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Blacktown City Council has become the first council in NSW to place a defibrillator in every sporting venue across the council’s area. Full story page 5
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Game-changing machine for Blacktown Hospital chemotherapy patients
Hair loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy at Blacktown Hospital could be a thing of the past, thanks to a new machine, donated this week by the hospital’s auxiliary. Blacktown Hospital’s Cancer and Haematology Centre is the first facility in western Sydney – and one of few public hospitals in NSW – to house a Paxman Cooling Cap system for chemotherapy patients. The machine was this week installed in the cancer centre, courtesy of a generous donation by the hospital’s long-serving auxiliary volunteers.
The treatment system uses a cold cap to cool the scalp, preserving a patient’s hair – and their self-confidence – during chemotherapy. Blacktown Hospital Cancer and Haematology Centre manager Leanne Watson said the machine would be a game-changer for chemotherapy patients. “Hair loss can affect how a person feels about themselves and many patients are reluctant to have chemotherapy because they’re worried about losing their hair,” she said. “This treatment uses a frozen cap
that’s worn tightly on the head before, during and after a chemotherapy session; it is administered via tubes filled with coolant that chill the cap and limit the chemotherapy getting to the hair follicles – without increasing the chances of the cancer returning.” The hospital’s cancer and haematology centre nurses are now being trained to use the machine, before it is available to patients later this year. Blacktown Hospital general manager Sue-Anne Redmond thanked the hardworking auxiliary for donating nearly
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$43,000 to fund the machine. “We are so grateful to the auxiliary – we know many members are cancer survivors so they had a personal connection to raising funds for this piece of equipment,” she said. “The auxiliary’s ongoing and longterm support has enabled us to enhance the quality of care for our patients.” The auxiliary also recently donated a bladder scanner, worth $8700, to the hospital’s cardiac unit. Since its inception in 1959, the auxiliary has funded more than $750,000 worth of equipment.
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From the Editor’s Desk by Kerrie Davies
Will everything implode while we are so busy being nice? MY MOTHER has a saying for every occasion, and one that she often trots out is “People will treat you how you let them.” And although as kids we’d roll our eyes - behind her back of course, or we’d cop an ear-clip - as I’ve matured I realise how true the saying is. It applies to so many things in life, because, the crux of it is that we enable bad behaviour by ignoring it and not speaking up against it. Bad behaviour is further encouraged when there are no consequences. People will treat us how we let them. You don’t have to go far to hear a complaint about the behaviour of children and teens these days. “They run amok in restaurants. They show no respect. They refuse to do as they are told. They seem to rule the roost.” Sound familiar? But is it that this generation of children have just taken it upon themselves to be little monsters, or are we too busy being nice? Is everyone around them relaxing the rules and therefore unwittingly allowing them to behave this way by removing boundaries and consequences in an effort to be nice? If we end up with a generation of self-centred jerks, at least we can say we were always nice to them. I often talk in this space about those who have committed shocking crimes getting let off with light sentences, only to be released from prison way ahead of time and being a further threat to the community. The courts are so busy being nice, looking for “excuses” like mental illness or drug addiction. Meanwhile that courtesy extended to criminals puts the innocent public at risk. When criminals are released early and commit more violent crimes, at least we can say the courts were nice to them. And dominating the news again is terrorism, with extreme Islamic lunatics committing the most horrific atrocities and killing people across the globe. But we can’t even be grown up enough to have civil conversations about the root of the problem that is driving their murderous rampages, because that wouldn’t be nice. To question who comes into this country isn’t being nice. To question or investigate what is being taught to young impressionable minds in some circles within Islam isn’t being nice. We seem to think that ignoring the common denominating factor and shouting down anybody who dares mention the religion of the perpetrators will transform into some sort of solution. We think trotting out messages about united fronts is going to scare them into dropping their evil plans and switching it to fairy floss and puppy dogs for everyone. It’s not. It is enabling and empowering them to recruit more and more into their madness. The problem is an evil ideology that exists within the Islamic religion. Saying that doesn’t crucify every person who has ever read the Quran. We need to stop focusing on the feelings of the innocent people who happen to be Muslim and focus on the terrorist element that exists in that religion. It is about time we stopped all the PC mumbo jumbo and focused on the problem in front of us rather than focusing on being nice to people who aren’t even connected to terrorism. When the Catholic religion was put under the blow torch, we didn’t focus on being nice to innocent Catholics - we focused on the problem. Why invent victims and take away the concentration that needs to be placed on fixing the problem for fear that anyone on the sidelines might be offended? If terrorism rises to a degree that threatens the world, at least we can say we tried our hardest to be nice. Which brings me to another famous saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Your thoughts? kerrie@nepeannews.com.au
Blacktown’s life saving heart starter Blacktown City Council has become the first council in NSW to place a defibrillator in every sporting venue across the council’s area. Under the plan, 101 defibrillators will be rolled out across the council’s sporting facilities, making them readily available in cases of emergency. The $252,000 project is underwritten by Blacktown City Council with contributions rolling in from local MPs Ed Husic, Michelle Rowland and Edmond Atalla as well as sporting groups. “Blacktown is the sporting city, and there will be an additional 101 defibrillators across the city, ready to be used to save someone’s life,” said the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali. “Other councils and the state government have been talking about doing something like this, but Blacktown City Council is the first in NSW to step up to the mark,” “Over the next few months we will be installing the defibrillators and all club officials will be trained how to use them. “The huge benefit is that, at any sporting fixture throughout Blacktown City, there will be a large group of people able to grab a defibrillator off
the wall and use it with confidence and potentially save lives. “A uniform procedure and the same operating procedure increases the chance of saving lives.” Mayor Bali said he is gratified by the large number of project partners who responded to Council’s call to support the project. “Blacktown City Council funded the balance, to ensure the project was completed.” Local Federal Members Michelle Rowland (Greenway) and Ed Husic (Chifley) and State MP Edmond Atalla (Mount Druitt) combined to praise Blacktown City Council for the initiative. “I was very pleased to be able to contribute $20,000 in funding through
the Stronger Communities Program for this important and life-saving equipment to be installed at all of our local sporting grounds”, said Ms Rowland said. “I am delighted that through the combined efforts of the Federal Government, Blacktown Council and local sporting clubs, our city will be the first in NSW to have defibrillator units available at all local sporting grounds.” “It’s terrific that Blacktown Council’s successful Chifley Stronger Communities grant application means the Federal Government will contribute $20,000 to purchase defibrillators,” Chifley MP Ed Husic said. “Playing sport and keeping active is an important part of everyone’s life and should a need arise for this equipment
it’s good to know that sports clubs can access to life-saving defibrillators at critical times. “I’m proud to support this initiative that goes one step further to making sure everyone is safe while playing on our local fields.” State Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla said he was pleased to be able to help Blacktown City Council achieve another first. “There is no doubt Blacktown City Council is taking a leadership role by providing something as essential as defibrillators across the council area,” Mr Atalla said. “The challenge is now out there for other Councils to follow suit and do the right thing by their residents and ratepayers.” The move was enthusiastically welcomed by Heart Foundation NSW. ‘We congratulate Blacktown Council in its comprehensive approach to providing every sports facility in its local area with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), said Heart Foundation NSW Cardiovascular Health Director, Julie-Anne Mitchell. “Time is crucial in a sudden cardiac arrest situation, with every minute that passes reducing the rate of survival by 10%.”
