Blacktown News - July 2022

ISSUE 16 | JULY 2022

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TRUSTED LOCAL NEWS

WWW.GREATERBLACKTOWNNEWS.COM.AU

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NO WAY

Blacktown residents defiant over plan for new incinerator

Managing DIABETES Western Sydney is a diabetes hotspot with rates far higher than the NSW average. See our new health section for tips and risk factor analysis: 18

FUTURE SUPERMARKET Minister Chris Bowen described the proposed incinerator as “ridiculous and idiotic”.

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LACKTOWN region has sent a resounding and defiant NO WAY! to the State Government over plans to dump a massive incinerator in the heart of our district.

And if the recent ‘Say No to Eastern Creek Incinerator’ Rally at Minchinbury is any indication, the State Government has a major war on its hands; a war it come never win. The Rally sent a strong

‘No Incinerator’ message to Macquarie St over the construction of any largescale incinerators at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney. At the invitation of Mayor Tony Bleasdale, a large group of residents gathered at Minchinbury Oval to hear from a range of speakers including Federal MP and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen. More page 6.

WESTLINK M7 BLACKTOWN RUNNING FESTIVAL

SUNDAY 31 JULY 2022 Blacktown International Sportspark - AFL/Cricket Precinct

$20,000 in prize money full, half and kids marathon 10km, 5km and 2km fun runs Register at blacktown.nsw.gov.au/runningfestival

Over the last two years retailers have had to operate at start up speed, rolling out new services to engage customers: 15

WEXPO RAMPS UP Westpac chief economist, Besa Deda has joined Olympian Melissa Paige Wu has as a keynote speaker at this year’s WEXPO: 3

Blacktown City blacktown.nsw.gov.au

$

Blacktown

Snapshot

403,000

4%

27,247

average economic growth

registered businesses

$21.67 billion economy

population

153,193 local jobs

2023 APPRENTICE AND TRAINEE INTAKE Council is looking for enthusiastic, motivated individuals to join our teams and undertake an apprenticeship or business administration traineeship throughout the organisation.

You could be part of a diverse, inclusive workplace which values team culture, safety, customer service and innovation while gaining a nationally recognised qualification.

For the 2023 intake, we will be offering positions in the following areas: •

9 x business administration in various sections of Council

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2 x gardening

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2 x heavy vehicle plant mechanic

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2 x plumbing

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2 x greenkeeping

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1 x painting.

You will need to provide a resume and written references. Our selection process will also require the completion of an aptitude test and preemployment medical examination, including alcohol and other drug testing.

Applications close Friday 15 July 2022.

For more information, or to apply, visit blacktown.nsw.gov.au.

SAY NO

NO

TO EASTERN CREEK INCINERATOR! You can add your voice too.

Westlink M7 Blacktown Running Festival registrations now open

Simply ask:

Blacktown’s own marathon is back!

Minister for Environment and Minister for Planning to please gazette the regulations that will stop the Next Generation Energy from Waste incinerator being built, for once and for all.

Entries are now open for the Westlink M7 Blacktown Running Festival to be held on Sunday 31 July at the Blacktown International Sports Park AFL/Cricket precinct.

There is a race for everyone from professional athletes to families, and kids just having a go!

There is prize money for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for all races which include marathon, half marathon, 10 km run, 5 km run and kids marathon.

Scan here to message the Minister for Environment and Heritage

Scan here to message the Minister for Planning and Homes

The Westlink M7 Blacktown Running Festival for 2022 is a day you don’t want to miss!

Online registrations will close at 5 pm on Saturday 30 July.

To find out more, or to register, visit blacktown.nsw.gov.au/ runningfestival

Blacktown City Council acknowledges the Darug people as the traditional owners of the land on which Blacktown City was built.

Email us: council@blacktown.nsw.gov.au

Call us: 9839 6000

Visit us: 62 Flushcombe Road, Blacktown

Mail us: PO Box 63, Blacktown 2148

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

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Westpac chief economist at Wexpo ESTPAC chief economist, Besa Deda had joined Olympian Melissa Paige Wu has as a keynote speaker at this year’s WEXPO 2022 event at Blacktown Workers Club.

WEXPO 2022 will be held at Blacktown Workers Club on October 24. This expo-style event will showcase local businesses with more than 100 stalls and 18 specialty workshops on subjects

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including property, health, networking, marketing, social media, culture, personal development, professional development and more.

Besa Deda is the event’s lunch speaker and Melissa is the breakfast speaker.

Besa has been the Chief Economist of St George Bank since 2008 and since 2009, she is also the Chief Economist of several large businesses within the Westpac Group.

Melissa is an Australian diver and silver medal winner at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Summer Olympics. She is an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder and recently competed on SAS Australia.

WEXPO 2022 will also feature two unique round table sessions moderated

by Dr Jim Taggart OAM, where up to

Besa Deda.

100 hand-picked guests will experience presentations about health and infrastructure.

The guests will then submit their feedback to the presentations which will be formulated into formal summary documents by Australian Catholic University

Blacktown.

Charity partner for the event is the Better Foundation. The Blacktown News and Western Sydney Business Access (WSBA) are the official media partners.

Event Patron, Stephen Bali MP, said he is heartened by the support that WEXPO is gathering among the businesses of Blacktown and surrounds.

Event partner and gold sponsor Blacktown Workers Club has allocated the Diamond Room for stall holders plus three separate function rooms for workshops and seminars Event sponsors include: Blacktown Workers Club, Syd West Multi Cultural Services, QFirst Property Investment Group and ACU. Ticket and stall enquiries visit www.wexpo.com.au

Blacktown City home to one in 65 Aussies ATIONAL census data has confirmed that Blacktown City is the largest, and one of the most diverse and fastest-growing council areas in New South Wales.

The newly released figures, obtained in the August 2021 Census, reveal that Blacktown City’s population has grown by almost 60,000 residents, from 336,962 in 2016 to 396,776 in 2021, with Department of Infrastructure and Planning estimating

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that figure to now be more than 403,000.

This means about 1 in 65 Australians now call Blacktown City home, an increase from 1 in 70 in the 2016 Census, making Blacktown City the largest Local Government Area in New South Wales by population.

Interestingly, Blacktown City’s population growth in this five-year-period surpasses the entire size of some Sydney councils.

The average number of private dwellings has also surged from 110,800 to 133,887 in five years, up 30 per cent, with the number of families exploding from 85,519 to 104,171.

The latest data also paints a picture of Blacktown City’s culturally and ethnically diverse communities, with residents from India comprising the top country of birth after Australia.

While just over 50 per cent of Blacktown City’s population identified as being born in Australia, almost 12 per cent were born in India (47,090 people) and 6.4 per cent were born in the Philippines (25,292 people).

The top languages spoken at home in Blacktown City, other than English, included Punjabi, Hindi and Tagalog, with these languages representing almost 53,000 speakers.

Oran Park is rapidly becoming the best place to live, work and play in South West Sydney, and your business has an opportunity to meet to the needs of the fastest-growing region in NSW.

Commercial leasing at the heart of Oran Park

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Suites and whole floor opportunities available

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Over 250 secure underground car spaces

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Naming rights currently available

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Construction due for completion in 2023

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15 mins to Campbelltown, 45 min to Parramatta & 60 mins to Sydney CBD

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Under 20 minutes from the new Western Sydney Airport (completion 2026)

Acquire early market share and invest in your business’ future by becoming a part of Oran Park.

commercial@greenfields.net.au 02 9043 7500 commercial.oranparktown.com.au

Work at the Park

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www.greaterblacktownnews.com.au www.facebook.com/theblacktownnews www.instagram.com/communitybroadcastnetwork/

ISSUE 16 | JULY 2022 How to get The News The Blacktown News is available at strategic locations throughout Blacktown LGA. To find a location near you visit our website.

Digital edition Each edition of The Blacktown News can be viewed and downloaded in

BLACKTOWN'S TRUSTED

Editorial dallas@accessnews.com.au

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ISSUE 16 | JULY 2022

TRUSTED LOCAL NEWS

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WWW.GREATERBL ACKTOWNNE

WS.COM.AU

NO WAY Managing DIABETE

Western Sydney is hotspot with rates a diabetes far than the NSW averag higher our new health sectioe. See and risk factor analys n for tips is: 18

Minister Chris Bowen

described the proposed

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incinerator as “ridiculou s and

LACK TOWN regio n has sent a resounding and defiant NO WAY! to the State Government over plans to dump a massive incinerator in the heart of our distri ct.

And if the recen t ‘Say No to Easte rn Creek Incinerator’ Rally at Minchinbur is any indication, y the State Gover nment has a major war on its hands; a war it come never win.

The Rally sent a strong

idiotic”.

‘No Incinerator’ message to Macq uarie St over the const ruction of any large scale incinerators at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney.

At the invitation of Mayo r Tony Bleas dale, a large group of residents gathe red at Minchinbur y Oval to hear from a range of speak ers including Feder al MP and Minis ter for Climate Chang e and Energy, Chris Bowe n. More page 6.

