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NOVEMBER 22 2013 ISSUE 1130
PROUDLY INDEPENDENT CIRCULATION: 59,069
THE HEARTBEAT OF PENRITH
Liberal showdown Exclusive: Cornish to take on Ayres in preselection
P
CASSANDRA O CONNOR
enrith Councillor Marcus Cornish has dropped a bombshell by announcing he wants to take on sitting Penrith MP Stuart Ayres in a preselection showdown ahead of the next state election. Mr Ayres secured 66 per cent of the vote in the 2011 state election for Penrith, following on from a landslide win at the 2010 by-election. But Cr Cornish has told the Weekender that he wants to and is prepared to make the move to State politics and believes he would be the best representative for the Liberal Party in Penrith. Cr Cornish was elected in 2012 to Council in North Ward as an independent with 16 per cent of the vote, after the Liberal Party controversially decided not to endorse candidates in the election. “I feel I can better represent the needs and aspirations of the people of Penrith,” Cr Cornish told the Weekender. “My key priorities are the roads in Penrith, and whilst I have been actively advocating for better roads at Council, there are many State Government roads that impact on our area.” He said, speaking as an independent Councillor, that the M4 is in desperate need of an upgrade to alleviate traffic congestion. “There needs to be two more lanes on the M4 between Parramatta and Penrith, and we need to see more action taken to address the safety concerns of the on and off-ramps on the M4,” Cr Cornish said. Cr Cornish added that he will also take a strong stand against the existing plans for the Nepean River Green Bridge, which is the key infrastructure project Mr Ayres promised to deliver if elected in 2011. “I feel we need a better crossing at Russell Street to divert traffic around the Penrith CBD,” he said. “I am totally opposed to the current Green Bridge proposal as it stands; we should be looking at having the walkway attached to the bridge instead.” He also says he would support tougher reforms of the legal system because current community expectations about sentencing are not being met. Whilst Cr Cornish is set to take on Mr Ayres in the preselection room, it would seem unlikely the sitting MP would be shifted.
MURDER CHARGE Two people have been charged over the alleged murder of Noleen Hayson Pal, who was found stabbed and alight in a Werrington unit block earlier this year. A 34-year-old woman, Amirah Droudis, was charged with murder last week. A 49-year-old man, Man Haron Monis, has been charged with being an accessory before and after the fact for his part in the murder.
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FIONA ARRIVES Lindsay MP’s first week in Canberra PAGE 21
BIG FUTURE Panthers plan for better times ahead PAGE 76
Marcus Cornish has declared he wants to replace Stuart Ayres (inset) as Member for Penrith.
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