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What is happening to our boys? By Keegan Thomson
THERE is a silent epidemic claiming the lives of the young men across western Sydney yet unlike a contagious ailment there isn’t any physical signs of it, there often isn’t much warning of it even striking. Suicide has claimed the lives of around six young people from our local area in the past month yet it seems like no one has any answers as to how we can stop it from continuing. I will not report on the details of these incidents because the families involved deserve so much more. They deserve to be given the space to grieve and we must give them that. Instead of turning our heads towards the gossip and gory details of these events we must switch our hearts and minds on to action and prevention of such tragedies. Sadly a large majority of the victims of these suicides were males who were struck down in the prime of their youth. Statistics say men are more prone to suicide. According to Lifeline, the leading body in suicide prevention, men commit suicide at a rate that is three time higher than women. There isn’t any concrete reasons why
Armed robbery – Blacktown A man has been injured following an armed robbery in Blacktown on the weekend. About 11pm on Saturday, two men, with their faces covered entered a licensed premise on Kildare Road, Blacktown. One was armed with a knife, the other was armed with a hammer. They threatened staff, and were handed cash from the till. As they fled, a number of witnesses intervened. One witness, a 36-year-old man, took hold of the blade of the knife, resulting in a cut to his hand. The two men then fled the scene, leaving the weapons behind. Police from Blacktown LAC attended and established a crime scene. The man with the knife is described as wearing a dark hooded jacket, dark long legged pants, black shoes, and a green mask covering his face. The second man is described as wearing a white hooded jumper, black long legged pants, white shoes, and a black face covering. Inquiries are continuing.
suicide is more prevalent in men, but there are some figures that help show why young men are more likely to slide into mental health issues. Headspace recently released figures that says only 13 percent of young males reach out at times of mental stress. In response to these startling stats, Headspace has launched a new campaign aimed at connecting young men with the most influential person in their lives: their fathers. CEO of Headspace, Jason Trethowan, said there are a lot of things fathers can do for their sons, particularly when it comes to mental health. “Fathers can play a vital role in identifying the early signs of mental illness and helping their sons get the support they need but many men are unsure how to start the conversation or what services are available,” Mr Trethowan said. “From a practical level, dads can set the scene and think about where they are going to have a conversation, in the car perhaps, or kicking the footy– the conversation should be had in a safe and comfortable space,” he said. Another leading factor in the downward spiral of mental illness is social media and the increasingly
visual media on social networks like Instagram. The picture sharing application, Instagram, was ranked the worst social network for young peoples’ mental health, and has even been accused of fuelling a mental health crisis amongst young people. In the UK, 1500 teenagers were surveyed by the Royal Society of Public Health and they all came to the conclusion, Instagram has dramatic, negative results on the mental health of a developing teenager. “Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough as people add filters and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect’”, said one female respondent in the anonymous report. “Instagram resulted in me not eating
properly and losing a lot of weight and becoming very depressed, I finally recovered which was hard for myself only to be bullied online again in year 8. Overall I would say social media has caused me many issues and has caused me to be depressed many times”, another respondent said anonymously. With the advent of social media, the classroom, schoolyard and backyard dynamics of teenagers has changed dramatically over the past decade. There is more pressure to succeed, there is more pressure to show off an always-happy lifestyle and there is an increasing stigma around not being ‘liked’ on social media. Luckily there are a number of resources online that fight mental health illness and suicide prevention. R U OK? Headspace and Beyond Blue all have a number of resources which can help fight against youth suicide. Mental health and suicide are two hard conversations to have but the alternatives can be even harder to deal with. If you want more information on suicide and mental health you can find a number of resources at headspace. org.au or if you find any of these issues raised in the article upsetting you can contact Beyond Blue at 1300 22 4636.
Emergency service levy to be reviewed By Keegan Thomson
THE State Government will defer the introduction of the Fire and Emergency Services Levy to ensure fairness across the whole community. The Premier, Gladys Berejiklian said in the majority of cases across NSW, fully insured people would be better off under the new system, however it had become clear that some fully insured businesses were facing unintended consequences. “We are a Government that listens, and we have heard the concerns from the community, and we will take the time to get this right,” Ms Berejiklian said. “While the new system produces fairer outcomes in the majority of cases, some people – particularly in the commercial and industrial sectors – are worse off by too much under the current model, and that is not what we intended.” The State Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet said that in a number of cases identified so far, the lived experience has not matched the intention of the reform for commercial and industrial sectors, particularly for small and medium business owners. “It’s not enough for this reform to work on paper – its real-life implementation has real life consequences for families and businesses, and we need to make sure they are not placed under unfair strain,” Mr Perrottet said. “We are committed to reducing
NSW’s high rates of under insurance and to making the funding of our fire and emergency services fairer – but we want to get this right,” he said. The NSW Government will work with local government, fire and emergency services, the insurance industry and other stakeholders to find a better and fairer path forward. The Mayor of Blacktown City, Stephen Bali, has congratulated the Premier for having the courage to stop process before further damage was done to the community. “It was clear the Fire and Emergency Services Levy was ill-conceived and was going to cause a lot of pain to the community,” Mayor Bali said. “It is a strong leader who is willing to recognise potential failure and act to head off disaster, rather than grimly soldiering on, unprepared to back down. “I encourage the Premier to take the same approach to other decisions – such as forced local council amalgamations and tolling the M4,” he said. Mayor Bali said he had been contacted by many Blacktown residents and ratepayers who said they would be far worse off under the proposed scheme. “We could not find one person who said they were better off or had a saving: indeed it was exactly the reverse. “One resident told me he paid a $66.62 insurance levy last year and faced a $230.31 levy under the new system,” he said.
The Fire and Emergency Services Levy will continue to be collected via insurance policies until the NSW Government has completed its review of the policy, and the funding requirements of fire and emergency services agencies will be met in full.
Break and enter Doonside A man will face court today following an incident in Doonside last week. About 4am on Thursday 31 May 2017 police responded to reports of a break and enter at a business on Hill End Road, Doonside. Upon arrival police located a 39-year-old man in the store, armed with a crowbar. The man allegedly ran from police and a short foot pursuit ensued before he was arrested. The man received medical treatment for minor injuries he sustained during the arrest, before being taken to Blacktown Police Station where he was charged with: - Armed with intent to commit indictable offence, - Enter building with intent to commit indictable offence and - Resist police officer in the execution of duty. The man was bail refused to appear in Blacktown Local Court.
Westmead celebrates two new MRI machines
Westmead Hospital is now home to two new state-of-the-art MRI machines, doubling the hospital’s scanning capacity and improving patient care. The two 3T MRI machines were part of the hospital’s capital works program that replaces aged, major pieces of medical equipment. The hospital now has three MRI machines, creating greater capacity for research while also decreasing waiting times for inpatients and outpatients requiring a scan. The hospital conducts nearly 8000 outpatient scans annually, along with
thousands of inpatient exams. The capital works program also included a refurbishment of the MRI and radiology unit, including a new reporting room, along with fresh, modern wall colours and the installation of sky ceilings, giving patients a calming outlook during a scan. Westmead Hospital general manager Andrew Newton said the renovation was designed to make MRI screening more pleasant for patients, while also extending research opportunities. “We know that getting an MRI can often be scary, especially if you’re
having the scan for the first time,” he said. “These new machines are state-ofthe art – they come with headphones so patients can listen to music during the test, while also enjoying the new sky ceilings, which allow them to look at scenes of forests or the ocean while they’re having the scan. “The MRI space doesn’t look like an examination room – it’s got a nice ambience now, making it a much more pleasurable experience for our patients. The installation of the new machines was quite an effort, requiring each machine to be craned into the building
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due to their size and weight. WSLHD Health Facility planner Marleen Moraza said a team of builders had spent months planning for the installation before craning in the machines on a weekend to minimise disruption. “Our team came in at 5am and spent hours craning the huge machines into the hospital; these machines weigh up to 10 tonnes each so they’re incredibly heavy to move,” she said. “The whole operation went really smoothly and we’re thrilled to have these two new, high-tech machines on offer at the hospital.”
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Parklea Correctional Centre expansion on track Member for Riverstone, Mr Kevin Conolly MP accompanied Minister for Corrections David Elliott to plant a native tree at the newly expanded Parklea Correctional Centre, marking the first major milestone of the centre’s expansion. The prison located in Mr Conolly’s electorate of Riverstone in Sydney’s north-west will include an additional 150 minimum-security and 500-maximum security beds to help cater for the rising prison population. The expansion is projected to create around 250 jobs during construction and 160 new jobs when operational. Minister for Corrections David Elliott said the roofs of all accommodation and support buildings of the minimum-security facility have been completed ahead of today’s ceremony. “There are now around 13,000 inmates in correctional centres across the state and the recent unprecedented rise in numbers is creating operational challenges, particularly in metropolitan Sydney,” Mr Elliott said. “The expansion at Parklea will help alleviate these pressures and make operations more efficient.” This minimum-security facility is expected to be completed by the end of the year, while the 500-bed
maximum-security facility is due for completion in 2019. Commissioner Peter Severin said the expansion is part of the NSW Government’s $3.8 billion investment in increasing prison capacity across the state.