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FUTURE SUPERM ARKET

Over the last two years retailers have had to operat e speed, rolling out at start up new services to engage custom ers: 15

WEXPO RAMPS

UP

Westpac chief econo Besa Deda has joinedmist, Olympian Meliss a Paige Wu has as a keynote speaker at this year’s WEXP O: 3

WESTLIN

BLACKTOWN RUN K M7 NING FESTIVAL

Read the digital edition 24/7 at our website .

www.issuu/communitybroadcastnetwork

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Blacktown re ents defiant over plan for sid new incinerator

LOCAL MEDIA VOICE

digitalf ormat at our ISSUU platform:

Contacts

Editor's PickS

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

SUNDAY 31 JULY

2022

Blacktown Intern ational Sportspark - AFL/Cricket Precin ct

$20,000 in prize mon full, half and kids marathon 10km, 5km and 2km fun runs

ey

Register at blackt own.n

sw.gov.au/runningf estiva

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Admin and General info@greaterblacktownnews.com.au Editor Michael Walls michael@accessnews.com.au

Newsroom News Editor Dallas Sherringham dallas@accessnews.com.au

NEW AQUATIC CENTRES

PAY RISE FAST TRACKED

SYLVIA UNITES MIND, BODY

These are just some of the projects Blacktown City Council is hoping to fund from the WestInvest grant program.

Blacktown Workers Club Group will fast-track the Fair Work Commission’sminimum wage increase to July 4, 2022

Ftness trainer Sylvia Iskandar is undertaking a university degree to help locals flex their mental and physical muscle.

Advertising sales Julie Jackson julie@accessnews.com.au

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Administration Rebecca Swaleh rebecca@accessnews.com.au

Design and production Design2Pro, Words and Pixels.

Platinum Media Partner The Blacktown News is platinum media partner for the Greater Blacktown

BE KINDER DAY INSPIRING

MY COVID EXPERIENCE

SUBARU ORDERED

In a world where young people are subject to bullying and mental health issues but if we maybe b kinder it wouldn't be as prevalent.

It all came as something of a shock to test positive after week of excruciating pain which stopped me from typing stories.

Subaru Australia has secured stock of the 2023 Forester, which can be ordered for delivery during the fourth quarter of 2022.

Business Chamber

SECTIONS Support Partner The Blacktown News is the official media partner of Blacktown FC.

News.............................................. 3 Stephen Bali .................................. 7 Blacktown Workers ........................ 8 Hospitality .................................... 15 Michelle Rowland ........................ 16

Magazine ..................................... 17 Health .......................................... 18 Games ......................................... 20 Travel ........................................... 22 Fitness ......................................... 23

Property ....................................... 24 Auto ............................................. 25 Films ............................................ 26 Mental Health .............................. 27 Sport ............................................ 30

WEXPO coming soon to Blacktown Workers Club

www.wexpo.com.au | Stall enquires: info@wexpo.com.au

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

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BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL’S $650M PLANS

16 projects submitted for funding $200M aquatic, cultural, community and library complex in Riverstone, a $95M basketball and volleyball hub in Rooty Hill, a $30M regional netball and multi-sports centre at Schofields.

These are just some of the projects Blacktown City Council is hoping to fund from the WestInvest grant program.

Blacktown City Council has been allocated $34.548M as part of the $400M WestInvest allocation directly to 15 Western Sydney Councils. Council has now submitted designs and costings for approval for 16 projects to be covered by this funding.

Blacktown City Council is seeking a further $647M for 12 major infrastructure projects for consideration under WestInvest’s $1.6B community grants program.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale

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Artist impressions of the Riverstone and Mt Druitt Aquatic centres.

OAM said that WestInvest will fund and deliver transformation projects that will enhance communities and create jobs throughout Western Sydney.

“Blacktown City is the biggest council area by population in NSW - and the fastest growing. We have the greatest community infrastructure needs due to the massive residential development in suburbs such as Marsden Park, Schofields and Riverstone, and the economic and social disadvantage in some areas of our City.

Blacktown City, along with other rapidly growing cities in Western Sydney, is badly in need of funding support for community infrastructure.

“Our Council is now involved in a competitive bidding process for funding the 12 major projects with the 14 other Western Sydney councils.

“Our Council’s 12 major projects have been identified after extensive community consultation, and I sincerely hope that the process for selecting the projects to be funded will be transparent and free from the political favouritism that has been so widely criticised in the past,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

Among the projects Council has prioritised for funding from its direct allocation is a $27M transformation of the Mount Druitt Town Centre.

Council is seeking $1.3M from its

WestInvest allocation for the construction of a splash pad and heating of the outdoor pool at the Charlie Lowles Leisure Centre in Emerton.

Ashley Brown Reserve in Lalor Park is set to be refurbished, with a new playground, paths and improved seating and access, while Rosenthal Park in Doonside will be allocated $1M for improvements including multi-purpose court areas, picnic areas, seating, tree planting and new pathways.

Heading Council’s list of the 12 major infrastructure projects for consideration under WestInvest’s $1.6B community grants program is the proposed construction of a $232M community resource hub and aquatic facility at Riverstone.

The proposal includes a state-of-theart library, aquatic centre, indoor recreation facility, cultural and performance space, community hall, family areas and a cafe.

A $95M NSW Basketball and Volleyball Hub at May Cowper Reserve, Rooty Hill is also up for funding consideration.

This regional sports hub will include 12 indoor courts, including a show court with seating for 3,000 people.

Council will provide an update on the projects over the coming months.

A full list of the 16 projects submitted for WestInvest funding is available at www. greaterblacktownnews.com.au.

CoveR StorY

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

WE SAY NO TO INCINERATOR PLAN

State Government on notice  DALLAS SHERINGHAM LACKTOWN region has sent a resounding and defiant NO WAY! to the State Government over plans to dump a massive incinerator in the heart of our district And if the recent ‘Say No to Eastern Creek Incinerator’ Rally at Minchinbury is any indication, the State Government has a major war on its hands; a war it come never win.

The Rally sent a strong ‘No Incinerator’ message to Macquarie St over the construction of any large-scale incinerators at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney.

At the invitation of Mayor Tony Bleasdale, a large group of local residents gathered at Minchinbury Oval to hear from a range of speakers including Federal MP and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Hon Chris Bowen.

Speakers at the rally also included Mayor Bleasdale, the Member for Blacktown Stephen Bali, the Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla and representatives from the Greens and the ‘No Incinerators for Western Sydney’ residents’ group.

“We had a range of speakers with a range of views but they were all united in their opposition to building any large-scale incinerators at Eastern Creek.” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“Council has been fighting against these incinerators for nearly eight years. In 2018 plans for an energy from waste incinerator at Eastern Creek were thrown out by the NSW

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Mayor Bleasdale addressing Sunday’s Rally.

MP Stephen Bali says “No”.

Planning Department and the Land and Environment Court.

“In March 2019, then Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on radio that an incinerator would never be built at Eastern Creek and then late year, the NSW Government announced its Energy from Waste Infrastructure policy that clearly ruled out any new energy from waste incinerators being built in proximity of residential areas in Sydney “But now, Next Generation is asking the Land and Environment Court to consider an amended development application for a proposed Incinerator at Eastern Creek.

“I can’t explain why, but the NSW Government has simply failed to put its policy announcement into action. Simple regulations would put an end to building these incin-

erators in the Sydney basin – that’s why we organised the rally to tell the Government to bring in the regulations immediately,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

It’s a ridiculous proposal Mr Bowen described the proposed incinerator as; “This ridiculous, stupid, idiotic proposal.”

“This community doesn’t deserve to have an incinerator planted right in the middle of us. It’s not hard, both sides of politics support the ban, they can just do it by regulation.

‘They said they’d do it in a press release, but a press release doesn’t stop an incinerator,” Mr Bowen said.

MP for Blacktown Stephen Bali said: “No one in NSW Government is taking responsi-

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bility to enforce the announced Government policy.

“The Treasurer Matt Kean, Environment Minister James Griffin and Planning Minister Anthony Roberts all want to take credit for the policy but the people of Blacktown, through Council, are today before the courts fitting this proposal.”

“Fix the laws and regulations so as to end the nightmare for the local residents.”

“This toxic incinerator must be stopped to protect the lives of local residents and no one wants to hear excuses from the Government – we all want action now.”

Kim Wright from ‘No Incinerators for Western Sydney’ told the meeting; “The ACT has banned incineration, if it’s not OK for the ACT, it’s not OK for the rest of us.

“Let’s be clear about one thing. Our elected politicians (NSW Government) have the ability to stop this, but they don’t.”

Both local Members of NSW Parliament, Edmond Atalla and Stephen Bali said their number one priority was to see the Government bring in the regulations immediately that would prevent any incinerators being built in Western Sydney.

Mayor Bleasdale told the rally; “The people of Western Sydney need a ‘full stop’ on these incinerators. NSW, Matt Kean, you announced the policy, now it’s up to your government to give it teeth, bring in the regulations!”

We approached the State Government and Mr Kean for a response.

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No established High School upgrades

Blacktown Hospital final construction stage $4M

No established Public School upgrades

Social Housing $31M

Western Sydney Parklands generate $55m profit and only $3m returned to Blacktown City

No TAFE facility upgrades

Quakers Hill Sewerage Treatment $18M

No upgrades or new sporting facilities

Western Sydney Parklands $3M Waste Facility Eastern Creek $2M Prospect Highway Upgrade $74M Richmond Rd Planning $13M Schools in Londonderry $25M

No upgrades to major intersections or roads No funding for women’s refuges or mental health

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Record number of patients waiting longer than recommended for elective surgery

Counselling service wait times now almost 4 months

No rail corridor identified to link Marsden Park to St. Marys

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Longer hospital emergency waiting times

Longer ambulance wait times

No upgrade to Blacktown Police Station

Land tax for first home buyers means a life time tax on property

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Families will pay for mismanagement worst cost of living crisis in recent history under the NSW Liberals.

