it is easily reached. By following the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and having the correct serves of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, it will help you include foods high in both insoluble and soluble fibre to ensure regal bowel movements.

SWIM SAFETY

WITH JULIE SHELDRAKE • NEPEAN AQUATIC CENTRE & EVA BORY’S SWIM SCHOOL • 4730 8900

Learning and practising water safety at all ages

It is so important that children learn about water safety as soon and as consistently as possible, though both education and early swimming lessons. One of the most rewarding parts of what we do is to watch children taking on board the water safety lessons learnt in swimming class, and then watching many of our students go on to become Junior Lifeguards as their first teenage job, and the Senior Lifeguards as they are finishing school!

Education should start very early, at home, with parents regularly reinforcing water safety rules – never go near the pool without an adult, never climb the pool fence, shut the gate, let an adult know if another child goes near the pool alone, swim between the flags at the beach, reach to rescue, be careful in the bath, etc. Through repetition, these safety messages become embedded and form good habits around all bodies

of water. Parents can also educate by being a good role model – stay with children as they bath and explain why you are doing so. Put the mobile phone down when supervising children in the pool or at the beach or river. Get in the pool and show them how much fun can be had swimming together. Be sun smart and put sunscreen on yourself too. Empty Esky’s, buckets and baths after use and tell children why it is important to do so. If you don’t know how to swim, or have a fear of the water, be sure not to hand that down to your children – it is never too late to learn!

Swim Australia recommends starting swimming lessons from six months, but you can and should practice early water familiarisation before this. Fear of the water is acquired, so make sure baby has regular baths and showers from newborn and becomes comfortable with the sensation of water being trickled and then

poured over their head. Your six-month-old will then accept the water more readily, and with less fear, when starting lessons.

If you are looking for something a little different this school holidays, we run two-day Super Swim Camps, where children learn all about the basics of CPR and First Aid, the Kids Alive Do the Five pool safety rules, and get to practise in water rescue and lifeguarding skills, plus a pool party with the inflatable slide to round off the fun. See our website for dates and details, and remember the Creative Kids Voucher can be used to attend.

TALKING TECH

A smart assistant in your pocket

While most people have heard of ChatGPT, an advanced large language model developed by OpenAI, you might not have heard of Bing AI (Artificial Intelligence). Bing AI is a new feature of Microsoft’s search engine that uses artificial intelligence to help you find the best answers to your questions, plan your tasks, and have fun conversations. It uses the ChatGPT engine. If you stop and think about it, you can now access an advanced AI from your mobile. You can have text or voice conversations with the AI. It is accessible on iOS, Android, Edge, and Skype. Users must first download and install the Bing mobile application to take advantage of Bing AI mobile. Here are some things you can do by having Bing AI on your mobile phone:

• Ask Bing AI any question and get a comprehensive and informative answer.

• Use voice chat to interact with Bing AI and get answers faster and easier.

• Get directions, check the weather, book a hotel, order food, and more from your mobile phone.

• Choose from three different personalities of Bing AI: creative, balanced, and precise.

• Write text for you, such as poems, essays, and tweets.

• Generate original and exciting texts on any topic.

• Play games, tell jokes, and chat about various topics with Bing AI.

• Have fun and be creative with Bing AI.

• Use Bing AI as a personal assistant and planner for daily tasks and goals.

• Set reminders, alarms, timers, and calendars with Bing AI.

• Translate text and speech between different languages with Bing AI.

• Compare prices, reviews, and ratings of products and services with Bing AI.

• Find the best deals, coupons, and offers with Bing AI.

• Scan QR codes, barcodes, and images with Bing AI and get relevant information.

• Identify objects, animals, plants, and landmarks with Bing AI and learn more about them.

• Listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks with Bing AI.

• Watch videos, movies, and

shows with Bing AI and get recommendations based on your preferences. Bing AI mobile is an intelligent assistant in your pocket, constantly improving and learning.

You can try it out by downloading the Microsoft Edge browser and joining the waitlist on the new Bing page. I had a two-day wait to gain access; honestly, the technology is astounding.

I recommend you move quickly, as the waitlist opened last week and will fill up quickly. Once approved, Bing AI will appear both in your mobile app and your desktop’s Edge browser.

THE NEXT BIG THING

PANTHERS LOCK RISING FORWARD LIAM HENRY INTO LONG-TERM DEAL AT FOOT OF THE MOUNTAINS READ THE DETAILS ON PAGE 38

Liam Henry.

nrl ladder & fixtures

here ’ s cheers

NAME: CHLOE CARTER

SUBURB: WERRINGTON DOWNS

What do you love about being a Pantherette?

Being able to be involved in the game and atmosphere whilst doing something I really love!

If you were stranded on a desert island, who are you bringing with you and why? I’d bring my Dad because he can kill all the bugs for me!

panther rumblings

SONI MAY BE IN HIGH DEMAND

! Penrith’s dummy half conundrum: Penrith will at some point face a tough decision when it comes to the number nine jumper. Mitch Kenny is currently the club’s first choice hooker and remains contracted to the club until the end of 2024. But Soni Luke, who is quickly emerging as a fan favourite and has impressed in his stints at dummy half this year, is off-contract at the end of 2023 and is free to talk to other clubs now. Any club in desperate need of a hooker would be silly not to look at Luke, whose injury-tarnished career is finally taking off. Whether or not Penrith re-sign him may largely be dependent on how Kenny performs this year. The Panthers do have plenty of talent coming through at hooker, so a ‘watch this space’ sign very much hangs over the position long-term.

! Panthers quick to respond: Penrith issued an official statement regarding the Latrell Mitchell racism incident less than an hour after full-time last Thursday night. It was a brief statement issued at 10.45pm and confirmed the club was aware of the matter and was working with the NRL on an investigation. It’s no surprise Penrith hasn’t commented publicly much since. It’s not about being media shy, but in recent years the Panthers have taken the approach that there’s no need to say more than that’s required on any particular issue. It’s worked in other facets of the club’s operations and was the right option to take here too.

! League legend’s bizarre rant: Former Rabbitohs star Greg Inglis had an odd take on the whole racism drama. Inglis believes the comment made by a 15-year-old in a Roosters jersey has somehow tarnished Penrith’s two Premierships. “All the hard work they’ve done in the last three years... for this moron to go out and just racially slur one of the biggest names in the game, it just clouds everything,” Inglis told the ‘Footy Talk’ podcast. The podcast was recorded on Friday and by then it was widely known the teen who made the comment was not a Penrith supporter. It’s always tricky when former players comment on unsavoury incidents. Inglis wants a life ban for the teen who made the comment to Mitchell. It’s an intriguing demand – had the NRL issued a life ban for Inglis’ first brush with the law back in 2009, his career would have been over before it really began.

! Luai in Blues jeopardy: It seems way too early to be talking Origin, but I’m told Jarome Luai is no sure thing to retain his New South Wales jersey for this year’s series. The Blues obviously see a club partnership as an advantage and there’s no doubt Nathan Cleary will

wear the number seven for the upcoming series. But Luai has some work to do to convince Blues selectors he’s the right option – his club form will be closely watched over the next few months.

! Spotted: Penrith legend Royce Simmons catching up with fans who’d travelled all the way from Adelaide to watch the Panthers v Rabbitohs contest. Simmons was enjoying a beer with them post-game at the Leagues Club.

