Lane Cove seniors get ready to march

from The Village Observer September 2019

Your Travel

I am visible

‘I am visible’ will be the message of senior citizens marching in Lane Cove on October 24 to raise awareness of older people, their experience, knowledge and roles in society now and over the years. Yet they are often made to feel invisible today.

The march was the idea of Cate Turner, a member of the Agefriendly Committee which advises Lane Cove Council on integrating age-friendliness into its work. “The committee was talking about how to raise awareness of older people; I said ‘Let them see us – on a march’,” said 90 year-old Cate Turner who is active on this committee as well as the Older Women’s Network, and the Lions Club, among other things. Marching seniors will also boost their visibility by wearing something purple when they step out on October 24, following International Day of Older People, October 1, and just ahead of Grandparents’ Day, Sunday October 27. They’ll draw even more attention when the Older Women’s Network’s theatrical troupe, ‘Feisty Women of Oz’, breaks out from the march into a satirical performance in the plaza bandstand. “How often do older people recount that, when they go out with someone younger such as a son or daughter, whoever they are talking with speaks only to the younger generation? As for [older people] knowing anything or having an opinion, that’s never considered,” said Ms Turner. And yet older people have a wealth of experience and knowledge. They built our roads, buildings and businesses, dreamt up the innovations of their time and still prop up the economy today by saving their children’s and government coffers when they work as carers for grandchildren, spouses or other family needing support – and by volunteering in myriad ways. Ms Turner believes Australia is not “madly good” with older people, saying we tend to “shut them away”. “The march is a fun way to draw attention to something important” said Lane Cove Council’s Community Services Manager Cate Sinclair who is also on the Age-friendly Committee. Ms Sinclair said that if society wasn’t ageist, Council would not need an Age-friendly Committee and praised the group for its contributions to the Strategy for an Age-Friendly Lane Cove 2018-2023. “It’s the second Council age-friendly strategy and the Age-friendly Committee has done a fantastic job helping make it a whole-ofCouncil approach, similar to our disability inclusion plan.” People marching will hand out information about ageism, its symptoms and ways it manifests. The information will challenge the public to acknowledge if they are ageist, too. Join the march or show your solidarity with seniors by wearing purple, as seniors will on the day • At 10.30,Thursday Oct 24 - seniors meet at the Library and walk through Market Square area to the Bandstand in Lane Cove Plaza • Approx 11.am - a performance at the plaza’s bandstand by the Older Women’s network • 11.30 marchers finish at the Longueville Hotel Contact 9911 3592 Be considerate in public spaces - for everyone, not just older people • If you are riding a bike on the footpath or cycleways, ring your bell to warn pedestrians you are coming; skateboarders should walk when among pedestrians • Scooters, bikes etc are not allowed in the Plaza, so please don’t ride them there • Do not ride your bike on the footpath in busy areas, for example, outside the Library,

SEE ME The body is crumbled, grace and vigour depart, There is now a stone where once I had a heart, But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells, And now and again my battered heart swells. I remember the joys, remember the pain, And I’m loving and living life over again, I think of the years, all too few — gone too fast, And accept the stark fact that nothing can last — So I open your eyes, nurses, open and see, Not a crabby old woman, look closer, nurses — see ME! The full poem can be read at http://www.nursinghomealert.com/share-this-poem

Scott

Chartered Accountants

S Y D N E Y

Taxpayers don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan

n If you are starting or recently setup a business,

are you using the best business structure that suits you?

n All businesses must all be using Single Touch

Payroll if you have an employee from 1 July 2019, have you organised this? n Eligible individuals may receive a maximum of up to $1,080 in middle & low income tax offset in 2019, did you know?