By 2025-26, the NSW Liberals will saddle every single person in NSW with over $21,500 each of debt, and interest repayments of over $700 every year, per person.

Western Sydney families will have to pay for their reckless mismanagement of the economy.

Emergency wait times are the worst they have ever been. Paramedics are stretched and nurses are overworked.

There is a health crisis at Blacktown Hospital. Staffing and resources at Blacktown Hospital have not kept up with population growth in Western Sydney. The NSW Budget allocates nothing towards Blacktown Hospital.

 HUGH McDERMOTT HE NSW Government released its Budget for 2022. Inside the Budget we see minimal funding allocated toward easing the significant cost of living pressures on families.

The Perrottet Government has once again revealed where its priorities are, and these priorities DO NOT lie in helping the families in Blacktown.

After 12 years of this government, we are heading towards $182.2B in gross debt, the largest debt figure in NSW history. Our AAA credit rating is shredded, and interest repayments will grow at 24% a year, every single year.

The one thing on the minds of the people of NSW right now is that the price of everything is going up, we are in the

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Schools in the Electorate of Prospect have fallen behind other areas of Sydney.

Thousands of children are crammed in demountables, while schools in Sydney’s North and East take precedence.

The NSW Government have only pledged recurrent funding for one School in the Electorate of Prospect. All other schools have received zero additional funding. There is no additional funding for school infrastructure, no additional classrooms, and no new teacher positions.

Dr Hugh McDermott.

Dr Hugh McDermott is State Member for Prospect.

Investors urged to avoid Vineyard to avoid in the current volatile market.

They warned property investors to steer clear of certain house and unit markets around Australia. The worst suburbs to invest in were in Victoria.

The quarterly ‘Suburb Help Where Not to Invest Report’ identified the top 20 house markets and the top 20-unit markets that investors should avoid right now.

The research began by considering every suburb in Australia, before filtering many of them:

 DALLAS SHERRINGHAM INEYARD has been included in a list of the suburbs investors should avoid buying properties in this year.

The median selling price in May 2022 was a hefty $1.92M. The average annual price growth during the past 10 years was 13.8%.

Property data experts Suburb help revealed the top 20 locations for investors

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• To make sure every suburb had a legitimate property market, suburbs were excluded if they had fewer than 20 properties listed for sale.

• To make sure every suburb had a soft property market, suburbs were excluded if their days on market was less than 40 days, their inventory level was less than six months and their inventory level had increased by less than three months during the past year.

The result was a list of Australian suburbs that had legitimate – and soft – property markets. To establish a top 20 ranking, suburbs were then ranked based on total listings from highest to lowest.

The 20 house markets investors should avoid are spread around Western Australia (10), the Northern Territory (6), Victoria (3) and NSW (1).

The 20 worst unit markets are in NSW (11), Western Australia (6), Victoria (2) and the Northern Territory (1).

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Woodcroft Plaza, 3 Woodcroft Drive, Woodcroft NSW 2767 1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new Optus and Vodafone equipment and associated works as follows (including 5G): r Removal of six (6) existing panel antennas from existing building rooftop r Installation of six (6) new panel antennas (no more than 2.8m in height) on existing mounts on the exisitng building rooftop r Installation of nine (9) new 5G antennas (no more than 0.81m in height) on new and existing mounts on the existing building rooftop r Installation of six (6) new Remote Radio Units r Installation of one (1) new Optus GPS antenna, installation of one (1) new Vodafone GPS antenna r Reconfiguration of existing and installation of new ancillary equipment that may include replace RRUs with new RRUs, GPS antennas, cabling, and other items necessary for the safety and ongoing operation of the facility r Reconfiguration and installation of equipment within the existing equipment shelter Further information on this site can be found on the RFNSA website at www.rfnsa.com.au/2767002 2. Optus & Vodafone regards the proposed installation as a Low-impact Facility under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (“The Determination”) based on the description above.

2. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to: William McQuade – BMM Group Pty Ltd, by phone at 1300 260 834, email at submissions@bmmgroup.com.au, or by mail to BMM Group Pty Ltd – PO Box 430, Toowong QLD 4066 by 25 July 2022

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

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Workers fast tracks pay rise Blacktown Workers Club Group will fast-track the Fair Work Commission’s minimum wage increase to July 4, 2022.

This increase will be three months earlier than the original date of 1 October. In early June, the Fair Work Commission increased the National Minimum Wage by 5.2 per cent following its Annual Wage Review.

Says Morgan Stewart, Group CEO, “We want to recognise the amazing

contribution and hard work of the team here – fast-tracking the minimum wage increase is one way we can show our appreciation. 1 year on from the 2021 Covid shutdown our people remain our strength.”

“With significant growth plans, we want to attract and retain great team members who share our values and commitment to providing great service to our customers and local community.”

CEO Morgan Stewart with Shelley Fletcher People & Culture – Executive Manager.

Arron’s memory lives on

A portrait of Army reserve soldier Aaron Vidal.

MINISTER for Transport and Veterans David Elliott joined in a touching tribute to late Army Reserve soldier Aaron Vidal at Blacktown recently.

In a special evening, Mr Elliott joined Police and members of the 2/17 Royal New South Wales Regiment for the annual “Vidal Workout Challenge”.

Aaron Vidal was a young soldier who transferred to the Army Reserve so he could follow his father into the NSW Police Force.

He was tragically killed in 2020 but in his memory his

Army mates host a fitness challenge against his Police mates each year.

“It’s a fitting and appropriate commemoration of a great young bloke,” Mr Elliott said.

“Naturally, the Army won, but as someone who has served both organisations I’m simply going to say ‘sport was the winner’ overall.

“And a big congratulations to Aaron’s dad, David Vidal, for giving our nation such a wonderful example for Aaron and other young people to follow,” Mr Elliott said.

David meet David – Minister Elliott with David Vidal.

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Sylvia unites mind, body fitness  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM LACKTOWN fitness trainer Sylvia Iskandar is undertaking a university degree to help Western Sydney locals flex their mental and physical muscles Sylvia, who lives at Guildford, runs 12RND Blacktown while also studying for a psychology degree at the Swinburn Online.

She plans to graduate from the Uni mid next year. Swinburn is a well-respected tertiary institution for Psychology.

It is a full workload for the devoted health and wellness worker. Sylvia chose to pursue psychology when she realised, through her work as a personal trainer that too many people get the balance between physical and mental health the wrong way round.

“One absolutely determines the other,” Sylvia said.

As Sylvia personally trains her clients, alongside running the successful boxing fitness franchise, she said she was surprised by how many people were willing to work on their physical health but ignored their mental wellbeing.

Studying a Degree in Psychological Science, Sylvia is not looking to practice as a Psychologist, but rather to use her new knowledge to make her an even more effective trainer and help her clients achieve even stronger results.

Sylvia opened her franchise business in October last year and despite the challenges of lockdowns I has been a great move for her.

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Online study works perfectly for Sylvia and means she can pursue her goal of gaining valuable knowledge while running her own business.

And Sylvia wants to encourage other Greater Western Sydney residents to pursue further studies.

“After time spent in lockdown, now is the time to really chase your goals.”

The 12RND Fitness training methodology was inspired by co-founder and four time world champion boxer, Danny Green, who uses a combination of boxing skills and drills, high impact, explosive training and functional strength to stay at his peak.

Similar to most athletes, the goal is to maintain a strong standard of health and fitness and preserve physical and mental health long-term. This same principle is at the core of 12RND Fitness and what coaches share with their members.

Since the business opened their first club in Australia in 2016, they now have more than 80 clubs and over 15,000 members around the world.

Sylvia BIskandar.

Motorists urged to download fuel app OTORISTS are being reminded to download the NSW Government’s popular FuelCheck app and find the cheapest fuel at the bowser, with new figures revealing there have been two million downloads. Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said using the

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

13

PREVENTING SUICIDE IN YOUNG PEOPLE

B Kinder day an inspiration  PAMELA RONTZIOKOS N a world where young people are bombarded with social media and technology, bullying and mental health issues spike, but if we maybe ‘b kinder’ it wouldn’t be as prevalent.

B Kinder day, held annually on June 22 honours the legacy of 12-year-old Billie Kinder who tragically passed in an equestrian accident in 2016.

It is a play on words – b representing Billie and kinder representing her last name but more importantly, the unwavering kindness she radiated.

This year, schools around Australia and across the world participated in b kinder activities, such as writing greeting cards with kind messages and creating a friendship wall with personal notes.

Catherine Magazzie, Childcare Area Manager of Papilio Early Learning Schofields said it was inspiring to see the pre-schoolers engage with the b kinder activities. “To see children happy, laughing and feeling a sense of well-being was priceless,” she said.

Between 2018-2019, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported people aged 12-24 were 28% of patients in community mental health care services despite only making up 12% of the population.

“Technology and social media mean that children today have access to content

I

Billie Kinder.

Inspiration is a key theme of B Kinder.

Catherine Magazzu.

they didn’t use to see,” CEO and co-founder of flyhighbillie, Danny Mayson-Kindson told The Blacktown News.

She said: “Children are inundated with topics and products on how to look and behave in order to fit in with their peers. This is leading to anxiety, depression, bullying, suicide, self-harm, and other mental health issues.”

These statistics reflect the deep mental struggle many children and young people endure, and a key reason why the flyhighbillie charity was established.

Flyhighbillie aims to empower children to make a difference through kindness, by building a strong foundation in early

primary years to prevent suffering in the future.

