Western Weekender January 27 2023

HOSPITAL READY

“The Government has dragged its feet on this for too long,” Minns said.

Labor will ease the pressure on Nepean Hospital and other western Sydney health facilities by building a major hospital at the Aerotropolis.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns made the announcement during a visit to Luddenham on Monday. However, he confirmed it would not be completed in his first term as Premier.

“We’ve seen time and time again, new areas developed, houses built and people moving in, but the important infrastructure isn’t there.”

Shadow Health Minister Ryan Park said a new hospital would be desperately needed in the area.

“The population that’s going to grow here and call this home is going to be significant,

and in the two health districts that surround this area, there were 11,000 people in the last quarter who went into the ED and didn’t get treated, and we’ve got to do better than that,” he said.

“We can’t afford to wait and do what other governments in the past have traditionally done, which is wait until residents are in the home, and then start planning for a hospital. We’ve got to do that different, and we’ve got

While Nepean Hospital is undergoing the biggest upgrade in its history under the current government, population growth in Penrith and surrounding areas will likely ensure pressure on the health system remains.

Minns said it was “the least people can expect” that governments prioritise infrastructure in booming areas.

Stuart Ayres and Dominic Perrottet. Photo: Melinda Jane.

CASSIDY PEARCE

Emily Feszczuk reports on page 2

Ayres in Cabinet return

Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres will be reinstated as a senior minister in Cabinet if Premier Dominic Perrottet wins the NSW State Election, and Ayres retains the tightly held seat.

The Premier headed to Penrith on Monday morning as the election campaign gets underway, and claims he is not considering the possibility of defeat.

After Ayres resigned from his Ministerial roles last year amid accusations he breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct in hiring John Barilaro as Trade Commissioner in New York, he was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent inquiry.

Perrottet has now indicated that he will allow the Penrith MP back to the front bench after the election.

“Stuart hasn’t just made a contribution to his local community and improved it for families across western Sydney, he has made a significant contribution to the whole state of NSW,” Perrottet said to the Weekender in an exclusive interview at The Coffee Club Nepean River.

“He has the energy, the experience, the ideas, the drive, the passion, to continue to make a strong contribution at the highest levels and he will be a senior minister in the government I lead.”

Along with the seat of Penrith, the Premier is also confident that his government can

win Badgerys Creek (formerly Mulgoa) and current Londonderry MP Prue Car’s spot even though there has not been a Liberal candidate announced as of yet.

“There are 90 odd seats across NSW so the party moves through that process… We will have an announcement on Londonderry soon and I believe the Liberals and Nationals will win the seat of Londonderry,” he said.

“Tanya (Davies) has been a very strong member of parliament, a strong advocate for her community in Mulgoa and western Sydney. She is a key part of the team and delivers for her community.”

While a YouGov poll in the Sunday Telegraph showed that Labor led against the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis and in first preferences, Perrottet is “forging ahead” and is focused on having a strong economic plan and providing opportunities for all NSW residents.

This includes the shared equity scheme that he and Treasurer Matt Kean announced at Robinson Park, Jamisontown, which will help workers such as teachers, paramedics, nurses and childcare workers to purchase a house.

“Our key workers, first homebuyers, singles and over 55’s can get access to this new scheme to purchase a property in partnership with the NSW Government, so with a two per cent deposit we provide 40 per cent equity for new properties and 30 per cent for existing

properties, so it gives our key workers the opportunity to access a new scheme,” he said.

“That is in addition to our first home buyer’s scheme. Up to $1.5 million for first home buyers to not pay up front stamp duty but pay an annual amount.”

He also told the Weekender that the LNP would consider looking at building a high school in Jordan Springs following Labor’s commitment.

Perrottet remains committed to building a new stadium in Penrith and believes good financial management will allow for further cost of living relief.

“We are in negotiations with the Paceway, and we are committed to that stadium to be built on the Paceway site,” he said.

“These are projects we get criticised about but it’s about building everything. It’s hospitals, schools, public transport, roads and also culture… it’s about having a great lifestyle for you and your family and that means the best of everything.

“A strong economy and having an economic plan leads to providing support for families across NSW and our households. Labor can’t deliver because they don’t have that plan to keep NSW moving forward.”

Exclusive: Premier promises Ministerial return if Ayres, Coalition win election

Penrith MP Stuart Ayres and Premier Dominic Perrottet in Penrith on Monday. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Premier Dominic Perrottet chats with Weekender

journalist Emily Feszczuk.

EMILY FESZCZUK

Crucial funding promise

EMILY FESZCZUK

NSW Labor says it is putting politics to the side and calling for bipartisan support to make sure that women’s health is made a priority.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns was in Penrith on Tuesday to announce that Labor would invest $60 million over three years and $100 million over the next five years to women’s health centres across the state.

This funding would double the current funding for the Women’s Health Centre Program that provides specialised health care services to more than 50,000 women across the state each year.

“There are 20 of these centres in NSW at the moment, they have been operating for 40 years across this state and we have been so impressed with their track record but there hasn’t been a real increase in funding for these centres for many years,” Minns said.

“We’ve been hearing stories this morning about the work that these organisations have done for many years but having to pull down the number of staff they have got on the books because of funding uncertainty. We don’t want that situation to reoccur if Labor wins the next election.”

The investment in the centres will also relieve pressure off emergency departments and GPs and for every dollar spent, $1.71 is

centred, trauma informed, evidence based health care services and domestic violence services,” Skinner said.

“We have had to move in Penrith to this location and embrace commercial rent reality. How does any board or management committee have confidence to sign a lease when your core funding could be for a shorter period than your lease?” Skinner said.

Hoping to make the policy bipartisan in the lead-up to the election, Minns also said he thought the NSW Government’s plan to quadruple the number of electronic ankle bracelets to track domestic violence offenders is a “good initiative”.

“Any initiative in this space is welcome and we regard one life lost as a result of domestic violence as one life too many,” he said.

“It’s time that governments and political leaders come together, put politics to one side and focus on throwing our support behind those initiatives.”

Labor candidate for Penrith Karen McKeown told the Weekender that the money would be an “absolute game changer” that will provide benefits for women and their families in the

they don’t have to close their doors and can “plan for their future”.

“Penrith Women’s

all women’s health centres provide client

saved in hospital and primary healthcare costs.

CEO of Penrith Women’s Health Centre Kath Skinner said the funding would ensure that

Health Centre and

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns at Penrith Women’s Health Centre. Photo: Melinda Jane.

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Cassidy Pearce | @cass_pearce

Politicians, in a way, are a lot like poker machines. There is a lot of promise, bright lights and noise, and even the occasional pay-off, but in the end, legitimate wins are few and far between.

In March, it will be either Dominic Perrottet or Chris Minns who wins the jackpot, otherwise known as the NSW State Election. And gambling reform, specifically poker machine reform, has emerged as a major election issue.

Poker machines are not traditionally a bread and butter election issue. Apart from those who play them, and families of those impacted by those who become addicted to them, poker machines aren’t part of the everyday discussion for most.

They certainly aren’t in the category of roads, infrastructure, schools, taxes, property and the usual thrust and parry of election campaign issues.

But regardless of how we got here, they’ve become a talking point and both Perrottet and Minns will need to have a strong position before voters go to the polls.

Problem gambling is indeed an issue in New South Wales; nobody can hide away from that.

Production: Ian Beard, Zoe Merrick, Kacey Wilson Administration: Michelle Mifsud, Madeline Dantier

The Western Weekender is bound by the Standards of Practice of the Australian Press Council. If you believe the Standards may have been breached, you may approach the newspaper itself or contact the Council by email (info@presscouncil.org.au) or by phone ([02] 92611930). For further information see www.presscouncil.org.au.

And while the lure of gambling apps and sports betting is the issue facing younger generations in particular, poker machines remain a major player where many people choose to spend, and lose, their money.

The introduction of a cashless gaming card, one of Perrottet’s personal hobby horses, is a tricky one.

The issue of poker machines being used to wash dirty cash from proceeds of crime, which has sparked the push for the cashless gaming card, is separate to assisting problem gamblers, but both will collide with the introduction of the initiative.

And in the middle will be casual punters, who regardless of what any politician may tell you during this campaign will simply stop throwing a lazy $20 into the pokies when on a night out, if they’re forced to sign up for a card.

There will be an impact on pubs and clubs, without question.

ClubsNSW Chairman George Peponis said: “ We are not convinced that an untested mandatory cashless card is the way to go.

The international experience demonstrates that forcing players to use cards drives recreational players to other forms of gambling, in particular to unregulated online casinos, and can exacerbate problem gambling.”

ClubsNSW says it supports cashless gaming technology and have advocated for its introduction for more than five years.

And it makes the valid point that the NSW Crime Commission’s recommendation for a mandatory cashless card was outlined in a report following the inquiry into money laundering via poker machines – not an inquiry into responsible gambling.

Surely the government cannot introduce a widespread, mandatory cashless card that will impact the way people gamble, and could actually make things worse, without proper evidence about how effective it is?

Labor and Chris Minns seem more levelheaded in their proposed approach.

Labor will introduce an expanded 12-month cashless gaming trial from July 1, including at least 500 machines. It will look at different cashless technologies, what infrastructure investments are required, including cost, the impact on employment and industry and the impacts on problem gambling.

Importantly, Labor will also ban the whole cringeworthy ‘VIP Lounge’ signage that is plastered around Sydney pubs.

The term is used because advertising of poker machines in New South Wales is banned, but pubs have laughed in the face of the rules with the ‘VIP Lounge’ signage for years. It’s tacky, a blatant skirting around the rules and deservedly needs to be fixed. For a poker machine addict, the lure of that signage is surely an issue or a permanent reminder of a problem they may be trying to escape.

Labor has a range of other policies in this space, including introducing a Responsible Gaming Officer for venues with more than 20 poker machines and the introduction of third party exclusion and mandatory facial recognition to enhance self-exclusion.

On paper, Labor has a sensible, common sense approach to the issue. It’s not without its flaws, but they are steps in the right direction.

Perrottet’s plan feels fractured; which it is, given we know the Liberals and Nationals aren’t on the same page.

He would likely argue however than an expanded trial of the cashless card, versus a blanket implementation, would do nothing given a machine without a restriction would sit alongside one that does. Fair point, too.

This is a complicated policy issue and one that will test the mettle of both Perrottet and Minns.

There will be losers no matter what happens here, and the reality is that a problem gambler will always find a way, regardless of what rules may or may not be in place.

Those who suggest problem players will just shift their behaviours elsewhere, including to unregulated online platforms, are right. But to do nothing, given the explosion of problem gambling in all forms, would be foolish.

Clubs and pubs deserve a say in all of this, and nobody wants to see the industry suffer. But it can also not be denied that many of these clubs and pubs prosper via the suffering of others, and profits should never be put before people.

Minns’ giant cash splash

Labor promises “major hospital” and inland pool if it wins government in March

CASSIDY PEARCE

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns has announced plans for a hospital in the Aerotropolis, and to open a swim site for families in western Sydney, if the party is elected in March.

Minns was joined by Ryan Park, NSW Shadow Minister for Health, Greg Warren, NSW Shadow Minister for Western Sydney, Rose Jackson, NSW Shadow Minister for Water, Courtney Houssos, NSW Shadow Minister for Better Regulation, and the Labor candidates for Camden and Leppington, at Western Sydney International Airport Experience Centre on Monday.

As part of the announcement, Minns stated that NSW Labor would be committing $15 million to identify a site, and do the early planning works for an Aerotropolis Hospital.

Minns assured that though the hospital proposed will not be completed within their four-year term, what will eventually come to fruition is a new facility which would more than serve the incoming community.

This sentiment was confirmed by Park, who stated that what’s to come will be “a major hospital”.

“The population that’s going to grow here and call this home is going to be significant, and in the two health districts that surround this area, there were 11,000 people in the last

quarter who went into the ED and didn’t get treated, and we’ve got to do better,” he said.

“We can’t afford to wait and do what other governments in the past have traditionally done, which is wait until residents are in the home, and then start planning for a hospital. We’ve got to do that different, and we’ve got to do it right, but this will be a significant

EXPLORATION LICENCE APPLICATION

Notice is given in accordance with Section 13A of the Mining Act 1992 and Clause 15 of the Mining Regulation 2016 that exploration licence application number ELA6581 (Act 1992) for Chert (Group 2) has been lodged with the Department of Regional NSW by Regional Quarries Australia Pty Ltd, ACN 602 653 029, over an area of about 870 hectares which is located approximately 7 kilometres south-east of the town of Narromine, as shown on the diagram below.

Information regarding this application can be obtained from Ashleigh Zarlenga, phone number 0475 680 511.

Information regarding landholder’s rights is available from the Department’s website www.regional.nsw.gov.au/meg/community/landholder-rights

INVITATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Public comment on any exploration licence granted as part of this application, may be made within 28 days of this advertisement. To find out more on the public comment process go to: www.regional.nsw.gov.au/meg/community/landholder-rights/public-commenton-coal-and-petroleum-titles or call the Department of Regional NSW on (02) 4063 6600.

Comments received that relate to mining will not be considered in this process as an exploration licence does not permit mining activities to occur. The Department reserves the right to make all or part of any submission publicly available, however personal information identifying an individual will not be published.

hospital.”

In addition to the hospital, Minns proposed the opening of Prospect Reservoir as “Sydney’s biggest inland pool”, helping those outside of reasonable distance of a beach to beat the heat.

“In 2018, we had four days in a row above 40 degrees in western Sydney. It’s heating up out

here, and families and communities just don’t have the recreational space, in particular, when it comes to playing in the water with families, that Prospect Reservoir will bring to those communities,” he said.

“It’s an exciting initiative, it’s long overdue, and we can do it in a responsible way.”

Jackson noted just how important taking this opportunity is in ensuring equal access to recreational water activities for western Sydney residents, which was made starkly apparent over the past few years of lockdowns.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to deliver some real quality of life for western Sydney, because Labor is serious about infrastructure investment in western Sydney – whether it’s the health announcement today, whether it’s education, or whether it’s community infrastructure and community amenities,” she said.

This comes as Labor has yet to announce their candidate for Badgerys Creek, who would be going head-to-head with Liberal MP Tanya Davies. Minns said the news is set to be announced within days.

“We’ve been in discussions with the party office to make sure that we’ve got candidates for the remaining seats,” he said.

“We know that we’ve got to get our candidates out there knocking on doors, and we’re obviously very interested in making sure that we’ve got a choice and an option for voters in this part of New South Wales.”

Labor Leader Chris Minns at Western Sydney Airport on Monday. Photo: Cassidy Pearce.

Labor: We’ll build school

Labor will build a public high school in Jordan Springs if it is elected at the upcoming State Election.

Member for Londonderry Prue Car exclusively revealed to the Weekender that a Minns Government would secure land in the Jordan Springs East precinct, where there is vacant land still available.

Car has remained steadfast in voicing the community’s desire for a high school in the area after spending years campaigning for a primary school to be built in the suburb.

“This school will be able to cater for both Jordan Springs and Ropes Crossing communities. Both schools are over capacity, and we have seen the enormous popularity of this primary school at Jordan Springs,” Car said.

“The missing piece has always been the high school which the current Liberal Government continues to ignore as a requirement. They just keep saying we don’t even need it.”

With a fully costed budget and proposal, Labor will purchase the land and build the school within four years as a priority project according to Car.

“If Labor gets elected and I am the local member and Minister of Education it will be first order of priority for me to get it happening as we needed it yesterday. There is amazing education happening at the primary school now so let’s get somewhere for these kids to go once they finish Year 6,” she said.

“I will be fighting for a high school at Jordan Springs no matter who is in government, no matter who sits on the treasury benches but the choice for the people of Jordan Springs is very clear because if Labor is elected to government, we will build the high school.”

Jordan Springs Public School

P&C Vice President Ryan Reinker is looking forward to the possibility for his daughter Ayla, who is in Year 3.

“For us to have the primary school here was massive because it is so close to home and convenient as my son’s day care

is next door, so it’s all hassle free,” Reinker said.

“This is such a booming suburb which is growing so quickly, so having the high school will provide another more convenient option for parents.”

The Department of Education previously told the Weekender that students living in Jordan Springs and Jordan Springs East are designated to attend Cranebrook High School, a decision which Reinker believes is out of touch.

“I think it’s hard for them to understand how many kids are coming in. This year alone the students will jump to over 1,000 and when my daughter started there was only 370 kids in the school,” he said.

“The surrounding schools are reaching capacity and are older, so we need to grow with the community but at the moment the government is not seeing that.”

The Weekender understands it is anticipated that the school will be a $100 million investment.

The Coalition remains uncommitted to the project.

“First order of priority”: Opposition promises new high school at Jordan Springs

Prue Car with Ryan Reinker and his daughter Ayla at Jordan Springs Public School. Photo: Emily Feszczuk.

EMILY FESZCZUK

in the lives of others

EMILY FESZCZUK

These two pictures may have been taken 43 years apart but what hasn’t changed is Mark Wilkinson’s passion for the NSW Police Force.