PLAN TO PLAN

n Income tax – personal, business and investment n Superannuation (SMSF) – planning, taxation

and audit

n Management accounting and business planning n Estate planning and Family Trusts n Registered Company and SMSF Auditor

LOCATED UPSTAIRS: Village Shopping Centre, Suite 8, 43-45 Burns Bay Road. P: 9418 6669 EMAIL office@scottca.com.au

PLEASE EXPLAIN ! - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

especially River Rd; provision of accessible pathways for pedestrians and cyclists; provision of community facilities; the plan’s overall financial feasibility. Council is ready to work with the NSW Government Architect as advised, but is also requesting that the NSW Chief Planner and the Greater Sydney Commission’s Dr Deborah Dearing, who is District Commissioner, North and Eastern City, also be part of the review process.

LOCAL PLANNING STATEMENT

Council is due to put its draft Local Strategic Planning Statement on exhibition for community consultation by October, and finalise it by end March. It will write to the Department and to the Greater Sydney Commission asking for an extension to complete its DLSPS and housing strategy because of the review of the SLS plan. Council voted against an amendment to specifically seek community feedback on inclusion of SLS plan within its exhibited draft Local Strategic Plan Statement, but it expects the community will suggest generic ideas of where units could be built. “The Mowbray precinct is exhausted and we don’t have any other area that would suit higher density to meet long-term targets,” said Mr Wrightson. Council believes that its housing strategy will have to include higher density housing in the SLS area in some form.

Sydney Water fined for sewage spill

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined Sydney Water Corporation $30,000 after 12,000 litres of raw sewage was discharged into the Lane Cove River late last year.

The discharge from Northwood Sewage Pumping Station happened at Woodford Bay between Longueville and Greenwich on 23 and 24 December 2018. EPA Regional Director Metropolitan, Giselle Howard, said the discharge from a pumping station during dry weather breached Sydney Water’s environment protection licence and the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. “The EPA alleges that this incident happened because of a failure by Sydney Water to prioritise the repair of backup pump systems, resulting in sewage overflowing for a period of about 25 hours. Ms Howard said that on becoming aware of the incident, Sydney Water took immediate action to get the pumping station back online.

“Untreated sewage can pose a risk to human health and have significant environmental impacts on waterways and land,” Ms Howard said.

“This part of the river is close to schools and homes and is also a popular recreational area.” For more information about EPA regulatory tools, see http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/legislation/prosguid.htm

Meet your aged care service provider

Come along and meet organisations providing services to older people (and their carers) who are living in their own homes in Lane Cove.

The Terrace Function Room, VENUE Lower Ground, Lane Cove Community Hub, 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove

Wednesday 25 September, DATE 10:00am – 12:00pm

For more information visit: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

PLANNING A MOVE?

Contact Hazel McNamara today: 0402 913 537

E: hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au W: raineandhorne.com.au

YOUR REAL ESTATE QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY

Hazel McNamara

Senior Sales Agent/JP I Tel: 0402 913 537 I Email: hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au

Why are some properties sold off-market?

When a home owner decides to sell off-market, this means they are selling

without advertising the property to the public. For example, I recently sold a property off-market in Lane Cove North, by holding one open for inspection and inviting active buyers in our database to attend. Within four days, a price had been negotiated, accepted and contracts exchanged. This can be an ideal way to sell for those wanting to avoid the stress of weekly opens and/or reduce the selling cost. Some owners may use this method of selling to obtain price feedback from potential buyers before beginning a full marketing campaign. There are occasions where a buyer expresses interest in a specific street or property. This is when we will approach homeowners to let them know we have a buyer interested in their home and ask if they have any interest in selling. For the right price, some owners are happy to sell. The risk of selling off-market, particularly when there is low stock and high buyer demand, is missing out on the potential to create competition between buyers which can often lead to a higher price. In the past few weeks we have experienced huge attendance at our opens and as there can only be one successful purchaser, there are many that will miss out. If you are thinking about selling, this could be a good opportunity to find out if there are active buyers who would be interested in your home. If an acceptable offer is not forthcoming, you can either hold off selling or still proceed with a full marketing campaign.