Last year, my practice represented an increasing number of parents in family law proceedings who were also issued with provisional Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs).
The primary question from parents in receipt of provisional and/or final ADVOs is: “Will it affect my chances in the family law proceedings?”. My professional answer is “it may”. The determining factor of whether an ADVO ultimately affects a parent’s family law outcome for parenting is determined by the final ADVO and whether other criminal charges accompany it.
Firstly, an ADVO is not a criminal charge. Rather it is a court order that is issued to an individual to assist the person to regulate their behaviour when in the company of the victim. It is not based on a finding of guilt and nor does it appear on a person’s criminal record. It is however heard at the Local Court (within its criminal list of the General Division) as provisional ADVOs are issued by the Police. At Court, an accused faced with a provisional ADVO can either: 1) Defend the ADVO resulting in a plea of not guilty being entered from a defended and a hearing will subsequently occur 2) Accept the ADVO as presented to the Court and is commonly dealt with immediately, or 3)
Accept the ADVO on a “without admissions basis”. The latter tells the court that you are prepared to accept the requirements of an ADVO but without affirming the Police allegations. The Police often request the Court to make an ADVO Order for a duration of two years. However, there are exceptions to this rule and the order can be reduced to 12 months as experienced first-hand on two occasions last year.
Secondly, if an ADVO is breached, that is, you contravene the ADVO, the contravention is converted to a criminal charge. All breaches are viewed by the courts as acutely serious. If you have an ADVO or any other criminal charge listed for hearing, and you are in the middle of Family Court proceedings involving children, the Family Court will seek to ensure that the ADVO charge and/or additional criminal matters have been finalised before progressing with the family law matter. The Family Court’s justification for adopting this position stems from its primary concerns for the safety and well-being of all children involved in Family Court parenting matters. Once the ADVO and/ or criminal matter has finalised, the Family Court will progress the family proceedings as expeditiously as possible to final orders.
If you require legal assistance with Police ADVOs, criminal charges, traffic law matters, family law proceedings and Binding Financial Agreements (BFAs) please don’t hesitate to contact Perin Legal.
(02) 8901 5059 Level 1, Suite 1.03, 102-104 Longueville Rd, Lane Cove www.perinlegal.com.au
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Proceeds from The Village Observer supports residents of Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Ryde, Willoughby and North Sydney, via Sydney Community Services – a local not-for-profit organisation that helps people to live a quality and independent life in their own home and in their community.
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SCS provides services to seniors and people living with a disability including social activities, gardening, home nursing, podiatry, linen, home delivered meals, home modifications and maintenance, flexible respite, carers support, shopping services, community and engagement programs, medical transport and assistance in daily life.
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The city really comes alive at this time of year, with those perfect for walking daytime temperatures and those chilly evenings that are best enjoyed somewhere warm, a restaurant, a pub, a club, or somewhere even more fascinating, such as…the tunnels under Wynyard, which are open once again as part of Vivid, for it is Vivid time again!
Every year it seems the organisers make the event even better. Inside, you will find the top tips and recommendations from the event’s three curators.
In this issue you will also find out about a very special patch of land at 14 Gay Street (this story blew us away), and an interview with ‘Coder Kenny’ – a local heroine who turns 100 on 3 June.
Elsewhere, we pay tribute to the late Sue Ingham, a name familiar to so many people in Lane Cove. We knew Sue was facing some battles in hospital last month when we were corresponding about a powerful owl article she wrote and submitted, and it was a sad moment when the news was conveyed to us of her passing. TVO will very much miss her contributions, big and small, for so many years. She is a great loss to the community.
Times are tough right now for many here on the lower north shore. Sydney Community Services has many ways it can assist those in need. You can read more about that inside too.
Stay warm, and enjoy the light spectacular!
Nicola NICOLA RICHES EDITOR editor@thevillageobserver.com.au
St Andrews Anglican Parish Centre on the corner of Finlayson Street and Rosenthal Avenue has been earmarked for development, with the proposed building of a 400-seat auditorium, a minister’s residence, retail space and 40 apartments.
The plans have been put together by the Diocese and construction firm, Traders In Purple, which has already acquired the neighbouring property to create a bigger footprint.
It is expected that a DA will be submitted with Council this year, with construction planned to start in 2027.
Traders In Purple director George Geagea said, “The Lane Cove site ticks all the boxes for residential development. It is in a quiet, leafy street of predominantly midrise apartments, just a short walk away from Lane Cove’s main shopping precinct.”
A newly-spruced up Meeting House opened its doors to the local community last month, celebrating 45 years of service with a vibrant performance from its Chinese dance troupe.
In attendance at the Open Day was Lane Cove Mayor, Councillor Scott Bennison, who recounted so many of the ways that the purpose-built space has served Lane Cove, and what is on the radar for the future.
In a fun, festival atmosphere, locals were enthralled by the extremely graceful Chinese dance troupe, the ‘Dance of Love’, and learned about all the services on offer for our local community.
Emma Grimes, Michael Fitzgerald & Peter Louridas
The Meeting House provides a fantastic local resource that includes hosting playgroups, seniors bus outings and shopping, plus a variety of social groups, and is also a fabulous event space available for hire.
Hours: Mon, Tue, Fri: 8am–2pm; Sat, Sun: 8am–4pm
The plans for a 19-storey high building, named Fiveways Crows Nest is currently on exhibition, seeking public feedback.
Fiveways Crows Nest, which will be constructed opposite Woolworths, comprises three floors for retail and commercial use, 19 residential levels with 191 units (including 33 affordable units), and seven floors of basement car parking for residents and non-residents.
Land and Form Studios, the proposed landscaping business, has proposed dividing the building’s communal open space to include a passive sun garden, a shade sculpture garden, and a social community hub with outdoor barbeque and dining area.
The State Significant Development Application is on exhibition until 6 June.
A new sporting facility at Gladesville Reserve is planned for the next financial year, thanks to a $1.9 million grant from NSW Office of Sport ‘Level the Playing Field Program’ to the All Saints Hunters Hill Football Club.
The new, state-of-the-art and accessible building will provide much needed toilets and change facilities for all users. It will also provide ample storage space for equipment.
The works will be delivered as part of Council's Capital Works Program. President of All Saints Hunters Hill Football Club, Euan MacLeod said they were overjoyed to hear the announcement and grateful to the NSW Office of Sport and Hunter’s Hill Council.
“We love the new field that was opened recently. We didn’t expect that we would be able to construct this new facility so soon, so it’s absolutely fantastic, a great win for the Club and the community. It’s great that this project will particularly help us improve access to female facilities,” he said.
The Rotary Club of Hunters Hill in partnership with Hunter’s Hill Council is gearing up to continue the Hunters Hill Spring Garden Competition as an annual celebratory event to mark its standing as Australia’s oldest garden suburb.
Rotary Club of Hunters Hill President, Charles Amos said he was looking forward to building on the success of the competition that attracted more than 500 attendees last year.
"The Rotary Club of Hunters Hill are again pleased to be working in conjunction with Hunter’s Hill Council on the 2024 Spring Garden Competition,” he said.
“All funds raised will again be directed to improving the Hillman Orchard on Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill."
Hunter’s Hill Council Mayor, Zac Miles, said he was pleased to see the event coming back. "We were delighted to see a wide range of beautiful gardens in the competition last year and the fantastic community support for the open garden day,” Cr Miles said.
The competition will again feature categories including:
• Overall best garden
• Best small balcony and courtyard garden
• Best native inspired ‘habitat-friendly’ garden
• Best streetscape garden
• Best beautified or maintained public space
Residents living in the Hunters Hill local government area can participate in the competition for free.
Online registrations are now open on the Council's website until Saturday 14 September, with judging and prize presentations scheduled for 20 September 2024, followed by the Open Garden Day on 22 September.
Like last year, the community will be able to take a tour of the winning gardens and some of the gardens from historic estates in the municipality during an open garden day.
This year, the competition is sponsored by Matthew Ward and Tracey Dixon from McGrath Hunters Hill.
When: May 11 2024
Where: Lane Cove
It's not only the humans who are inconvenienced by the constant rain, it's animals too. This gallah couldn't stand upright on the wire no matter how hard he tried - he kept slipping upside down.
Long-term north shore resident Elsie Grace Dare, AKA Kenny, will be celebrating her 100th birthday on June 4 2024 at the Lane Cove retirement village of Northcott Gardens. She’s full of life with a beautiful smile and a twinkle in her eye but there’s something about Kenny that will come as a surprise to many: in 1942 Kenny joined the Army making a significant personal contribution to the Allied victory by successfully breaking codes and deciphering enemy messages.
‘Since I was fourteen, I had wanted to join the Army, but I wasn’t old enough,’ Kenny said.
‘I went to business college and learned typing and shorthand and at sixteen and a half I got a job as a receptionist and typist at the Post Master General’s department, PMG it was called in Sydney,’ Kenny added.
‘At the time you were considered to be really something if you got a job in the city. I tried to join the Army while I was working in my receptionist job but I was told you had to be eighteen. It was 1942 when I turned eighteen and I applied again,’ Kenny said.
‘My first time in the Army was in Bathurst relieving girls who were on leave. While there I met a lady who asked if any of the girls would like to train in the Morse Code. I put my hand up and did the training. I got a job at the PMG deciphering Morse Code. We were moved around a bit. I was sent to Cowra and Newcastle. We worked very hard with long shifts but I didn’t mind. I loved my job,’ Kenny added.
‘Sydney was covered by Lines of Communication (LOC) and we were paid by the Army but I only received 75% of what the men earned doing the same job. There were some men on the floor at the PMG at the time and late in the afternoon they were all down at the local pub while I was still working. However, they went to bat for me as they thought it was unfair that I didn’t get as much money as they were getting. At one of my posts I was the only girl doing this work and the men treated me very well,’ Kenny said with a chuckle.
‘While I was working as a telegraphist for the Army in Rose Bay there was an Army photographer that wanted three girls for a photograph. He took us to
the Victoria Barracks and we had our photos taken. But we were not told what the photos were for.
‘I had a good set of pearly white teeth and later I discovered that there was a large picture of just me with a huge teethy smile on the side of the buses and trams that was an advertisement for women to join the Army. I was frequently asked on the tram “are you the girl on the poster?”,’ Kenny said with a laugh.
Kenny grew up in Como and had two older sisters and two brothers. When she was still a young girl Kenny was adopted by her aunt and uncle and lived with them until she got married.
‘During the war I was posted to various places in NSW and stayed working at the PMG after the war ended. I was there for fifteen years until I got married. Back then a girl could not stay in a job as a married woman. My husband was a probationary officer and we lived at Allambie Heights. I wanted to have children. But it seemed like it wasn’t meant to be, so we adopted a son, Michael. Then two years later I did fall pregnant and we
had another son. We named him Tony and he still lives in Sydney not far from where I live now. Michael moved to Queensland a long time ago,’ Kenny said.
A few years after Tony was born Kenny’s family moved from Allambie Heights to a house in the Lane Cove suburb of Riverview where she and her husband continued to raise the two boys. Sadly for the family Kenny’s husband died in 1993. Tony was just 27 and his brother Michael 29.
Kenny will be celebrating turning 100 at a special party arranged by her son Tony, on June 3 and a private party on June 4 to be held at the Northcott Gardens retirement village run by the Vasey Housing Association.
‘I’ve lived at Northcott Gardens for 27 years. I came here in 1997 when it was a place for war widows and it was very cheap to buy a lease for a unit. I love living here. All the units look out onto a glorious garden that I am able to enjoy every day and I’ve made many lovely friends here,’ Kenny said.
Kenny remembers the Japanese submarines entering Sydney Harbour, the loss of lives involved and the Japanese prisoner of war outbreak while she was relieving a telegraphist suffering from stress in Cowra.
So, will Kenny soon be receiving her letter of congratulations from King Charles?
‘I hope if he is as well as I am and not too busy, I will get one. And I also hope it will be his signature on the letter,’ Kenny added with a chuckle.
Most people seem to hate airports, but not me. Instead of seeing them as hotbeds of uncomfortable, germ breeding, luggage losing, crowd dodging, flight delaying, interminable waiting rooms of hell, we need to change the lens.
And as someone who once took a toddler and newborn to the UK and back BY MYSELF, the sheer absolute joy of solo travel will never diminish. Going to the toilet on your own schedule, reading a book, listening to a podcast, doing a puzzle, having a second cup of coffee or maybe even a juice, browsing the duty free you’ve been through a thousand times, buying items you only ever buy in airports. Plus, as a writer, airports are a rich source of inspiration. My next novel has a big airport reunion scene, and I loved writing it from a traveller’s perspective, coming out of customs, pushing your trolley down the ramp past a sea of faces and signs, the airport cafe shining like a mirage in the distance after weeks of enduring British coffee.
