Repairs Still Required After Storm Damage Nearly 6 Months Ago - 'whyilovemountdruitt' Face Book Group

When you are a private house owner and you have household insurance to cover and repairs and damage to your own property and claims will be processed within a reasonable amount of time. When you are living in a NSW Housing house and  your insurance is the NSW Housing the application takes time and there maybe no follow up to see if jobs are completed within a reasonable amount of time. I do feel for Ron from our Face Book Group and others that have the same or similar issues to attend with, with NSW Housing.

I know of another matter that I have raised with NSW Housing and then haven't attended for almost 6 years - on another community members property. and as it is an non-urgent matter - I have let go and given up as it would be up to the tenant to take up from now.

Should NSW Housing not provide urgent attention to our NSW Housing tenants. I disagree. Each tenant is a customer and should be  respected as an important customer. I do hope that the Member for Londonderry Prue Car can assist Ron from here on in. Here is the post from our Face Book Page:

March 25th this year . Some of the damage caused by the fallen tree. Here we are August 4 , with a few short visits from contractors we are still in the dark as to if and when our roof will be done. Sydney`s August winds are to be expected. Unsecured roofing materials that could become airborne with little effort and having the potential to decapitate some unfortunate sole. I prey the extreme happens not or the one in authority is willing accept the blame should it happen .

Click here for previous post

Prue Car MP - Politics in The PUB - Parramatta - Prue Car Face Book Page

From Prue Car's ( Member for Londonderry)  Face Book Page, she is inviting  our local community to meet her with Ryan Park MP for 'Politics in the Pub' in Parramatta. Here is the advert:

Maybe, a suggestion , would be for  Edmond Atalla MP, Member for Mount Druitt and Prue Car MP, to have one of these 'Politics In the Pub' in any of the Hotels within these 2 electorates.

Mount Druitt Reconcilliation Day Shines 20 Years On......

Uncle Wes and Community

For 20 years Mount Druitt has held the historical Reconciliation Walk at Mount Druitt Town Square, which recognises our 
traditional land owners and their elders, in our beautiful country., Australia. It is with our indigenous people's assistance that our communities have grown to what and where we are today. Our 'Thank you' day.

We should'nt lose our own original culture as people from other countries and cultures move into our lovely Mount Druitt community, where people care.

The beaut thing about the Mount Druitt Reconciliation Walk, it is organised by both Indigenous and non-indigenous community members, who have the compassion to make this day successful. Todays event  was looked at as a 'Cancelled Event' with the rains coming in the morning, but as I always say, 'God works in mysterious ways'. The sun shined throughout the day from 10am onwards and funny enough I remember that has happened for one or two years before.

There were plenty of community store open  to showcase  what they do to help out our communities, as follows:

Ability Links NSW program works with people with a disability, their  families and carers to bring true inclusion in community life.

Contact details:
Uniting Ability Links
02 8830 0768   
e: abilitylinks@uniting.org
www.abilitylinksnsw.org.au

Another Stall was Headspace:

Headspace Mount Druitt supports 12 to 25 year olds  or your friends going a hard time: general health, mental and  wellbeing, work, school and study and alcohol and other drug services.
Their main advice (in short) is look after your physical health, get organised, stay social and ASK FOR HELP

Headspace is a National Youth Health Foundation and you can contact them at Mount Druitt at 02 8887 5600

Another stall was my friend Esky from Streets University Mount Druitt -

This group is assisting the youths off the street, giving them an opportunity to place  an importance of growing and offering support with various activities.
 Click here for the Mount Druitt Streets University

And there is Amnesty International:

An international organisation in recognising human rights with all laws  passed by all governments, ensuring that each individual life  maintains their right for life in each country.

Here I met Samantha who  knew of 'whyilovemountdruitt' website and was so excited to meet myself. That was exciting as she was fascinated with the posts being published. I need more audience like this!

Contact: 1300 300 920

www.amesty.org.au

Next 2 stalls you had to write words of what 'Reconciliation' means to myself. Yes I did that and stuck it on the Aboriginal flag.

