Western Weekender May 16

weekender the western

Printed on 100% recycled paper

FRI 16 MAY 2014 • Issue 1153

Time to have a Ball

PROUDLY INDEPENDENT

Business Advice, tips and profiles on the best local businesses p.30-31

Budget cuts deep “Age of entitlement” over as Joe Hockey makes his mark CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

Mike Baird exclusive p.10

Man stabbed Police looking for answers at Colyton p.12

I

t will cost you an arm and a leg, should have been the warning from Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey, when he delivered his first Budget on Tuesday evening. That’s because the Federal Government has run a chainsaw through social welfare and health in order to bring the Budget back to surplus. But the Budget does have some highlights, at least for western Sydney, with local infrastructure to receive a major boost. Heralding the end of the “age of entitlement”, Mr Hockey said in his Budget speech that, “this Budget is not about self-interest, this Budget is about the national interest”. “We know that for some in the community this Budget will not be easy,” he said. 178,000 residents in Penrith are nodding their heads in agreement as they are about to be hit with a $7 fee every time they visit the doctor – roughly 6.8 times per year. Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates will be reduced by $5 for standard doctor consultations and on top of that, GPs will be able to collect a patient contribution of $7 per visit from July 1, 2015. In the first year, conservative estimates show that co-payments will cost the Penrith community $8.495 million. “Health services have never been free to taxpayers so patients are being asked to make a modest contribution towards their cost,” Mr Hockey said.

Story continues on » p. 3

Joe Hockey has delivered his first Budget. Illustration: Paul Dorin

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Charity event to be held this weekend p.18

@cassandra_o

local news

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FEDERAL BUDGET

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Lindsay shares the burden Benefits changed but infrastructure spend is a winner for the west Story continued from » p. 1

Lindsay MP Fiona Scott looks over the Budget papers on Tuesday night $2.9 billion is promised over 10 years to deliver a Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan, and the Government will provide a concessional loan of up to $2 billion to accelerate the delivery of WestConnex in addition to the already promised $1.5 billion contribution. As promised last year, there is $35 million for the Jane Street extension, and $12 million for Penrith Panthers’ sports precinct. Planning for the Werrington Arterial also gets a boost of $2.4 million.

“Projects like these will relieve pressure on existing infrastructure and unlock the economic capacity of Lindsay, making it an even better place to live and do business,” Fiona Scott said. And there’s good news for Kemps Creek residents anxious about radioactive waste being transported from Hunters Hill to the local SITA facility – the Government will provide $22.6 million to develop detailed design options for a national facility to address radioactive waste management.

local news

But the announcement has even raised the eyebrows of NSW Treasurer, Andrew Constance, who said he has concerns about the co-payment scheme and “its potential impact on overwhelming our emergency departments”. If you are taking Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) supported medications, expect to pay $5 more per script if you are a general patient or $0.80 more if you hold a concession card. And if you need glasses, optometrists will be able to set their own fees from January 1, 2015 and MBS rebates will drop by five per cent. The silver lining is that these savings are being redirected into a $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund. “By making the health system more sustainable and investing in medical research, we are ensuring that Australia remains the best and healthiest place in the world to raise a family and care for loved ones,” said Lindsay MP, Fiona Scott. As part of Mr Hockey’s plan to “share the burden”, 13,023 people in Penrith receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A will be affected by a two year freeze on maximum payments. 11,460 people on Family Tax Benefit

Part B will see the primary income earner limit dropped from $150,000 to $100,000 in 2015 and be limited to families whose youngest child is under six-years-old. But if money problems are creating tensions in your relationship, you can claim a $200 voucher for relationship counselling courtesy of the Federal Government. “The burden of this Budget falls overwhelmingly on families, pensioners and young people,” said Lin Hatfield Dodds from UnitingCare Australia, which runs services in Penrith. “We are concerned about multiple measures that reduce payments to pensioners, including the aged pension, carers’ payments, disability support, and other income support payments. These measures reduce payments by $4 billion over five years.” In Penrith 13,000 people receive the age pension and 5,700 the disability support pension. But it’s not all bad news for Penrith, with the Federal Government committing unprecedented funding to infrastructure in western Sydney. The Government will provide $77.8 million for a dedicated Western Sydney Infrastructure Unit to progress the development of a second major Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek.

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EDITOR'S DESK

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troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

Numbers game in a week of Budgets, birthdays and yellow dresses

opinion

FRIDAYS Youth

6pm Connect Groups 7pm Service

Mulgoa Road one day this week. Seriously, why did we get rid of a perfectly functioning rounda-bout and replace it with these time consuming traffic lights? The people who didn’t know how to use the round-a-bout probably shouldn’t be on the road anyway.

Thanks to Joe Hockey and the Federal Budget, numbers are the big talking point of the week. So, let’s play the numbers game...

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Westlife Section

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Ross Fowler North Ward Penrith City Councillor

23: The number of photos I’ve seen this week of the girl involved in the incident that sparked the whole Mitchell Pearce drama in various states of undress. Pearce himself should be embarrassed about the situation he found himself in and the Roosters have rightly acted by suspending and fining him. But to the ‘girl in the yellow dress’, please, put some clothes on and show some self respect.

TROY DODDS @troydodds

5: The number of days Sierra Lang has been in the world. Long-time Weekender readers will know Peter Lang, who was involved with the paper for a number of years and now works for Penrith City Council. Peter and his wife Sonia welcomed their little girl into the world on Sunday night. Congratulations to Peter and Sonia from all of us at the Weekender.

70: The age I’ll be retiring at according to Joe Hockey, and I don’t really have a problem with it. People my age, and those younger, have every opportunity through superannuation and other methods, once not available to previous generations, to build for a planned retirement, and to be self-sufficient.

80: The birthday being celebrated by Olive Wright on Sunday. A resident of Emu Plains, Olive is somebody we’ve featured in the pages of the Weekender before because of her tireless volunteer work. At an age where she could be forgiven for putting her feet up, she continues to selflessly donate her time to others. Happy Birthday for Sunday, Olive.

7: The number of dollars you’ll be paying to visit the doctor thanks to the Budget. This is one measure I simply can’t agree with. I understand the intent, but I’m uncomfortable with fiddling with a system that Australia can be exceptionally proud of when it comes to health care. 4: The number of lives lost because of the former Labor Government’s bungled home insulation debacle. In all honesty, I don’t think we’ve ever given this whole thing enough attention. Did it ever garner the type of coverage that a Packer v Gyngell fight did? Sometimes we need to get our priorities right, and it seemed that the Government certainly didn’t have theirs in the right place when they proceeded with this.

75: The milestone birthday that rugby league legend Reg Gasnier fell just short of this week. I never got to see him play, but vision of this remarkable man is simply amazing. RIP Reg.

Put some clothes on and show some self respect

6: The number of minutes it took me to get through the intersection of Jamison Road and

the western weekender Suite 2, 42-44 Abel Street, Penrith NSW 2750 P (02) 4722 2998 • F (02) 4731 6255

0419 738 484 Authorised by Ross Fowler, 11 Tindale Street, Penrith

www.westernweekender.com.au www.facebook.com/westernweekender www.twitter.com/wwpenrith

Editor: Troy Dodds • Journalists: Cassandra O’Connor, Nathan Taylor, Katherine Tweed, Kate Reid Photographer: Melinda Jane Production Manager: Irene Adams • Production: Alana Christanga, Maddy Searle • Administration: Eliza Brown Sales Manager: Simon Gould • Sales Executives: Paula Allsopp, Sergio Carrasco, Ali Elali, Andrew Harris, Linda Lewis, James Miller, Gina Perrin

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What is the scope and depth of thought required for

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Sunday 18th May 2pm

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Advertising: penrithsales@westernweekender.com.au Editorial: troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au Printed by: Spotpress Pty Ltd CIRCULATION: 59,400 [CAB Audit September 2013]

CRIME

Witnesses may hold key

Tanya Davies MP Member for Mulgoa a

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21-year-old woman sexually assaulted on train to Penrith KATHERINE TWEED

@ktweed_

Phone: (02) 9833 2913 Address: Shop 1/159 Queen St, St Marys 2760 Email: mulgoa@parliament.nsw.gov.au Mail: PO Box 138, St Marys NSW 1790

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local news

F

our people who witnessed a sexual assault on a train to Penrith earlier this month are being urged to contact police to assist them in their investigations. At about 4.40am on Saturday, May 3, a 21-year-old woman boarded a Penrithbound train at Central Station. Police allege that she was sexually assaulted by a man, who is approximately 30-years-old, before she alighted at Penrith Station. “Investigators would like to speak with four witnesses in relation to the incident and urge them to come forward,� a NSW Police spokesperson said. “The witnesses were not involved in the incident.� Police would like to speak with two men who were on the train at the time, both described as Caucasian and between 20 and 30-years-old. One was wearing a beige jacket over black pants and a white shirt and the other was wearing a maroon long-sleeved shirt and black pants. The third witness is a man of Caucasian appearance and aged between 25 and 40, who was last seen wearing a black and

These witnesses, not involved in the crime, may have vital information WW3635

green jacket, white shirt, blue jeans and carrying a blue bag. The fourth witness is a woman who was last seen wearing black clothing.

These witnesses were not involved in the incident but may have crucial information. Anyone with information should contact Penrith Police.

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FEDERAL BUDGET

Locals respond to Joe’s cuts Mixed reaction as we take to the streets the day after the Federal Budget @cassandra_o

local news

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

T

ough cuts for pensioners and health care have emerged as the major concerns of Penrith residents in the wake of the Federal

Budget. Speaking to locals on Wednesday, many questioned the Federal Government’s measures to reduce spending on pensions. These measures include untaxed superannuation in the income test for new recipients of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and the decision to abolish the annual Seniors Supplement. The age pension will also increase at a slower rate, with it to be linked to inflation as opposed to the higher rate of wage increases. But there were some supporters too, who agreed with Treasurer Joe Hockey that the Budget needs to be reigned in. “With these changes, pensions will always increase with the cost of living, and the value of the pension will continue to rise, but the system will be much better placed to meet the challenge of a significant increase in demand,” Mr Hockey said. “We should celebrate the fact that Australians are living longer but we must prepare for the adjustments in our society.”

