Western Weekender May 9

weekender the western

Printed on 100% recycled paper

FRI 9 MAY 2014 • Issue 1152

Sunrise in Penrith

PROUDLY INDEPENDENT

Business Advice, tips and profiles on the best local businesses p.30-31

Ayres cops new gig Penrith MP earns another promotion – this time to Police Minister CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

Morning TV show rules! p.23

Popping up again p.10

Why drivers walked out Bus strike was over safety and timetables p.3

@cassandra_o

T

he ink was barely dry on Stuart Ayres’ new business cards before yet another change was required.

Just weeks after being promoted to Sports Minister, the Penrith MP this week earned another promotion with Premier Mike Baird appointing him as Police Minister.

The appointment comes after former Minister, Mike Gallacher, stepped down from the role whilst the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigates claims about his involvement in an illegal political donations scandal.

ICAC has claimed many scalps, including that of former Premier Barry O’Farrell, which sparked a major reshuffle of the NSW Government front bench by new Premier Baird, just before Easter.

In that reshuffle, Mr Ayres found himself rewarded with a promotion to Sport and Recreation Minister, along with his existing portfolio of Fair Trading and Minister Assisting the Premier on Western Sydney.

On Tuesday Mr Baird announced Fair Trading would be the responsibility of Matthew MasonCox, making way for Mr Ayres’ appointment as Police Minister.

“He thoroughly deserves the challenge of the key Police and Emergency Services portfolio, and I know that he will continue to work hard to improve frontline delivery across this state, while delivering in his role as Minister for Sport and Recreation,” Mr Baird said.

Mr Ayres was sworn in on Wednesday morning.

Story continues on » p. 8

New Police Minister Stuart Ayres with Premier Mike Baird on Wednesday

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We won’t die for a deadline Why Penrith bus drivers walked off the job last week CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

us drivers in Penrith have raised serious concerns about on-time running schedules and a lack of buses on local routes.

Last week on Wednesday, April 30, bus drivers held a stop work meeting from 9.30am to 2pm to protest against “impossible” timetables on Penrith routes.

Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) New South Wales Senior Official Mick Pieri said that while drivers regretted inconveniencing passengers during the sudden protest, unless the issues are addressed, it’s only a matter of time before there is a serious or fatal bus crash.

“Bus drivers cannot meet these deadlines if they drive safely,” Mr Pieri said.

“Safety is more important than fanciful on-time running schedules agreed between the Government and company management.

“There aren’t enough buses servicing the routes and the timetables are almost impossible to maintain at the best of times, let alone when there are road works or a traffic accident.

“This results in pressure on drivers to push the limits of safe driving and that’s not on.”

Busways won the Government tender to provide western Sydney bus services and began operations in October 2013.

Penrith bus driver Barry Hupton said the schedules set by the company and the State Government are impossible to maintain safely.

“Earlier this month I test drove a new route, the 794 from Glenmore Park to Penrith Station, we didn’t stop at any bus stops yet we were still four minutes behind schedule,” Mr Hupton said.

“Despite this and the concerns I raised, the company and the Government are still going ahead with this route and this timetable. It’s madness, how do they expect us to make up time and still drive safely?”

Mr Pieri said the TWU has been raising this issue for seven months, but the company don’t want to hear it.

David Collins, Busways Group Operations Manager, said 17 out of 106 Busways drivers at the Penrith depot took part in the stoppage.

“The stop work meeting was called in response to changing driver rosters being implemented on May 18 with new bus timetables. Extensive consultation was conducted with drivers at this depot ahead of the upcoming implementation,” he said.

“Busways operates 65,000 trips a month

local news

B

@cassandra_o

Busways drivers taking industrial action over unsafe timetables last week in this region; we are proud of both our safety and on-time running records.”

The matter was taken to the Fair Work Commission, which found that the industrial action was taken illegally and has banned all industrial action at the Penrith depot for two months.

A spokesman for Transport for NSW said timetables are developed and scheduled

by bus operators who have experience with the local traffic conditions.

“Bus operators must schedule services to ensure that drivers are not required to break the law and to allow sufficient turnaround times so that services operate on time,” the spokesman said.

“There are enough buses in the Penrith area to complete the timetabled routes.”

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EDITOR'S DESK

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troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

We’re at a crossroads when it comes to trusting our pollies

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Tanya Davies MP Member for Mulgoa a

I didn’t grow up in a family that was all that interested in the ins and outs of politics.

Casual observers, sure, but passionate campaigners, not so much.

That has very much allowed me to form my own political views, away from the influences many may find as they grow up.

Despite the sides of the political realm various people choose to put me on, I’m a classic fence sitter when it comes to politics – I call it as I see it and honestly believe that anyone who thinks a particular party gets it right 100 per cent of the time, including when they backflip, is deluded.

I’ve met some wonderful people associated with both of the major parties, and some real boofheads too.

I like to surround myself with people I feel I can trust, and I at least try to be someone other people can trust in the process.

It’s not that hard if you live by three rules – do what you say you will, be on time and write everything down.

Politics is a lot like life in that way – you have to figure out the people you can trust, those you can’t and make decisions based on that.

Now jokes about politicians and trust have been around longer than a New South Wales State of Origin losing streak, but that doesn’t mean we don’t live in hope.

As it stands right now, however, you have to wonder who you really can trust in the world of politics, in both the Federal and State spheres.

Angry voters used their lead pencils en masse at the last Federal and State elections to throw out Labor Governments they believed they could no longer trust.

Now, in 2014, we find ourselves in a position where those we called upon to fix the mess are raising our eyebrows as well.

As it stands, we’d be better off letting David Gyngell and James Packer run two political

the western weekender Suite 2, 42-44 Abel Street, Penrith NSW 2750 P (02) 4722 2998 • F (02) 4731 6255

Phone: (02) 9833 2913 Address: Shop 1/159 Queen St, St Marys 2760 Email: mulgoa@parliament.nsw.gov.au Mail: PO Box 138, St Marys NSW 1790

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TROY DODDS @troydodds

You have to wonder who you really can trust

parties – it’d at least make parliament a little more raw and honest.

The State Liberals truly are in a crisis with ICAC claiming a number of scalps, including Barry O’Farrell and Mike Gallacher.

Suddenly the party that was swept to power after years of utter incompetence and scandals from Labor governments are themselves in the corruption spotlight.

It is very, very messy.

Yet John Robertson sits as the leader of a Labor Party that has surely not totally cleared all the skeletons from the very deep closet, given the last election was just three years ago.

March 2015 becomes very interesting – two parties with their tails between their legs, akin to a husband coming home from the pub late and asking for forgiveness.

Federally, Tony Abbott is facing enormous criticism ahead of the Budget, with expectations that he will indeed break an election promise or two.

We all say we’re not surprised but that should not be our throwaway answer. We should not accept that “it’s the way it is”.

So what’s the answer?

Do we implement more ways to hold our politicians responsible, such as public access to diaries and the like and a better way of keeping records of commitments and promises?

Sounds good in theory but the next question surrounds the messenger – the media.

Is the Australian media mature enough to handle having access to diaries, and knowledge of every meeting various politicians have?

Or will they simply turn it into a circus, hence feeding the circle of BS? You get the feeling that we’re at a political crossroads here. People want to trust politicians, but politicians have to earn it. In the process, the media needs to resist the temptation to make politics out to be a soap opera.

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Vital clinic falls over Mixed messages over future of Falls and Fractures Clinic @cassandra_o

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

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Shop 23, Penrith Centre, 510-534 High Street, Penrith 2750

SMITH STREET AUTO CENTRE “The Falls and Fractures Clinic is a very successful initiative that clearly demonstrates that the health system and academia can work together to bring the best of services to our community. “Hopefully this decision will be re-considered and the world-class clinic will be up and running again.�

Nepean Hospital General Manager, Kevin Hedge denied that the closure was

permanent and did not address claims about funding deficiencies. “The Falls and Fractures Clinic will face a temporary service disruption due to the resignation of the Clinic Co-ordinator.

Nepean Hospital is currently working to recruit to this position. It is intended that this important service will recommence pending successful recruitment of a new Co-ordinator,� he said.

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Supporters and staff at the fifth anniversary of the Falls and Fractures Clinic last year.

It now appears the clinic’s future is in doubt. Photo: Melinda Jane

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n a devastating blow to the community and medical research field, the Falls and Fractures Clinic at Nepean Hospital has been forced to close.

A joint venture between the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) and Sydney Medical School Nepean, the Falls and Fractures Clinic closed this week due to what the School says to be a lack of funding.

Just last November, the Falls and Fractures Clinic celebrated its fifth anniversary and launched a new Nepean Osteoporosis and Frailty Study.

The Clinic has also been at the frontier of medical research and discovered a new treatment for osteoporosis.

Even more concerning is the fact that the Nepean region has one of the highest rates of falls and fractures in NSW. In 2011-12 the rate of hospitalisations for fall-related injuries in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD was 3,332 per 100,000.

A Sydney Medical School Nepean spokesperson said the closure of the clinic would be a loss to the community. “It is really unfortunate that this type of successful service had to be closed due to limited funding,� the spokesperson said.

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POLICE

Guide dog attacked in CBD Call for dog owners to be more vigilant with leads after horrifying incident

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CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

@cassandra_o

A

savage attack by a dog that was loose on High Street has put the life of a guide dog and his owner in grave danger.

It was about 7.15am on Monday morning when Murray Wilcockson and his guide dog Dawson were walking down High Street towards the intersection with Castlereagh Street.

“We were walking along past the Post Office and down to Castlereagh Street when Dawson let me know that there was a dog in front of us, as he is trained to do that,” Mr Wilcockson said.

“So I took his lead firmly in my hand and as we got closer I realised that the dog was not on a leash. I had just taken a step onto Castlereagh Road when the dog attacked Dawson. We were both terrified.”

Mr Wilcockson yelled for help and fortunately two men came to the rescue and pulled the vicious dog away from Dawson.

“We were very fortunate because there is usually no-one around at that time of morning so I don’t know where they came from but they definitely saved us,” he said.

“They held the dog and I said I was going to call the police but then there were two officers, a male and a female, on their way

Guide dog Dawson is very sore after being attacked by a loose dog to the police station and so they ‘arrested’ the dog and took it with them.

“I don’t know who the men were but I am so thankful that they helped.”