! Ball in town: American businessman LaVar Ball, father of basketball’s famous Ball brothers, will be in Sydney next week, and I’m hearing there was no chance he was going to miss the Grand Final re-match between Penrith and Parramatta. Ball has secured himself a ticket for the showdown at CommBank Stadium.

! Cleary falls short: A greyhound by the name of Cleary is still struggling to find its first win. It went around at Richmond last Sunday as a short-priced favourite but finished outside of the placings. It’s had seven starts so far and only collected $1,140 in prize money, with its best finish being a second placing back on January 6. Despite the name, the dog has no relationship with the Cleary family.

! Kiama calls: The Panthers have opted to

go into camp this week given the unusual situation of having a bye early in the season. Ivan Cleary and the first grade squad have spent time in Kiama, as they go through an unusual preparation for next Thursday night’s showdown with Parramatta at CommBank Stadium. The club has also taken the opportunity to instigate a short media ban, escaping any of the coverage surrounding the racism drama at BlueBet Stadium last weekend.

! Fletch back at work: Panthers boss Brian Fletcher is back in the office after a frightening security scare. Police became involved when Fletcher was sent a bizarre package and a death threat. They advised Fletcher to work from home while investigations took place. Police tracked down the man who sent the package, discovering he’d taken his own life. It was a sad end to a bizarre story. Fletcher is now back at work as normal.

! Get in touch: I love hearing rumours! I don’t keep secrets but I do protect my sources. If you’ve heard anything on the grapevine, spotted a player or know some news, email maskedpanther@westernweekender.com.au.

Soni Luke. Photo: NRL Images.

PANTHERS RE-SIGN EMERGING STAR

He’s only played one NRL game, but Penrith have shown an enormous amount of faith in youngster Liam Henry, re-signing the promising forward until the end of the 2026 season.

The 21-year-old prop was already contracted to the club for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but has signed a two-year extension that will see him remain in Panthers colours until 2026.

With two-time premiership-winning prop Spencer Leniu moving east at season’s end, Henry’s extension is a clear sign that Penrith have big plans for him in the coming years.

A Blayney Bears junior, Henry has played for Penrith’s Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup teams since joining the club in 2019, and made his NRL debut against the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 25 last year.

“Re-signing with the Panthers means everything to me because l love this club – it feels like home,” Henry said.

“They gave me an opportunity and I want to repay the faith. I’m really excited to remain with the Panthers for the next four years.”

Born in Orange and nicknamed ‘Horse’, Henry put in a solid 80-minute performance during Penrith’s 30-20 win to South Sydney in last week’s NSW Cup fixture. In the tight battle, he ran for 178 metres, notched up two tackle breaks and made 55 tackles.

Panthers Rugby League CEO Matt Cameron was excited to secure Henry long-term.

“We are thrilled to see Liam commit to the club and we look forward to seeing him progress his rugby league career in Panthers colours,” he said.

“Not only is Liam a talented rugby league

player, but he is also a respectful and hardworking young man, who represents the club with pride.”

Long-time Panthers Recruitment Manager Jim Jones congratulated Henry on his contract

extension.

“Liam is a dedicated player, who has earned the respect of all at Panthers,” he said.

“He has a great future at the club, and we look forward to his career progression.”

Liam Henry following his NRL debut against the Cowboys last year. Photo: NRL Images.

NATHAN TAYLOR

I’d like to join the long list of people who have condemned the 15 year-old supporter who allegedly yelled racial obscenities at Latrell Mitchell last Thursday at BlueBet Stadium.

Now I’m all for heckling an opposition player but there are two golden rules to follow if you’re going to do that. One, don’t bring a player’s family into it and two, do not ever make it about their nationality or the colour of their skin.

Yelling out ‘Lolly legs’ when a player is about to take a kick at goal or booing whenever they touch the ball is one thing. Racist comments are another altogether.

I am drawn to this quote by Giovannie de Sadeleer.

“The true colour of one person is not determined by skin, but by their behaviour in it.”

By not jumping the fence and fighting back with his fists, Latrell Mitchell showed more class than the boy who allegedly made the racist comments did... or perhaps ever will.

Where are they now? Robbie Beckett (Panthers 1994-2001)

The man nicknamed ‘Boom Boom’ during his playing days with the Panthers between 1994-2001, scored 66 tries in 146 games and always had speed to burn on the footy field.

Now 20 years retired from rugby league, Beckett lives in Tumut, a small town of 6700 people near the Snowy Mountains and works at Visy Pulp & Paper.

Unlike the speed he was known for on the field, Beckett is enjoying a slower pace of life with his wife Tanya.

“I moved to Tumut in 2004 and married a local girl,” Beckett told me recently.

“We now have two beautiful girls, Ella and Mia.”

From very humble beginnings operating out of a double garage in Riverstone to one of Australia’s largest independently owned plasterboard distributors with Factories in Sydney, Melbourne And Canberra “we are very proud to be sponsoring the greatest footballer of his generation for the 2023 season as Nathan continues to inspire a new generation of Panthers coming through”

Granville Plastamasta is a family business in every sense of the word and so is this mighty Club. We wish Nathan and his family of Brothers the best of luck this year as they chase history.

When asked what he remembered most about his rugby league days, Beckett replied: “Just all the good mates I made over the years, plus playing with superstars like Brad Fittler, Greg Alexander, Ryan Girdler, Rhys Wesser and Craig Gower. But the toughest player I ever knew was Morvin Edwards.”

Beckett said he would like to see the Panthers make it a three-peat in 2023 and believes Ivan Cleary and his troops can do it. As for his well-known speed, it

seems he has passed it on to his daughter Mia, who regularly blitzes the opposition at running carnivals she takes part in.

When asked what was ahead for him, well it was all about his two children.

“The girls have got Rep BBall and Ladies Tag coming up. I coach the Under 14’s League Tag for Tumut so... busy times ahead,” Beckett smiled.

It’s great to hear Beckett is doing so well in retirement.

2023 PLAYER PARTNER

photo of : Corey Battese, owner & his son Connor with Nathan Cleary

PLASTAMASTA GRANVILLE PLASTASTORE.COM.AU | 20 KENDALL ST, GRANVILLE | (02) 9637 0766

analysis WW50706

Former Panthers winger Robbie Beckett with his two daughters. Robbie Beckett in his playing days with Penrith. Photo: NRL Images.

with Peter Lang

WEIGHT: 92KG |

HEIGHT: 182CM |

DOB: 14/11/97 |

WE LOVE RIVALRIES OLD AND NEW

Rivalries make the rugby league world revolve and get ready to spin out of control!

On Friday, the oldest rivalry sees the Roosters and Rabbitohs go at it for the 230th time. Their 229th meeting involved seven sin-binnings, five failed HIA’s, five charges from the Match Review Committee and two suspensions. Basically complete chaos.

matt russell

A night earlier Manly and Parra open Round 3. Both arrived in the Big League in 1947 and have been trading blows before and after the beer commercial had “Mr Motion came sliding in… and all the crowd began to sing”! Parramatta, beaten Grand Finalists last season are yet to win a game. Manly, who slid horribly out of contention last season, are on top of the table.

Then next Friday we welcome the newest rivalry when Brisbane and the Dolphins do battle for the first time.

What a rich part of the rugby league draw we’re at already. What a time to be alive!

The ‘Battle Of Brisbane’ is still a week away but already Adam Reynolds is urging his Broncos not to look past St George Illawarra on Saturday night. You can be guaranteed Wayne Bennett is telling his men to concentrate on a war-torn Newcastle this Friday.

Unbelievably, if both heed those

warnings, they’ll head into the Round 4 mega-match boasting 3-0 records. If anyone tells you they predicted that, you’re listening to the globe’s greatest fibber. For a long time, the Broncos had Queensland to themselves, let alone Brisbane. A heavyweight of Australian sport in terms of brand, results and all the funds that flow from that.

But now the crown has slipped, and the Dolphins are here to kick it to the curb. They’ve deliberately avoided identifying as Redcliffe to tap into Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, basically anywhere in southern Queensland the Broncos thought was theirs.

Add to all this, Wayne Bennett. The wily 73-year-old has welcomed, invented, and survived that many rivalries you half expect one of his eyebrows to pick a fight with the other one when he’s bored. He’ll sit high above ‘his stadium’, watching ‘his teams’ play on ‘his terms’. He’d love to beat Brisbane and his players will know that. If you thought they were peaking in Round 1, wait ‘til Round 4.

The Queensland rivalries already played make it hard to pick a winner.

When Brisbane first played a Gold Coast team – the Giants in 1988 –Scott Mieni, Ron Gibbs and Chris Close got the Coast home 25-22.

hidden panther

When Brisbane first played the Titans in 2007, tries to Michael Henderson, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello and Brett Delaney helped the underdogs win 28-16.

The Dolphins should be enthused by that.

Conversely, North Queensland endured 14 losses and two draws before finally beating Brisbane, nearly a decade after the Cowboys arrived.

The Broncos should be enthused by that.

Whatever you think, make sure ‘Friday, March 24, Dolphins v Broncos, Suncorp Stadium, on Fox League’ is in your diary.

The Roosters and Rabbitohs go at it last year. Photo: NRL Images.

MIXED RESULTS IN SECOND ROUND

The Penrith Panthers have opened the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup season with back-to-back wins, defeating the South Sydney Rabbitohs 30-20 at BlueBet Stadium last Thursday.

The Panthers raced to a 10-0 lead after only six minutes thanks to tries down the right edge by Jack Cole and Logan Dickson.

It didn’t take long for the Rabbitohs to hit back, with Ethan O’Neill winning the race to a grubber in the 14th minute.

Cole once again found space on the right in the 24th minute, restoring the lead to 10 points, before Isaiah Iongi muscled his way past four defenders, opening up a 22-6 lead at half-time.

lower grades report

The Panthers suffered a setback to begin the second half, losing both wingers to injury, before a pair of tries to Rabbitohs winger Tom Carr reduced the lead to 22-16.

A long-range penalty goal from Kurt Falls pushed the Panthers lead back beyond a converted try eight minutes from full-time, before an error from the kick-off gave Souths another opportunity to score, cutting the margin to 24-20.

A well-deserved try to hooker Luke Sommerton within the final two minutes wrapped up the 30-20 victory for the Panthers.

Penrith have suffered their first defeat of the Jersey Flegg season, falling 17-16 to the Rabbitohs at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday.

The two sides traded tries in the first half, with the Panthers scoring first through Liam Ison in the 13th minute.

The Rabbitohs quickly hit back out wide through Carson Kaho, before the Panthers immediately returned serve when Ryley Smith ran 35 metres from dummy half.

The Rabbitohs again hit back shortly after, before Joseph Nohra added a field goal late in the half to give the visitors an 11-10 half time lead.

Another Rabbitohs try shortly after half time extended the margin to 5, before a penalty goal

with 10 to go seemed to wrap up the result. A long-range try in the dying minutes gave the Panthers a sniff, however they ultimately ran out of time, going down 17-16.

Both grades join the NRL side in having a bye in Round 3.

Penrith half Kurt Falls in action last week against South Sydney. Photo: NRL Images.

EELS DOLPHINS

SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS

ROOSTERS STORM COWBOYS BRONCOS

ROOSTERS STORM WARRIORS BRONCOS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS ROOSTERS TITANS COWBOYS BRONCOS

SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS STORM COWBOYS BRONCOS

SEA EAGLES DOLPHINS RABBITOHS STORM COWBOYS BRONCOS

EELS DOLPHINS ROOSTERS STORM COWBOYS BRONCOS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

BULLDOGS SHARKS

BUSINESS

WITH REBECCA DI NOIA WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS CENTRE • 4721 5011

Carrying around outdated expectations

“ Why can’t we work according to the gifts and talents God has given us, rather than what society or culture expects us to do?”

This comment was made by my hubby six months after I first started my business. Coming from an Asian background, women are expected to be helpers for their husbands, not leaders. Even though I may have business ideas and a vision of where my business should go, I was still carrying around cultural expectations of what a female should be or behave.

I was trying to push my hubby out to be the face of the brand, while constantly trying to be a backseat driver.

This led to constant arguments for six months, until one day, I had enough and told him we need to sit down and have a serious talk.

Before starting the business, I was working as a Sustainability Assessor for both the Federal and State Government energy-saving programs for over five years, helping both residential and business customers

to cut down on energy consumption. As a heavily male-dominated industry, you would be lucky to find 1-2 females out of a total of 10 assessors.

During those five years, I wore boots and uniforms, carried tools, and had regular toolbox meetings with my male colleagues.

I also visited various households, advising on how to save energy, and installing door seals.

Being a carpenter’s wife helped as he taught me how to check gaps and install door seals properly.

But, I still constantly hear comments such as “You have done that? Even my son cannot do it!” – after I had finished installing door seals on a client’s door.

This year, the theme for International Women’s Day was – Embrace Equity. However, as I pondered on what this meant, I kept reflecting on my hubby’s comments 10 years ago. Historically, women have indeed been denied many opportunities due to gender, but what would happen if it was the other way around? If a male wants to be a midwife, how would we as a society perceive it? Would we encourage it or just dismiss it altogether because that’s not a ‘traditional male’ occupation?

Maybe we need to ask ourselves the same question as my hubby asked me all those years ago; as we celebrate and embrace our differences, let’s give equity to one another, regardless of our gender, colour, race, age, or background and help each other succeed.

“Behind every successful person, there’s another great supportive human being.”

Treat yourself to the west’s best

Beloved Western Australian restaurant brand Chicken Treat has flown the coop, opening its first store on the East Coast, in western Sydney.

Chicken Treat has been a WA favourite since 1976 with more than 55 restaurants throughout the state – and now, the people of western Sydney are getting to experience what WA locals have loved for decades.

The Eastern Creek restaurant opened in December, and Jordan Springs local JP Bhati said he’s excited to own and operate Chicken Treat’s first store on the East Coast.

“It’s a proven brand that is loved and I know it will be successful in New South Wales – I wanted to be part of that incredible journey,” he said.

“The burgers and fried chicken have been really popular since we opened, but it’s impossible to say just how good the rotisserie chicken is – I’d encourage everyone to come and try it!”

Chicken Treat has a cult-like following and CEO Mimma Battista said that’s because of the food’s quality and taste.

“We know there are many wonderful dining options in western Sydney, but Chicken Treat is the ultimate, light-hearted, fun chicken destination! At Chicken Treat, our mission is to be unique so you will see more than just the regular menu items you find at other chicken restaurants – we are all about food innovation, and providing an affordable and fun meal option,” she said.

