Editors Picks
11 March 2023
CASTLE HILL’S NEW $11.5M SHOWPIECE
CASTLE Hill Showground Arena will soon be transformed into a modern venue that can hold a range of larger scale community and sporting events thanks to funding received under the NSW Government’s $5B WestInvest Fund.
The Hills Shire Council was successful in securing approximately $11.5M of WestInvest funding - which aims to deliver transformational projects and local infrastructure to communities across Greater Sydney - for the construction of a new arena in the much-loved Showground.
“From being used as an animal flood evacuation centre to hosting fundraisers, sporting competitions and more recently, a kite flying festival - Castle Hill Showground has played an important role in bringing residents together over the course of a century,” Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Peter Gangemi said.
“Our vision is to continue the Showground’s reputation as a ‘thriving cultural and leisure facility’, and we are doing this through modernising the space’s well-utilised Arena so that it can support our growing community.”
Featured
07 March 2023
HOW SIGNIFICANT IS IWD IN 2023?
It's an opportunity to focus on core issues
LEE USSHER
THIS year marks the 110th anniversary of International Women's Day, and it is important in Australia because it shines a light on the social and economic inequalities that women still face in the country.
02 March 2023
BEDROOMS ARE MORE THAN SLEEPING SPACES
MODERN bedrooms are no longer just spaces for sleeping, according to a recent study by UNSW Sydney.
Researchers surveyed 304 Australian residents of different ages and genders and found that 40% used their bedroom as their living space, while 61% preferred to use it just for sleep.
The study revealed that the mean time spent in the sleep environment was 9.31 hours per day, with the mean hours spent sleeping at 7.12.
Younger participants spent more time in their bedrooms than any other age group and used the space for activities other than sleep, such as working or studying.
Watching TV was the most common activity in the sleep environment, followed by reading, studying or working, eating, and exercising.
The study's authors suggest that our domestic sleep spaces need to become more multifunctional to respond to growing spatial needs, and that renters should have more flexibility to customize their space beyond furnishings.
The researchers plan to collaborate with sleep experts to explore how changes to the sleep environment affect sleep quality.
Featured
27 February 2023
COMMENT: BLACKTOWN'S FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!
Why we need people-led design for our CBD
STEPHEN BALI
BLACKTOWN City has an opportunity to truly transform the future liveability of the Central Business Districts (CBD)..
24 February 2023
BEWARE TOXIC TREATMENT OF WORKFORCE
NEW research and polling released at a Union event at Revesby Workers Club revealed that attacks on the pay and conditions of essential workers during the past 12 years had left gaping holes in the workforce, leading to voter backlash in three key Sydney marginal seats.
According to UComms polling, an overwhelming majority of voters in Penrith, Parramatta and East Hills were concerned about the quality of public services in NSW due to pay rates for essential workers being pegged to less than half the rate of inflation.
Additionally, a strong majority of voters in all three seats believe electricity privatisation had contributed to increased power prices.
A separate report by Professor David Peetz showed that the public sector pay cap would leave essential workers worse off when adjusted for inflation during the next three years, leading to a surge in vacancies.
Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey said the “toxic treatment” of the workforce is crumbling essential services and that voters are ready to send a message to the Liberal Party in NSW.
16 February 2023
SETTLEMENT COUNCIL PRAISES VISA DECISION
THE Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) has praised the government's decision to grant permanent visas to around 19,000 refugees who hold Temporary Protection Visas (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEV).
The SCOA called the move a significant step towards ending uncertainty and limbo faced by these refugees for the past decade.
These visa holders will now have the same rights as all other permanent residents, including access to social security benefits, higher education loans, and a path to Australian citizenship.
The Albanese Government has committed $9.4M over two years to help TPV and SHEV holders with the visa application process.
The SCOA also welcomed the government's decision to restore the family reunion pathway for refugees on permanent visas.
09 February 2023
RETIRED GREYHOUNDS JOIN THE POLICE FORCE
RETIRED greyhounds will be retrained as PTSD companion animals for the Australian Federal Police in a world-first initiative.
The program is a collaboration between the Australian Federal Police Association, Greyhound Racing NSW, and Greyhounds Australasia.
The benefits of pet ownership and support animals for people with PTSD are significant. Police officers are at a higher risk of acquiring mental health injuries and PTSD due to their busy work life, isolation, and on-call rosters.
Bonding with a support animal can provide independence, routines, exercise, and social independence. The announcement of this partnership is less than three months after GRNSW and GA's announcement to supply greyhounds as pets to the Police Association of NSW, which has already shown successful adoptions and a demand for PTSD dogs.
The retraining of greyhounds opens a new career for non-racing greyhounds and highlights the therapeutic benefit they can bring to those suffering from anxiety disorders.