But after more than four decades of service, the Sergeant has decided to hang up his badge, declaring an end to a decorated career.

The 65-year-old marched out of Penrith Police Station for the last time on Thursday, January 19.

Spending almost a decade working his way up as a transit police officer within the NSW Police Force, Wilkinson made the switch to a Probationary Constable.

With a desire to “help others and be where the action was”, Wilkinson began general duties at Granville in 1989 at the age of 32 before moving to the North West Region Crash Investigation Unit in 1995.

“I have investigated hundreds of deaths and put people before the courts relating to that which I found extremely rewarding because you are making a difference,” he said.

“You can go there and look at the misery, the gore, the destruction but I always focused on the fact that I was able to intervene and be there for someone, whether it was the victim or their family at the lowest point of their life.”

Over his career the Sergeant also became qualified in the field as an intelligence analyst and took part in specialist operations which drew him numerous accolades.

Transferring to his hometown Penrith in 2007, Wilkinson reflected on a lengthy career of service.

“Some of my fondest memories are my early days in general duties at Granville. It was fun, exciting, I was young and dumb, jumping fences and chasing crooks,” he said.

“The highlight would have to be my colleagues, my commanders, my partners. They are friends for life.”

He was farewelled by a guard of honour and escorted for a final patrol in a 1984 F100 caged truck from the NSW Historic Patrol Vehicles.

Wilkinson said he is thankful for his partner Kerry and his family who have been on the journey with him.

“You have a crap shift because you’ve seen something dreadful and you are quiet and

grumpy for a few days and they have to put up with that,” he said.

“It takes a strong partner and family to stick by you and I’ve been fortunate to have those people in my life.”

With plans to travel, ride his motorcycle and scuba dive, Wilkinson’s retirement will centre around his family and friends.

“The friends you make are friends for life. I look forward to now having the time to catch up with them,” he said.

Sergeant Mark Wilkinson with an F100 caged truck on the first day of his job.

Last week, he re-created the photo on his last day serving at Penrith Police Station.

Australia Day 2023

Thursday 26 January | 8AM-6PM

Ripples Leisure Centre – Penrith & St Marys

Free Event

Administration

Penrith Office

Civic Centre, 601 High Street.

St Marys Office Queen Street Centre, 207-209 Queen Street.

Contact Centre Open 8.30am-4pm. Mon-Fri. 4732 7777 PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751 council@penrith.city

Council’s services are accessible via the online portal at my.penrith.city

Services

Waste Services 4732 7777

Illegal Dumping

Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad.

Graffiti Hotline Freecall 1800 022 182

Meeting Dates

30 January 2023 – 7pm Online via penrith.city (Ordinary Meeting)

penrith.city.council

penrithcouncil penrithcitycouncil penrithcitycouncil penrith.city visitpenrith.com.au

Council Briefs

● Council’s Penrith Civic Centre, St Marys Office, and Penrith City Libraries’ branches will be closed on Thursday, 26 January 2023 for Australia Day, with normal operating hours resuming on Friday, 27 January 2023.

You can still lodge queries and access some online services via our Online Services Portal.

Library members can still access the online catalogue at library.penrith.city during the day.

● Council has put in place a road closure at the intersection of River Road and Buring Avenue, Leonay, due to a sinkhole.

To ensure the safety of residents, traffic is being diverted from River Road and the site is closed off by a construction fence. Pedestrians can safely walk along River Road on the western side and residential properties can still be accessed via the road detour along Leonay Parade.

Council officers assessed the site and found damage to concrete culverts beneath the sinkhole. Unfortunately, industry-wide supply constraints are causing an extensive wait for repairs.

For this reason, the road closure will remain in place until repairs are carried out, and the area is reinstated for safe use. Further information will be provided at the commencement of work.

● Have you left your feedback on Penrith City Library’s draft strategy yet? The Library Services Strategy for 2023–2028 will help guide Council’s decision making on how to manage library programs and resources for the next five years.

There are multiple ways you can provide your feedback, which you can find at: yoursaypenrith.com.au/library-strategy2023

● Don’t miss out on joining our Seniors Comedy Gala on Tuesday, 7 February 2023 from 10.30am at The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre.

We have a great line-up of comedy in store for you as part of our Seniors Festival celebrations.

Tickets are free, but bookings are essential. Call The Joan on 4723 7600 or visit penrith.city/events to book.

Public Exhibition

Planning Proposal for Draft Development Control Plan (DCP) and Letter of Offer to enter into a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) for 221–235 Luddenham Road Planning Proposal

Council is exhibiting a Planning Proposal, draft Development Control Plan (draft DCP) and Letter of Offer to enter into a VPA (Letter of Offer) for 221–235 Luddenham Road, Orchard Hills.

The Planning Proposal seeks to amend Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010 to rezone part of the site from RU2 Rural Landscape to part IN1 General Industrial and part IN2 Light Industrial. The Planning Proposal will also apply a maximum height of building control of 24 metres, a minimum lot size control of 1,000 sqm, and minimum lot density provisions.

The draft DCP contains specific development controls that apply to future development within the site and will form a chapter of Penrith DCP 2014.

The Letter of Offer seeks to enter into a VPA for the provision of key infrastructure at no cost to Council. A draft VPA will be prepared and reported to a future Ordinary Meeting of Council to be endorsed for public notification as a separate process to the Planning Proposal and draft DCP.

Viewing the exhibition and making a submission

The Planning Proposal, and supporting information are on public exhibition until Monday, 6 February 2023. The documents can be viewed online at yoursaypenrith. com.au, at Council’s Civic Centre and at Penrith and St Marys Libraries.

You are invited to provide feedback by making a written submission to Council by Monday, 6 February 2023 by:

• Email: Glen.Weekley@penrith.city

• Post: The General Manager (Attention: Glen Weekley) Penrith City Council PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

• Online: planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ppr

Please include a subject line indicating ‘221–235 Luddenham Road, Orchard Hills’ in emails and letters.

For further enquiries: Please contact Glen Weekley, Executive Planner on 4732 7415 or email Glen.Weekley@ penrith.city

Mulgoa Rural Fire Brigade has new home after development

Public Notice

Section 47 of the Local Government Act 1993 –

Proposed Easement on community land

Under Section 47 of the Local Government Act 1993, notice is hereby given that Penrith City Council intends to grant an easement as detailed below.

Applicant: Ultegra on behalf of Endeavour Energy

Proposed Use: Easement for the installation of new underground electrical cables to cater for the expected increased demand for electricity in the region

The $1.7 million development of Mulgoa Rural Fire Brigade has been completed, with the new facility officially opened last weekend.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the new building is located on the same site as the previous fire station, which the Brigade’s 41 members had outgrown.

“This new building boasts three truck bays, a large training room, office, kitchen, change rooms and male and female amenities,” Cooke said.

Cooke said the facilities will make a major difference when it comes to busy fire seasons and ensuring members are well looked after.

“These facilities will be utilised by a number of Brigades in the local area, helping to strengthen our emergency services right across the western suburbs of Sydney,” she said.

Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies said the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is continuing to invest in new facilities and equipment for volunteers.

“There is nothing more important than providing our volunteer emergency service workers with the facilities and equipment

they need to carry out their roles safely and effectively,” Davies said.

“We’ve had our fair share of storms, floods and bush fires here in western Sydney and I am very grateful to the people who protect our community each and every day.”

At Sunday’s ceremony, six volunteers received Long Service Medals in recognition of a combined 128 years of service. 14 volunteers were also presented with National Emergency Medals and a Commissioner’s Unit Citation for their work during the 201920 fire season.

Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers said local volunteers were heavily involved in firefighting operations across NSW during Black Summer.

“Members from the Mulgoa Rural Fire Brigade provided critical support to the community, including at the Green Wattle fire which sadly saw the death of firefighters Andrew O’Keefe and Geoffrey Keaton,” Rogers said.

“These Brigade members rendered assistance to the injured volunteers after their truck was struck by a falling tree, and they are worthy recipients of a Commissioner’s Unit Citation for their efforts.”

Chase ends in a splash after man lands in swimming pool

MAKAYLA MUSCAT

An unlicensed P-plater who crashed with a blood alcohol reading of 0.151 has been given an 18-month Community Correction Order and fined $1400.

Braiden Currie, 22, fronted Penrith Local Court on Tuesday charged with ‘high-range drink driving’, ‘refusing to stop a vehicle when directed to do so by police’, ‘negligent driving’, and ‘driving a motor vehicle with a suspended licence’.

The Hazelbrook resident was arrested in Emu Plains at around 3am on Saturday, June 4 last year.

It is alleged that police activated the lights fitted to their fully marked police vehicle in order to stop Currie’s vehicle that was driving without headlights.

Currie continued along Russell Street before making a sharp left turn onto the Great Western Highway, failing to stop.

Police say they backed off, but saw the vehicle turn a sharp left onto Koloona Drive, which is a dead end street.

They continued driving northbound, in the direction they last saw the vehicle and

soon after found Currie’s Toyota Corolla, which had collided with a black Toyota Rav4.

It is alleged that police saw him in the driver’s seat of the car and attempting to climb out.

They say he jumped into the yard of 65 Koloona Drive, Emu Plains, followed closely by police on foot.

It is alleged that he jumped the pool fence, but fell head first into the pool.

He swam to the other side in an attempt to evade police, but they grabbed him out of the pool before placing him under arrest and cautioning him.

The police asked Currie, “why didn’t you stop?”. He replied, “I have no licence” and told them he knew he was suspended.

He was escorted back to the scene where his breath test returned a positive reading before transporting him to Penrith Police Station.

In addition to the 18-month Community Correction Order and the fine, Currie’s licence was also disqualified for an additional three months.

He was ordered by the Magistrate to fit a mandatory interlock device to his car when he does return to the road.

Proposed Easement Location – 16 Ridgeview Drive, Erskine Park

Development Application

The following Development Application has been received by Council:

• Laurie Liskowski DA23/0013

2 Coowarra Drive, St Clair

Demolition of existing structures, tree removal and construction of a childcare facility x 63 children with basement parking and associated works

Contact: Robert Walker on 4732 7409

Closing Date: Monday, 13 February 2023

Development Consent/s Determined

Pursuant to Section 4.59 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the schedule below lists applications recently determined by Penrith City Council.

Approved Development Applications

• Belinda Dale DA22/0968

Lot 280 DP 270417, 6 Halmstad Boulevard, Luddenham

Single storey dwelling with swimming pool, spa, cabana and shed

• Danny Garado DA23/0005

Lot 8 DP 865789, 10 Sunray Crescent, St Clair

Awning

• Eden Brae Holdings Pty Ltd

Lot 1045 DP 1272641, 1 Spinifex Road, Werrington

Single Storey Dwelling

• Bega Dairy & Drinks Pty Ltd

Lot 10 DP 607528, 2257–2265 Castlereagh Road, Penrith

Replacement of 2 existing milk silos and associated works

DA22/1096

DA22/0973

• Michael Brown Planning Strategies DA22/0572 Lot 105 DP 1224905, 377–387 Wentworth Road, Orchard Hills

Use as a boarding establishment (dogs) and dog grooming

Viewing of Development Applications

The above development application/s may be viewed on Council’s DA Tracker via penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/DATracker Officers of Council’s Development Services Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts

By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council. Call 4732 7649 or visit penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Mulgoa Rural Fire Brigade’s new facilities were opened last weekend.

cupboard prize

Australian author Ian Whitehead has released his new book, The Wheels on the Bus

This wacky animal alphabet story is best sung to the well-known tune...

‘The Wheels on the Bus’. The bus is empty, so will the cat, the dog, the elephant, the frog, the goat, the horse, the ibis, the jelly fish and the koala catch up before nightfall? When will this animal alphabet nonsense finish? Sing along to discover… where all small children must drift as the sun goes down.

Ian Whitehead is a retired Australian school

paceway winners lucky

principal, education writer, cricket fan and grandfather.

For more information, visit www.austinmacauley.com/book/wheelsbus.

The Weekender has five copies of The Wheels on the Bus to give away. For your chance to win one, send an email to competitions@westernweekender.com. au with ‘Wheels’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Tuesday, February 14 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and conditions are available at www.westernweekender.com.au or Weekender reception.

Another

The NRL’s pre-season competition looks like a winner. It’ll have its critics, but it’s far better than worthless trial matches that nobody watches. At least it’s something!

ANSWER

week, another mass shooting in the United States. For all we love about America, it’s hard to fathom their lack of interest in tackling gun violence.

Members of the Penrith Paceway in Penrith have the chance to win great prizes thanks to a special promotion involving the club and your favourite newspaper, The Western Weekender Club members can

Don’t let it happen again

FESZCZUK

With work on the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct and Metro Station at Claremont Meadows expected to increase pedestrian and vehicle traffic, worried residents are calling for increased safety measures in the area.

The Gipps Street intersection between Sunflower Drive and Fowler Street is a cause of major concern for residents after one local lost his life there last year.

Linda Danyal’s 80-year-old father Tomislav Kolega was walking across the road to go to his home on Fowler Street on the October long weekend last year when he was hit by a car and died.

Previously aware of safety issues with the road before her father’s death, Danyal said changes need to be put in place as the area further develops.

“A review of the speed limit on the surrounding roads is needed because cars and trucks fly up the straight road. A review is needed of the lights because cars drive through the red arrow light and

the actual timing of the pedestrian lights is still not right as you do not have enough time to cross,” she said.

“We have paid the ultimate price losing Dad and the driver also has to live with that guilt forever, which is why we want to do as much as we possibly can to prevent this from

happening again to a family or even young kids.”

Fellow resident Sonia Myers, who was Kolega’s next-door neighbour, said she is “angry” about the situation as she tried to raise her concerns with Council and Transport for NSW over four years ago.

“There needs to be a lot of changes

and safety barriers installed because with the metro and park there will be a whole new layer of traffic and pedestrians coming with dogs, children, prams and bicycles all in that vicinity, which is dangerous,” she said.

“Tom was totally familiar with those roads and would walk from

his house to his daughter’s on the other side two to three times a day. This isn’t just about him; it is about the whole community, but it never should have happened.”

A spokesperson from Transport for NSW said it is working closely with locals and stakeholders to improve conditions for residents using the intersection and for all road users of Gipps Street.

“This includes upgraded signage and changes to the traffic signal timings which we have already begun implementing,” the spokesperson said.

“We are currently undertaking further investigations at the intersection which could lead to additional safety measures being developed.”

Penrith City Council is also involved to ensure that residents can safely access the 32-hectare recreational site.

“Pedestrian safety is a high priority across the entire road network of the Penrith Local Government Area,” a Council spokesperson said.

“Council supports any measures Transport for NSW may implement to achieve greater safety for pedestrians and road users alike.”

Woman pushes for more safety improvements after father’s tragic death last year

Residents fear another death could occur if changes aren’t made in Claremont Meadows. Photo: Melinda Jane.

EMILY

LAW and ORDER

Police Snapshot Legal Matters

Penrith: Man found sleeping in van at RV sale yard; drugs also discovered

A man has been charged after trespassing and possessing prohibited drugs in Penrith.

On Wednesday, January 18, it is alleged a 28-year-old South Penrith man entered an RV sale yard off Jack Williams Drive, Penrith.

The man was allegedly sleeping in a van on the site without staff knowing.

About 5.30pm on Friday, January 20 staff were locking the yard and noticed the man walking inside the locked fence.

Police attended and the man was arrested before he allegedly admitted that he had been sleeping in the van for the past three days. As officers went to search the man, it is alleged that he handed over two resealable plastic bags containing cannabis.

The man was charged and will appear in Penrith Local court on Tuesday, January 31.

Jamisontown: Technology helps track down man who stole wallet

A man has been charged after he was caught stealing in Jamisontown.

About 9.50am on Friday, January 20, a 50-year-old Leonay man was shopping at a hardware store in Jamisontown.

The man allegedly left his wallet on a shelf whilst looking at an item.

It is alleged a 64-year-old Emu Plains man was also shopping in the store at the time. He allegedly picked up the wallet and left the location.

A short time later the 50-year-old realised and returned but could not locate his wallet.

The man spoke to staff and CCTV footage was allegedly viewed before police were contacted.

It is alleged that when the 64-year-old was traced on CCTV, that he attended the registers and paid with a “PowerPass” card, which linked his identity.

Officers attended the 64-year-old’s home and the wallet, along with most of its contents were recovered.

The man was charged and will appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday, March 9.

Cranebrook: Plant thief to front court next month after witness intervenes

A woman has been charged after she was caught stealing in Jordan Springs.

About 10.30am on Friday, January 20, it is alleged a 50-year-old Cranebrook woman was walking on Lakeside Parade, Jordan Springs.

The woman allegedly stopped at a

well-maintained garden and removed plants that were growing in the garden bed.

A witness allegedly saw this occurring and words were exchanged between the parties, while the witness took photos of the woman who put the plants in a shopping trolley.

Police located the woman on Water Gum Drive, Jordan Springs who was still pushing the trolley, but there were no plants in it.

The woman allegedly admitted to officers about taking the plants which were recovered nearby. She was charged and will appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday, February 9.