There’s so much to be nostalgic about, like the bafflingly complex international Covid Vax certificates we all needed. Going further back, there was a time when you didn’t have to plan your travel outfit based not only on comfort but on ease of disrobing. And the jostling for position like relay runners waiting for the baton amongst the anxious clutch of semiclad travellers, desperately keeping track of the family jewels rolling around in the plastic trays until they’re ejected out of the holding area. Most frustrating is the fact that airports set different rules with varying levels of technology. That old, battered silver bangle which had never set off anything in its life is suddenly activating sirens worthy of DFAT SWAT teams at the other end. Beware of wearing knits with metallic thread through them as this will lead to a very thorough patting down. And whatever you do, don’t try and lighten the mood. Recent travellers will have noticed the addition of stern warnings on the monitors throughout Sydney airport. ‘Jokes about bombs are not funny. Crack one and you could miss your flight.’ Have to confess, the first time I saw that sign I thought it was a joke. The Loony Tunes Acme bomb and clusters of red TNT dynamite which Wile e Coyote et al all employed proficiently has definitely lost its comic relevance. Years ago, some friends travelling with their two small children were leaving the US to come home and had their names called over the airport loudspeaker system. They rushed over to the desk, hoping for an upgrade, and were immediately escorted to a small windowless back room. The plastic, Disneyland branded, still sealed, toy wild west gunslinger gun and holster they’d bought for their son accusingly sat on the desk before them. They escaped with a severe ticking off, minus the toy, and only just made their flight.
Notwithstanding airport hiccups, travellers need to be alive to possibilities of booking mix-ups amidst the excitement of planning. A recent meme that Salzburg Airport in Austria has a help desk specifically for people who intended to fly to Australia went viral, though it was disappointingly shown to be a false alarm joke ad for a tech company. Evidently this is a common misconception Austrians get all the time - it’s said they very often respond to the question where they are from with ‘Austria, but there are no kangaroos there.’
As with all things, the devil is in the (destination) detail. It’s easy to make a mistake based on each airport’s unique three letter attribution. I’m visiting my daughter in Spain soon and just caught myself in time from booking a flight, not from Bilbao Spain (BIO) but from Billings, US (BIL). Spare a thought for the traveller who believed she was en route to Sydney aboard a propeller plane from Halifax, US. Alarm bells started ringing when the plane landed in Nova Scotia’s Sydney—a small coal and steel-mill town with nary a kangaroo to be seen. Ghanaian man Emmanuel Akomanyi left Sao Paulo, Brazil on his journey to Guyana—a South American country up on the Caribbean coast—where he was to study medicine after receiving a prestigious scholarship. Alas, Emmanuel’s next flight took him instead to the central Brazilian city of Goiânia, over 1,800 miles away. Puzzled and penniless, he ended up staying a week thanks to the support of kindly Goiânian strangers.
In case of disaster, my motto is to make the best of it. A quick Google reveals Billings sounds quite nice – it’s a city in Montana at the northwest edge of the Yellowstone River Valley, with sandstone cliffs and numerous parks and trails. If I’d ended up there, I’d be quite happy. And it would make a great post for this column.
Liz Foster is a local writer. Her debut fiction novel, The Good Woman’s Guide to Making Better Choices, is out now with Affirm Press.
You can reach her by scanning this QR code to subscribe to her monthly light bites and lifestyle newsletter, or emailing liz@lizfoster.com.au.
This is a call out for local stitchers to join Hunters Hill Quilters. The members share a common passion for sewing beautiful quilts, including quilts to donate to various charities or community groups.
Hunters Hill Quilters are a keen group of quilters, who meet weekly on Thursdays at Fairland Hall from 10am to 2pm. The first Thursday of the month is our Community Quilt Day. The group makes quilts in a variety of sizes and patterns to donate to several social groups The group makes quilts for fundraising raffles, as well as for women's shelters and hospitals. Large numbers of small quilts are made for the Grace Centre at The Children's' Hospital at Westmead, as well as for Dragonfly, Monash ICU and Little Wonders at RPA. Over 200 of these small quilts were made and donated last year.
Every two years Hunters Hill Quilters holds a Show at the Hunters Hill Town Hall at which members' quilts are displayed. The show includes a special section for selling Waggas (a traditional Australian quilt made from woollen suiting). Members quilts are for sale too as well as other handiwork such as bags and embroidered items. The group also prides itself on its Show Café where coffee, tea, Devonshire teas and homemade cakes and sandwiches can be enjoyed at tables within the hall. The proceeds of the Show are largely donated to a specific charity.
This year our Show will be held in the Hunters Hill Town Hall at 22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill from Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4 between 10am and 4pm. Entry fees are $8 per person. Best of Show together with other prizes will be judged on Friday morning and announced at 11am. There will be a Viewers ' Choice award, whereby everyone can vote for their favourite quilt.
Please mark these dates in your diary and come along to see some beautiful quilts as well as other handiwork made by our members and to enjoy a delicious Devonshire tea or cake at our café.
In 1983 a small group of Hunters Hill locals who were interested in patchwork and quilting began meeting weekly at each other's houses to sew. This small group decided to take on a rather large task… to make a quilt for the Bicentennial celebration. They approached Hunters Hill Council with the idea that the quilt be a pictorial representation of Hunters Hill in 1988 and that the finished quilt be hung in Hunters Hill Town
Hall. This quilt, the Bicentennial Quilt now hangs in the Hunters Hill Museum adjacent to the Town Hall and is a beautiful quilt. It is well worth a visit to the Museum to look at this lovely example of a pictorial quilt.
As the group expanded members started to meet every Thursday in Fairland Hall at Church Street, Hunters Hill. In 1986 Hunters Hill Quilters held its first show to display the members' quilts. The proceeds of the Show were donated to the National Trust to assist in the purchase of the workman's cottage "Vienna" in Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill. This gave rise to the idea of a regular Hunters Hill Quilters biannual show from which proceeds are donated to a chosen charity.
Our members were active in Quilt 2000, where over 600 quilts were made and then sold to raise money for the 2000 Paralympic Games.
We meet every Thursday at Fairland Hall, 14 Church Street, Hunters Hill between 10am and 2pm.
For more info, contact: President, Sandy Widders on 0409127685. www.huntershillquilters.org Find us on Facebook and Instagram!
The recent passing of long-time Longueville resident Sue Ingham will be felt hard in the ongoing battle for a more sustainable natural environment. Sue's integrity stemmed from a life teaching art, researching and writing and a passion in advocating for environmental conservation and gender equity. Part of her thesis for her PhD in contemporary Indonesian art can be found online at reformasiart.com.
A vocal advocate for the Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society for almost a decade, where she filled several roles, including executive and vice president, Sue worked tirelessly for the Society on matters before Council and the NSW Planning Authority, both writing and providing well researched papers. She was also the Society’s representative on the Better Planning Network.
After majoring in Fine Arts at Melbourne University and teaching in schools for a couple of years, Sue travelled to London, where she taught and took every opportunity to travel and explore the continent. She met husband-to-be, British engineer Tim Ingham during one of her trips to Italy.
They married on the island of Elba, Tuscany in Italy 55 years ago - they have two sons - and embarked on an eventful European honeymoon and holiday, before Sue convinced Tim to make a new life in Australia. Tim's engineering work took them to New South Wales, Tasmania and eventually to Bougainville, where they lived for a year and where their elder son David was born.
A car accident in 1981 badly affected Sue's health and eventually her mobility. As a result, the family
WORDS BY BRAD FORREST
moved from home to home in the Lane Cove/Longueville area due to the needs of her disabilities.
"We were keen sailors, racing keelboats, which were more stable for Sue to manage" recalled Tim, who crewed for her. Her recent book, Hold Your Course, explores the history of recreational sailing for women, with Sydney and the last three or four decades as the focus. The book grew from her essay: “Hold Your Course – The participation of Women in the Lane Cove Sailing Clubs” which won the Lane Cove History Prize in 2020.
"On land, Sue found that a walking frame and mobility scooter provided her with better ease of passage," President of the Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society, Shauna Forrest, said. Sue's health issues restricted her ability to attend meetings in person in recent years, but she continued working from home.
"For instance, during Covid, Sue was quite amazing conducting our Society meetings via Zoom," Shauna recalled. "Sue was our media and website content manager, and also
often made submissions to NSW Planning and Council on the local environmental impacts of proposed developments.”
"Sue was very active during the local campaign against NSW Premier Mike Baird’s government 2016 Council amalgamations, especially the ultimately unsuccessful proposal to amalgamate Lane Cove Council with the much larger Ryde Council, understanding what a retrograde step this would be, particularly for our bushland and environmental management.” Her last research on the Powerful Owl, a threatened species found locally, was published in the latest May edition of The Village Observer, just after she died.
Sue will be missed by many, particularly those in the Lane Cove Bushland & Conservation Society who had the pleasure of knowing her, for her beautiful personality, wonderful intellect and the tireless activity and contributions she made in protecting and advocating for our uniquely green, local urban and bushland environment. Sue was a local treasure.
I’ve said it before but feel that a reminder is long overdue – travel insurance is a must whenever you are travelling and have invested in a trip, within or outside of Australia, which has a significant non-refundable factor.
I feel that many who were refunded during Covid have been seduced into thinking that refunds are a consumer right. They are not. A significant number of airlines, hotels, cruise lines, tour companies, travel agencies and general service providers, scarred by huge losses in 2020-2023 are still rebuilding and reinvesting to replenish their kitties and return to sustained profitability. That you, the consumer, might disregard consumer protection in the form of travel insurance, is not their problem. Quite simply, they are not in the business of charity.
I was reminded again of how important insurance is when a passenger in a group I was hosting fell up a 15cm step in an old manor house in Portugal. But two days into her holiday and only one day into her cruise, she was medivacced from our ship to the hospital next morning for an operation to repair her fractured shoulder, to be followed by a flight home to the USA. It was a disappointing beginning, and end, to this couple’s holiday and I was relieved to hear that they did have insurance.
Hopefully it was adequate given that ship medical consultations and
services e.g. blood tests and xrays, are expensive. Another of our group was suffering severe flu symptoms and while relieved to now be better, his insurance company is currently processing the USD1000+ medical bill.
In my experience, the most common failure to insure is for travel within Australia or perceived to be “close to home”. Medicare covers you when you are on land, in Australia and yes there is a reciprocal agreement between Australia and New Zealand. But this does not cover you when sailing on a coastal cruise between Sydney and Melbourne and you slip and break a leg. Nor are you covered should you need to be choppered off the ship to a nearby hospital.
Similarly, when you have bought that longed for trip to the Red Centre, in conjunction with The Ghan to Darwin. Or a Melbourne Cup Fiesta. Or a short stay driving holiday to the Southern Highlands, with non-refundable accommodation. Or the family holiday to Hamilton Island - we all know how easily flight plans come unstuck for children with an ear infection . Your medical bills will be covered but a small sum invested in insurance will cover cancellation of all or part of your trip.
When discussing a high-value holiday, particularly one to remote regions where flight connectivity might be limited e.g. Antarctica or the Arctic, South and Central or South America, I always check with clients regarding their personal circumstances. Before I do any quoting.
Do you have an important-to-you immediate relative with a serious pre-existing conditions? (If yes, then you won’t generally be covered for cancellation necessitated by their illness/death.) Do you have a preexisting illness? (If yes, then you need to check that you can get insurance with, or without, coverage for that condition.) Are you over 70 and without a pre-existing but paying a very large deposit? (If yes, then perhaps you need to consider insuring your healthy body now, so that should you have issues between now and when you travel, you will likely still be covered and without a supplementary investigation and payment provided your doctor says you are fit to travel.)
Travel insurance can be complex, is rarely cheap but is essential. And it is possibly the only investment that you don’t wish to recoup because in doing so your travel has gone awry. Importantly, you do need to be 100% sure that you are correctly covered.
Please don’t leave home without it.
www.trendsettertravel.com.au
It is with both sadness and gratitude that after 24 years of service, Sydney Community Services announces that John Devine has resigned from his position as Chairman of the Board .
We sat down with John to learn more about his time with Sydney Community Services but also his background and the experience and knowledge he bought to his role as Chairman.
John was born in Sydney and completed his schooling at Waverley College in the eastern suburbs. Upon finishing school, he then attended the University of New South Wales where he undertook an Engineering degree and completed his thesis on satellite communications.
