Monday 31 October 2016

R.I.P. Former Councillor Charlie Lowles - Mayor Stepphen Bali

Stephen Bali's Profile PhotoStephen Bali - 
On behalf of the Lowles Family, it is with profound sadness to report that Charlie Lowles passed away this morning.
Charlie was a councillor of Blacktown City being first elected in 1989 and served continuously until his retired at the September 2016 elections. He was Mayor on 3 separate occasions for approximately 6 years.


Charlie was a servant of the people and made a lot of significant contributions to Blacktown City. He was affectionately known as the Mayor of Mt Druitt due to his staunch support of the area and his community involvement. He was awarded an Order of Australia for his community services.

My, my family’s, the City of Blacktown, our collective condolences goes to his wife Alma, his children, Joanne, Karl and Tony and the whole family.

Funeral details will be announced in due course.

May he Rest in Peace.

Saturday 29 October 2016

'Make A Wish TO Make Mount Druitt Better Competition' - St George Bank, Mount Druitt

Received a post from a Mount Druitt community member Peta, who shared this link from St George Bank - Mount Druitt in Face Book. It is interesting because what they are asking is what I am doing as a advocate for the community, yet they are having a competition winners will be announced but no prizes have been announced.

Image may contain: sky, cloud and outdoor
If you had one wish to make Mt Druitt even better, what would it be? Maybe there’s something that needs fixing? Or someone special who really needs something? Comment below or come into the Mt Druitt branch to make your Christmas wish for the community! Entries close at 4pm on 1st Nov and winner will be announced on 18th Nov. View T&Cs https://www.stgeorge.com.au/xmastandc #WishWithStGeorge

Click to find St George Bank FB post

Service NSW Mount Druitt - Opens With A 'Bang' - Community Members Happy To Use It!

Image result for Service NSW
We previously notified the community a few months ago that Service NSW was opening in Westfield Mount Druitt in October 2016 Click here for previous post

Now, we are showing how the community has welcomed  the  Service NSW with covers  11 NSW government departments, which we have never had local access before, such as: Roads and Maritime Services, Business Services, Office of State Revenue, Department of Primary Industries, Fair Trading, Registry of Births,Deaths and Marriages, Department of Family and Community Services, NSW Health, Office of Environment and Heritage, WorkCover and Office of Children Guardian.

In relation to NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and the  former NSW  Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA), where is was in Luxford Road, it is in a better accessible position for the community, who can access it through local bus services, trains, taxis, walking and cars.

There is only 2 improvements that could be made but that is up to the NSW Government  to look  chase up for us. One of them is well known, we don't access for driving tests in Mount Druitt,  community members have to go to Blacktown or Penrith. This is an issue that our local NSW State Member for Mount Druitt, Hon. Edmond Atalla is rightly taking up for us  - a true improvement advocate for the area.

The second one is, it is not inclusive of NSW housing Department and I do think this is a major  NSW department in the area and by inclusion of this Department, it can be well looked after and cater for it tenants.

Enquiry figures obtained from Service NSW at Mount Druitt indicate from the first week, since it opened on 24th October, that the community really is using this resource provided by the NSW Government to  its maximum:

Monday 24th -       744
Tuesday 25th -       805
Wednesday 26th  - 757
Thursday 27th -     719
Friday 28th -          721 (up to 5pm) 

With a total enquiries, so far of 3,746 that leaves an average of  76.4 enquiries per hour and 1.3 enquiries per minute, that is a lot of  enquiries being dealt with by Service NSW. And the week has finished!

The best thing I found was  the customer Service Representative in charge of the concierge, was always smiling, happy and never  left you with a bad feeling of service. She advised that there have been  some moody people come in, yet explained herself and other Customer Service Representatives do their best to calm them down and assist with resolving with enquiries. The office has got that friendly atmosphere with it left myself with no doubt this will be successful. 

As stated by a community I spoke to, 'This should have been in Westfield Mount Druitt years ago.' 

Hous of operation are and shop details:
8am-6pm -      Monday to Wednesday and Friday
8am-7pm -      Thursday
8.30am-3pm - Saturday

Mount Druitt Service Centre
Shop 29-32
Westfield Mount Druitt NSW 2770
Ph: 137788

For Driving Tests:

Penrith Service Centre
333 High Street
Penrith NSW 2750

Blacktown Service Centre
Shop B1-B2
14 St Martins Crescent
Blacktown NSW 2148

 


Click here for details of Service NSW

Thursday 27 October 2016

'Unemergency Assistance' Extra Fares Not Fair For NSW Ambulance Fees and Distance For Mount Druitt And Surrounding Suburbs

We talk about incident after incident where people lives are urgently rushed for emergency services by ambulance and it is a total mystery how the NSW Government is treating our community in respect to this.

 It should be called 'Unemergency Services' as this is how people are being treat and then there is that later shock. The shock that you wouldn't expect if it was done right. The shock that if it happened to community members of North shore or Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, they would protest and get their proper service reinstated.