Kingswood: Man busted drink driving will front court in February

A man has been charged with mid-range drink driving in Kingswood.

About 9.30pm on Friday, January 20, police were patrolling Parker Street, Kingswood when they stopped a vehicle for a random breath test. The driver, a 26-year-old Cambridge Park man submitted to the test that proved positive.

He was arrested and taken to Penrith Police Station where he underwent a breath analysis that returned a positive reading of 0.097.

He will appear in court next month.

Penrith: Witness helps apprehend bag thief at popular shopping centre

A man has been charged after stealing and assaulting another person in Penrith.

About 5pm on Saturday, January 21, a 47-year-old Claremont Meadows woman was shopping in a department store in a shopping centre in Penrith.

As she was walking the aisles, she allegedly became aware of a man that she thought was following her.

A 20-year-old Cranebrook man allegedly approached the woman from behind and snatched her handbag before running.

It is alleged that the man ran out of the centre onto Jane Street, Penrith and was seen by witnesses, who attempted to stop him.

The man allegedly disposed of the woman’s bag and witnesses blocked his path.

The 20-year-old began running back towards the shopping centre and allegedly ran into the fire escape stairs and up to the second level.

One of the witnesses, a 28-year-old Jamisontown man followed and allegedly apprehended the man, who at the time was on his phone calling someone to assist him.

He was bail refused and will appear in Penrith Local Court on Tuesday, January 31.

A lot of the work we do at the firm is around starting businesses, helping businesses as they grow, and unwinding businesses when they reach their inevitable end point.

Having business partners comes with a lot of benefits.

You can pool resources, share ideas, and exploit each other’s skill sets for financial gain.

Just as important as business success however is having a clear understanding between business partners about what each other’s role in the business is, how decisions will be made in the business, and importantly, having an exit strategy.

Many business partners do not do this, which can lead to problems down the track when issues arise.

A document that contains all of this information can be in a number of forms.

If you operate a business with multiple shareholders in a private company, it might be called a Shareholder’s Agreement or Securityholder’s Deed.

If you are a party to a partnership, the document might be called a Partnership Agreement.

If you have joined forces with other parties for the purposes of a specific venture, these important details might be contained in a Joint Venture Agreement.

Irrespective of the structure of your busi-

ness, the concept is the same – utilise the drafting of an Agreement of this nature to have discussions at the inception of your business to make sure you are all on the same page.

In addition, set the standard as to what is to occur in the event that one of the shareholders or business partners want to depart the business, for example, will the remaining shareholders or business partners have a first right of refusal to buy the departing partner out and will there be any restraints of trade that will apply to the departing shareholder or partner?

What happens in the event that one of the partners or shareholders becomes totally or permanently disabled or dies?

Do you need to have insurance in place to enable a partner to be bought out in the event that one of these things occurs?

The answer to all of these questions depends on the nature of your business and your personal circumstances.

While it is best practice to get these things in place from the start, it is not uncommon for people to operate a business for a period of time before putting these Agreements in place – it is never too late.

If you need assistance with this type of legal service, please contact us for an obligation-free chat.

Have a great weekend.

MAN TO PAY FOR BOOM GATE DAMAGE

A man from South Penrith will pay Westfield $2,172 in compensation after damaging a boom gate at the car park exit.

Troy Grono, 43, reappeared before Penrith Local Court via video link on Tuesday.

He entered a guilty plea and was charged with ‘intentionally or recklessly damaging property’.

It is alleged that Grono grabbed the boom gate with both hands and removed it on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.

It is also alleged that he carried the boom gate on his left shoulder before tossing it to the ground.

Despite being a repeat offender of property offences, Grono told Magistrate Greg Moore that the damage “was not intentional”.

It is alleged that he exited the passenger side of a white Hyundai iLoad hired from Blacktown.

He then got back into the vehicle after the incident, which left the scene.

He has a significant criminal history and is currently serving a custodial sentence.

Westfield Penrith will receive full compensation.

– Makayla Muscat

with WW48104

Daniel McKinnon

CADDENS

CADDENS NEWS (CADDENS CORNER)

CLEMENTINE’S CAFÉ

WOOLWORTHS

CAMBRIDGE GARDENS

COLES

M c DONALD’S

OVERLANDER HOTEL

CAMBRIDGE PARK

CAMBRIDGE PARK NEWSAGENCY

CELLARBATIONS

FRIENDLY GROCER

CASTLEREAGH

AMPOL SERVICE STATION

CLAREMONT MEADOWS

IGA CLAREMONT MEADOWS

COLYTON

COLYTON CENTRE PHARMACY

COLYTON FRIENDLY GROCER

COLYTON HOTEL

COLYTON NEWSAGENCY

HEWITT STREET TAKEAWAY

CRANEBROOK

ALDI CRANEBROOK

CRANEBROOK COMMUNITY HEALTH

CRANEBROOK VILLAGE

M cDONALD’S

MOTHER EARTH NURSERY PLUS PHARMACY

WOOLWORTHS CRANEBROOK

EMU PLAINS

CHAMBERS CELLARS

LENNOX CENTRE NEWSAGENCY

M c DONALD’S

PENRITH REGIONAL GALLERY

WOOLWORTHS LENNOX VILLAGE

7/11 EMU PLAINS (GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY)

7/11 EMU PLAINS (OLD BATHURST RD)

EMU HEIGHTS

SUPER SAVE COMPOUNDING CHEMIST

ERSKINE PARK

ASHCROFT’S IGA

ERSKINE PARK CTC

GLENMORE PARK

COLES

MAGS NEWS

M c DONALD’S

MEDI ADVICE PHARMACY

WOOLWORTHS

JAMISONTOWN

ABCOE

ABEL STREET EATERY (HAPPY HARRYS)

BATT STREET TAKE AWAY

GREY GUMS HOTEL

NEW ON YORK TAKEAWAY

PARRABEY GOURMET KITCHEN (PENRITH HOMEMAKER)

SALT CAFE (PENRITH HOMEMAKER)

SHELL SERVICE STATION

THE COFFEE CLUB NEPEAN RIVER

THREE SUGARS CAFÉ

WESTERN WEEKENDER

YORK TAKEAWAY

ZOO FITNESS

7/11 JAMISONTOWN

JORDAN SPRINGS

JORDAN SPRINGS NEWSAGENCY

WOOLWORTHS

KEMPS CREEK

CALTEX SERVICE STATION

KEMPS CREEK BOWLING CLUB

KINGSWOOD

BARISTA BAR COFFEE SHOP (NEPEAN PRIVATE HOSPITAL)

COUNTRY BREWER

HALLANI’S

KINGSWOOD HOTEL

KINGSWOOD NEWSAGENCY

KINGSWOOD SMASH REPAIRS

KINGSWOOD SPORTS CLUB

PENRITH GAELS CLUB

RADHE INDIAN GROCERY STORE

VOLUNTEERS DESK NEPEAN HOSPITAL

7/11 KINGSWOOD

LEONAY

EMU SPORTS CLUB

GROW CAFÉ (FORMERLY WILLOW TREE CAFÉ)

LLANDILO

IGA

LONDONDERRY

LONDONDERRY LIQUOR STORE

SHELL X ROADS

LUDDENHAM

AMPOL

AUSTRALIA POST IGA LUDDENHAM

MINCHINBURY

McDONALD’S

MINCHINBURY FRUIT MARKET

MOUNT DRUITT WESTFIELD MOUNT DRUITT

MULGOA

GLENMORE HERITAGE GOLF CLUB MULGOA NEWSAGENCY MULGOA PHARMACY

NORTH ST MARYS

LUCKY AUSTRALIAN HOTEL

MFC FOOD STORES

ORCHARD HILLS

FLOWER POWER OXLEY PARK

UC STORE

PENRITH ALDI

ASTINA

ATMOSPHERE GYM

AUSTRALIAN ARMS

BOREC ROAD TAKEAWAY (VALLEY CAFÉ)

BRISKET BOYS

CALTEX COREEN AVENUE

COLES PENRITH (NEPEAN VILLAGE)

COLES (WESTFIELD PENRITH)

CRESCENT MINI MART

HIGH STREET PIES

HOYTS WESTFIELD

JOAN SUTHERLAND ARTS CENTRE

LEMONGROVE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE

LIQUOR STAX PEACHTREE

M cDONALD’S HIGH STREET

M cDONALD’S PANTHERS LEAGUES

M cDONALD’S PEACHTREE

MERCURE HOTEL

MUSEUM OF FIRE

NEPEAN AQUATIC CENTRE

NEPEAN MOTOR GROUP CAFÉ

NEPEAN ROWING CLUB

NEPEAN VILLAGE COFFEE CLUB

NEPEAN VILLAGE NEWSAGENCY

NEXTRA WESTFIELD

ONE POINT HEALTH

PANTHERS LEAGUES CLUB

PEACHTREE HOTEL

PENRITH BOWLING CLUB

PENRITH CBD CORPORATION

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL

PENRITH CITY LIBRARY

PENRITH GOLF CLUB

PENRITH HOTEL

PENRITH PACEWAY

PENRITH RSL

PENRITH SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRE

PIONEER TAVERN RE/MAX

SITTANO’S RESTAURANT TATTERSALLS HOTEL

THE CHICKEN RUN THE HERITAGE TERRACE CAFÉ THE LOG CABIN

WESTFIELD WORLD GYM 7/11 HENRY STREET

REGENTVILLE 7/11 REGENTVILLE

ROPES CROSSING COLES

ROPES CROSSING NEWSAGENCY

SILVERDALE IGA THE CHEMIST SHOP

SOUTH PENRITH BUDGET SERVICE STATION FISH FISH FRIENDLY GROCER GROSE’S PHARMACY SOUTHLANDS NEWSAGENCY SOUTHLANDS TAKEAWAY WOOLWORTHS

ST CLAIR BLUE CATTLE DOG HOTEL FOODWORKS MELVILLE ROAD TAKEAWAY ST CLAIR LIBRARY ST CLAIR SHOPPING CENTRE 7/11 ST CLAIR

ST MARYS AMPOL FOODARY ASTLEY PHARMACY CASSANDRA’S ON QUEEN GUIDO’S HAIR CARE JAYAM SUPERMARKET M cDONALD’S ST MARYS SOUTH MONFARVILLE CORNER STORE

QUEEN ST NEWSAGENCY

ST MARYS BAND CLUB

ST MARYS FISH MARKET ST MARYS LEAGUES CLUB ST MARYS LIBRARY ST MARYS PHARMACY QUEEN ST ST MARYS PIZZA HUT ST MARYS RSL ST MARYS VILLAGE WAGON WHEEL HOTEL WALTER’S NEWSAGENCY

THORNTON PETRAMART

THORNTON COMMUNITY CENTRE

WALLACIA

WALLACIA GOLF CLUB

WALLACIA HOTEL

WALLACIA POST OFFICE WALLACIA TAKEAWAY

WARRAGAMBA

WARRAGAMBA SPORTS CLUB

WERRINGTON

COLONIAL HOTEL

CROSSROADS CONVENIENCE STORE

DIRANI’S MFC

GEORGE’S CHARCOAL CHICKEN HENRY SPORTS CLUB

M c DONALD’S

SUPA IGA

Junior footy devotees honoured with Australia Day recognition

EMILY FESZCZUK

Bill Borg has never played a game of rugby league in his life, but the Erskine Park resident was Club Secretary for the St Clair Comets Junior Rugby League Club for 32 years.

Mr Borg and his wife Karyn have been recognised for their contribution to rugby league, each being awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.

It was the Borgs’ son that got them into the sport, but the sense of community kept them involved long after his last football season.

“We moved to the area in 1985 and our son came home from school and said he wanted to play footy, so I got involved from the word go and then Bill got involved because I think he thought if you can’t beat them, join them,” Karyn said.

“Joshua started in U10’s and finished in U17’s. He is 47 now but we kept going and have made life-long friends through football who have also stayed on after their kids.”

Karyn started as a team manager in 1986 and became involved with the St Clair Committee, Ladies Auxiliary before being Treasurer and then Vice President at Penrith Junior League. Her volunteering included working in the junior league office and being a Zone Controller

Free solar - savings up to $600 on electricity bills

The NSW Government is offering a new way to assist people on low incomes with their power bills by installing free solar systems for eligible households in place of their Low Income Household Rebate. This program aims to improve energy affordability by helping households unlock long terms savings on their electricity bills. While this means you will no longer receive the $285 annual rebate on your electricity bill, you could receive up to $600 in savings per year from your new solar system!

The offer is only available to households that live in the specified regions and meet the eligibility criteria. When participating in this program households will receive a free, fully installed 3kW solar system in place of their Low Income Household Rebate.

SAE Group are the approved provider, designing and installing solar systems to eligible homes in your region.

To be eligible you must:

- Currently be receiving the Low Income Household Rebate

- Agree not to receive the rebate for ten years

- Own your own home

- Not already have a solar PV system

- Hold a valid Pensioner Concession Card or a Department of Veteran Affairs Gold Card

- If you are not the registered homeowner, but your spouse is, you may be considered eligible collectively as a household

A 3kW system is designed to generate an average of 12.6kwh per day, which will deliver electricity savings depending on each household’s energy consumption. Managing Director of SAE Group Glen Ashton comments “We know electricity bills continue to place a lot of pressure on households, and we are pleased to be working with the NSW Government to help ease the pressure on low income households.”

SAE Group are an Australian owned and operated organisation with over ten years’ experience in the solar industry. SAE Group are a Clean Energy Council Approved Retailer, and hold accreditations ISO 9001, ISO 45001 for safety and quality systems. Safety is paramount to us, and it our goal to ensure we provide quality solar systems to eligible households that will deliver ongoing savings for many years to come.

Want to find out more?

Visit: https://energysaver.nsw.gov.au/solar-low-income-households to check your eligibility and apply online or visit www.saegroup.com.au or call us on 02 66 389 439. The Solar for Low Income Household Offer is supported by the NSW Government.

before she came back to club level in 1998 as Assistant Secretary, A Grade Manager and as a magazine editor for 10 years.

Bill was thrown in the deep end being elected Club Secretary in 1989 but embraced the job with the assistance of his wife.

“I learnt the hard way, made my share of mistakes like everyone else but we put in a lot of hard work and the club flourished,” he said.

“I have been fortunate to have had so many hard-working people around me over the years and was lucky enough to be in a position where St Clair and Erskine Park was booming with no shortage of players. We went from 18 teams to over 50 in a matter of 10 years.”

Bill has enjoyed watching players come through St Clair such as Dallin WateneZelezniak and Stephen Crichton, with his most memorable moment being the naming of the Bill Borg Mini Field at Peppertree Reserve at Erskine Park in 2010.

With the pair “surprised and honoured” to be recipients, they continue being a part of the club in a reduced capacity and encourage others to get involved where they can.

“I still assist doing the line markings on a Friday night or helping on the barbeque and working in the canteen because it keeps my mind occupied,” he said.

“There is never enough helpers at a club level, so people getting involved in any capacity is always appreciated.”

Karyn and Bill Borg have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours.

PENRITH’S SAFEST SUMMER

STAYING SWIM SAFE

Local parents are counting down for the return to school next week, but did you know that children who are learning to swim also do better at school?

Royal Life

A study conducted by Griffith University suggests that swimming children are not only safer, but smarter. The research conducted over four years concluded that children who swim demonstrate more advanced cognitive and physical abilities than other children and indicates that swimming children have many advantages when starting school.

Lead researcher Profes sor Robyn Jorgensen said: “While we expected the children to show better physical development and perhaps be more confi dent through swimming,

the results in literacy and numeracy really shocked us. The children were anywhere from six to 15 months ahead of the normal population when it came to cognitive skills, problem solving in mathematics, counting, language and following instructions.”

In addition to achieving physical milestones faster, the swimming children scored significantly better in visual-motor skills such as cutting paper, colouring in and drawing lines and shapes.

was the difference in Story Recall (17 months ahead) and Understanding Directions (20 months ahead).”

We have lots of prized morning swimming lesson places opening up at both of our centres this month as our preschoolers go off to Kindergarten, so now is the perfect time to book your baby, toddler or preschooler into weekday morning lessons. Mornings are very focused on young children, with no school aged children in the centre, and set your

Summer Safety Campaign:

take the plunge – a high student participation rate makes for a fun and exciting day for all, and with the number of children reaching the 50 metre freestyle swimming milestone declining, it is sad to see less and less

house colour is ideal for further sun protection.

Food, lots of water, a card game or book for the sometimes long waits between age groups and two towels (one to use and one to sit on) are always handy, as is a waterproof bag to bring everything home. Always follow the instructions of the race official, and only enter the water when instructed to do so. And remember, hair sprayed in house colour/s may look great, but you might not be allowed in the pool!

The peak body representing councils in Greater Western Sydney, the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC), is urging western Sydney residents to prepare for extreme heat over the Australia Day weekend with temperatures forecast to exceed 35 degrees.

According to coronial reports, January 27 is the most at-risk day in Australia for heat-related deaths.