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Mr Wilcockson took Dawson to his workplace, the Penrith Disability Resource Centre, where he called a vet and Dawson was taken for treatment.

He said he was fortunate not to be attacked himself, or involved in a traffic collision, but feels very sorry for poor Dawson who has suffered bite marks to his head. He spent Tuesday resting at home.

“People need to realise that they must keep their dogs locked up or on a leash because guide dogs like poor Dawson help people with their mobility,” he said.

Just last week, on April 30, Guide Dogs NSW launched their ‘Take the Lead’ campaign as part of International Guide Dog day, urging dog owners to be more responsible.

They conducted a national survey of guide dog owners, which found that one in two guide dogs across NSW and the ACT have been attacked by another dog while guiding its handler.

“We’re alarmed that so many guide dogs are being attacked by pet dogs and are appealing to dog owners to keep their pet dogs on leads when out and about,” said Dr Graeme White, CEO of Guide Dogs NSW. “Guide dogs play a vital role in enabling people who are blind or vision impaired to get around independently. Attacks compromise this independence and can cause serious injury and trauma to both the handler and the guide dog. We’re encouraging dog owners to take the lead to help create a safe community.”

Police snapshot Naked man busted by police after frightening woman

Dangerous behaviour spotted by police on patrol

A man has been charged after allegedly confronting a woman whilst wearing nothing but a black balaclava. The woman was walking through the Werrington Lakes area at about 3pm on Friday, May 2, when the naked man approached her. She ran from the scene and contacted the police.

Officers from St Marys Local Area Command attended the area to search for the man.

Police allege they spoke with a man a short time later and subsequently searched him, finding a black balaclava in his possession.

The 30-year-old was arrested and taken to St Marys Police Station where he was charged with ‘willful and obscene exposure’.

He received bail under certain conditions and will appear before Mt Druitt Court on May 26.

A man has been charged with high-range drink driving and a number of other traffic related offences after he was stopped by police on a local road. Penrith police officers stopped the 35-year-old at about 11.15pm on Wednesday, April 30, on Evan Street, Penrith. The man was allegedly riding a motorbike without a helmet and was seen to mount a curb and ride on the footpath for a period of time. He was stopped by police and refused a breath test. He was taken to Penrith Police Station where he underwent breath analysis, returning a reading of 0.211.

It was also determined that the vehicle was unregistered and the man’s licence had expired. The man will appear at Blacktown Local Court on June 17 to face the music over the incident.

Teenager dies following bad crash at Londonderry

Police hunt for clues after robbery at local business

A 19-year-old Yarramundi man was killed in a collision in Londonderry last week. Emergency services were called to the scene of a crash on the corner of The Driftway and Londonderry Road in Londonderry shortly before 11.30am on Thursday, May 1. At the scene they discovered that a 4WD and a motorcycle had collided. The motorcyclist died at the scene and no-one else was injured. Officers from Penrith Local Area Command are investigating the incident and are still preparing a report for the Coroner.

Anyone who witnessed the crash who hasn’t spoken to police should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are investigating the theft of money from a local business on Friday, May 2, and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward. St Marys police were alerted to the incident, believed to have occurred during the evening of Friday, May 2, when the following morning staff members turned up for work and noticed things were amiss. It is believed a number of persons entered the business on Sunflower Drive, Claremont Meadows, during the night. A crime scene examination was conducted.

St Marys police are appealing for anyone who witnessed any strange behaviour in the area that night to contact them.

POLICE

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ver 18o NSW Police recruits turned up for their first day on the job this week and among them was 29-year-old Bethany Elder, stationed at St Marys Local Area Command.

Probationary Constable Elder will spend the next year as a general duties (GD) police officer in St Marys before following her dream of becoming a forensic scientist.

Since she was 12-years-old, Probationary Constable Elder has been working toward this goal, completing degrees in both criminology and forensic science.

“I was fascinated by the idea that the most minute evidence – such as a single hair, a fingerprint, a drop of blood, or someone’s DNA – could be the key factor in convicting a criminal,” she said.

Probationary Constable Elder was accepted into the NSW Police Force Accelerated Fingerprint Technician Recruitment Program, a program serving as a fast track into the Forensic Services Group for people with suitable academic qualifications.

After serving her first year at St Marys, she will be able to move on to the NSW Police Forensic Services Group.

“Whilst GD’s is just a stepping stone

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INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT

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Penrith City Council has received Development Applications in respect of the subject properties. The consent authority for these development applications is Penrith City Council. s Twin Creeks Properties Pty Ltd DA14/0424 Lot 226 DP 270417, (No. 8) Comargo Lane, Luddenham Community title subdivision x 2 lots The proposal is Integrated Development under Section 91 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

In this regard, the applicant is seeking concurrent approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service under Section 100B of the Rural Fires Act 1997.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 12 May to 26 May 2014.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0424.

Council is required to make Development Applications and certain associated documents publicly available under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. There is a presumption in favour of publicly disclosing all submissions relating to this Development Application unless Council determines that it is not in the public interest to do so.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Jane Hetherington on 4732 8078.

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

s Richard Hogan & Co Pty Ltd DA14/0416 Lot G DP 38896 (No. 20–26) Bonner Road, Agnes Banks Subdivision into 2 x Torrens title lots The proposal is an Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service – Rural Fires Act 1997.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 12 May 2014 to 26 May 2014.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0416.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Hannah Van De Werff on 4732 7714. s Think Planners DA14/0409 Lot 204 DP 1162982, (No. 98) Bradley Street, Glenmore Park Torrens title subdivision x 4 lots The proposal is Integrated Development under Section 91 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

In this regard, the applicant is seeking concurrent approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service under Section 100B of the Rural Fires Act 1997.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 12 May to 26 May 2014.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0409.

Council is required to make Development Applications and certain associated documents publicly available under the Government Information (Public Access) Act

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Ayres’ new job 2009. There is a presumption in favour of publicly disclosing all submissions relating to this Development Application unless Council determines that it is not in the public interest to do so.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Jane Hetherington on 4732 8078.

Story continued from » p. 1 Mr Ayres gratefully accepted the promotion and is looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“This is an absolutely huge honour and responsibility,” Mr Ayres said.

“Police and Emergency Services is one of the biggest portfolios of the State Government. I also look forward to continuing my role as Minister for Sport and Recreation and working with the Premier as the Minister Assisting the Premier for Western Sydney.

“No doubt it will be a challenge but I have a huge amount of time and admiration for the police and emergency services staff who serve our state.”

Shadow Police and Emergency Services Minister, Michael Daley, has criticised Mr Ayres’ promotion.

“The Police portfolio is not in good shape and Mike Baird’s response, appointing a rookie to be in the senior police role shows that this Government is in deep crisis,” he said.

He raised concerns about the number of shootings that have taken place in western Sydney and called on Mr Ayres to take immediate action.

“Every shooting that occurs from today will be a failure of Mr Ayres to act decisively to protect people and their property from these acts of mindless violence,” Mr Daley said.

But Mr Ayres dismissed claims he is a “rookie” minister and said that he has proven himself in various roles within Government.

“It will be four years in June since my election to parliament... and I feel like I have a very, very strong grounding to serve as minister and that’s backed by the Premier who made the decision on my appointment,” he said.

“I think having a Police and Emergency Services Minister, a senior portfolio, based in western Sydney is a signal that this Government is serious about western Sydney and its representation in Government.”

He received a briefing on his new portfolio on Wednesday.

Whilst his quick succession of promotions has raised some eyebrows, Mr Ayres is considered to be a rising star of the Liberal Party, and possibly a future Premier.

“I don’t want to enter into any of that sort of speculation,” he said.

“My approach to life has been to do the job you are given well and let the rest take care of itself.”

s Maryland Development Company Pty Ltd DA14/0369 Lot 3139 DP 1168995, (Lot 3139) Sinclair Parade, Jordan Springs 203 residential lots public road and associated civil construction works The proposal is an Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service – Rural Fires Act 1997 and Department of Planning – Water Management Act 2000 Section 89, 90 & 91.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 21 April 2014 to 20 May 2014.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0369.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Aimee Lee on 4732 7429.

NOMINATED INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT Penrith City Council has received a Development Application in respect of the subject property. The consent authority for the Development Application is Penrith City Council. s SMEC Urban DA14/0407 Lot 3091 DP 1165175, (No. 62–72) Bradley Street, Glenmore Park Bulk earthworks – Stages 6 & 7, Precinct C, Mulgoa Rise The proposal is Integrated Development under Section 91 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

In this regard, the applicant is seeking concurrent approval from the NSW Office of Water under Section 91 of the Water Management Act 2000.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 12 May to 11 June 2014.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0407.

Council is required to make Development Applications and certain associated documents publicly available under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. There is a presumption in favour of publicly disclosing all submissions relating to this Development Application unless Council determines that it is not in the public interest to do so.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Jane Hetherington on 4732 8078.

Q&A in Penrith

Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts Development Applications are displayed at the Penrith Civic Centre. By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council.

Call 4732 7649 or visit www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au Viewing of Development Applications The above development determination/s may be inspected between 8.30am and 4pm Mondays to Fridays (except Public Holidays) at Council’s Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith. Officers of Council’s Development Services Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

penrithishere.com.au WW9093

The ABC has confirmed that its very popular Monday night show ‘Q&A’ will be broadcasting live from Penrith on Monday, May 19.

The Penrith show is set to be one of the most watched episodes of the year, with Treasurer Joe Hockey confirmed as the special guest on the night.

It will be the first ‘Q&A’ after Mr Hockey delivers the hotly anticipated Federal Budget on Tuesday night.

The show will be filmed at Penrith Panthers, and locals are invited to be part of the audience.

The show airs on ABC1 at 9.30pm and audience members will need to be available from 8pm.

For details, visit www.abc.net.au/ qanda or call 8333 4065.

9 PENRITH

NEWS

!

"

CONTACT US ADMINISTRATION Penrith OfďŹ ce Civic Centre, 601 High Street.

Opening Hours: 8.30am–4pm. Mon–Fri. St Marys OfďŹ ce Queen Street Centre, 207–209 Queen Street.

Opening Hours: 8.30am–4pm. Mon–Fri. Switchboard Open: 8.30am–5pm. Mon–Fri. P: (02) 4732 7777 F: (02) 4732 7958 Write to: PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751.

E: council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

SERVICES Waste Hotline: Freecall 1800 734 735 Illegal Dumping: Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad).