And there was a game of knowing Australian important aboriginal people. I got it wrong.

And then there was TATU an aboriginal group from Redfern, looking to move into Mount Druitt called 'Talking About Tobacco Use'. They are  looking at reducing the tobacco smoking from within their aboriginal community. I think even every Australian should be giving up tobacco smoking - just an opinion.

Contact:

tatu.org.au

Call an Aboriginal Quitline Councillor: 137848

There was the Sydney Story Factory:

Changing the lives of marginalised young people, one story at a time.

sydneystoryfactory.org.au

 Other stalls was creative work for  children, WSI Aboriginal Education and Training Unit, Mount Druitt TAFE, the "hand painted sheet" that will be carried around next year's reconciliation walk.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Allan Bleasedale in attendance

And NSW State Member for Londonderry, Prue Car

Thank you to all the organisers for making it a special day. I did my duty in serving the  lunch free to the community and enjoyed that.

Click here for previous post

No Wonder Busways Has Not Got 100% Airconditioned Buses..... 'whyilovemountdruitt' Face Book Group

Lester from  a member of 'whyilovemountdruitt'  Face book Page has produced a researched report that confirms that 166 buses are not air-conditioned within NSW. Now with this fact coming through, we need  Blacktown City Council Councillors, Transport Department, NSW Members for Mount Druitt, Londonderry and Mulgoa to actively raise this issue in NSW State Parliament and  sent shock waves to Busways  and NSW IPART as we are all paying full fares, when we haven't got the right amount of buses that make our commuters travel comfortably.

 Until we have got the justified amount of buses air-conditioned (being 100%) NSW IPART should  review fares within Mount Druitt and NSW Bus Region 1. Taxis are provided fully air-conditioned, so why not other public transport vehicles?


Here is Lester's Report:

perusal of the Busways fleet on the Bus Australia website reveals that Busways has 768 buses spread over 17 depots in NSW.
Of those 768 buses, 602 have air conditioning and 166 are not air conditioned. The arrival of 18 new buses last year with fleet numbers in the 1200 series have enabled the withdrawal of some of the older non-air conditioned fleet.

The 166 non-air conditioned fleet consists of:
159 Mercedes Benz 0405
3 Mercedes Benz 0405NH (low floor)
3 MAN 16.240
1 MAN 18.260
These buses are allocated mainly to the 3 Sydney depots (Blacktown, Mulgrave, Penrith) and the 2 Central Coast depots (Gosford, Wyong) with a small number amongst the 11 North Coast depots allocated to school runs.
The majority of the air-conditioned buses came with the takeover of King Brothers Port Macquarie which operated the 11 North Coast depots. Further air conditioned buses were inherited from Westbus in 2014 with the new Region One contracts.
Busways founder, Dick Rowe, resisted having air conditioned and low floor buses for a long time. However, in 2005 as a result of the Unsworth review, the State Government took ownership of all bus routes in NSW. The existing bus companies including the Government owned State Transit became contractors to the Government with the Department of Transport, now Transport for NSW, becoming the regulator setting fares and service standards.
One benefit of the Government takeover was air conditioned low floor buses became mandatory for new buses. Dick Rowe had no choice if he wanted to retain his contracts. The first new air conditioned low floor buses arrived in the Busways fleet in 2007 first in White and after 2011 in Blue and White.
The current bus allocation of the Busways fleet is:
Sydney Depots
Blacktown - 147
Mulgrave - 62
Penrith - 104
Pymble Head Office - 2
Central Coast Depots
Gosford - 107
Wyong - 62
North Coast Depots
Bulahdelah - 23
Coffs Harbour - 31
Grafton - 25
Heatherbrae - 21
Kempsey - 22
Laurieton - 28
Macksville - 25
Port Macquarie - 56
Raleigh - 15
Wauchope- 19
Yamba - 19

Click here for previous post
Click here if you want to support Air-conditioned buses Petition

Save Ropes Crossing Meeting For Ropes Crossing Residents - 27th March 2017

Ropes Crossing Residents are organising a community meeting to  discuss issues  with  NSW Londonderry State Member, Pru Car on 27th March 2017.