This is where we need to raise this issue again and again, until someone does see the light and turns it on our Mount Druitt hospital.


So, this is where a well respected community member  from Hebersham, 'Billy' from Hebersham  would like to  let our Mount Druitt community know through 'whyilovemountdruitt' what has happened to a family of his and how he finds the system is unfair to our community members. He feels a lot of community members are not raising their voice for fear of  being ridiculed and neglected because we come from 'Mount Druitt'.  

So, his daughter was rushed from home at Hebersham to Nepean hospital in Kingswood not Mount Druitt Hospital in Mount Druitt by NSW Ambulance. Admittedly she was attended to and recovered but the issue goes beyond this.

Now the distance from Hebersham to Mount Druitt is 13.2km  and the time taken by vehicle would be 20 minutes - just keep this in mind.
Map from Hebersham NSW 2770 to Nepean Hospital, Derby Street, Kingswood NSW 2747
20 min (13.2 km) via Great Western Hwy/A44

Now the distance from Hebersham to Mount Druitt is maximum 4.4km and the time taken by a vehicle is 7 minutes - Now you see what  we mean

Map from Hebersham NSW 2770 to Blacktown Mt. Druitt Hospital, 75 Railway Street, Mount Druitt NSW 2770

7 min (4.4 km) via Carlisle Ave and Woodstock Ave
So point one, community members are taken further away for delayed medical assistance. Is this what Mount Druitt ans surrounding community members deserve for our hard working lives if we are in need of urgent or emergency assistance. At present, we are receiving 'Unemergency assistance', which needs to be picked up by all local authorities and placed into our Premier, Hon. Michael Baird, or the NSW Minister of Health Hon. Jillian Skinner laps. If both lived in Mount Druitt would they be very pleased with this  health 'Unemergency assistance'? I doubt they would.
In fact, anyone living in North Shore or Eastern suburbs of Sydney, would not  appreciate this service, they would be able to knock on the door of their local State member and ensure they get first preference in  direct local medical emergency assistance.
Now, Point 2. A bill  was sent to Billy's address for  over $444.00   cost of trip to Nepean Hospital. So, as the NSW Ambulance Fees  are charged  charge a call out fee of $349.00 and  then $3.49 per km thereof.
that means the 20 minute trip to Nepean Hospital is an additional $88.20, whereas the trip to Mount Druitt would be maximum $24.43 an overcharge of $63.77. If this is happening everyday then the NSW government will be reaping thousands of dollars from the people of Mount Druitt per year.

I recommend if  we are taken by emergency services to Nepean or Blacktown hospital we are charged the ambulance rate from your from door to Mount Druitt hospital and all community members that  that been overcharged be refunded as far back as this is happening.

Check  out for the overcharged overdistanced bill:



Mount Druitt NSW Justice of Peace Roster

There are times you may  require or need  legal documents  to be witness or certified. A NSW  Justice of Peace will be able to assist but they  must not be related to you. There are 2 ways of searching for  NSW Justice of Peace and one of them is  provide to you  locally within Mount Druitt.  

Click for NSW JP's Roster in Mount Druitt

Also  NSW JP cam located from the NSW Justice of Peace Register Click here for NSW JP Register

Ru Ben With Lilli At Mount Druitt Dawson Mall Singing '

 Here was lively Ru Ben singing his heart out with a accompanied singer called  'Lilli' singing 'Jambalay'. She told myself she hadn't seen him for 5 years and it seemed they had seen each other for longer then that, at least in singing.

 
Click here for Ru Ben's 'Jambalay'

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Westfield Mount Druitt Applying For Parking Fees Through Blacktown City Council - Mount Druitt Standard Face Book Page

In the past I have spoken  to Westfield Mount Druitt Centre Management and I was advised there would be no parking fees at the shopping centre.
Now, I understand that they would like to charge 'All Day Parkers' which may hurt employees that work at the place or drivers that use it as an easy access as a commuter car park to hop onto Sydney trains at Mount Druitt train Station. We have other free commuter car parks, along North Parade, I don't know why this would not be used up first before using the back entrance to Coles.
What I am personally worried about is  the flow on affect in the future, if   car parking fees will be charged for more then 2-3 hour shoppers, especially if you at out seeing a movie at Hoyts.  This is what Blacktown City Council Officers need to think about as careful consideration, before making a  possible haste decisions. Neext thing will be parking meters on North Parade.
What do you think?
Here is the article form the  Mount Druitt- St Marys Standard:
Mt Druitt Standard
8 hrs ·
Westfield Mt Druitt has applied to Blacktown Council for paid parking at the shopping centre. Plans are currently on public exhibition.

Plans for major Westfield shopping centre to become paid parking area


BLACKTOWN Council is considering a development application from Westfield Mt Druitt for the introduction of paid parking.
Residents are invited to have their say on the proposal, which could potentially see all-day parkers at the centre slugged $35 (for eight hours or longer).

A council spokesman said residents had the chance to make a submission on the DA for paid parking, which is currently on public exhibition.

dailytelegraph.com.au



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