GrafďŹ ti Hotline: Freecall 1800 022 182

MEETING DATES Council Meetings 12 May 2014 – 7pm (Policy Review Committee) 26 May 2014 – 7.30pm (Ordinary meeting)

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au penrithishere.com.au

local news

COUNCIL BRIEFS s If you haven’t tried the new sporting craze to hit Australia, then here is your chance. A Bubble Soccer tournament will be held at Council’s St Clair Leisure Centre on Sunday, 1 June.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL ONLINE Find us at: www.facebook.com/penrith.city.council

You need ďŹ ve to eight players for a team and registration costs $30 per person. Players wear a giant inatable ball which allows them to bounce into each other while trying to kick a soccer ball towards a goal. There will be plenty of prizes awarded on the day.

twitter.com/penrithcouncil

Go to penrithcity.nsw.gov.au for more information on how to register, or call St Clair Leisure Centre on 9670 1958. s From 31 May 2014 Council will start issuing $220 ďŹ nes for pools that it ďŹ nds are unregistered. All pools that can hold 30cm or more of water need to be registered and meet certain requirements.

If you have not registered your pool, you should do so immediately.

It’s free to register. Go to swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au or call our Swimming Pools administration ofďŹ cer Nicole Meyers on 4732 7897 for more information. Be pool safe! s As part of Local Government Week 2014, Penrith City Council is giving lucky students the opportunity to be Junior Mayor or Junior Councillors and take part in a mock Council meeting.

instagram.com/penrithcitycouncil www.youtube.com/penrithcitycouncil www.

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

penrithishere.com.au

Entries must ďŹ t on one A4 piece of paper, or be an audio visual ďŹ le. They can be a story, poem, an artwork or comic strip.

Entries must be submitted by Friday, 30 May 2014.

s RKJM Pty Ltd DA14/0422 276–280 Caddens Road, Claremont Meadows Proposed residential subdivision (27 residential lots and 2 residue lots) and associated road construction, drainage works, earthworks and public reserve dedication Contact: Gavin Cherry on 4732 8125 Closing Date: 26 May 2014

The winning Junior Mayor and Junior Councillors need to be available to attend introductory meetings at Council’s Civic Centre on Monday, 16 June and Monday, 14 July 2014. The mock Council meeting will be held on Monday, 11 August 2014.

DEVELOPMENT CONSENT/S DETERMINED

To enter the competition, students need to outline two things they would do to make the City of Penrith a better place to live, if they were Mayor?

For more details on how to enter go to penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS The following development applications have been received by Council: s JS Architects DA14/0429 52–54 College Street, Cambridge Park Demolition of existing structures and construction of a seniors living development with 7 dwellings and associated car parking, landscaping and drainage works Contact: Aimee Lee on 4732 7429 Closing Date: 26 May 2014

Details of these determinations are available for public inspection free of charge during Council’s normal business hours at the Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith.

Approved Development Applications s S. Tripp DA13/1402 Lot 2 DP 541825 (No. 1041–1117) Mulgoa Road, Mulgoa Use of site as function centre for no more than 14 days in 6 month period s B. Tripp DA13/1505 Lot 2 DP 541825, Lot 10 DP 615085 & Lot 11 DP 615085 (No. 1041–1117) Mulgoa Road, Mulgoa Symphony concert to be held on 11 May 2014 for 3,000 people s Champion Homes DA14/0028 Lot 1218 DP 1171492 (No. 2–18) Burrows Street, Penrith Attached dwellings x 3 and studio loft x 1

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

s Triple9 Drafting & Design DA14/0415 144 Adelaide Street, St Marys Demolition of existing structures and construction of a multi-unit housing development (6 x attic style villas) with associated car parking, landscaping and drainage works Contact: Aaron Howard on 4732 7774 Closing Date: 26 May 2014

Pursuant to Section 101 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act, the schedule below lists applications recently determined by Penrith City Council.

10

COUNCIL

$150k for another pop-up park Rates set to rise but Council to undertake major improvements across the region

local news

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

P

@cassandra_o

enrith City Council is planning to build another pop-up park in the region as part of major upgrades to the St Marys CBD. The new park would have a cost of $150,00 and comes despite criticism of the existing pop-up park in the Penrith CBD. Residents are currently being invited to have their say on this and other projects that Council is planning to spend money on through its Budget in the next year.

And with $45 million in capital works expenditure planned for the next 12 months, there are plenty of suburbs where Council is prepared to splash its cash.

Council’s draft Delivery Program is now on public exhibition and details just what projects are set to receive funding.

It also details what Council services fees will be increasing.

Llandilo is set to have several major roads upgrades with Sixth Avenue and Eight Avenue each to be reconstructed at a cost of $537,200.

And nearly $14 million has been allocated for road resealing and resheeting, with Dartmoor Circuit in Emu Heights, Forbes Street in Emu Plains and Goldmark Crescent in Cranebrook the big winners

in North Ward. In East Ward, roads to be resealed include Banks Drive in St Clair, Charles Hackett Drive in St Marys and Melville Road in St Clair.

The winners in South Ward are Derby Street in Penrith, Bulu Drive and Floribunda Avenue in Glenmore Park as well as Kingswood Road in Orchard Hills.

In terms of asset renewal programs, Judges Car Park will receive an $80,000 toilet upgrade and $45,000 of new paint. $110,000 will be spent on a bathroom upgrade for St Clair Recreational Centre and $200,000 on Council’s Civic Centre.

The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, the jewel in the crown of the arts in western Sydney, will have $300,000 spent on its air conditioning. $153,000 will go towards minor upgrades at Council’s various childcare facilities.

But it isn’t all good news for childcare services. Parents with children in long day care are set to face a price rise, with Council proposing to increase the daily flat fees from $77.50 to $82 starting from July 1, 2014, followed by another price increase to $86.50 daily starting January 1, 2015. There will be minor price rises to occasional long day care services, and some OOSH services.

It will cost you $50 extra to bury a loved one with prices set to increase from $2,300

This new pop-up park at St Marys Station will cost Council $150,000 to $2,350 for burials and reservations.

A key feature of this year’s Council budget is improvements to the Penrith and St Marys CBDs. New pedestrian lighting for Queen Street will be funded this year at a cost of $800,000 and will be accompanied by

Archaeology Open Day

the new pop-up park with a price tag of $150,000.

All in all, Council’s total expenditure will be $217 million. But just where will it come from? Rates will contribute 42.8 per cent, with minimum residential rates increasing by $34 and business rates by $43.50.

Mayor’s News The weekly views of Penrith’s Mayor

th

Saturday 17 May 10am to 4pm Old Council Chambers Building, Cnr Station & Henry Sts, Penrith (opposite Harris Farm Plaza entrance)

Penrith Progression Penrith Progression held its first consultation session yesterday, led

by Mike Day – director and founder of national place design and planning practice RobertsDay. Community members, investors, developers, economists, community groups and land owners began a series of discussions about the future of our City Centre.

Penrith Progression is a collaborative community and stakeholder engagement process to revitalise the CBD, attract investors and create thousands of local jobs.

Focus groups will now look at fostering local jobs, sustainable transport

and parking, diversity in housing, city living, development investment and other topics of interest.

I look forward to seeing the range and depth of ideas which come through this process, which will determine the shape of our City Centre for the next 10 to 15 years.

There is still time to join Penrith Progression and be part of the process, but registrations will close on Monday, May 19.

For more information and to join, go to penrithprogression.com.au.

ROSS FOWLER OAM Mayor of Penrith

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

Local girl proves she has ‘The Voice’ Come along and view our extensive collection of photos, coins, bottles, artefacts from the Castlereagh and Penrith areas, maps and a vast collection of bricks.

Light refreshments will be available throughout the day.

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A former St Pauls Grammar School student and local resident has amazed judges on Channel Nine’s hit reality television show ‘The Voice’.

Brittanie Shipway performed ‘On My Own’ from the musical ‘Les Miserables’ on the show on Tuesday night, and all four judges hit their red buttons and turned around.

Brittanie chose to join ‘Team Kylie’ and will now be mentored by Kylie Minogue.

The 20-year-old has performed in various shows around the Penrith area.

‘The Voice’ started airing on Sunday night on Channel Nine and continues over the coming months.

It has already been a ratings success for the network.

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

call 1800 TFIBRE visit a telstra store telstra.com/nbn

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Telstra services on the NBN not available to all premises. NBN is a trademark of NBN Co Limited and is used under licence from NBN Co Limited.

The spectrum device, ™ and ® are trade marks and registered trade marks of Telstra Corporation Limited, ABN 33 051 775 556.

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AIRPORT

Why Badgerys will be a winner

13

Governments display a united front as second airport project takes flight CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

ith light planes buzzing overhead, NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay and Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs inspected Badgerys Creek Road last week.

The State and Federal ministerial visit last Thursday marked the beginning of the consultation process for the delivery of the Badgerys Creek airport and supporting roads infrastructure package.

Standing on the corner of Badgerys Creek Road and Taylors Road, the Ministers inspected plans to upgrade the local road network.

“This is part of the first step of consultation that Duncan and I are doing with the community. We are sitting down with local mayors... and we are spending the day going through the roads plans with officials to look at some of the road sites that we will be upgrading,” Mr Briggs said.

“It is a real signal about how closely the State and Federal Government is working to deliver this, not just talk about it, but actually get the infrastructure actually delivered and on the ground.”

Mr Briggs was positive about his meetings with local Councils.

“The feedback has been really positive, Councils have loved the infrastructure element of it and they obviously have some questions about the process in respect to the airport and that will be part of the community consultation for the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement),” he said.

“But overwhelmingly people are really positive with the direction we are going in to get things done.”

Mr Gay said that he is happy that the proactive Federal Government is pushing the NSW Government to deliver infrastructure in the area quickly.

“The believability is there, they have seen the work that we are doing on Camden Valley Way, Narellan Road and others. They have seen that when the Government says it will do something, they deliver it. The positive thing now is that we have a Federal Government that is not only keen to help but pushing us to deliver quicker,” he said.

“We’d already had some plans drawn up for the future, hoping we’d get some money from the Federal Government but the fact that they have put this extra money into the area, plus the impetus of Badgerys Creek is just going to make such a difference to what we are all doing.”

Penrith Council remains opposed to

local news

W

@cassandra_o

Jamie Briggs and Duncan Gay with local politicians protection],” the spokesperson said.