With an interest in solving problems, John was then fortunate to receive a full scholarship with the Postmaster General’s Department. The Postmaster General’s Department was created to control all postal and telecommunication services within Australia, and then in 1975 it was replaced by Australia Post and Telecom Australia.
John then looked to the next challenge and was taken on as a graduate trainee at a large international organisation. He was one of the first to be awarded this graduate trainee position. Promotions within the organisation saw John move to Papua New Guinea where he used both his engineering and managerial skills to build factories in the middle of the jungle.
Following his time on the southwestern Pacific Island, John then took on the role of State Manager in Queensland. The organisation was growing rapidly and
there was a lot of excitement, but also pressure. John travelled constantly throughout Asia and was overseeing operations in seven countries as he had been promoted to Managing Director. After many years in his high-pressured role, dealing with an ever-changing environment, he decided to retire in 1995.
John has a love of golf and travel, but this was not enough to keep him occupied during retirement. He decided to look for something worthwhile to do so he could give back to his local community. So, in 2000 he joined the Board of Lane Cove Community Aid. He became the Vice President in 2000 and was elected President in September 2003.
Since 2003 John has steered the organisation through three mergers – firstly Recreation Rendezvous in 2017, then with Hunters Hill Ryde Community Services, and most recently The Meeting House in January 2021.
In 2017 the organisation became Sydney Community Services and John was elected Chair. Over the past 24 years, under his guidance, there has been enormous change in the aged care and disability sectors with challenges in funding, access and staffing. John has bought his calm management style and leadership to all regular monthly Board meetings, as well as impromptu meetings and discussions. He has helped guide the Board through many changes while providing consistent support and stability for the management team.
In May 2021, John was awarded Lane Cove Citizen of the Year. Lane Cove Council’s Citizenship Awards acknowledge the contributions made by those who enhance the quality of our community and/or excel in
As a 33-year veteran of the Board of LCCAS/ LCNS/SCS, I was there when John joined the Board as a Director in 2000 and then became our Chairman in 2003 and I have remarked over the years at what a “good catch” John was. He has made a wonderful contribution over many years, and I wish him well in his “retirement” years.
their field. This accolade acknowledged the exceptional contribution and community service made by John by giving up his own time, in an unpaid capacity, and volunteering as Chairman, year after year for Sydney Community Services.
As the organisation has evolved, John has seen the focus shift as Sydney Community Services has had to become more business-like. He has always taken great pride in taking a genuine interest in each and every staff member and has placed a lot of time and energy into finding the right people to sit not just on the Board, but also on each of the committees. He has always worked towards getting the best out of everyone whilst keeping all meetings harmonious.
As John now leaves Sydney Community Services his vision is to see further growth and that the organisation gets bigger and better. This also means remaining professional and delivering our supports and services at our high standard. This will ensure our clients remain happy, safe and able to live independently at home for longer.
We thank John for his unwavering support of Sydney Community Services over the past 24 years. In his second retirement, we hope he can now enjoy more travel, time with his grandchildren and time on the golf course.
I have found John to be an excellent Chair for SCS and a man of good character. He always came prepared for the upcoming Board meetings and presided over all of the meetings very professionally. John would help keep the Board meeting discussions relevant and on track. He would provide sensible opinions and would summarise succinctly the conclusions of the Board decisions. The Board will miss his vast experience and leadership and I wish him well into retirement.
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WORDS: TVO AND DESTINATION NSW PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW
As Asia-Pacific's leading multi-artform festival casts its glow across Sydney for 23 nights, Curators Gill Minervi, Julian Ramundi and Rachel Healy give TVO the lowdown on their not-to-be-missed highlights. With a diverse and packed program of installations, experiences and performances to choose from, these are the must-see moments to add to your calendar.
First Light, curated by Vivid Sydney’s First Nations Advisor Rhoda Roberts AO, next to Campbells Cove, Circular Quay
“Our opening ritual celebrating our First Nations culture and welcoming us to Country, First Light, is back for the third year and is again curated by Rhoda Roberts. This year, the Gadigal clan are inviting neighbouring nations to pay homage to the often-overlooked voices of the ancestral women of the Sydney Basin with song, dance and performance.”
Global Rainbow by Yvette Mattern, Sydney Tower
“Global Rainbow’s beams of rainbow lasers will fan out across the city from Sydney Tower for up to 40km. A beacon of unity and hope radiating across Vivid Sydney, all festival long.”
Gumscape with Road and Creatures by Reg Mombassa, Customs House
“Reg Mombassa is one of Australia’s most iconic and loved artists and musicians and I’m delighted to welcome him to the Vivid Sydney family. Come and see retrofuturistic style robots, one-eyed koalas and more weird and wonderful creatures in his iconic style on Customs House. Plus, we've got Reg and his band, Dog Trumpet, performing live in a free concert right in front of his projection on Saturday May 25.”
Nest by Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J Montalban, Stargazer Lawn
“I’m beyond excited to have Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J Montalban back at Vivid Sydney with Nest after their enormously impactful work Temple from Vivid Sydney 2022. Nest explores our relationship with nature, showcasing the ritualistic mating dance of the brolga. It's beautiful and it will stay with you long after the festival. Catch it on Stargazer Lawn at Barangaroo Reserve.”
Sea, Sand and Stars by Guan Wei, Museum of Contemporary Art
"Celebrated Chinese-Australian artist Guan Wei will take you on a journey. This is the first time his work has been transformed into a light projection, and it’s a spectacularly magical result. As you stand in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art, you’ll zoom from a day at Bondi Beach to the outer reaches of space.”
Omnivisu by GreenEyl, North Village Greens, Darling Quarter
"Imagine seeing your own eyes projected onto a building behind Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour. That’s Omnivisu for you. It's fantastically fun and our way of making you feel a part of the Vivid Sydney all festival long. Step up and see yourself as part of the cityscape."
Fireplaces, Vivid Fire Kitchen and Tumbalong Park
"Who doesn't love a good fire?
Hypnotic, mesmerising, and a place to gather and tell a good story. This year, at Tumbalong Park and the Vivid Fire Kitchen, we're celebrating with fire sculptures, flame throwers and other fiery installations. Come soak in the warmth and spectacle of the flames with us."
Horizon by Playmodes, Harbour Park, Barangaroo
“Get ready for a full-bodied, mindblowing experience! Horizon is 80 metres long and plays with your spatial perception using hypnotic light and sound. It's transformative, it's mind-bending, and it will take you on a journey beyond the horizon to test the limits of human potential."
Vivid Fire Kitchen, The Goods Line
“There’s nothing quite like firecooked food and every culture around the world agrees! At Vivid Fire Kitchen you’ll find food trucks, markets stalls and barbecue stands serving wood-fired pizza, Sudanese BBQ sandwiches, Greek street food, Malaysian bites and much, much more. Plus, local pit master Lennox Hastie, Australian culinary legend Christine Manfield and Michelinstarred Swede Niklas Ekstedt, amongst lots of others, will also be doing live cooking demos.”
Vivid Residence, Ploós
“The incredible, trailblazing Manoella Buffara from globally revered Manu in Brazil is heading down under for this special residency. She’ll step
behind the pans at waterfront Greek restaurant Ploos, smack bang in the middle of the glittering Light Walk, to cook her award-winning sustainable fine dining in Australia for the first time. You can savour a nine-course dinner menu or seven-course lunch – don’t miss this chance to enjoy the work of one of South America’s best chefs.”
Vivid Chef Series, various locations
“Something special happens when two cultures and cuisines meet, especially in the kitchen. At this fabulous series of dinners, several international chefs are coming Sydney to collaborate with leading local restaurants. Sally Abé is teaming up with her former colleague Billy Hannigan, head chef at Charles Grand Brasserie. Ivan Brehm, chef-owner of Nouri, the beloved Michelin-starred Singapore restaurant, will join AALIA executive chef Paul Farag and Fred’s executive chef Ben Greeno will host Max Coen of Dorian, the London hotspot.”
Taste, See, Connect, House Canteen, Bennelong Point Lower Concourse, Sydney Opera House
“For a delicious feast, stunning views and excellent price point, you can’t go past Taste, See, Connect. You’ll be sat right below the Sydney Opera House sails enjoying a pan-Asian feast of dumplings, sushi, share plates and dessert. All for $49! Amazing value, in one of the best Vivid Sydney vantage points.”
Tumbalong Nights, Tumbalong Park
“Tumbalong Nights is the beating heart of the festival, with a diverse range of free entertainment every night. We’ve got DJs, headline talent like Budjerah and Mallrat, First Nations voices like 3% feat.
Jess Mauboy, along with sounds from around the globe in various languages like our K-Indie and Afrobeat nights, and so much more! You can dance or sing showtunes with Club Broadway – we’ve even got a kid’s program. It’s all live and it’s all free.”
Ngulmiya, Machine Hall Precinct, 183 Clarence St, Sydney
"Ngulmiya will put on an incredible and profound show. This Arnhem Land song man uses his powerful, pure voice to sing in language, accompanied by chamber music. Critics around the world herald his shows as nothing short of revolutionary.”
Club 4A x Eastern Margins, Machine Hall Precinct, 183 Clarence St
“4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art are known for their excellent Club 4A nights that meld the world of art and dance-floor revelry. This Vivid Sydney exclusive will be a genre-mash of artists from the Asian diaspora including Melbourne hyper metal artist Daine and Chinese Australian guzheng composer Mindy Meng Wang, along with Sydney's 700 Feel and Dylan Atlantis. A party like no other.”
Deerhoof, Machine Hall Precinct, 183 Clarence St
“Deerhoof’s performance is set to be a catalytic fusion of sound and
surprise, typical of their experimental and wild approach to music and their live shows. The legendary, indie band from San Francisco will perform their quirky Japanese-language album Miracle-Level. It’s going to be great.”
Vivid Sydney Supper Club, Mary’s Underground
“The Supper Club program this year is a fantastic smorgasbord of live music, comedy and spoken word. Hosts Rhys Nicholson and Georgia Mooney are roping in their long list of famous friends, from Mo'Ju and Zoe Coombes Marr, Michael Hing to Annabel Crabb and Julia Zemiro to Paul Capsis. There are nights celebrating the great divas of history to a spectacular game show, a night of (adult) bedtime stories to a kids play date for grownups, it’s going to be a riot.”
day. It’s an engaging and fun way to kick off the festival each night, postwork drink in hand.”
A THOUSAND WAYS:
An Encounter, State Library of New South Wales
"This transplant from New York is a critically acclaimed piece of fully immersive “theatre”. I don’t want to give too much away – part of what makes this piece so profound and special is the element of surprise. I’ll just say that this event is designed to peel back the layers of everyday social interactions to reveal the humanity underneath."
Shifting Perspectives, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, Pier 2/3 Event Space
"Shifting Perspectives is an unforgettable work of contemporary, immersive dance. The ingenious work of both Matthew Adey, the man behind Dark Mofo’s House of Vnholy, and Restless Dance Theatre, will challenge the way you see the world. Part riddle, part revelation, the whole piece takes place in a labyrinth of spinning mirror plinths as light, sound and bodies dance around you, upending your perceptions of reality and artifice."
AI Will Destroy Humanity: A Future Science Debate, Parliament House, Legislative Council Chambers
Vivid
After the Fact, Rekodo, Barangaroo House
“After the Fact is a brand-new program held at Barangaroo House every weeknight of the festival. A different set of notable panellists every night, like Lucy Turnbull, Kim Williams, Annabel Crabb, Stephen Page, will come together to debrief the issues and breaking news of the
“This isn’t your average debate. When we say it’ll be a night of comedy, calamity and contemplation, we really mean it. We’ve brought together comedy nerds like Adam Spencer and leading science minds so they can debate not just the future of AI, but the future of humanity as we know it. Taking place in the majestic and weighty setting of Parliament House’s Legislative Council chambers it’s the zeitgeist event not to be missed.”
For the full spectrum of events and to create your own itinerary through the festival, visit
In March 2023, Lane Cove Council acquired an absolute bushland gem. An acquisition celebrated by the local community and all lovers of bushland, the site is infinitely more valuable than its purchase price. On entering the property, you are surrounded by bushland that is rare, not just within Lane Cove, but across Sydney and Australia.
The property is at 14 Gay Street, Lane Cove North. It is 2800 sqm, of triangular shape and, with the tip of the triangle at Gay St, most of the property is nestled within the bushland reserve and incorporates a large portion of the Harry Howard bushwalk alongside Stringybark Creek. The property holds both historical interest and ecological significance.
