10 minute read
One Hundred Words Competition
It was a quiet morning and I decided on a quick swim. I eased myself off the pontoon, slipped underwater, then began making my way towards a group of yachts nearby. All I could see ahead was mud with a few starfish. I came up at the stern of a yacht and face-to-face with an old man who had been watching my bubbles. G'day mate. Having a look around? I nodded. While you’re down there, have a look for my false teef. I quickly went down, but nothing. When did you drop them? Oh, about two years ago.
Grahame Wilson, Riverview I was in a new unit. I met an elegant lady entering her unit. Later on, I asked her out for a drink. She happily agreed, adding she had just ended a relationship in our unit block. Dinner over, we returned in her car. Approaching the last bend she said “I think my ex is around the corner!” I exited. Next morning – no mobile! I had left it on the front seat! I called to retrieve it, she cried “Goodness! My ex-boyfriend must have sat on it, whilst I was telling him, what date? I’ve just been to mum’s place!” Bruce Bradshaw, Lane Cove What’s new, pussycat? Still eating that tinned food, I see. Are you still into mice? Okay, great. That doesn’t really help me much, though. You see, I’m trying to write a song. So, what’s new, pussycat? I notice you’ve been playing with yarn a lot. Honestly, that seems like it’s been going on ever since cats or yarn were invented. My point is, I can’t really write a song about what’s always been happening, pussycat. It doesn’t fit the rhythm. If nothing new has occurred lately I’m going… Say what? Oh that is interesting… so, who let the dogs out? Troy Graham, Lane Cove Dad and I assembled the tree tonight. We played Christmas music. I could feel his angst doing something so cheery when reality was not. I looked at mum, lying peacefully, watching us. She declined to hang a bauble. Reality of our last Christmas made tears roll; not sure if anyone saw, but we didn't speak of them. Afterwards, I lay beside her. She gently played with my hair. Eventually she insisted we go to bed. I didn’t want to let go. I see her slipping away from us, and to be honest, the sadness is more than I can bear.
Jess Baker, Lane Cove
I was settling down with a cup of some invigorating tea to do my day's 'Kenken'. Put the tea on the dining table. I was trying to seat myself on the chair. To my utter dismay, I missed the chair, and went down 45 centimetres to the ground – constrained by the sliding chair on my back, a wall on the right, the dining table on the left and the kitchen cupboard in the front. Felt like a long journey – down a mining shaft. Resulted in both buttocks getting badly bruised, a trip to the emergency and six X-rays.
Muthukrishnan Srinivasan, Riverview
My mouth is dry and palms sweaty. What if she’s judged I’m not worthy and took off? Did I push too hard for a meeting? I close my eyes, see and speak to her. “Perihan, it’s so cool that you’re Turkish and you write too. Maybe we can collaborate?” Maybe she didn’t like what she saw on WritePublishGrow. com. Please give me a chance. Let’s combine our one hundred words for a unique collaborative piece? Can we? Already a quarter past? I get up slowly, not ready to leave my seat. And that’s when I feel a tap on my shoulder. Eda Utku, Lane Cove
The transistor radio on the kitchen countertop was the morbid messenger of bad news that morning, just as I was heading outside, rugged up in my parka and mittens...John Lennon was shot dead. Hours later, my friend Valerie and I, stood shivering outside the Dakota building, under the falling snow, with the glowing flames from our vigil candles warming our hands. A news reporter asked us our thoughts but too ashamed to admit we were native New Yorkers, we posed as San Franciscan tourists. Winter and John were gone, but the Strawberry Fields were blooming on Central Park West. Perihan Bozkurt, Lane Cove
TO ENTER Email your story with your name, address and phone number to
editor@thevillageobserver.com.au
CONDITIONS Stories must be exactly 100 words about any subject and in any writing style. They must be original and unpublished. There is no limit to the number of stories that you contribute during the year. Each month, selected entries will be published in TVO. At the end of the year, all entries will be judged based on their originality and creativity.
THREE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE A $50 BURNS BAY BOOKERY VOUCHER.
LANE COVE LITERARY AWARDS 2019
The Lane Cove Literary Awards 2019 are open, with entries accepted until Monday 26 August 2019. Prizes will be awarded for:
● Short Story Prize - $2,000 ● Travel Story Prize - $1,500 ● Poetry Prize - $1,500
The following additional prizes may be awarded: ● The Burns Bay Bookery Resident Prize - $500 ● Len Wallis Audio Youth Prize (16 - 24 years) - $500 ● The Baytree by Ardency Senior Prize (65+ years) - $500 To enter the awards read the Terms and Conditions which includes the Entry Form.
Councillor Mark A. Bennett
Mayor of Hunters Hill P: 9879 9415 E: markbennett@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
Australian citizenship ceremony
It was my pleasure recently to confer Australian citizenship on fourteen members of the Hunters Hill community. Our newest Australians were from a diverse range of nations including China, India, Ireland, Kenya, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland & United States of America.
The guest speaker was Hunters Hill 2019 Young Citizen of the Year, Sylvie Stannage, who talked about her family heritage and her passion for sailing. It’s always a great experience for me to be a part of the final step in people becoming Australian citizens. Welcome to our Australian family.