“Our team listened to western Sydney locals when it came to our menu to ensure we’re offering what they want. We’ve got delicious menu items like our Baconary burger, Jalapeno cheesy bites, and mac and cheese balls, and we offer the best rotisserie and fried chicken, as well as unapologetically indulgent burgers.

“Ask any West Australian, Chicken Treat is known for its chips, and we’re told we have the

best chips in the country.”

The Eastern Creek restaurant is the first of 33 stores to open around the country in just 18 months.

Already, another Chicken Treat has opened in Crows Nest on Sydney’s North Shore and by June, there’ll be an additional nine stores across New South Wales and the ACT. Each will be locally owned and operated by a member of the community.

Chicken Treat is certainly proving to be popular. As one Eastern Creek customer said: “great service, clean environment, the food was so tasty and done really well. Generous with ingredients. One of the best bacon sauces and spicy sauces I’ve had and I Ioved the coating on the chicken too!”

Chicken Treat is located in the Eastern Creek Quarter at 159 Rooty Hill Road. To find out more go to www.chickentreat.com.au.

Travel & Fun Feature

With the school holidays coming up, now is the perfect time to start to plan your Travel & Fun adventures. Take a look through our Travel & Fun feature for some great ideas on what to do and where to explore.

The iconic SELECT INN PENRITH

We have been the home of travellers for over 20 years and has recently been revived, offering twin rooms, queen rooms, family rooms and suites, all a convenient 3-minute drive from Penrith CBD. Come relax and unwind within 2 minutes walking distance from the riverbank.

Rooms get serviced daily by our friendly housekeepers. All rooms are equipped with reverse cycle air-conditioning, flat Screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities, work desk, ironing facilities, private bathroom and hairdryer.

RED STAR HOTEL GROUP

Cremorne Point Manor

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The Select Inn Penrith

The Select Inn Ryde

The Select Inn Gosford

Gosford Palms Motor Inn

Mollymook Shores

Red Star Palm Beach, Gold Coast www.redstarhotelgroup.com.au

(02) 4720 4600

stay@theselectinnpenrith.com.au

708 High St, Penrith NSW

Mention “Weekender Travel Guide” when you book with us and get 10% off

Stay period from now – 31st October 2023

Situated on the edge of the Jamison Valley – part of the World heritagelisted Blue Mountains National Park – a short 60min drive from Penrith, the award-winning Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is the pinnacle of luxury accommodation in Leura.

THEREGION’SICEFIRST-EVER

Host to a variety of dining outlets along with unmatched leisure facilities including an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, Kids-zone play area, basketball and tennis courts, the region’s first ever ice-skating rink, Ubika day Spa and more, the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is the ultimate “family escape” destination.

Located on the grounds of the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, Leura - perfect for those who love to skate, want to learn, or just have some fun! With a wide range of sessions to choose from, each session runs for 90 minutes, it’s the perfect all-weather activity for everyone!

30 Phillip Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

Saturday 29 April 2023

Doors open 7:00pm; show starts 7:30pm

$129.00 pp includes drinks, a 3-course meal and 2-hour interactive show

PLAYTIME IN PARRAMATTA

It’s playtime! What are your plans for the school holidays? Treat yourself and the whole family to a staycation at Novotel Sydney Parramatta with breakfast and parking included. Did we mention that kids stay and eat free breakfast? Get together, great together at Novotel. Book your stay now!

Sydney

• 222 recently refurbished Accommodation rooms and suites.

• Facilities include, outdoor swimming pool, gym, guest lounge, BBQ area and complimentary parking.

• Breakfast available from 6:30am weekdays and 7:00am weekends at Panthers World of Entertainment.

• Enjoy the numerous attractions at your doorstep, iFLY indoor sky diving, Cables Wake Park Water Skiing, Aqua Golf. Just to name a few...

• Right next door to Panthers World of Entertainment, boasting 9 restaurants, 6 bars and a diverse range of family friendly activities.

• Join Accor Live Limitless to receive 5% off best available rates.

Since 1975 Pancakes On The Rocks has been a Sydney favourite with restaurants at The Rocks, Northmead, Darling Harbour, Beverly Hills & Darling Square. With something for everyone from Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Dessert we have a wide range of meals including Ribs, Steak, Pizzas, Salad, Crepes & of course our Pancakes.

www.pancakesontherocks.com.au

AUTUMN AT

On Wednesday March 22 , Sinclair’s Restaurant will take you on a culinary journey, showcasing the best of what the Autumn Season has to offer.

Enjoy a special 5-course menu specially curated by Simon Sandall from Boronia Kitchen and Laundy Hotels Group Executive Chef, Jamie Gannon, featuring fresh seasonal ingredients from local farmers, producers, and suppliers within the Greater Nepean Region.

Complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot on arrival.

Scan the QR code to reserve a seat

Sunday April 9

• Greatest Egg Hunt from 11am

• Meet the Easter Bunny

• Complimentary Face Painting

Bookings are recommended for lunch.

Tuesday April 25

• 2UP from 12pm

• Live DJ

• Roosters VS Dragons game live in our Beer Garden from 4pm

VIVA MEXICO!

Growing up in Veracruz, Mexico, Victor Valdes recalls being constantly surrounded by music, exploring art and dance to the soundtrack of his dad’s old folk records.

“Every evening was like a mini party, with just the family, and we’d dance and sing along,” he said.

Even when he moved to Australia, these memories stuck with him, encouraging him to play, sing and dance to the music of his culture, although it wasn’t always easy.

“I started looking for a job, and they said ‘Mexican harp? We can’t picture Mexicans

playing the harp’. I tried to give them the historical side, but it wasn’t too convincing, so I went to busk on the street. I figured it might be more convincing just to show them,” he said.

Since then, Valdes has become the representation he once craved, going from performing at corporate gigs and festivals, to teaching at Sydney Dance Company and working with big Aussie names like The Wiggles and Jimmy Barnes.

“Jimmy Barnes is like my godfather, because through Jimmy Barnes I experienced the love of Australian audiences nationwide,” he said.

“My life can almost be resolved in Australia to before Jimmy Barnes and after Jimmy Barnes, because before Jimmy Barnes, people would talk about me and say, ‘Yes, he’s a very good ethnic act or multicultural act’. The next

day, after the concert with Jimmy, I went from ‘ethnic’ to ‘versatile’ overnight, like Cinderella!”

Though he’s most well-known for his work on the harp and mariachi music, Valdes is hoping that through the show, audiences are exposed to even more styles from Mexico –particularly when he makes his way to Blue Mountains Theatre as part of his band new tour around Australia.

“There are so many multicultural artists touring intensely and successfully, so I think Australia is ready for a more meticulous program of Mexican music, not just the clichés of Mexican things that they’ve seen in movies,” he said.

“The Blue Mountains is a place where people are in the mood for good music and arts.

We love it there, and we know that the people there will love and appreciate our show.”

Along with his big band Mexican Mariachi group, Valdes promises the Viva Mexico Tour will bring an entertaining night of singing and dancing that you’ll come out of knowing a little more about the culture.

“Please dress up if you feel like it!” Valdes said.

“It makes a bigger impact when they see the show, everyone at home has some sort of Mexican element – a flower, a ribbon, a sombrero – you can bring the lot with you and enjoy.”

‘Victor Valdes: Viva Mexico Tour’ will be on at Blue Mountains Theatre on Saturday, April 1 at 8pm. Tickets are $55. For more information or to book, visit bluemountainstheatre.com.au.