Update on the minimum-security facility: • All five buildings (accommodation, visits and support buildings) have external precast walls, floors and roofs complete; • Perimeter fencing is more than 60
per cent complete; and • Road works have commenced. Update on the maximum-security facility: • Civil works have begun; and • Internal and external fencing construction has begun.
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Leisure Centre named best in ‘Fitness Services’ category Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope has added another industry award to its list, taking out the ‘Fitness Services’ category at the 2017 Blacktown Local Business Awards. Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali was delighted at the honour bestowed on a Councilrun venue by the local community as the best in ‘Fitness Services’. “The award is representative of the high quality customer service that the Health & Fitness staff and all involved at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope, place as a top priority,” said Mayor Bali. “Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope is an example of an exceptional leisure & aquatic venue that continues to grow with the community, with the customers at the heart of everything we do. “I would like to thank everyone that voted for Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope in the Local Business Awards,” Mayor Bali added. The past year has been successful for Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope, providing the community with a family friendly venue for health, leisure, fun and fitness. The learn to swim program teaches, on average, 4,500 students each term, while the Health & Fitness facilities
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Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali, Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope Centre Manager, Brett Andrews and Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope Sport & Fitness staff.
and programs attract more customers each day. Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope offers a fully equipped gym, fitness studious and an attractive group fitness timetable which includes a range of programs such as over 50’s Young at Heart, Tabata, Body Pump and Aqua Aerobics. Blacktown City Council also had 3 other finalists in the Blacktown Local Business Awards, with Riverstone Swimming Centre and Blacktown Aquatic Centre in the ‘Fitness
Services’ category and Aqua Learn to Swim in the ‘Specialised Business’ category. The Local Business Awards acknowledge outstanding local businesses and their staff who go above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service to the community. Some of the key areas that were judged include level of customer service, quality of products and services, promotion of the business, staff training, local community involvement and future plans for the business.
And the winner is... PCYC Munt Druitt was awarded the most prestigious award last week at the 80 year anniversary State Conference gala night at Homebush. This award was made more special by the fact PCYC Mount Druitt was the first club ever to achieve back to back awards over two consecutive years. 2015 CLUB ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD 2016 CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD Congratulations!
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Austalia’s first MotoX Park at Eastern Creek Eastern Creek is set for a new motorsport experience with Australia’s first ever permanent indoor motocross stadium. The $5 million project - to be known as Sydney Indoor MotoX Park - will be located within the Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway precinct, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in December. Builders of the Park are endeavouring to have it open in line with the 20th anniversary celebrations of the karting facility. As part of the celebration, the karting facility will change its name to Sydney Premier Karting Park. The Sydney Indoor MotoX Park is the first of its kind in Australia and the 12,000 square metre facility will be housed in a revolutionary, climate controlled, air-filled membrane dome, which has been specially constructed in the United States. Sydney Indoor MotoX Park will house three separate racetracks that can operate independent of each other. They are being designed by a yet-tobe-named internationally renowned motocross track constructor. Operating in line with the karting facility from 9am to 9pm daily, a cafe, retail outlet and stadium style seating for up to 6,000 spectators will all be part of the Park. It will cater for varying skill levels from entry-level juniors right through to professional motocross racers looking for the edge on the competition. Upgrades to the roads into Sydney Premier Karting Park will be part of the construction process to assist in advancing its position as Sydney’s leading corporate adventure and entertainment venue. Located just off the M4 Motorway, riders heading to Sydney Indoor MotoX Park can bring their own bikes or hire one of the fully maintained
bikes on-site - which will provide numerous levels of power depending on age and skill level. CCTV will monitor all tracks, trained first aid practitioners and mechanics will all be available to those wishing to challenge themselves, whilst future plans include training camps from some of Australia’s best known motocross riders. 100 per cent privately funded, the major upgrade to the karting facility at Eastern Creek will be a solid addition to sport in Blacktown City Council’s recently announced 20 year transformational project. Council projects the City’s population will grow from the current 350,000 to 522,000 by 2036. Already Blacktown’s economy - at $14.2 billion annually - is larger than that of 87 nations. With full backing from the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation, the Sydney Indoor MotoX Park will ensure that dirt bike riders have a new, legal and safe home in Sydney. It will open the sport up to a new audience that may not previously have seen motocross as a recreational activity or potential career. It is the brainchild of lifelong dirt bike rider and motocross fan, Mattew Bartolo and was borne out of his frustration of having a lack of places to ride with his children. “If you live in the Western Sydney
corridor from Parramatta through to Penrith, you can drive for up to two hours before you find somewhere suitable to ride,” Mattew Bartolo explained. “Sydney Indoor MotoX Park will give riders a facility to ride in at any time of day or night and in any weather condition. Riders can bring their bike or hire one of our bikes and full safety equipment on-site. “A rider can finish work, grab their bike and within 15 minutes of where they live, have dinner at our cafe, have a ride and be home by 9pm. “The dome it is housed in is revolutionary and the first of its kind and size to come to Australia. We’ll have engineers come from the US to construct it at Sydney Premier Karting Park and will look to have our grand opening in line with the 20th anniversary of the karting park.” Founder and Managing Director of Sydney Premier Karting Park, Garry Holt couldn’t be more excited about the transformation of his facility. “Two and four wheel enthusiasts now have a home day and night, seven days a week right on the M7/ M4 corridor. Changing our name to Sydney Premier Karting Park will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the karting facility and represents the shifting tide of Sydney’s population, which is migrating toward the City of Blacktown on a daily basis.
“The plan for the Sydney Indoor MotoX Park is extremely exciting and something that I am sure will be embraced by motorcyclists from the Central Coast through to the Blue Mountains and beyond. “We’ve uncovered several of Australia’s best known motorsport exports through the hire karts at Eastern Creek - and hopefully through Mattew we can uncover the next Chad Reed at Sydney Indoor MotoX Park!” Mayor of Blacktown, Councillor Stephen Bali welcomed the plans for Sydney Indoor MotoX Park and sees it as forming a tremendous part of the City’s sporting landscape as it pushes towards its recently announced 20year transformational plan. “Blacktown is known as a sporting city and thousands of motorsport enthusiasts - whether competing or spectating - are catered for in our city on a yearly basis through Sydney Motorsport Park, Sydney International Dragway and of course, Sydney Premier Karting Park. “The addition of Sydney Indoor MotoX Park is something completely new to Australia - let alone our city. It will be a safe, world class and most importantly - legal - facility for recreational dirt motorcyclists to enjoy their sport and compete year round. “Combine the plans for the Park to provide training camps with Council’s recent announcement of a multimillion dollar International Centre for Sporting Excellence as part of our push for growth to 2036 and we could well be on target to uncover a new motorcycling World Champion right here in Blacktown!” Plans for Sydney Indoor MotoX Park are in the final stages of submittal and construction is expected to begin soon enough to achieve completion by the target date.
Colourful shadecloth puts smile on kids’ faces Colourful new construction fence shadecloth has arrived at Mount Druitt Hospital’s child care centre to brighten up the outdoor play area while construction is underway on the new dialysis centre next door. The dialysis centre is part of the Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospital’s expansion project. The standard blue construction shadecloth has been replaced with vibrant finger-paintings of things kids believe will make hospital happier, like rainbows, the beach, animals and stars. The children used paint, glitter, glue and craft materials to ‘magic’ plain boxes into works of art. The transformed boxes were then photographed by our arts team and the images were transferred to the mesh.
