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Homebush West Public School parents are learning how to be safe in the surf for the summer holidays
When the father of a student from Homebush West Public drowned last year
The man was rescuing his niece and nephew from a rip on the NSW south coast when he got into trouble
but principal Estelle Southall remembers it like it was yesterday
‘we have to do everything we can so nothing like this happens again to our families again’.”
Ninety-five percent of students from Homebush West Public School are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
a group sadly overrepresented in Australia’s annual drowning statistics
but our families at Homebush West generally don’t grow up around the water and many have a great fear of it,” Ms Southall said
Homebush West recently started a surf safety program for parents
with the first practical session on Manly Beach
Among the participating group was Manish Sedhai
This will help me survive in the surf,” Manish said
I’ve got many ideas that I can now share with my children to keep them safe as well
Joyce Kong has a daughter who has just finished Year 6
“I never went in the surf before coming to Australia
With some more practice I will feel much more confident going in the water this summer.”
Ms Southall said the smiles on the faces of the parents said it all
but they’re also doing something brave,” she said
“We call them our change-makers these parents
because next year we expect to have double the number of parents out here on the water.”
We recognise the Ongoing Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live
We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge
We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education
Thousands of homes across NSW have been left without power after a wet and windy night wreaked havoc across the state
Thousands of homes across New South Wales have been left without power after a wet and windy night wreaked havoc across the state
Ausgrid said as many as 4,500 properties were affected by outages
with power later being restored to 1,800 customers
Emergency crews were working quickly to resolve the issue
with repairs being conducted "when safe to do so"
Many of those affected were on the NSW Central Coast
with about 1,910 homes across East Gosford
Another 1,888 outages were located in the Sydney suburbs of Eastwood
Hundreds of residents in and around Church Point and Ingleside were also affected
Some of the outages were caused by downed power lines
with Ausgrid issuing a warning for locals to stay well clear and report any concerns
"Never approach fallen powerlines – always assume they are live and stay at least eight metres or two car lengths away from them," the company said
"If you have any concerns, please report them on online at ausgrid.com.au/hazards or call Ausgrid on 13 13 88."
There is no current timeline for when all repairs will be completed
but Ausgrid's website suggests most residents should have power restored between 9am and 10am
A scorching summer day was closed out by storms across parts of NSW on Tuesday night
with high winds also contributing to wild conditions
The wet weather complicated efforts to combat outages which begun to affect Western Sydney as the mercury climbed as high as 42C in some areas
About 2,500 homes were without power at 10am on Tuesday morning
with Bankstown residents most heavily affected
A hotter than expected summer has sparked fears of widespread blackouts over the coming months
with the potential for major storms also a cause for concern
a cool change is set to bring relief over the coming days
with light rain and colder temperatures expected until Friday in Sydney
Temperatures will begin to rise again from Saturday
with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting tops of 28C and 29C over the weekend ahead of another warm and humid week
something she has pursued throughout her career whether working in human resources
supporting important charities or now as a successful mortgage broker
Morgan (pictured above left) is the lead broker at My Mortgage Concierge
a brokerage based in Sydney’s Homebush West
The brokerage is part of her family’s business
Matthew Sattout (pictured below with Morgan)
Sam Sattout set up the accounting firm over 40 years ago and expanded into mortgage broking in 1998
My Mortgage Concierge is the new name for the brokerage which Morgan has led since 2014 and has enjoyed incredible loan book growth of 399% in the last 10 years
Morgan is supported by fellow broker Sid Sarkis
a full-time broker support person and a part-time admin staff member
Morgan worked as an HR adviser for Fairfax Media and the ABC for four years before joining Sattout Accounting Services in 2006 to support her father
“He was already broking and had been since 1998 but he’s also a full-time tax agent
so he was juggling both,” said Morgan
“So I came in and provided the broker support services
“I was loan processing so back then were completing application forms and typing up cover letters and faxing them into the banks – everything was very manual
Dad was only servicing his accounting clients and it [the brokerage] just started to grow over time.”
Morgan said her move from HR into the family business was motivated by an opportunity to grow both the accounting and broking divisions
‘’I wasn’t well at the time and I needed a job close to home
that was a little bit more flexible.”
Morgan had her two sons and when her youngest boy was one
Morgan’s dad suffered a second heart attack and needed to reduce his stress levels
So Morgan became a mortgage broker and in 2014 took over the running of the broking business
which has now been rebranded as My Mortgage Concierge
Broking was a natural career progression for Morgan
“My passion is helping people,” said Morgan
“On top of the charity work I’ve done and coming from HR
“I saw broking was a way to help people get what they wanted financially – to buy their own home
I’m not an accountant – I understand tax
but I wanted something where I was having those conversations with people and adding value
helping them to forward with their own goals.”