“The Department will work closely with experts including the Department of the Environment to establish the requirements and most efficient approach to environmental approvals.”

During their western Sydney tour, the ministers also visited a number of other local roads that will be upgraded in the coming years.

the Badgerys Creek airport, at least until further details surrounding the airport EIS are released.

A spokesperson for Mr Briggs said that the actual timeline for any environmental studies has not been settled at this point.

“We are currently reviewing existing material including the 1999 EIS, which was conducted under the legislation that preceded the EPBC Act [on environmental

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HEALTH

Specialised support on offer Obesity in pregnant women increases, sparking Nepean Hospital into action

local news

KATHERINE TWEED

@ktweed_

T

he issue of obesity in pregnant women has been increasing in the local area over the past five years, so much so that a new service has been developed to deliver specialist care to expectant mums with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 35.

Expectant mums struggling with obesity are more susceptible to a wide range of complications, requiring special support and care, which is now offered by the midwifery-run Opal Clinic at Nepean Hospital.

“In 2007-2008, 19 per cent of women booking in to our antenatal service had a BMI over 35. In 2012-2013, this increased to 26 per cent,” said Registered Nurse and Midwife, Louise Hosford.

“These women require more specialised support and care throughout their pregnancy. The Opal Clinic was developed to enhance the patient experience by providing a continuity of care for these women and improving their overall antenatal experience.”

In addition to supporting the expecting mums, the service educates women on the importance of healthy eating and exercise, which helps to improve breastfeeding

Specialised health services are on offer through Nepean Hospital’s Opal Clinic. Photo: Melinda Jane rates and decrease the risk of gestational diabetes or other complications.

“The Opal Clinic provides access to unique services not able to be offered in a single clinic elsewhere in the hospital,” Ms Hosford said.

“The clinic’s specialised services provide these expectant mothers with the best care

What is the scope and depth of thought required for In this 1 hour talk Mary shares how the ideas presented in Mary Baker Eddy’s book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures underlie her healing practice and are available for all to use.

“The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind.”

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For information on Christian Science go to www.christianscience.com

• Bulk Bill new Medicare Scheme CDBS ‘Child Dental Benefits Schedule’ up to $1000.

• No Gap on check up, clean, fluoride and any necessary x-rays for patients with a private health fund. New patient one time offer only!

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

The Reserve Bank of Australia failed to deliver any major surprises on Tuesday when it kept interest rates on hold at 2.50 per cent for the ninth straight month.

It’s the longest period without an RBA change since November 2011 and it’s

2.50

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and exercise, while the physiotherapist will introduce the women to an exercise regime that can improve a woman’s birth and postnatal experience,” Ms Horsford said.

All services, including group education sessions, can be accessed once a week, on Mondays.

News in Numbers

SPIRITUAL HEALING?

Mary Beattie is a Christian Science healer and circuit lecturer.

possible throughout their pregnancy.”

Group education sessions can be accessed through the clinic.

“Dietitians work with the mothers to support healthy eating and teach nutrition for the family and the unborn baby. The psychologist helps women address the psychological barriers to healthy eating

unlikely that there will be a change next month either.

But Alex Parsons, CEO of RateCity. com.au, warned consumers against becoming complacent in a low-rate environment and to use this time to be smarter with money.

“We’re at record low interest rates so over time they are only likely to go up so make sure you can afford to withstand

some increases in interest rates,” he said.

“The second thing is we’ve heard a lot from the government in the recent few weeks around the prudent budget and so that is going to hit people in the back pocket I would suspect.”

Parsons added that there are a few strategies to keep personal finances in check.

“You need to do one of two things; either increase income, which is really quite hard, or decrease expenses,” he said.

“On the decrease expenses, one of the easiest ways to do that is to really look at your finances to work out where you are paying and where you can get a better deal.”

RateCity’s database of more than 1000 home loans shows that the average basic variable interest rate is now 5.15 per cent, with rates from 4.54 per cent.

Switching a typical $300,000 home loan from the average to one of the lowest rates would free up $106 per month.

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POLICE

16

Program aims to tackle frightening trend

local news

HANDYPERSON/LICENSED CARPENTER ALL- ROUNDER

KATHERINE TWEED

We are seeking a local Handyperson/Licensed Carpenter, experienced in general repairs and property maintenance to join our busy Penrith based team.

You will : • Be keen to work in the Local Penrith area • Be able to demonstrate good customer service skills • Be well presented • ALWAYS leave the site clean, tidy & safe and promptly complete all paperwork required • Have some basic computer skills • Work safely at all times and be committed to Work Health and Safety • Be an “all-rounder” willing to undertake all aspects of domestic & commercial maintenance, repairs & general cleaning We provide van, uniforms, Phone, Electronic Mobile Tablet (as a part of our electronic job management system) a safe work environment and flexible start and finish times.

Please send your resume To: lea@hix.com.au Enquiries: Lea Hicks – 0414441635

A part of WW8704

@ktweed_

D

espite being illegal and detrimental to a young person’s health, more and more youth are turning to drugs and alcohol, according to new figures.

A survey undertaken by youth mental health foundation, Headspace, has revealed higher rates of alcohol and drug use in kids under the age of 18 than ever before, with survey results suggesting 74 per cent of under 18s have consumed alcohol in the past two months and over 20 per cent have used drugs.

More concerning to the organisation is that 60 per cent of those who took part in the survey get their information on drugs and alcohol from their friends, a fact that St Marys police have been endeavouring to change for some time.

St Marys police see youth drug and alcohol use on a weekly basis and are one of five Local Area Commands in NSW trialling the ‘Your Choice Program’ for youth offenders.

“It is more about education and using diversionary tactics than just telling them to stop drinking,” said St Marys police program facilitator, Constable Kim Sindel.

Contrary to the Headspace survey, according to the Your Choice Program’s

Police support the Your Choice program research, over half of Australians between 15 and 17 have not had a full standard drink and only a few drink on a weekly basis.

“We are talking about a minority here, but most who drink are doing so at harmful levels,” Constable Sindel said.

The Your Choice Program educates youth on safe drinking practices, the consequences of consuming harmful amounts and what to do if you are in an adverse situation, for example if a friend has alcohol poisoning. It aims to inform youth on their choices.

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

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WARNING

POLICE

Locals told to be on alert for dodgy tradies

Opening eyes to a potential new career KATHERINE TWEED

17

@ktweed_

Local residents are being urged to be on the lookout for dodgy tradies CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

T

@cassandra_o

ravelling conmen, at least one of whom is believed to be on a visitor’s visa from the United Kingdom, are targeting unsuspecting Penrith residents in need of cheap handyman work.

Outgoing Fair Trading Minister Stuart Ayres said that there have been reports of these conmen between Parramatta, Penrith and Richmond and warned residents to be careful.

“These con artists may offer to seal your driveway or paint your roof at a

price literally too good to be true,” Mr Ayres said.

“Once you agree to the work they will demand an exorbitant deposit or demand a cash payment in full up front.

“They may even offer to drive you to an ATM to assist you in parting with your money. Once they have what they want it is unlikely you will see them again.

If they do show up to carry out the job promised, the shoddy workmanship may cost you even more money to rectify.”

Mr Ayres said intelligence from NSW Fair Trading suggested none of the travelling conmen had the relevant licences to carry out home building work.

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Madison Campbell and Norm Patterson 12 people took part in this year’s course, including Madison Campbell, who has finally decided to follow a career in policing after putting her dreams on hold to have children.

“We get to experience stuff that I don’t think someone who is just applying for the Academy will experience. We get a great inside view of the police force before we join the Academy,” she said.

“It has made me more determined to become a police officer. I know this is what I want to do, what I want to be.”

Ms Campbell hopes to one day work as a sworn police officer in New South Wales, liaising with youth.

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stepping-stone TAFE NSW course led 12 Indigenous students to Penrith Police Station last week, where they had the unique opportunity to experience what life is like as a sworn police officer.

The IPROWD course, developed through a partnership between the Australian Government, TAFE NSW, NSW Police Force and Charles Sturt University, has been designed to assist Indigenous Australians to gain access to the NSW Police Academy at Goulburn.

Participants have an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the NSW Police Force prior to joining the Academy and at one stage of the program, the students tour a local police station.

“We are involved in one major area of their training, which is the physical policing area. They come in and we introduce what policing is all about, we go through really basic laws and give them an idea of what they will experience,” said Sergeant Rebecca McMillan of Penrith Police.

Out of the local 2012 IPROWD class, two students graduated last August, one is working as an unsworn officer and another two graduated from the Academy last week – these are considered great results by local police.

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

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18

BUSINESS

New corporate era looms

Construction begins on multi-million dollar Werrington Park Corporate Centre

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CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

The new three-storey office building is state-of-the-art in its design, and is rated 5 Green Stars for sustainability – minimising its energy and water use.

It is expected to be completed by early 2015, and will have 5,500 square metres of commercial office space.

The Werrington Park Corporate Centre is supported by the Australian Government through the Suburban Jobs Program.

Fiona Scott, Federal Member for Lindsay, says the project is one of a range of largescale initiatives the Federal Government is supporting to bring more high-quality knowledge jobs to the region.

“The infrastructure and employment commitments we are making in western Sydney will unlock the region’s potential both nationally and, importantly, internationally. Werrington Park is a key part of that,” Ms Scott said.

State Penrith MP Stuart Ayres agreed, saying that the site ticks all the important boxes.

“Werrington Park has the golden triangle for a business park site – road, rail and research,” he said.

“If you want your business to be well placed to grow both domestic and international markets, then you won’t find a better place to call home.”

@cassandra_o

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onstruction of the multi-million dollar Werrington Park Corporate Centre is underway and on track to cater for western Sydney’s growing need for new high-tech industries and knowledge economy jobs.

A partnership between the University of Western Sydney, Penrith City Council and the Penrith Business Alliance, the $30 million project is the first step to establishing a 58-hectare multi-million dollar Business Park Precinct.

UWS Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barney Glover, says the Werrington Park Corporate Centre illustrates the strength of cooperation between the three organisations to work together for the broader community’s economic and social benefit.

“As both a research institution and a major provider of new graduates to the workforce, the University of Western Sydney is firmly committed to working together with government at all levels, along with business and the community, to support jobs growth and facilitate new, transformative employment opportunities for the region,” Professor Glover said.

“We look forward to Werrington Park Corporate Centre becoming a major catalyst for attracting more industry, investment and research to greater western Sydney.”