WHAT PENRITH THINKS OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET Janice and Robert Reid “Pensioners seem to have copped a hiding but it had to be done. It doesn’t matter what government is elected, it had to be done eventually because of the mess made by Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.” Winston Evans “I am a pensioner and there’s nothing good about this budget for me. They make all these promises and then every time I get screwed over. Why not use the money spent on dole bludgers and spend it on pensioners who have paid their taxes their whole lives?”

the doctor is dumb because what if you have no money and can’t afford it?” Pam Manzi “There were no surprises for me, most of the information was already leaked the week prior and it had to happen. We have been spending too much and this is the price we have to pay. I am old enough to have lived through three Labor Governments and every time the Liberals have had to come in and fix things.” Trent Baker “We have a deficit that needs fixing and I am happy to play my part. I think it’s a good budget.”

Chrystal Turner and Josh Sainsbury “It just seems silly because the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer, it just doesn’t make sense. Having to pay for

Jody Sligar “I think it is crap because it is hurting people that cannot afford it like pensioners and young families. I have no time

for dole bludgers so those changes are fine by me, but pensioners and people funding their own retirements? That’s just wrong. And it seems to hit average families too, really average, normal families who cannot afford it. Housing affordability is also a really big issue in western Sydney, and I love this area but people need to be able to afford to live here.” Janelle Welsh “I don’t have an issue with paying to see the doctor. I think people should pay to visit the emergency ward though because people turn up with things like ear infections and then complain that a patient suffering a heart attack is being given priority. If it is just doctors visits that the fee applies to, I hope we don’t see more people coming to emergency.” Anonymous “I think that this business about paying women their full wage while they are raising a child (paid parental leave scheme) is a bit extravagant.”

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Police snapshot

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Woman hurt but not defeated in attempted robbery

Officers from St Marys Local Area Command have seized a number of cannabis plants growing in a local property. At about 11.45pm on Wednesday, May 7, police attended a Thomas Street address for an unrelated matter. The officers who attended the scene allegedly found a small number of cannabis plants growing within the premises. A crime scene was established and four cannabis plants, along with a number of items used in the cultivation of the plants, were seized. A 42-year-old male resident of the property was arrested by police and issued with a Court Attendance Notice. He was conditionally bailed and will appear at Mount Druitt Local Court on May 26 for the charge; ‘Cultivate a Prohibited Plant’.

A woman was assaulted and almost robbed by another woman on Queen Street, St Marys, on Wednesday, May 7. At about 7pm a 26-year-old St Marys woman was walking along Queen Street when she was approached from behind by a female. Police allege the female attempted to take the 26-year-old’s handbag. A struggle occurred and the victim fell to the ground before she called for help. She was hit on the head a number of times. Witnesses came to the assistance of the victim and the offender ran from the scene empty handed. Police are investigating the incident and would like to speak to anyone with information. The unknown female has been described as Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander in appearance, aged 20-25.

Man assaulted during 24 hour episode in Castlereagh

Teen arrested after noise complaints at local park

Police are appealing for information after a man was restrained and assaulted in his own home for about 24 hours. Between the evening of Thursday, May 8 and the morning of Friday, May 9, a 45-year-old man returned to his Hinxman Road, Castlereagh home when he was confronted by eight people, who had broken into his home in his absence. The man was restrained and assaulted for 24 hours, causing him to lose consciousness a number of times. The unknown men left the scene and the man alerted neighbours on the morning of Saturday, May 10. He was taken to Nepean Hospital for treatment to a number of injuries.

An 18-year-old has been arrested by police after he was causing a nuisance in a local park. At about 12.20am on Saturday, May 10, police were called to a park off Tukara Road, South Penrith, with reports of a large amount of noise in the area and people consuming alcohol. Police arrived at the scene and spoke to an 18-year-old who was allegedly yelling offensively. Police allege he was intoxicated. The man was arrested for using offensive language and taken to Penrith Police Station where he was handed a Criminal Infringement Notice. Residents are always encouraged to report such incidents to local police.

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local news

Man arrested after police discover cannabis plants

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COUNCIL

Truce called on pop-up park Trial extended but more parking to be made available on High Street

local news

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

@cassandra_o

A

total of 10 out of 12 car parking spaces will be reinstated at the closed end of High Street following a mid-trial review of the controversial pop-up park. However, councillors at Monday evening’s policy review meeting voted to keep the end of High Street closed to traffic and extend the 12-month trial of the park until March 2015. Following complaints by local business owners that the closure of High Street for the creation of the park was hampering business, Council engaged planning consultants Hames Sharley to evaluate the success of the park and make recommendations on possible improvements. 21 park users were surveyed and 86 per cent said the park should be made permanent. Of 60 businesses that were also surveyed, 47 per cent agreed that the park should be made permanent. 57 per cent of businesses said that the park had made no difference to their bottom line and 23 per cent said it had adversely impacted sales. A stand-out finding was that people primarily described the eastern end of the park as “concrete” and “empty” and so it

Cr Marcus Cornish is unhappy that High Street remains closed was recommended that the eastern end be used to provide parking and support the more popular western end of the park. Owner of Martin House, Robbie Martin,

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You are Invited to…

Property Information Group’s

Investors’ INFORMATION NIGHT

said he is very happy with the changes. “To get any changes is an amazing result, and my issue has always been with the parking,” he said.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION The following development application has been received by Council: s Jack Tannous

Property Information Group would like to invite you to attend our next Investors’ Information Night on Tuesday 3rd June, 7-8.30pm at Trevi Ristorante and Bar, Penrith. It’s free to attend but places are limited so to secure your seat please email sophie@prd.net.au WHY ATTEND? This event is designed for potential property investors who wish to find out more about purchasing and managing investment properties. As we approach the end of tax year this is the ideal time to take the next step to start your portfolio. Our experts will explain all you need to know, including deposits, using your home as security, stamp duty fees, depreciation and rental returns. You’ll also get the chance to ask them any other questions you may have.

Attending the night was such a helpful step on the journey to purchasing my first apartment. It’s a great opportunity to gain valuable information and connect with local professionals

WHAT? Investors’ Information Night WHO? Property Information Group + expert guest speakers WHEN? Tuesday 3rd June 2014, 7-8.30pm WHERE? Trevi Ristorante and Bar, 20-22 Woodriff Street, Penrith WHY? Find out everything you need to know about how to start your investment property portfolio. HOW? To secure your place please email sophie@prd.net.au IT’S FREE!

Our Experts: David Seager

Shanaka De Silva

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

Director, Synergy Financial Services Group

Shanaka has been the principal of his financial planning firm for 10 years and is involved in strategic advice for business and personal clients along with advice on self-managed super funds.

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DA14/0441

68 Reid Street, Werrington Demolition of existing structures and construction of a multi-unit housing development (villas) and associated car parking, drainage and landscaping works Contact: Hannah Van de Werff on 4732 7714 Closing Date: 30 May 2014

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT Penrith City Council has received a Development Application in respect of the subject property. The consent authority for the development application is Penrith City Council. s Lend Lease

DA14/0411

Lot 1037 DP 1149525 Residue 1208–1274 The Northern Road, Llandilo Demolition of existing structures, roads and hard surfaces and remediation of land within the central precinct, St Marys

“I still believe that traffic flow is a concern, however, Council has agreed to measure traffic flow, which is a good solution.” He said that additional parking will benefit both local businesses and the pop-up park. “I also support the extension of the trial period as it was originally due to finish in November, meaning that either way there would have been roadworks going on in the peak Christmas shopping period. Now, those roadworks, whether it be to keep the park or remove it, will not occur until March.” Cr Marcus Cornish said he welcomes the reintroduction of parking near the triangle park, but feels the changes do not go far enough. “Opening some of the park up for car parking is good but it does not provide the same level of parking as was available before the park,” he said. “The lack of traffic movement caused by the closure of High Street is still stifling business. “And I think that it is terrible that we are increasing the length of the trial.” He said that although Council has allocated $30,000 to the activation of the park through events, he feels the expenses have been significantly more.

– Water Management Act 2000 Section 89, 90 and 91. The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 5 May 2014 to 4 June 2014. Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0411. For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Aimee Lee on 4732 7429. Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts Development Applications are displayed at the Penrith Civic Centre. By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council. Call 4732 7649 or visit www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au Viewing of Development Applications

The proposal is Nominated Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the NSW Office of Water

The above development determination/s may be inspected between 8.30am and 4pm Mondays to Fridays (except Public Holidays) at Council’s Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith. Officers of Council’s Development Services Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

penrithishere.com.au

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9 PENRITH

NEWS

local news

All pools and spa pools capable of holding 30cm or more of water must be registered and meet new state government safety laws. Registration is free. Go to swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au. Fines may apply for pools that are not registered. Go to penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/ Backyard-Pool-Safety/ for more information.

CONTACT US ADMINISTRATION Penrith OfďŹ ce Civic Centre, 601 High Street. Opening Hours: 8.30am–4pm. Mon–Fri. St Marys OfďŹ ce Queen Street Centre, 207–209 Queen Street. Opening Hours: 8.30am–4pm. Mon–Fri. Switchboard Open: 8.30am–5pm. Mon–Fri. P: (02) 4732 7777

COUNCIL BRIEFS s National Simultaneous Storytime – which aims to get more young people reading – will be celebrated at Penrith on 21 May.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL ONLINE Find us at:

There will be a BBQ, jumping castle and plenty of craft activities at

www.facebook.com/penrith.city.council

the North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre from 9.30–11.30am. twitter.com/penrithcouncil

At 11am, Mascot Rooby Roo will read Too Many Elephants in This House, by Ursula Dubosarsky.

instagram.com/penrithcitycouncil

F: (02) 4732 7958 Write to: PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751. E: council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Council’s Mobile Playvan will also operate at the site and the Imagination Library will promote its book delivery program for

www.youtube.com/penrithcitycouncil

under ďŹ ves. www.

SERVICES Waste Hotline: Freecall 1800 734 735 Illegal Dumping: Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad).

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

The national campaign, which is in its 14th year, promotes the importance of literacy for young Australians. s Get even more from community life by discovering the festivals,

penrithishere.com.au

entertainment and local support services that Penrith’s Neighbourhood and Community Centres have to offer. together for a range of activities in more than 30 centres across

Have your say about Council’s draft 2014–15 Operational Plan

GrafďŹ ti Hotline: Freecall 1800 022 182

our City every week. From playgroups to language classes, there

Our draft one-year Operational Plan and Fees and Charges are

really is something for everyone.

now on public exhibition, and we welcome your comments.