I was pleased to present cheques to four local organisations from funds raised at the Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival 2019 in May. The Festival attracts those who appreciate fine wines, excellent food, gourmet produce and great entertainment. It was a somewhat damp day but it didn’t stop the large crowd enjoying everything on offer.
Not-for-profits receiving cheques this year were Sydney Community Services Ltd $19,500.00; Hunters Hill Ryde Men’s Shed $2,500.00, Hunters Hill SES $2,500.00 and St John’s Ambulance Service $2,500.00.
Le Vesinet students visit
Hunter’s Hill Council recently welcomed 17 French exchange students as part of a friendship pact with the City of Le Vesinet in France and each year Australian students go to Le Vesinet for six weeks as well. This program has been ongoing since 1991 and has been a huge cultural and educational success on both sides of the world.
The students are staying with their host families and attending high school for a week. The Le Vesinet Committee has organised many excursions and activities supervised by dedicated volunteers to showcase the diversity of Australia including walking tours; Manly Surf School, Blue Mountains tour; Opal Museum tour; whale watching and Paddy’s Markets. The students will also be helping on the Le Vesinet stall at the Moocooboola Festival Sunday, August 4 at Boronia Park Ovals. The Farewell dinner is once again held at The Hunters Hill Club.
Anthony Roberts, MP
Member for Lane Cove P: 9817 4757 E: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Spring seems just moments away … already the days are getting longer, and our family and pups are enjoying Lane Cove’s many open spaces. The Greenwich Sailing Club has put final touches on its new kitchen. State funding of $11,000 helped the Club upgrade to better cater for members and local events. If you have a birthday or business event, check out this brilliant venue – it all goes back to youth and community. I’m proud to announce we’ve been awarded $30,000 under NSW Government's Coastal and Estuary Grants Program. Mangrove and estuaries filtering of runoff keeps our rivers cleaner and, with our mudflats and small inlets, provide habitat for local species. I’ve discovered the superb Two Brothers Café hosts board games on Friday lunchtimes. I’m offering a chocolate brownie to my boys if they take my chess crown. They are yet to work out a defence against the old four-move checkmate! Lane Cove Men’s Shed has several events coming up. The Men's Shed provides a place where a gentleman can get his hands dirty, fix or build something, chew the fat and solve the world's problems in Figtree Street. If you're interested, do call David Lewinsohn on 9418 8459 or see https://mensshed.org It’s a brilliant venue for men of all ages. Lane Cove Fun Run, a Lane Cove Public School P&C initiative, is on September 8. I will be at the starting line; however, I don't feel confident extending that promise to the finish. Register now at www.lanecovefunrun.com.au A young constituents, Tristan Tringali, has started a media company, Yolo Media. Lane Cove is fortunate to have many young entrepreneurs, and we wish Tristan the best of luck. He has kindly put together a drone video which highlights many of Lane Cove's natural wonders as well as this year's funding announcements. You can see his expertise on my Facebook page and in this edition of The Village Observer page 11. The Hunters Hill Mayoral Ball is reborn! There are few excuses to get out a tuxedo these days, and none better than the Mayoral Ball – on Saturday, September 14. This year's profits go to Hunters Hill Councils' contribution to the accessible playspace at Boronia Park. The NSW State Government has awarded $200,000 to Hunters Hill Council as part of a $20 million Everyone Can Play initiative to create playspaces for residents.
Trent Zimmerman, MP
Member for North Sydney P: 9929 9822 E: trent.zimmerman.mp@aph.gov.au
Addressing mental health and suicide prevention
As a society we’ve all come a long way in recognising and supporting people living with mental health issues. Yet we also know there is so much more to be done –in reducing stigma and also ensuring all Australians have access to mental health care. Similarly, the tragedy of suicide touches far too many Australian families. Suicide is the leading cause of death of our young people – accounting for one-third of deaths of Australians aged 15-24. The tragic impacts are even higher in indigenous communities. It’s a desperately important issue and one in which I’m taking a strong interest as Chair of the Parliament’s health committee. The Government is focusing on improving front-line services, connectedness in the community and research to ensure services are accessible where they are needed. This work is part of $503m Government has committed to Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. The Plan focuses on strengthening primary health support for those facing mental health challenges as well as the Headspace network, indigenous suicide prevention plus early childhood and parenting support. The Headspace network provides youth-friendly services to help young Australians tackle challenges including physical health, alcohol and other drug use, vocational support and mental health. I welcome all residents’ ideas on how we can strengthen our work in this area so please feel free to reach out to me. And If you need support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Tax relief for hardworking Australians
Federal Parliament has started implementing Government’s election commitments – one of the priorities being legislating personal income tax reforms. More than 87,000 taxpayers in the North Sydney electorate, and over 10 million Australians, have already received tax relief following changes to the tax rate in early July.This means that low- and middleincome earners with an income of up to $126, 000 will receive up to $1,080 more back in their tax returns. Tax relief measures ensure that 94 per cent of Australians will face a marginal tax rate no higher than 30 cents in the dollar in 2024-25. For more information on tax changes visit http://budget.gov.au or call my office.