Daniel Oh
The kids also provided some helpful comments including “The hospital should be like my bedroom”,
“It should have toys”, “The hospital needs a garden with plants and flowers”, and “The hospital needs
doctors, needles and machines - I’m not scared but my brother is”. Centre manager Amy said the kids “love it!”. And there’s more fun stuff to come – their adjacent playground area will soon get a major makeover with great new equipment that’s safe for little kids as well as the older ones, so all our child care centre stars will be able to make the most of it! Thanks to wonderful Mount Druitt child care centre Supernovas and Comets, staff and parents, and Marily and Malcolm from our HARC arts team and our partners Health Infrastructure. For more information about the dialysis project visit: http://www. bmdhproject.health.nsw.gov.au/ Projects/Community-DialysisCentre
Pizza that hits the spot By Keegan Thomson
BLACKTOWN has a new world-class pizza joint and you’ve got to go and check it out. Doughboy has launched a new flagship store in Stanhope Gardens and the pizza is to die for, trust us we tried some. Delivering up a perfect mix of traditional Italian values mixed with fresh and modern pizza flavours, Doughboy in Stanhope Gardens is leading a new wave of dining experiences. Store owner, Sandeep Kahnna, is a colourful and committed businessman who says the reason why he loves pizza is because of its connection to the soul.
“Soul food, pizza is about soul food,” Mr Kahnna said. “When you’ve got friends over, when you’re watching the footy or you’re just having a relaxed evening, what is the best food to go with it? Pizza of course,” he said. Doughboy at Stanhope Gardens offers an unique style of pizza that leaves you feeling warm and loved. One of the original touches that Mr Kahnna is very proud of is his personal buzzer system. “After you order a pizza you’ll be given a buzzer, that way can go out and get a drink or do some shopping and then when your pizza is ready your buzzer will go off,” he said. Ata Gokyildrim, the founder of
Doughboy, said he was really excited to expand his high class pizza chain into western Sydney. “We’ve spent a lot time developing our products, and the people of western Sydney will appreciate our fresh, healthy and made-to-order pizzas,” Mr Gokyildrim said. “The people of western Sydney want something fresher, they want something that stands out in taste and flavour, and we’re here to offer that,” he said. The team at Doughboy prides themselves on dishing up pizzas that are made from scratch. The dough is made daily, the toppings come in fresh and the sauces are prepared with 100 percent real ingredients specifically for each pizza.
“We don’t use anything frozen,” Mr Kahnna said proudly. “All our pizzas are cooked fresh with the best ingredients, and you can taste that freshness.” Two Doughboy pizzas that stand above the rest are the Balboa, a fresh update on a traditional meat lovers, and the Napoli, a tasty pizza served with ripe veggies and lightly salty anchovies. The team at Doughboy is very proud of the love and personal touch that goes into every slice of their pizza. No matter if it is a special occasion, a night where you don’t feel like cooking or a quick and easy dinner option, Doughboys is the place to go for fresh, traditional tasting pizza.
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BURGOYNE/ BURGOIGNE, James
Place and Date of Trial - At Dublin City in July 1817. Charge - James was indicted for stealing wearing apparel. Age - 25. Sentenced - To transportation for seven years. Arrived - On the Guildford (3) on the 1st April 1818 from Cork, Ireland. Trade or Calling - House Servant
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ine days after his arrival James and other prisoners per Guildford” were forwarded by water to Parramatta under instructions from the Colonial Secretary John Thomas Campbell that Hannibal McArthur was to make arrangements to forward them the rest of the way to Liverpool by land. At which time the secretary expected a list of who each convict was assigned to. In September 1821 James is victualled from H.M. Magazine working on a Point Gang.
In May 1822 he was assigned to John Campbell Esquire at Ardmaddy (later renamed “Bungarribee”)in the Parish of Prospect and employed as a house servant. On the 10th April 1824 his name is on a list of prisoners who were transferred to Bathurst the following year he was reassigned to John Campbell. On the 1st July 1824 at the age of thirty-one years is granted a Certificate of Freedom. Provided by Hazel Magann OAM
Evocative play comes to Riverside Theatre By Keegan Thomson
IT takes a lot of guts to get up on stage and perform in front of an audience but it takes even more gusto to get up and perform in a one woman play. Chenoa Deemal, an Aboriginal woman from Cape York, is bringing her adaptation of the one woman play, The Seven Stages of Grieving, to Riverside Theatre from 8-10th June. Ms Deemal says the play is widely accessible and takes a deep and meaningful look at Aboriginal culture in Australia. “It’s a great show,” Ms Deemal said. “It’s not all about grief, there’s lot’s of humour and lightheartedness.” “Emotionally, it’s a very well balanced show and audiences around Australia have loved it so I don’t think the people of western Sydney would receive it any differently,” she said. The Seven Stages of Grieving was written 20 years ago by Aboriginal writer Wesley Enoch and Indigenous actress Deborah Mailman, though the script has been reworked for a more contemporary audience. Due to the heavy themes explored in the play, Ms Deemal said she’s had to become “show fit” in order to perform
Chenoa Deemal on stage in The Seven Stages of Grieving. Photo: Supplied
as a solo artist. “You have to get “show-fit” when you’re performing in a play like this and that includes the mental preparation,” she said. “I used a lot of emotional recall and
sense memory in order to have a deeper connection with the monologues. “With content like this, it can be very taxing mentally and emotionally so it’s very important to look after yourself and get plenty of rest and downtime.”
Growing up in the remote Queensland mining community of Cape Flattery, Ms Deemal said she’s always had a calling for the stage. “I’ve loved acting since I was little,” She said. “Every year we did a concert for our families and the miners, it was then that I fell in love with performing.” “I guess I stayed involved with theatre as I got older because I felt a deeper connection to myself when I was onstage, it’s hard to describe but I felt it was something I just knew would be my path in life,” She said. Even though she’s now a bonafide, professional stage actress, Ms Deemal said as anAboriginal actress it is still hard to break through traditional stereotypes around Aboriginal and Indigenous people. “I think one of the biggest struggles we face as indigenous artists is that we consistently have to break down stereotypes. We persistently have to remind the rest of Australia that we don’t fit into the boxes that others want to place us in,” she said. Chenoa Deemal’s performance of The Seven Stages of Grieving will play at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta this weekend and at the Joan Sutherland in Penrith later in the month. Tickets available at the riversideparramatta. com.au or thejoan.com.au.