“Heat kills more Australians than floods, fires and storms combined, with elderly people and very young people most at risk from heat stress,” said WSROC President, Councillor Barry Calvert.

The Bureau of Meteorology defines a heatwave as three or more days in a row when both daytime and night-time temperatures are unusually high.

According to the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, between 2000 and 2018 there were 473 deaths reported that were explicitly heat-related, of which 354 occurred during heatwave conditions.

Almost all the 354 deaths occurred

during two occasions: the 2009 heatwave that preceded the Black Saturday bushfires, and an extreme heatwave in Victoria and South Australia in 2014.

“In fact, the total number may have been even higher, as heat stress is known to increase the likelihood of other medical episodes such as heart attacks or strokes,” Calvert said.

“So, it’s important to plan for extreme heat and heatwaves this Australia Day holiday weekend – and prepare our homes and those we love for summer weather.

“It’s especially important to check in with people who belong to at-risk groups such as the elderly, people with chronic health conditions or very young children.

“WSROC has been working with councils and local health districts to help people prepare for heatwave events, including developing a range of ‘Heat Smart’ brochures in English and nine other languages to step households through heatwave planning.”

To download a brochure, Google ‘Heat Smart Western Sydney’ or visit bit.ly/HeatSmart_WesternSydney.

Very warm weather is expected over the weekend.

Proud to call Australia home

EMILY FESZCZUK

Growing up in India, Dilip Saha had a dream to one day live in Australia for the rest of his life.

That dream became a reality for the St Marys resident and his family this week when they officially became Australian citizens on January 26.

The 52-year-old studied and ran a business in Kolkata, India, before getting married to his wife Soma in 1998.

Wanting to explore the world and provide more opportunities for their son Subham, who was 18-monthsold at the time, the family made the move to New Zealand and acclimatised to the culture over 10 years.

“My dream was always to move to Australia or even New Zealand if I had the chance because I loved the sound of the people and am a nature lover,” Saha said.

“Once in New Zealand, my wife’s brother lived in Sydney and said the countries were like brother and sister, so we had to move.”

After having his second son, Priyam, in New Zealand, Saha trav-

elled to Australia to get a real feel for the culture before deciding to call it home for good.

“We came a few times to travel in

2007 and 2010, then on November 20, 2011, we permanently moved to Australia,” he said.

“We lived in Merrylands from 2011

until 2017 and from 2018 onwards we have been living in St Marys.”

Embracing the positives of the area, Saha told the Weekender that

he is happy with his choice to live in St Marys.

“Some people have negative opinions about the area, but I think it is very good, it is safe, and the community is nice,” he said.

“There are huge developments going on, the new airport is going in and people are working and happy, so we will stay here.”

Working in security as a part of warehousing operations and his wife in customer service, Saha enjoys his job along with the outdoors and culture in the city.

Also becoming a citizen on Australia Day, Saha’s eldest son now lives in Adelaide working as an IT engineer after graduating from the University of Western Sydney in Kingswood.

It is a career progression that Saha attributes to living in Australia.

“We are very happy to be citizens and we thought it would be good to have it, so our kids get better opportunities with school and work,” he said.

“Our third and youngest son was born in Australia, but we needed it for our older two. It is a lovely country, and we are celebrating that we get to live here forever.”

DEAR WEEKENDER

NEWS@WESTERNWEEKENDER.COM.AU SUITE 2, 42-44 ABEL STREET, JAMISONTOWN 2750

Stadium debate rolls on With all the talk about the best place to build a new stadium in Penrith the question should be asked as to why Penrith Council, who seems to be in favour of a new stadium, have not offered community land for the project. The land known as the Carpenter Site, on the corner of Mulgoa Road and High Street (behind the old Ambulance Station) would seem to be an ideal site. Close to Panthers and leading to the new entertainment area of the river, this site would solve all issues and would not have to be forcibly acquired by the NSW Government. Council could provide this land and rehabilitate the current Crown Land (Panthers Stadium) back to public space. Just a thought.

GEOFFREY PAYNE, VIA EMAIL

Australia Day division continues

I find myself very conflicted by your column this week (Editor’s Desk, Weekender January 20). On one hand, I do believe it’s time to change the date. Australia Day has not been a huge deal for decades and decades, it is a relatively new public holiday and celebration that could easily be shifted. On the other hand, I agree that much of what we do to “recognise” Indigenous Australians is over-the-top and creating the opposite effect of reconciliation and understanding. People now hold Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country without understanding the purpose of doing it; they just don’t want to be criticised for not doing it.

BARRY MANN, VIA EMAIL

Time for greyhound re-think as deaths on tracks continue

Has the greyhound racing industry no shame?

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has condemned an invasive and painful greyhound breeding technique used on about 80 per cent of greyhound mothers.

The procedure involves cutting into the dog’s abdomen, removing her uterus, introducing semen and then sewing up the surgical incision. The AVA and the RSPCA have declared this invasive and causing unnecessary pain.

Research commissioned by the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds and the world’s largest greyhound protection agency, GREY2K USA Worldwide, shows that most Australians want greyhound racing banned, as it is in 49 US states.

The survey found that almost 60 per cent wanted the industry phased out or banned, while 70 per cent wanted to stop government subsidies, and would be less likely to vote for a political party that supported these subsidies.

For anyone who loves dogs, the greyhound industry is a nightmare. Last year, 213 dogs were killed on Australian tracks and there were more than 10,000 injuries.

Causing unnecessary pain in order to breed more victims for this vile business is ethically bankrupt.

With a NSW election coming up in March, now would be a good time to phone or write to your local candidates and ask them to commit to banning this cruel industry.

DESMOND BELLAMY, PETA AUSTRALIA

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

From India to St Marys: Local family become Australian citizens on January 26

The Saha family is proud to call Australia, and St Marys, their permanent home. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Connecting our seniors

CASSIDY PEARCE

Kicking off on Wednesday, February 1, the largest celebration for seniors in the southern hemisphere is now right around the corner, with an abundance of events happening right here in Penrith.

NSW Seniors Festival is an annual event which will see over 50s from all over the state trying new things and meeting new people across hundreds of free and discounted events.

Though there’s no shortage of major events, such as an Expo and Premier’s Gala Concert at the ICC, and a Comedy Show at Sydney Town Hall, local seniors will be spoiled for choice right here in Penrith.

This year, Penrith Council has jumped on board, with a number of exciting events across the LGA aimed at bringing people back together, said Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen.

“This year’s theme of Connect Together is a reflection of how difficult the last couple of years have been with lockdowns and the separation that many have endured,” she said.

“It’s important that we make a point of connecting with each other, to check on each other to see how we are doing, and be that helping hand or someone to talk to.”

Council events include a cooking class at Ripples St Marys, a comedy gala at The Joan, and a ‘Fun with iPads’ class at Penrith Library,

run by Digital Literacy Foundation.

“Digital Literacy Foundation events are a great place to meet people, socialise, learn new skills, and share knowledge,” said Executive Chair, Dr Anne Wiggins.

“They provide a respite from life’s responsibilities and enable people to feel part of their communities. Most of all, they’re fun!”

Local businesses are also getting on board, with Helen Clear from Penrith Yoga Studio leading gentle and beginners yoga courses

ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT AT THERESA PARK WEIR ACCESS ROAD THERESA

PARK, NSW

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Registration of Interest

WSP Australia Pty Ltd has commissioned Austral Archaeology Pty Ltd (Austral) to undertake an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment (ACHA) in regard to a proposed upgrade to the Theresa Park Weir Access Road at Lot 1 DP87998, Theresa Park, NSW. On behalf of the proponent, Austral wishes to consult Aboriginal people to assist with a cultural heritage assessment which may result in an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP). Consultation is required to assist the Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) in his or her consideration of the application. Consultation will be accordance with the DPC’s Consultation Requirements 2010. Parties with cultural knowledge relevant to the significance of Aboriginal object(s) and/or place(s) are invited to register their interest. More information about the project will be provided after registration.

For more information please contact:

ALEX GARRETT

GRADUATE, ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING

WSP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

LEVEL 2, 121 MARCUS CLARKE ST

CANBERRA ACT 2601

Phone: 0449 253 999

Email: alex.garrett@wsp.com

To register, please contact PETA RICE

ARCHAEOLOGIST

AUSTRAL ARCHAEOLOGY

SHOP 1/ 148 TONGARRA RD

ALBION PARK, NSW 2527

Phone: 0478 731 907

Email: petar@australarch.com.au

Registration closes 26/01/2023

especially for the festival.

According to Clear, lynegar yoga is perfect for seniors, with smaller class sizes allowing for extra time to work out supports and alterations for participants.

“As we age, it is important to keep joints mobile, and to maintain and improve balance. Yoga also offers an opportunity for self-acceptance and to come to terms with the ageing process,” she said.

“Lyengar yoga is accessible to all body types

Mayor’s News

The weekly views of Penrith’s Mayor

2023 Seniors Festival is here!

The Seniors Comedy Gala is back for its second year as part of Council’s Seniors Festival celebrations for 2023.

We’re proud to host this free comedy show in partnership with Comedy for a Cause alongside The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre once again. Join us on Tuesday, February 7 from 10.30am — or earlier for morning tea at 9.45am before the show. The event is free, and bookings are open at penrith.city/events.

The Seniors Festival 2023 commences on Wednesday, February 1 and concludes on Sunday, February 12, and Council has a great series of events and activities planned for our local senior residents aged 50 and over to enjoy with their friends and family.

There’s something for everyone at the festival, from cooking classes and informative workshops about aged care costs and using technology to interactive activities such as chair yoga, story time with grandparents and a great author talk.

The festival is a real opportunity to

and ages. With the use of props to support the body where needed, we can keep our bodies moving in a safe, supportive environment.”

The courses are to be held over five weeks on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.

“For the seniors festival we chose to offer our two 10am classes because it’s such a lovely time to practice yoga,” Clear said.

For more information on what’s on offer during NSW Seniors Festival, visit nsw.gov. au/seniors-festival.

acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of the senior members of our community who have helped build the strong and vibrant City we are today. This year’s Seniors Festival focuses on “celebrating together”, a theme Council believes is very important given that the last two years have made it difficult for us to come together as a community.

Our population is ageing and staying more active and engaged than ever before, and we are fortunate to have several local community organisations who provide adventure, experiences and opportunities that support healthy ageing. We thank them for their valuable contribution in running a range of activities for local seniors.

The activities and workshops are held in easy and accessible locations in the suburbs across Penrith.

For more information or to register for the workshops, visit penrith.city/events.

CR TRICIA HITCHEN Mayor of Penrith

LOOKING FOR A PAPER?

Did you know there’s a number of ways to get your hands on a copy of the Western Weekender each week?

Head to www.westernweekender.com.au/ getapaper to find out how you can make sure you never miss out.

Penrith Yoga Studio is participating in the NSW Seniors Festival. Digital Literacy Foundation members.

Llandilo toddler’s brave cancer fight

CASSIDY PEARCE

The local community has rallied around one-and-a-half-year-old Allegra Hutton, raising over $10,000 to support her and her family through her battle with cancer.

Allegra was first diagnosed with Nephroblastoma, also known as a Wilms Tumour, on her left kidney in September 2022. For Mum Samantha Davidson, this came as a complete surprise.

“Allegra’s diagnosis was a huge shock to us,” she said.

“It was very sudden and Allegra was only 14-months-old at the time of diagnosis.”

Due to the severity and stage, Allegra required an immediate surgery to remove her kidney, though it was more complex then they initially thought. A central line was put in and on September 23, she started chemotherapy, which Allegra currently undergoes weekly, as well as radiation treatment.

In order to support Allegra through her treatment, Samantha has taken leave without pay from her job as a registered nurse, with Allegra’s father Brandon working as much as he can in an attempt to cover both medical costs and day-to-day expenses.

However, Samantha’s sister Amanda recognised quickly that this wouldn’t be enough to maintain the fight.

“When Samantha and Brandon told me about Ally’s diagnosis, I was shocked and heartbroken,” she said.

“I have been trying to support my sister as much as I could emotionally, however knew that it was becoming a struggle. After meeting a fellow oncology parent at a kids playland and sharing what was happening, she suggested to create a GoFundMe account.”

Though she started the GoFundMe without Samantha and Brandon’s knowledge, given their hesitation to open up publicly about Allegra’s cancer journey, they eventually agreed to let her share it on social media. Little did they know how immensely positive the response would be, with over 100 donations, totalling upward of their $10,000 goal.

“I am so thankful everyone in the community has rallied around them during their time of need,” Amanda said.

“Samantha and Brandon have been surprised with how quickly it was shared on social media and all the donations, but super grateful as it will help so much in supporting Ally in her journey to kicking cancer’s butt!”

Samantha agreed with the sentiment, sharing how amazed she has been by the support of the community.

“We are overwhelmed and shocked at how much has been donated, it has become so much bigger than we ever imagined it would,” she said.

Donate here: https://bit.ly/3HrfqcC.

BUILDERS/INSTALLERS

We are looking for an experienced fitter, eave cut back carpenter, builder for carports, pergolas and sunrooms to join our well established building team. Ideally, you would have 5+ years experience building similar structures and are ready to hit the ground running. We have a steady stream of work available.

Must have own: transport & tools, workers compensation, pty business and public liability

This is a full time position with excellent remuneration.

Contact Robert, Production Manager on 0410 536 191

DESIGN CONSULTANT

Due to growth and increased demand, we are seeking a sales professional to join our well established team.

The right candidate will be dynamic, with a proven, extensive sales background. Must be focused, confident and self motivated with great skills.

Previous experience within the home improvement industry highly desirable but not essential if you are a quick learner or have good building knowledge base.

This is a full time position with excellent remuneration.

Contact William, Sales Manager on 0425 301 341

Allegra Hutton continues her brave fight against cancer.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Do you ever wonder about the history behind the street signs we look at every day?

Woodriff Street in Penrith is named after Captain Daniel Woodriff who was granted 1000 acres in 1804 by Governor Philip Gidley King. This land covered what is today the main business area of Penrith.

If you know the meaning of a street name in the Penrith LGA, email emily@ westernweekender.com.au.

Source: A History of the Nepean and District Street Names compiled by Lorna Parr.

Δ Thai favourite closes: Penrith’s Chilli Jam Thai at Westfield Penrith (pictured above) has closed its doors. “After years of providing delicious home-style cooking and a welcoming atmosphere, Chilli Jam Penrith is sadly closing its doors,” a social media post from the restaurant said. “Although we mourn the end of this era, we must take some time to celebrate all that this wonderful establishment has given us. We thank all of the staff, chefs and customers for their hard work, support and dedication!” The restaurant has been open for several years as part of the Riley Street restaurant precinct, and initially survived the COVID-19 pandemic

shutdown. A new Thai restaurant, Thai Thae, recently opened inside Westfield Penrith.

Δ Poles gets upgrade: The very popular Poles Patisserie has closed, but never fear, it’ll be back soon. The store at Nepean Village is shut for renovations and will open again in the next few weeks.

Δ Popular cafe is back: Palais Royale has announced that Café Royale in Katoomba has re-opened. Having closed since lockdown, Café Royale re-opens as a signature feature to the 18th century landmark hotel. Café Royale boasts a boutique dining area

Δ Opening date set: Brisket Boys has confirmed their long-awaited opening date. The barbecue restaurant will open on Saturday, February 11 from 11am. There will be a great variety of meats, sandwiches and sides plus live music, giveaways, pickleball and more. Brisket Boys will be located at 2115 Castlereagh Road, Penrith.

Δ New restaurant: Ocean Treasure Asian Dining has confirmed it will be opening at Club Blacktown on February 20.

within the hotel foyer as well as casual dining in the Café Lounge. An outdoor alfresco dining space is available for guests to enjoy the natural surrounds of the Palais Royale (pictured below).

Festival aims to bring wellness to the west with inaugural event

CASSIDY PEARCE

Wellness means something different to everyone – staying fit, eating healthy, or even maintaining a self-care routine at home. This March, a new festival coming to Panthers will be wrapping it all up in one place.

Run by local business owners, Hayley Ashe and Vicky Bekfi, Riverside Yoga and Wellness Festival is a one-day event aiming to introduce participants to the concept of holistic wellness.

Having both been in their respective industries for a number of years, with Ashe a breathwork facilitator and Bekfi a yoga teacher, the two came up with the idea to hold the festival whilst facilitating at another.

“We facilitated at a festival down in Ulladulla,” Ashe said.

“After that, we came together and we just knew that Penrith needed something like that, and that we were more than capable of doing it. I think we just trusted that it was meant to be.”

Held from 8.30am on Saturday, March 11, the festival will consist of four rooms of back-toback workshops, ranging from yoga to sound healing and life coaching seminars with facilitators from all over western Sydney, as well as market stalls and activities in the main

foyer. In order to provide as many people with the festival’s benefits as possible, the pair have ensured that each workshop is accessible no matter your age or ability.

“It’s really for anybody who is feeling called to either try something new or to expand their minds and horizons – physically, even someone who can’t move can come to this event,” Bekfi said.

Ashe agreed with the sentiment.