The leasing campaign has now begun, with agents engaged to source tenants.

The University is also leveraging its relationships and partnerships across the computing, engineering, IT, mathematics, humanities, communication arts, science and health fields to find suitable businesses.

What the Werrington Corporate Centre will look like once completed

Designs for the centre

WARNING

Don’t be shocked by new bill scam KATHERINE TWEED

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

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@ktweed_

new electricity bill scam could see a person’s online banking details, credit card information and other personal details in the hands of criminals.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning consumers that a new scam, asking people to pay fake electricity and gas bills, is circulating via email. The emails allege they are from legitimate companies, directing people to click on a link or attachment to view a statement. However, if the link is followed, a computer can become infected with software allowing scammers access to all personal details.

“Scammers will try every trick in the book to get a hold of your money,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard.

“The ACCC has received over 300 contacts about this scam this year but what is reported is often just the tip of the iceberg.”

The link for this particular scam takes consumers to a web page that looks like a legitimate online payment service.

According to the ACCC, this form of scam is very common.

“Fortunately, no money has been reported lost to this particular scam but the fraudsters will cast a wide net until someone takes the bait,” Ms Rickard said.

To avoid falling victim to a scam, the ACCC recommends local people delete any spontaneous emails from any companies requesting money.

“If you receive an email from your energy company and you are not sure if it is a scam, verify the content by contacting them directly before you open the email,” an ACCC spokesperson said.

Up-to-date firewall, anti-virus or any-spyware software is also important for helping keep a computer safe from scammers.

“If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately,” the spokesperson said.

Scams via email are becoming more and more common

19

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dear weekender...

Don’t delay NDIS

A message to you

Disability Services Australia (DSA) began with a small group of parents in the 1950’s who were committed to finding a way for their children to make the move from school to work and into a life as young adults with choices to make, futures to plan for and lives to experience.

Families today have much the same aspirations which is why the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the significant change it will bring to the lives of thousands of Australian families cannot be delayed. Any potential delay to the NDIS will also delay the 120,000 new front-line disability support jobs that will be needed in non-government organisations like DSA. This is new productive employment that the NDIS will generate. Let’s be clear, the NDIS is not social welfare. The NDIS will provide the reasonable and necessary supports people with disability need to have choice and control over their own lives just like any other Australian.

MARK SPURR CEO, DISABILITY SERVICES AUSTRALIA

In recent weeks, as I’ve met people across Australia and read their letters and emails, I’ve been asked why do we need to make big changes in this Budget? It’s a fair question. My answer is that you can’t fix the economy without fixing the Budget. A strong Budget is the foundation for a strong country. This Budget is part of the Government’s Economic Action Strategy to build a stronger, more prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia. We must again live within our means – as we did in the Howard years – because that’s the foundation for future prosperity. Since then, as you know, the previous Labor government ran up five record deficits. Labor also left $123 billion in deficits for coming years and $667 billion in projected debt.

The interest payments alone are around $1 billion every month – that’s dead money that could have been better spent on better services – and if we do nothing it will just get worse. Beyond a certain point, you don’t control debt; debt controls you. So, I want our country to be back in control of our destiny. When a country

has a strong economy there is less pressure on families and more opportunities for small businesses to create well-paying jobs. At the election, you the people said that you wanted a government that would fix the Budget and strengthen the economy and that is exactly what we are doing.

The Budget shouldn’t be about how much will be in our pockets today or tomorrow, it should be about our country and its future – and our ability to sustain for the long term important services and the social security net that is so important. By all of us chipping in – we can chip away at this legacy of debt. Sharing the burden makes it lighter for all of us. So, the Government will do the right thing by Australia in this Budget so that we can all share in the jobs and the prosperity that should follow.

TONY ABBOTT AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER

Laneway debate It’s about time the school took their issues into their own hands rather than getting council to do it for them (Laneway divides a community, Western Weekender

email: news@westernweekender.com.au post: Suite 2, 42-44 Abel Street, Jamisontown 2750

May 2). The school themselves decided to be responsible for the safety of the kids years ago when they moved the playground where it is, they even spent a lot of money upgrading it only a number of years ago yet they left the playground unchanged.

And complaining about loitering?

These are the parents themselves.

Just clutching at straws really.

CARMEL MATHESON, VIA FACEBOOK

Doing it tough What’s the problem people?

(We’re doing it tough, Western Weekender May 2). If your expenditure exceeds your income, borrow some. When that runs out, borrow some more. Then, when the creditors come calling, just deny that there is a debt. It seems to work for pollies.

RON HARVEY, VIA FACEBOOK

Tough going How many of these people that are struggling have Foxtel, multiple cars, drink, smoke, etc?

Cutting out non-essentials can go a long way from struggling to living comfortable.

DANIEL WEAVER

Support available I write on behalf of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) to ask your readers to become aware it is time we all took more action to support people who have Schizophrenia. It is Australia’s last “big un-discussable illness”. The simple fact is that it is very misunderstood and affects up to one million Australians. We want to make readers aware that there is an important FREE service that can support people in your area. This free service is for people living with mental illness and their carers and family members, to help them find the support they need.

The initiative is called “MiNetworks” and local people in your area will be referred to the information and services they need by simply calling 1800 985 944. You can also go to www. minetworks.org.au.

It is astonishing how much stigma there is around Schizophrenia in the community. Many think it is scary, hopeless, violent and untreatable. That is simply inaccurate.

DAVID MELDRUM CEO, MIFA

The Western Weekender reserves the right to edit letters for the sake of accuracy and space.

For more information, see our public notices section.

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Council is looking for a Junior Mayor and 14 Junior Councillors to participate in a mock Council meeting as part of Local Government Week 2014. The competition for local primary school students is a unique opportunity to learn about the role of councillors and how Council works. For more information contact Monique Wong on 4732 8201 or mwong@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au.

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St Vincent de Paul Society has submitted to Council plans to open a bulky goods retail premises at 2/120 Batt Street, South Penrith. The shop will provide clothing and household goods as part of assistance packages to people in need, provide goods at a nominal fee to others and fund the material assistance work of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. The building is a warehouse that is approximately 460 square metres gross floor area.

• Electronic Wheel Alignments • All Steering / Suspension Repairs Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

Penrith Mayor Councillor Ross Fowler OAM recently participated in the Cranebrook Youth Leaders Forum 2014 at Cranebrook High School.

The Mayor was so impressed with all the presenters and their ideas for improving public spaces for young people that he challenged them to put together a proposal and pitch it to him over the school holidays.

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16 Hall Street, ST MARYS (behind Mamre Road McDonalds) WW9106

It includes a warehouse space, a two storey general retail space, car parking and bathrooms. The current use of the warehouse is for the sale of kitchen equipment and other previous uses have included the retail of computers and motorcycle parts. It would cost $10,000 to make the warehouse suitable.

Council has received plans for proposed seniors living accommodation at 52-54 College Street, Cambridge Park. The application proposes that seven units be built at the site, each with two bedrooms. The site is close to Cambridge Park Shopping Centre and bus stops that service Mt Druitt and Penrith. It would cost $1.2 million to build.

“Hot topics” in the field of men’s health, wellbeing and relationships were discussed at a two day conference in Penrith last week. The inaugural NSW Men’s Health and Wellbeing Conference, “Shaping Solutions” was organised by the Men’s Health Forum NSW and held at Penrith Panthers.

The aim of the conference was to discuss men’s role in our society as well as current issues and challenges that affect male wellbeing. Cr Fowler said he hoped the conference would become an annual event.

21

local news

Poverty and homelessness are closing doors for the deeply disadvantaged in Sydney.

Latest research conducted by ANGLICARE has revealed some alarming statistics: s Between 2.3 and 2.8 million Australians live in poverty s Almost one third of households helped by ANGLICARE had children going hungry s There were only 30 properties in Greater Sydney that were affordable for low income families

Call 132 622 or go to www.anglicare.org.au

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

Penrith Homemaker Centre (between Harvey Norman & Bunnings)

160cm round table, lazy susan, furniture cover, 8 armless chairs, + Modular setting includes - 3 bench’s, 2 side tables & coffee table, complete with cushions & furniture cover.

EDUCATION

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COMMUNITY

Shopping trip wins Jennifer a holiday

local news

NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

O School students will look after a Poll Hereford steer as part of a UWS competition CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

L

@account

ocal high school students have been entrusted with 100 steer in a competition that seeks to teach the realities of beef production.

Held annually by the UWS School of Science and Health, the UniSteer competition brings together high schools from across Sydney to compete in a steer-raising challenge. Each school receives a Poll Hereford steer that students feed, handle and care for over 100 days. At the end of the competition the steers are presented at the Hawkesbury Showground.

Penrith schools, Caroline Chisholm College, Xavier College and McCarthy Catholic College are participating in the competition this year and collected their steers last Friday.

UWS Adjunct Fellow, Stephen Blunden, said that at a time when people worldwide are consuming about 250 million tonnes of meat annually, the Steer Challenge is as relevant as ever.

“Providing a practical and theoretical side to the reality of beef production is why high schools take up this challenge,” Mr Blunden said.

Approximately 150 students are taking part in the competition.

ne lucky Regentville resident has won a $6,000 holiday voucher including $1,000 in spending money all for shopping at Penrith Homemaker Centre.

Last week 39-year-old Jennifer Blaikie was shopping at Penrith Homemaker Centre when she popped into DecoRug to purchase a rug.

She was then encouraged to fill in an entry form and enter Penrith Homemaker Centre’s ‘Shop for your dream holiday’ competition.

Not long after she received a call she never expected saying she won a $6,000 holiday voucher thanks to Hello World Travel.

“I entered on the very last day of the first competition being drawn. I went home and then got a call from the management at Penrith Homemaker later that night,” Mrs Blaikie said.

“My kids were wondering why I was screaming and carrying on, so it was a very exciting surprise. A great way to end a busy and hectic week.”

Mrs Blaikie plans to take her husband and two daughters to the United States with Hawaii, New York and Disneyland all on the proposed itinerary.

“This voucher will certainly help us with

Jennifer Blaikie claims her prize getting there, so we’ll see what we can achieve,” she said.

Penrith Homemaker Centre’s competition is back up and running with another $6,000 holiday voucher to give away.

Simply purchase any item from any of the participating Penrith Homemaker stores and fill in the coupon.