CRO S S W O R D ACROSS 1 Hodgepodge (9) 6 _____ and output (5) 9 Revenues (7) 10 Perform surgery (7) 11 What a private does to an officer (7) 12 Foolish (7) 13 Guiding (9) 15 Empower (5) 16 Not liquid (5) 19 History of a word (9) 22 Eight-seven in Roman numerals (7) 23 Fortress (7) 25 Hunting guide (7) 26 Accounts (7) 27 Pilot a car (5) 28 One who disputes (9)
down 1 Groups of two (5) 2 A file of reminders (7) 3 A group of North African languages (7) 4 Fertile areas in deserts (5) 5 Wittingly (9) 6 Specify individually (7) 7 Braided (7) 8 Betrayal (9) 13 Revealed (9) 14 Enumerating (9) 17 Seventy-eight in Roman numerals (7) 18 Vary (7) 20 Eight-armed sea creature (7) 21 Systematic (7) 23 Breed of dog (5) 24 Not a winner (5)
solution 26/5/17
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Offensive odours and pathetic attempts to mask them with TP I’m sure that if you have parented teenage animals you would be only too familiar with the innately Neanderthal-like odours emitting out of their pores. It’s so common one could be forgiven for thinking it’s like some necessary right of passage. I’m sure that the noses of this particular age group are impervious to the wafting scents permeating from themselves and most likely that of other similarly affected teens. Im talking about the lovely whiffs of BO (body odour), stinky feet and that gaseous air that lingers after overly long trips to the bathroom. A parent might begin to think that if they were to receive a dollar for every time they had suggested for their offspring to indulge in a little self preening in the arm pit area in the form of deodorant, that perhaps they could afford a rather nice dinner by the end of the week. It’s a funny thing, but there comes a time when those kissable cute little bubba feet turn into big sweaty size 11’s and no mum would contemplate laying a hand let alone a kiss on them. Let’s not forget the ultimate combo of BO and feet!! Yes, all you soccer mums and dads know what I’m talking about, it’s the quinella of ponginess of sweaty bodies and overheated feet and the removal of rancid shin pads. It
fills the car so thickly that you can just about cut it with a knife and again the perpetrators are seemingly oblivious from its affect on their parents. It causes eyes to water, noses to crinkle
and occasional dry retching! Just when you think that it can’t get any worse, we must consider the unearthly woofiness (ultra smelliness) which comes from the tiled area of
the house. Now some folk might try combatting this by masking one bad smell with another. For example have you ever struck a match in the lame hope to “burn off” offending odours after ablutions? Well I have been into a tiled room where I can smell phosphorus smells which actually do little to hide the fact that something terrible has occurred there before me. Another terrible habit is the tendency to spray very bad smelling floral scents in an attempt to mask the remnants of last nights spicy dinner. The only thing achieved here is that you know that someone has tried to pretend for a moment that they aren’t animals with bodily functions, which albeit smelly, are actually not improved with another layer of stank. Ventilation is the key here people. Try an open window, turn on an extraction fan or perhaps a combination of the two!! So if there are any teen readers looking at this please don’t take offence but just know that when parents tactfully suggest that you may be a little smelly that they are lying. You stink. :)
Opinion: The world is in a spin at every level By Bart Bassett
Electile Dysfunction has been brought about in a large part by the inability for politicians to make decisions that are in the best interest of the majority of people. How can anyone explain the ongoing bungling at a Federal Government level on what seems like stupid political decisions that continue to alienate the broad constituency? From the changes to funding in the Catholic Education sector through to the very stupid decision of axing the funding for Healthy Harold and then reversing it, it seems the Government doesn’t consider consequences prior to making announcements. Then on top of the Federal Government errors of judgement the State Government last week put on hold unfair changes to the Fire and Emergency Service Levy which I wrote about in my last column, how can coalition governments keep getting it so wrong? The coalition policy development has been broken in part through too many young policy advisers. In many circumstances they have very little life experience but are having far too much influence on policy development - while the Labor Party is policy-controlled by the out-oftouch powerful union movement and organisations aligned to them like
GetUp. No wonder mum and dad voters are turning to micro parties in droves as they desperately look to park their vote with someone they think has a skerrick of normality about them. Moving away from our own domestic political ineptitude and looking at what seems to be a near weekly occurrence now of terrorist attacks, and you have to wonder how on earth we as a society are ever going to break this cycle of Islamic extremist behaviour or weak-minded copycats. Even if some people try to peddle the line that you can’t say all ISISclaimed terrorist attacks are the direct results of Islamic extremists, one thing you can say with certainty is
that all terrorist-type atrocities have been either directly caused by or influenced by the worldwide network of Islamic extremists. We all recognise that the terrorist’s cowardly acts are a futile strategy because communities in targeted countries are steadfast in supporting their own cultures of freedom and that will never change up to the last person standing. However, we mustn’t think these terrorists see the world in any way similar to how we do, they even kill people of their own faith so what do they really believe in other than murder and mayhem? We need to remind ourselves that the majority of people of the Muslim faith are good law abiding citizens who make up part of our successful
multi-cultural society and they deplore the actions of terrorists as much as the majority of us do. In mid 2016 terrorist organisers began to re-message their mindless followers through encrypted social media to not travel to countries like Syria, but stay at home and create their own home-grown jihad. Those very lemmings were provided with detailed training and access to local expertise or provision of tools for coordination and supply of hardware for bombs etc. Now this week we are hearing that the Philippines has become the preferred Asian hub for terrorists in the region. These weak individuals are now using vehicles and basic weapons like knives as their chosen weaponry. We as a society need to support our Government doing all it can to keep our community safe and calling these terrorist acts what they are - and that is a fringe group of radicalised Muslims who are making up their own religious rules as they go along to justify in their own tiny minds the atrocities they are carrying out or claiming to have carried out. Freedom and democracy is what we stand for and it must be protected at all costs. This freedom is something others would love to steal from us as many have tried to do - not just currently, but in wars that generations before us have fought to protect.
King Brian wins the Outstanding Service to the Community award
By Conner Lowe
IT’S not often that an individual continues to work in the same industry for years, let alone over 50 years. Brian McCombe or know as ‘King’ Brian has worked in retail for over 50 years and recently won an award at the local business awards, taking home the ‘Outstanding Service to the Community’ award. Brian has done a lot over his years, raising money for charities, especially for Kidney Health Australia which he has been supporting for over 12 years. Other charities that Brian has helped and raised funds for include Relay for Life,
Cancer Council and Variety Children’s Charity to name a few. King Brian was also in many television ‘Electronic Sales and Service’ advertisements during the 90’s. Brian who was also once named as a nominee for Australian of the year is an energetic, lovely and humble individual that is always happy to help a person in need. Recently, Brian held a ‘Golf day’ to raise money and support Kidney Health Australia. This was his 12th Golf day in support of Kidney Health Australia and one of his best yet. The day that was put on was excellent and Brian always goes above and beyond to help everyone throughout the day and make sure that they are enjoying themselves.
Brian’s recalled one of his favourite moments when he was going to Westmead Children’s Hospital to hand out Cupie Dolls to the children. Mr McCombe had the privilege of delivering a Cupie Doll to a sick girl and her sister and see a smile burst from their faces. “You can tell they maybe hadn’t smiled for a little while, it was heartwarming to see,” he said. Brian McCombe spoke about his award and how he loves to help anyone in the community. “With all the charity work and repeat customers that continue to come see me and my days in the 90’s on television, I still to this day run into some of those
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that I have met and worked with such as Ray Hadley and they still call me King Brian,” he said. “I love supporting the community, I will be supporting and helping another fundraising dinner for Anita Cobby on the 19th of September, I also love supporting the community around where I live at Rouse Hill.” His award that he recently received for ‘Outstanding Service to the Community’ shows how his work in the community and for charities, along with his 50 years of service in retail are appreciated by the Western Sydney community. King Brian still happily works at ‘Good Guys’ and continues to enjoys his days in retail.
We are a Penrith-based business that is rapidly expanding due to a number of new government & corporate contracts which allow us to provide a number of job opportunities for local people to join our busy team. Do you have trades skills that fit our role? Looking for a challenge and IMMEDIATE START? Send your resume now to hr@hix.com.au or call 4721 7500 for more information.
FIRE SERVICES TECHNICIAN / ELECTRICIAN
LICENSED ELECTRICIAN – Industrial / Commercial Maintenance & Installation
We are seeking an Experienced Fire Services Technician/Licensed Electrician to join our rapidly growing Penrith Based Team. You will carry out all aspects of Essential Fire Services testing, inspection, maintenance, repairs and fault finding and work with our team members to service the needs of a range of clients including local Councils, Strata, Commercial and Industrial Clients. You MUST have a sound knowledge and experience in the above areas and a clear understanding of Australian Standards and Building Codes along with a willingness to provide professional standards of service to our clients. We offer attractive wages and allowances, fully equipped vehicle, uniforms, mobile phone and electronic tablet (for use in accessing our Job Management System) and a great working environment. If you are interested in joining our team, please send your resume to: hr@hix.com.au Enquiries to Shane Watts, Manager: (02) 4721 7500
Must be meticulous in your work, have good customer service skills & be willing to use a Smartphone as a part of our Electronic Job Management System.
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Hard work, experience, dedication and perseverance SYDNEY Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd was first established in 2013. With almost 14 years of experience in the electrical and communications industry Managing Director, Robert Theodoridis, started the company with a vision to expand the business. Since then, a small team has grown through hard work, experience, dedication and perseverance. “A good and wise friend of mine once said, ‘If you want to feel good about yourself, do something for someone else’. This quote I hold close to my heart as I believe it’s one of the essential elements in a happy life and a successful business,” said Mr Theodoridis. “When you have a passion for what you do and have the ability to help others it impacts you in ways you cannot imagine,” he said. In the last 12 months, there have been some big milestones reached and a lot of growth within the company. Sydney Electrical Contractors not only cater for your everyday electrical needs (big or small) but they are also Level 2 Accredited Service Providers which enables them to work on Endeavour Energy and Ausgrid Networks, installing meters for new homes including granny flats and rectifying old cabling which has
deteriorated and becomes dangerous over time. With construction of the North West Growth precinct in full swing, there has been a high demand in level 2 work as Sydney Electrical Contractors are specialists and qualified in this area.