They are concerned of local crime and looking of ways of improving it or preventing it. They also would like to discuss with Local Blacktown City Councillors as well.

If you are interested to attend - Register here

Stop the toll on the M4 - Hon. Prue Car, NSW Member For Londonderry!

Basically, here is hon. Member for Londonderry on M4 Tolls, in NSW Parliament, what do you think?:

On Year On For NSW Member of Londonderry (Part of Mount Druitt) - 27/3/2016 Hon Prue Car

Coming up  for one years public service to part of Mount Druitt community on the 27th March 2016, in NSW Member for Londonderry, Hon. Prue Car. 

The Mount Druitt state seat takes up approximately 85 percent of all of Mount Druitt and surrounding suburbs. Londonderry takes up the rest. A few years ago, I was told by a prominent local Labor Party Member that the suburbs of Whalan, Emerton, Tregear and Willmot (previously), were placed into to boost up Labor votes in the seat of Londonderry. Willmot has returned to Mount Druitt (last election) and the rest might follow suit in time.
 
Although, I haven't seen much work that Prue Car has done so far, I have heard she meets in the Wilmott Hub and does meet residents in Tregear and Whalan and worked on Daffodil Day in July last year.

So as a year  is coming up, we will ask her of how she reflects on the last year, from her day of being elected: the achievements, up and downs, etc.

Click here for Pru Car's 'whyilovemountdruitt' 

NSW Government News - More Jobs For Western Sydney - NDIS Scheme Is Rolled Out Across!

NSW Government claims 3,300 new jobs within Western Sydney once the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is rolled out. 

This is from here on that our local State Members for Mount Druitt, Hon. Edmond Atalla and Londonderry, Hon. Prue Car should chase this up and see how the many of the 3,300 new jobs will be allocated to their electorates and especially within Mount Druitt. 

Click here for this news from NSW Government

This Is The Time Is To Provide Your Feed Back To IPART Proposal For Fares Increases By 6th February 2016!

IPART is the NSW Independent Pricing And Regulatory Pricing Tribunal - which will determine  public transport fares increases set for 1st July 2016. The time is now for providing your 'Having your say', towards public transport price rises.

It seems IPART is not happy with the current way Opal fares are set (and I'm sure that they were involved in original fares approval before Opal had initially introduced the fares that we are now paying). They want to streamline the way fares are charged offer discounts and raise other fares by at least 20%.

As suggested to today, by State Member for Mount Druitt, Councillor Edmond Atalla, that Mount Druitt commuters may be seeking rise of fares from 23% to 48%, where pensioners will be from $2.50 per day to $9.00. 

Click here for the actual submission 


Click here for IPART's suggestions on public transport prices video

Here is my summary of  IPART's video, their proposal is:

• charging costs on a Straight line destination as opposed to traveling on actual different modes of public transports trip destinations.
• Instead of unlimited trips after 8 journey as per now, charges on the 10 longest trips per week and then free unlimited multiple trips and caped from $60 per week to $65 per week
• All cap on weekends is currently $2.50 to increase to $7.20 for Adult, $5.40 for Concession and $3.50 for Child.

 From the submission itself:

• Off Peak discount 30%-40% discount 
• Paper tickets 40% more then Opal tickets
• Gold Opal Cap by 1/7/2018 $4.00
• In 2016-17 cost increases of single mode travelers  cost increase of more than 20%

So my review of the submission is leave the Opal Card ticketing system as it is for price charging in relation to capping. I also think that IPART should be released on the year of election year (every 4 years)- keeping politicians alert!

Pensioners and Gold card pricing as it stands, fares can rise as per below inflation rates and that is it! If providing discounts, provide discounts across the board, so that all commuters gain an advantage. Off Peak discounts could be lowered and then this surplus of discounts off and spread across other commuters prices  This would result to commuters using and enjoying traveling on public transport, if  fares are discounted across the board. Do not disadvantage any commuter whether they are single journey or long distance commuters! 