In 1917, Henry Guest, a builder from Chatswood, purchased Lot 10 Section 2 (DP7817) in the first release of land from the Parklands Estate. The purchased property was around 9,500 sqm. For decades the land remained untouched and undeveloped. Then, around the late 1940s, some years after Henry Guest’s death, the land was subdivided creating the present day 14 Gay St with a street frontage of eight metres. The owner was Oswald Guest, one of Henry’s children. By the early 1950s the current house with detached garage had been built.
At the northern tip is a very modest two-bedroom, now uninhabitable cottage. Its driveway entrance is shared with the two adjacent properties. There is little else in terms of built, hard structures or formal cultivated garden – just bushland. The property remained within the Guest family until its sale in 2017. An initial arborist report dated October 2017 documented more than 130 indigenous trees on the property. The land is still heavily forested.
Tucked away from public gaze are the remnants of ancient forests. Three of Lane Cove’s six Endangered Ecological Communities (EECs) are here and in the adjacent bushland. They are protected by Commonwealth and State legislation.
In 2018, Susan Butler noted that 14 Gay Street is located where Blue Gum High Forest (BGHF) transitions with Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest (STIF) and Coastal Escarpment Littoral Rainforest (CELF). Only 0.5% of the original STIF remains intact in Sydney and in Lane Cove “is only present in Stringybark Reserve and one other reserve”. What we have here is rare for Sydney as well as for Lane Cove. The Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water notes that the Blue Gum High Forest (BGHF) vegetation community in Australia is specific only to the Sydney Basin Bioregion and Lane Cove Council states that this ecological community “faces an extremely high risk of extinction in Australia in the immediate future.”
Comprising tall canopy trees, BGHF appears on ridgelines. From Pacific Highway to the east and Mowbray Road to the north most of the BGHF has been cleared, with few remnant trees left. The northerly portion of 14 Gay St is an excellent example. Geologically there is the intersect of shale and sandstone. This is important because the geology provides the foundation for the soil and topography, which in turn determine the vegetation communities. Geology underpins the EECs that we see today and the top portion of 14 Gay St clearly demonstrates the transition of BGHF and STIF vegetation, making this the most valuable portion of Council’s acquisition. The littoral rainforest commences around half way down the property and extends to the creekline. Importantly, these endangered communities are a continuum of the public bushland and extend the size of the EECs to form a continuous vegetation and wildlife corridor. This additional area is critical for the
long-term survival of the EECs. The importance of private bushland in this area was noted by Harry Howard in 1981 in his landmark Stringy Bark Valley Landscape Study. Harry Howard was Council’s Landscape Architect and is largely responsible for the leafy Lane Cove we see today. Forty years ago, in this particular area, he noted that adjoining “private property contributes greatly to the bush area and should be retained if possible.”
Given the dense bushland and canopy cover, this property provides a haven for wildlife, especially nocturnal animals. Local fauna sightings, many also documented in Council commissioned reports, show this to be a haunt of the powerful owl, the boobook owl, a rare echidna sighting, along with the threatened grey headed flying fox, great broad-nosed bat, and large eastern bent winged bat.
Weed removal and bush regeneration at 14 Gay Street commenced in a formal, systematic level in the first half of 2022 under the then owner and continues today under Lane Cove Council supervision. Canopy trees were being covered by vines while
weeds were inhibiting growth of the native understorey. Initial regeneration began on the top-mid eastern side around the area of the former garage and has since encompassed the entire site. The high quality of the indigenous seedbank in soil largely undisturbed since 1917 is becoming evident, with around 40 species ranging from tall canopy trees to a diverse ground layer of plants of the BGHF / STIF communities documented as regenerating.
Based on an engineer’s report Council will demolish the original mid-century cottage and is considering constructing a new building or buildings. But there are many factors and potential high costs in such a venture. The top portion of 14 Gay St is problematic as a building site: the access is poor, the topography difficult and there are bushland and canopy constraints.
The current driveway is narrow, shared with two other properties and located at the intersection of three streets: Kariola, Gay, Roslyn Streets. There is significant high value bushland with EEC protections on the entire property. There is almost total canopy cover of the entire site, denying solar access and raising cost issues with
meeting regulations of building on bushfire prone land. Is any building possible without tree removal? Arborist reports from 2017 and 2023 note the constraints, considerations and costs of building to comply with the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ). These reports emphasise that the TPZ area is essential to maintain the health and longevity of trees and advise that work within the smaller Structural Root Zone (SRZ) should be avoided if trees are to live and thrive. They also recommend that any proposed building works should be assessed by an ecologist.
Perhaps considerations for future use should move beyond the purely financial and accounting costs to incorporate the more intangible but significantly beneficial measures of well-being and liveability – aspects of Lane Cove that the community has shown that it values highly. With recent and future population growth in the LGA, and the expected surge in development that will follow adoption of the new NSW housing plans, a continuing decrease in the amount of bushland per person is inevitable. The unique ecological and geological significance of this area of Lane Cove bushland is recognised with Commonwealth and State government protections. 14 Gay Street is the first acquisition of bushland in the present community’s recollection. It is something to celebrate and to thank Lane Cove Council for and to encourage them to ensure its preservation.
Council is now consulting the community to determine the best use of this site. Log on to the Council website, read the information and have your say.
While most 17-year-olds celebrate the new -found freedom of earning their provisional driver license, Tiahn spent over 230 days in hospital recovering from two major abdominal surgeries.
Tiahn was born with a chronic condition called gastroparesis. This condition affects muscles around her stomach, they are too weak to process food normally. This means Tiahn spends 18 hours every day connected to a pump, so she can receive the nutrients and hydration her body needs through a nasogastric tube.
The reality for Tiahn, the pain of eating a burger from the local food court with friends simply isn’t worth it. She can’t enjoy a birthday cake or a Sunday roast. Yet despite all the challenges Tiahn has and continues to face, she remains her bubbly and vibrant self.
In 2022, Tiahn had two major operations to fix her compressed small intestine. Her seven-month recovery on the Wade Ward at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead was long and hard. But during her stay, Tiahn remained positive and made the most of the small moments – always having a chat with those around her and dressing up as Eleven from Stranger Things for the hospital’s annual Party Day.
Tiahn says, “The nurses on Wade Ward were truly the best part of my experience. I will never forget when the Nurse Unit Manager, Gabi, organised a surprise message from the cast of my favourite musical, The Phantom of the Opera. It’s one of my favourite memories and made my year.”
While Tiahn’s journey has been challenging and is ongoing, she is incredibly grateful to have the support of her family and the gastroenterology department at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
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To learn more, scan the QR code. Alternatively, you can contact us on 1800 770 122, plannedgiving@schf.org.au or visit www.schf.org.au/gift-in-will
It was a privilege as your Mayor to speak at the ANZAC Day ceremony organised by the Lane Cove RSL sub-branch and Council. I believe this was the largest ceremony I have seen in Lane Cove. Special thanks to Council staff, the RSL sub-branch and the Cammeraygal Wind Symphony for making ANZAC day a special day of remembrance. A special thanks to Lynda Wehipeihana for singing the New Zealand anthem in Maori and to Paul Fenech, who spoke to us about his grandfather, gunner Vincent Leon (Dick) Foster.
After considerable community consultation, works have now started on the improvement of the oval, amenities, parking, lighting and playground spaces at Bob Campbell Oval. With the upgrade of the natural grass field, a new cricket pitch and new fitness equipment, we are excited for the progression of this major project. The Deputy Mayor and I recently visited Bob Campbell Oval to inspect the site and the new proposed enclosed dog park, is expected to be just over 1,000 m2. To stay updated on the project and its progress, please visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/BCO
Council commenced an upgrade to the two synthetic sports fields at Blackman Park in late March. With an average weekly usage of up to 60 hours per week across sports such as Oztag, Soccer, Rugby, Cricket and AFL, these sports fields are the most used of the nine different fields within our Lane Cove LGA.
The existing surface, which has reached its end of life since being installed in 2014, is currently being removed and will be sent for recycling to be turned into products used in future playgrounds as well as materials within road pavements. This new surface will include an organic fill rather than the previous rubber fill. To reduce the impact to field users, the works are being undertaken on one field at a time, allowing for the other to remain in use by our sporting community.
We are happy to report that the works are progressing on time and once the works on B1 oval are complete, the contractor will move on to B2 oval.
Nichols
Playground
Featuring custom native themed play panels, landscaping at Nichols Reserve was completed last month. Although slightly delayed due to the poor weather during the beginning of May, I’m pleased to report that Nichols Reserve Playground is now open for the community to enjoy.
Council recently resolved to close the lower part of Canberra Avenue to extend Newlands Park. The Deputy Mayor and I visited the site to inspect the size of the proposed new park which will be expanded to 14,500m2. Once completed, it will be Lane Cove’s second-largest park and will supplement the proposed park at Berry Road. With increased housing expected in this area, providing future residents with this excellent piece of infrastructure will alleviate community concerns over the need for more open space.
The new Woodford Bay Park playground works are progressing well despite the early May drenching. These include a swing set, embankment slide and additional picnic seating. Future works are inclusive of a walking meditation area and exercise station, following further community consultation.
Along with the recent lighting upgrade at Pottery Green Oval, Council has also completed the upgrade of the amenities building. The new amenities were opened to the public in May and include new toilets, change rooms and storage areas.
Ber Carroll & Vanessa McCausland
Tuesday 4 June, 6:15pm, Lane Cove Library
Enjoy an evening of conversation with two of Australia’s best contemporary fiction writers, Ber Carroll (B.M. Carroll) and Vanessa McCausland. Listen to them converse about their writing as Ber discusses her latest novel One of us is missing. Released 30 April 2024.
In One of Us is Missing, Rachel and Rory Sullivan decide to celebrate making it through a difficult year by taking their teenagers, Emmet and Bridie, to their first-ever stadium concert. By the end of the night, one of the four has vanished without a trace.
Books will be available for purchase on the night.
Free event. Bookings essential. Book online: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events
HarbourCare x World Environment Day
Wednesday 5 June, 9:00am – 12:30pm, Lane Cove River
Take action this World Environment Day and join Lane Cove Council’s HarbourCare team for a kayak along the Lane Cove River, collecting litter along the foreshore as we explore and protect this beautiful ecosystem.
Bookings essential: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events
Wednesday 5 June, 7:00pm – 8:30pm, The Alcott
Discover how local strata’s have successfully installed solar and are reaping the benefits of lower bills at this free event! Plus: find out about the Council and Government programs that can support you.
Bookings essential: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events
Saturday 8 June, 10:00am – 12:00pm, The Plaza
Grab your morning coffee, bring your friends, and groove along to James Lyon.
James performs popular hit from the 60’s right through to the latest hits, ranging from motown, pop and R’n’B. Start your Saturday off right!
Book your free collection
Saturday 8 June, 9:00am – 1:00pm, Lane Cove Council Car Park, Little Street
Council is offering free Child Car Seat Checking Service to Lane Cove residents. You can have your child car seats and booster seats checked, fitted/refitted or installed by a Transport for NSW authorised Restraint Fitter.
Bookings essential: Please email our Road Safety Officers to book: roadsafety@lanecove.nsw.gov.au
Military History Talk
Tanganyikan Guerrilla
Tuesday 11 June, 6:15pm – 7:45pm, Lane Cove Library
Rod Cooke will discuss the German East Africa campaign. Rod served as a Cavalry Officer in the Australian Regular Army for 16 years, in the Army Reserve for a further 21 years, and is a member of the Lane Cove RSL Sub-branch.
Free History Talk. Limited places. Bookings essential: lanecove.nsw. gov.au/events
Council has partnered with a new doorstep recycling service provider called HomeCycle. HomeCycle offers a free and easy way for Lane Cove residents to recycle and repurpose items that don’t belong in household bins. HomeCycle collect soft plastics, e-waste, textiles, batteries and more. Making a booking is easy; simply visit www.homecycle.com.au/lanecove
Join Council’s Backyard Habitat program!
Are you interested in doing more gardening in your backyard? If you’d like to create a habitat garden for native plants and wildlife, Council’s Backyard Habitat program can help you – no matter what size or shape your garden is in. If you’re interested in free advice and native plants to make your backyard wildlife-friendly, call 9911 3654 or email backyardhabitat@lanecove.nsw.gov.au
Maker Night at Lane Cove Library
Thursday 13 June, 7:00pm – 8:30pm, Lane Cove Library
Enjoy an evening of designing and making. If you are an experienced maker, bring your own idea to life using the 3D Printer, Laser Cutter, Soldering Iron or Cricut Maker
For Ages 16+. Cost $5.00 + booking fee. Bookings essential: lanecove. nsw.gov.au/events
Conversation with Penelope Ransby
Thursday 20 June, 6:15pm, Lane Cove Library
Hear local Lane Cove author Penelope Ransby talk about her memoir Thursday’s Child.