Gaining ISO Accreditation for Quality, Environmental and OH&S Management Systems has been another huge milestone for the company. It has allowed Mr Theodoridis and his team to tender for government contracts and stay
ahead of the game within the electrical industry. “If you want your business to succeed you have to be innovative and embed best practices throughout your business operations, this includes going beyond your client’s expectations”, said Mr Theodoridis. Sydney Electrical Contractors are also proud supporters of many charity groups such as Ronald McDonald House Westmead, Starlight Foundation Westmead, Kidney Heath Australia, Kids West, Cure for Cancer and proud members of the Greater Blacktown Business Chamber which helps support and unite local businesses in Western Sydney. Reflecting off their hard work, Sydney Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd were also finalists in the 2017 Blacktown City Local Business Awards and looking forward to potentially taking it one step further next year with the big prize. To book you next quote or job you can easily go online to our website www.sec24hr.com.au or call the office on (02) 8007-7215 or email your enquiries to info@sec24hr.com.au Like us on Facebook (Sydney Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd) and be in the running for great prizes throughout the year.
SAMURAI SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS Within each of the five 9x9 squares, each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, column and 3x3 block. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing SOLUTION: 28th April
Sydney Electrical Contractors provide professional electrical services for:
Domestic - Commercial - Maintenance Level 2 Accredited Service Providers for Endeavour Energy & Ausgrid Networks
Blacktown City Local Business Awards Finalists 2017
A​BN: 18164435527 L ​ icence: 210987C
(02) 8007 7215 Email: info@sec24hr.com.au
www.sec24hr.com.au
Level 2 ASP Licence: 4515
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Hong Kong homecoming
By Ben Cranney
My wife’s stories of growing up in Hong Kong meant that it had a lot to live up to. The food, people, history and things to do all sounded amazing. But it was the views and landmarks that I was most excited for. Lantau is home to the first of the views, the Big Buddha, sitting benevolently over the top of HK. Get the train to Lantau and then the bus or gondola up the mountain. The mist rolled in as we bussed up and by the time we got to the top we could barely see 20m. Statues of warriors loomed out from the fog, like protectors of the nearby Po Lin Monastery, and created an atmospheric, almost mystical feel, that was only topped when the silhouette of the Buddha appeared.
The second view is any number of other sacred sights. Take the train to Diamond Hill to experience the peace of the Tang-dynasty style Chi Lin Nunnery, or the hustle and bustle of worship at Sik Sik Yuen temple. Or visit Man Mo temple on the main island to walk amongst smoking incense before getting your fortune told. The third view is the Star Ferry ride across the harbour. For 30 cents, sit on the wooden seats and watch the city skyline expand against the dense greenery of the mountain backdrop or the junks with the bright red sails crisscrossing the harbor. Also look out for ‘the building of a thousand arseholes’, apparently named for the 100s of round windows. I think it’s owned by bankers.
The forth view is Kowloon’s streetscapes. I felt like I was on a Kung Fu movie set, and kept waiting for Jackie Chan to burst from the side of a skyscraper and dance along the bamboo scaffolding. Then enjoy the city at night from Wooloomooloo, the skyscraper rooftop bar that puts you in the clouds. Everyone will tell you the best view of the city is from The Peak, but this was better. Seeing all of this this is hungry work, so stop and enjoy HK’s phenomenal food. Maxim’s at City Hall is a yum cha institution. Temple Street Night Market is street food at its best. Afternoon tea at the Peninsula will make you feel like a lord or lady. There are plenty of places to wash it all down too, but I’ll write about these
another time when I share more ways about how HK exceeded my girl’s stories.
The Unintentional Medium By Suzi Samuel RUNNING RINGS ROUND ME Whenever I am giving a talk or with a client, I always point out that readings are not set in stone nor written in blood. We do have free will and it is up to the individual whether he or she takes the advice given by my guides. However, I feel that if the spirit world has decided on a particular journey for one to take, although they let you stray a little, they will herd you back onto the path like a sheepdog herding his flock. My first husband died when we were both very young and so, in my early thirties, I found myself back in the dating game - quite terrifying when you have been off the market for twelve years! I nearly got married again about five times but always, just when we would be about to make it official, something would happen, suddenly, strangely, unexpectedly and I might also say, weirdly. I would shout at my dead husband and accuse him of stopping me from having another settled relationship. “Why?” I would wail. “Why don’t you want me to get married again?” No answer, but whenever it looked as if I was heading for altar, whoosh, a huge, unexpected break-up. David and I got engaged quite
soon after we met and I was waiting for the axe to fall from a heavenly height. Then something quite spooky happened. One morning, I was in the kitchen making a cup of tea. The kitchen was galley shaped at one end and then opened out into a large eating area. I had just turned from the far end of the galley with a cup in each hand when, clonk! Something metal was dropped quite hard directly at my feet. I looked
down and there was a ring. I always wore my grandmother’s wedding ring on the middle finger of my right hand and my daughter always wore her father’s ring on the the same finger. Gran’s ring was still on my finger. I picked up the ring and looked at it. I began to get a chill. I recognised it. We lived in a big old house spread over three floors and Lulu had colonised the top floor. I went up to visit the old bat in the attic. “Do
you recognise this?” I asked her. She looked closely at it. “It looks like Daddy’s ring, but it can’t be. I never take it off.....” Her voice tailed away as she looked at her hand. The finger was bare. Somehow that ring had come off Lulu’s hand, found its way down four flights of stairs, through a door, along a corridor, through another door and jumped down at my feet. Well, I freaked. “That’s it,” I thought. “He’s at it again.” I called a girlfriend who knew about such things. “What’s he up to now?” I shrieked. She was killing herself laughing. “Calm down,” she said. “Don’t you see? He’s giving you his blessing to marry David.” My poor husband. All those years I had been maligning him and when I look back, he had in fact been saving me from disasters. And so, I do feel that the spirit world meant for David and me to be together and while they had let me have a few meanders, they were in fact me prodding me back along my intended path as David’s wife. The Unintentional Medium is available online or at all good book stores
Rentvesting – What is it? Alex Soncini
For many young Australians, the dream of living in and owning their own home seems out of reach at the moment, especially in Sydney and Melbourne. There is a growing group of real estate investors who chose not to own their own home known as ‘rentvestors’. A rentvestor is typically a young or first home buyer who chooses to rent where they want to live that fits their desired lifestyle and buys an investment property in areas where they can afford to buy. This growing trend of Rentvesting sees many young home buyers using investment property to get into the property market and own a property and start building a property portfolio. Renting is usually cheaper than owning a property where many want to live in a given suburb, and as a tenant you’re free to select a neighbourhood that meets your lifestyle preferences,” If you want to consider Rentvesting you need to weigh up if it meets you needs and right for you or not, here are
some of the pros and cons associated with this property trend. Pros: Live it up in the location you want - Some appealing factors of rentvesting is that many homebuyers want to live inner city neighbourhoods and don’t want to sacrifice their lifestyle, proximity to work, cafés, CBD nightlife, beaches etc. Generally speaking, renting in urban inner city neighbourhoods will always be cheaper than buying there because capital growth for property is in demand ‘trendy’ inner suburbs significantly outpaces the rental growth rate. So you can live in your dream location while building up equity and wealth, working towards purchasing your dream home or buying other investments. More flexibility - Renting gives you more freedom to move around and experience different lifestyles, types of homes and areas. This also means that if you need to relocate for your career you have more flexibility in choosing where you live and how long you stay
there for. Potential for additional income If the rent you have coming in from your tenants is greater than your loan repayments on the investment property you’ll benefit from additional income. In an ideal scenario you want to have a negatively geared investment property where you don’t have to pour large amounts of your own capital into sustaining your assets base each month. Tax deductions - As property investment affords many benefits to the economy and real estate market, there a number of tax benefits to property investors that are not available to owner occupiers. You will need seek advice from your accountant to see what expenses on an investment property you can claim for. Cons: Renting is always temporary - The home you live in doesn’t belong to you and is only temporary and if you don’t like moving this can be an emotional experience. You may want to settle
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down and make a home for yourself and family. Knowing the lease may not be renewed and brings uncertainty in your life. First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) - Remember the FHOG conditions changes state to state and in many cases is only available to owner occupier first home buyers who are buying or building a new home, so as a first time investor you may miss out. Capital gains tax - Unless you live in your investment property for a minimum of 12 months you have to pay capital gains tax when you sell the property. Limited changes - You’re restricted by the terms of the lease agreement and unable to make changes to the interior and house itself. To check if you’ll be in a better financial position in the future if you keep renting or if you buy a property contact Alex Soncini at Wealthwiz for a free home loan review on 0419 600 177 or email at alex. soncini@wealthwiz.com.au.