CASSIDY PEARCE

THINGS TO DO

Reptile Expo and Family Fun Day

The Wiggles return to Penrith

Next Wednesday, March 22, head to The Joan for Morning Melodies. This time, audiences will be entertained by none other than Joey Fimmano, Lisa Crouch and Christian Guerrero. The concert will begin at 11am, with morning tea served from 10am. Tickets are on sale now. For more information or to book, visit thejoan.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.

Penrith Markets

Wednesdays. Penrith Showground.

BUSINESS

Twilight Networking Event

Penrith CBD Corporation. Dom’s Cocktail Lounge, Panthers from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday, March 21. Great chance to network.

CBD Coffee Catch Up

Penrith CBD Corporation. Penrith RSL from 7.30am to 8.30am on Wednesday, April 5.

CLASSES AND FUN

Sunset Station Singers

Mondays 7pm, St Marys RSL. Rhonda 0408 218 965.

The Sunset Station Singers entertain residents mainly in nursing homes. The song list is over 130 songs, ranging from their old time favourites to more current songs.

Australia's biggest and longest running Reptile Expo and Family Fun Day is returning to Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre next Sunday, March 26. With reptile shows, breeders and markets galore, Penrith Reptile Show is guaranteed fun for lovers of the cold-blooded pets. For more information, visit the Penrith Reptile Show Facebook page. Tickets at the door.

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

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Nepean Riverlands Probus Club

Meets on the second Wednesday of the month at Nepean Rowing Club from 10am. New members are always welcome.

Penrith Lions Club

Second and fourth Monday of the month. Penrith Bowling Club. 4736 1546. For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit the Lions on Facebook.

Nepean Valley RSL Day Club

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

Jordan Springs Probus Club

Fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am, Jordan Springs Hub. 0402 699 611.

Penrith Hospital Auxiliary

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

Bring your little ones to the Evan Theatre this Saturday, March 18 or Sunday, March 19 to see ‘Hello! We’re The Wiggles’ live in concert. Anthony, Tsehay, Simon, Lachy, Caterina, Lucia and John will be joined on stage by all their favourite characters to sing the hit songs we know and love. For more information, visit penrith.panthers.com.au.

Penrith NASHO’s monthly meeting

February 19 at 10.30am. Penrith RSL Club. Call 0448 983 399 for details.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

JP Service

Tuesday and Thursday 9am-5pm. 7/458-470 High Street, Penrith.

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.

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.

The Nepean Naval Museum opened in 2014 and is the area’s first museum dedicated to the naval forces. Naval forces memorabilia on display.

Arms of Australia Inn

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

SUPPORT GROUPS

Alcoholics Anonymous

Mondays 6pm. 1300 222 222.

Gamblers Anonymous

Mondays 7.30pm. 0433 018 484.

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.

Nepean Puffers & Wheezers 1800 654 301.

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

Morning Melodies returns to The Joan

JUST BRING YOUR VOICE!

Penrith City Children’s Choir will be kicking off their next project in the coming weeks – an exciting and unique opportunity for experienced singers and newcomers alike.

The project, which will start on Sunday, April 2, is the choir’s second for the year, and will focus on two Native American Chants.

Children between the ages of seven and 13 will be invited to take part under the direction of Lucy McAlary, and lend their voices to the haunting beauty of ‘Ancient Mother’ and the pounding rhythm of ‘The Earth is Our Mother’.

The project will culminate in a public

performance, which will see the Children’s Choir join forces with the adults in Penrith City Choir’s May concert, ‘All American’.

The adults will be singing modern sacred music, folk songs and spirituals and a medley of Frank Sinatra hits, with the two choirs combining for an exciting finale.

No prior experience or audition is necessary for the project – just bring your love of singing!

Penrith City Children Choir’s Project II, ‘Native American Chants’ will be on at St Finbar’s Church on Sunday, April 2 and Glenbrook Baptist Church on Saturday, May 13. Fees are $50 with reductions for additional children. For more information, visit www.penrithcitychoir.com.au or call Lucy McAlary on 0432 625 986.

After rave reviews from a dream run in theatres and festivals all over Australia, ‘Maureen: Harbinger of Death’ will be coming to Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres, kicking off next Thursday, March 23.

In the show, writer and performer Jonny Hawkings transforms into Maureen – a razor-tongued doyenne of Kings Cross in its incredible heyday.

Framed by velvet drapes and decorated with Jatz cracker crumbs and cigarette ash, ‘Maureen: Harbinger of Death’ sees audiences invited into the titular character’s living room, bringing everyone along on an intimate

journey filled with witty banter and well-worn life advice.

The show is, in addition to a display of exquisite storytelling that breaks the rules of drama and narrative, a demonstration of the wisdom, vitality, kindness and humour of women too often overlooked or dismissed by society.

Promising a night of wit, imagination and storytelling, this show is not to be missed!

‘Maureen: Harbinger of Death’ will be on at Riverside Theatres on Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24 at 8pm, and on Saturday, March 25 at 2.30pm and 8pm. Tickets start at $43 for members, and $44 for non-members. For more information or to book, visit www.riversideparramatta.com. au.

the joan saturday march 18th 7:30pm

CASSIDY PEARCE

CASSIDY PEARCE

big mother touring presents

Bestowed with the powers of the gods, DC’s ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ sees Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids continue to learn how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos.

When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.

The action comedy stars Zachary Levi, and is directed by David F. Sandberg. ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ is now showing.

‘Champions’ is centred around a stubborn and hotheaded minor league basketball coach who is sentenced to community service and forced to coach a Special Olympics team.

The cast is led by Academy Award nominated and Emmy Award winner Woody Harrelson, Emmy Award nominated Kaitlin Olson, Grammy nominated Cheech Marin, Matt Cook, and is rounded out by a cast of more than 10 actors with intellectual disabilities who authentically tell the story, including Madison Tevlin, Joshua Felder, Kevin Iannucci, Ashton Gunning, Matthew Von Der Ahe, Tom Sinclair, James Day Keith, Alex Hintz, Casey Metcalfe, Bradley Edens, and Champ Pederson.

Ê ‘SAS Australia’ is returning to Channel Seven later this year, with the network announcing the cast for the upcoming season. For the first time on ‘SAS Australia’, 14 men and women will travel offshore to a secret base in the Middle East where they will eat, sleep and train together in punishingly hot and arid conditions, with no allowances or exceptions made for their celebrity status or gender. Some of the well-known faces taking part include Anthony Mundine, Boyd Cordner, Cassie Sainsbury, Craig McLachlan, Peter Bol, Tim Robards and Stephanie Rice.

Ê For the first time in 37 years, the Logie Awards are coming to Sydney. The Harbour City will host TV’s night of nights on Sunday, July 30. No exact word yet on location, but Channel Seven will broadcast the event this year.

Ê More ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ content is coming later this year, with the show formally renewed for four new episodes.

Ê Exciting news for fans of ballroom dancing, with Channel Seven bringing back ‘Dancing with the Stars’ for a 20th season. According to reports, a host, judges and cast are yet to be confirmed, but it will definitely not be another All Stars season. Look out for it midway through the year.