The b kinder initiative, goes beyond one day, offering various kindness activities on their website and provide a K-6 PDHPE curriculum for educational institutions to implement kindness in their everyday learning time.

The 2019 flyhighbillie social impact report stated children who completed the b kinder workbooks, felt a 30% reduction in feeling angry, children also felt a 14% increase in resilience coping and adaptability.

Danny Mayson-Kindson, mother of Billie Kinder, says as humans, our brain has a part called the “cooperative centre”.

This cooperative centre “allows us to collaborate and be kind to other [and] if we use it often enough, it grows. If we don’t use it, it can shrink away”.

“If kindness becomes a habit when children are young, this will strengthen the Cooperative Centre and they will learn to become more empathetic, compassionate children that are more likely to understand how others might be feeling and less likely to bully each other,” she said.

More information on the flyhighbillie charity and access to b kinder activities can be found on: https://flyhighbillie.org/

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Stephen Bali MP

BUDGET FAILS TO RECOGNISE GROWTH

Govt is playing catch-up  STEPHEN BALI HILST Blacktown City is growing at a rate of Mudgee (10,000 residents) per year, the NSW Government is playing catch up as it finally announces the construction of new high schools and public schools in the population growth corridors.

Unfortunately, there are no upgrades for schools in the established areas across Blacktown City. Most schools are celebrating their 60th anniversaries and

W

have received nothing.

The old classrooms are not fit for purpose in developing the students for the future. Classrooms lack appropriate technology, air purifiers, air conditioning or most schools have substandard toilets or administration areas making it difficult for our local students to have a chance to excel when compared to students of the affluent northern suburbs of Sydney.

The budget fails the new population growth areas as new schools do not have enough permanent classrooms on

opening the State Infrastructure budget is being spent in Blacktown.

Blacktown City is subsidising the State and furthermore, Government policy has determined Blacktown to be one of the fastest population growth centres in Australia. Blacktown City is not getting its fair share.

Imagine what could be done in Blacktown City over the next four years if we received our fair share of $5.6 billion from

MP Stephen Bali.

2022 State Budget - Electorates of Prospect – Blacktown – Mt Druitt – Londonderry – Riverstone – Seven Hills (Blacktown City portion) The Good Blacktown Hospital final construction stage Social Housing Quakers Hill Sewerage Treatment Western Sydney Parklands Waste Facility Eastern Creek Prospect Highway Upgrade Richmond Rd planning Minor School upgrades (Riverstone) Marsden Park High School Jordon Springs Public School Galungara Public School John Palmer Public school upgrade Marsden Park High School Marsden Park Fire station

$ 4m $31m $18m $ 3m $ 2m $74m $13m $ 1m $13m $10m $12m $35m $10m $19m

The Bad

The Ugly

No established High School upgrades No established Public School upgrades No TAFE facility upgrades No new Sporting facility or upgrades No art centre investment No upgrades to major intersections or roads No new cultural or art centre No funding for women’s refuges No upgrade to Blacktown Police Station No funding for BYSA or other additional DV or mental health programs No rail corridor identified to link Marsden Park to St. Marys

Land Tax for first home buyers - Life time tax on property - Western Sydney Parklands - Profit of $55m and only $3m returned to the Blacktown.

Blacktown Hospital - Longer wait times in emergency - Record number of patients waiting longer than recommended for elective surgery Longer ambulance wait times Counselling service wait times now almost 4 months

the total infrastructure funds. Upgraded classrooms across the many old schools as well as new schools built to match the population growth.

The end to traffic chaos across our City as roads are chocking under the massive increase in population.

A new police station in Blacktown which is no longer fit for purpose. Women’s refuges, support for mental health, community, sporting and park improvements are all much needed to support the existing and growing population.

We will pass the population of Tasmania by 2037 but we get the financial support equivalent to a small medieval village. Blacktown City, is too big to be ignored any longer!

Stephen Bali is State Member for Blacktown.

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Hospitality

TAVERN PERFECT FOR ALL FUNCTIONS

New look venue has it all HE new look Blacktown Tavern is the perfect, unique location for your next function.

The Tavern can host everything from Birthdays to Corporate conferences and in between with a budget to suit everyone.

Whether it is a special Family event or business event, the expert guidance and hosting by the Tavern’s function specialists will make it an event to treasure.

They even have on site accommodation available for function guests.

The Luxe Function packages are held in the Function Room which has its own bar, which means your event will be completely private.

Guests can bring their own entertainment or the team can assist with the PA and TV systems all professionally built in to the Function room.

Blacktown Tavern is at the heart of family friendly dining and entertainment in the Greater Blacktown region.

T

The new look Blacktown Tavern offers many options for hospitality.

The newly renovated property features a stunning courtyard and is the perfect pub for locals, after workers, families and everything in between.

Huge play equipment and older kids area are located right next to the bistro so families can keep the kids entertained while they catch up over classic pub food with a modern twist.

There is Live Music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus Monster Raffles and a bottle shop available.

Details at:www.blacktowntavern. com.au/

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MAGAZINE

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

INSIDE

17

Property Auto Crosswords Travel Mindset Films Trends Fitness

SHOPPING TROLLIES THAT THINK, FRESHLY GROWING HERBS

Welcome to the future supermarket  TONY EADES N the last two years retailers have had to operate at start up speed, rolling out new services to engage customers more effectively in what quickly became a digital-first world.

Now the way we shop at the supermarket is about to be dragged out of the dark ages with new technology.

Our weekly grocery shop will soon see trolleys that can read what’s placed inside it, supermarkets without cashiers and check-outs, in-store greenhouses, and our weekly grocery shop … trolleys that can read what’s placed inside it, supermarkets without cashiers and check-outs, in-store greenhouses, and even voice ordering The humble shopping trolley was invented back in 1937 when the wire hand-basket became too heavy for shoppers.

Then in 1974, the world of retail was changed forever when a pack of Wrigley chewing gum became the first item in the world to have its barcode scanned in a supermarket.

The 1990’s saw the invention of the self-service checkout with retailers praising their convenience and speed.

However, a 2014 poll found that 93% of shoppers disliked them, with some saying it even drove them to theft.

So, whilst most shoppers like browsing the aisles and filling their trolley– no-one likes queueing at the checkout!

Moreover, 61% of customers on a recent survey said that they intend to spend more time online after the pandemic than they did before. With the blurring of the lines between digital and physical channels, shoppers have more channels and options that ever before.

It’s time for a shakeup and first to go will be cashiers and checkouts.

Amazon was the first to introduce cashier-less grocery stores when they rolled out AmazonGo in the US in early 2020.

Using a combination of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and data pulled from multiple sensors, customers are tracked and charged as they take items from the shelves.

Now in New Zealand supermarket group Foodstuffs is trialling AI that can help read what you place inside your shopping trolley.

The new tech called the “SMARTCART” automatically scans the item and charges it to your account via an app that you link to the trolley.

I

How to cater for the customer of today No more checkout frustration or abandoned trolleys creating a “nuisance to local communities”, and as many Australians embrace contactless pay-

“

With most shoppers (80%) saying that they would abandon a retailer after just three bad experiences, could we see a return to the nostalgia of the local butcher or grocer where a more personalised experience and better produce beckons – even if at a greater price.” ments and turn away from using cash post-pandemic, its technology that will be welcomed.

Even your fruit and veg section is getting a modern makeover. Hydroponics will be coming to a store near you and it will transform the way you shop for veggies.

The Metro supermarket in Berlin is one of the first to embrace this kind of technology. Their greens and herbs are actually growing inside their store, in glowing modular boxes ready for you to pick.

Woolworths has also tapped into the

concept with flagship store in Sydney boasting a ‘living lettuce’ fresh food section, where ‘jets of mist’ spray the vegetables until a customer picks them out of the water.

Groceries are the most commonly shopped category via voice with the number of people using voice-ordering technology to order grocery items up already at 20%.

Now Coles supermarket is experimenting with voice-ordering technology with a WIFI device called ‘Hiku’ that’s attached to your fridge.

Notice the milk is getting low, the

cheese is finished or you are down to your last egg … simply say what you want and have it delivered to you door.

The challenge for Australian retailers is that they are already managing an average of 44 disparate front-end technology systems.

They also have to cater for two types of customer today – the ‘technophiles’, those who are enthusiastic about new tech and the ‘technophobes’ who fear, dislike, or avoid new technology.

There is a danger that the supermarkets of the future will become too efficient and automated that they feel cold and lifeless.

Technology should replace mundane, repeatable tasks and allow the human employees to interact and deliver true customer service in the store, helping you find what you’re looking for in the aisles.

With most shoppers (80%) saying that they would abandon a retailer after just three bad experiences, could we see a return to the nostalgia of the local butcher or grocer where a more personalised experience and better produce beckons – even if at a greater price.

Tony Eades is CEO of Salted Stone APAC and a trends expert: tony@saltedstone.com

Improving Management of

D ABETES Western Sydney is a diabetes ‘hotspot’ with rates far higher than the NSW average.

As the number of people with diabetes grows, it is damaging the health and wellbeing of our communities. Diabetes is a serious and progressive condition that can lead to many other complications, including heart attacks, strokes, amputations, kidney and eye damage, dementia and mental health problems. In adults, type 2 diabetes accounts for 9095% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

With more than half the Western Sydney population overweight and at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Diabetes NSW & ACT, established the Western Sydney Diabetes initiative.

Western Sydney Diabetes’ programs focus on prevention for those with diabetes risk factors and support for those who already have type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Case Conferencing Diabetes Case Conferencing (DCC) brings together a patient, their GP, a diabetes educator and a hospital endocrinologist. Consultations last for 30 minutes and the team discuss medication and lifestyle options as well as develop a personalised care plan for the patient. The program was initially designed as a faceto-face to face program prog gram but transitioned to a telephone telep phone

in Western Sydney

and video service during the COVID-19 pandemic and now offers patients contact with the diabetes management team either from their GP’s practice or from the comfort of their own home.

DCC is completely free for patients, as GPs will bulk bill these appointments. As well as receiving personalised care from diabetes specialists, DCC makes sure that most patients will be seen within a month and more urgent cases within a week. DCC provides a great opportunity for patients to work together with health care professionals to develop a detailed care plan tailored to their needs. Patients who have attended the program have given very positive feedback, with a recent survey showing that 85% of patients were highly satisfied with the virtual care they received.

This service is now available in Seven Hills, Blacktown and Toongabbie.

Find out more about DCC on our website at wentwest.com.au/wsd

Community member Geoff Owen said the Diabetes Case Conferencing program “changed his life completely”.

“I lost over 10kgs, and my blood sugars are now at proper levels,” Mr Owen said, “I am very grateful for the wonderful support from the team at the Mt Druitt Clinic”.

Healthy Western Sydney is delivered by WentWest, the Western Sydney Primary Health Network.

Matthew’s Story Matthew* is 54 years old and has been living with type 2 diabetes for over ten years. Haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) is a measure of how well controlled your blood sugar has been over three months and provides a good understanding of how high, low, or normal your blood glucose levels are. The ideal HbA1c level for someone with diabetes is below 6.5%, yet before taking part in the Diabetes Case Conferencing program, Matthew’s HbA1c levels were at 13%. He was also not checking his blood sugar levels.

He was struggling to keep on top of his diabetes medications and was very discouraged about managing his diabetes as he felt as if his efforts had not achieved positive results. Since joining the program, Matthew has started checking his blood sugar levels and has registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme. He regularly takes his diabetes medications, and his diet has improved significantly. He also had a free continuous glucose monitoring trial, which shows that his estimated HbA1c is now at a healthy 6.3%. *Name has been changed to protect the client’s identity.

Are You at High Risk of Diabetes?

Check to see if you are in the high risk category for type 2 diabetes. Do any of the following points apply to you?

Have a family history of diabetes Don’t regularly exercise Are overweight or obese Had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) Are 45 years old or older and have a Pacific Island, Indian subcontinent, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island background If you ticked one or more of the above conditions, Western Sydney Diabetes advises you to make an appointment with your GP to do a quick HbA1c blood test to check for diabetes.

Minimise Your Risk of Developing Diabetes Statistics have shown that only 7% of Western Sydney residents are eating the recommended daily intake of vegetables and that rates of physical activity in Western Sydney are the lowest in NSW. The good news is that trials show that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in up to 58% of cases by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and following a healthy eating plan. Western Sydney Diabetes has produced a free publication called Healthy Living Options, Affordable Food edition which contains lots of practical information for people who want a healthy lifestyle and to reduce their risk of developing diabetes. This is a great resource for recipes, free online cooking classes, and local information about community gardens, where to buy healthy produce and food agencies supplying reduced price or free fresh food to families. You can access the guide and other resources on our Western Sydney Diabetes webpage at wentwest.com.au/wsd

Quick Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: 9

Make M ake healthy healthy food food choices choices - e eat at ffresh resh ffood ood and and llimit imit takeaways takeaways a nd ttreats reats and

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Exercise E xercise frequently frequently - try try walking wallki king rrather ather tthan han ttaking aking tthe he c ar car

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Crosswords/Games Solutions page 23

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Little jerks 5. Head downtown?

10. Help in a holdup 14. Balming target 15. Beyond partner 16. Screenplay direction 17. T-bone region 18. Medical research goals 19. Every family has one 20. Illuminated 23. Holiday follower?

24. Skiier’s challenge 25. Unlike a litterbug 27. Palindromic windmill part 30. End of two state names 33. Scratch, say 36. Better copy?

38. Bahrain bread 39. Passed with ease 41. Genetic info carrier 42. Arboreal abode 43. Things to rattle 45. Fishtail, e.g.

47. Daydreamer’s limit?

48. Fit to be fare 50. Killed, as a dragon 53. Tux accessory 54. Prepare for hanging 57. Wrestling area 59. Serving as a diplomat 64. Beer selections 66. Hindu grouping 67. Tat-tat intro 68. Folk facts 69. Pagoda roofing 70. Black cat, some think 71. It may come before “we forget” 72. Failed as a sentry 73. Bird’s perch, perhaps

DOWN 1. Chaucer bit 2. They may be clicked on 3. Flu symptom 4. Grad-to-be 5. Bushwhacker’s tool 6. Go to the edge of 7. The good olde days 8. Cooking place 9. Transmit anew 10. Back on a battleship 11. Crooners, often 12. Creation location 13. “High School Musical” extra 21. Main mail drop (abbr.)

22. Disconnected, as a phone line 26. Like siblings 28. Chances in Vegas 29. Roller Derby milieus 31. Checklist item 32. Pretentiously stylish 33. Attack deterrent 34. Military sch.

35. Enrolls 37. Barbary ape’s lack 40. The red 44. Inner city concern 46. Most absurd 49. Official orders 51. Emotion of the miffed 52. Long and thin 55. Sight from Biscayne Bay 56. Gourmand 57. Shoppers’ site 58. Ubiquitous lily relative 60. Place for some polish 61. “Cast Away” setting 62. Manual component 63. A driver may change one 65. Firm or fixed

Games Solutions

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

TrendS

WHAT THE VIRUS IS REALLY LIKE

My message is: Don’t get Covid  DALLAS SHIERRINGHAM FTER many months spent avoiding crowds, hiding indoors, wearing masks and speaking only on the phone, I managed to finally contract Covid-19.

It all came as something of a shock to test positive after week of excruciating pain which stopped me from typing stories for this publication on the Tuesday.

By Thursday I had aches and pains all over, stomach cramps, a headache, sore eyes and a fever. And I could hardly walk.

My wife Sharon threatened to phone the ambulance all through Friday night, but I had proofs to do for the newspaper and the ambulance was finally summoned at 8am on Saturday morning.

Off to Wyong hospital I went, covered in wires and electronic machines that tweeted and flickered with each heartbeat.

The paramedics thought I had flu, a liver complaint or a tummy bug and no one suspected Covid at any stage. I was taken straight into Emergency and prepared for a lengthy stay.

Blood and urine samples taken, I was given a white gown to wear in case of theatre and tested twice for Covid-19.

The test took longer than normal and staff went looking for it at the lab.

The news came back that I had tested positive to Covid-19.

I was lucky that I had three vaccinations prior to contracting the virus and this meant it did not invade my lungs.

After a day and a night in Wyong I was allowed to go home in the care of Central Coast’s excellent Covid Response team based at Gosford Hospital.

It was deemed safer for me to recover at home than to risk contracting a flu strain at the hospital.

The Covid team are experts in their field with an endless supply of friendly goodwill and advice which put myself and my family at ease.

I couldn’t eat or walk for the first 48 hours and was quite ill with Sharon ready to ring the ambulance on several occasions. My pulse jumped from 60 to

A

over 110 on walking a short distance and my blood pressure was low.

Hydrolyte drinks and lots of water and apple juice kept me hydrated as I battled through severe headaches, stomach aches and hot and cold spells.

Pumpkin and vegetable soup became my meals with two Weet-bix for brekky and lots of fluids.

Finally I began to turn the corner on Sunday and by Monday I was back at the desk- still dizzy, uncoordinated and carrying a savage headache.

It took me about 10 days to get through the worst of it and I need to avoid getting it again.

Dallas Sherringham is Associate Editor of Western Sydney Business, Blacktown News, Parramatta Times and Central Coast Business Access.

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TraveL

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

PLANNING AND TAKING YOUR FIRST CRUISE

The cruise ships are back

 CRUISE EXPERT DALLAS SHERRINGHAM HAS SOME TIMELY ADVICE HE cruise ships are back and in Australia with P&O Cruises Pacific Explorer flying the flag for voyages out of Sydney to be closely followed by the arrival of Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess.

These first itineraries are based mainly in Australians waters and with uncertainty still hanging over international travel, many readers will be toying with the idea of enjoying their very first cruise.

Choosing a cruise destination and a cruise ship for your first cruise means doing some research and preparing properly.

Make sure your vaccinations are up to date and you will need to prove you are Covid free prior to boarding. You will need travel insurance even if your are cruising in Australian waters.

Also, try to talk to as many friends as possible about their cruising experience, before choosing a cruise..

If you are unsure how you will handle a long sea voyage, it might be a good idea to try a three day Cruise to Nowhere or a short cruise like Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane to Sydney.

Okay, you’ve saved up, bought your

T

ticket and you are ready to head off for 10 days at sea.

If you are departing from an Australian port, you can take as many suitcases as you like. A big suitcase is ideal because the more clothes you take, the less laundry trips you have to make on board. You will also buy souvenirs along the way, so you need to have room to pack it.

Label the bag clearly inside and out and make sure the cruise ship details are firmly attached. It will be taken from you prior to boarding and hopefully turn up outside your cabin before dinner.