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WealthWiz Wealth Management | Suite 3, 47-51 Richmond Rd, Blacktown Call 8004 6655 | www.wealthwiz.com.au
Secret debate Religion: fact or fantasy?
He Says.....................................................She Says Religion, the one subject that will split even the most faithful. I cannot profess to know how the world began, but I am quite sure it wasn’t created by Adam and Eve and an apple tree. And there lies the problem, there are no facts but a lot of stories which were interestingly put together in a time where most people could not write or read. Chinese whispers come to mind. Often we hear the term “cult” as an evil group of misled people. My view is the only difference between religion and a cult is the amount of followers. Has anyone ever noticed that in any religion, believers will always say it is the right of everyone to have faith, when what they really mean is “as
WIN!
long as it is the same faith that I have.” I for one have difficulty accepting Noah and his two by two ark or any of the other tall stories in the “book”. I do however believe in the basis of the philosophies of the Ten Commandments. They are rules that provide for the basis of a strong society - I just don’t think they were left on a mountain for an Edmund Hillary of the day to find. Religion is about power over people, I prefer an elected Government that we can turf if we need to. Most of the clergy are good and fair people who help others, I tend to think these men and women would be the same without the need to be part of a sect.
Who do you agree with? Send your vote to nepeannews@aol.com for a chance to win a table for 4 at the Major Oak Theatre Restaurant including dinner and show.
I can hear the voice of George Michael singing in my ear as I write this: “You gotta have faith, faith, faith” There has to be a God. No ifs, no buts - because something created us. Have you ever tried to construct a barbecue? Or erect a tent? Sure we might succeed in the end, but not before hours of painful instructions that don’t match the corresponding diagram, several expletives and a tossed tool here and there - it’s very difficult! Now imagine creating a living, breathing human being? Complete with an action pump to create blood flow throughout the body, long sticks that will enable the human to walk, run and jump. Shorter sticks with extensions on the end to enable
WHO’S WINNING Big Australia - yes or no?
it to pick things up, write, play music. A lump of meaty flesh to insert in its head that will somehow enable it to think, plan, dream and create! Or a food chain of animals, plants and insects that ensures thousands of species can eat to survive and thrive? Oh and a venue that has just the right mix of oxygen, gravity and heat to make it all work or the whole thing comes tumbling down. Something pretty spectacular had to create all that. If it wasn’t God, please introduce me to this incredibly talented creator. If you don’t believe in God, then you don’t believe in heaven - so when we die its just, well a pile of dust. How depressing is that? Amen.
SHE WINS
19 Western News 9 June 2017 Issue 36
realestate
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sport
Western News 9 June 2017 Issue 36
Time to dust off your running shoes REGISTRATIONS are now open for the twelfth annual Westlink M7 Blacktown Running Festival, one of Australia’s few ‘off road’ marathons. Mayor of Blacktown City Stephen Bali encouraged everyone to get involved. “There is a race for everyone from the full marathon for professional athletes, to 5km and 2km walks for families and kids just having a go,” Mayor Bali said. “The courses start and finish at Blacktown International Sportspark, which means this is one of the few long races where participants arrive and leave from the one location.” 2017 marks the 12th year the marathon has been held on the Westlink M7 shared pathway, making it one of the few traffic-free marathons in Australia, Mayor Bali said. “It means runners have a smooth running event without having to worry about kerbs, gutters or traffic,” he said. “It also means that motorists are not inconvenienced by road closures,” he said. “This is partly why the event is such a success; runners from all over Sydney and NSW gear up to compete every year. “There is a group of runners who have competed in the 11 running festivals staged to date and we expect them to be there again this year.” The marathon, half marathon and 10km race are
Mayor Stephen Bali with runners in the 2016 Westlink M7 Blacktown Running Festival. Photo: Supplied.
all IAAF/AIMS Certified Accurate and the event is a member of AIMS (Association of International Marathons & Distance Races). The running event takes place on July 30, so you’ve got just under two months to get back into
CelebrityTIPSTERS
Round CRO MAN BRI
14&15
your training. To register head on over to the link, or contact Blacktown Council. http://www.blacktown.nsw. gov.au/News_and_Events/Events/2017/July/2017_ Westlink_M7_Blacktown_Running_Festival
GCT PAN MEL NEW SOU NZW CAN June 8 7.50pm
June 9 6.00pm
June 9 7.50pm
June 10 3.00pm
June 10 5.30pm
PAR NQC
WES SYD
BUL STG
SOU GCT
June 10 7.30pm
June 11 4.00pm
June 12 4.00pm
June 16 7.50pm
MEL CRO PAR NQC WES STG June 17 5.30pm
June 17 7.30pm
June 18 4.00pm
SCORE
Clr Stephen Bali Mayor - Blacktown City Council
102 Matthew Bennett - Bennett Western Sydney
BONUS 4 POINTS FOR PERFECT ROUNDS IN ROUND 12 & 13
★
124 Alex Soncini - WealthWiz Wealth Management
134 Paul Maher - Loxley on Bellbird
138 Troy - Urban City Consulting
132 Barry Locock - Turtle Landscape Supplies
110 Kimberley Talbot - CEO Richmond Club
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sport
By Conner Lowe
THE MG Cup is in full swing and saw multiple schools clash in last week’s games. The two competitions are for U14’s and U/16’s and will see schools all over Western Sydney play each other. In the U/14’s competition there were three matches played. Glenmore Park High School defeated Jamison High School 38-18 in a very close contest. Erskine Park defeated Chifley Dunheved 42-nil in a game where Erskine Park High School were too good for their opposition. The closest game of the round in the U/14’s was between Chifley Shalvey who defeated Chifley Mt Druitt 16-10. The game was played in the highest spirits and was filled with some great footy, overall a very good display of Rugby League in the MG Cup.
In the U/16’s competition there was two matches played. Both games were very even contests and could have gone either way. The first game was St Columbas who defeated Rooty Hill High School 21-16. The game was a very good contest and either school could have won, however it was St Columbas who came out as victors in the end. In the other match Chifley Shalvey defeated Nepean CAPA 286. Again, the game was a very close contest with Chifley Shalvey able to capitalise on more of their
U14’s
Western News 9 June 2017 Issue 36
MG Cup produces an exciting round of Rugby League
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chances and come away with a comfortable win in the end. Over both age competitions, there was some extremely good Rugby League played and some close results. The next round of the MG Cup will be played through the next school week, with hopefully another round of exciting school Rugby League to be played. The Mark Geyer Cup focuses on school attendance and good behaviour in order to play rugby league.