Penelope was born in England and grew up in small mining communities in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania, Gambia and Sierra Leone. Thursday’s Child chronicles her childhood and teenage years. Between the ages of seven and twelve she attended six different schools in three countries, including stints at boarding school in England. Penelope emigrated to Australia in her 20s and now lives in Lane Cove, Sydney.
Books will be available for purchase on the night.
Free event. Bookings essential. Book online: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events
Thursday 6 June, 3:30pm– 5:00pm, Lane Cove Library
Want to learn how to play scrabble or just play for fun? Come along to the Library and play for free!
Volunteers from NSW Scrabble Association will be there to provide guidance. Held every Thursday afternoon during School terms. No bookings required.
Friday 28 June, 9:45am to 11:30am, Blackman Park
Ants, they're all around us and often ignored. Yet, ants are hardworking and play an important role in ecology. We'll learn about them, look for ants and their homes on our bush walk and create an ant of our own.
School holiday activity 2 to 12 years. Cost: $10.85 + booking fee. Bookings essential. Book online: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events
Friday 7 June, 3pm to 8pm, Synergy Youth Centre
Get ready to unleash your inner chef and tantalize your taste buds with our Cooking Fever night! Each week, we cook up a different delicious dish, and we want you to join us in the kitchen. Can't make it to the cooking session? No worries! You can still swing by to enjoy the mouthwatering meals prepared by our talented chefs. Come hungry and leave happy at Cooking Fever!
Book Chat at St Leonards Library
Wednesday 12 June, 6:00pm –7:30pm, St Leonards Library
Meet up monthly at the library and discuss your favourite books or find a new one! This months theme isLicence to Thrill
Free event, no bookings required.
Friday 28 June, 2:30pm – 4:00pm, St Leonards Library
Join us as we learn how to make an iron on design using the Cricut Maker, a computer cutting machine. Please bring along your own cotton T-Shirt. All other materials supplied. For Adults.
Cost: $5.00 + booking fee. Bookings essential: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events
The Lane Cove Festival supports community groups with free listings in the annual Festival Program. The 2024 Festival will be held 30 August - 30 September 2024 with a program launch event on Friday 30 August. We invite you to submit your events for the 2024 Lane Cove Festival program. We are looking to include events that reflect the theme “Celebrate Lane Cove”.
Who would have thought that a little over five years ago, the whole world would be significantly changed in so many ways following the COVID-19 pandemic? One area that particularly was impacted and which is yet to recover is that of the rates of volunteering.
Dr Carl Wong is a Lane Cove-based GP and sits on the board of Sydney Community Services.
Late last month, we acknowledged Australian National Volunteer Week, celebrating the diverse passions and talents of our amazing volunteers! This article aims to highlight the amazing work of volunteers in Australia, and the personal health benefits of volunteering (an important distinction to make first is that ‘formal’ volunteering is considered separate to informal caring - that is performing roles within one’s own household for family members, which an estimated 1 in 10 Australians currently do).
First some volunteering statistics.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2020:
• just over an estimated 5 million participated in voluntary work through an organisation; females volunteered more than males (26% vs 23%);
• age-wise, 40-54 years old had the highest proportion of volunteering, followed by people aged 70 years and over.
• Couples with children were more likely to volunteer than other family compositions, such as single individuals.
• Just over a third contributed 19-100 hours towards volunteering throughout the year, with another third contributing over 100 hours.
• The most common types of organisations Australians volunteered at were: sports and recreation, religious groups, education and training, and community/ethnic groups.
Here are a few reasons as to the health benefits of formal volunteering:
It has social benefits and helps connection to others
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area, and build healthy relationships. It strengthens one’s ties to the community and exposes you to people with similar interests, neighbourhood resources and also to fun and fulfilling activities. It also gives the opportunity to practice and develop social skills, which can be handy if you tend to be a bit shy or have a hard time meeting new people. The regular contact with others from volunteering, helps develop a strong solid support base.
Local Lane Cove resident, Hong Chiang Lee, agrees ‘I introduced my father to Sydney Community Services (SCS) over ten years ago to help him find more friends, and I joined at the same time. I enjoyed my time there and I started to volunteer there as well.
Also by giving back to the community, volunteers can be a great role model for others, especially for children. Children Continued over page >
watch everything we do, and they will be able to see firsthand how volunteering makes a difference, how good it can make one feel and how to enact change for the better of society.
It’s
Mental health - Volunteering is associated with better mental health and quality of life, with lower symptoms of depression, anxiety and anger, and lower risk of suicide. This is thought to be due to its social interaction aspect and providing a sense of purpose, thereby reducing stress, and building a positive emotional state. These mental health benefits are most pronounced for older people, those experiencing lower levels of life-satisfaction, unemployed people and people with chronic health conditions. Working especially with pets has a strong correlation with improved mental health.
Keeps you physically and mentally healthy – Studies have shown that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, cope with everyday tasks better and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease. One research study showed that adults over age 50 who volunteered on a regular basis were less likely to develop blood pressure.
Volunteers tend to be more satisfied with their lives because they are interacting with other people, setting and achieving goals and learning new things. It can provide renewed creativity, motivation and vision that can have positive effects
on other aspects of their life. Also by helping others in the community, it will undoubtedly provide a sense of satisfaction. We are hard-wired to give to others – and the more we give and help out, the happier we feel.
So, how should you find the right volunteer opportunity? Find something that you would enjoy, capable of doing and can see yourself getting fulfilment out of. Consider your interests and skills (or skills you might like to develop) and how much time you have to volunteer.
‘I wanted to give back to my local area. I like to volunteer and I find it satisfying to help people’, says Hong, ‘I volunteer at SCS in many ways for variety: meals on wheels, gardening, linen services, community services and Boomers outings’
Volunteering has many benefits – for both the community (many organisations would simply not exist without their selfless volunteers) and for physical and mental wellbeing.
‘Just try it out’ says Hong, ‘ If it doesn’t suit you, you can change. It was my first time volunteering when I first joined to volunteer at SCS, and I found the staff there very nice and I have been volunteering there ever since, and that was over ten years ago now!’
Contact SCS on 02 9427 6425 or visit www.sydneycs.org for more information on local volunteering
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It’s important for you to know…knee pain is not something you have to “live with.” Take a moment, close your eyes and imagine what else you could do today… if you didn’t fear your knee hurting or limiting you.
• Walk without pain? • Go up or down steps?
• Bend your knee? • Get up out of a chair?
If you’d like to know more about living with much less knee pain, then this FREE special report is perfect for you. It details solutions to help avoid surgery, maintain independence and get back to moving pain free.
• How to ease your throbbing knee pain
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There are many options out there to treat knee pain. But, many of them require you to take pills, take dangerous injections to your knee and WORSE end up with surgery!!
If you have had enough of your knee pain and want to take control of your health and you want to get back to playing golf, walking with friends or get down to the local shops without pain, then contact us for your FREE eBook of:
HOW TO STOP KNEE PAIN 5 simple secrets without having to take pain killers or see the GP.
CONTACT US ON: 9427 8333 lanecove@weareswitch.com.au
Cheaper medicines and a new approach for mental health care. Will the budget make us healthier?
WORDS: Peter Breadon (Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute) and Anika Stobart (Senior Associate, Grattan Institute)
Health was a centrepiece of last year’s budget, based on a new vision for Medicare. This year, there is less health reform, but the budget does set the foundation for a new approach to community-based mental health care.
The themes of reducing cost-of-living pressures, and expanding care in the community to keep people out of hospital, span several key initiatives. Here’s what the budget means for the health system and Australians’ access to care.
Many Australians are missing out on the mental health support they need, with the biggest problems in disadvantaged areas that have higher needs but far fewer services:
A 2022 evaluation of the Better Access initiative – which provides Medicare-subsidised mental health services –found it was not very well targeted to people with mild to moderate illness, was often ineffective, and often didn’t reach those on the lowest incomes.
The government’s new approach appears more promising. It will spend A$361 million over four years to better target support to people’s level of need:
• for those with mild mental health concerns, from January 1 2026, there will be a new free digital health service which can be used without a referral
• for those with moderate-to-severe mental health needs, the government is beefing up and rebranding the Head to Health network, which will bring it up to 61 free walk-in community mental health services
• for those with more complex needs, Primary Health Networks (bodies responsible for improving primary care) will be funded to work with GPs to build a team of mental health nurses and other allied health professionals to provide free coordination and support.
This more targeted approach is welcome, and could ensure fewer people fall through the cracks in the system. But getting the design and implementation of this new system right will be crucial. And given workforce constraints, including the short supply of psychiatrists, it may be a struggle to meet demand.
Twenty-nine more urgent care clinics will be built, at a cost of $227 million, bringing the total to 87. These clinics provide relatively straightforward care for urgent problems, such as sprains or fevers, and are intended to keep people out of overflowing emergency departments.
Shifting care out of hospitals is important because hospital demand and costs keep surging higher. But the way these new clinics are designed and run must be informed by evaluations of the ones that have already been built, to ensure they reduce pressure on hospitals and are good value for money.
Older people can get stuck in hospital for too long because they can’t get the support they need in the community. The federal government will work with the states to better tackle this issue in multiple ways, including more hospital outreach services and virtual care, adding up to $882 million over five years. If done well, this would not only improve quality of life for older people, but also help to free up hospital beds.
Patient medicine costs have already fallen because of previous cuts to patient fees and the introduction of 60day dispensing. This budget does a bit more by freezing maximum prescription fees at $31.60 for non-concession
card holders for one year, and at $7.70 for concession card holders for five years, at a total cost of $318 million over five years.
The longer freeze for poorer patients makes sense, because they are about twice as likely as the wealthiest people to say that cost stops them getting prescribed medicines. And concession card holders didn’t get a fee cut when a $12.50 reduction was given to other Australians in the 2022–23 budget.
This year’s budget also allocates $3.4 billion to adding new drugs to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, while pharmacists will be funded to provide free vaccinations to aged care residents in their homes.
But one measure goes against the cost-of-living grain. The $1 discount that pharmacies can offer on prescriptions will gradually fall to zero, further dampening price competition, which is already limited in the highly regulated community pharmacy sector.
As always, there are dozens of other health items. Some of the more notable ones include:
• more money for medical research, with $1.4 billion over 13 years, including spending on existing initiatives and two new focus areas from 2027–28: low-survival cancers and reducing health inequities;
• $90 million over three years to help get overseas-trained doctors into Australia, in line with a review;
• $70 million over four years to make MRI scans more accessible and affordable.
• a focus on women’s health, including nearly $50 million over four years on gynaecology consultations for women
with complex conditions, and more spending on women’s sexual and reproductive health services, including longer midwife consultations, and indemnity insurance cover for privately practising midwives supporting homebirths.
There is some spending on prevention, including measures to prevent and treat HIV, new vaccine funding, expansion of bowel screening to people aged 45 to 50, and funding to continue a range existing programs. But the new investment is limited given how far Australia lags behind other wealthy countries in funding to keep people healthy, and there is no sign that Australia will be building the strong Centre for Disease Control we need.
Some areas where costs are a barrier to care for many got little attention, including dental care and specialist care. And while there were measures to boost the health-care workforce, and improve rural health, new funding in these areas was limited.
Perhaps the biggest black hole is public hospital funding. Last year, the federal government agreed to pay a bigger share under a new five-year deal, but the budget papers on health spending don’t take this into account.
Even so, federal public hospital spending is predicted to grow by about $2 billion a year. This will be higher under the deal that the federal and state governments are close to finalising. When the deal is done, hopefully it will come with a new approach to national health reform that tackles some of the problems that weren’t addressed in this budget.
THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE CONVERSATION.
and Learning Centre, 180 Longueville Road, Lane Cove
Choirs can change our lives. Also, choral singing is considered one of our most significant forms of collaboration and helps to improve our participating and listening skills.. It’s never too early (or too late) to join a choir, improve your health, your brain and your memory, and make new friends and have fun!
LaVoce Community Choir rehearses every Tuesday during school terms from 6.15 to 8.00pm at the Living and Learning Centre, 180 Longueville, Road, Lane Cove. There is no audition or requirement to read music. We sing popular songs selected by the choir members for the joy of it. Join us!
We also present a number of free public concerts during the year for us to enjoy, along with the audiences. This is the first of our concerts for 2024. Others will be held later in the year. Come and sing with us in our home so you can see how wonderful it can be.
SERVES makes 6 fritters
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 10 minutes
• CONTAINS DAIRY • CONTAINS EGG
• VEGETARIAN • 20 MINUTES OR LESS
• LUNCHBOX FRIENDLY • FREEZER FRIENDLY
These gooey, cheesy fritters are packed with protein and calcium thanks to the cottage cheese. They also include colourful veggies that add a flavour punch and a nutritional boost to your little one’s plate. Name a better way to start the day than by enjoying these protein-packed, calciumrich and veggie-filled delights – we’ll wait.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup frozen corn
1 egg
2 tablespoons besan (chickpea flour)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried dill
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
TO SERVE
• Top with Guacamole (page 255) and your yoghurt of choice.
• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat.
• In a large bowl, add all the ingredients together and stir well.
• Add 2 scoops of batter per fritter into the hot frying pan, making sure to leave some room between the fritters.
• Flip the fritters after 3–4 minutes, or once golden, and cook for another 2–3 minutes on the other side
SWAPSIES
Any flour would work well.
STORAGE
Store the fritters in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, separate the fritters with sheets of baking paper.
This is an edited extract from Baby Food Bible by Julia Tellidis and Lauren Skora, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally. Photography by Julia Tellidis and Lauren Skora.
After the sell-out success of last year’s “Winter Nights”, the Sydney Chamber Choir returns to the Neilson at Walsh Bay with a whole new selection to thrill and seduce you! Pull up a chair, grab yourself a glass and sit back and enjoy the ravishing harmonies: the deep contentment of René Clausen’s Tonight Eternity Alone; the sensuous textures of Jan Sandström’s double-choir setting of Lo, how a rose e’er blooming; and a glorious a cappella arrangement of Ruth Moody’s beloved anthem One Voice.
Sydney Chamber Choir is also delighted to welcome back Naomi Crellin, co-directing with artistic director Sam Allchurch and leading a jazz trio led by the inimitable Kevin Hunt, as we round out the program with a selection of jazz and popular favourites, featuring Naomi’s arrangements of La vie en rose, Norwegian Wood and It’s Oh So Quiet, covered so brilliantly by Icelandic pop iconoclast Björk.
• Saturday, 29 June 5.00pm & 8.00pm
• The Neilson, ACO Pier 2/3 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
• Tickets and information: www.sydneychamberchoir.org/fireside
Who doesn’t love a murder mystery?
Tickets are selling fast for Hunters Hill Theatre’s next production – The Ballad of Maria Marten is a thrilling retelling of a real-life murder mystery which happened in Suffolk, England..
Maria’s story sent shock waves throughout the country. The Red Barn Murder (as it became known) was national news, inspiring writers and filmmakers down the ages. The sort of gruesome tale that had all the hallmarks of a classic crime drama – a missing body, a country location, a disreputable squire and a village stuck in its age-old traditions.
Tickets can be purchased via the website www.huntershilltheatre.com.au or by telephoning the Box Office on 0478 097 525.
Quartet: Jane Stanley – Violin. Leo Kram – Violin. Neil Thompson – Viola. Emily Palethorpe – Cello.
Musical Director : Werner Ruecker presents
Accent Strings is delighted to present a program beginning with some wonderful music from the Baroque and Classical periods including works of Bach, Vivaldi and Mozart, followed by a selection of contemporary pieces which will get your feet tapping. These will include popular numbers by the Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John and other millennial favourites.
An exciting program showcasing the versatility of the Sydney Mandolin Orchestra, now in its 91st year, and celebrating with music from around the world spanning classical, Neapolitan, folk, modern and popular repertoire.
Tuesday 25 June 2024
7.30pm
Tuesday 9th May 2023 at 7.30pm.
Venue : LCM Anglican Church 19 Rosenthal Avenue, Lane Cove 2066 (behind the Post Office)
LCM Anglican Church (St. Andrew’s), 19 Rosenthal Avenue, Lane Cove, behind the Post Office. Free parking opposite at The Canopy
Tickets through TryBooking may be purchased from 9am Tuesday 4 June via our website www.lanecovemusic.org.au
Enquiries welcome on 9428 4287
Bookings with TryBooking, accessed via our website from: Tuesday 18th April 2023: www.lanecovemusic.org.au
Further 2024 concerts, all Tuesdays at 7.30pm : 13 August, 8 October and 26 November
Limited admission (cash only) at the door on the night, online bookings preferred.
Adults $30, Students $10 - enquiries are welcome at 9428 4287.
Future 2023 Concerts, all Tuesdays at 7.30pm: 20th June, 8th August, 10th October, 28th November.
Artists: Khadim Ali, Shahroud Ghahani, Savanhdary Vongpoothorn and Ah Xian.
Ah Xian, Fledging No.9, 2022, giclee and ink on Xuan paper, v.e. of 30, 140 x 70 cm, signed, inscribed and marked with seals of the artist.
“The world is a vast network of interconnections, and our identities are constantly shaped by encounters with others.” Attrib. V.Y. Mudimbe.
The Wisdom of Others is an exhibition presenting works of four diverse and significant artists who, as part of their life journey, have at some point in their lives experienced displacement due to political conflict or natural disasters. Having been born in China, Pakistan, Iran, and Lao PDR, these artists’ oeuvre reflects their personal histories, cultural identities and the wider narrative of contemporary Australia. Their unique voices are equally global and historically literate, while at the same time grounded in the here and now. The works manifest the beauty of pluralism and the flourishing of culture when hybridity is not only embraced but celebrated. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.”
The Wisdom of Others is presented by Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios in partnership with Lane Cove Council and its lending partners as part of Refugee Week 2024.
OPENING EVENT:
• Wednesday 29 May, 6-8pm
• Attend the opening event, meet the artists and enjoy some refreshments.
Lending Partner Presenting Partners
02 9428 4898 0490 749 854
info@gallerylanecove.com.au
Season 1 of Blue Lights was a banger! Building on that established narrative, Season 2 maintains the same accuracy and flair in its procedural framework. It is, however, less distinctive and has some predictability problems. A few sequences appear forced, and emotional connections seem repetitive. The Belfast police force seems badly understaffed, leaving our main protagonists with an excessive amount of work to do. Nevertheless, the show’s engrossing atmosphere and compelling social commentary keep audiences interested.
★★★★
Why you should watch it: Blue Lights delivers a gripping portrayal of policing in Belfast.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz (Stan)
In 2003, in Melbourne, Holocaust survivor Lali Sokolov shared his story of love and resilience with writer Heather Morris. Adapted from the book of the same name, this series vividly depicts Lali’s harrowing journey as a Jewish prisoner tasked with tattooing fellow inmates at Auschwitz-Birkenau during World War II. Amidst the camp’s horrors, Lali finds love with Gita, another prisoner, driving his will to survive. Yet, risking all exposes them to unforeseen dangers. While the frequent timeline shifts are distracting, the inconsistency in Lali’s accents, Slovakian in ‘old’ age and English in his youth, is puzzling.
★★★★
Why you should watch it: Despite its imperfections, it’s still a captivating account of love and resilience.
Embark on a journey through television with Stephen Miller, our dedicated aficionado of the small screen. Explore his curated collection of captivating narratives and entertaining shows as he shares his top recommendations from the diverse world of TV.
Baby Reindeer is one of 2024’s must-watch shows. Created and starring Richard Gadd, this semiautobiographical work offers emotional depth and excellent performances. Jessica Gunning excels as Martha, a relentless stalker who forces Gadd to confront his buried trauma. While it can feel like an overlong delve into psychotherapy at times, its exploration of emotional complexity captivates throughout. Without sugarcoating the harsh realities, Baby Reindeer boldly embraces its identity as a traumacentred series. Well-directed and acted, it’s an excellent choice for those craving a thought-provoking series.
Why you should watch it: Dark, gripping, and surprisingly refreshing.
Clarkson’s Farm, Season 3 (Amazon Prime)
Jeremy Clarkson makes a triumphant return to his Oxfordshire farm, joined by his trusted team: tractor driver Kaleb, stone wall worker Gerald, advisor ‘Cheerful’ Charlie, and his girlfriend Lisa. Season three remains faithful to its iconic blend of contrived stunts and uncomplicated plots, reminiscent of beloved Top Gear specials. Unexpectedly, this only intensifies the show’s appeal, and by meticulously editing months’ worth of footage to maintain seamless storytelling, Clarkson’s Farm adventures continue to captivate viewers. Official confirmation of Series 4 has recently taken place.
Why you should watch it: With its delightful antics and loveable cast, what’s not to like?
Abducted into a parallel life, Jason Dessen finds himself cut off from his loved ones. To return to his real family, he must face a daunting challenge: his own alternate self. Adapted from Blake Crouch’s bestselling book, Dark Matter blends intricate relationships with gripping tension. Despite delivering a captivating story filled with twists and moral dilemmas, Dark Matter occasionally loses its momentum, extending its length beyond what is necessary. Originally planned as a twohour movie, this might have been more effective. A nine-hour series is harder work than necessary.
★★★★
Why you should watch it: It is dark, mysterious, and will leave you on the edge of your seat.
The chilling and widely covered disappearance of Asunta Basterra, an adopted 12-year-old girl of Chinese origin, rocked Spain in 2013. Tragically, the discovery of her lifeless body on a forest trail near her family’s rural retreat occurred within twenty-four hours. Based on true events, The Asunta Case delves into this profound Spanish tragedy. Spanish critics have underscored its penchant for oversimplification and its tendency to overlook crucial nuances. Nonetheless, it adeptly exposes biases from the outset and masterfully constructs a narrative that elicits frustration at the injustices portrayed. ★★★★
Why you should watch it:
It is a captivating depiction of a genuine Spanish tragedy.
Sara couldn’t take her eyes off him. From across the room she could see the deep angle of his face, dark blue eyes and a glorious mane of straggly blonde hair. He was perfect! Never before had she seen such faultless features on a man: such an aura of timeless beauty. Slowly Sara edged her way through the crowd to stand directly before him. Checking quickly that no one was watching, she gently ran her fingers around the golden frame and across his exquisite face. If only she had the artistic skill to paint something as wonderful as this.
Jenny England
No invitation to be seated. No eyes in greeting met. Or her shoulder requests are taken. Yet, in humble solitude, she waits.
A sigh of resignation, “See me please, I am here!” does not make it to her lips. Should she call or raise an arm?
She doesn’t want to cause alarm. Grey on grey, invisible, she stands.
All she wanted was a coffee, a friendly order taken, a knowing nod at her existence.
She fumbles for her stick and gains the door unseen.
No friendly voice calls her back, no apology for neglect.
She’ll have to write a letter.
Chris Curtis
Seeking attention or validation from social media? You’re not alone! And how often do we notice our friends post a lot of their personal business, drama, or otherwise irrelevant things on their social media?
Seeking attention or validation on social media can stem from various psychological factors:
Social Approval: People often seek validation from others to feel accepted and approved by their peers. Social media provides a platform where individuals can receive instant feedback in the form of likes, comments, and shares, which can boost their self-esteem.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): The fear of missing out on social events, trends, or experiences can drive individuals to constantly share updates about their lives on social media to feel connected and included.
Self-Esteem: Posting on social media and receiving positive feedback can temporarily boost one's self-esteem. Likes and comments serve as social currency that can make individuals feel valued and validated.
Comparison and Competition: Social media platforms often create an environment where users compare their lives to others. Posting highlights of their lives can be a way for individuals to compete or keep up with the perceived success of others.
Escapism: Some individuals may use social media as a form of escapism from their real-life problems or stressors. Sharing personal details or seeking attention online can provide a temporary distraction from their issues.
Attention-Seeking Behaviour: Some people may have a natural inclination towards seeking attention, and social media provides an easy and accessible platform to fulfill this need.
It's important to remember that people, that’s us, have different motivations for our social media behaviour, and it's not always a negative or unhealthy practice. However, if you notice that you or your loved ones are consistently sharing personal drama or irrelevant information, it may be a sign that we’re seeking validation or attention in a way that could be detrimental to both our and their well-being. Encouraging open and honest communication about social media habits and offering support can be beneficial.
Of course, we want to feel that someone is listening to us. We want to feel cared for. We air our insecurities and personal drama for people to comfort us. This makes us feel that we are not alone. In the end, are we not just looking for a way to know that we are still being noticed and cared for…to know that we belong? What a different world we might live in if we paid attention as much as we seek it.
Working towards a world where everyone belongs is just one of the things we do. Want to know more?
Come and join the conversation where all are welcome, and all means ALL.
Liam McKenna
Lane Cove Community Chaplain
P: 0404 596 592
E: lanecovechaplain@gmail.com www.lanecovecc.com
Supported by Lane Cove Uniting Church
I think I’ve been reading Lisa Ireland novels for over a decade. They are just auto buys for me. She will invariably make me laugh, cry, smile and shudder! With every new novel I’ll have that questioning feel - surely she can’t be as good as I think she is, surely this won’t be my new Lisa Ireland favourite and from the first page I’ll invariably think ‘this is even better than I anticipated’ then I’ll forget I’m even reading and sink on in like a warm bath…I LOVE these novels.