If IPART wants to set price charges on a direct line destination charge - that will be good for all commuter in Mount Druitt as that will place Mount Druitt distance to 20 kms or under - lower price band. As we are being charged the higher band as previous blo click here.

Increasing the current capping of current weekend charges to substantial weekend charges, does not promote families to get public transport on weekends as the video explained, in Mount Druitt it would be a discourage commuters to use public transport on weekends. 

Public transport services on weekends do not compliment these price  proposed price hikes within Mount Druitt, with limited proper early morning services.  IPART is comparing  proposed weekend caps to weekday caps and  present a glossy picture, when it isn't. I do think as a strong public transport Community advocate for Mount Druitt this will hit commuters in the pockets. We don't have enough early bus services on Sunday mornings to cater for our commuters!

My strongest objection here is that the former NSW Minister for Transport , Gladys Berejiklian, promoted and got the electronic Opal card into onto Sydney public transport network. So far it has generally been a great success and the promotion on enticing commuters that use 8 trips or more 'and the rest is free' is a much better avenue on enticing non-public transport users to use public transport.

Charging for the most expensive 10 trips during the week is above board for daily workers places further cost on the majority of weekly regular commuters, who rely on public transport to reach on getting to daily destinations. 

The understanding I have of IPART is saying, 'Now OPAL is in, we can change the goal posts in thew ay they operate fare pricing. Fares must be fair not unfair. NSW Transport will gain 2 trips extra per person price and lose the idea of promotion of public transport to non commuters. More cars will be left on the road.

We have to accept fare increases below the predicted inflation rate. That is fine, but when there is substantial cost increases to a majority of commuters who are disadvantaged, then this is ridiculous. Promotion of public transport doesn't mean that you have to change suddenly the way you price public transport and substantially increase public transport prices in certain areas. Especially, after you have introduced and implemented a new electronic ticketing that took time for commuters to get used to, with the current range of ticketing Opal presented, approved  by NSW Transport.

As a strong Mount Druitt community representative, I can tell you that Mount Druitt commuters will be hit hard in the pocket as at least approximately 80% of weekly commuter will be paying higher fares, by charging 2 extra 2 trips per week. Where is the fairness? Weekend commuters being caped at a higher rate, will effect of 100% of weekend commuters, where services do not compliment any weekend price rise with limited early/late night bus services?

We also need to include that we are not up to standard with accessible buses compared to other bus regions click here for blog.

I'm sure both State Members for Mount Druitt, Councillor Edmond Atalla and Londonderry, Prue Car (which  have suburbs in Mount Druitt) will not support this as well!

The IPART proposal as it stands should not go through! 

This will be my feedback on behalf of our community!

So NSW IPART needs feed back by 6th February 2016 so pleas have your say by then.

Click here to have your say 








  

'Thank You' From NSW Member of Londonderry - Prue Car

I received an email from NSW Member of Londonderry, Hon. Prue Car, thanking for the use of advertising her important fundraising event 'Daffodil Day Morning Tea'   Prue Car <Prue.Car@nswlabor.org.au>	18 Aug (2 days ago)
to me Thanks John, much appreciated ! Click here for Daffodil Day Morning Tea

Daffodil Day Morning Tea Fundraiser Hosted By Prue Car - NSW Londonderry MP

Daffodil Day is coming up and this is a financial initiative to assist the Cancer Council in fighting cancer and making life easier to deal with Cancer in the future.

So Prue Car, NSW Londonderry MP is donating her time in hosting a Daffodil Day Morning Tea, Fundraiser. Here are the details, should you wish to attend:

'Weak' Unfriendly Weekends Busways Sunday Time Tables!

As a previous Mount Druitt Public Transport advocate under 'Save Our Bus Services, Mount Druitt and Surrounding Suburbs' and 'Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group', I have numerously mentioned to 'deaf ears' that weekend bus services within Mount Druitt in early mornings is non-existent!

Now as a community advocate for improvements within all aspects of Mount Druitt, I am taking  a step forward. This is to explain again that if a community doesn't have early or late night bus services taking them from major shopping and/or train station to and from their local communities, with the greatest of safety and comfort.