“We have classes like chair yoga, which is

more accessible for the elderly, disabled or injured,” she said.

“Our facilitators will all be offering something from beginner-friendly to advanced. We really do want to open it to a broad variety of people.”

In addition to helping people along in their wellness journeys, one of the festival’s key goals is to combat the constantly rising mental health statistics in Penrith.

“We want to see young people who have

grown up in disadvantaged homes be taught how to emotionally regulate and make the right decisions, we want to see men not have to result in suicide to deal with their problems, and we want to see women be able to empower one another rather than pull each other apart because they’re in pain,” Bekfi said.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, it’s probably not going to happen in our lifetimes, but Rome wasn’t built in a day, and this festival is a start to a legacy in a way. Not of our legacy, but this vision of seeing a better community.”

With the wellness industry already thriving in other parts of the state, the two are ecstatic to finally be bringing it to their hometown.

“There’s so much of this stuff in the city and so much up the Mountains – it’s like the train just never stopped in western Sydney for it, because there’s just such a gap here. That’s why we were both so passionate about it being in Penrith,” Ashe said.

Bekfi shared their excitement to see the community come together.

“The best of humanity is coming out for an event like this. With the amount of love and compassion that is not only being put into this event, but that everyone is going to bring into this event, that will be absorbed and rippled into the world. At the end of the day, that’s the ultimate mission.”

For more information about the festival, visit rywfestival.com.au.

Hayley Ashe and Vicky Bekfi. Photo: Melinda Jane.

The Black Stump restaurant was an iconic part of Penrith for many years, situated on Station Street as part of the Nepean Village precinct.

The restaurant featured plenty of memorable dishes. Steak with Diane sauce; Jacket potato; a red fire engine for the kids and something a little harder for Mum and Dad. What about the bacon wrapped prawns?

Promotional material for the Black Stump in the 1990s read: “Black Stump Restaurants cater for the whole family, providing quality service, great steak dishes and fine wine”.

After its closure in Penrith, a number of Black Stump restaurants stayed open, before the chain eventually entirely closed.

In the mid 2000s, numerous attempts were made to revive the iconic chain, but ultimately the Black Stump dream disappeared.

(Photo thanks to Penrith City Library)

A fresh approach to real estate

Urban Land Housing (Urban) is proud to announce the launch of their newest office in Glenmore Park, which officially opened its doors earlier this month, marking the 12th premises for their network of Residential Sales and Property Management specialists.

Founded by CEO Christopher Lowry, one of Sydney’s most accomplished property professionals, Urban focuses on a fresh new approach to real estate across the frontline expansion areas of Greater Sydney specialising in real estate, property management and project marketing.

With over 20 years’ experience Urban have consistently grown every year since, with a total of 14 offices scheduled for operation by 2023. They now cover regions from Sydney’s Northwest and Southwest to the Illawarra and Hunter, with a sales force of over 100 people along with 1000+ properties under management.

Mr Lowry comments: “The key to our success is our unique ‘Paddock to Property Management’ model, which sees our team deliver end-to-end real estate services from Research and Project

Marketing to Residential Sales and Property Management in the major release growth areas and development corridors of Sydney as well as regional areas. Dedicated to implementing new and innovative marketing strategies driven by technology and research, Urban benefits from a fully engaged group of energetic, knowledgeable agents, world-class offices and advanced processes that deliver outstanding results. Leveraging off our successes and volume of sales, our goal is to provide a lifetime of services to both owners and investors across the whole of New South Wales, and I’m delighted to bring this vision to life while planning for significant growth.

“I’m thrilled to have such an incredible team for the opening of Glenmore Park, including sales agents Aaron Pendleton and Shaun Millwood, and with Investment Relations Manager Joseph Fava heading up a comprehensive Property Management and leasing team. All three are born and bred in Sydney’s west, so this is a particularly proud moment for them to be back and servicing the local community they are so passionate about.

Urban has sold more than 5,000 properties over the last five years and has an impressive list of clients including major public and private

clients. However, Mr Lowry said that the opening of this office is a terrific way they can focus on the local community to provide a real difference in the way they can expe-

rience real estate. For further information on Urban Land Housing, contact 8315 7774 or visit www.ulh.com.au. There’s a new team in town!

“It’s a very exciting period ahead!”

HS&E Administrator

(MATERNITY LEAVE CONTRACT)

Health, Safety & Environmental Administrator

An Industrial Protective Coatings company located in Mulgrave NSW requires an individual to fulfil a Maternity leave Contract for a HS&E Administrator position. This position is a Full time position – Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Estimated commencement approximately early 2023 through to February 2024

Essential skills and abilities are:

• Minimum of Certificate IV in WHS

• Experience in Environmental Systems and Procedures

• Strong computer skills – Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint

• Accuracy and attention to detail

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skill

The successful applicant must:

• Be enthusiastic, self-motivated, flexible and adaptable

• Possess a strong work ethic, ability to work independently and as an effective team member, and interact with all levels of management and staff

• Have the willingness and ability to work within existing systems/procedures

Knowledge, qualifications and experience in the following areas would be an advantage:

• A sound understanding of WHS and Environmental legislation and codes of practice

• Managing health, safety & environmental risks in the construction sector, including conducting risk assessments and site inspections, delivering site inductions and toolbox talks, preparing Project Safety Management Plans and SWMS,CEMP, conducting incident investigations, implementing corrective actions and improvement initiatives

• Working with certified WHS management systems to ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 Environmental

This role is based in our office in Mulgrave with site visits incorporated as required. Good communication skills, work ethic and a current driver’s licence is essential.

Please forward your resume to Jenny at employment@abrasiveblasting.com.au

BUSINESS

WITH HANNAH STACK • WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS CENTRE • 4721 5011

Organic SEO Fundamentals every small business owner can do!

SEO… Search Engine Optimisation, have you heard of it? As a small business owner, you most likely have, but understanding it needs a whole course on its own. Well fortunately there are lots of courses and information out there, including MOZ SEO Fundamentals and Niel Patel’s SEO Podcast which can be useful for small business owners looking to go it alone.

For those business owners out there, that see the value of SEO to target and capture local and area specific traffic. Think of it like this… A potential customer types in a search terms, also referred to as ‘keywords’ into Google i.e. ‘Electrician near me’, ‘Marketing Consultant Hawkesbury’, Your website based on the SEO work you have done, may or may not appear for this search query.

Try it now > Open an incognito mode on chrome and type in [Profession] [Suburb], what appears? Does your website appear? Who does?

There are a lot of SEO techniques which all influence where your website ranks for specific search terms and locally. However, there are some basics small business owners can do as part of their marketing campaign to start the process.

Citations – Listing your business on FREE Directory listing with high Domain Authority

Look for local council and government business directories to list your business. Other sites include Yellow Pages, Yelp, True

Local, Hot Frog. It is important you list all the same business details from your website on each of these listings, as well as a great description that has keywords. If you would like a full list of high Domain Authority citations and a template for completing a description, please contact us!

Google My Business

Is your Google My Business up-to-date? Do you have a GMB? If not, we recommend setting one up. For service businesses you can hide your address. Ensure you have used all the Google My Business features including posts, website link, adding any updates, products/services and opening times.

Keywords

Reviewing your website with keywords is an important step with SEO, including using key suburbs which you are trying to target for example Marketing Agency Hawkesbury or Marketing Consultant Baulkham Hills. All the above recommendations assist in building your presence and website traffic.

CULT ‘90S FLICK HITS THE STAGE

Highlighting the secret lives of Upper East Siders in a provocative and thrilling love story, ‘Cruel Intentions’ has become nothing short of a cult classic. Now, the antics of Kathryn, Sebastian and Annette are coming to the stage in ‘Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical’.

‘Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical’ first hit the Riverside Theatre stage in 2022, where it experienced an incredibly successful premiere season.

For Kelsey Halge, who stars in Reese Witherspoon’s original role of Annette, this made her professional debut even more special.

“There were certainly big shoes to fill, playing Reese Witherspoon, but Annette was one of Reese Witherspoon’s first leading roles, and is also my first leading role, so I think that comparison is really cool,” she said.

“The 2022 season was amazing. It was incredible to be able to recreate some of the most memorable moments from the film, but also to poke fun at the ‘90s, and raise some thought-provoking questions through a new lens.”

Kelsey noted that what really brought her on board was the killer music featured in the production, with 21 iconic ‘90s hits woven throughout. During the musical’s last season, this was also a stand-out for audiences, as the sounds of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and No Doubt had everyone up from their

seats from start to finish.

“Audiences were dancing and singing in the aisles with us, and I’ve never experienced that in a theatre production, so it was amazing,” she said.

“I think the music is really what brings the audience in, we’ve got a mix of the best ‘90s pop and grunge.”

The 2023 version of the musical, which will kick off in February, comes with some changes from the previous version, as a new company and primarily new cast take on the task of bringing the Hollywood film to life.

“It’s a whole new show, which is really awesome, because intentions are different, and there’s different people on stage,” Kelsey said.

“That’s been really fun to play with and I think it’s really shifted our show, so even if you

have seen the 2022 version, you’re still able to come and have an enjoyable night out at the theatre with the 2023 version.”

Though she admits the more serious matter in the show might not be appropriate for your little ones, Kelsey said everyone will find something to love about the show – especially ‘90s babies, who will be treated to the ultimate throwback experience.

“If you’re a ‘90s baby, you are going to absolutely love the music in there, because it is a jukebox musical, but every song that’s written in there is really helping to progress the story,” she said.

‘Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical’ will be on at Riverside Theatres from February 2 to February 12. Tickets start at $75. To book, visit riversideparramatta.com.au.

CASSIDY PEARCE

THINGS TO DO

Fish for fun at the Regatta Centre

Head to the Regatta Centre on Tuesday, January 31 for their weekly ‘catch and release’ fishing session with barbless hooks. The family event will be held from 9am to 3pm, with friendly volunteers who can assist with pointing out the best spots and teaching participants about responsible catch and release practices at the scenic Penrith Lakes.

BARGAIN BUYS

Op Shop at Kingswood

Thursdays and Fridays, 9am to 3.30pm. Kingswood Anglican Church, corner of Bringelly Road and Second Avenue, Kingswood.

Morning tea every Friday morning.

Penrith Markets Wednesdays. Penrith Showground.

BUSINESS

Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce Regular events.

For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit www.penrithchamber.org.au.

CLASSES AND FUN

Sunset Station Singers

Mondays 7pm, St Marys RSL. Rhonda 0408 218 965.

The Sunset Station Singers entertain residents mainly in nursing homes. The song list is over 130 songs, ranging from their old time favourites to more current songs.

Free weekly Tai Chi classes

Saturdays 4.30pm, WSU Kingswood Campus. Guan 0422 120 738.

Tai chi and qiqong exercise.

Finish off the school holidays by paying a visit to Penrith Regional Gallery to see some of their newest exhibitions. One of the highlights is ‘New Digs’, an exhibition of artworks by No Boundaries, a group that inspires people who live with disability to experience the power of creativity. For more information, visit penrithregionalgallery.com.au.

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Penrith Rotary Club

Mondays 6.30pm. 0416 157 668. New members welcome. The Rotary Club generally meets at Penrith Bowling Club.

Penrith Lions Club

Second and fourth Monday of the month. Penrith Bowling Club. 4736 1546. For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit the Lions on Facebook.

Nepean Riverlands Probus Club

Second Wednesday of the month at 10am. Rowers Club, Bruce Neale Dr. New members welcome.

Jordan Springs Probus Club

Fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am, Jordan Springs Hub. 0402 699 611.

Penrith Hospital Auxiliary Craft stall at Nepean Hospital on the second Tuesday of each month from 9am-2pm. Volunteers needed. Call Helen on 4572 5244.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

JP Service

Tuesday and Thursday 9am-5pm. 7/458-470 High Street, Penrith.

JP Service

Victor Glanville – 0416 157 668.

Nepean Food Services

Interactive fun at Western Sydney Airport

Western Sydney International Airport’s Experience Centre will be wrapping up their school holiday program this weekend.

Having had a new theme each week of the holidays, this week is centred around aviation, and includes activities which will see children building and assembling a paper plane or a 3D wooden plane. Head to westernsydney.com.au for details.

Penrith Stroke Recovery Group

Third Thursday of the month at 10am, Panthers. 1300 650 594.

Delivered meals available to purchase for those over 65 or with a disability. Call 4733 7200 for details or visit www.nepeanfoodservices.org.au.

MUSEUMS

Penrith Museum of Printing Sundays from 10am. Penrith Paceway. 0415 625 573 for more information.

Nepean Naval Museum Open Sundays 11am-3pm. 40-42 Bruce Neale Drive. 0411 138 700. The Nepean Naval Museum opened in 2014 and is the area’s first museum dedicated to the naval forces. The Museum houses a collection of Naval forces memorabilia.

Arms of Australia Inn Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am-1pm, 4735 4394. 127 Gardenia Avenue, Emu Plains. A great place to discover the local history of Penrith

SUPPORT GROUPS

Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays 6pm. 1300 222 222.

Gamblers Anonymous Mondays 7.30pm. 0433 018 484.

Penrith Carer Support Group

First Thursday of the month. Headspace. 8880 8160.

Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk Thursdays from 5.30pm. Meet at Coffee Club Nepean River.

Nepean Puffers & Wheezers 1800 654 301.

Penrith Women’s Health Centre Domestic violence support services. 4721 2499.

Relationships Australia Counselling for individuals, couples and families. Domestic violence support group also available. 1300 364 277. 2/606 High St, Penrith.

Crisis Sexual Assault Service 24/7 support available for any sexual assault that has occurred in the last seven days. 4734 2000.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.

‘New Digs’ at Penrith Regional Gallery

Multi award-winning performer, Darren Coggan, will be returning to his country roots with a new show at Blue Mountains Theatre on Saturday, February 4.

According to many, John Denver was to the ‘70s, what Sinatra was to the ‘40s, Elvis to the ‘50s and The Beatles to the ‘60s. Melting the borders between country, pop and folk music, Denver’s music offered a warm, welcoming vision of what the ‘70s could encompass with a voice full of Colorado sunshine.

Now, in his show ‘The Poems, Prayers &

Promises of John Denver’, Coggan will be bringing Denver’s songs back to the stage.

The show will be a display of Coggan’s own personal reflection, respectfully honouring the indelible voice of anthems such as ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’, ‘Rocky Mountain High’, ‘Annie’s Song’, ‘Perhaps Love’, ‘Thank God I’m A Country Boy’, ‘Calypso’, ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’ and many more.

For fans of Coggan or of Denver, this incredible show is not to be missed.

‘The Poems, Prayers & Promises of John Denver’, starring Darren Coggan will be on at Blue Mountains Theatre on Saturday, February 4 at 7.30pm. Tickets are $65. For more information or to book, visit bluemountainstheatre.com.au.

On Saturday, February 11, three of Sydney Comedy Club’s top comedians will be heading to Riverside Theatre for a night of belly laughs that can’t be missed.

In February’s edition of the monthly event, Aussie comedy royalty Neel Kolhatkar, Christina Van Look (pictured) and Gavin Scott will be taking the Rafferty Theatre stage.

Neel Kolhatkar has been in the comedy game for over 10 years, with performances all over he world, including numerous festival runs, and sold out shows at the Enmore Theatre.

Known best for his series, ‘Crossing the Line’, Kolhatkar has accumulated millions of followers across his social media platforms

who love him for his short films, sketches and podcasts.

Christina Van Look has also been on the comedy scene for over a decade, having performed at several famous New York comedy clubs, on Foxtel, and on a number of comedy cruises. With her humour ranging from self-deprecating bitingly sardonic, she’s sure to deliver something for everyone.

Gavin Scott is a fringe festival regular and a Sydney local who’s best known for his clever and thought-provoking material. But, audiences beware, he is also a seasoned Roast Battler, having previously been crowned the Roast Battle champion for Sydney.

With a line-up like this, audiences are guaranteed a dose of the funnies!

Sydney Comedy Club – February will be on at Riverside Theatre on Saturday, February 11 at 8.30pm. To book, visit riversideparramatta.com.au.

With all the usual fast-paced action, wit and snappy one-liners of most of his movies, Guy Ritchie’s ‘Operation Fortune’ delivers an action ride with plenty of laughs, a dose of violence and a reasonable storyline.

Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) runs a covert operations group, and while on holidays he’s tasked by his wine-loving handler Nathan (Cary Elwes) to get a stolen piece of technology off the market.

Problem is, nobody knows what this piece of technology is, how dangerous it may be or quite how to get it back.

Fortune puts together a team to stop this mystery tech (called The Handle) getting into the hands of billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant).

Key to the team is movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett), who could well be

Simmonds’ Achilles’ heel given his love of celebrities. Francesco eventually warms to the idea of playing himself, and it results in some of the movie’s best scenes.

But the real star of ‘Operation Fortune’ is Aubrey Plaza, of ‘White Lotus’ fame, who plays computer expert Sarah.

Plaza gets the best lines, and plays Sarah with her usual dry, almost smarty-pants attitude. She certainly lifts the film from three to four stars on her own.