Sattouts supports Little Wonder, a parents’ fundraising and support committee that raises money for the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital neonatal intensive care unit
as well as Vinnies NSW’s mission to feed the homeless
Morgan said both of her boys were premature babies and a group of parents came together in 2009 to form Little Wonder and support the RPA’s neonatal ICU where their children were cared for
“The focus was on parent support and helping people understand that they're not alone in the journey that they're going through and there are other people who understand what’s happening.”
Little Wonder worked to make life less stressful for parents of premature babies
Morgan said the group renovated a room within the neonatal unit where mums expressed milk to make it feel more welcoming and less like a “sterile hospital room”
and organised gift bags to give out on key dates such as Mother’s Day
While she’s had to step away from being actively involved in Little Wonder
Morgan still supports its work and has some good friends who run the committee
Morgan and Sattouts also support Vinnies NSW
which started during COVID when they donated about 800 boxes of groceries to people in need
Morgan is part of a group of people who volunteer for Vinnies’ Brekky Van on Sunday mornings
which feeds people who are homeless in Sydney
putting together snack packs for Vinnies to distribute to people
Morgan said now the brokerage has committed to donate $100 to Vinnies Van Services NSW for every loan settled in FY2025
When Morgan took over the broking business she said she wanted to get an “outsider’s view” of the brokerage to ensure it was operating as effectively as possible, so she joined a two-year mentoring program run by Nancy Youssef of Classic Mentoring
“This helped me to reshape everything we were doing
putting in place new processes and systems,” said Morgan
the brokerage has grown just under 400% in loan book size
“We don't settle a huge volume every year
We have no arrears and our discharge rate is under 1%,” she said
attracting customers who wanted to build a property portfolio or renovate their homes
commercial and SMSF lending and caters for company and trust borrowers
“Our approach is simple: we treat every client as part of our extended family and provide personalised
comprehensive support throughout their journey to build wealth through a property portfolio,” Morgan said
When Morgan started running the broking business she said about 80% of leads came through the accounting practice
“Now it’s about 75% that are existing clients or client referrals and around 20% are accounting referrals.”
The growth of Sattouts broking arm is also evident – initially broking generated about 20% of the business’ overall income
Morgan said historically many of the broking clients were repeat property investors
“But in the last two years since interest rates rose
that has slowed down and we're finding now our first-time buyers category is growing.”
While the accounting service generated clients for the broking business, Morgan said it was now happening more often in the other direction, with first time buyers purchasing investment propert and needing the services of an accountant
“They might have been earning a salary before and lodging their own tax
whereas now they starting to invest and diversify
returns positive breath testMatt ShrivellThe Nightly1 Min Read23 Sep 2024Updated23 Sep 2024The teenager has been charged after allegedly driving under the influence
Credit: AAPA major motorway in Sydney has been thrown into chaos after a teenager led police on a high-speed pursuit before colliding with another vehicle whilst allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol
officers attached to Auburn police area command attempted to stop a grey Mercedes sedan on the M4 Motorway
When the sedan allegedly failed to stop as directed
a pursuit was initiated before the vehicle collided with a Haval SUV at the intersection of Centenary Drive and Marlborough Road
Get the first look at the digital newspaper
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Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Mercedes stopped a short time later and the driver - a 19-year-old man - was arrested. His passenger – also 19 - was not injured.
Following the pursuit after he was subjected to a roadside breath test and allegedly returned a positive result.
NSW Ambulance paramedics assessed the driver of the SUV - a 40-year-old man - who did not require further treatment.
He was taken to Auburn police station where he was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, driving a motor vehicle while licence suspended, driving with middle range PCA, negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm) and not complying with P1/P2 high-performance vehicle restriction.
He was refused bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Monday.
Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T
"Even though I'm Chinese, I don't speak Mandarin or Cantonese. That can often make shopping at Asian grocery stores difficult, but in Flemington, everything is clearly labelled, and everyone speaks English reasonably well," said my dear friend Celia
Today's tour of Homebush West just south of Flemington train station was a spontaneous one
I was slurping some noodles and taking a big bite of a meatball filled banh mi roll and listening to Celia point out different places in her adopted suburb
"There's the butcher that makes his own lup cheong and the pho place that always has a queue outside it," she said
"We could show them to you..." she said and before she could even finish her sentence I was nodding enthusiastically
Homebush West is a suburb that many refer to as Flemington because of the name of the train station
many of the shops are clustered on the south side of train station
The other side of the tracks has the famous Flemington markets
The suburb has a mixture of people from Chinese
Unlike some suburbs that can be intimidating
signs here are both in English and Chinese
There is also an unusual number of shops and restaurants with "happy" in the title
Everything is within a very short distance from each other which makes exploring this suburb a dream
It started with lunch at Happy Snack for a birthday lunch
"Choose anything that you want!" Celia says
"It's all about $6!" she giggles delightedly
We take a seat at a laminated table where there is a box of tissues and a small container of sliced chillies on the side
The menu is short and sweet and featured on picture menus on the wall and before we've even settled in
I'm intrigued by the "dim sim roll". It's actually a meatball roll and although I've probably eaten my yearly quota of banh mi I'm still not sick of them
coriander and soft squishy meatballs have Celia reconsidering her favourites
"I'm going to get one of these next time," she says
The soft beef brisket stew also comes with a warm
It's full of flavour and slightly sweet with the meat falling off the bone
The vermicelli salad is a tangle of noodles with sliced up spring rolls
a lemongrass pork patty and a pork skin salad
The texture of this salad is good although it feels a little virtuous compared to the brisket and meatball roll
The caramelised black pepper and pork is another full flavoured dish with a slightly sweet sauce with plenty of black pepper
I wish that bargain loving Mr NQN were with us
The bone in pork pieces are soft and ease off the bone
It is served with tiny grains of broken rice
Dessert is one of the drinks. You can choose up to six additions including lotus seeds, barley, palm seeds, green noodles and red beans and many more
I go for the Sam Bo Luong that is made with barley
It's topped with ice and they tend towards very sweet so it's not a bad idea to ask for it less so
We take a walk around the corner where we pop into Lien Phong Fish Market
Lured in by the window signs that promise Arctic clams
turban shells and mud crab and Celia becomes excited by the sea mullet
a fish that she had seen on many British cooking shows
She buys a whole fish and cackles delightedly
We walk past bakeries and takeaway shops selling pork rolls and sugar cane juice
One shop has three prices for sugar cane juice - with ice
The window of Tam Hung Butchery has hearts
Pete points out blocked off alleyways that snake around the shops
These would have provided entryway into the back of shops
The BBQ shop catches my attention via the aroma and Celia points at eye array of Lup Cheong
According to Celia and the woman behind the counter this shop has been located in Flemington for "forever." We watch the rhythmic chopping of meat on the enormous wooden trunk chopping board at least a foot high
Sauces drip from ducks and meats that are regularly taken out for display
Business is good here and nothing waits too long in the window
I step up to the counter and order some char siu and ask about the lup cheong
duck and a dried pork sausage and I buy two links of each
They end up costing about $1 each while the char siu is around $10
I bring it home and heat it up for a sandwich
It's deliciously moist and very flavoursome
Pho Toan Thang's queues are just something that patrons need to deal with if they want to dine here
Pete and I were full from our meal at Happy Snack
I return to Flemington a few days later to try Pho Toan Thang with Mr NQN
it's very busy so Mr NQN drops me off at 12:30pm to get a table while he finds a parking spot
I'm not waiting long and a few minutes later just as everyone arrives
We are handed picture menus in English and Chinese
They're eager to take orders and we choose quickly mindful of the long queue outside
The usually impatient Ruby is shocked that within a few minutes the first of the dishes arrives
green and red beans with creamy thick coconut milk and plenty of ice on top
The pho is the first to arrive and we see plenty of bowls of pho being brought to tables. We watch people pick up the slippery white noodles and raise them to their mouth. There are thirteen types of soup noodles and about ten fried noodles
The pho is the favourite with Mr NQN and Belinda
The noodles are just the right consistency and the broth hits all the comforting high notes
They bring out a hot plate and a bowl of prawns that they add to the plate with a hot sizzle
Ruby emits a high pitched scream and the waitress echoes her scream with a laugh which causes Ruby to echo her laughter
The prawns have a good texture but the sauce is very strong with garlic (and this is coming from a garlic lover like me)
It is served with a large plate of boiled white rice
I'm actually not really one for spring rolls but these are fantastic
they're bursting with flavour and are crispy golden fried
They're much better than the often vegetable filled versions
We wanted to try something a bit different so we order this
It's not bad but I'm not sure where the salt fish in with this as it's mostly pieces of chicken and soft tofu amongst a mild
thick sauce with a hint of garlic and ginger
With an enormous maryland of meat cut up into portions
I think I sat stunned when they put this down on the table
It's size and glistening skin is impressive enough
I try some rice and it's fabulously smoky with the "breath of the wok" in the same way with char kway teow
The chicken skin is beautifully crisp and tender and I can't help but go back for more of this dish
"Would you like some takeaway containers?" the man asks
We are headed out so we can't take them home so we decline and there's almost a note of disapproval
My eyes light up when I see the amount of zongzi or wrapped rice dumplings-there are six kinds here and a good range of sweets
The shelves however hold a really intriguing range of sauces and products that you don't often see elsewhere and it's worth taking a close look here on the shelves
The rice shelves have rose rice and chicken rice while corn ice blocks fill the chest freezer out front
Celia picks up packets of her favourite curry sauce
Those looking to self cater and make your own yum cha party
Best Taste Dim Sum on Henley Road sells a complete array of yum cha dumplings to either steam or deep fry The egg custard tarts are only available from Friday to Sunday
There's nowhere to sit and eat here but but I buy a range of my favourite goodies that are already cooked
They're not bad although I wasn't quite as smitten with the prawn har gows as they were a bit floury and didn't have enough prawn filling (which is what I often find with places that sell frozen dim sum)
The han sui kwok also doesn't have much filling but the char siu bau is full with a sweet fluffy white outside
The egg custard tart is warm with an appealingly flaky pastry
We pass by restaurants called "Fantastic Restaurant" and Celia tells me that it's very full at night (clearly the naming works!)