MEETING DATES

Your local centre may also be the answer if you wish to join

The Operational Plan sets out Council’s budget, services and

Council Meetings

or start-up a group, or need a meeting space or function

26 May 2014 – 7.30pm (Ordinary meeting)

venue. For details about local halls and centres, visit

16 June 2014 – 7pm (Policy Review Committee)

Thousands of people of all ages and interests enjoy getting

www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au s Do you have good knowledge of Penrith? Penrith Visitor Information Centre is seeking energetic and outgoing individuals

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au penrithishere.com.au

with a passion for the local area to volunteer as part of our Ambassador team. For more information contact 4732 7555.

speciďŹ c actions we’ll deliver in 2014–15. Its part of the four-year work program outlined in the Delivery Program 2013–17, and together these help us achieve the longer term vision for our City that you helped us identify in the Community Plan 2031. Our focus continues to be on local jobs, managing growth, improving transport connections, creating safe and vibrant places, looking after the environment and fostering community spirit and health.

PUBLIC NOTICES

Read the draft plan online at www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au, at

Community Access Bus and Home & Community Care Bus (Wheelchair access)

let us know in writing what you think.

Applications are now being called for the use of the Community

s 0OST TO #ORPORATE 0LANNING 0ENRITH #ITY #OUNCIL 0/ "OX

access buses in Penrith City for the period 1 July–30 September 2014. Applications must be received no later than Friday, 30 May 2014. These applications will be assessed by Council and applicants will

Council ofďŹ ces in Penrith and St Marys or in your local library, and

s %MAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO ourfuture@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Penrith 2751 s $ROP THEM IN THE BOX PROVIDED AT OUR 0ENRITH OR 3T -ARYS OFl CE OR any Council library The plan is available for comment between Friday, 2 May and

For further information regarding fees, application forms and

Monday, 2 June 2014. If you have any questions please contact the

conditions of hire, please call 4732 7837.

Corporate Planning team on 4732 8109.

WW9284

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

be notiďŹ ed of the outcome.

10

EXCLUSIVE

We will fight for every vote

NSW Premier Mike Baird outlines his challenges and hopes for the next 12 months

local news

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

N

SW Premier Mike Baird admits he’s walked into a “tough gig”. There’s a budget to deliver, a second Sydney airport to build, a corruption inquiry biting at the heels of his colleagues and of course a looming State election. But Mr Baird is intently focused on making the last year of this term the most successful year yet, and in doing so, guarantee the Liberal Party a second term of government. “The priorities are to continue the work that has already been started. The infrastructure that’s coming on the ground is transforming western Sydney and we need to make sure it is delivered and delivered in the quickest time frame,” he told the Weekender exclusively on his first trip to Penrith as Premier last week. It’s a juggling act between the WestConnex, which is already underway, the M5 duplication that this week was brought forward, the expansion of western Sydney’s employment lands, housing growth and infrastructure for Badgerys Creek airport. “They are going to provide huge opportunities for western Sydney, so my job is to make that happen and do it in the best possible time frame and obviously the sooner it happens the better it is,” he said. The Premier’s sense of urgency in part comes from a Federal Government keen to progress the second airport. This also has implications for the Western Sydney Employment Lands that surround the airport site, and which the NSW Government has been endeavouring to create a masterplan for. “We’re pushing through on that and we are creating the overarching body that’s going to drive not just the airport, but the infrastructure, and the employment lands,” he said. “It is charging ahead, we need to make sure it is coordinated and need to make sure it is done in the time frames that we are setting. “The establishment of the overarching authority is going to be an important part of that, together with the formalisation

NSW Premier Mike Baird will “fight for every vote” at the next election of the roles with the Commonwealth Government. We want to deliver as quick as we can for western Sydney.” A second motivation for getting on with the job is the looming State election in March next year. Whilst the Government has started the ball rolling on many infrastructure

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cranes starting to come up to the sky and that is reflective of the work that has gone on over the last three years,” he said. “Over the next few years we hope to add to those more cranes, more boring machines, and more infrastructure for communities.” He says that the NSW Government has a remarkable track record in infrastructure projects that they are proud to take to the next election. But their success at the polls will depend on what the public makes of the Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry on illegal donations to the Liberal Party, that has already claimed several senior Liberal scalps. “We don’t take any vote for granted and there’s no doubt it’s tough,” Mr Baird said. “We will be in a tough position and it’s a tough election. “I already see the Opposition thinking they are pretty much going to win so that’s for them to make those sorts of claims and assertions. “We are going to do everything possible to fight for every vote across this state, and the reason we want to is the work we are doing shows exactly what the community wants to see. “The economy was the slowest in the nation, had the slowest jobs growth in the nation, had the slowest housing in the nation – when we came into power. We are now leading the country on all of those. The economy is now moving, infrastructure is moving, services are improving, and we think it’s a compelling story. “By the time we get to the election you’ll see a vision of where we want to take NSW. I think it’ll be a tough election but one that we will be very proud to contest.” With the State Budget to be handed down next month, at least part of that vision will be revealed, and there may just be a few sweeteners for western Sydney voters. “I think our record, when you look at it, is quite remarkable, especially when you look at the infrastructure space, and we are not slowing down, indeed we are trying to speed up on that,” Mr Baird said. “I think western Sydney can expect to see some good things as they have over the last three budgets.” Your thoughts: Tweet us @wwpenrith

@cassandra_o

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projects, Mr Baird is keen to see them through to completion and prove to voters that this Government delivers. “You will start to see the benefits. There’s time taken to prioritise projects, procure projects and start bringing them online, planning... and now you are starting to see boring machines go into the ground,

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Police find knives Local Police have issued a Criminal Infringement Notice to a man for the possession of a number of knives in a public place. At about 11.50pm on Friday, May 9, Police officers were patrolling Werrington Road, Werrington when they stopped and spoke to a number of people. As a result of the conversation, a 26-year-old male was searched. Police allege he was in the possession of three knives. The knives were confiscated and the man was issued with an infringement notice for the offence of ‘Custody of a knife in a public place’, that carries a fine of $550.

Busted in car park A man has been found with an amount of suspected prohibited drugs, stolen items and knuckle dusters in his car. At about 6.20pm on Friday, May 9, police were patrolling the car park of a business premises in Colyton when they approached a white coloured Toyota wagon. Police spoke with a man at the scene and during a subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly located a small amount of suspected prohibited drugs. A further search of the vehicle is alleged to have revealed a number of items of property suspected of being stolen, a small amount of suspected prohibited drugs and a set of knuckledusters. The 37-year-old Plumpton man was arrested.

CRIME

Man stabbed at Colyton 25-year-old taken to hospital after incident in car park KATHERINE TWEED

A

@ktweed_

man has been stabbed in the neck during an altercation in Colyton this week, sparking a police investigation into the

incident. The 25-year-old man was standing beside his vehicle in a car park on Shepherd Street at about 8.50pm on Monday, May 12, when he was approached by two men. “An argument occurred between the men before the 25-year-old was struck in the neck with an unknown object, resulting in a laceration,” a police spokesperson said. The two unknown men then left the car park, leaving the man with his injuries. “The injured man sought assistance from the occupants of a nearby home,” the police spokesperson said. Emergency services were called and the man was consequently taken to Westmead Hospital, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Officers attached to St Marys Local Area Command also attended the car park and set up a crime scene. They are now appealing for witnesses or anyone with information about the two men to come forward and contact them

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is believed to have been wearing a light coloured jumper. We broke this story first at www.facebook.com/westernweekender.

den, said tough decisions also need to be made to maintain consumer protections on super and financial advice. He said there are several other avenues to improve the sustainability of our retirement income system that should also be considered. “There are many ways to tackle the aging of our population and the budget pressures which it will bring, but we would urge the Government to exhaust other options before increasing the pension age to 70 and reducing the generosity of pension indexation,” he said. “It simply asks too much of workers in manual occupations who have been earning and paying taxes since their teens to continue working to 70,” he added.

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The Federal Budget has not increased wine taxes – a move welcomed by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia. Chief Executive Paul Evans said there would be a collective sigh of relief across regional Australia. “The Australian wine industry supports over 30,000 jobs and earns over $1.8 billion in export revenue but high exchange rates, a consolidated retail sector and a high cost base have all placed significant hurdles in front of local producers,” he said. “A recent industry review revealed very low average levels of profitability across the wine sector and many cases of local businesses operating below cost despite the fact we produce a truly globally

competitive product. The last thing the Australian wine industry needs right now is a tax hike and the Federation has

30,000 positions

advocated strongly on this matter, so we welcome the fact that common sense has prevailed in Canberra. “The Federation will continue to work with government on developing a responsible wine tax reform package.”

STATE POLITICS

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Calls for Government Labor says fairer fares to fund recreation area plan must be looked at CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

@cassandra_o

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

fields, two netball courts, a senior and junior AFL field and two senior cricket fields, all with floodlighting. “This is a really big issue for people in Claremont Meadows, who have moved into the area on the promise that opposite would be built a recreation precinct, but nothing has happened,” she said. New Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said local sports fields are a responsibility of local government. “Prue Car has been on Penrith Council for over five years. She has access to millions of rate payers dollars and has not achieved the delivery of a single sporting field at Gipps Street,” he said.