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

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ENTERTAINMENT

Sun rises on special visit

23

Hundreds turn out to see live broadcast of morning TV show in Penrith

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Rebecca Maddern, Natalie Barr, David Koch and Mark Berretta in Penrith on Monday. Photo: Melinda Jane NATHAN TAYLOR

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@natetaylor87

on the Internet, so our street is like a main road now… I’m sure our neighbours are pleased,” Candy said.

“We’re getting plenty of drive-bys but I just nod, wave and say ‘hello’ to anyone that wants to say ‘hello’,” Ryan added.

After their newly made-over home was revealed to the country on Monday night’s episode, Australia will now get to see Candy and Ryan undertake their own renovations in other people’s homes.

“The one thing about this show is you get to see the best and the worst of people but it’s the whole experience in between,” Ryan said.

Hundreds of local residents turned out to the live ‘Sunrise’ broadcast on Monday, with some lucky enough to get photos with the show’s hosts.

Billed as an early-morning street party, there was a fun atmosphere in the crowd as the morning progressed.

‘Sunrise’ host Samantha Armytage was a notable absentee – she’s currently on holidays.

Candy and Ryan. Photo: Melinda Jane

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

hannel Seven’s popular breakfast show ‘Sunrise’ enjoyed a morning out of their famous Brekky Central studios in Martin Place on Monday to broadcast live from a park in Jamisontown – of all places.

‘Sunrise’ hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr along with newsreader Rebecca Maddern, sports presenter Mark Berretta and weather girl Edwina Bartholomew, joined hundreds of locals in celebrating everything that is western Sydney.

Also in attendance on the chilly morning was chart-topping group Justice Crew, pop starlet Ricki-Lee, former ‘X-Factor’ contestant Jai Waetford and the cast of Channel Seven’s hit renovation show ‘House Rules’.

Speaking with the Weekender, NSW ‘House Rules’ couple Candy and Ryan, whose Emu Plains home has been the focus of the show over the past fortnight,

said their newfound fame is something they are slowly coming to terms with.

“It’s very surreal. It’s all a bit nerveracking and we’re not used to it yet, that’s for sure,” Ryan said after taking a ‘selfie’ with a local viewer.

The pair admitted that while it’s been a fun ride it’s also been an unusual experience watching all the drama surrounding their home’s makeover unfold on national television.

“It’s so crazy! We’ve been sitting at home watching it just laughing. We can’t believe that’s our house,” Candy said.

“It’s amazing to watch all the walls come down and go back up, that’s what we didn’t get to see plus all the drama in the middle of it,” Ryan added.

However, a big time television show filmed at your house does come with one slight annoyance for the couple and their neighbours, with their Emu Plains street becoming an instant tourist attraction for viewers wanting a sticky beak.

“Some ‘lovely’ person put our address

24

EVENT

Thousands scream with fear Plenty of fun as Running Scared event attracts big crowd at Regatta Centre

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

local news

NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

P

enrith was taken over by a wave of zombies and other horror genre creatures last weekend at the first ever Running Scared obstacle race, which was held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.

Close to 3,000 people from all over Sydney and other parts of the country took part in the night time obstacle event which paid homage to the thriller, horror and paranormal genre.

“It was a good couple of nights, everyone seemed to have a really good time and we certainly learnt a lot,” organiser Richard Old said.

“All up 2,868 people took part and we got some really good feedback as well as constructive feedback from people who tackled the course, giving us advice on how we can make it better next year.

“We’re really stoked with the numbers and it shows that it’s a concept that works and that’s attractive to people. We think it will grow.”

And grow it certainly will with preparations already underway to take Running Scared to Melbourne, the Gold Coast as well as bring it back to Penrith for another round next year.

Participants in Running Scared at the Regatta Centre last weekend Mr Old said there’s significant economic benefits as well.

“Running Scared has been a good injection for the Penrith local economy and we now want to grow and build on last weekend and keep it in Penrith long-term,” Mr Old said.

According to Mr Old, the biggest hit over the weekend with the “brave souls” who took part was Australia’s first interactive horror maze, which was created by wellknown Movie World maze designers Chris Grew and Derek Hall.

“It was basically a large structure with

four different themed rooms in it. People were raving about that experience and we did spend a lot of time and resources to make that one special,” Mr Old said.

Also popular among participants were the various water obstacles, slime bath, mud pit and of course, the scary creatures.

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Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

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EVENT

A real showstopper SHANNON COCHRANE

local news

Exhibition provides a sense of discovery in Penrith

@shanc_

W

ith 128 years of entertaining locals, the Hawkesbury Show has become one of the most anticipated events on the calendar.

The show will be running again at the Hawkesbury Showground on the weekend starting Friday, May 9 through until Sunday, May 11 with the show beginning at 8.30am each day.

Last year’s event drew record-breaking crowds but the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association is hoping for an even bigger year in 2014, with new stands and stalls for showgoers to enjoy.

The pavilions will be packed with exhibits that showcase the strengths of the Hawkesbury region’s population, with art and craft displays as well as horticulture, fruit and vegetable sections.

There will also be sporting activities to watch, including horse events, dog agility demonstrations, lawn mower racing, motocross riding and an appearance by the Isuzu D-Max precision driving team.

Kids are catered for as well, with games and rides along with animal displays, the Parade and fireworks.

The Hawkesbury Show is on this weekend 2014 Hawkesbury Showgirl, Kristen Troy, will be attending the show and said she is looking forward to enjoying, “the enormity of our local show that is second only to Sydney Royal Easter Show, which is the largest event in the Southern Hemisphere”.

“It is an absolutely fantastic community event where we can unite to celebrate our district’s vibrant culture, heritage, agriculture and craftsmanship,” she said.

The Hawkesbury Show will be held at Hawkesbury Showground on May 9 to 11. For more information, call 4577 3591 or visit www.hawkesburyshow.com.au.

The Mud Maps exhibition is expected to attract big crowds at the Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest In a time when most of us are directed around by the voice coming out of our GPS, The Mud Maps exhibition at Penrith Regional Gallery is celebrating the sense of discovery involved in the art of mapping.

Throughout history explorers have relied on mapping out the places they discovered to help them to understand more about the world around them.

During the exploration of the Australian outback, travellers

N45430

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

The Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest was established in 1981 at the former home and property of sculptor Gerald Lewers and painter Margo Lewers. Tens of thousands of visitors flock to the Gallery each year

WW8921

would share stories of where they had been and what they had experienced through a map marked on the ground in mud.

Taking inspiration from this historical tradition, the exhibit includes a Community Mud Map that encourages visitors to interact with the artwork.

Guests are invited to place notes on different areas of the map, explaining the significance of that particular spot in their lives through the use of words or drawings.

It might be an experience, a tip or a story about the location in question.

This is designed to give visitors a modernised experience of the historical practice of mud mapping.

Keg de Souza will be presenting an artwork titled ‘Living Under the Stars’, which allows visitors to experience a large scale installation that replicates a starry night, with 300 lights being mapped out to represent the constellations seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

Vanessa Berry’s piece, the ‘Penrith Arcades Project’, is a mapping of the Penrith CBD with photos and narratives explaining the social, geographical and cultural landscape of the area.

The exhibition also includes works by contemporary artists Narelle Jubelin and Guan Wei. Mud Maps will encourage visitors to think more about the places they live, work and play through the art of map making, challenging them to consider questions like ‘why do we map?’ ‘what can we learn from it?’ and ‘how do we make a path through this world?’

The Mud Maps exhibit will be held at Penrith Regional Gallery and The Lewers Bequest in Emu Plains daily until Sunday, May 25 and all local residents are encouraged to attend at some point.

The gallery is open from 9am – 5pm with free entry.

For more information, call 4735 1100 or visit www.penrithregionalgallery.org.

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“NVS would like the community of Penrith to be involved in this cause, therefore would welcome any donations of wool, needles or crocheting hooks,” Ms Vlotman said.

NVS Executive Officer Brigitte Madeiski, opened the club at its first meeting on Tuesday and welcomed the first

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cause of making scarves, one of many initiatives which will follow.

The club kicked off with Marilyn Griffis donating 23 scarves for children.

NVS services are funded by the Departments of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Department of Health and Ageing and Department of Community Services.

The group was started in 1985 when residents recognised a need for volunteers to support the aging.

NVS is located at 106/114-116 Henry Street, Penrith. To find out more, email nvs@pnc.com.au or drop by.

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Nepean Volunteer Services (NVS) plays a broad role in the community as a nonprofit organisation, but is soon to add another feather to their cap – a knitting club.

NVS runs four services including a volunteer referral service that recruits volunteers for various organisations and runs the Nepean Neighbourhood Aid Service, which provides social support to frail aged and people with disabilities.

They also provide free training to services that utilise volunteers and run a Community Visitor Scheme that provides social support to clients using nursing homes and hostels.

However, when Neighbour Aid volunteer Jackie Moore suggested a knitting club, NVS members couldn’t resist the opportunity to help out further.

“At present we will be commencing a monthly knitting group where our volunteers and clients are invited to knit for a cause – the name of the group will be the NVS Knit for Causes club,” said Neighbour Aid coordinator Kim Vlotman.

“This group will assist with social interaction of group participants whilst assisting a cause.

“The first cause we will be assisting is for the homeless, children and elderly who are in need of scarves to keep warm this winter.”

NVS will be the drop off point for not only clients and volunteers of NVS, but for the whole Penrith community. NVS will then send the scarves to services.

29

local news

Members of Nepean Volunteer Services. Photo: Melinda Jane

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ACO Polycrete

business

134-140 Old Bathurst Road, Emu Plains 4747 4000 www.acoaus.com.au

A BUSINE S S OF TH E W E E K

Creating jobs for Penrith ACO Polycrete is a true local success story and continues to invest heavily in improving its production and manufacturing capabilities in the area

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CO Polycrete has created a state of the art steel production facility at Emu Plains, increasing the number of production and logistics employees to 55 and the overall workforce at the site to more than 90.

Since relocating from Northmead to Emu Plains at the end of 2004, ACO has continued to invest heavily in improving or adding to its production and manufacturing capabilities.

The latest development has a particular focus in the area of stainless steel production.

The expansion of its steel production facility at Emu Plains will enhance its abilities to offer a range of niche building drainage products that are installed inside and on the perimeter of a building.

New products include roof and floor drains, stainless steel gullies, balcony drainage, bathroom drainage, industrial stainless steel drainage, hygienic stainless steel drainage systems, stainless steel pipe systems and grease separators.