Take a sturdy waterproof carry-on bag with your medications, glasses and other special needs inside. You can use this for towels, sunscreen, camera, snorkel and flippers when going ashore. Once again it should be clearly labelled.

You arrive at the cruise terminal and will be guided to the departure area. ] Then you will check-in, having your cruise tickets and passport checked, your credit card swiped and you will be photographed and issued with a cruise card.

The cruise card is the most important item you will have on the cruise. It is used for all charges on board the ship, such as drinks. It also allows you to get off and on the ship and enter your cabin.

Buy a lanyard as soon as get on board. Attach the cruise card, put it around your neck and look after it.

Most ships have internet these days Once you are free to go on board you will be guided along the wharf and up the gangway. Photographers will insist you get a happy snap before you board.

Rather than a long hassle explaining why you don’t need it, just let them take it and move on.

On some ships, staff meet you at the top of the gangway and take you to the cabin. On other ships it is D.I.Y. However staff are normally positioned every few metres to guide you on your way.

Once you get to your cabin, your steward will greet you and show you how everything works. He or she is a vital part of your cruise, so remember their name and introduce yourself. At the end of the cruise tip your steward $100 plus as he or she has worked hard to make your trip enjoyable.

Your luggage may or may not be at your cabin when you go on board. Don’t panic, it will show up.

Unpack everything ASAP. Hang all your clothes; allocate drawers for undies, socks, makeup. Make sure you put all the gear you use on a daily basis such as sunscreen or hat in the top drawer for easy access.

Put all your important items like cash, passport and ship’s tickets in the safe. Use a favorite combination to lock the safe and write it down.

Otherwise, when you go to get it out at the end of the cruise you may have forgotten and it is quite a hassle to get it opened.

If you take your computer, you can set it up in your cabin and connect it to the ship’s wif fi. It is quite expensive, but it is great to be able to check your emails every day or download your photos and video for safe keeping. You can even write a blog of your cruise or post daily on Facebook. Alternatively most ships have an internet café these days.

Once you have settled in, go up to the buffet for a late lunch. Take a tour of the ship and get your bearings.

Before the ship disembarks you will go to lifeboat drill. Do not avoid this, because if there is an emergency, you will know exactly what to do. It is also a good way to meet other passengers and have a chat on the first day.

A daily newsletter will be in your cabin which will list all the day’s activities.

Put it in your back pocket every day so you know what’s going on. It should also have the phone number for the doctor in case there is an emergency.

And that’s it! The rest is up to you.

Bon Voyage.

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

FitnesS

23

4 super EFFECTIVE things you can do to get results  ADAM SIMPSON . Make sure you have a good plan to follow! If you have a plan you are much more likely to stick to it and sticking to it is when the results will come. The best way to go would be to have a training program written up for you, by someone who knows what they are doing.

Take the pressure off of yourself and get a professional to do all of the thinking for you. A good program, will plan out your exercises, how many reps / sets to do on each exercise and what days you will be doing them. That way you can just get in and get the work done. Alternatively, you can create a simple plan for yourself, decide what days you can dedicate to exercise and get into the gym and join some group sessions.

2. Have someone hold you accountable! It is much easier to skip a workout if there is no one holding you accountable to your plan. You could hire yourself a Personal Trainer whose sole job is to make sure you are exercising regularly and working towards your goals. Or you could join a Group Training Program, where the team of trainers check in on you when you skip your sessions. Lastly, you can find yourself a workout buddy who will train with you. That way when one of you starts

1

coming up with excuses you can hold each other accountable.

3. Educate yourself about nutrition and adopt good habits! If you don’t have your nutrition in check, you are going to make it that much harder to get results.

The best way to get long lasting results is to get educated about nutrition. Too often I see people jumping from diet to diet with no understanding of the basic

principles of nutrition and eating for weight loss. Book yourself in and go see a Nutritionist, speak to a professional who can help you get to where you want to go. Another great tool, is to download an app that helps you track your daily caloric intake. Getting an idea on how many calories are in certain food types will help you make better food choices. Lastly, read quality sources of information around nu-

trition. A great place to start is to Google the Australian Dietary Guidelines. There is plenty of practical useful information in there that will educate you on the topic.

4. Make use of technology! There are so many great pieces of technology now that you can use to keep you accountable with your exercise or just make your training more enjoyable. There are apps where you can connect with friends to monitor your runs or cycles. You could buy one of the endless types watches that give you daily exercise goals or track your movement for the day keeping you accountable. As well as many heart rate monitors which track your intensity during your workouts and motivate you to push that little bit harder. If you aren’t making use of these technologies you are missing out.

Whatever your goals are the key is consistency, exercise and eat well more days than you don’t and I guarantee you the results will come. If you have an “off ” day don’t sweat it, just get straight back on track the next day and you will be fine. Reach out if you need any help with nutrition or training adam@repetitionspt.com.au Adam Simpson is lead trainer and founder at Repetitions Group fitness and Personal Training.

Visit: www.repetitionspt.com.au

24

Property Showcase

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Green light for Mirvac estate IRVAC has been given the green light for its circa $700M Kemps Creek industrial estate in Western Sydney’s Mamre Road precinct.

The 56-hectare Aspect Industrial Estate is set to become Mirvac’s first embodied carbon neutral industrial development, as well as the first approved site under the new planning regime for the Mamre Road precinct.

Mirvac announced the approval of its State Significant Development Application (SSDA) with minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, MP. The estate will comprise around 247,000sqm of warehousing and office space, built with an emphasis on flexibility, functionality and sustainability, targeting a minimum 5 Star Green Star rating.

“Aspect will be Mirvac’s first carbon neutral (embodied carbon) industrial development, and will feature leading sustainability features such as rooftop solar systems, translucent roof sheeting, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting and smart metering,” said Campbell Hanan, head of integrated investment portfolio at

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Mirvac.

The development is expected to become a leading employment hub for Western Sydney, delivering more than 500 jobs throughout the construction phase and 1,200 operational jobs over the course of development.

The facility is currently 63% preleased with future tenants currently including CEVA Logistics, Lineage and Winning Group.

“We continue to leverage our asset

creation capability to deliver highly functional facilities with superior sustainability features and low operating costs that resonate with the current and future needs of our customers,” said Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, CEO and Managing director at Mirvac.

The new estate sits within proximity of the new Western Sydney International Airport, placed within 10 minutes of the M7 Motorway, 20km from Penrith and within an hour’s drive of both the Parra-

matta and Sydney CBD. “We are actively advancing our $2.3B industrial development pipeline which is 100% weighted to prime Sydney locations, set to benefit from committed infrastructure projects like the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport at Badgerys Creek,” said Lloyd-Hurwitz.

“From this strategic location, Aspect will provide access to approximately 4.3 million people within a 60-minute drive, enabling us to cater to growing e-commerce demand together with wide scale supply chain investment as our customers seek to establish more efficient logistics solutions for their businesses, such as automation, supported by world-leading technology.”

Construction at Aspect Industrial Estate in Kemps Creek is set to commence in the coming weeks.

Mirvac recently reaffirmed its guidance for growth in FY22, with an operating EPS guidance of at least 15.0cpss, or an increase of at least 7.1% in earnings and a distribution guidance of 10.2cpss, for a DPS growth of 3%.

Former Bonds factory to fetch $13M ROUND $130M is expected for the western Sydney former headquarters of the famous Bonds Industries, which could make way for a mixed-use development with 1,500 apartments.

Spanning nearly eight hectares nearly 30 kilometres from of the CBD, 190-220 Dunmore Street in Pendle Hill, is has part R4 high-density residential zoning, part B2 local centre and part RE1 public recreation zoning, with height limits ranging from 12.5 metres up to 39 metres across the property.

Current plans would allow for adaptive reuse of heritage buildings for up to 6,000 sqm of retail, local services, medical, supermarket, community and indoor recreational uses. About 25,000 sqm of space can be used on a public plaza and parks, and 8,000 sqm on common space.

George Bond established Bonds Industries on the site in 1923, which was the first cotton spinning and weaving operation in Australia and possible the southern hemisphere.

Colliers’ Frank Oliveri and Guillaume

predominant buyer, that gap has narrowed to parity in the last year.

A

Record low commencement

Volz have exclusive listing, nine years after Olivieri sold the property, and five years since the owner, developer Dyldam, secured rezoning.

“Very rarely do you come across an eight-hectare, R4-high density residential development site in a fully built-up area within walking distance to two railway stations,” Oliveri said, who touted the site as potentially the “largest unit development site to come up in the western Sydney market for many years”.

Volz said that traditionally there has existed a 10 to 15% gap between new build multi-units and established units, but as owner-occupiers have become the

“We believe that record low commencements will be felt in the market and as new generation off-the-plan properties become available and buyers value the benefits they offer, particularly in master-planned communities, developers will be able to achieve higher pricing from new developments.”

A large shortage of supply in build-tosell (BTS) apartments is set to hit Sydney over the next few years, according to Charter Keck Cramer, while first home buyer support schemes and affordability issues are pushing unit buyers and renters further out.

“As housing affordability is paramount, this development is expected to have strong demand from first-home buyers and those who want an affordable unit close to rail, shopping and within proximity of the Parramatta CBD,” Olivieri said.

The site is 850 metres from Pend-

le Hill station and 1.5 kilometres from Wentworthville station and on a high point in the local topography.

Volz said cyclical and structural changes will support the next cycle of BTS apartment projects as well as the emergence of the build-to-rent sector, including the acceptance of family living in apartments, increased detached dwelling affordability constraints, rapidly rising rents and the return of overseas migration.