@cassandra_o

N

SW Shadow Sports Minister Guy Zangari and Londonderry Labor candidate Prue Car are calling on the NSW Government to financially support the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct in Claremont Meadows. In 1956 the former landfill facility on Gipps Street was decommissioned and has since been rehabilitated for use as a recreation precinct. Penrith Council has created a masterplan for the site, which includes four senior football fields, two mini football

rain commuters would pay considerably less if travelling from stations between Emu Plains and St Marys to the city under a radical proposal put forward by the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU). The RTBU says that the NSW Government needs to consider a different pricing model for train tickets, with the current distance based system penalising residents who are less well off and cannot afford to live in the city. RTBU National Secretary Bob Nanva released the research paper ‘Fairer Fares’, which advocates a unique fare structure based on the socioeconomic ranking of individual suburbs. “Research commissioned by the RTBU has examined an alternative fare structure, where prices are set according to the social-economic status of the locality, not according to the distance travelled,” Mr Nanva said. “That means a full-fare paying commuter travelling from an area such as Blacktown would pay less than a similar commuter travelling from Wollstonecraft or Edgecliff. “What’s more, our modelling shows that this alternative fare structure would lead to more people travelling by public trans-

Commuters at Penrith Railway Station port, while also increasing fare revenue for the State Government.” Under the proposal, a one way fare from between Emu Plains and St Marys would fall from $6.80 to $4.60. Labor candidate for Londondery Prue Car says the proposal should be investigated further. “The current fare structure is weighted against us and penalises local commuters for living further away from the Sydney CBD,” she said. “Local families are already working hard to keep up with increasing household bills. Fairer fares would be a welcome relief on the family budget.”

local news

T Londonderry Labor Candidate Prue Car with Shadow Sports Minister Guy Zangari

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purchases from Harvey Norman franchisees (excludes brands and other products that are offered for sale under agency agreements with Harvey Norman Franchisees). Offer available on advertised or ticketed price. Minimum monthly payments must be made during the interest free period, and interest and payments are payable after the interest free period. Paying only the minimum monthly payment will not pay out the loan before the end of the interest free period. If there is an outstanding balance after the interest free period ends, interest will be charged at 29.49%. This notice is given under the GO MasterCard Conditions of Use, which specify all other conditions for this offer. A $25.00 Establishment Fee applies to new approved applicants. Account Service fee of $4.95 per month applies. Also available to existing GE Creditline, GO Business, Gem Visa and Buyer’s Edge customers. Refer to product websites for conditions, fees and charges. Credit is provided by GE Capital Finance Australia (ABN 42 008 583 588), trading as GE Money. Australian Credit Licence 392145. Excludes current catalogue lines. *2. Conditions of No Deposit, No Interest, No Payments until May 2016: Available to approved GO MasterCard customers on transactions WW9107

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offered for sale under agency agreements with Harvey Norman Franchisees). Offer available on advertised or ticketed price. If there is an outstanding balance after the interest free period ends, interest will be charged at 29.49%. This notice is given under the GO MasterCard Conditions of Use, which specify all other conditions for this offer. A $25.00 Establishment Fee applies to new approved applicants. Account Service fee of $4.95 per month applies. Also available to existing GE Creditline, GO Business, Gem Visa and Buyer’s Edge customers. Refer to product websites for conditions, fees and charges. Credit is provided by GE Capital Finance Australia (ABN 42 008 583 588), trading as GE Money. Australian Credit Licence 392145. *3.Discounts are off the normal ticketed prices. Excludes current catalogue lines and Sleep Number® *4. Bonus delivery must be within a 25km radius of the store from which the goods were purchased. Delivery will be arranged for a time convenient to both parties.Terms and conditions apply.See in store for details. *5.For non-commercial use only.Available to personal and educational users,i.e.kindergarten to Year 12 and higher education students,faculty and staff.Conditions apply.See in store for details WW9109

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Future vision Futurist Mike McAllum painted a picture of a networked city where we all collaborate to create our own future market place at Penrith Progression’s first forum last week. More than 160 people attended the forum to determine what is required to revitalise the city centre and create thousands of local jobs. Global Foresight Network Futures Architect Mike McAllum said the future was in networked cities where the talent in its business and communities collaborate effectively. One problem is too many people leave Penrith on their daily commute. “When you leave the city, I see people making money out of you,� he said.

Awareness push May 21 is National Myeloma Day and the Leukemia Foundation want to inform the community about this rare and incurable blood cancer. Approximately 5,400 Australians are living with myeloma and it is increasing at one of the fastest rates of all blood cancers. Myeloma (also known as multiple myeloma) is a rare cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. The disease affects the integrity of the bones, commonly leading to spontaneous, painful bone fractures. For further information about National Myeloma Day activities facilitated by the Leukaemia Foundation or to donate, please visit www.leukaemia.org.au.

COMMUNITY

Greatest gift of all St Marys mum’s very special Mother’s Day present KATHERINE TWEED

@ktweed_

S

ome mums were given flowers and others chocolates, but not many could claim the surprise gift given to Phoebe Prudenciado, arguably the most special gift of all. Little Kurt, born at around 8am on Sunday, May 11, arrived just in time to be the best Mother’s Day gift – but the St Marys mum didn’t exactly have Mother’s Day on her mind. “I know it was Mother’s Day but I wasn’t thinking it was Mother’s Day! I was thinking of getting through contraction after contraction, I wasn’t thinking really,� she said. “My friends started texting me, saying it’s a very nice present for Mother’s Day – ‘oh yeah’, I realised.� Kurt joined mum and dad Raymund, after a long and painful labour, which ended with a caesarean. He weighed 2.9 kilograms. “It was all worth it. I can’t imagine loving another human being as much. I thought, I love my first born, how am I supposed to love another one? But then I guess you just make space. I don’t know how to describe it,� Mrs Prudenciado said. Mrs Prudenciado, a childcare educator, is

Phoebe Prudenciado with her new little baby Kurt. Photo: Melinda Jane looking forward to watching her children grow up together. “In childcare, we support them in developing their milestones so what I

REAL DEAL ACTION

look forward to doing is support my own children, observe them grow and help them develop their own milestones,� Mrs Prudenciado said.

Mayor’s News

RODEO

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Last week I spoke about Penrith’s future at a Western Sydney luncheon for the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA). Today Penrith is a catchment for more than 500,000 people. Planned growth will see that double to one million in 20 years. The tenor of my UDIA address was that Penrith is playing a big role in housing new communities, but the required infrastructure like transportation and sports facilities have not been delivered by other levels of government. We all want Penrith to be more productive and more liveable, but we haven’t received the infrastructure to enable that. Recently Tony Abbott announced a $3.5 billion infrastructure package to support western Sydney’s airport. This is a good start, but much more

has to be done. We welcome the State Government’s announcement that it will reserve a rail corridor to link the South-West Rail Link with the Western Line. As a Regional City we need these strong infrastructure links to help support and drive local jobs growth. My proposal is that we not await growth and then later build the rail. Instead we should start planning 400 metres each side of the rail corridor now and then roll-out in that corridor in the next decade housing and 21st century jobs of the type unseen so far in western Sydney. With the right planning, sustainable development is possible. It’s up to the State and Federal governments to plan for the future it’s asking of the west. Penrith is ready.

ROSS FOWLER OAM Mayor of Penrith

WATER PROBLEM Residents took to social media to vent their frustration on Monday after a major water disruption in several local suburbs. Many residents in Penrith, South Penrith, Jamisontown and Regentville were left without water for hours on Monday morning after a water main burst on Batt Street. Most residents had water back in normal operation by 1pm.

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EVENT

Have a Ball and help our kids

Annual OZWAC event expected to attract big crowd at Panthers this weekend

local news

KATHERINE TWEED

@ktweed

I

mproving the health and wellbeing of families, through our women and children, will be the talk of Saturday night as OZWAC, the Australian Women’s and Children’s Research Foundation, raises funds through its annual Charity Ball. Over the years, the locally based organisation has funded countless research projects into women and children’s health, purchased valuable research equipment and has raised awareness of the importance of women’s and children’s health in the community. While the annual OZWAC Charity Ball is a celebration of the organisation’s efforts, it is also a means to raise the funds that support their work. The organisation last year allocated $60,000 in grants to locally based research groups, with a large portion of those funds generated through the OZWAC Charity Ball. “It is important for locals to support OZWAC because it’s a genuinely local charity contributing to research in the local area,” said OZWAC Chairman, Simon Gould. “Even though the research is local, the benefits are much wider than that. Recently one of the projects we supported, conducted by Professor Ralph Nannan and his team, had its findings published in the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology.” This year’s OZWAC Charity Ball, with a quirky ‘Disco Fever’ theme, is taking place this weekend on Saturday, May 17, at Panthers’ EVAN Theatre and is supported by major sponsor, Dual Homes.

Penrith Panthers player Nathan Smith, television personality Tara Dennis and OZWAC Board member Lea Hicks at last year’s Ball Pre-dinner drinks, a three course meal and entertainment are included in the ticket cost. The event is being hosted by Mark Fergu-

son from Seven News as well as long-time OZWAC supporter, Tara Dennis. There are tickets still available for lastminute attendees, so for more information

or to purchase a $120 per person ticket, contact Maree Yabsley on 4734 3205 or Simon Gould on 0402 841 434. See www.ozwac.com.au for more.

COMMUNITY

Event raises money for vital cancer research KATHERINE TWEED

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

W

Ann Willmington is the driving force behind Music for Life

@ktweed_

ith the support of the local community through the annual Music for Life Masquerade Ball, the challenge of finding a cure for brain cancer gets a little easier each year. The annual fundraiser, this year supporting Dr Charles Teo’s Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, is just under a month away and tickets are expected to sell out quickly. The event has become one of the big must-attend fundraisers of the year in Penrith in recent years. Dr Charles Teo will again be in attendance on the night, representing his Foundation, which is devoted to finding a cure for brain cancer through an accelerated approach to research and education in neurosurgery. Music for Life organiser, Ann Willmington, said it is always very special to have Dr Teo in the room on the night given his close connection with the event.

“We appreciate Dr Teo for taking the time out of his busy schedule to share this special evening,” she said. “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for getting behind this important fundraiser.” The night will be hosted by Sylvia Jeffreys, from Channel Nine, and will feature live entertainment, provided by Enormous Horns and DJ Sax. Local dancers from Channel Ten’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ will also be making an appearance on the night. To date, Music for Life has raised over $154,000 that has gone directly to Dr Charles Teo’s Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. The Music for Life Masquerade Ball is being held at Penrith Panthers on Friday, June 13 starting at 6.30pm. Tickets are $140 per person or $1,200 for a table of 10 and they include food and entertainment for the evening. To book your tickets, contact Mrs Willmington on 4731 1876 or visit www. musicforlife.net.au.

EDUCATING STUDENTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE GLOBAL CITIZENS

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dear weekender...

local news

Not the way it should be Editor Troy Dodds never disappoints with his weekly editorial. If only all our politicians would read his May 9th thoughts then they would have an idea of how our public servants are perceived by the general public. Troy points out that we should not accept “that’s the way it is”, which is unfortunately having one political party we know will waste billions of public dollars on ideologies which will create enormous debt. Then that political party is kicked out of office and the new party is subsequently hammered by all for cleaning up the mess. A little like an ambulance officer being assaulted for aiding the injured. “It’s not the way it should be.” PETER TOWNSEND, SOUTH PENRITH

New approach needed I agree Troy that politicians need to earn trust and the media also have a responsible role to play. However, there is a third party exerting considerable influence on the credibility of our pollies. Apart from the “rusted on” supporters of left or right, we the voters decide who will govern.