Last week Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler officially opened the expanded facility.

He said Council was thrilled to welcome ACO to the Penrith Local Government Area 10 years ago and now celebrates the expansion of operations that has created up to eight new jobs.

“At Council we value every opportunity for our residents to find work close to home. Job creation is one of our major concerns and an integral part of our long-term strategic planning,” Cr Fowler said.

10 Reasons to join 6. Learn from our internal expertise across a broad range of projects.

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We have in-house capabilities from Product Management through to Design & Manufacturing. We believe that sharing knowledge means spreading knowledge.

The ACO Academy is our centre of the exchange of ideas and expertise between staff, partners and clients.

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Be part of an international company, present in 40 countries with 3900 employees worldwide and supported with a worldwide network of agents, making ACO products available in every corner of the world. Work locally, close to home.

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BUSINESS TIPS

31 MICHELLE GRICE Founder of Shel Design

Brick builders

Innovation is the key

Last weekend we took our kids to Westfield Penrith to see the Lego Master Builders, who were building giant figures of Darth Vader and Yoda. The really great thing about this event was that kids (and adults!) were able to build the small ‘bricks’ that would become part of the giant structure.

If we were at home and I asked my kids to build plain old boring bricks, I doubt they would have been enthused! But because

they could see that the small black bricks they were making would soon become part of Darth Vader, they were highly motivated. I couldn’t help but see this as a fantastic analogy for managing staff. Each staff member under your employ is essentially a ‘brick builder’.

They are contributing to the bigger picture of your business.

But if they have no concept of what they are working towards, they are unlikely to complete

their work with enthusiasm and productivity is likely to be much lower. You need to show them the big picture and their part in achieving it.

For you as an employer, it is also a good lesson in how essential your staff are to your business. So bring them along on the journey. And in the words of our Lego movie friends: “Everything is awesome.

Everything is cool when you’re part of a team!”

the perfect price, there’s often room for improvement. Here are some points to consider when reviewing your pricing strategy: Covering costs: Make sure you’ve got accurate figures for all the costs involved in making your products as well as overheads like staffing and premises.

Your profit margin: How much would make the sale worthwhile for you? Profit margin is the percentage of the selling price that turns into profit.

Pricing models: For a costplus pricing model, you simply add your profit margin to your costs to arrive at a price. For value-based pricing, which approaches pricing from the customer side, you price your product to reflect its value to your customer, rather than the cost of making it.

Analysing the market: Strike a balance between optimising profit and using your price to position your product in the market better. How much are other businesses charging?

There is a need for both our political leaders and industry to jointly canvass the issue of innovation as the key driver for building our competitive advantage in a global economy.

Countries such as Germany and several Scandinavian states serve as examples and demonstrate how innovation has created the pathways for their international economic ascendancy, ensuring high levels of living standards for their citizens.

The recent debate in Australia regarding the critical stage of our car industry has once again reminded us of the true value of innovation and its links with the living standards we enjoy. As I have discussed before we need to use innovation to become a more productive economy as we are challenged to meet growing competition from Asia in manufacturing and other industries.

When examining the status of the local car industry it is quite natural to make observations about the demise of the industry in Detroit, once regarded as the leader in car manufacturing. Detroit’s failure to respond to change and remain static at a time when the industry was innovating around the globe caused its unprecedented economic decline. It is said that Detroit lost almost a million people since its heyday and has over 75,000 abandoned buildings in the city.

The lessons to learn for our own car and other industries is clear, we need to make innovation a core pillar in our economy.

MICHAEL TODD Small Biz Connect Advisor Penrith Valley BEC

Is the price right?

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32

AUTO

automotive

NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

Toyota Australia is predicting a surge in sales during the next two months after its strong market-leading results in April were boosted by Corolla, RAV4 and LandCruiser Prado.

Corolla was the best-selling vehicle in the country last month, repeating its March result, while RAV4 set a new April record and Prado maintained its strong showing in the Large SUV segment.

These three vehicles were instrumental in Toyota achieving an April total of 14,930 deliveries, which was more than 86 per cent higher than any other brand.

Australian motorists have now bought more than 63,000 Toyota vehicles so far this year while no other brand has managed 36,000 sales.

Toyota’s Executive Director Sales and Marketing Tony Cramb said sales would strengthen in May and June with the industry already on track to record well over one million sales this year, including more than 200,000 from Toyota.

“The next two months are the sales ‘grand final’ for Toyota and the industry with an intense build-up during May leading to the biggest sales month of the year in June,” he said.

In April, Corolla sales outpaced those of all other new vehicles with Toyota dealers selling 3,315 Corolla hatches and sedans.

HiLux also claimed a podium position with 2,574 sales.

Toyota vehicles led nine segments last month.

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Turning a past tragedy into a positive future, a new campaign highlights road safety

automotive

In light of the high incidence of horrific car accident fatalities across the country, the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) group launched their Yellow Ribbon “Drive So Others Survive” National Road Safety Week in Penrith last weekend.

Created by parents Peter and Judy Frazer after the death of their daughter Sarah in a 2012 road accident, SARAH is dedicated to highlighting the need to protect all people using Australian roads, from everyday drivers to emergency service personnel.

The campaign, which aims to encourage Australians to keep others in mind when they are driving, was launched in Penrith at the Museum of Fire on Sunday, May 4.

“The Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development states that the annual economic cost of road crashes in Australia is estimated at $27 billion but as the department itself notes, the economic costs pale into insignificance when compared to the emotional trauma sustained by the family and friends whose loved ones have been killed or seriously injured,” said SARAH president, Peter Frazer.

“It is easy to forget the true impact that road crashes have on our community. We reckon it’s time to recognise that for every person killed on our roads, a community of Australians grieve for the rest of our lives.”

A number of landmarks across the country were lit up in yellow for the week as part of the campaign.

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TRIATHLON

Girl power at Regatta Centre

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Women are the focus at series of triathlon events in Penrith this weekend NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

A

women’s only triathlon will take place at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith this weekend, which focuses on participation not competition.

The third women only Elite Energy triathlon festival, to be held tomorrow on Saturday, May 10, will be a celebration of women taking a personal challenge.

There will be a number of events on offer for women as well as a Miniman event for kids.

The events include the Taster Triathlon (150m swim, 5km ride, 1km run/walk); the Beginners Triathlon (300m swim, 10km ride, 2km run/walk); Sprint (750m swim, 20km ride, 5km run) and the Miniman Kids (swim, bike, run).

It’s estimated 600 competitors will take part in the event and that $196,500 will be pumped into the local economy.

Expo stalls will be set up around the site and an awards presentation is set to be held at 2pm on Saturday.

Local community and charity groups are also set to benefit from the triathlon with Elite Energy helping many local

A series of women’s only triathlon events will be held in Penrith tomorrow charities, sporting clubs and community organisations by providing opportunities for fundraising.

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THE NDBA Pennants are in a very exciting position with two rounds remaining. Unfortunately the weather caused the postponement of the Austral versus Penrith match in Grade 1 last weekend, however it looks like Glenbrook Panthers and Austral will be close to winning that flag.

Austral looks like taking the money in the Grade 2. It may come back to bite me but it looks like Blacktown Workers has Grade 3 sewn up. Springwood and Penrith look like fighting it out in the Grade 4 and the same with Windsor and Blacktown City in the Grade 5.1.

Wisemans Ferry started off with a bang however Blacktown Workers have got within 3.5 points of them in the No 5.2 Grade. Kingswood, Glenbrook Panthers

and Springwood will battle out for the No 6.1 Grade and only .5 of a point separates Blacktown Workers and Richmond in the No 6.2 Grade.

Windsor, Blacktown City and Glenbrook Panthers are contenders for the No 7.1 Grade and Blacktown Workers look like having the No7.2 Grade in the bag.

The Over 65 Pairs with weather permitting will have been finalised on Wednesday with Kevin Merriman and Vic Orchard (Penrith) playing Graham Britton and David Hoy (Windsor). Results next week.

Bowls NSW announced that Ettalong Memorial will host the 2014 and 2015 NSW State Championships Finals. Please note that the schedule of events have changed so check the BowlsNSW web page.

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THE 7TH running of the Laurie Vella Memorial Pace was conducted at Penrith Paceway last Thursday night. A large contingent of the Vella Family and their guests were on hand to celebrate the occasion and present the large array of trophies available for the feature event.

Race one gave a win to Truly Miss Terious ($5.50) driven by Jason Turnbull. Going straight to the lead she held on to win from Better Shape Up and Happyever Laughter.

That’s Fire Power ($4.60) driven byJim Douglas was too good for the favourite Free Will in the second.

Soul Flight ($10.10) returned to racing after a lengthy spell to take out the feature Laurie Vella Memorial. Driver Laurence Dawson drove a well judged race in front to hold off Rojam Cullen who was able to gain

an inside passage in the run to the post.

Don Kee ($9.30) repeated his win of last week and took out the fourth race. Driver Blake Fitzpatrick moved him up to outside the leader early on and dictated the event from then on.

Quincey Brogden ($2.10) started off a driving treble for Gavin Fitzpatrick in winning the fifth race.

Chevalcoldhardcash ($5.80) driven by Nathan Xuereb led from barrier one in the sixth to hold off outsider Ponover.

Gavin Fitzpatrick got his second of the night when favourite Shes Got Issues ($1,40) proved too good in the seventh.

Gavin’s third for the night was Rock Post Scissors ($2.20) in the last. Driven up early to sit outside the leader Rock post Scissors proved to be too strong over the last lap.

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36

RUGBY UNION

Ref admits: I got it wrong sport

Heartbreak for Emus as first win of the Shute Shield season goes begging NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

T

hree measly points is all that separated the Penrith Emus and a Shute Shield victory last Saturday afternoon.

In fact the Emus were so close to a rare win that they were in front heading into the final minute of the game. However a late Parramatta try sealed it for the home side and stole the glory the Emus so desperately deserved.

Penrith coach Sateki Tu’ipulotu admitted Saturday’s loss to their cross-town rivals hurt “big time”.

“The players were leading 34-30 with about a minute to go but the referee blew us out of the park with four or five penalties in a row,” he said.

“The referee said we infringed a couple of times and it was penalty after penalty.

It led Parramatta all the way down to the five metre line and they eventually scored to win the game.”