Ê Hollywood actor Jeremey Renner, who is currently recovering from a serious snowplow accident several months ago, is getting his own unscripted Disney+ series titled ‘Rennervations’. The four-part series will see Renner and a team of expert builders use their skills to reimagine decommissioned vehicles and rebuild them into mind-blowing creations that serve communities around the world. All episodes of ‘Rennervations’ drop on Wednesday, April 12.

Ê The second season of natural history series ‘Prehistoric Planet’ will premiere on

Symphonic Series

Monday, May 22 on Apple TV+. Narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough, ‘Prehistoric Planet’ season two continues to bring Earth’s history to life like never before as the series presents new dinosaurs, new habitats and new scientific discoveries while taking viewers around the world in an epic five-night adventure.

Ê FOX Showcase dark comedy ‘Barry’, starring Bill Hader, will return for a fourth and final season on Monday, April 17 at 9.30pm.

Ê A new survival contest series has just dropped on Netflix where 16 lone wolves must outlast each other in the Alaskan wilderness in an attempt to win $1 million. However, there’s only one rule in the cutthroat game – they must be part of a team to win. ‘Outlast’ is streaming now.

Saturday 25 March 2023 7:30pm

Nathan Taylor

TV NEWS

2023 SAS AUSTRALIA, CHANNEL 7

Saturday 18 March

TV Guide: March 17–23

Your guide to the week’s television viewing

Get Macca’s®

SBS World News 7:35 The World’s Most Beautiful Landscapes (PG) 8:30 Britain’s Scenic Railways 9:25 Britain’s Most Luxurious Hotels (PG) 10:20 Planet Sex With Cara Delevingne (MA15+) 11:10 Outlander (MA15+)

2:00 Escape To The Country 4:00 Hotel Inspector (PG) 5:00

Seven’s Horse Racing: Rosehill/ The Valley *Live* 6:00 Dog Patrol (PG) 6:30 The Highland Vet (PG) 7:30 The Yorkshire Vet (PG) 8:30 Escape To The Country

3:00 Rides Down Under (PG) 4:00 Last Car Garage (PG) 4:30 Down East Dickering (PG) 5:30 Storage Wars (PG) 6:00 American Pickers 7:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Shazam!” (M v) (’19) Stars: Zachary Levi

12:15 Take Me Out (PG) 3:00 Australia’s Got Talent (PG) 4:50 The Simpsons (PG) 5:10

4:00 Vintage Roads: Great And Small (PG) 5:00 Escape To The Country 6:00 Border Security USA (PG) 6:30 Border Patrol (PG) 7:00 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) 8:30 Heathrow (PG)

4:00 Movie: “Westworld” (PG) (’73)

Stars: Yul Brynner 6:00

Movie: “The Karate Kid II” (PG) (’86) Stars: Danny Kamekona 8:30 Movie: “John Wick: Chapter 2” (MA15+) (’17) 11:00

Movie: “Romeo Must Die” (M) (’00) Stars: Isaiah Washington

2:30 Crufts Dog Show (PG) 3:30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (PG) 4:30 Say Yes To The Dress Atlanta (PG) 6:00

Modern Family (PG) 6:30 The Simpsons (PG) 7:30 Law & Order (M) 11:30 Hell’s Kitchen USA (M l) 2:30 Fresh TV

2:25 NTFL: Women’s Under 18s 3:40 NRL: All-Stars 6:00 Stories From The Land (PG) 6:30

NITV News Update 6:40 Yellowstone (PG) 7:40 BLK: An Origin Story (M) 8:30 To The Ends Of The Earth (PG) 9:55 Movie: “Tanna” (M) (’15)

6:00 Mary Makes It Easy 6:30

12:00 JAG (PG) 1:00

Beyond The Fire 1:30 I Fish 2:00 What’s Up Down Under 2:30 Football: Round 21: Macarthur FC v Melbourne City *Live* 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M v) 10:20 Movie: “The Gentleman” (MA15+) (’19)

Friends (PG) 7:30 The Neighbourhood (PG) 9:30 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 12:00 Friends (PG) 3:30 The Middle (PG) 5:00 The Neighbourhood (PG) 6:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:00 Friends (PG) 12:00 Home Shopping

Movie: “Funny Farm” (PG) (’88)

Stars: Chevy Chase 7:00

Movie: “Johnny English Reborn” (PG) (’11) Stars: Rowan Atkinson 9:00 Movie: “The Equalizer” (MA15+) (’14) Stars: Denzel Washington

2:30 Building Roots

Escape

1:30 Explore 1:45 My Favourite Martian 2:15

Movie: “Murphy’s War” (PG) (’71) Stars: Peter O’Toole

4:25 Movie: “Run For The Sun” (PG) (’56) Stars: Richard Widmark 6:30 Desert Vet (PG)

7:30 David Attenborough’s A Perfect Planet (PG) 8:40 TBA Classifications:

Murdoch Mysteries

(M) 9:30

Kavanagh Q.C. (M)

11:15 Murdoch Mysteries (PG)

5:30 American Restoration (PG) 6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:30

Inside Detroit (PG) 9:00 Air Crash Investigations (PG)

6:30 The Simpsons (PG) 8:30 Movie: “The Wedding Singer” (M l,s) (’98) Stars: Adam Sandler

10:30 Ink Master (M l) 11:30

Scandal (M) 1:30 Dollhouse

Last week’s solution

Crossword brought to you by Penrith Valley Chamber penrithchamber.org.au | 4722 6969

Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black . These need to be filled in with numbers that 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.

Sudoku brought to you by St Marys Professionals

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every 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. The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

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: CIRCUS

BIG TOP

CLOWNS

ELEPHANT

FIRE EATER

FLYING TRAPEZE

HORSE

KNIFE THROWER

LIONS

MONKEYS

RINGMASTER

SIDE SHOWS

STRONGMAN

TAMER

TENTS

TIGERS

TIGHT-ROPE

TUMBLERS

WHIP CRACKERS

Last week’s solution

Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge about the NBA in our special trivia quiz this week...

1. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are tied with the most NBA championships in history. How many has each team won?

2. How many teams compete in the NBA?

3. How many NBA teams are based in the United States?

4. How many NBA champion-

ships have the Dallas Mavericks won?

5. In what year were the Minnesota Timberwolves formed?

6. Milwaukee has won two NBA championships, the most recent being in 2021. When was the first?

7. Who is the current NBA Commissioner?

TEST YOUR BRAIN

How to beat Str8ts –

Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. 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.

The

Lainey leads the way Not surprisingly, Lainey Wilson (pictured) leads the nominations for the CMT Awards, which will be held next month.

Wilson nabbed four nominations including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and Performance of the Year.

Cody Johnson, Kane Brown and Jelly Roll secured three nominations each.

Each winner is selected by the fans, with voting now open at vote.cmt. com.

The CMT Awards will

be held on April 2, and will air on CBS and Paramount+ in America.

No confirmation of an Australian air date at this stage.

CMC Rocks in QLD

The wait is finally over for Aussie country music fans with the CMC Rocks festival taking place this weekend.

Zac Brown Band, Morgan Wallen and Kip Moore highlight the festival, which is taking place in Ipswich.

Travis’ new album

Aussie country star Travis Collins has

confirmed he will release his ninth studio album, ‘Any Less Anymore’ later this year.

“‘Any Less Anymore’ is about making the most of each day, learning to appreciate yourself, family, and the moment. Mostly, it’s about growing up, learning who you are and dare I admit, maybe even becoming mature,” Collins said.

“There’s a lot on this record about ‘perspective’. That’s what the past two years have been about, and what my path forward is about.”

The album will be out on June 2.

Accounts Payable/Receivables Officer – Full Time Role

Do you love working with numbers and enjoy seeing thing “balance”?

Do you enjoy attention to detail and knowing the job is done right?

And, do you enjoy working as part of a team that are committed to delivering exceptional client outcomes?

And, do you have a strong desire to learn and have an opportunity to develop your skills in the bookkeeping and accounting profession? Then read on . . .

Who are we?

CHAMP Enterprises is a small, thriving family owned business with a team of 8, based in the Lower Blue Mountains.

We manage a wide variety of clients’ bookkeeping requirements across New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland and specialise in providing financial management for the Childcare Centre industry, in particular the Out Of School Hours care (OOSH) sector. With excellent staff retention, we are continuing to grow our existing team and an opportunity has arisen for our business to take on a Accounts Payable/Receivables Officer.

Ideal Candidate Traits:

Reporting to the Director, we are seeking an Accounts Payables/Receivables Officer to work full-time, 5 days a week in our office environment

We are looking for someone who is client focussed, can get things done, shows initiative and has a positive “can do” and problem-solving attitude to be an ideal addition to our team.

You will direct report to your Senior Accountant/Bookkeeper on a daily basis.

You will be required to be accountable to manage and complete set tasks, with the ability to be self-motivated to also see other tasks required to meet client outcomes, and also be willing to support the team as a whole with task completion with overall deadlines.

Skills:

You will enjoy a role that is constantly changing and providing new challenges. This varied role will suit someone with well developed verbal and written skills who has proficient computer skills, particularly in MS Office and Excel.

You will also have experience in Xero, MYOB and ideally QuickBooks.

You will be required to perform tasks with solid organisational skills, the highest level of accuracy and attention to detail and have a problem solving approach to tasks. Strong communication skills are a must, together with demonstrated friendly and excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Responsibilities will include:

• Processing accounts receivable

• Processing accounts payable

• Processing of Hubdoc

• Reconciling Shopify and PayPal accounts

• Emailing clients their Accounts Payable file due for payment

• Email clients receivable and outstanding list for follow up

• Email of remittance advices and receipts

• All bank reconciliations

• Data entry or importing of file as required

• Assist with clean up jobs

• Back up Payroll Officer as required

• Preparation of IAS and BAS documentation for the Bookkeeper/Accountant

Qualifications and experience:

You must have a minimum of 12 months experience in an accounts payable/receivable role. You must be proficient in MYOB and Xero, and ideally Quickbooks

Holding a tertiary qualification in accounting, finance or related field will be looked on favourably but not required.

To be considered for this position, please email a cover letter and your resume to michelle@champenterprises.com.au and include the word APPLE in the email’s Subject line. Applications who skip this step will not be considered (yes, we want to see your eye for detail, your ability to follow instructions and your sense of humour).

What

We

SUBCO NTRACTORS Expression of In terest

Programmed is a leading provider of Facility Management and maintenanc e services with over 70 years experience. Our proven track record makes us a partner of choice

We have an exciting opportunit y for Subcontractors/Subcontractor Companies able to service areas in Metro and regional NSW, who are experienced in Social Housing. Programmed is issuing this Expression

the following trades: ■

response must be submitted via E-Procure https: // www.eprocure. com.au /programmed/ (free to register) prior to the closing date of Friday, 14 April 2023

In the collision industry in the Penrith area, there has been a constant, reliable and quality repairer for the last 49 years. Merv Shipp Smash Repairs has provided ongoing support to the community in collision repair.

Dave and Kirsty O’Brien, the owners of Merv Shipp, have an understanding that your vehicle is often the second biggest, if not the biggest, asset and the lifeline of your family. Therefore, safety and quality are a major priority to them with no exceptions.

Merv Shipp also tries to relieve the stress and anxiety that an accident can cause by making the process as easy as possible. They are at hand to navigate your way through what, at times, can be a very confusing process of insurance claims and hire car rental.

“There have been many recent and ongoing changes to our industry,” Kirsty said.

“It is very important that the consumer reads through and understands their insurance policies.

“Some major insurers don’t give you an option of choosing your own repairer unless selected, instead they steer them towards repair networks where turnover is their priority.”

Merv Shipp offer all types of repairs from all major insurance companies, fleet work and private work. They also offer on-site professional paint rectification and exterior detailing to rejuvenate your vehicle.

Contact Merv Shipp Smash Repairs on Facebook, email info@mervshipp.com.au or call 4731 4587. Merv Shipp is located at 42 Cox Avenue, Kingswood.

SPORT

SYDNEY PRIDE ON THE LINE

Derby this weekend. See page 78.

Giants ready to rise as new season begins

WS Giants rising star Lachie Ash said a change in coach has reinvigorated not only him but the rest of his teammates on the eve of the new AFL

Following a disappointing year last year, which saw their long-time mentor Leon Cameron part ways with the club, the Giants have gone in a new direction in 2023 with former Port Adelaide premiership winner Adam Kingsley taking over the reigns as head coach. Under Cameron’s nine seasons in charge, the Giants played in several big Finals matches, including the 2019 AFL Grand Final, but things went pear-shaped last season when the club finished in 16th place with just six wins.

Speaking with the Weekender, Ash said things started to become “stale”.

“Last year I felt like it got really stale especially towards the back half of the year… we weren’t playing that well,” the 21-year-old Victorian said.

“AFL is a results-based industry and you get marked on your wins and losses, but when you’re losing and you come in for a meeting about why you lost, it becomes pretty stale at times.”

Drafted with the fourth pick at the 2019 AFL Draft, Ash made his AFL debut in Round 3 of the 2020 season. The midfielder has since gone on to play 56 games for the club across three seasons.

Ash said Cameron was huge for him early in his career, but admits he and his teammates probably needed a change of voice in the locker room.

“Obviously we miss Leon, and he was amazing for the football club – he was amazing for me in my early career – but it was probably a

changeup that we needed, we needed something to get the excitement back,” he said.

“It feels like it’s a new club essentially, just with a new game plan, and how everyone is embracing what we are doing. I feel like it was needed.

“Adam’s philosophies have been really refreshing and I know a lot of the boys are loving the consistent messaging he’s been able to provide us.”

The Giants will look to kick off the 2023 AFL season on the right note when they take on the Adelaide Crows at Giants Stadium this weekend.

The Sunday afternoon clash will be the dawn of a new era for GWS, who are looking forward to taking the field after a longer than usual break.

“Last year was disappointing, we’ve had plenty of time to reflect over the off-season,” Ash said.

“We were back training before Geelong (2022 Premiers) had even finished playing.

“It’s been a long build up and to say that we’re ready is a bit of an understatement.

“I know the boys are chewing at the bit to get out there. Everyone is pretty excited and we’re looking forward to Sunday.”

NATHAN TAYLOR

Lachie Ash is excited to get the season started under Adam Kingsley.

Lachie Ash at training.

Arch rivals go head-to-head in Sydney Derby as A-League Finals approach Bragging rights on the line

TAYLOR

Following their shock loss to Perth last weekend, the Western Sydney Wanderers have no better fixture to turn things around than this Saturday night’s third and final Sydney Derby. With both sides winning one game apiece during their first two meetings this season, Saturday evening’s blockbuster at Allianz Stadium will be for bragging rights.