Unfortunately that is often based on “what’s in it for me” or “what will it cost me”. This results in unaffordable promises being made. If Tony Abbott went into the last election promising the austerity budget that is about to be delivered, and which I believe is necessary, we may still have a free spending Labor/Greens government in power. RON HARVEY, VIA FACEBOOK

Police Minister Mr Stuart Ayres (Ayres cops new gig, Western Weekender May 9). He is a young minister who has worked to give Penrith residents what they need. Along with the new Premier Mike Baird and their team, I hope you all continue to give support to each other. LORNA MCCARTY, VIA WEBSITE

Thanks to volunteers

Voting change We should not vote for politicians. We should vote for platforms. What is required is an electoral system that makes a published platform legally enforceable. If the party elected does not meet the main planks of the platform within a certain period, the Governor-General, or whomever, should be forced to sack them and call a new election. This will work only, of course, if we get rid of the upper house, which, in federal terms, Paul Keating described as “unrepresentative swill”. How right he was. ROB WEAVER, VIA FACEBOOK

Congratulations Stuart Congratulations to our new

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, 12 to 18 May, I am writing to express my deep gratitude to the 700 people across NSW and the ACT who regularly volunteer their time to support Guide Dogs NSW/ ACT. Our volunteers, including puppy raisers and people conducting fundraising activities and supporting at events, are the lifeblood of our organisation, which receives minimal government funding. With demand for guide dogs, which cost over $30,000 each to breed and train, and our other services growing due to increasing numbers of people experiencing vision loss, so does our reliance on the public’s generosity. As such our volunteers are becoming more

email: news@westernweekender.com.au post: Suite 2, 42-44 Abel Street, Jamisontown 2750

and more important, not just for raising funds, but to raise awareness that vision loss doesn’t have to limit a person’s independence. Over the past year, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT’s Orientation and Mobility Instructors have provided services to more than 4,000 people who are blind or have impaired vision. Services include training in how to safely get around using guide dogs, long canes and electronic travel aids, such as talking GPS. On behalf of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and the people who benefit from our services, I would like to recognise and sincerely thank our volunteers for their continued support. For members of the public wishing to find out more about how they can volunteer to support Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, please visit the Volunteering section of our website at www.guidedogs.com. au/help-us/fundraise-volunteer or call 9412 9300. DR GRAEME WHITE CEO, GUIDE DOGS NSW/ACT

Popping up again Why? No one uses the pop-up in Penrith ($150k for another pop-up park, Western Weekender May

9). Put the money into something we need. Build an all day car park please. MICHELLE MILLS MCAULEY, VIA FACEBOOK

Sickening dog attack I am at a point that I can’t believe these dogs are still wandering the streets of Penrith (Guide dog attacked in CBD, Western Weekender May 9). I am a long resident of Penrith and hope the dog owners could become more accountable for their pets. I have initiated a donation collection at the Penrith RSL Legends Bar with approval from management. This donation will be for Dawson’s vet consultation and any donations received above the vet’s invoice will be donated to Guide Dogs Australia. At this stage we have almost covered Dawson’s expenses. RON MCCLELLAND, VIA EMAIL

Scared to walk People really need to take more responsibility for their pets. It’s almost impossible to take your dog for a walk without being really scared. T ROBBINS, VIA EMAIL

The Western Weekender reserves the right to edit letters for the sake of accuracy and space. For more information, see our public notices section.

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Penrith Council will once again be supporting national literacy campaign, Simultaneous Storytime. Run by the Australian Library and Information Association, the campaign aims to get more young people enjoying books. Children in Council’s childcare centres will be encouraged to drop what they’re doing at 11am on May 21 to participate in the simultaneous reading of Too Many Elephants in This House, by Ursula Dubosarsky. There will also be a morning devoted to the celebration at North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre. Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler said Council fully supported the campaign, which promotes the importance of literacy for young Australians. “Councillor Michelle Tormey and General Manager Alan Stoneham will visit Grays Lane Preschool at 11am on May 21,” Cr Fowler said. “We will also have a two-hour party at North St Marys Neighbourhood Centre to mark the event.” Penrith City Council’s Mobile Playvan will operate at the site and there’ll be a BBQ, jumping castle and plenty of craft activities from 9.30am to 11.30am. “I would encourage all parents and carers to get behind this wonderful initiative. You don’t have to visit a centre, just drop what you’re doing at 11am on May 21 and read to a

child in your care,” Cr Fowler said. Pool owners are being warned to register their pools on the NSW register immediately. All pools in Penrith should now be registered. Mayor Ross Fowler said fines would soon be issued for pools that were not registered. “New legislation has been introduced to prevent accidents in backyard pools. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged zero to five-years,” Cr Fowler said. “All pools and spa pools capable of holding 30cm or more of water must be registered and meet certain requirements. If you have not yet registered your pool, you should do so immediately. Council has not yet issued any penalty notices for failure to register – even though this has been a requirement since October 2013. After this month, we will start issuing $220 fines for unregistered pools.” Cr Greg Davies at Penrith Council’s policy review committee meeting on Monday raised concerns again about a foul smell that has been lingering around Eastern Creek and affecting residents from Kemps Creek to St Clair. The NSW EPA has previously taken action against local waste facilities responsible for foul smells, but the smell appears to have returned.

21

local news

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Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

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COMMUNITY

22 Werrington Station’s creative new look

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CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

@cassandra_o

C

ommuters at Werrington Station this morning may have noticed that the station looks just a little different. Last night, Thursday, May 15, teenagers from Werrington Youth Centre posted up street art portraits they have designed with the help of Blue Mountains artist Mandy Schöne-Salter. “The ‘Generation Z’ project started through Penrith Council’s Magnetic Places program, which encourages artists to work with different parts of the community to transform public spaces,” Ms SchöneSalter explained. “I saw that one of the opportunities was to work in Werrington and I asked the Youth Centre if they’d like to be involved and away we went.” Ms Schöne-Salter used funding from the program to buy cameras for the teenagers from the Youth Centre, which they get to keep after the project has concluded. “I showed them how to use the cameras – many already had an idea because they had camera phones – and then off they went, taking portraits of their friends or other kids at the centre,” she said. “We then did a bit of work with Photoshop to create a street-art feel to the

portraits and then printed them out to be displayed.” The Blue Mountains artist, who has worked with many mediums herself, said that the kids really enjoyed the project. “It was something a little different as they were not used to having a defined goal when taking photos and I think they learnt a lot,” she said. “I am hoping this helps them find a creative outlet in the future.” The photographs are being displayed at the train station as part of the Head On Photo Festival 2014.

Teenagers show off their work

Work underway at the Werrington Youth Centre this week. Photo: Melinda Jane

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TELEVISION

Dancing their way to stardom

23

Just the beginning: Jay and Renelle look back on their reality TV experience KATHERINE TWEED

@ktweed_

local news

L

ocal residents Jay Johns and Renelle Jones entered Network Ten’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ without considering the possibility of making it to the top 20, let alone the Grand Final. But earlier this month, both found themselves on the national stage, showing off their talent in the show’s Grand Final episode, which aired live. Though they did not win the grand prize, both left the competition with nothing but positive memories. “It was very physically and mentally challenging. Being out of it now, you can look back on it and appreciate how awesome it was but in the moment you are so tired and stressed... you are freaking out so much because there is so much pressure,” Luddenham resident Mr Johns said. “I learnt heaps, had an awesome time, made good friends – it was really good, really awesome.” The pair, Ms Jones from a jazz background and Mr Johns a passionate hip hop and tap dancer, were watched and supported by many in the local area from the moment the show aired in February. After making it into the top 20, they rehearsed multiple dances each week before performing them in front of a live audience, attributing their success to being able to engage that audience, and the hundreds of thousands watching from their lounge rooms. “A lot of the dancers were amazing technically, like unbelievable, but they didn’t get as far because they didn’t connect with the audience or didn’t tell the story,”

Jay Johns and Renelle Jones appeared on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Werrington’s Ms Jones told the Weekender. “That’s a testament to what people want to see. I would much rather watch someone who can perform well and who is enjoyable to watch rather than a really nicely pointed foot or a really great leap.” Although they made it to the final show, both had their fair share of stressful moments as well as the odd mistake and blunder, with props and costumes causing the most grief. Mr Johns had countless issues with props, even in the grand final, and Ms Jones almost lost the skirt of her dress

in her grand final waltz with Mr Johns, a frightening moment at the time. “I can laugh about it now – even on that night I could laugh about it. I could hardly notice when I watched it back so if that’s the worst that happened to me the whole show, it’s fine,” she said. The show gave the pair the opportunity to grow their contacts and work with some of the best choreographers in the business, as well as build their skill set. “As a dancer, you may only go down the ballet route or the contemporary route, always doing the same types of dance but

we got a glimpse of all different styles,” Ms Jones said. “Not only did it show me different styles and push me in other directions – I never would have thought I would be able to do ballroom – but it cemented in my mind the things I am good at and want to pursue.” The future looks bright for both local dancers who are already planning their next steps, including a performance in Penrith at the Music For Life fundraiser coming up next month. It’s not known if ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ will be back next year.

COMMUNITY

Igloo project is a unique way for kids to learn CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

T

@cassandra_o

Kids from Tandara Children’s Centre working on the igloo project

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

he kids at Penrith Council’s Tandara Children’s Centre have been busy building an igloo for winter. But it’s not exactly the cold variety that you may be thinking of. Made from more than 1,000 two and three-litre plastic milk bottles, the children’s centre have been busy building an igloo that won’t melt. Work on the igloo began in mid-April and should be completed within the next few weeks. Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler said the igloo had been inspired by Council’s sustainability program, which encouraged staff to think sustainably. “It’s a great example of staff taking initiative to recycle and for the children they care for to learn through play,” Cr Fowler said. “Staff collected milk bottles from the local shopping centre, other childcare centres, Council kitchens and even people

in the neighbourhood walking past who could see what was happening.” Tandara educator Justine Reynolds said it had been a joy watching the kids build the igloo layer upon layer every day. “They’ve really had to problem solve, learn about engineering, as well as doing research into types of glue and how to build an igloo,” Ms Reynolds said. It was a fun experience, but a time consuming one as well. “We built a layer a day, about 75 bottles. It was a bit hard on the knees in the early stages, but got easier as the igloo grew higher,” Ms Reynolds said. “It’s been a great talking point, and really fun.” The igloo is about three metres wide and two metres high. With the finishing touches going on the project now, Ms Reynolds said it wasn’t necessarily building the igloo that was the hardest part. “Washing the bottles was the worst bit, when there’s a bit of milk left in the bottle it has a horrific smell,” she said.