By not providing these essential service, there is no positive effect on the community. It prevents commuters to go to job interviews, jobs, visit families and friends, attend community events, church/ mosque or temple services, shopping, hospitals, doctors surgeries, to and from sporting activities. The community cannot be denied this, we are not moving forward in time to get proper bus services into the area. Once you allow these early and late bus services to be included, then you heavily promote it through every media, community outlet as possible.

On Sundays, we have 3 services where is no bus services, 1 with 1 service either way. No Services starting as early as 5am and finishing at prior to midnight. A majority of the bus services  commence after 8am from the community suburbs or Blacktown, Penrith and Windsor. So if  you and your family need to reach other parts of Sydney early in the morning, forget about it! Getting home at Sunday night is as much difficult!

We have had both NSW Labor and Liberal Governments provide these type of bus services so far. What improvements can a NSW Labor State Member do in a NSW Liberal Government? Simple, take on the initiative to promote more bus services on weekends, for the  reasons mentioned above. Pass Motions in NSW Government for this, stand up for the commuters of Mount Druitt and Londonderry get people onto public transport!

Blacktown City Council Transport officers write to NSW Government with no positive feedback so far! Let all stake holders be shaken by this important blog for the community of Mount Druitt!

Click here for Early and Late buses to and from Mount Druitt 

Rubbish And Recycling Combined Bins Required At Mount Druitt Train Station

I'm sure that this article will make 'Greenies' Happy! Actually, I'm sure there is a bit of  'green-natured love' in all of us.

Spotted at Parramatta Train Station the last few day a new rubbish bin that  has been placed on each platform. The beaut idea is definitely required  to bring a conscientious attitude towards a better improved public transport  train station. I would even suggest that all State Politicians in and around Mount Druitt advocate for these bins for Mount Druitt, Rooty Hill and St Marys train stations and bus interchanges and request the new NSW Minister of Transport, Mr Andrew Constance to support much needed improvements within our area.

NSW Labor Party Wins State Local Seats Of Londonderry And Mount Druitt and NSW Liberals Wins NSW Government!

On Saturday 28th March 2015, we have an election of surprises, in relation to results around the NSW State.

Locally, we have NSW Labor Prue Car who won the Londonderry seat and Councillor Edmond Atalla who won the seat on primary votes. This will make it 2 new members entering the NSW Parliament to represent their well deserved wins.

Both candidates obtains swings of 13.4% in Londonderry to 11.1% in Mount Druitt. That means that NSW Labor  and grabbed back heartland seats they lost in 2011 NSW State Elections.

I congratulate each candidate for their winning results and being part of 'whyilovemountdruitt'.

On a State level the Baird Liberal Government will retain NSW with currently 52 seats, 32 Labor, in relation to  seats won by primary parties with *70% of the votes counted, currently.

So my issue will now be how will Labor opposition get the improvements required in both Londonderry and Mount Druitt with a Liberal held NSW Government.  It is very simple, a lot of the improvements will come from The NSW Baird Liberal Government (from decisions made), yet both candidates need to be strong not just be strong advocate for the Labor Party only but for the local community first representing then Labor Party. They will be on test for the next 4 years, as is every NSW Government elected member.

We, in Mount Druitt need to look at such improvements that make our place an improved better place to live in with the essential services required by each of us, being mindful that our community will change with a growing population. Whilst promises were thrown at us from both parties during the election, we need to ensure both promises are kept, not just worded.

We need the new members of NSW Parliament not to be just opposing every item that NSW Government improves and we need improvements to be congratulated not ignored and they will need NSW Ministers meet local new members, placing party hats aside and work jointly, harmoniously for the 'Better' of the community.

We wish all NSW Members of Parliament a great 4 years in Government as they all work hard representing the best interests of their respected communities.

In  relation to candidates that did not win the NSW State Election, we offer strength, courage and suggest be an advocate to ensure our local 2 newly elected State Members - stay in line! Become Shadow members of each seat!

*Click here for ABC Election results