We Farewell And Provide A Tribute To 4 Former Blacktown City Councillors of Ward 4 and 5

Every 4 years there are Blacktown City Councillors that are either not running for election and they retire or they have not been re-elected to Council for various reasons: not being pre-selected from  within their party or resigning from the party and running as an Independent. Each of the the three  Councillors that I would like to dedicate this post to them.

They each have committed so much time personal time in many years, to service their  local constituents and I'm sure that they have each achieved their goals in what they wanted to do as a Councillor of Blacktown City Council.

Retired Councillor, Charlie Lowles OAM, has served the community in Ward 5 for  a long twenty 27 years and his name is well known when it comes to local community improvements/issues. He normally places his hand up first and seeks ways of resolving our local community requirements and turns up at a lot of community events, enjoying himself. He was elected Mayor from 1995-1999 and from 2008-1010. He has  provided so much commitment to his community in everywhere he goes and has served our community with such pride leaving a mark that cannot be forgotten. We wish him well with his retirement.

Retired Councillor, Edmond Atalla has taken up elected office as the NSW Member of Mount Druitt elected to the 56th NSW Parliament in 2015, after  serving the community as a Councillor for over 12 1/2 years in Ward 4, this has given him great insight in being elected as a NSW State Member of Mount Druitt. This new role will give him great character and aspiration to be the best member of our area, especially with his  passionate views on public transport and Mount Druitt hospital as well as education. We wish him well with his newly elected office.

Former Councillor Isabelle White, elected since 2012, was  not re-selected from the local Liberal Party ranks. A vocal voice for the closing of Mount Druitt pool and change of name of Blacktown City name and a current High school teacher, we wish her well in  her future.

Former Councillor Jacqueline Donaldson, Ward 4 for 8 years has  provided quality dedicated time to her community and was recently a great support fro Mayor Stephen Bali, as soon as she was elected Deputy Mayor last year. She has supported community improvements from parks and gardens to bus stops to street improvements. She started with fixing and was elected as a Liberal Councilor in 2008, in 2015 resigned from the Liberal party due to local internal party politicking. She since ran as an independent,  and was elected Deputy Mayor for 1 year. Although  she contested Ward 4 as an Independent, she wasn't elected for her third term and will consider her options within the next 4 years, while she takes a well deserved rest. We wish her well with he future decisions.

So The Changes In Ward 4 and 5 Blacktown City Council Elections 10th September 2016

Would you believe it, we are still in election mode. No, not  Federal Election mode, the buzz and excitement is gone, now we have an elected Federal Government. We have  the Blacktown City Council election occurring on the 10th September 2016.

Here are the calendar of events for the  Blacktown City Council, General elections: Click here

Check here for Poling Booths Click here for Polling Booths in All Wards

So, what changes are happening in  candidates/Councillors in Ward 4 and 5 that covers Mount Druitt and surrounding suburbs?

Clr Charlie Lowles OAM

Clr. Edmond Atalla

Well we have 2 retirement of Councillors: Ward 4 Councillor Edmond Atalla, now current NSW State MP since 2015, elected  as a Councillor since 2004 and retiring and Deputy Mayor 2006-7 and Ward 5 Councillor Charlie Lowles, with over 26 years of being an elected member  of Council.

This will leave Mayor Councillor Stephen Bali with the strongest chance to win the from Ward 4, 1st elected candidate and the same with Tony Bleasedale in Ward 5 (who'll jump up to number on the Australian Labor Party ticket)

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Jacqueline Donaldson, will be swapping her nomination as candidate to from Ward 5 to Ward 4, this time running as an Independent. I understand that most of the Blacktown City Council constituents Councillor Donaldson. meet are mainly living on Ward 4. This will leave a big gaping hole in Ward 5 as the former Liberal Candidate Councillor Donaldson had  pick up a dramatic  swing swing to wards her at last Council election in 2012, a new incumbent  Liberal candidate may find it hard to maintain votes.

We don't know if Councillor Isabelle White will re run as a candidate in Ward 4. If she does,  we will advise the community , so most definitely there will be 3 new faces on Council from Ward 4 & 5 after the  Council elections after 10th September 2016.  

We will keep you posted as soon as  nominations have closed and then we will seek  each candidates 'whyilovemountdruitt', to help you consider who you will vote for.

Missing Link On Rooty Hill Overpass!

Okay, this seems to be a topic that hasn't come into the political/community field in the time I have can remember, nearly over 26 years.

There is no secret that every person that travels over the Davis overpass, which goes from Railway Street (north of Rooty Hill) and join Francis Road. What the simple thing that has  happened, since it was supposedly built in the early 1980's is, it is a single lane way on each side of the bridge. 

See the wall built ready on the south side!

With traffic congestive traffic between 3pm and 5pm Monday to Fridays, it is thought that there is that option of expanding the overpass with dual lane ways on the overpass, which would you believe is just about done. Since it's construction,  dual walls were completed on the western part of the oveerpass, both on the northern and southern end. Surprise, surprise!

See wall on North side of  Rooty Hill

Rob, a businessman from Rooty Hill has advised this would be the best major improvement that could be done, to ease traffic and  make drivers more happy. So this is the time that Ward 4 Councillors, Mayor Stephen Bali, Councillor Isabelle White and State Member for Mount Druitt , Hon. Edmond Atalla ( Also a Blacktown City Councillor) start advocating for this major improvement for Rooty Hill community members and surrounding suburbs. We also need to including Traffic Officers also need to include it in the Blacktown City Council Integrated Transport Management Plan!