24

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COMMUNITY

Photographer returns to her Penrith roots CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

TUITION THAT MAKES

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@cassandra_o

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local news

atrina James’ work as a photographer has taken her all over the world, from Berlin to Capetown and everywhere in between. However a trip back to Penrith has seen the Kingswood TAFE trained photographer reconnect with her home suburb and ignited a passion to help develop the arts in western Sydney. “My journey started here in Penrith where I did a one-year course in photography. I actually did a year of environmental science at university first but realised that my creativity wasn’t suited to the exact sciences,” Ms James said. “I completed the course in 2001 and started working as a wedding photographer. It was good money but after seeing the same thing over and over I made a conscious decision to stop taking bookings for weddings. “I then started to do some work for clubs and bands and I built up connections overseas.” At the end of 2008, Ms James holidayed in Berlin for New Year’s Eve, and when she returned to Australia, it wasn’t more than two weeks before she had booked a one-way ticket back. “I went to Berlin not really knowing

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HEALTH

COMMUNITY

26 More investment in tackling skin cancer

Premier urges locals to support Smith Family

local news

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

@cassandra_o

N Dr Xiaoping Zhang, Theo Theodorou, Penrith MP Stuart Ayres, Dr Mounir Hanna and Robbie Martin at the opening of the skin cancer clinic CASSANDRA O’CONNOR

@cassandra_o

T

heo Theodorou is at the forefront of providing high quality health care to skin cancer patients after making a significant investment to improve treatment facilities in Penrith. Last Friday, May 9, the owner of Medeco medical centre on High Street in Penrith and neighbouring Priceline Pharmacy officially opened a specialised skin cancer treatment clinic. By co-locating all these medical services and making them easier to

access, Mr Theodorou hopes to tackle the very serious issue of skin cancer. “The skin cancer clinic was already an existing service, but the opportunity arose to merge the services and expand the clinic,” Mr Theodorou said. “We have extended the number of suites and are hoping to greatly increase the number of doctors on site to provide specialist care of skin cancer patients.” He said that with an aging population in Penrith, skin cancer remained a major concern. Mr Theodorou is working with the Cancer Council Penrith to raise more awareness about skin cancer.

SW Premier Mike Baird has urged everyone across the state to support the Smith Family 2014 Winter Appeal, which was launched at Kingswood Park Public School last week. Kingswood Park Public School is one of many local schools that partners with the Smith Family to deliver educational and financial help programs to students. With a goal of raising $3 million this year, the Winter Appeal funds these crucial programs. “We know that children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds often miss out. The miss out on educational essentials and they miss out on the sort of resources and opportunities that lots of kids have available to them,” explained Smith Family CEO, Lisa O’Brien. “The Smith Family is Australia’s largest children’s education charity and we provide support to disadvantaged kids to help them get the most out of their education. That kind of support at times will be financial support. They also get access to a whole range of programs.” Areas like Kingswood Park are targeted by the Smith Family as, according to the 2012 Australian Early Development Index, close to one-in-five children in the local

Mike Baird visits Kingswood Park PS area start school developmentally vulnerable in one or more key areas. Of Kingswood Park’s 146 students, 39 are part of the Smith Family’s highly successful Learning for Life scholarship program that provides financial and educational support to students starting from kindergarten. Taking a tour of the school on Friday, May 9, Mr Baird and Penrith MP, Stuart Ayres, saw Learning for Life students being taught to read by Cranebrook High School student mentors. “10,000 kids being given the opportunity to achieve their hopes and dreams – that’s something nobody can put a price on,” Mr Baird said.

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To lie or not to lie, is it wrong to break a promise? Is it only wrong if you get caught? While the conscience may be torn on some of life’s big ethical questions; and community attitudes and public prejudices can make these

27

decisions even more daunting at times, it is important to know that there is support out there.

government area. This Primary Ethics solution is offered to public school children as an alternative to scripture.

between the children and their peers. Individual topics are taught over a period of two or more lessons.

Primary Ethics held its first ethics class in February 2011 and has now grown to become an organisation that has 1,500 active volunteers including mums and dads, grandparents and other members of the wider community teaching or organising ethics classes for 20,000 children in 300 schools. Penrith RSL has partnered with Primary Ethics to bring ethics classes to children in the Penrith local

Trained volunteers teach the Primary Ethics curriculum. Children are taught the basic principles of decision making that helps them determine what is right or wrong, or good or bad in most given situations. Children sit in a circle and through the use of “give-and-take” discuss modern ethical topics. Children are provided with material such as stories and pictures, then the trained Ethics Teachers promote conversations

Primary Ethics is a charity that creates curriculum and attracts, recruits, vets and trains volunteers to organise and teach ethics classes for NSW public primary school children and they need your help. Primary Ethics needs volunteers to organise and run classes in local Public schools and Penrith RSL is behind them. We are encouraging staff to volunteer and get the wider community involved.

local news

While growing up we are faced with numerous choices on the direction of our lives such as career options, education, marriage, religion and more. The moral and ethical landscape encompassing the decisions we make can seem like a minefield of good and bad choices.

Proudly Supporting our community

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Trains improving

28

local news

Train commuters were spared any major delays during April, with figures showing a strong month for Sydney Trains in terms of on-time running and peak punctuality. Figures released on Wednesday confirm that 92 per cent of trains on the Western Line were on time during April, while peak punctuality was at 91.7 per cent. The 91.7 per cent figure is just below target. Sydney Trains Chief Executive Howard Collins said the result was encouraging and demonstrated the benefits his agency has provided to customers since it was formed in July 2013. “Achieving about two per cent above our targets in April means that in nine of our first 10 months, we have surpassed both measures,” he said. “In April, two lines – the T1 Western Line and the T4 Illawarra Line – fell short of their peak punctuality targets but each achieved the OTR target.” There were no major incidents on the Western Line in April.

Weekend post Australia Post will deliver parcels on Saturdays and extend guaranteed nextday Express Post letter and satchel delivery to households six days a week from the end of the year. In addition, Australia Post corporate outlets will also open on Saturdays nationwide. Australia Post provides six-day service during the Christmas period and from this year these will be accessible allyear-round. “The extension of weekend trading is a direct response to customer demand. Our customers have told us that they would like to see more services from us and this is the next step in growing our offering to meet those expectations,” said Australia Post Managing Director and CEO Ahmed Fahour. Mr Fahour also announced that from next year, in addition to the other changes, all Australians would have access to a choice of speed (regular or priority) for letter delivery, similar to first and second class stamps in New Zealand, the UK and USA.

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

Law changes

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The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government is transforming the delivery of legal services for the profession and consumers, Attorney General Brad Hazzard said. “The NSW-Victoria common legal services market is one step closer, with the NSW Parliament last night passing the Legal Profession Uniform Law,” Mr Hazzard said on Wednesday. “This is a major step forward – the law will benefit consumers and lawyers alike as the shorter, less complex and uniform legislation creates economic benefits for both sides. The new laws will: • regulate the legal profession across the two States, including admission to the legal profession and professional discipline issues • reduce regulatory and compliance costs and provide new, low cost ways to resolve service complaints and costs disputes with law firms quickly and informally.

Local doctors and nurses lend their expertise to patients in Bangladesh

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n Bangladesh, thousands of people with complex medical conditions go without treatment, forced to live a life stripped of opportunity because of a lack of skilled medical teams in their country. But a humble group of surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses from the local area have been working to change this, taking annual trips to the third-world country to work in some of the most obscure conditions and hospitals, including one that floats on water. This year’s Aussi Bangla Smile team, led by Nepean’s Dr Hasan Sarwar and consisting of two surgeons, two anaesthetists, seven nurses and an accountant, returned from the country earlier this year after having worked on 86 patients in just nine working days, with a large number of them requiring complex surgeries.

The team undertook both uni and bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries, burn contracture surgeries and congenital deformity surgeries. “These children could not go to school and these adults wouldn’t get the chance to have a job if not for this surgery. We have opened up their lives to opportunity,” said local registered nurse, Barbara Mitchell, who has taken part in four of the six Aussi Bangla Smile annual trips. “One teenager [with a cleft lip and palate], Rozina, couldn’t keep her eyes off her face when we showed her a mirror post operation. It was the first time she could say ‘now I can get married’.” In addition to treating patients, the team are also involved in training Bangladeshi nursing teams and doctors and providing medical facilities with equipment. “It is very satisfying to see just how grateful these people are, who would never have had this opportunity,” said nurse Maryanne Miles.

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MICHAEL TODD

BIJAI KUMAR

Small Biz Connect Advisor Penrith Valley BEC

CEO of the Penrith Business Alliance

Forum looks at future

Perception is everything

Last Thursday the Penrith Business Alliance and Council held the first public forum on the Penrith Progression. With over 160 RSVPs, the workshop was designed to inspire stakeholders and community members to think about the future of Penrith City Centre. What are the opportunities, the issues, but more importantly what would a ‘successful’ city centre look like?

Renowned futurist, Mike McAllum spoke at the forum about the need for centres to be networked and to strive for strong social and economic connections. Mike emphasised that no longer is the economy ‘supply determined’ whereby a manufacturer determines what you buy, rather the consumer now chooses or demands what they want, and suppliers respond accordingly.

Cities that let people and markets interact and create, will be the Cities of the future, and the ones with the most positive outlook. At one of the discussion tables, participants emphasised the need to create knowledge jobs in the Centre, and some of the possibilities to ensure Penrith is correctly perceived as a great place to relocate jobs to. The importance of the 2nd Sydney airport was also discussed.

pushing boundaries, and so on. I have come to learn that not only do most people sit somewhere in the middle (there are few true introverts and extroverts), but that the terms refer to how you respond to the world. Introversion is not the same as shyness – Carol Jung (the Swiss psychiatrist who coined the terms) described introverts as people who tend to find social interactions tiring and are energised by time alone rather than in groups. It now makes a whole lot more

sense to me why I struggled with self-promotion when I first started out. At networking events, for example, it seemed essential to make sure that as many people as possible knew who I was (because that’s what I observed the extroverts doing), but ‘working the room’ always felt false and very uncomfortable for me. Instead, over time, I have used my introvert attributes to build relationships with a smaller number of people – the old adage of quality over quantity seemed to work well.

Business can be an inconsistent industry. No matter how great your products or services are, you will not receive the customers you need in order to stay in business if the public does not view your business in a positive light. Sometimes, it only takes one piece of negative publicity to make a business go under, even if the perception of this publicity is inaccurate. Therefore, as a business owner, it is essential that you establish a positive perception of your business among your target audience. One of the main methods you can use to create the positive perception you desire with your customers that you can control is your advertising. Everything from your radio ads, television ads, newspaper ads, and even your website needs to be built around the perception you are trying to create. In addition to your marketing campaign, your actions will also speak volumes toward creating your desired perception. Therefore, be sure to be prepared to interact with your customers in the way that you wish to be perceived. If you have employees, train them in your company philosophy as well. Courtesy is contagious. When you’re respectful and polite, it makes it more difficult for people to judge you unfairly, blame you unjustly or otherwise disrespect you. Think carefully before speaking and approach your work with energy and enthusiasm. By creating a positive perception, your business will have a greater chance of success.

MICHELLE GRICE Founder of Shel Design

Introvert or extrovert Up until a few years ago I would have told you I was an extrovert. And most of my friends and family would have told you the same. Now I realise that it was more a case of thinking that I must be an extrovert because I’m not particularly shy, I like

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f you think you know St Marys Village, think again. With a brand new centre court and a host of new shops and eateries, St Marys Village will never be the same again. Three new businesses make up the refreshed centre court including Caffe Cherry Beans, Kota Sushi and Donut King. Franchisee of Caffe Cherry Beans, Kai Lai, said business has been travelling well in the new centre since opening six weeks ago. “The main purpose of Caffe Cherry Beans is to not only provide top quality coffee but to serve fresh and healthy food using local produce,” he said. “The food here is common in cafés in the Sydney CBD but it’s very unique to the St Marys area. “We’re trying to train Australians and St Marys locals to be healthier with our meals. We have the best kitchen staff here whom all reside in the local area and I believe the new renovations will do well for not only our business but for the rest of the centre.” Also pleased with their new surrounds is the staff at new sushi place, Kota Sushi, who sell the freshest and tastiest sushi and rice paper rolls. “Our business is doing very well since opening three weeks ago,” Luna Han said. St Marys Village also has its first Donut King which also opened late last month. Manager Lina Chen said customers are loving getting their donut fix. “We are happy being in St Marys for the first time. I think the new upgrades are certainly bringing more customers to the centre court area,” she said.

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Head turner

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

The new Fury from HONDA will attract attention with its stunning look and all new colour

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With its extreme lines and head-turning looks Honda’s VT1300CX Fury has been released in a stunning new Graphite black colour for 2014. Honda’s engineers have designed the VT1300CX to handle, function and ride like no other motorcycle and with its raked-out chopper styling the model reaches the fringes of the two-wheeled world. The VT1300CX Fury experience is all about that special bond between rider and machine. Every feature of the Fury exemplifies this; a high-mount steering head gives the frame a see-through, openair look, a long slim fuel tank is perched up high, it has an ultra-low seat height, a big-time rake, a fat 200-series rear tyre paired with a slim 21-inch front wheel, a condensed hard-tail look to the rear end and a stretched wheelbase. Boasting a muscular 1312cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin engine, the VT1300CX has all the grunt and get-up-and-go expected of a bike of this calibre. With a single-pin crankshaft and dual balancers Honda’s Chopper radiates attitude. The top radiator hose is hidden away beneath the front valve cover, this patented idea illustrates the efforts expended on maintaining an airy look for the front end. The VT1300CX has a manufacturer’s list price of $15,599. The new colour, Graphite Black is available in Honda Dealerships nationally.

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CYCLING

Challenge gets star power sport

Olympic gold medallist helps raise more than $100,000 at Penrith cycling event NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

A

ustralian Olympic cycling gold medallist, Stephen Wooldridge, joined more than 100 riders to compete in The Benevolent Society’s 200km cycling challenge last week, to raise money for Sydney kids and families doing it tough. Held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, ‘Race for Change’ is the charity’s flagship fundraising event and is put on each year to raise money to help kids and families get the best possible start in life. The high-speed 200km bike race saw 20 teams of five compete to reach the finish line, including teams from some of the country’s biggest corporate giants. Wooldridge, who won gold in the Team Pursuit at the 2004 Athens Olympics, was on hand to help teams by auctioning himself off to race certain legs. “This is the first time I’ve been involved in this event and I wanted to take part because a friend of mine is close with The Benevolent Society,” Wooldridge told the Weekender. “I was initially meant to be racing in a

Olympic gold medallist Stephen Wooldridge. Photo: Nathan Taylor

single team but instead I’ve been auctioned off to assist other teams throughout the day.” Wooldridge took part in four legs for various corporate teams, raising more than $8,000 in the process. “The ‘Race for Change’ is a fantastic concept. I’ve been involved in cycling for a long time and I haven’t seen anything like this,” Wooldridge said. “I finished racing competitively in 2006 and I just do it for fun now. This is about the closest thing to racing as it comes for me.” The 36-year-old has had a decorated career on the bike and is a four-time world champion on the cycling track. Having previously resided in Glenbrook earlier in his career, Wooldridge was very familiar with the Penrith Lakes course. “The Regatta Centre is a great legacy asset left over from the Olympics. I used to spend a fair bit of time out here watching the rowing and riding,” he said. In all The Benevolent Society raised more than $100,000 on the day, a tremendous result for all involved. The ANZ team won the challenge with a time of five hours and 20 minutes.

BOWLS // Mick Gilfoyle THE OVER 65 Pairs Final was played last Wednesday and the winners were Kevin Merriman and Vic Orchard (Penrith) defeating Graham Britton and David Hoy (Windsor). Kevin and Vic were travelling well however dropped a few shots and then had a battle on their hands to win the event. The result of the Ladies Major Pairs at St Marys RSL was that Deby Brien defeated Paula Wilton 26-16 and at Kingswood the Ladies Pairs was won by Chris Pattenden and Barbara Shepherd with the runners up being Lyn Haddow and Cheryl Hunter. Weather permitting the last weekend

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of the NDBA Pennants will be finalised. The playoffs between section winners in Grades 5, 6 and 7 will be held at Kingswood BC on Sunday, May 18, commencing at 1pm. Managers will be required to be at the club with sufficient time to allow all the necessary functions to be carried out prior to the cards being called at 12.40pm. The venues for the four grades to be played in the first round of Zone Pennant finals on May 31 between the NDBA and STDBA will be, Grades 4 and 6 – Picton BC, Grades 5 and 7 – Camden BC. Scheduled start time 1pm. Call of the card will be at 12.45pm.

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HARNESS RACING // Lorraine Pozza A GOOD crowd of Harness Racing enthusiasts were on hand last Thursday night at the Paceway. A good program of nine races was on the card. Race one saw Theartofconfusion ($3.80) put up a tough performance by going up early to sit outside the favourite Quincey Brogden and then pull away in the straight giving driver Glen McElhinney the first of a double. Munroe ($3.10) driven by Jarrod Alchin gave his backers no worries in race two. From the one gate he was soon in front and although Cyclonedomic came home strongly in the straight he held on for the win. Jarrod Alchin carried on to take out the third race with the well supported Macey Supreme ($1.80) winning from The Wifes Calling who sat behind the winner all the way. Rock Post Scissors ($2.80) driven by

GavinFitzpatrick backed up from winning last week and although working three wide early to take the lead had too many guns for runner up Don Kee in the fourth event. Western visitor Jake Davis took out the fifth with Studleigh Becky ($7.00). He took the lead early and rating her well held on to win from Bye Bye Sir who battled on from four back in the inside during the run. Shes Got Issues ($2.00) driven by Blake Fitzpatrick made it three wins in a row to take out the sixth race. The well supported second favourite Return Ace sat outside her and tested her for the full journey. Billion Smiles ($1.90), after showing some form last week, was the punters elect in the seventh. Plan Nsimple ($2.30) gave Glen McElhinney his double in the eighth. Kembla Grange visitor Jerosh ($2.90) with Noel Hatcher aboard made it two in a row taking out the ninth race.

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sport

Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

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RUGBY LEAGUE

sport

Player charged Greater Western Sydney’s Toby Greene is among two men charged with a string of offences following an alleged assault at a licenced premise in Melbourne over the weekend. The Giants issued a statement on Tuesday confirming they were aware of the incident. “The club is taking the matter very seriously and has no further comment to make at this stage,” the Giants said in the statement. Following Sunday’s 111-point defeat to the West Coast Eagles in Perth, the Giants players had been granted leave due to this weekend’s bye, with a number of them returning home to family in Melbourne.

Spiranovic picked Western Sydney Wanderers defender Matthew Spiranovic has been selected by Ange Postecoglou for the Socceroos preliminary squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Spiranovic played in the Wanderers’ final match of the season against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday before joining his Socceroos teammates at a pre-World Cup Camp in Gosford and Sydney. The squad flies to Brazil on May 28 as the World Cup gets closer.

Your shot at stardom New reality show aims to find the NRL’s next big thing NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

H

ave you ever wanted to play in the NRL but missed your chance at stardom for one reason or another? Fortunately, former NSW Blues mentor and current Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has come to the rescue and is giving 15 players the chance to win a paid NRL contract via a new reality television show known as ‘The Coach’. Over 10 weeks contestants will compete in a range of practical, physical and psychological challenges to decide the winner. These challenges will not only reflect those synonymous with professional football, but also be designed to enhance conflict between the contestants. Registrations are now open for Penrith applicants 18-years and over with no rugby league experience necessarily required. Registrations close on Friday, June 6. From there applicants will be narrowed down to 100 contestants who will each be invited to the selection camp day at Leichhardt Oval on June 13 where they’ll compete in a range of challenges to find

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart is part of ‘The Coach’, which will air on FOX Sports the final 15 for the show. The Penrith Panthers along with the Storm, Bulldogs, Roosters and Raiders have all expressed interest in signing the

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winning rookie with FOX Sports set to air the series next year. For more information on ‘The Coach’ and to register visit www.thecoach.cc.