There’s plenty of twists and turns here, as you’d expect from a Guy Ritchie flick, but the storyline is generally predictable and the ending is a little bland.

But with plenty of shoot-em-up moments, some great action scenes and a fast pace, ‘Operation Fortune’ never feels boring.

– Troy Dodds

movies at...

www.hoyts.com.au

Ê Some flamin’ good news for ‘Home and Away’ fans this week with the show’s longest serving cast member, Ray Meagher, signing a new five-year contract. The Alf Stewart character has been on our screens since the soap’s very first episode way back in 1988. Meagher even holds a Guinness World Record for being the longest-serving actor in an Australian serial. ‘Home and Away’, which returns soon, celebrates 35 years in 2023.

Ê New Netflix documentary ‘Pamela: A Love Story’ will premiere this Tuesday. An intimate and humanising portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells, ‘Pamela: A Love Story’ follows the trajectory of Pamela Anderson’s life and career from small town girl to international sex symbol, actress, activist and doting mother.

MARCH 1 THE MANDALORIAN, DISNEY+

Ê One of my favourites shows of the last few years, ‘The Mandalorian’ returns to Disney+ on Wednesday, March 1. The third season stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito. The new trailer dropped last week and it’s spectacular!

Ê Apple TV+ is launching a global music competition ‘My Kind of Country’, designed to break the next big country star. 2021’s CMA New Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen, Grammy nominee Mickey Guyton and country recording artist Orville Peck will scout the globe and invite them to Nashville, Tennessee. The winner will receive a life-changing prize from Apple Music, receiving “unprecedented support and exposure on the platform”. Reese Witherspoon and Kacey Musgraves are also featured in the series. ‘My Kind of Country’ kicks off on Friday, March 24.

Ê Morning Wars actor Billy Crudup will star in Apple TV’s ‘Hello Tomorrow!’ next month, a new 10-episode dramedy set in

a retro-future world that centres around a group of travelling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Crudup stars as Jack, a salesman of great talent and ambition, whose unshakable faith in a brighter tomorrow inspires his co-workers, revitalises his desperate customers, but threatens to leave him dangerously lost in the very dream that sustains him. The first three episodes drop on Friday, February 17 and continue weekly.

Ê 9Now horror series ‘Chucky’ has been renewed for a third season. You can watch the first two gruesome, and at times cheesy, seasons on the free streamer.

Ê Fans will be very excited to learn that the second season of lavish period drama ‘Hotel Portofino’ will premiere on FOX Showcase and Binge on Sunday, February 12. Set on the Italian Riviera in the 1920s, ‘Hotel Portofino’ tells the story of the Ainsworth family that has relocated to Italy to set up a quintessentially British hotel in the beautiful town of Portofino.

A fresh and contemporary design welcomes guests in the heart of Parramatta. The Holiday Inn & Suites Parramatta Marsden Street boasts 37 rooms & suites, and is located on Marsden Street, steps away from Parramatta Station & Westfield Parramatta.

Easily accessible from both Sydney Airport & Sydney CBD, it is ideally placed to suit business or leisure visitors to Parramatta.

Nathan Taylor

6:00 News Breakfast 9:00 ABC News 10:00

Searching For Superhuman 11:00 Australia Remastered 12:00 ABC News 12:55 Les Miserables (PG) 1:55 The Big Blue 2:45 Back Roads (PG) 3:15 Gardening Australia 4:15 Long Lost Family (PG) 5:00 Australian Story (PG) 5:30 Hard Quiz (PG) 6:00 The Drum 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Monty Don’s Adriatic Gardens 8:30 Endeavour (M) 10:00 The Accident (MA15+) 10:50 ABC Late News 11:10 Parkinson In Australia (PG)

TV Guide: January 27 – February 2

Your guide to the week’s television viewing

6:00 Sunrise 9:00 The Morning Show 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 Movie: “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” (M d,s,v) (’13) Stars: Steve Carell 2:00 Beach Cops (PG) 2:30 Border Security International (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Cricket: BBL: Final: Teams TBA *Live* 11:00 Movie: “The Book Of Eli” (MA15+) (’10) Stars: Denzel Washington 1:30 Home Shopping

3:30 Scrap Kings (PG) 4:30 Demolition NZ (PG) 5:30 American Restoration (PG) 6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Alita: Battle Angel” (M l,v) (’19) Stars: Rosa Salazar 10:05 Movie: “Just Cause” (M) (’95)

6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra Summer 11:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Pre Show 12:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Day Session *Live* 4:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Afternoon Session *Live* 6:00 NINE News 7:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Pre Show 7:30 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Night Session *Live* 11:00 New Amsterdam (M) 12:00 Family Law (M) 1:00 Our State On A Plate 1:30 Home Shopping

3:30 The Goldbergs (PG) 4:30 My Name Is Earl (PG) 5:00 The Simpsons (PG) 6:00 Movie: “The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants 2” (PG) (’08) Stars: America Ferrera 8:30 Movie: “Wild Wild West” (PG) (’99) Stars: Will Smith

6:05 The Adventures Of Paddington 6:30 Spicks And Specks 7:30 Hard Quiz (PG) 8:30 Movie: “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” (M) (’98) Stars: Jennifer Love Hewitt 10:15 Doctor Who (PG) 11:00 Death In Paradise (M)

4:30 Spartakus And The Sun Beneath The Sea 5:00 Our Stories 5:30 NITV News: Nula 6:00 Bamay 6:40 Land Of Primates (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Emu Runner” (M) (’18) Stars: RhaeKye Waites 9:10 Bedtime Stories (PG)

6:00 The Cook And The Chef 6:30 Come Dine With Me Daytime 7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00 This Is Mexico 8:30 Heston’s Feasts 9:30 River Cottage Australia 10:35 The Wine Show

8:00 Everyday Gourmet 8:30 Entertainment Tonight (PG) 9:00 Judge Judy (PG) 9:30 The Bold & The Beautiful (PG) 10:00 Studio 10 (PG) 12:00 10 News First 1:00 Dr Phil (M) 2:00 Jamie’s Ultimate Veg 3:00 Entertainment Tonight (PG) 3:30 Judge Judy (PG) 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 The Bold & The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 The Graham Norton Show (M) 9:30 Jimeoin: Ramble On (M) 11:00 The Project (PG)

12:00 MacGyver (PG) 2:00 Diagnosis Murder (PG) 3:00 Waltzing Jimeoin 3:30 The Love Boat (PG) 4:30 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 6:30 Scorpion (PG) 7:30 Bull (M) 8:30 NCIS (PG) 9:25 NCIS: Los Angeles (PG)

5:15 Shortland Street 5:45 The Joy Of Painting With Bob Ross 6:15 Forged In Fire (PG) 7:05 Jeopardy! 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 Hoarders (M) 9:25 The Dangerous Rise Of Andrew Tate (PG)

5:00 Worldwatch 9:05 Craft It Yourself 10:05 Beyond The Beaten Path (PG) 11:05 Great Canal Journeys (PG) 12:00 Worldwatch 2:05 Great House Revival 3:00 NITV News: Nula 3:35 Where Are You Really From? (PG) 4:05 Who Do You Think You Are? (PG) 5:05 Jeopardy! 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Scotland: A Wild Year (PG) 8:30 Inside Central Station (PG) 9:25 Undeniable: The Truth To Remember (PG)

11:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 12:30 Frasier (PG) 1:30 Seinfeld (PG) 3:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 4:00 Becker (PG) 5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Two And A Half Men (M)

4:30 Everybody Loves Raymond (PG) 5:30 WIN News 6:00 Movie: “Earth To Echo” (PG) (’14) Stars: Teo Halm 7:45 Movie: “Madagascar” (PG) (’05) Stars: Tom McGrath 9:30 Movie: “Last Vegas” (M l,s) (’13) Stars: Kevin Kline 11:35 Alphas (M)

4:00 Blog Cabin 4:30 Beachfront Bargain Hunt 5:00 Island Of Bryan 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 7:30 Yard Crashers 8:30 Off The Grid On The Beach 9:30 Building Off The Grid

3:40 Movie: “The Big Job” (G) (’65) Stars: Sid James 5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Queens Of Mystery (M v) 8:30 Movie: “Rob Roy” (M s,v) (’95) Stars: Liam Neeson 11:20 House (M) 12:20 My Favourite Martian

Australia Day *Live* 6:30 Better Date Than Never (PG) 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Call The Midwife (M) 8:30 Midsomer Murders (M v) 10:00 Unforgotten (M l) 10:50 A Life In Ten Pictures (M l) 11:45 rage Guest Programmer (MA15+)

2:00 Escape To The Country 5:00 Seven’s Horse Racing: Rosehill/ The Valley/ Sunshine Coast *Live* 6:00 Border Patrol (PG) 6:30 The Yorkshire Vet 8:30 Escape To The Country 9:30 Escape To The Perfect Town (PG)

6:00 Sunrise 7:00 Weekend Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show (PG) 12:00 Seven’s Horse Racing: Rosehill/ The Valley/ Sunshine Coast 5:00 Seven News At 5 5:30 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Cricket: BBL: Final: Teams TBA *Live* 11:00 Movie: “Grown Ups” (PG) (’10) Stars: Adam Sandler 1:30 Home Shopping

4:30 American Restoration (PG) 5:00 Leepu And Pitbull (PG) 6:00 Last Car Garage (PG) 6:30 Secrets Of The Supercars (PG) 7:30 Air Crash Investigations (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Unhinged” (MA15+) (’20) Stars: Russell Crowe

12:00 Cybershack (PG) 12:30 Bondi Vet (PG) 1:30 Mr Mayor (PG) 2:00 Explore 2:15 Movie: “Yours, Mine And Ours” (PG) (’05) Stars: Dennis Quaid 4:00 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Pre Show 5:00 NINE News: First At Five 5:30 Country House Hunters Australia 6:00 NINE News 6:30 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Pre Show 7:30 Tennis: Australian Open Tennis: Night Session *Live* 12:00 New Amsterdam (M) 1:00 Family Law (M)

2:30 Movie: “The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants 2” (PG) (’08) Stars: America Ferrera 5:00 Movie: “The Good Dinosaur” (PG) (’15) Stars: Jeffrey Wright 7:00 Movie: “A Dog’s Purpose” (PG) (’17) Stars: Josh Gad

6:05 The Adventures Of Paddington 6:30 Spicks And Specks 7:30 Whose Line Is It Anyway? (PG) 8:15 Live At The Apollo (MA15+) 9:00 Russell Howard Stands Up To The World (MA15+) 9:45 The Set (M l) 10:20 Doctor Who (PG)

6:20 Kriol Kitchen 6:50 NITV News Update 7:00 Family Rules 7:30 Call Of The Baby Beluga (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai” (MA15+) (’99) Stars: Forest Whitaker (In English/ French) 10:30 MilpirriWinds Of Change (PG)

6:30 Tiny Kitchen Cook Off 7:00 Nigellissima 7:30 The Zimmern List 8:30 Hairy Biker’s Route 66 9:40 Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown 10:35 Restaurants On The Edge 11:30 Freddie Fries Down Under 1:30 Ainsley’s Good Mood Food

9:00 Planet Shapers 9:30 Good Chef Bad Chef 10:00 Studio 10: Saturday (PG) 12:00 Beyond The Fire: Resilience 1:00 Bondi Rescue (PG) 1:30 All 4 Adventure (PG) 2:30 Planet Shapers 3:00 What’s Up Down Under 3:30 Cook It With Luke 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 Taste Of Australia With Hayden Quinn 5:00 10 News First 6:00 Bondi Rescue (PG) 6:30 Jamie Oliver - Together 7:30 NCIS: Los Angeles (M v) 8:30 FBI: International (M v) 10:30 NCIS (M l) 12:30 Home Shopping

2:00 A-Leagues All Access 2:30 Escape Fishing With ET 3:00 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 4:00 Scorpion (PG) 5:00 JAG (PG) 7:00 Football: Round 14: Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers *Live* 10:15 MacGyver (M)

4:35 Mastermind Australia 5:35 Dynamo: Magician Impossible (PG) 6:30 Adam Eats The 80s 7:30 Impossible Engineering (PG) 8:35 The Last Overland: Singapore To London 9:25 The Story Of (PG) 10:45 High Society (MA15+)

10:00 Friends (PG) 10:50 The Bachelors Australia (PG) 4:30 Friends (PG) 6:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 10:15 Friends (PG) 12:15 Home Shopping 1:45 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) 2:40 Charmed (PG)

3:20 Movie: “Waiting For The Light” (PG) (’90) Stars: Teri Garr 5:15 About A Boy (PG) 5:45 Movie: “Aliens In The Attic” (PG) (’09) Stars: Ashley Tisdale 7:30 Movie: “Blended” (M s) (’14) Stars: Adam Sandler

9:00 Good Chef Bad Chef 9:30

(PG)

(PG) 2:00

(PG)

3:30 Island Of Bryan 4:30 Holmes Family Rescue 5:30 Yard Crashers 6:30 Building Off The Grid (PG) 7:30 Escape To The Chateau 8:30 House Hunters USA 9:30 House Hunters International 10:30 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation

5:00 Worldwatch 9:10 Blue Water Safari 10:10 Love Your Garden (PG) 11:05 Paul O’Grady For The Love Of Animals 12:00 Worldwatch 2:15 Pluto: Back From The Dead 3:25 Happy Birthday Hubble (PG) 4:35 Secret Scotland 5:30 WWII: Battles For Europe (PG) 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Extreme Railway Journeys (PG) 8:30 The Queen At War (PG) 9:30 Britain By Beach (PG) 10:25 Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman (M) 11:15 The Responder (M d,l) Saturday 28 January

(MA15+)

Years

nudity,

Cycling: Santos Tour Down Under Full (v) violence Get Macca’s® the western weekender » 36 Friday, January 27, 2023

12:00 ABC News 12:55 Vera (M) 2:40 Back Roads (PG) 3:10 Gardening Australia 4:10

Long Lost Family (PG) 5:00 Australian Story 5:30 Hard Quiz (PG) 6:00 The Drum 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 (PG) 8:00 Back Roads 8:30 Four Corners 9:15 Media Watch 9:35 Q+A (PG) 10:35 ABC Late News 10:55

Midsomer Murders (M v)

12:00 Movie: “The Sweetest Heart” (G) (’18)

Stars: Julie Gonzalo 2:15 Motorbike Cops (PG) 2:30 Border Security International (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 7:30 Australian Idol (PG) 9:15 Below Deck Down Under (M)

6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:30 Australia Cricket Awards *Live* 9:00 Movie: “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior” (M) (’81)

12:00 Movie: “Uptown Girls” (PG) (’03)

Stars: Brittany Murphy 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE’s

Afternoon News 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 Married At First Sight (M) 9:30 Harry And Meghan - The Great Divide (PG) 10:30 NINE News Late 11:00 The Equalizer (M)

6:30 The Simpsons (PG) 7:35 Family Guy (M s) 8:00 American Dad (M) 8:30 Ramsay’s 24 Hours To Hell And Back (MA15+)

7:30 David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef 8:30 Long Lost Family (PG) 9:15 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces 10:05 Australia Remastered

6:00 Bamay 6:30 NITV News Update 6:40 Land Of Primates (PG) 7:30 The Blinding Of Isaac Woodard (M) 8:30 Karla Grant Presents (PG)

12:00 10 News First 1:00 Dr Phil

The Bachelors Australia (PG) 3:40

Entertainment Tonight (PG) 4:00 Fork 4:30 The Bold & The Beautiful 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 Australian Survivor (PG) 9:30 FBI: Most Wanted (MA15+) 11:30 The Project (PG) 12:30 The Late Show (PG)

3:30 The Love Boat (PG) 4:30 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 6:30 Scorpion (PG) 7:30 Bull (PG) 8:30 NCIS (M)

Numbers 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Darcey Bussell’s Royal Roadtrip (PG) 8:30 Heritage Rescue (PG) 9:25 Secrets Of Playboy (MA15+)

5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Seinfeld (PG) 11:00 Frasier (PG) 12:00 Home Shopping 1:30 Becker (PG)

5:00 Good Bones (PG) 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 8:30 Bargain Block 9:30 Rescue My Renovation

4:30 Secrets Of The National Trust 5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Death In Paradise (PG) 8:40 TBA

12:00

1:40

Dashcam

4:30 Better Homes And Gardens 5:30 Escape To The Country 6:30 Bargain Hunt 7:30 Call The Midwife (PG) 8:45 Manhunt (M) 10:45 The Investigator (M)

6:00 American Pickers

(PG) 7:00

7:30 Would I Lie To You? (PG) 8:30 Adam Hills: The Last Leg (M) 9:10 The Trip To Greece (PG) 10:15 Bliss (MA15+) 10:45 Fleabag (M l,s) 11:10 QI (PG)

6:15 Forged In Fire (PG) 7:05 Jeopardy! 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 Trip Hazard: My Great British Adventure (M)

6:00 M*A*S*H (PG) 6:30 Everybody Loves Raymond (PG) 7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Jaws” (M l,v) (’75) Stars: Roy Scheider