Friendship, love, life and something to think about. What more could you want in a read?
The Studio Girls is Lisa Ireland’s 2024 release, and I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of it. I read it a few weeks ago and am still thinking about it.
The Studio Girls is a dual timeline (like lots of Lisa Irelands novels) set in 1999 (which feels so current!) and 1955. Ireland normally chooses an Australian setting but The Studio Girls is set in Hollywood and I was not disappointed.
A novel that delves into hope, ambition, friendship and lies...this is not a shy novel. Using the 1955/1999 setting really lets the novel explore changing societal norms and attitudes, and we get to see up close the power imbalance between men and women. It also explores interracial relationships.
It is also a novel about friendship. We get to see the nature of a friendship that spans decades, and I cannot express how much I wished I could have been friends with Julia, Sandie, Peggy and Vivienne, the main characters in this novel. They’re all their own people and I had no trouble at all keeping a track of everyone then and now.
Of course, I read the Author’s Note and I was fascinated to learn The Studio Girls is inspired by a real Hollywood Stud Club, a boarding house for young women seeking a career in the movie industry. It was all so interesting!
I devoured The Studio Girls - fascinating, interesting so unputdownable!
The Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
Three estranged siblings return to their family home in New York after their beloved sister's death in this unforgettable story of grief, identity, and the complexities of family.
Every Last Suspect by Nicola Moriarty
Who killed Harriet? Complicated, driven, loving; manipulative, irresistible, monstrous - whether you love her or hate her, Harriet is impossible to say no to. But someone has finally snapped and as Harriet lies dying, she is determined to figure out who has killed her. Was it her devoted husband?
Love & Rome by Jenna Lo Bianco
Moving from Melbourne to Rome was meant to fix Stella Chiaro's life - and it did, for a while. But destiny has other plans. With a one-way ticket home, artist Stella is running out of time and money.
I Fight, You Fight by Alex Noble
The inspiring story of a young man whose wisdom and strength can teach us all how to live life to the fullest, no matter what it throws at us. Sixteen-year-old Alex Noble was a high school rugby star with a promising sporting career ahead of him when an on-field injury left him fighting for his life in the ICU
Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent
When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and souschef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father’s dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.
Review by: Anna Loder. Anna is the founder of www.readabook.com.au and the podcast of the same name. She is a book fanatic and owns a second-hand bookshop and café in Cronulla. www.readabook.com.au
Pizza + Movie Nights @ Longueville UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville
TIME : 6.30pm. Pizza; 7.15pm Movie
4 June – Five Flights Up (2014) – An American comedy/ drama about life, love and real estate starring Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton.
2 July – Broken Hill (2009) – Drama about a gifted teenage composer who wishes to attend Sydney Conservatorium and needs to find a good band in the middle of nowhere... starring Luke Arnold, Alexa Vega and Timothy Hutton.
Bookings essential on 9428 4287 or 9427 4740. Cost $12 – the best value pizza/movie combo! BYO drinks.
Time 4U – Every Wednesday @ 10am till Noon @ Longueville Uniting Church Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville
Friendly and fun mornings with home-made morning tea, discussion, documentaries and board games in Longueville UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville. All are welcome to come and join us. Cost $5 Enquiries: Chris on 9428 4287
Beginner Bridge Lessons
Six lessons starting on Tuesday June 4th to July 9th from 10-12pm.
Where – Henley Community Centre, Crown Street Henley Cost - $160 for the 6 lessons ( includes light refreshments) and a Beginner Workbook.
To register contact the bridge club on huntershillbridgeclub@bigpond.com
Susan Schardt established what is now the Royal Rehabilitation Centre at Ryde, to help those discharged from institutions with nowhere to go. Susan was blind.
Susan Katherina (Anglicised to Catherine) Schardt was born at Queanbeyan, NSW, on 15 January 1872. Her parents were ‘well-to-do’ German-born sheep farmers, ‘lured to Australia by the discovery of gold’. Susan and a younger brother were both born blind. Part of their disability was the public perception that blindness was usually caused by sexually transmitted disease or careless action by the mother when pregnant. Stigma and blame invariably worsened the challenges of blindness.
From 1880 to 1887 Susan attended the school at Darlington, Sydney, run by the NSW Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. Her younger brother also went there. Susan
Sunday 9 June 2024
found solace in religion and helping others. She was a deeply committed Methodist and retained her strong faith throughout her life. During the 1890s depression she visited patients at (later Royal) Prince Alfred Hospital and became concerned about the plight of those discharged as incurable. One patient, with both legs amputated, was destitute and had nowhere to go on discharge. Susan Schardt helped him find a room at Surry Hills and provided paid carers. She collected money to assist him and was soon helping others in a similar way.
Her next step was to form a committee which established a home in Redfern for destitute, incurable patients. The Commonwealth Home for Destitute Invalids opened in October 1900. The Home attracted influential political and medical supporters but in 1906 the building was condemned. Rescue came from the politician Sir Henry Moses who offered, at half price, his mansion Weemala (pictured) on 42 acres at Ryde. Other philanthropists helped buy the mansion, and Susan raised additional funds by public appeals to women’s charitable groups. The Ryde Home was officially opened in April 1907 with 65 patients.
Susan Schardt had proved to be an effective fund-raiser and so was appointed the Home's honorary country lecturer. With a companion, she travelled by train throughout NSW appealing to school children and other groups. It is estimated that she raised over £35,000 for the Home until forced by ill-health to resign in the early 1930s. She died at Ryde in the Home she had founded on 9 October 1934.
Susan Schardt was one of the two blind women from Ryde who, in the early twentieth century, founded
enduring organisations to help patients discharged from institutions. The other woman was Emily Darvall Paterson who established Aftercare (now Stride Mental Health) for discharged psychiatric patients.
For more about the amazing Susan Schardt, see her entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography (vol. 11, 1988, adb.anu. edu.au).
Ryde District Historical Society is based at historic Willandra House (770 Victoria Rd, Ryde). The Society collects, researches and promotes the historical heritage of the 13 suburbs that make up the Ryde district. The Society also assists with research into family history.
Further information can be found at www.rydehistory.org.au.
Many North Sydney residents are surprised by the number of things that the Electorate Office can help with.
My team can help you navigate federal government services such as the NDIS, Centrelink, My Aged Care and the ATO.
We can help with visa and passport issues.
We provide nationhood materials such as flags, constitutions and portraits of King Charles III. We have an onsite JP on Fridays.
We can help community organisations in applying for grants to support community projects.
In addition, my team has developed an online resource outlining financial incentives to help electrify your home or business: Powering to net zero (kyleatink.com.au)
A full list of resources is available on my website: kyleatink.com.au but please do not hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions.
As the cost of living continues to rise, many people in our community find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Essentials like groceries and utilities are becoming more expensive, putting a strain on household budgets. Rent, groceries, and utility bills have all increased, outpacing wage growth and leaving many people and families struggling. For some, this means making tough choices between putting food on the table and paying for electricity or gas.
The rising cost of living affects us all, but some of our community members are more vulnerable and impacted than others. Low-income families often live, with little to no savings to cushion the impact of rising costs. Single parents bear the financial and caregiving responsibilities alone, making them particularly susceptible to economic pressures. The elderly and people with disabilities often face additional expenses to their care; unemployed or underemployed working part-time or in low-wage jobs; and young adults, especially those pursuing higher education, often face significant financial pressures. People struggling with this latest increase in the cost of living are different from the people Sydney Community Services (SCS) usually sees asking for help.
SCS has been offering support to people experiencing temporary financial hardship since its inception more than 60 years ago. It all started with providing nourishing, simple meals to struggling families in the Gladesville area. Through the commitment of our Board, community, and local governments, SCS continues to offer support to the
people in our community who cannot meet the demands of everyday expenses. We received $15,000 as part of NSW Government’s $37m Local Small Commitments Allocation Program to provide access to food for people in need in the Lane Cove electorate.
SCS operates two food banks, one in Lane Cove and one in Hunters Hill. Our food banks are stocked with a variety of essential items, including dry goods, canned goods, and other household staples. Take-up of these allows people to allocate more of their limited resources to other critical expenses, such as rent or medical bills.
In addition to food banks, SCS is part of the Energy Accounts Payment Scheme that supports eligible residents facing financial hardship up to $1200 per year. These vouchers can be used for essential services like electricity and gas. Utility vouchers help prevent service disconnections, ensuring our community members can maintain a safe and comfortable living environment. Limited heating during the winter can significantly impact health and wellbeing, especially for the vulnerable such as the elderly and children.
The success of these programs relies heavily on community support and thankfully, our community has been highly supportive in sustaining our food banks. Donations of food, money, and time are essential in keeping these services running and expanding to meet growing demands.
If you’re interested in supporting SCS, please consider:
• Donating non-perishable food items and toiletries;
• Volunteering your time to help with food collection, packaging, and distribution;
• Advocating about the issues facing our community and the support services that are available
SCS supports people from all walks of life, and all applications for support are treated with the utmost respect for people’s privacy and dignity.
Contact us if you think you can help and please encourage friends, family, and colleagues who need support to call us on 9427 6425.
Your support allows us to continue to improve the quality of life of people in the local community so they can remain living independently in their own homes for as long as they wish.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:
Meals on Wheels Delivery Driver – Thursday Mornings
We are hoping to find a driver who can deliver meals to local Lane Cove residents. We deliver fresh meals to the door of our consumers and provide a courtesy wellbeing check and a smile, which helps them remain living independently, for longer, at home. If you are available on a Thursday morning, please get in touch.
Disability Groups
We are looking for volunteers for our disability groups that require support on various outings. These groups include the Walking Group and the New Explorers Group, held on a Monday and Tuesday from 10.00am – 2.00pm. Contact us for further information and if you are interested in providing your assistance.
Gardeners
We would like to find enthusiastic people to assist our gardening team. This runs on Tuesday to Thursday, 8.30am - 12noon. There is flexibility and you can decide to volunteer weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Great team environment.
Linen Service
Can you offer your time to help change the bed and bathroom linen of consumers in their home and replace with commercially laundered linen. The linen is then collected and returned to SCS and the Lane Cove hub. We require a volunteer every second and fourth Monday of each month, 8:30am to 10.30am-11am, approximately (dates may change depending on public holidays).
If you, or someone you know, is interested in any of the volunteer vacancies, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Yvonne Hughes, for more information and find out how you can get involved.
P: 9427 6425 E: yhughes@sydneycs.org www.sydneycs.org
Working with you to achieve health, wellbeing and independence
Sydney Community Services supports you wherever you are on life’s journey. Our aim is to enhance community participation, boost health and wellbeing, develop life skills and enable independence for people from all walks of life.
We provide support in a trustworthy, safe, enjoyable, and inclusive way.
• Domestic Assistance
• Home Nursing
- Continence Advisory
• Home Delivered Meals
• Podiatry
• Flexible Respite
• Gardening
• Home Maintenance and Modifications
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Social Groups
• Accompanied Activities
- Shopping Service
• Organised Day Trips across Sydney
• Wellness Activities at the Lane Cove, Hunters Hill-Ryde and Meeting House Hubs
• Creative Drama and Arts for people with disabilities
• Services for people with disabilities
- Registered NDIS provider
• Playgroups at Meeting House
Headquartered in Lane Cove, our services are enjoyed by people across Sydney’s north shore and beyond. www.sydneycs.org I 9427 6425
Book Club
1.30pm - 2.30pm
Monday 17 June
Cost: $5 including book/afternoon tea.
Movement Matters
Tuesday, 12pm - 1pm and 1.15pm - 2.15pm.
Wednesdays, 11.15am - 12.15pm. Fridays, 9.30am - 10.30am and 10.45am - 11.45am
Monday 29 July, NEW Movement Matters: Strength & Balance class
Term runs for 5 weeks. Contact us for further details and registration.
Come and join us for a fun morning of Mah Jong.
Tuesdays, 9.30am - 11.30am BEGINNERS WELCOME
Wednesdays, 1.00 - 3.45pm
Cost: $5 including afternoon tea.
New players please contact us: E: support@sydneycs.org
HOURS OF OPERATION:
8.30am - 4.00pm Mon - Fri www.sydneycs.org
Join our experienced yoga and wellbeing specialist. Wednesdays, 9.30am - 10.30am
Cost: Term enrolment at $12 per session, or $15 per casual visit
Scrabble
Thursdays, 10am - 12noon
Seniors Hub
Daytime, inclusive and supportive space for general seniors’ groups, dementia friendly groups, ladies and men’s groups.
All-day tailored seniors program from Monday to Friday. Includes excursions, picnics, and wellness activities. Door-to-door transport and nutritious meals catering for all dietary requirements.
Cost: $35 Contact us for a monthly program.
E: support@sydneycs.org
Social Support
Afghan, Chinese, Iranian, Italian, and Spanish seniors groups.
Each group is supported by bilingual staff and volunteers to meet and share their cultural heritage and interests. Social inclusion activities such as excursions, cultural celebrations, English language conversation classes, wellness activities and information sessions are offered to all CALD communities in the Greater Sydney area.
Contact us for a monthly program.
E: tliu@sydneycs.org
Seniors Shopping Bus
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Return trip from your home to Lane Cove shops. We can also assist to carry your shopping into your home. Cost: $15
P: 9003 1399
E: support@sydneycs.org
EVERY MONDAY
New Chess group - Mondays at 1pm. The group is friendly and sociable, and all abilities are welcome.
COST: $5pp, includes afternoon tea.
VENUE: The Meeting House, 23a Stokes Street, Lane Cove North TIME : 1pm - 2.30pm
PLEASE CONTACT: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
Cost: $5 incl. morning tea.
Thursdays, 12.30pm - 3.30pm
Cost: $5 incl. afternoon tea.
The Velveteens 2nd Monday each month 10am – 4pm.
Join us for morning tea before heading off to a different venue each month.
If you are over 65, registered with My Aged Care, have a referral code for Social Support Group and are totally independent then contact us for more information.
Cost: $20 (does not include lunch/beverages).
E: support@sydneycs.org
Trivia and Light Lunch
Monday 17 June
Come along, test your general knowledge, have fun and meet new people.
Time: 10am-1pm Cost: $35
Bus Outing Night at the Pub
Tuesday 25 June
Time: 5.30pm-9.30pm
Cost: $25 plus cost of your meal.
P: 9003 1399
E: support@sydneycs.org
Join us every Thursday at Lane Cove Tennis Club, Central Park, Kenneth St, Longueville. Cost $5. Every Thursday 9-11am All players must register prior to playing – please call Julie 9427 6425. We look forward to seeing you on the court!
Table Tennis
Fridays, 12.00 - 4.00pm
Cost: $5
BOOMers for senior independently mobile men who enjoy an opportunity to socialise and visit interesting places in the company of other men.
Contact us for the full program.
When: Fridays Departs: 10.00am from Lane Cove Hub, Pottery Lane Returns: 2.00pm Cost: $20 including morning tea and lunch
E: hheggie@sydneycs.org
Join us every Tuesday when we venture to new destinations and parts of Sydney, as well as meet other local seniors.
Women's Wellness Class - Tuesdays
These trips are weekly and either half or full-day outings. Contact us for the monthly program.
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $25 (Bus only) E: hheggie@sydneycs.org
Seniors Hub every Friday
Centre Based Service for over 65 year olds.
Providing a safe, warm and engaging environment for people who would like to spend more time with other seniors. The hub offers a tailored program providing a break for family carers.
Contact us for more details. P: 9427 6425
E: support@sydneycs.org
Supporting your local Lane Cove Community Hub
A weekly program based on a holistic view of health, taking into consideration physical and social needs. The classes incorporate strength and balance exercises. Contact us for more information about cost and term times.
NEW EVENTS COMING TO THE LANE COVE HUB
Join us for a 'Heartwarming
Monday 24th June, 11am to 1.30pm Delight in a performance by local children from Birrahlee Preschool Lane Cove, a light lunch, followed by a fascinating talk on nostalgia. Limited transport available. Bookings Essential. Cost: $30
FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
WHEN: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9.30am 11.30am
E: support@sydneycs.org
Story Playgroups
Arts, Craft, Music and Story Playgroups 0 - 5 years 9.30am to 11.30am Supported by Early Ed Fortnightly
TERM COSTS: - $10 per casual visit
TERM COSTS
$10 per casual visit
Enjoy a delicious 3 course meal with all the trimmings.
Monday 22nd July, 12.30pm - 2.30pm Venue: Park View Room, 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove. Limited transport available. Bookings Essential. Cost: $40
Meet local parents & children of a similar age
FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
$60 per term for 1 session per week
WHERE: At the Meeting House Hub, 23a Stokes St, Lane Cove North Thursdays
- $60 per term/one session per week
Arts, Craft, Music and Story Playgroups 0 - 5 years 9.30am to 11.30am
E: support@sydneycs.org GROUP TIMES COME ALONG AND JOIN IN
- $100 per term for multiple sessions
P: 9003 1399
EarlyEd is and early intervention service for young children with disabilities & delays in their developments. For more information please visit: www.earlyed.com.au ENQUIRIES
Group community access activities from Mon – Fri in centres and community.
All playgroups run during term time only.
Activities: drama ensemble, creative movement, full and half-day excursions, Sailablity, art groups and virtual meetups. Cost: based on the NDIS pricing schedule. E: gstarkey@sydneycs.org or support@sydneycs.org
ANTHONY ROBERTS MP
P: 9817 4757
E: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au
It was over a year ago that my Electorate officers and I met with the representatives from Women and Children First. Their vision was to have women stay in their homes, and be free of violence.
On the 6 May this year. the Staying Home Leaving Violence program is now one of many programs funded by the NSW Government’s $230 Million domestic violence emergency package.
Within Lane Cove we have several women’s refuges for women and their children escaping domestic violence. These facilities will be greatly assisted by the new funding.
Currently the women’s refuges in Lane Cove and across NSW rely on substantial donations and volunteer work. In my recent visits to a particular women’s refuge, my staff and I assembled some new bunk beds for a room that had recently been painted by a local painter who had also volunteered his time, free of charge.
The women managing the refuge were so grateful for the assistance they received by painters and us. Housing is now available to a woman and children in desperate need.
These refuges constantly need support. If you’re a tradie or handyman with some spare time or keen to volunteer in any way, reach out to my office to see where your services could make a monumental difference to the lives of women and children.
As a community we must come together and have an understanding that this issue is in fact not restricted to any one community in the state, and alas, it is often where you wouldn’t expect.
The fact that women’s refuges need to exist to help women escape Domestic and Family Violence is a sad reality. In the world we all strive for, families stay bound by love and peace. We should be grateful there are wonderful women and men out there, with beautiful souls, able and willing to support these victim-survivors. I look forward to a world where, one day hopefully these charities are no longer needed.
Once again if you are interested in volunteering or donating in any way. My office is available to facilitate. Ph. 9817 4757
P: 9952 8222
E: mayor@ryde.nsw.gov.au
Housing density must be well-planned
There has been much debate about the State Government’s proposals to dramatically increase housing density around our railway stations and town centres.
They are radical plans that will impact City of Ryde and many of its neighbouring council areas and the arguments have become divisive and emotive, with one council moving ahead with legal action against the Transport Oriented Development proposal.
City of Ryde is seeking collaboration with the NSW Government on these plans. We are not a NIMBY Council and believe that the best results will come only when housing needs are considered alongside infrastructure requirements, employment opportunities, and the provision of enough open space to support an exponentially increasing population.
Clever, well-balanced planning is the only way to ensure population growth can take place without adding to traffic congestion, a loss of jobs from the rezoning of commercial lands, and insufficient provision of recreational areas.
The City of Ryde has a proud indigenous heritage, and we continue to acknowledge and recognise the importance of achieving national reconciliation.
As part of that support, we are holding a number of events during early June in an ongoing celebration of National Reconciliation Week.
On Tuesday 11 June we are staging a Bush Medicine Workshop at West Ryde Community Centre between 10.00am-2.00pm. For more details go to: www.ryde.nsw. gov.au/BushMedicineWorkshop
And on Wednesday 12 June an Aboriginal History Talk and Bushfood Tasting will take place at the North Ryde School of Arts between 10.00-11.30am. For more details go to: www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/AboriginalTalkBushfoodTasting
Another important event on Council’s calendar this month is Refugee Week, which is dedicated to enhancing awareness surrounding refugees, their challenges, and the invaluable contributions they bring to their local and wider Australian community.
In 2024, the core theme is "Finding Freedom Through Family" and Council has a number of special events planned, including a Community Expo on Thursday 20 June at North Ryde School of Arts where new arrivals to our country and our LGA can get access to essential information and support services.
For details on all our Refugee Week events, go to: www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/RefugeeWeek
P: 9879 9400
E: mayor@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
Annual Garden Competition
We are once again calling on all of our local green thumbs! Australia’s oldest garden suburb is preparing for our annual Hunters Hill Spring Garden Competition.
Following its great success in 2023, The Rotary Club of Hunters Hill, in collaboration with our Council, is pleased to announce that after bringing back the garden competition last year we are continuing the event (including the very popular Open Garden Day) with the help of this year’s sponsors, McGrath Hunters Hill.
If you're interested in participating, you can register at www. huntershill.nsw.gov.au/garden. Entries are free and will be open until Saturday 14 June.
So secateurs and shovels at the ready as we look forward to seeing the very best of Hunters Hills gardens once again.
Have your say
We have several important policies and plans currently on public exhibition. Visit Connect Hunters Hill at Connect. huntershill.nsw.gov.au to read through these documents and share your feedback with us.
One of the key documents on exhibition until Monday 3 June is the Draft Henley Precinct Masterplan. This important document incorporates our community’s vision of making the precinct safer, more inclusive, and userfriendly. It also promotes new amenities and upgrades to the existing facilities on-site. We are addressing issues of connectivity, accessibility, maintenance, and infrastructure in the precinct.
We are also preparing our Draft Net Zero Implementation Plan. This plan will act as a practical roadmap, detailing how the area can achieve net-zero emissions for both the community and council.
We are conducting a survey until Sunday 16 June to help guide what our actions will be to achieve a net-zero future. By participating in the survey, you will not only help us to inform the Plan's actions, but you will also have the chance to win a $100 Harris Farm gift card.
Additionally, we have our draft Stormwater Management Policy and Watercraft Storage on Foreshore and Public Lands Policy on exhibition until 5 June 2024.
I encourage you to provide your valuable feedback to contribute to the development of these important documents.
E: kylea.tink.mp@aph.gov.au
Many Australians will be looking forward to some cost of living relief in the coming weeks, with the Federal Government’s new $300 energy rebate and Stage 3 tax cuts coming into play from 1 July.
The energy rebate is one of a number of sugar hits in a Federal Budget that was full of nice headlines. In the current economic climate, there certainly are many households that are doing it tough and would benefit from a reduction in energy costs.
At the same time, a $300 rebate for every Australian household — regardless of whether they earn several million dollars a year or are getting by on a pension — will cost taxpayers a total of $3.5 billion. Surely this money could have been better targeted, or even redirected towards long-term solutions like helping households invest in solar and batteries, so they need not rely on expensive fossil fuels.
As my gran used to say: “If you give someone a fish, they’ll eat for a day. But if you teach them to fish, they’ll never go hungry.”
Ultimately, I found the Budget 24-25 underwhelming: full of headlines but lacking the leadership and reform needed to address our housing, climate, intergenerational equity, and domestic violence crises.
Beyond small tweaks to Centrelink payment thresholds, the Government has chosen not to pursue structural changes to our social security system, leaving 1 in 8 Australians living in poverty.
Similarly, while funding for the Leaving Violence Program will help tens of thousands of individuals escape domestic abuse, we’re still essentially throwing money at a broken system. To truly put an end to domestic violence, we need to shift our policy focus to addressing the root causes of gender-based violence in this country and holding perpetrators to account because the reality is we’re never going to have enough resources to remove every woman and child from their home.
In the lead up to the budget, I consulted with community groups, peak bodies and local councils, and took their views to the Treasurer and ministers of the climate change, transport, health, employment and social services portfolios.
I remain as always committed to working with the Government, my colleagues in Parliament, and all in our community towards the progress we want to see.
NOW SELLING
Outstanding opportunity to further capitalise in blue ribbon locale
• Original home, exceptional scope in premier Lane Cove address
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• 900 metres to Riverview College, 450 metres to Lane Cove Village
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Remastered oasis with northerly bushland vistas
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Tightly held home in leafy garden setting
• Double brick home on elevated cor ner with northeast rear aspect
• T ightly held by the one family and in mostly original condition
• Established lawns and gardens with covered patio and verandah
James Bennett 0403 504 724 E: james.bennett@belleproperty.com
Steven O’Neill 0499 693 665 E: steven.oneill@belleproperty.com
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Opening Hours: Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 5.30pm