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Friday 16 May 2014 the western weekender

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ATHLETICS

37

A question of funding Blair Oval chosen as site for all weather track, but who will pay for it? @cassandra_o

P

enrith Council has chosen Blair Oval in St Marys as the future location for an all weather athletics track but the project comes with a hefty price tag. For the past 18 months, Penrith Council has been investigating the possibility of building an all weather athletics track due to demand from local athletics clubs and schools. Crosbie Lorimer of landscape architecture firm Clouston Associates was brought in to examine two possible locations, Harold Corr Oval in Cambridge Park and Blair Oval. He found that Blair Oval is a more suitable location but suggested that Council’s best option is to move the athletics track to make better use of the site and avoid issues with flooding. “Both of these sites have very different characteristics so we measured against a number of criteria aspects such as access to the sites, context, safety, natural environment, public transport and cost,” he said.

Jeff Baxter with John Thain at Blair Oval “We found that Blair Oval is a better option, with a choice of two track orientations... the track in its existing position, or moved to have a north-south alignment.

“Flooding is an issue to factor in and a north-south alignment, which is preferred on international standards, avoids floodwaters that back up from South Creek.”

However, Penrith Council will be looking to the Federal and State Governments to help deliver the track, with a full costing showing that the track would cost $6 million, compared to Council’s preliminary estimates of $1.525 million. Council has over $2 million in Section 94 developer contributions to spend on the project and councillors said they are determined to lobby for additional funding and see the community’s needs met. Nepean Little Athletics President, Jeff Baxter, said that Council’s support is very welcomed. “It’s a great step forward and we know there are quite a few steps more to go but it is very welcomed,” he said. “We have a lot of talented athletes out here but nowhere really for them to train, and the same with our talented coaching staff too.” Cr John Thain, who has been a strong advocate for the all weather track also welcomed the decision. “I really want to see Council develop plans for this track right up to the point where all we need is funding, so that we can actually make something happen,” Cr Thain said.

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Madison Higgins-Ashby. Photo: Melinda Jane if I wanted to play rugby for a team in Maroubra,” she said. “Dad and I watch the sport quite a bit. It was hard at first but then it got easier. I’m okay with the physical stuff because I started off with contact when I was little.” The Australian Rugby Union are currently attempting to get age limitations changed so Madison can perhaps force her way into the Australian Olympic Team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. “I really want to play in Rio for Australia but I’m too young by five months. I hope I do really well in sport in the future so I don’t have to get a job,” she said.

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3-year-old Madison Higgins-Ashby should be considered as one lucky girl after she was selected in a national U20s Rugby Sevens side to play in Hawaii in the most bizarre of circumstances. “I wasn’t even supposed to be selected for the team,” the Year 8 McCarthy Catholic College student said. “I was playing in a half time game in a tournament for girls who were actually trialing to make the team, and I got selected out of that.” Madison will be the youngest member of the Pacific Barbarians team when they jet off to the Aloha State next month for the week-long tournament. The Penrith local said despite being the youngest on the team by two years she most definitely can hold her own among her older teammates and opponents. “All the girls are very inspirational and very good leaders for the team,” she said. “It will be fun going to Hawaii. I’m really excited to play against the other countries to see what they are like. We also get two days over there to ourselves.” Madison only recently took up the sport of rugby union after she was forced to stop playing rugby league due to age restrictions. She then went on to play the safer sports of touch football and OzTag before getting a call to join the 15-person game. “My dad got a call from a friend asking

38

RUGBY UNION

Heartbreak for Emus again sport

First win goes begging as Eastern Suburbs mount strong second half comeback NATHAN TAYLOR

@natetaylor87

A

dejected Penrith Emus coach Sateki Tu’ipulotu believes his side lacks the mental toughness to close out games. For the third straight week the Emus came within a whisker of winning their first Shute Shield match in years after leading Eastern Suburbs 22-13 at half time. However, a second half fightback by Easts saw the Emus fall agonisingly short once again, going down 35-30. “The boys just have to understand to be mentally stronger week in, week out,” Tu’ipulotu said. “We had the chance to win it at the end but we have to be more patient. It’s just inexperience. At half time I told the players the next 10 minutes will be crucial and will be the difference between winning and losing.” Tu’ipulotu admitted the past few weeks had been frustrating not only for him but the rest of his side. Last week the Emus went down by three points to Parramatta in the dying minutes. “There’s been about four games this year

The Penrith Emus in action against Eastern Suburbs last Saturday. Photo: Nardia Sly where we could have won, instead we’re sitting at the bottom of the table with seven bonus points instead of somewhere in the middle,” he said.

The task for Tu’ipulotu’s men doesn’t get any easier this Saturday when they take on 2013 premiers Sydney University for the second time this year.

“We know what they are like. We just have to be physical. I believe we can match them,” Tu’ipulotu declared. Kickoff on Saturday is at 3pm.

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BASKETBALL: Penrith’s Tahlia Tupaea is continuing her rapid rise after her recent trip to China saw her selected in the Jiujiang All-Tournament Team, as one of the tournament’s best players. Tupaea picked up her scoring in Jiujiang. She scored 15 points in a loss to the USA and also scored 15 points in Australia’s upset win over hosts China. Tupaea is now hoping her recent good form in China will see her get a place in the Australian team heading to the FIBA U17 World Championships in Czech Republic next month.

TENNIS: South Penrith tennis star Jay Andrijic’s recovery from a severe back injury is coming along steadily. Last week was his first week back in the gym and back on the court hitting. While there’s no set date on a likely return to competition, Andrijic is doing all he can to get healthy again.

CRICKET: Penrith Cricket Club’s Pat Cummins and Josh Lalor have been rewarded for their great seasons with 2014/15 Cricket NSW contracts. Coming back from several niggling injuries, Cummins played several games late in the 2013/14 season with the Cats and is looking to find form again this year to break back into the Australian squad. Josh had a sensational year for the Penrith and that was also taken into his games for the Blues at state level, and also captaining the Second XI team.

AFL: The Penrith Rams are back to their losing ways going down to Southern Power 63-47. The game was close at the first change but Southern Power ran away with it in the final three quarters. Matthew Purse was best for the Rams scoring a team-high two goals. This Saturday Penrith will play UNSW/ES Bulldogs at Greygums Oval at 2.30pm. Meanwhile, the Penrith Ramettes ladies also went down to Southern Power 65-33.

RUGBY LEAGUE: The grand finals of the junior rugby league representative finals took place last weekend with both the Penrith Panthers SG Ball and Harold Matthews sides losing both games. In the SG Ball grand final, the Panthers went down in golden point extra time to the Sydney Roosters 34-30. In the Harold Matthews grand final, the Panthers were trounced by Newcastle 34-4.

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BASKETBALL: The Penrith Panthers men’s Waratah Championship League side are back in business after a thrilling overtime win over the Illawarra Hawks 86-78. Nic Pozoglou top scored for the Panthers with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Penrith’s women’s side are continuing to struggle losing to the Hawks 74-69. Tahlia Tupaea returned to the squad from her duties overseas to lead with 22 points. Both sides will be on the road this Saturday taking on the Hills Hornets at Hills Basketball Stadium.

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Sporty Kids A recent study conducted by Dr Hardy of Sydney University discovered that Australian school aged children lacked basic fundamental movement skills. This meant they were less likely to play sports in later life, and added to being overweight or obese according Dr Hardy. Nepean District Tennis Association has recently introduced a brand new gross motor skills program for 3-5 year olds at their Woodriff Gardens home in the centre of Penrith. “Sporty kids is a fun based program, giving your child the opportunity to participate in team play and learn key skills for a wide range of sports in an active safe environment” says CEO Chris Woodland. Tennis Australia qualified coach and Sporty Kids coordinator Carey Sinden added “the kids have great fun, and are learning basic coordination and balance skills at the same time”

The program has been approved by Penrith City Council, and will soon be promoted through a host of local long day care centres and preschools. Sporty Kids classes have vacancies on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday Mornings, and there are even ladies only beginner classes on at the same times. For your FREE trial lesson in a Sporty Kids or Hot Shots program call Nepean District Tennis Association at Woodriff Gardens, Penrith on 47212880

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hile much of the focus has been on the outstanding success of the Western Sydney Wanderers men’s team in the past few years, the club’s female stars are also making headlines after three ‘Wander Women’ were chosen to represent Australia at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Emily van Egmond, Teigen Allen and Alanna Kennedy were each selected to wear the green and gold in the prestigious tournament, which got underway in Vietnam on Wednesday. Speaking with the Weekender from Ho Chi Minh City, 20-year-old van Egmond said preparations were in full swing despite the conditions being hot and steamy. “We’ve been here for a couple of days and we’re starting to get used to what life is like in Vietnam,” she said on Monday. “It’s a really different climate here being so humid and hot but the preparations have been good so far and all the girls are really keen and excited to play.” The Matildas took out the last AFC Women’s Asian Cup back in 2010 which saw them earn

Emily van Edmond in action. Photo: Western Sydney Wanderers a spot in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The same prize is on the line on this occasion with the top five teams from this tournament automatically qualifying for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. “I was actually fortunate enough to make the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany

and that was my career highlight to date,” van Edmond said. “There’s no better feeling than representing your country at such a tournament when it’s purely based around football. I think everyone here will be working hard to get a place in the World Cup in Canada next year.” The Wanderers central midfielder will be hoping to do that all over again but this time with Western Sydney teammates Teigen Allen and Alanna Kennedy. While the Wanderers didn’t have much success this season due to a number of injuries and bad luck, all three will be working as one to give Wanderers fans something to cheer for. “Having three of us from the Wanderers here in Vietnam is great and it shows we’ve got a good pathway setup there with women’s football,” van Edmond said. “Going into this year’s W-League competition we had a very strong team on paper but we had a fair few injuries that set us back. We had a great group of girls there and it was still a very good season even if results didn’t go our way.” Van Egmond will soon head to the United States for another stint in the NWSL.

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