Penrith’s heartbreak was compounded even further after the referee admitted to coach Tu’ipulotu after the game that he got one of his decisions wrong.

The Penrith Emus narrowly lost to Parramatta last weekend. Photo: Nardia Sly

Are you the next

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“It was at the beginning of the game where there was a rolling ball and we didn’t contest the rolling ball. The referee knew it was a penalty but they scored a try from it,” Tu’ipulotu said.

“He knew about it because he said to me he was ‘very sorry’ but I said his apology was no use to me now the game was done and dusted.”

As his side try to regroup ahead of their must-win clash against the second last Eastern Suburbs at Nepean Rugby Park this Saturday, Tu’ipulotu believes his troops need to develop a killer instinct attitude to finish off games when in front.

“We are getting close but we just have to work on our game and areas that need fine tuning,” he said.

“We can’t take any team for granted whether they come to Penrith or not.

We’ve got to give them that respect and, at the same time, we’ve got to make sure we have that killer instinct.”

The Emus certainly appear to be an improved outfit this year and their first win in two seasons looks to be only a matter of games away.

Penrith do battle with Eastern Suburbs at Nepean Rugby Park this Saturday at 3pm.

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CHALLENGE

37

Burpee challenge

Local man’s unique take on Relay for Life event in Penrith

sport

NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

W

hile more than 1,500 people took part in last weekend’s Relay For Life charity event, one local man was doing something very different.

Instead of running around the Howell Oval track for 24 hours, Werrington resident Pomare Withell set himself the challenge of completing 5,000 burpees in that set time.

However, after coming into the challenge incredibly confident, Mr Withell fell 3,000 burpees short after unexpected cramps in his quad muscles got the better of him.

“I got to the 2,010 burpee mark when the cramps started to set in. It was the first time I’ve cramped in my quads doing burpees,” Mr Withell said.

Burpees are a popular form of full body exercise used in strength training. You begin in a standing position, drop into a push-up and then spring back to your feet and complete a jump to finish just one burpee.

This wasn’t the first time Mr Withell had undertaken a burpee challenge at Relay For Life. Last year he completed 3,000 in just 12 hours.

And while the 33-year-old didn’t personally get to his goal of 5,000 this year, he ended up reaching the mark thanks to some kind locals who wanted to help him out.

“I ended up having heaps of people wanting to do the challenge for me and we got the rest of the 3,000 out,” Mr Withell said.

“People knew the struggle I was going through and how much pain I was in. In the end, complete strangers came up to

Pomare Withell (left) and friend David Stead (right), whose mum is a breast cancer survivor, at Relay for Life last weekend help me.”

Feeding off at what happened at this year’s event, Mr Withell plans to do it all again next year with the help of the public, of course.

“Next year I’m going to do a 50,000

burpee challenge with the public taking part with me,” he said.

Once healed, Mr Withell has also vowed to finish off the 2,990 burpees he still owes, in the true Relay for Life spirit we’ve become accustomed to.

BMX

Nicole does Penrith proud at national event NATHAN TAYLOR

L

@natetaylor87

Nicole Docherty at last year’s BMX National Championships

WW9098

Friday 9 May 2014 the western weekender

eonay BMX talent Nicole Docherty has once again showed off her amazing skills after picking up two national titles at the 2014 Subaru BMX National Championships in Victoria last weekend.

The 19-year-old sensation became the BMX national champion for 17+ women in the 20” class and also the 17-29 women Cruiser class.

NSW Minister for Sport and Penrith MP, Stuart Ayres, said Docherty’s achievement is a credit to her upbringing in the local area.

“I congratulate Nicole on such an outstanding sporting achievement,” he said.

“The proof is in the pudding when it

comes to Penrith breeding champion sportspeople.

“We recently had Penrith local Jessica Fox take out the Canoe Slalom World Championship and now Nicole Docherty from Leonay is the BMX national champion for women 17-29 in the 20” and 24” class.”

Also doing well at last weekend’s event in Shepparton were Penrith BMX riders Sandy Cameron, who finished third in the 20” class for women 40-44, and Cameron Denham, who placed fifth in the Cruiser class for boys 13-14.

Docherty has been a member of the Penrith BMX Association for 16 years, since the tender age of three, and often gives back to the sport through coaching the next wave of young talent.

In 2013, she was named ‘Female Coach of the Year’.

38

BASKETBALL

sport

Make or break game for Panthers this weekend NATHAN TAYLOR

T

@natetaylor87

he Penrith Panthers men’s basketball team have vowed to turn their season around despite a sluggish start that’s seen them with only two wins after five games.

Last week the Panthers were beaten convincingly 95-81 by the competition’s leading team, Norths Bears, after starting the game well off the pace and falling behind 20 points at the first quarter.

“Having to battle back 20 points down in the first was always going to make it tough for us,” Penrith assistant coach, Adam Peterson said.

“We ended up making some adjustments on the run and their lead was as high as 30 at one point. But we didn’t stop chasing and to the boys’ credit we finished the game down just 14.”

With some key personnel missing through injury and illness, Penrith’s game plan fell on the shoulders of two of their younger players in Louis Brandt and Nic Pozoglou. Both players lead the scoring for Penrith last weekend with Brandt shooting 29 points and Pozoglou making 24 including four from beyond

the arc.

“Louis is coming off a season with the Sydney Kings and is in great form while Nic is an extremely talented player for his age,” Peterson said.

“Ideally we’d prefer a larger spread of scoring among our team but we are also good at identifying the mismatches and who has the ‘hot hand’, so we’ll have weeks where two players will score more than others.”

Peterson believes this Saturday’s return to Penrith Sports Stadium to take on the bottom-placed Illawarra Hawks is a statement game in determining where his side is headed this season.

The Hawks are yet to win a game all year but have come awfully close in recent weeks, including a three point loss to Hornsby last week.

“Any team in this league can find form at any time but I still feel we are a top two team in the competition, so all other teams should be aware,” Peterson declared.

“We will be looking to make a statement this weekend and give our home fans something to cheer about.”

The Panthers take on the Hawks this Saturday at Penrith Sports Stadium.

Rookie Nic Pozoglou soars over a Northern Suburbs opponent to launch a jump shot.

Photo: Noel Rowsell (www.photoexcellence.com.au)

AROUND THE GROUNDS BASKETBALL: The Penrith Panthers women’s Waratah Championship League side are continuing to struggle big time this season after they were smashed 90-55 by the Norths Bears last Saturday.

All up three Panthers members tied for most points during the game – Taylah Clark, Rohanee Cox and Rhiannon Pope, each with 11 points to their name.

The Panthers will look to climb back into the top six when they take on the Illawarra Hawks in Penrith on Saturday.

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GRIDIRON: The Penrith City Grizzlies improved on last week’s 64-0 thrashing, going down 64-16 to the league’s best team, Sutherland Seahawks, last Saturday.

Special mention to Merekai Daniel James Bell who had an outstanding game up against one of the competition’s best pass rushers.

This Saturday the Grizzlies will meet the Trojans at Craik Park at 5.30pm.

CRICKET: The annual Penrith Cricket Club Presentation Night will be held at the Ron Mulock Room at Penrith Panthers on Saturday, June 7 at 6.30pm.

Cost is $60 per head and dress code is neat casual. RSVPs need to be in by June 3.

For more information and payment methods visit www.penrithcricketclub.com. au.

AFL: It seems miracles do happen after the

Penrith Rams finally won a game this season defeating the Holroyd Parramatta Goannas 79-62.

After a season better left forgotten, Penrith were down 40-0 to the Goannas after the first quarter. However, a sensational second quarter resurgence saw the Rams behind by just five at half time. The second half was all Penrith who then raced away with the game 17-point winners.

Shane Williams and Ben Rogers both topscored for the Rams with four goals each.

This Saturday Penrith will play Southern Power at Greygums Oval at 2.30pm.

Meanwhile, the Penrith Ramettes ladies are continuing with their winning ways smashing the Moorebank Magpies 79-15.

RUGBY LEAGUE: The preliminary finals of the junior rugby league representative finals took place last weekend with both the Penrith Panthers SG Ball and Harold Matthews sides advancing through to this Saturday’s grand final at Leichhardt Oval.

In the SG Ball grand final, the Panthers will play the Roosters after they defeated the Parramatta Eels 24-8 last weekend.

In the Harold Matthews grand final, the Panthers will play the Knights after they defeated South Sydney 16-8 last weekend.

If you would like your sporting results, club event or anything sports related mentioned in ‘Around the Grounds’ next week please email nathan.taylor@westernweekender. com.au or call 4722 2998.

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eartbreak. The only word to describe the outcome for Western Sydney Wanderers fans after last Sunday’s shocking A-League Grand Final loss to the Brisbane Roar in extra time.

The Wanderers had both the game and the A-League trophy seemingly all sewn up with just five minutes remaining in the game.

But that was before Brisbane’s smiling assassin, Besart Berisha, dealt a devastating blow to equalise and send the game into overtime.

With 30 extra minutes on the clock to decide the game, the Wanderers, minus Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Shinji Ono, were out on their feet with Brisbane roaring home in front of a sell-out crowd of 51,000.

After a poor lapse of judgment in defence, a goal in the second half of extra time to popular Brazilian sub Henrique saw the home side seal a record third A-League championship.

Speaking after the game, Wanderers coach Tony Popovic said Sunday’s 2-1 defeat hurt more than his side’s loss to the Central Coast in the 2013 decider.

“I feel worse this year, personally, because I

felt last year we just weren’t good enough so you accept you weren’t good enough on the day but I thought this year we were,” he said.

“To put up such a great performance and come up short, it certainly hurts more than last year.”

While his players were obviously hurting in the dressing sheds post-game, Popovic admitted he also felt very sorry for the 10,000-plus Wanderers supporters that made the trek from Sydney up north for the clash.

“It was disappointing they go home unhappy again but they’re like the club and we’ll bounce back straight away. We’ll look forward to bigger and better things,” he said.

“Their support is just phenomenal. They are a credit to the A-League. I’m sure they are disappointed but proud of their players.”

The A-League would be thrilled with not only the crowd for the Grand Final on Sunday, but impressive television figures on both Fox Sports and SBS. The Wanderers were forced to bounce back quicker than expected with a Monday afternoon flight to Japan booked to take on reigning J-League champions Hiroshima in the Asian Champions League ‘Round of 16’ which took place on Wednesday.

Tony Popovic

WW9069