He said The availability of limited development sites in inner Sydney has also seen BTR developers appreciate the value offered by western Sydney, particularly in land values.

“Coupled with 15% growth in Sydney wide rents in the last 12 months, and further increases to come over the next 12 to 18 months as migration levels improve and low levels of new supply impact rental options, the metrics are now favourable to support the BTR sector in Sydney.”

Expressions of interest closed June 22.

WEXPO coming soon to Blacktown Workers Club

www.wexpo.com.au | Stall enquires: info@wexpo.com.au

AutO

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

with JOHN MELLOR

25

NEW MODELS–SUBARU FORESTER

Prices up on MY23 Subaru Forester with cars ordered now for Christmas  BY THE GOAUTO TEAM UBARU Australia has secured stock of the 2023 Forester, which can now be ordered for delivery during the fourth quarter of 2022.

With MY22 Foresters selling out after being subject to delays of up to five months, buyers of the mid-size SUV can now order the MY23 mode that comes with a barely noticeable update including the addition of an auto-dimming rearview mirror to 2.5i Sport AWD, 2.5i-S AWD and Hybrid S AWD variants Sapphire Blue Pearl replaces the Dark Blue Pearl option for 2.5i Sport AWD. The MY23 Forester is otherwise identical to the current facelifted model that first went on sale in October 2021 – but like almost everything else at the moment, prices are up, Subaru blaming costs associated with production and logistics.

Entry-level pricing has risen by $1900, with the 2.5i variant now priced at $37,890 before on-road costs.

The mid-spec 2.5i-L and Hybrid L are also up by $1900, while customers will pay $1950 more for the 2.5i Premium, while the addition of the electrochromatic mirrors to the 2.5i Sport, 2.5i-S and Hybrid S is offset by the price jumping $2150, meaning the petrol-electric range-topper now priced at $49,350 before on road costs.

It is worth noting the Forester was unaffected by price rises in May 2022, which saw the rest of Subaru’s SUV range rise by $800, because it was no longer available.

At the time, the Subaru Australia website told potential customers the MY22 Forester was currently unavailable for purchase, with a company spokesperson admitting it was sold out.

Interested customers were encouraged to speak to their local Subaru retailer about registering their interest for the upcoming MY23 Forester.

The Australian Subaru website has since been updated to reflect the model-year changeover, with interested customers told to visit or contact their lo-

S

cal Subaru retailer to purchase the MY23 model.

The car they will be buying includes features that were new to the MY22 Forester, such as a more comprehensive EyeSight safety and driver-assist technology suite as standard on the facelifted Forester and bigger touchscreens in lower-spec variants.

Middle and higher-spec Forester variants come with adaptive headlights, and gesture-controlled air-conditioning, with a redesigned instrument cluster fitted to mid- and high-spec petrol variants.

Available powertrains include a 136kW/239Nm 2.5-litre flat-four petrol engine, and 110kW/196Nm 2.0L petrol e-Boxer hybrid featuring a 12.3kW/66Nm electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack.

Respective Combined fuel consumption ratings are 7.4 litres per 100km and 6.7L/100km.

2023 Subaru Forester pricing*: Forester 2.5i (a) $37,890 Forester 2.5i-L (a) $49,290 Forester 2.5i Premium (a) $43,090 Forester Hybrid L (a) $43,290 Forester 2.5i Sport (a) $44,840 Forester 2.5i-S (a) $44,840 Forester Hybrid S (a) $49,340 *Excludes on-road costs

FilM

26

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Elvis – 4 Stars The mile-a-minute, never let up pace of the film (along with the myriad OTT Baz Luhrmann stylistic choices) may not be for everyone, but Austin Butler delivers an utterly convincing, enthralling take on the King that screams “a cinematic experience that can’t be missed”.

HE film charts Colonel Tom Parker’s (Tom Hanks) shepherding of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) through his life and career; from making him a star, to his eventual run on the Vegas Strip. It also focuses on the toxic relationship between the two characters, which ultimately led to Elvis’ demise.

Elvis, much like some of Baz Luhrmann’s other recent work, is incredibly stylised, with the first one and a half hours of the film feeling like a never-ending trailer. It’s a chaotic, messy, at times sloppy, introduction to the film.

It’s also absolutely enthralling.

The absurdity of the edit also has the fantastic benefit of making this seem like no other biopic you’ve ever seen. It’s story first, performance second, and despite the fact that we get the full gamut of classic Elvis tunes, it never feels like the film is slowing down to accommodate them.

Austin Butler is utterly convincing as the King. It’s tough to overemphasize how incredibly good his performance is. It’s a star-making turn for the young actor, and his work holds the movie together through its stumbles.

T

Elvis is not going to be a film for everybody. But it’s sort of like being driven around a racetrack by a rally car driver; while you’re in it, you can’t do

anything but grit your teeth and hold on for dear life. Once you’re out of it, it’s an experience that will stay with you forever.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

Lightyear – 3 Stars Lightyear tells the story of Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans), the film that inspired the toy in the world of Toy Story. he ‘real life’ Buzz is a space ranger, whose galactic travails hit a sticking point when he crashes the colony’s ship trying to escape a hostile planet.

Now he, and his whole crew, are stuck on the planet, and the only way off requires him to work out interstellar travel.

The only issue is every time he tries, he slows down relative to time. His first four minute mission has him off-world for four years by his crewmates timelines. By the time he solves the conundrum, with the help of his cute therapy cat, he is less than a year older than when he landed, but his captain has married, had grandkids and died.

When he does solve the problem, Buzz returns to find the planet besieged by robots, led by a fiendish gigantic robot known as Zurg (James Brolin). To stop them, he has to team up with an eclectic crew, including clumsy Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi), ex-con Darby Steel (Dale Soules), and the granddaughter of his old captain, Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer).

Lightyear is an intriguing proposition, effectively taking the toy character from a three movie iconic series and translating it into a movie about the same character, but also not about the same character. It’s a movie that tries

T

really hard to justify the existence of the reboot, and takes a curious way of doing so.

At its base level, Lightyear succeeds at that. The film is an interesting story, the action hits, and there is a general sense of not knowing where the film could be going. That’s a great success for a reboot, and it truly crafts a piece that

feels fresh, new and fun.

The issue is the whole concept of using Buzz Lightyear in this way. There is literally no reason why this movie has to use Buzz as a character in any way. The story is new, and interesting, without the forced callbacks to the toy version of the character, or his famous catchphrase. The endless nostalgia vibes, just

feel flat, cynical and ultimately diminish what otherwise is quite a fun, enjoyable animated film.

Oh, and Chris Evans is no Tim Allen.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

Mental Health

27

DEALING WITH ANXIETY RIGHT NOW

5 simple ways that help  MINDSET | MARCUS WHEAN NXIETY is such a prevalent issue in our busy and fast-paced lives. Not to mention with adverse events like floods, bush fires and viruses.

The pressure to keep up with and adjust to what seems like ever-changing conditions on top of managing our busy lives, family commitments, job pressures etc, it is so common to experience stress and anxiety. It has become the ‘new normal’ for many.

Ideally it shouldn’t be this way. The way we live is, in many ways, unnatural but it is the norm. So how do we adapt and respond instead of reacting and needlessly suffering?

Being realistic, the world we live in is here to stay and we can resist it and wish it all away if we want to, but this isn’t helpful and such thinking only serves to exacerbate stress and anxiety.

So, what can we do? First of all, anxiety, what is it? Unlike what you may think, it is not an emotion alone, like fear. Fear is often a part of it, yes.

However, anxiety is not an emotion, it is a responsive state.

Technically it’s called an affective state. This state is otherwise known as the stress response or more commonly – the flight/fight response. To illustrate simply, when we perceive a threat (either

A

in reality, or imagine it), certain nervous system processes are triggered.

These processes are essentially about mobilising us to take refuge (avoid) or confront a threat.

The problem can be, and this is what many of us struggle with, is that there isn’t an actual life-endangering threat, and so we end up feeling almost paralyzingly stuck in limbo between avoiding and confronting our threat (real or imagined).

Moreover, many people with anxiety often ‘create’ anxiety just by thinking about stress.

This is the great tragedy of many anxiety disorders and why it can be so pervasive is that people are anxious because of the way they are thinking about things.

The plot thickens too because in a physical affective state, people just keep on thinking about what makes them anxious which in turn keeps making them feel anxious. It’s one awfully vicious cycle.

What can you do if and when you’re anxious? Here’s some simple tips and things to try right away. These are evidence-based and what I teach my clients: 1. Calming the body is always the first step – calm the body and the mind shall follow. Notice your breath right now. Focus on breathing into your belly. Feel the belly rise not the

chest. Imagine a balloon is in your belly and inflate it. This visual helps.

Consciously keep breathing like this whenever you’re anxious. This reverses the flight/fight nervous response 2. Tapping just under the left collar bone. There’s a sensitive spot you’ll notice. Just gently tap this spot. This is based in Chinese acupressure.

You’ll notice this is a similar action to soothing a crying baby. We are soothing and reassuring ourselves.

3. Look around – identify and name 5 things you can see; then 4 different things; 3 other different things and so on. Rinse and repeat. This activates the executive centre of the brain. Works a bit like distraction but is also a form of grounding and reality-checking. This one is good for social anxiety.