5:00 Rescue My Renovation 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 7:30 Sarah Beeny’s Little House Big Plans 8:30 Our Yorkshire Farm

4:30 Secrets Of The National Trust 5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 New Tricks (PG) 8:40 The Closer (M) 9:40 Rizzoli & Isles

12:00 ABC News 12:30 National Press Club Address 1:45 Call The Midwife (PG) 2:45

Back

Roads (PG) 3:15 Gardening Australia 4:15 Long Lost Family (PG) 5:00 Australian Story (PG) 5:30 Hard Quiz (PG) 6:00 The Drum 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 (PG) 8:00

Hard

12:00 TBA 1:40 Motorbike Cops (PG) 2:00 Dog Patrol (PG) 2:30 Border Security International (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 7:30 Australian Idol (PG) 9:05 The Front Bar (M) 10:05 Kitchen Nightmares Australia (MA15+)

American Pickers

7:30

(PG) 8:45 Foyle’s War (M v) 10:55 Frankie Drake Mysteries

Wednesday 1 February 4:30 Better Homes And Gardens 5:30 Escape To The Country 6:30 Bargain Hunt 7:30

10:30

6:30 Operation Ouch! 7:00 Horrible Histories 7:35 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PG) 8:00 Supernatural Academy (PG) 8:20 Droners 6:00 ABC Evening News 7:00 ABC National News 7:30 7.30 8:00 ABC News Tonight 8:45 The Business 9:00 ABC Nightly News

6:30 The Simpsons (PG) 7:30 Family Guy (PG) 8:00 American Dad: Mine Struggle (M) 8:30 Movie: “Made Of Honor” (PG) (’08) Stars: Patrick Dempsey

7:30 Death In Paradise (M v) 8:30 Wreck (MA15+) 9:20 Crazy Fun Park (PG) 10:15 Killing Eve (MA15+) 10:55 Veneno (MA15+) 12:05 TBA

12:00 10 News First 1:00 Dr Phil (M) 2:00 Australian Survivor (PG) 3:45 Entertainment Tonight (PG) 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 The Bold & The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 Australian Survivor (PG) 9:25 Fire Country (M v) 10:15 Bull (M) 12:00 The Project (PG) 1:00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG)

4:30 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 6:30 Scorpion (PG) 7:30 Bull (M) 8:30 NCIS (M) 9:25 Hawaii Five-0 (PG)

12:00 Worldwatch 2:15 Secrets Of The Royal Gardens 3:10 Portillo’s Greatest Railway Journeys (PG) 4:05 Who Do You Think You Are? (PG) 5:05 Jeopardy! 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Incredible Canals (In English/ French) 8:35 My Grandparents’ War (PG) 9:30 Bloodlands (PG)

3:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 4:00 Becker (PG) 5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (M) 9:20 Two And A Half Men (PG)

5:00 Our Yorkshire Farm 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 7:30 Holmes Family Rescue 8:30 Home Town

Earth Cycle 8:30 Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape 9:00 Jamie’s Great Italian Escape 7:05 Jeopardy! 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 The Bloody Decade (MA15+) 9:25 Movie: “I, Tonya” (MA15+) (’18) Stars: Margot Robbie 6:00 M*A*S*H (PG) 6:30 Everybody Loves Raymond (PG) 7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Tower Heist”

Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00

Here’s the main winners from the Golden Guitar Awards, held in Tamworth last weekend:

Album of the Year: ‘Light it Up’, Casey Barnes (pictured left).

Male Artist of the Year: Andrew Swift.

Female Artist of the Year: Amber Lawrence (pictured right).

Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year: Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley.

Heritage Song of the Year: ‘South East Queensland’, Luke O’Shea.

New Talent of the Year: James Johnston.

Song of the Year: ‘Star of the Show’, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley.

Bush Ballad of the Year: ‘Out On Killarney’, Dean Perrett.

CMT Video of the Year: ‘South East Queensland’, Luke O’Shea.

Apple Music Single of the Year: ‘Memory Lane’, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley.

Top Selling Album of the Year: ‘Light it Up’, Casey Barnes.

Loren Ryan, a 28-year-old Gamilaraay woman from Tamworth was crowned the 43rd Toyota Star Maker winner during the Country Music Festival.

AQUARIUS

The stars favour communicating from the heart and saying what’s on your mind. But – with Uranus and the Full Moon loosening your tongue – resist the urge to tell tall tales and spread salacious gossip. Slow down, think things through and try to speak as tactfully as possible. It’s a wonderful week to promote a joint venture, catch up with a friend or organise a romantic rendezvous. Unhappily single? Sparks could fly with a person from another country or culture.

Venus and Neptune are in your sign, so you’ll be at your quintessential Piscean best as your creative, compassionate and spiritual sides kick into top gear. Then the weekend Full Moon highlights your ‘being of service’ and ‘helping others’ zones, as you concentrate on the needs of those around you. You’re keen to get involved with a project from behind-the-scenes but be careful you don’t get lost in a fantasy world. Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Uranus boosts your tendency to make hasty remarks and unintentional blunders, especially involving finances and friends. Remember Rams – it takes a short time to burn bridges and a lot longer to mend them. Then Sunday’s Full Moon fires up your romantic, imaginative side. So you’re in the mood for fun, creativity and lashings of love. Be inspired by Aries writer Emile Zola, “If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.”

Avoid getting stuck in a rut. Unique Uranus is still barnstorming through your sign, and this week it links up with mercurial Mercury. So it’s time to be the real you, express your authentic self, and speak your truth. Be inspired by singer and actor Harry Styles (who turns 29 on Wednesday), “I’d rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I’m not.” Tread carefully with a frustrated family member on Sunday when the Full Moon fires up your home zone.

Next Sunday’s Full Moon fires up your brain power. So it’s a good week to focus your mind, research a subject that has always fascinated you or enrol in a course of study. Mars (charging through your sign) also trines the Sun, which pushes you to pursue more adventurous options, especially involving international travel and personal goals. Your motto is from birthday great, writer James Joyce, “To learn one must be humble. But life is the great teacher.”

When it comes to sex, secrets, taxes, joint finances or close friends, expect the unexpected – especially on Saturday! So do your best to be a flexible Crab with a pliable plan. Then the fiery Full Moon (on Sunday night) shines a spotlight on self-esteem, finances, core values and trust issues. It’s also time to don your detective cap and turn on your x-ray vision, as you zero in on the cause of a lingering problem and come up with a satisfactory longterm solution.

Lions love to hog the limelight and be the centre of attention – especially when the Full Moon’s in Leo. But this week (with Saturn, Mars and the Sun activating your relationship zone) try to get the balance right between your pending needs and those of the significant people in your life. Perhaps it’s time for your lover, best friend or business partner to sparkle and shine?

With disruptive Uranus squaring the Sun (on Saturday) keep your plans flexible and open-ended.

Your days are often organised with military precision. But this week there’s a fiery Full Moon, plus Mercury (your ruling planet) links up with unpredictable Uranus. So strive to be more spontaneous as you toss your usual timetable out the window and stretch your adaptability muscles in unfamiliar directions. Whatever happens, expect the unexpected and prepare to pivot! Unhappily single? You could meet your soul mate via an introduction from a friend.

For some loyal Librans, a romance that’s been rocky (or a friendship that’s been floundering) could head off in a promising new direction. And a fresh approach sees a tricky family relationship turn around. The late week Full Moon highlights your hopes and wishes zone, so it’s a suitable time to expand (or re-visit) your goals for 2023. Don’t be half-hearted. Aim high, go for gold, and make your dreams as big and beautiful as you possibly can!

The late week Full Moon sees you swing between being sexy and secretive; and being passionate and possessive. You could also be thrust into the public spotlight, so make sure you’re putting on a good show. But are you stuck in a career slump? If you resist changes at work, then you’ll just be left behind in the backwash. Look for creative ways to adopt fresh ideas and pivot in your professional life. Aim to include loved ones and colleagues in your plans.

With restless Mars in your relationship zone and the fiery Full Moon activating your adventure zone, it’s a terrific week to travel or plan an exotic escape for some time soon. However, if you blurt out something when you’re in a rush or feeling stressed, then you’ll regret it later on! So think things through before you speak (especially with loved ones and work colleagues) and realise that the first thought that jumps into your head isn’t necessarily the best one.

Monday’s stars favour some vigorous exercise in the great outdoors. But are you worried about your current bank balance? Avoid going on a spontaneous spending spree or lending money to dubious, irresponsible people. You’re liable to make impulsive decisions based purely on your emotions (which are fluctuating courtesy of the volatile Full Moon). It is a good week for reading, writing, research,

Why you should look after your feet

Summer in Australia is nothing new to Australians. We often encounter 40 degree days with endless heatwaves and many trips to the beach. However, as the scorching days continue, this shouldn’t deter us from taking care of our feet.

The feet are body parts that people often ignore and put on the back burner, simply because they are too far from our central body and/or people find them “gross”.

Unfortunately, this has led to many problems arising and with the added factor of summer and the heat, which adds to these issues.

As a Podiatrist, we see and encounter many types of feet from different walks of life. Interestingly, we see common trends that people do and do not do that can hinder their foot health.

These are common problems that we see when summer comes around that people do not do for their feet:

Slip, slop, slap on your feet

According to the Cancer Organisation Australia, Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. At least two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Everyone is at risk of developing skin cancer with

the risk increasing as you get older. Summer or not, it is good practice to apply sunscreen daily to your legs and your feet. Even if you only wear long pants and closed shoes, the UV radiation has the ability to pass through clothing material. When used regularly, sunscreen helps prevent sunburn, skin cancer and premature ageing.

Wearing good and supportive footwear

Wearing supportive shoes should always be a daily practice, however during the summer, thongs and sandals come out to play more often due to the heat.

Commonly, spending the whole summer in thongs and sandals can lead to the development of foot pain, as your feet are not used to unsupportive walking. Swapping out your good shoes for thongs and sandals when required, i.e. at the beach, is the best way to do it. Buying yourself a pair of water shoes is a good idea when walking on the sand or in rockpools for protection. Drying out your feet after a long day is important to prevent tinea pedis, otherwise known as ‘athlete’s foot’.

Our feet carry our bodies every day, why should we not take care of them?

Pet of the Week

MONEY MATTERS

Focus on a SMART goal

With the New Year upon us, millions of people around the world make their resolutions, and hope and plan to stick with them throughout the year.

A recent survey indicated 15 per cent of New Year’s resolutions are financial goals. Not surprisingly most resolutions fail. Two key reasons for this are we often set ourselves overly optimistic goals that are in reality difficult to achieve, and often our goals are vague with no plan on how to achieve them.

The top three financial New Year’s resolutions set in Australia are saving more, spending less and reducing debt. While these are great in theory, they are too broad and don’t focus on the small and simple ways to achieve these goals.

Turning vague broad concepts into SMART goals will significantly increase the chance of being successful. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Instead of saving more, a SMART goal would be to save $100 per week.

These goals are further enhanced if we can identify why we are saving

the money. Is it for a house deposit, a holiday, kid’s education or retirement?

There are some excellent habits that assist in achieving these goals.

1. Keep a track of your spending – that way you are able decipher between your essential and discretionary monthly expenses and pinpoint areas where you can reduce spending, increase savings or reduce debt.

2. Save first – Once you have identified how much you can save, put that money aside. Better still, also separate out all non-discretionary spending (money for bills), the remainder is for you to spend.

3. Pay off your credit card debt – Credit card debt is a Millstone around our neck. Interest rates are very high, normally around 20 per cent. If you have any additional funds, they should initially be

used to repay credit card debt. You won’t receive a return anywhere near 20 per cent without significant risk. Once you have paid off your credit card you will significantly increase disposable income.

The New Year is a great time to reassess your financial situation, when you do so, go one step further than a vague resolution, create a smart goal, put a plan in place to achieve it.

TALKING TECH

Ring the doorbell of the future

Over the Christmas break, my doorbell stopped working. Quite frustrating at this time of year, as you can imagine. After some research, I decided to install a Ring Doorbell. I decided on the model, popped into Bunnings, and picked up the doorbell and the Chimes Pro kit. A Ring Doorbell is a smart home security device that connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network and allows you to see and communicate with visitors at your front door using your smartphone, tablet or Amazon Alexa device. The Chimes Pro plugs into a power point and acts as the speaker in addition to notifications on your phone.

The doorbell has a built-in camera and microphone that can be accessed through the Ring app on your mobile, Alexa or Google device. It allows you to see who is at your front door, even when you’re not at home, and speak to them through the device’s speaker.

The doorbell has motion detection capabilities and will alert you when it detects motion in front of your door, so you can see who is there even if they do not ring the doorbell. Going to the app will show you the video footage. It also has a built-in night vision mode, which allows you to see visitors at your front door, even in

low-light conditions.

Installation of the doorbell and Chimes device took a couple of hours.

The doorbell can be wired into an old doorbell location for power; alternatively, it does have a battery, which must be charged every 3-4 months.

Physical installation involves drilling two holes to mount the backing plate and then screwing on the main unit.

Once I installed the app, using a barcode, it detected the ring doorbell and allowed me to connect it to my Wi-Fi. It was up and going in under an hour.

The Chimes Pro, on the other hand, would not connect to the Wi-Fi, as my password had special characters in it. I had to hook it up to my phone hotspot to download a firmware update. Once this was done, I reconnected to my Wi-Fi without further issues.

Overall, I think Ring is a great solution for homeowners who want to keep an eye on their property, communicate with visitors remotely and can see and hear what’s happening outside their front door. There are various models, the primary difference being the video quality. I went with the Ring 2, the entry model. I got mine from Bunnings, but they are also available from Amazon.

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Anew chapter for Subaru's small SUV has commenced, with the order books officially opening for the all-new, next-generation Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Subaru Crosstrek –the next iteration of Subaru XV.

Australian pricing and specification for Subaru's all-new small SUV have been confirmed – ahead of its anticipated launch in April.

Priced from $34,990, the Symmetrical AWD Subaru Crosstrek range comprises five variants, including three petrol – AWD 2.0L, AWD 2.0R and AWD 2.0S – and two hybrid, AWD Hybrid L and AWD Hybrid S.

Owners of the all-new Subaru Crosstrek will enjoy a small yet highly capable SUV that features a multitude of the latest infotainment technologies and intuitive safety systems, creating an enjoyable ride for all occupants no matter the destination.

Subaru has well and truly made its presence known with the all-new Subaru Crosstrek, presenting a much bolder exterior design with dynamic styling which conveys reliability as a crossover SUV whilst also resembling the vehicle's fun and versatile personality.

"We welcome Crosstrek to the Subaru Australia family as we officially commence

orders,"

"The

streets throughout the week and take you off-the-beaten track on the weekend. This is not a jacked up small car; this is a small SUV with real capability.

"Underpinned by the Subaru Global Platform, drivability and comfort have improved for this new generation model, offering owners an engaging yet refined driving experience.

"It's capable of tackling almost any driving adventure you please with utter confidence, comfort and convenience."

The vehicle cockpit has received an array of welcomed enhancements to increase user-friendliness, including, for the first time in a Subaru vehicle, the ultimate convenience of wireless smartphone Qi charging.

Every Subaru Crosstrek variant will feature smart key and push-start ignition, LED headlights (dusk-sensing), roof rails, power-folding door mirrors. Crosstrek AWD 2.0R, AWD 2.0S and AWD Hybrid S comprise LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) whilst AWD 2.0L and AWD Hybrid L will feature a bulb type DRL.

Continuing Subaru's commitment to safety, a core component of the brand's DNA, the all-new Subaru Crosstrek contains the latest generation EyeSight Driver Assist system with an improved stereo camera and featuring the addition of a new Wide-Angle Monocular Camera.

Furthermore, the addition of a Driver Monitoring System – Driver Focus offers another layer of safety, as well as convenience, to help reduce the chance of accidents.

The all-new Subaru Crosstrek is available now for pre-order via Subaru.com.au.

Subaru Australia's Managing Director, Blair Read said.

Subaru Crosstrek is a small SUV with real SUV credentials; it can zip through urban

NATHAN TAYLOR

Pre-orders kick off for all-new Subaru Crosstrek.

Public Notice and Registration of Interest

National Parks and Wildlife Ac t 1974

BC Land Pty Ltd proposes to complete a masterplan submission on Lawson Road, Badgerys Creek, NSW to develop the land for enterprise and mixed uses. e land comprises 125 Lawson Road, Badgerys Creek, NSW 2555 (Lot 1, Deposited Plan 22691), 145 Lawson Road (Lot 3, Deposited Plan 226912), 155 Lawson Road (Lot 4, Deposited Plan 226912), 165 Lawson Road (Lot 5, Deposited Plan 226912) and 175 Lawson Road (Lot 6, Deposited Plan 226912). e proposed masterplan may result in impacts upon Aboriginal objects protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. In accordance with Heritage NSW (2010) Aboriginal Cultural Heritage C onsultation Requirements for Proponent, individuals or groups who hold cultural knowledge relevant to establishing the signi cance of potential Aboriginal objects and intangible cultural values in the area of the proposed development are invited to register their interest to participate in the heritage consultation and assessment process.