The Wanderers enter this weekend’s Sydney Derby in fourth place on the A-League Men’s ladder while Sydney FC are hot on their tails in sixth position.

Western Sydney had the opportunity to remain in second

Friday night at HBF Park cruelled their chances.

It was a stunning last gasp victory from the Glory, who overcame the blow of receiving the second-fastest red card in A-League history to pull off the 1-0 win.

Perth defender Jordan Elsey was sent off after 93 seconds for his clumsy studs-up challenge that caught Wanderers star Yeni Ngbakoto on his Achilles tendon.

Glory defended their backsides off for the entire match before catching a lucky break in the 84th minute when Wanderers defender Tomislav Mrcela was also shown a red.

Perth went on an attacking rampage at the death, with midfielder Aaron McEneff securing the match winner deep into injury time.

NATHAN

The last time the Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC did battle.

Around The Grounds

CRICKET: Despite defeating Campbelltown Camden in their final match of the regular season last Saturday, Penrith have failed to make this year’s Belvidere Cup Finals by the skin of their teeth. Playing in a One-Day match at Raby Sports Complex, Penrith won the toss and elected to bowl. Campbelltown Camden posted 7/221 after 50 overs. Henry Railz was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/27. When Penrith hit the crease, they got off to a strong start and managed to reach their opponent’s target with five wickets and five overs to spare. Brent Williams top scored for Penrith with 48. Penrith finished the regular season in seventh position – just one spot out of the Finals – with eight wins and four losses to their name.

CRICKET: For the first time since the 2009/10 season, nine different clubs won grand finals in the Nepean District Cricket Association this summer. Emu Plains won first grade, St Clair took out second grade, Faulconbridge were crowned champions of third grade, Penrith RSL claimed victory in fourth grade, Glenbrook Blaxland won fifth grade, Jordan Springs took out sixth grade, Panthers were winners of seventh grade, Mulgoa Valley were champions of eighth grade, and the Werrington Roos won the ninth grade Grand Final. The 2023/24 cricket season will begin in September.

BASEBALL: The Greater Western Warriors have failed to go back to back in the Baseball NSW Third Grade competition, losing last Sunday’s Grand Final to the Blacktown Workers 5-1. Greater Western got on the board first in the second inning before Blacktown evened things up 1-1 in the seventh. The eighth inning proved most crucial with Blacktown piling on four runs to

hit the lead 5-1. When Greater Western failed to score in the ninth and final inning, the Grand Final was decided.

BASKETBALL: It wasn’t the start Penrith would have wanted in the NBL1 East competition, with their men’s and women’s teams suffering heavy defeats to the Sydney Comets in Round 1. Penrith’s men’s team was belted 90-65 in their opening game. Pranaya Sakya top scored for the Panthers with 17 points. Meanwhile, Penrith’s women’s team were crushed 86-61. WNBL star Tahlia Tupaea led her team in scoring with 22 points and six rebounds. Both sides will look to bounce back when they play the Illawarra Hawks at The Snakepit on Saturday evening Games are live-streamed on the NBL1 East website and through Kayo Sports.

RUGBY LEAGUE: Round 6 of the NSWRL Junior Representative season took place last weekend with strong results for Penrith’s SG Ball and Harold Matthews teams. In the SG Ball competition, Penrith smashed South Sydney 40-22. In the Harold Matthews competition, the Panthers and Rabbitohs were unable to be separated at full-time on 24-all. Penrith’s SG Ball team will face the New Zealand Warriors in Round 7 at St Marys Leagues Stadium, while the Panthers’ Harold Matthews side have the bye.

JUDO: The Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre will host the 2023 Judo NSW State Championships this weekend. Hosted by Judo NSW, the State Championships will bring together athletes from across NSW to fight for the title of NSW State Champion.

To make a submission, email Nathan@ westernweekender.com.au.

Looking

Professional & friendly

Multi-award-winning business

Servicing, repairs, rego’s, baby seat installation

Complimentary/free hand car wash, courtesy car & pick-up & drop-off available with every service

Come and Try:

Saturdays 8:30 - 10:30 - join us in a dragon boat for a come and try session on the Nepean River.

Meet at Nepean Rowing Club.

On 4th March we paddled as one with our Pendragons sports crew at the Shellharbour regatta. Pendragons placed in every heat and had a powerful finish to achieve 3rd place in the Major finals.

On Sunday 5 March, Pendragons Abreast joined with Dragons Abreast Illawarra for a leisurely paddle on Lake Illawarra followed by a delicious breakfast. A great weekend that reminds us why we joined dragon boating for health, fitness, fun and camaraderie. Next stop New Zealand.

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 19 -Training session at Nepean Rowing Club for New Zealand team ahead of Regatta in April

March 26 - the State Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre

April - International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission regatta in New Zealand

Come try dates for Sports and Breast cancer survivor crews: Sat 18/ 3 | Sat 25/3 | Sat 1/4 | Sat 29/4

SPORT

AFL season returns – see page 77

Penrith set for history-making final

having played in last year’s deciding match against Sydney. Noble is hoping his side will get to celebrate on this occasion.

After falling just short of Grand Final glory last season, Penrith Cricket Club’s first grade women’s team will be looking to go one better this weekend. The side, which finished the regular season of the NSW Premier Cricket competition in second position, will do battle against Northern District in Sunday’s decider at Cricket Central Oval in Silverwater.

Penrith qualified for the big game after defeating crosstown rivals Parramatta in last weekend’s One Day Semi Final at Howell Oval. With rain wreaking havoc last Sunday afternoon, Penrith won the contest via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method. Parramatta posted 9/216 after 50 overs, with skipper Sam Arnold taking four wickets for the Lady Cats.

When Penrith hit the crease, they notched up 2/126 after 21.4 overs before the weather saw the game end prematurely. Thunder Women’s Big Bash League star Phoebe Litchfield belted 77 not out.

Speaking with the Weekender, first-year Penrith coach Craig Noble said the team was “on a high” after Sunday’s win.

“Getting the win against Parramatta, especially with all the rain delays that day, was special,” he said.

“It’s always hard under the DLS because you have a different target to reach, but the girls did well in the end.”

Despite Penrith finishing above Northern

District on the ladder, this Sunday’s Grand Final is expected to go down to the wire. Penrith will, however, go into the Grand Final with plenty of big game experience,

“Like the old saying goes, ‘you have to lose one to win one’, hopefully that’s how it plays out for us,” he said.

“Hopefully the girls are confident in their own abilities. Northern District is a good side, so we have a lot of respect for them.

“It’s not something we are taking lightly, and cricket is one of those great levellers, depending what happens on the day. It’s going to be a really tight contest and we’ll have to be at our best to get the win.”

Giving Penrith the slight advantage in Sunday’s match is having rising Australian cricket star Phoebe Litchfield on their roster. In the five games she played for Penrith at the back-end of the season, she averaged 66.2 runs per match.

“We didn’t have Phoebe at the start of the year, it’s only been towards the end, but she’s certainly made a difference,” Noble said.

“From a team perspective, the girls did the job earlier in the year and Phoebe has been the cream on top for us.

“To have her come in and she is such a classy and dominant player, it adds strength to the team, and it gives the girls a lot of confidence as well.”

The Grand Final gets underway at 10am on Sunday.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Penrith’s first grade women’s team celebrate last Sunday.

Photo: Kim Butler.