So what is now required is simply complete the bridge overpass to fill in the missing link - the walls are already constructed.

Please complete blog poll, at the bottom of this website, to show how you feel?

The 'For' Case For Blacktown City Council Name Change Referendum ' Black Town' Has Been Abandoned As A Name Before!

I will do my best to provide as much information as possible from all concerned  of the proposed Blacktown City Council name change.

Although at present on 2770 watch Face Book Group: so far 39 members against, 1 unsure and no 'For's
And in 2770 chat & watch Face Book Group: so far 9 against, 1 unsure and no for's

Early days yet, but it seems that it seems that it may take a lot of convincing to turn around the community, who mostly do not like changes, especially when they have been used to it for most of their lives or even in most lives.

In I Love Blacktown, in 1820 the Native Institute, known as ' Black Town', was built at Plumpton to assimilate the Aborigines into European ways. It was abandoned by 1833.

Here is one of the Councillors from Blacktown City Council, Councillor Isabelle White, with her case presenting why Blacktown City Council name should be changed:

So many people have been wondering why we are supporting a referendum to change the name of Blacktown City. While the suburb name of "Blacktown" will be kept regardless of a name change to the council area, we believe this is a very important issue to take to the next council elections.
The name Blacktown is a name that originates in the Blacktown Native Institute, and what it symbolises for some is dispossession, segregation, and the place of interment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who were forcefully removed from their families or tribes.

Portraying the name Blacktown as anything other than this is rewriting history. In order to move forward in reconciliation, we must give everyone the opportunity to have a say in the name of their city. There are many residents of Blacktown City who do not identify with the name Blacktown, and some, even hurt by what it originally symbolised.

Moreover, Blacktown needs to be innovative, that is why we are also supporting a marketing name for our CBD. We are expecting our population to grow to half a million people within the coming years. We want businesses to invest in our city, we want more opportunities for our residents, for the younger generation. A rebranding of our city will help to achieve this, and every cent we spend on it will be an investment.


Click here for previous blog 

Change Of Blacktown City Council Name Referendum At Next Council Elections - Passed by Council Tonight! Is This Just Black And White?

Tonight, Blacktown City Council has passed the motion to 'debating the renaming of Blacktown City Council, there will be an option to keep the name Blacktown at the referendum,' as quoted by Councillor Isabelle White.

This has been brought up to Council as a motion many times but tonight, it seemed like it carried at eight by one vote at least. 

The main problem is that the naming of Blacktown  originally referred to the Aboriginal people living in communities in the area. This can be negative as the people living with Blacktown City Local Government area are from different backgrounds, countries, talk different languages, religions.

I'm 50/50 with this but because it may be because of potential merging with another Council - this could boost the chance of a change of name. I know 6 Councillors might like this suggestion from Wards 4 & 5, what about Mount Druitt City Council? I also remember that it was raised by independent and lost!!!! So this is good! My gut feeling is it may be named Great Western Sydney City Council!

My negatives on this is three part: the cost of changing all paperwork, websites to a new branding and name of our City Council, then would there be the change of name of the suburb of Blacktown and finally, what would our sister cities think as well as our important community.

What do you think and how do think public opinion will be?


Check blog on changing Mount Druitt Suburbs Names

Polling Booths Around Mount Druitt On 28th March 2015 - Conversations and People!

As I'd traveled around booth to booth, I found h happy candidates and former NSW State Members. It was a beautiful day to hold a NSW State Election and some booths had voters queuing for periods of time.

We had former NSW State Member for Rooty Hill, Mr. Richard Amery at Rooty Public School. Rumors were that Edmond Atalla, Labor Posters placed over 2 two Olivia Lloyd, Liberal Posters (without asking her Polling Staff),  because the Liberals had 'Prime Position' for the posters on the fence first and the Labor party wasn't happy with that and wanted an enquiry table under the questionable sign. I must admit it looked 'unprofessional' but that is the kind of things that happen on 'polling day'! I must admit Mr Amery appeared like he was running for re-election - he was well dressed!

The was queuing at Polling Booths and this occurs at times when the Polling Booth Staff take morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea breaks as explained by Mr. Richard Amery. The queues reached outside the gate, some people could not wait and said they would come back, they had to be back by 6pm, otherwise there is that $55.00 fine for not voting.


Then there was Candidate Olivia Lloyd, Liberal candidate for Mount Druitt with Ward 4 Councillor Isabelle White at Minchinbury Public School. It was amazing the young person handing for 'No Land Tax' said she would be voting 'Liberal' - probably just helping out someone else.
 
At a different Polling Booth, former NSW State Member for Londonderry, Allan Shearan (in the background) was handing out for Councillor Edmond Atalla, Labor candidate for Mount Druitt (now elected) - not assisting Londonderry State seat - that is politics!

And here we are at Dawson  Polling Booth.

It's funny, when you hear rumors that a when the Labor Party see good Liberal supporters, they try to coax them in joining the Labor Party.  With the Party machine the Labor Party has, you would not think it needs more members. 

The Labor Party machine had former Federal Member for Chifley Roger Price and his son, Ben Price as scrutineers at Colyton Public School.

It's also funny, no one has coaxed myself to join any party and yet I won't. I have handed out for 2 different parties before and current, but like everyone else, I share positive views on behalf of the community and what I vote, I reserve my right! What I will say is I was a scrutineer at Dean Park and I enjoyed it -  other
scrutineers were very polite and respectable!

This is an example of scrutinizing votes look like: