NEWS
Issue 159 - 05 May 2017
From the Editor Last Sunday I did something I have not done in over 30 years - I went to church for no particular reason. I have been in churches for weddings and funerals, however, as a visit of my own free will, the last time was when I was a child. Why? Well there has been considerable debate in these pages of late in regards to religion, and like anything in this world, if I want to have an opinion and have input on this debate, then I should at the very least experience it and understand the subject. I decided to visit the Uniting Church in Lithgow as Reverend Matt is someone I have a great deal of respect for as man, he thinks very similarly to me on a great number of subjects. What I found sitting in on the service was a dedicated community, open to listening to Matt’s service that had many parallels to conversations I have had in recent times. Matt told the story of the Road to Emmaus, and the travellers that Jesus met and broke bread with. They initially offered hospitality to the unknown traveller that joined them, but then unloaded on him their fears and worries. The traveller listened, broke the bread and then consoled them before moving on with his own journey. One of the key lessons I got was understanding that hospitality is something that we give but are often challenged by receiving. I found the rituals very interesting, the way people all stood in unison at exactly the right time to sing the hymns and the responses during prayer. For me however the fellowship after the service is the thing that was most important - talking with people I often talk to, but in that environment, we talked about things we normally wouldn’t. Church is just like any other gathering, a group of people with common values coming together to share and support each other and the communities around them. I won’t be going every Sunday, but I will certainly be back. Rich Evans
Your Say Submitted by community members I always enjoy reading the Village Voice. I am one of those people, who after marriage moved away from Lithgow and have returned! I grew up here during the Second World War. Even though we lived with austerity measures, Lithgow was a thriving town. A good place to live. I am replying to your article on Halloween. Lithgow has much to offer the tourist, as well as we who are fortunate enough to live here. It is a place of beautiful scenic views and has such interesting history. My grandsons thoroughly enjoyed Zig Zag Railway with its attractions. It is a shame the train is not still running. As a senior ratepayer, I would much rather my money went to effective PR advertising, that would make Lithgow famous for its scenic beauty and history. ‘The Gem of the West’! I have a background in advertising and display and know what impact it can have, also the influence of media. I have often wondered why Lithgow is not advertised on local TV, as much as other western towns? I know it is expensive! Perhaps it is being advertised elsewhere? I hope someone with vision and enthusiasm such as those behind Halloween, will take up the challenge of putting Lithgow ‘on the map’ for other reasons. I read on page 3 of the Village Voice, issue 154, of the governments offer in an Environment and Tourism Fund. We have to be in it to win it! Sincerely, Concerned Citizen PS Enjoyed reading the article on James Padley. Keep such information on the past coming! Send your letters to the editor to editor@villagevoice.net.au for publication in the Village Voice. Remember, the Village Voice is your paper and the more feedback we get from the community, the more we can do to help with isuues in the region.
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A note about why we don’t run some things you see in other publications or on Facebook. Recently, there have been a number of fear mongering, what we would these days call ‘trolling’ stories, both online and in print. The first was when the new General Manager of Lithgow City Council was announced publicly before even the staff were informed, the gentleman had even been offered the position or accepted the position. The Village Voice will never publish anything we cannot independently verify or has come from a trusted source and is an official release.
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A dim (sum) view of Chinese imports From the Magpie Whisperer PM Malcolm Turnbull praises China’s ‘economic miracle’, but the problem is that almost everything is now being made in China. It seems the only thing produced in Australia nowadays is reality television, methamphetamines and senior citizens. They may be cheap and plentiful, but they don’t form the foundation of a particularly healthy economy. There was a time when you could stroll into the local grocery store, buy some goanna ointment, shredded wheat and a one-gallon tin of DDT and be confident in the knowledge that each was a quality product manufactured in Australia. These days, however, it appears that every product under the sun is made in the People’s Republic of China. From Australian flags to souvenir koalas and dubious cars - you name it and you can bet it’s been cobbled together with a gluestick and rubber bands in some nameless Chinese factory by an army of faceless minions. If we don’t put a stop to it soon, it’s only a matter of time until our economy collapses entirely and we’re buying our lamingtons from the People’s Pie Company in Chengdu, and swapping our bibles for little red books, bird’s nest soup, unisex haircuts and gaudy unshapely clothing. A big part of this insidious problem is that Australians no longer want to work in manufacturing. Our young folk just want to wear designer glasses, skinny jeans, work for Apple and be part of the ‘knowledge-based economy.’ That’s all well and good, but it’s hard to keep the GDP propped up if the only thing the country is producing are social media websites, gluten-free Anzac biscuits and narcissistic gym addicts. The shame of it is that even those who are willing to get their hands dirty and take a job in manufacturing don’t have the chance anymore, because Australians are only prepared to buy cheap, disposable products made by a cheap disposable workforce. It seems that no one objects to exploiting foreign labour as long as it means they can accumulate a mountain of unnecessary stuff and have enough money left over to purchase a ‘Free the Asylum Seekers’ t-shirt, or make a small donation to Greenpeace. It’s about time the nation came to its senses, rolled up its sleeves and returned to the assembly lines that once made us self-sufficient and secure. We need to start manufacturing in - and buying from - Australia, again.
Publisher Rich Evans on behalf of Central West Media PtyLtd TA Lithgow Village Voice Email: editor@villagevoice.net.au Email: sales@villagevoice.net.au
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