U16’s
RESULT Glenmore Park - 38
Jamison High – 18
RESULT
Erskine Park - 42
Chifley Dunheved – 0
St Columbas - 21
Rooty Hill – 16
Chifley Shalvey – 16
Chifley Mt Druitt – 10
Chifley Shalvey - 28
Nepean CAPA – 6
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sport
Western News 9 June 2017 Issue 36
Blacktown City joint top of NPL By Conner Lowe
B l a c k to w n City are joint top of the PS4 National Premier League NSW Premiership ladder after a convincing 2-0 win over the Sutherland Sharks. James Andrew and Joey Gibbs grabbed the goals in the dominate performance as Blacktown put pressure on APIA Leichhardt Tigers who are sitting on equal points at the end of round 13. Blacktown City played a terrific game of football and it was James Andrew who grabbed the first goal in the 15th minute after terrorising his former team throughout the game. James grabbed the man of the match award for a perfect display of football against the Sharks. Throughout the first half there was chances either side with the Sutherland Sharks unable to capitalise on a good chance with Christopher McStay header missing only just going wide of the posts. However, McStay made the Sharks chances even more difficult when shown a red card for a poor challenge during the first half. After the red card Blacktown City made sure to make the Sharks pay,
only minutes after James Andrew made a terrific run into the box and was brought down to give his side a penalty. Joey Gibbs stepped up and slotted the penalty away to give City a 2-0 lead before the break. The second half was an entertaining half of football, with the ten-man Sutherland Sharks hitting the crossbar with a sublime effort. The Sharks created chances to get back into the
game but were unable to convert and Blacktown looked threating throughout the second half. Late in the game the Sharks thought they had grabbed a goal back for it to be ruled offside. Blacktown then closed the game out as it finished 2-0 in a very dominate performance by the Blacktown side as they claimed all three points. Mark Crittenden, Blacktown City
coach spoke about the performance of his players after a great performance. “We had to make a couple of changes after the cup. To back up tonight and get the result I was very happy with it,” he said. “He (Andrew) has pace to burn and we are glad to have him at Blacktown City FC. He has scored six or seven goals and I’m very happy with him.”
Indigenous round for Western Magic Western Magic - Round 8 Indigenous round saw all Magic sides set to play at home. The Under 19’s played an exhibition match due to the bye, Reserve Grade were scheduled to play South West Magpies, who ended up forfeiting, which gave Reserve Grade another win on the board. The two teams who did play footy were Division One against Sydney University and the Women’s side against Newtown. This round not only celebrated Indigenous round with the new guernsey’s, but it was also Josh Mann’s 100th game, the first player for the Western Magic to reach this milestone since the Magic’s inception five years ago. Women’s The Women’s side played Newtown, who had a handful of players with premier division experience at their disposal. At first the Newtown side brought a certain hardness and intensity to the game, but soon the girls found their rhythm and broke away to lead at half time by almost 50 points. One Magic player left the field with a concussion, reducing the bench for the second half.
The 3rd quarter saw the girls dominate the possession count and provide countless entries into their forward 50. Converting and accuracy were an emerging issue, however, with the girls only kicking three goals out of eleven scoring opportunities. Newtown tried to hit back in the last quarter, playing a very physical game with heavy tackling and body hits.
While the girls lost another player due to injury they continued to push through and dominated the possession count to the very end. The Magic came out victors by over 100 points. The midfield and back line in particular gave it their all, keeping Newtown completely scoreless in the last half. Simone Freeman kicked three
majors and became the very first Women’s player at the Magic to kick 50 goals. Freeman and Millett kicked three. Kleyn, C. Corr and Weir booted two goals each, while O’Hagan, Suman, D. Dimond, Green and Jansen also found the big sticks. MAGIC: 17.21.123 NEWTOWN: 3.1.19
with MARK GEYER
Who can stop the Storm?
Dragons are flying high
As we hit the half way mark (boy hasn’t that gone quick?) of the current NRL season I thought I’d have a look over the opening 13 rounds of the competition and hand out some awards, and a few gongs. Best team - Melbourne. Currently sitting atop the premiership ladder with that look of glory once again. What a team, what a club, what a coach. Melbourne are the complete package when it comes to professionalism a fact backed up by player after player wanting to play down there in the hope of some magic dust rubbing off on them. It would seem it is their competition to lose. Best Player - Andrew Fifita What a season the often controversial Fifita is having! After winning a competition for the first time with the Sharks, Fifita has gone to the next level. Not only is he almost unstoppable with the ball in hand he seems to have gotten the memo that rugby league is only a small part of one’s life so he “better start making hay whilst the sun shines”. And boy isn’t he. Most Disappointing team - Souths Sure they lost their best player Greg Inglis to a season-ending knee injury, but that really isn’t an excuse for a major contender like the boys from Redfern always are. Currently sitting in 14th spot the Rabbitohs would need some type of miracle to make this year’s top 8. Something thought unimaginable before a ball had been kicked pre-season. Buy of the year - Paul Vaughan Dragons What a year the former Raider has had. His acquisition is one, if not the major reason his team are sitting in second spot on the table. A pure bred origin player that once picked, will be there for a long time. Best Import - Elliott Whitehead Canberra There are currently a plethora of English imports making their marks in the NRL, but in my opinion Whitehead is the pick. Tough, skillful, and game, Whitehead is an 80 min player integral to the Raiders premiership hopes.
What’s happened to the Rabbits?
NSW flying high
Most improved - Jack De Belin Dragons There are a lot of reasons why the Dragons are a real premiership hope this year. I’ve just mentioned Vaughan, there’s also Widdup, Dugan and Frizzell but its De Belin whose game has gone through the roof. Love watching him play. Most frustrating team to watch - Warriors Known as the ‘origin bullies’ due to the fact they are hardly ever represented (Lillyman this year) the Warriors offer so much but deliver so little. When it comes to tipping comps who is like me when you say “ok I’ll give them one more chance”? Only to be let down by the inconsistency they show. Should make the 8 every year given they have an entire country to pick their team from. Likely Grand Finalists? Storm v Sharks You get the feeling we are headed for another showdown between the two teams who battled out last year’s big one. The Storm are so resilient, the Sharks so consistent, they both have untold match-winning abilities, they both have great depth, they both are hungry for success. Recipes for an invitation to the big dance in October if ever I’ve seen it. And another thing.... It would be remiss of me to not touch upon the epic encounter we witnessed in the opening game of state of origin. Wow! What a first 40 minutes we watched of pure rugby league. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a better first half since I’ve been watching our great game. Congrats to NSW for a fantastic win, an even bigger congrats to the referees who kept their whistles in their pockets allowing us to see something in rugby league that has been missing for a long time- attrition! Bring on game 2. See you at the game.
MG (random Westie) OAM
Western News 9 June 2017 Issue 36
my words Half yearly awards
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Western News Friday, 9 June 2017
sport
Arsenal soon to take centre stage against the Wanderers By Conner Lowe
IT’S not often you get to see a team with the calibre of Arsenal one of the top teams in Europe. For many Australian fans, watching your favourite European football teams requires late nights or setting the alarm early in the morning to get up and support your team from the other side of the world. Now for 80,000 Arsenal and Western Sydney Wanderer fans, a dream match for fans is only right around the corner with the game to be played on the 15th of July. Arsenal will also be playing Sydney FC on the 13th of July which will also be a blockbuster of a game. Both games are set to be sell-outs and with players such as Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsay, Petr Cech and Theo Walcott no wonder fans are flooding in to get tickets. Arsenal who have just won the FA Cup against Premier League winners Chelsea FC are an outstanding team full of talent. European clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool who played here only a couple of weeks ago are
important to help the growth of the Hyundai A-League and fantastic as a fan of these clubs to get out and watch your team battle it out against these European giants. It is important for the Hyundai A-League and Australian football to attract European clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool, also Chelsea FC, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, A.S. Roma
and Manchester United who have come out here in recent years. These games help the expansion of support for the A-League while also creating great matches for Australian fans who might never get to watch some of their favourite teams and football players. There are still tickets for both Arsenal matches in Sydney so get in quick if you want to snap up the last tickets and watch some excellent
games of football in your own backyard. To get tickets go to ticketek: Arsenal vs Western Sydney Wanderers: www.premier. ticketek.com.au/shows/show. aspx?sh=ARSWAND17 Arsenal vs Sydney FC: www.premier.ticketek.com.au/ shows/show.aspx?sh=ARSSYDN17