4. Mindset–try once you’ve tried the others and the body anxiety feelings have reduced a bit. Journal and make note/s of what you’re anxious about. Try to reframe the thoughts; reassure yourself; gently challenge the way you may be thinking; remind yourself pf past wins or overcoming challenges. Reassure yourself and mind that these are just thoughts and feelings.

5. Finally, take action! Action always helps. Avoidance maintains anxiety.

Identify the thing you’re anxious about. Deal with it and act if possible. Working on problems and getting them off your chest means you’re not worried about them anymore. Have goals and work on them daily. Positive actions are always a great preventor for anxiety and stress. And of course talking about what you’re feeling to a friend can often be helpful.

These singularly or in combination help most people but require practise and prevention is better than intervention, so try them now or anytime so they become familiar and easier to apply and more likely to help if and when you feel really stressed or anxious.

If anxiety and stress persist and/ or is causing ongoing difficulties in your life please see your GP for advice or engage the help of a mental health professional.

Marcus Whelan is a Registered Psychologist and Mental Fitness Coachwith 10+ years’ experience in private practice. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in psychology and education.

Visit: www.marcuswhelanpsychology.com.au

LegaL

28

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

FOCUS AREAS FOR YOUR DIGITAL BUSINESS!

Working in the cyber world cloud storage services.

Cloud storage and backups assist cybersecurity in two ways. First, cloud storage and backups provide a way to access your digital business assets even after a cyberattack has shut down your network, keeping your business running.

Second, cloud storage applications have their own forms of cybersecurity that go a long way in protecting your digital assets at a smaller cost.

 NICHOLAS FISHER N March of 2020, Australia saw thousands of businesses and millions of employees go online due to the COVID lockdown.

At that moment, it became evident that many were not adequately prepared to move into the digital space.

In particular, many businesses had no cybersecurity policies in place to protect their digital assets. At the same time, cybercriminals had more content than ever to illegally access, use and sell.

It is now essential to understand that you are in a post-COVID digital world and to keep up, you need to secure your digital business assets properly in these five key areas in the modern, postCOVID era.

I

Lack of innovation

cybercrime before it has even started.

Hence, staff education and awareness about cybersecurity is a key focus area for your digital business.

Lack of Awareness The COVID related move to working online has made it brutally clear that many business employees have no clear idea about cybersecurity – they are your weakest link.

It is vital that your staff be trained and educated to understand the meaning of cybersecurity, the type of cybersecurity threats, and what to do if a cyberattack occurs on your business network.

Without proper education and training, you have lost the fight against

Lack of Budget Many businesses do not adequately budget for cybersecurity. Just like all other essential areas of your business, cybercrime requires a sufficient budget to cover not only pre-emptive action but also for remedying any issues that may arise out of a cyberattack. By adding cybersecurity costs into your annual budget, you ensure that your business networks are able to defend themselves appropriately.

Lack of protection Digital businesses that lack awareness and a budget also tend to lack competent protection for their digital assets.

Cybersecurity can come in many forms, such as two-factor authentication, anti-virus software and network protection software.

These forms of protection work side by side with the cybersecurity education and training your employees receive to create a strong barrier between your business and any cybercrime.

Lack of backups One area of cybersecurity that many businesses miss is the use of backups and

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Cybersecurity should not just be the employee’s problem; it needs to start in the boardroom. Many long-running and successful businesses are also the ones that have the most significant gaps in cybersecurity.

This is because the heads of those businesses either do not know about cybersecurity or do not believe it to be an issue. It is vital that cybersecurity be treated as if it were as important as advertising or financial goals.

Thus, as the business owner, you need to lead by example and seek to innovate your network protection and cyber insurance.

Nicholas Fisher is a graduate solicitor under the supervision of Katherine Hawes, the Principal Solicitor of Digital Age Lawyers. Visit: www. digitalagelawyers.com

DirectorY

ISSUE 16 | July 2022

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Services provided: Personal Care, community access, all aspects of home assistance. All staff have been police checked and have industry training.

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29 Technical solutions via zoom, and ready when you need it.

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We do what other will not and/or cannot do. We repair, realign, and reignite your website so that it works the way you were initially told it would, and then we make it better.

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

BUSINESS END OF THE MEN’S COMPETITION

Football Fireworks in July  BOB TURNER HE business end of the Football NSW NPL1 Men’s competition for 2022 is sure to provide plenty of fireworks with eight of the 12 teams still in Championship contention and only five rounds remaining in the regular season.

Blacktown City FC has destiny in their own hands and the return of goal

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Photos Courtesy of Steve Lynch – Not24Get.

scoring King, Travis Major, has provided a huge lift.

His hat trick on debut in his first game back against Northbridge in Round 17 is an indication Major has lost none of his touch from 2021, where he led the Golden Boot Award before Covid cancelled the season.

Travis Major is the all-time leading goal scorer for Blacktown City FC with 92 goals in his illustrious career with the club, 95 after his heroics in Round 17.

At the end of the 2021 season, Major

signed to play in India which concluded last month. He is a welcome return for Head of Football, Mark Crittenden, who found a suitable replacement striker in young Jordan Smylie for the 2022 season.

That is until Smylie broke his foot in Round 10 after leading the Golden Boot award in his first nine games. Since that injury Blacktown has struggled for goals but Major changed all that with a goal in the first few minutes of the game last week against Northbridge.

He scored two more goals through

the game that led Blacktown to a much needed 3-0 win and three more Championship points. In that same game, Charles Eriku made his debut for the Senior team and became the 501st player to wear the Black and Red strip of the Senior Blacktown City FC Men. Jordan Smylie is scheduled to return to the line-up in round 20 setting up a nice situation for Coach Crittenden with plenty of firepower up front.

After Round 17, Manly led the competition on 32 points followed by Apia Leichhardt and Sydney Olympic on 31. Blacktown City with a win over Northbridge moved up to be equal with Marconi in third spot on 30 points.

A draw with Apia saw Sydney FC slip back to sixth place on 28 points with an all-important clash with Blacktown on Sunday, the 3rd. Rockdale on 26 points and Sydney United on 22 are still in the hunt for Championship honours but will need nothing but victories in the remaining games.

It will be an exciting run to the finish line for the elite Men’s football competition in NSW, with only five rounds remaining for top honours and positioning for the top five playoff positions.

The month of July will determine Blacktown’s chances but they will have to do most of their work away from their home at Blacktown City Sports Centre.

Blacktown’s Championship drive

Fr i d a y 18 t h N ove m b e r B l a c k t ow n Wo r ke r s C l u b

B e t t e r Fo u n d a t i o n

The Better Foundation Spring Gala is back for 2022!

Come & join Natarsha Belling & Kaleidascope Dreams for a wonderful night supporting Blacktown & Mount Druitt Hospitals Tickets available at betterfoundationgala.com.au

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ISSUE 16 | July 2022

started last weekend in a Round 18 clash against Sydney FC on Sunday, July 3. Sydney FC were leading the competition for a number of weeks and a win against Blacktown will push them right back into contention.

Coming off a crucial match Next up in Round 19 will be a crunch National Premier League fixture with an away game to current Championship leaders, Manly, on Saturday, July 9, at 3pm.

Promoted as a ‘Back To Manly’ celebration, the day will be the opening of the freshly renovated Manly Warringah Football Club and launch of their newly upgraded synthetic pitch.

Manly will be coming off a crucial match with Marconi the week before and in front of their own fans will be looking for more than the 2-2 draw against Blacktown earlier in the season.

Sutherland will be next for Blacktown on Saturday July 16 at 3:30pm

followed by the final game of the 2022 regular season against Sydney Olympic on Sunday, July 31, at 4pm. Catch all the action live on NPL.TV. The final home game of the regular season for Blacktown will be against Wollongong on Sunday, July 24, in Round 21 of the 22-week season.

Wollongong is not a playoff contender but are well equipped to be a disrupter

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to other Championship teams like Blacktown City FC. Game time is 3pm with the Under 20 Men at 1pm.

Blacktown City FC Under 20 Men continue to dominate their competition losing only one game for an 11-3-1 league leading record.

Their clash last week with Number two placed Sydney FC was the biggest test of the season.

The combined success of both the Senior and Under 20 Men have Blacktown City leading the Football NSW Club Championship on 192 points. Second best is Sydney FC on 176 which makes last week’s games crucial on several fronts.

Blacktown City Women continue to make solid progress in their debut season of Senior football.

With four wins in the last seven games, their efforts last week in Round 19 were telling as they gave league leading Hills United a run for their money.

In the opening weeks of the season, Hills United gave Blacktown a football lesson

with a 5-0 win over the Senior Women and an 8-0 whitewash over the Under 20 Women.

In Round 19, both Blacktown teams still went down but the score line in both games was 1-0. Coach David O’Keefe is solidly building with the goal to match the success and respect of the Blacktown City Men within three years.

Friday, August 5, will be a night not to miss as Blacktown will host the best in Football at the Blacktown City Corporate Football Dinner.

The venue is Blacktown Workers Club and confirmed guests are John Crawley - Socceroo Goal Keeper Coach, Andrew Redmayne – Socceroo Goalie and MC Adam Peacock. For more information go to www.blacktowncityfc.com.au and/or book your table at Admin@blacktowncityfc.com.au.

Bob Turner is Executive Chairman at Blacktown City FC. Visit: www. blacktowncityfc.com.au

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Julie Jackson julie@accessnews.com.au

Linda Miller linda@accessnews.com.au

WEXPO is Greater Western Sydney’s own popular EXPO experience held at the centre of Greater Western Sydney – Blacktown.

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