Contact details are as follows: Andrew Truskett B C Land Pty Ltd Mob: 0404 565 542

Contact details for the heritage consultant: Jakub (Chaz) Czastka City Plan Heritage Pty Ltd Level 6, 120 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000 E: chazc@cityplan.com.au

e registration period closes on Friday 10 Februar y 2023.

PUBLIC NOTICES

200 ALDINGTON ROAD, KEMPS CREEK, ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – INVITATION TO REGISTER AN INTEREST

AT&L (the proponent), on behalf of Fife Kemps Creek proposes to develop a sewer lead-in at 200 Aldington Road, Kemps Creek, NSW 2178. The proposed sewer leadin will traverse 2-18 Aldington Road. The study area is located in the Penrith City Council Local Government Area (LGA) and within the boundaries of the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC).

Contact details for the proponent are: Richard Harris

FIFECAPITAL Level 12, 89 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Mobile +61408865947

Email: Richard.harris@ fecapital.com.au

Artefact Heritage has been engaged by AT&L to complete an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report (ACHAR), including consultation in accordance with the Aboriginal cultural heritage consultation requirements for proponents 2010 (DECCW 2010). It is likely that the ACHAR will nd that Aboriginal objects will be impacted by the proposal and at least one application for an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) under section 90 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 will be required. The purpose of the community consultation is to inform the preparation of the ACHAR. Consultation may be utilised to assist the proponent in the preparation of an application for an AHIP and to and to assist Heritage NSW in the determination of the application.

The proponent is inviting Aboriginal groups and individuals who hold cultural knowledge relevant to determining the signi cance of Aboriginal objects and/or places in the locality to register an interest in a process of community consultation with the proponent regarding the proposed activity The purpose of community consultation is to assist the proponent in the preparation of the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment report.

Please forward your registration of interest in writing before 10 February 2023 to: Kelly Barton

Artefact Heritage Services Pty Limited Suite 56, Jones Bay Wharf, 26-32 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont NSW 2009 or email consultation@artefact.net.au

Please be advised that the details of all parties who register for consultation will be forwarded to Heritage NSW and Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council unless speci ed otherwise.

MASKED PANTHER

Cheerleader shake-up. See page 55.

Darwin calls for rising star Olivia Harris

After picking up the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation’s Rising Star Award late last year, Olivia Harris’ sporting journey has continued to go from strength to strength.

Before Christmas the talented 16-year-old netballer not only scored a contract with the Giants Academy for 2023, but she was also named to represent NSW for the first time at the U17 National Netball Championships in Darwin this April.

First contested in 1985, the annual tournament provides emerging talent from across the country the opportunity to represent their respective State or Territory and compete for national honours.

The Nationals are an important step in Netball Australia’s pathway, with many Australian Diamonds having previously represented their State or Territory in the event.

Speaking with the Weekender on Monday at Jamison Park, the long-time Penrith District Netball Association member said she was thrilled to be selected among hundreds of girls her age.

“It was an arduous and long process.

I think there was 2-300 girls who trialled initially, so I’m super privileged to be one of the 12 selected,” Olivia said.

“I just had to be confident and keep putting out my best each time I went to trial. I was quite nervous, but I went out there and showed them what I could do and I’m super happy I had a good performance.”

In the coming months, NSW will be looking to go back-to-back having claimed the Gold Medal in both the U17 and U19 Nationals in Tasmania last year.

Olivia, who is outstanding at both goal shooter and goal attack, said she can’t wait to head to the steamy Top End and do her state proud.

“As a team we’re going to have pretty big shoes to fill following the success of last year’s squad, but I have no doubt that we can do it (go back-to-back),” she said.

“It’s being held in Darwin, it’s going to be hot and we were told that we couldn’t swim at the beach because of crocodiles.

“I’m super excited though, I just think it’s an awesome opportunity. We just need to go out there and play our best as a team.”

On top of Olivia’s maiden appearance for NSW, 2023 is set to be a huge year for the Year 12 Blue Mountains Grammar School student.

Last month the accomplished rower was also one of 16 athletes named in the Giants Academy team for the upcoming Super Netball season.

The athletes will work within the Giants’ high-performance set-up as they continue their development and endeavours of becoming not only Giants and Super Netball players, but Australian Diamonds.

“After a couple of conversations and them watching me play at various tournaments, the Giants ended up sending me a contract,” Olivia explained.

“It’s going to be a big step, a massive challenge but I think I’m totally ready for it. I’m really excited.”

NATHAN TAYLOR

Olivia Harris will represent New South Wales this April in Darwin. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Around The Grounds

CRICKET: Penrith are in a strong position heading into day two of their Round 11 clash against Gordon in the Belvidere Cup. Playing in a Two-Day match at Howell Oval, Penrith won the toss and elected to bowl. Gordon put up a solid performance before ultimately being dismissed for 194. Recent recruit Hunar Verma was best with the ball, taking 4/55. When Penrith hit the crease later that day, they lost some wickets early before Tyran Liddiard (82) and skipper Brent Williams (82*) got them going again. At stumps Penrith were 3/198. Penrith will look to ice the game when play resumes this Saturday at Howell Oval.

CRICKET: Penrith’s Round 13 match against Northern District in the Women’s First Grade competition was washed out last Sunday. The team will hope for better weather this weekend when they return to Howell Oval to face St George-Sutherland.

CRICKET: Round 13 of the Nepean District Cricket Association (NDCA) competition is in the books, with Panthers Cricket Club having a mixed weekend. In first grade, Panthers stumbled to a loss against Springwood. A rear guard last wicket partnership saw Panthers reach 143, however an early batting onslaught allowed Springwood to easily pass Panthers’ total. In seventh grade, a rain interrupted match saw Panthers share the points with Glenmore Park. Panthers batting first posted 4/192. Glenmore Park were 1/1 when the match had to be abandoned due to the rain.

BASEBALL: Greater Western have lost both games against the Ryde Hawks in Round 11 of the BNSW State League competition. Last Wednesday’s match went down to the wire with Ryde prevailing 8-7.

Last Sunday, the Hawks enjoyed a much more comfortable win 8-3. Greater Western will take on Blacktown in Round 12.

FOOTBALL: The Western Sydney Wanderers were forced to come from behind and settle for a 1-1 draw against Newcastle last Sunday. After going behind when Angus Thurgate put the Jets up against the run of play in the 37th minute, the Wanderers were finally able to convert their control of the ball into a goal when Oliver Bozanic equalised via a 64th-minute penalty. Compounding the Wanderers’ rueful afternoon, skipper Marcelo limped off in the first half with a suspected hip injury. The Wanderers will hit the road this Saturday night to face the in-form Central Coast Mariners at Industree Group Stadium.

FOOTBALL: Australia’s largest privately owned and operated civil engineering, design, construction and land development contractor BMD recently announced a three-year partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers until 2025, bolstering the club’s future in women’s football. The partnership, which will primarily focus on the Women’s A-League, provides the perfect match for BMD, as the company continues its commitment to drive female representation in not only the construction sector but in other underrepresented industries such as sport. BMD CEO Scott Power said the partnership was an exciting opportunity for the company which has been operating in the western Sydney region for more than 20 years. “We are thrilled to be an A-League Women’s Partner of Western Sydney Wanderers FC — a team that, like BMD, has strong ties to the western Sydney community where we have had a robust pipeline of work over many years,” Power said.

Rising union star on track

Senior Sports Star: Jordan Springs teenager has huge future ahead of him

Jordan Springs teenager Xavier Degei has starred in many sports over the past half a dozen years, but it’s rugby union where he’s really making a name for himself.

Following a hugely successful 2022 where he competed in athletics, rugby league and rugby union, the 18-year-old has become the latest recipient of the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Senior Sports Star Award.

Xavier has been playing competitive sport since he was 10-years-old, representing at different levels in athletics, rugby union, rugby league and even basketball.

Xavier’s rugby career began in 2015 when he represented Penrith in the U11’s team.

Between 2016 and 2018, Xavier successfully competed at the NSW State Track and Field Championships in three events – shot put, discus and javelin.

Xavier picked up an array of medals during those years, including a gold, a silver and four bronze medals.

Junior Rugby Union Men’s Player of the Year; he won an U15 Division 1 rugby league premiership; and also played NSW CCC Rugby Union and NSW CCC and MCS Basketball.

Following his devastating knee injury, Xavier ended up returning to rugby union in the middle of the 2022 season and was able to trial for multiple ACT Brumbies representative teams.

At 17, he was initially selected into the U19’s ACT Brumbies side as he wasn’t able to trial for the U18’s team, however, he ended up being selected by the U18’s coach and has since competed in both competitions against other Super Rugby U18’s and U19’s teams.

With a bright future ahead of him, it’ll be exciting to see just how far this talented Penrith Emu can go in the future.

Xavier Degei’s Senior Sports Star Award is all thanks to sponsor Penrith Panthers Leagues Club in Penrith.

If you or you know someone who has achieved in their chosen sport, send in your nomination to Penrith Valley Sports Foundation.

Nomination forms are available at

In 2017, 2018 and 2019, Xavier was crowned State Champion three times as a member of Penrith’s rugby union team.

Before he significantly injured his knee, which resulted in a long stint on the sideline, 2019 was a huge year for Xavier.

He captained the Gen Blue Waratah Rugby Union team; he was an U15 Western Zone representative; he was named the Penrith District

NATHAN TAYLOR

Xavier Degei

playing rugby union.

Local football clubs secure grants ahead of FIFA World Cup

sports clubs will benefit from projects funded through the NSW Football Legacy Program.

Local football clubs and players have scored funding as part of a program that will ensure the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup will leave a lasting legacy on NSW.

To kick off the new year, the State Government has awarded more than $3.1 million for 100 projects that will benefit football at all levels.

Penrith MP Stuart Ayres said Nepean Football Association and Emu Plains Football Club will receive funding that will go towards participation initiatives, inspiring the next generation of footballers, particularly females across the local community.

Emu Plains FC will receive $10,000 towards their Females in Football Initiative and Nepean Football Association will receive $8,100 towards a program aimed at increasing female coach participation.

“Our club will definitely benefit from this grant as we try to get more junior females involved and it will help us run some programs and purchase new equipment for them to train with,” Briege McAuley from Emu Plains FC said.

Ayres said from girls and boys lacing up their boots for the first time to participants in elite development programs, local players and their

“Sport is such an important part of the Penrith community. This funding is a great example of how the Liberal Government is committed to giving more opportunities to local women and girls to enjoy football,” he said.

NSW Sports Minister Alister Henskens said these projects and programs will ensure the FIFA Women’s World Cup leaves a lasting legacy for football across the State.

“Having the World Cup on home soil is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will inspire young girls and boys to lace up the boots and emulate their football heroes,” he said.

“With six months to go before the tournament kicks off, there is already an enormous buzz around football and this program will help local clubs capitalise on excitement by running programs that will boost participation in the sport.

“It will also deliver funding to improve infrastructure, creating more modern and accessible facilities for communities across NSW.”

The FIFA Women’s World Cup will feature 32 teams competing 64 matches across Australia and New Zealand during July and August with seven games at Allianz Stadium and four at Accor Stadium, including a Semi Final and the Final.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Penrith MP Stuart Ayres with members from Emu Plains FC and Nepean Football Association.

panther rumblings

! Changing of the guard: There will be some new faces as part of the Pantherettes squad this year following auditions earlier this month. Several long-term cheerleaders are hanging up their pompoms, including ‘Gogglebox’ star Vestal Delpechitra, who has been with the Panthers for the last six seasons. Jessie Sciberras is also leaving the squad after seven seasons. There’s also a couple of returns – including Chloe Carter (pictured) who is back in the squad for the first time in a few years.

! May Day: Former Penrith utility Tyrone May looks set to return to Australia, with reports linking him to the Bulldogs. May left the Panthers after an array of unsavoury incidents, but Canterbury General Manager Phil Gould has always been one for a redemption story.

! Leniu linked to Bulldogs: The rumour mill is in overdrive this week with reports that Canterbury’s raid on the back-to-back Premiers is to continue, with Spencer Leniu (pictured below) now linked to the club. Leniu is off-contract at the end of the season and after initially being somewhat out of favour at different stages of the last couple of years, Penrith is keen to keep him. As has been the case with a number of players, the

terbury-Bankstown Bulldogs from the 2024 season onwards,” the club said in a statement last Saturday.

! Cash on the table: Stephen Crichton will never know Penrith’s final offer for his services. The centre called coach Ivan Cleary to inform him of his departure 24 hours before the deal was to be tabled. In Crichton and his management’s eyes, the horse had bolted in terms of staying at Penrith after months of back and forth, and at times stalled negotiations. It may not have shifted anything, however, with Penrith’s offer believed to be about $100,000 less per season than what was being offered at Canterbury. Regardless, I’m constantly told the deal with Canterbury was done back in December despite all the talk at the start of the year. With suggestions that Crichton is leaving Penrith with a sour taste in his mouth, one question does emerge – is there a chance he’ll actually leave the club early in a mid-season switch? Plenty would have to play out for that to happen, but just quietly, I wouldn’t rule it out.

Panthers won’t be caught out paying overs –and if Leniu is offered big money by the Bulldogs, there’s every chance he could depart.

! Crichton a Bulldog: As expected, the Bulldogs have confirmed the signing of Stephen Crichton on a four-year deal. “The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are pleased to announce that Stephen Crichton has accepted a four-year deal that will see him join the Can-

as

and

! Free entry to trial: Like in previous years, Panthers Members will receive free entry to the trial match against Parramatta on February 11. Kick-off is at 6pm, with this game also to be

broadcast on Fox Sports. Members don’t get their usual seats for this game, as it’s treated as a general admission event. Members are reminded that they need to purchase tickets to the World Club Challenge separately, as this is not included in their Membership. Both pre-season trials will be part of the NRL’s new pre-season challenge, the details of which, including a novelty points system of sorts, were confirmed earlier this week.

! Battle of the West:

should note that tickets for the game against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium on Thursday, March 23 are now available through the Ticketek website.

! Got some goss? If you’ve spotted a player out and about, or you’ve got some Panthers news to share, make sure you email me at maskedpanther@westernweekender.com.au.

! Frank’s new gig: Former Panthers forward Frank Puletua landed a new gig just before Christmas. He’s been appointed

the new General Manager of Oceania Rugby

starts in the new job next week. Oceania Rugby is one of six regional associations of World Rugby, responsible for representing the interests of its Members.

Panthers fans

Caption

SPORT

Major milestone

One of Penrith Junior League’s most wellknown clubs is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season and they have big plans to mark the milestone.

The Glenmore Park Brumbies were established in 1993 with just nine teams. These days they are fielding more than 40, which includes one of the strongest female programs in the local area.

Newly elected Glenmore Park Brumbies President Sean Warden, who first played with the Brumbies as a child back in 1996, said the 2023 rugby league season will have some special touches.

“This year, we will be playing in a special retro strip, inspired by the first playing strip used in the ’90s,” he told the Weekender

“We will also hold a 30-year reunion dinner later in the year for current and past members to celebrate.”

While the Brumbies have seen thousands of players wear their maroon, yellow and white

uniforms over the years, they have also helped form the careers of several notable players in both the NRL and NRLW competitions.

Sydney Roosters superstar Joseph Suaalii was a Brumby growing up as was new Dolphins half Sean O’Sullivan and exciting Titans fullback Jayden Campbell.

Roosters NRLW Premiership winner Sarah Togatuki spent time in Glenmore Park as did Dragon Shaylee Bent, and even former Panthers captain Petero Civoniceva wore the Brumbies jumper, playing in their A Grade team in front of a packed Ched Towns Reserve.

Warden said he loves the Brumbies with a passion, and all the amazing, hardworking people that make up the club.

“Since my Dad signed me up in 1996, I have always felt at home being part of the Brumbies. The club has always had a good culture, encouraging kids to participate in and enjoy rugby league,” he said.

“There have been many good people at this club over 30 years, who have given a lot of their life to the club to help it evolve into one of

the strongest clubs in the district. I enjoyed some of my greatest moments of my teenage years wearing the Brumbies jersey. The club is a part of who I am, and I’m proud to see my kids now wearing the jersey.”

In 2023, the club’s main focus will be developing the next generation of female rugby league players. With the newly announced Panthers Rugby League Women’s (PRLW) U20s competition about to get underway, Brumbies players will now have a direct pathway to the big league.

In addition to the PRLW pathway, the Brumbies are attempting – for the first time in their 30-year history – to field female-only teams in every grade from U6’s through to A Grade.

“We are returning to pre-season training next week, and we are looking at filling as many age groups as possible with all-girls teams,” Coaches Co-Ordinator, Geoff Camilleri said.

“We are also still on the search for coaches interested in coaching female rugby league and we are still looking for sponsorships.”

The Masked Panther – see

NATHAN TAYLOR

Brumbies players Jude Dunn, Keyara Bottomley and Aston Perceval.