haircuts and printing and copying all under the one roof
Another place offers Selective School tests
Anyone that has grown up in a Chinese or Indian family probably knows how all about the selective school tests and the neighbourhood is no doubt rich in candidates
We stop into some of the Indian and Sri Lankan shops
One sells fish directly from Kerala and the smell of spices is intoxicating
Indian head massages and facials and are tempted but alas we have a bounty of perishables and a full schedule
We hadn't meant to stay this long but something about this small suburb lured us in
We make our way back to the car loaded with goodies and treasures
And do you ever explore new suburbs like this
Would you enjoy an organised group tour like this
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Street Festival 2140 has lit up the Homebush West and Homebush Village town centres in a bid to reignite community spirit and support local businesses after the challenging extended lockdowns of last year
Mayor Matthew Blackmore said: "Strathfield Council was one of the 12 LGAs that faced the harshest restrictions due to COVID-19
"Street Festival 2140 celebrates our vibrant cultural endeavours and local businesses
as well as encourages participation to instil a renewed sense of community
underpinned by a beautification initiative that will improve the aesthetics and ambience of the areas
Street festival reignites community spirit"The past year has been a difficult time for all of us
particularly the two key town centres Homebush Village and Homebush West
as businesses now try to rebuild from not only extended lockdowns but also decreased consumer confidence
"We're committed to stimulating economic recovery and doing what we can to give residents and visitors the chance to enjoy great local artists and support local businesses who were impacted significantly by extended lockdowns."
kids' activities and market stalls will showcase the diverse cultures and talent within the vibrant Strathfield community
Street Festival 2140 will have a long-term positive impact
leaving a legacy footprint in the community
repainted fence lines and mural art infrastructure are planned for the festival
improving the visual appeal of the town centres and encouraging visitation to the area
Street artists Sheila Tan and Bill Stroulios are among the artists who will participate in the festival
painting murals and street art to celebrate the diverse local culture and create a more inclusive space for social and cultural activity
Street festival reignites community spiritStrathfield Council CEO Henry Wong said: "It is through the support of the NSW Government's Festival of Place - Open Streets funding program that we have been able to hold Street Festival 2140
Bringing more visitors into the town to connect with local businesses such as eateries and cafes will help in developing more permanent foot traffic and improve night-time economy."
Almost 70 per cent of residents within Homebush West and Homebush speak a language other than English at home
Street Festival 2140 connects the many cultures in the area with events aimed at creating opportunities for social and cultural appreciation
Among the diverse range of performers are Cuban Big Band
Australian Chinese Community Association Dancers
the Nartan Institute of Performing Arts and many more
Street festival reignites community spiritThe line-up also showcases local schools
including St Martha's Primary Choir & Strings and Strathfield Girls High School
Children's activities are scheduled from 1-5pm
"We hope that the Street Festival 2140 will inspire our residents to support local businesses and inject a sense of pride within the areas," Cr Blackmore said
Street festival reignites community spiritStreet Festival 2140 is funded by the NSW Government's The Festival of Place
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Only two inner-western Sydney suburbs remain under the million dollar mark
Sydenham and Homebush West still have six figure median house prices
The median house price in Sydenham is $927,500
an increase of 11.4% in the 12 months to November 2015
and in Homebush West it is up 4% to $980,500
only 8km from the CBD and under the flight path
is a small suburb where few homes come up for sale
“People who live there have been there for a long time.”
Core Logic RP Data shows Sydenham’s average hold period is 12 years
“It’s not the most desirable suburb but for value for money it’s unbelievable,” Pereira says
This three-bedroom house at 74 Courallie Ave
“A single-fronted home in Sydenham is worth between $900,000 and $1 million but in Marrickville it’s probably worth $1.2 million to $1.3 million
It’s a massive price difference but you’re one suburb away.”
is an affordable alternative to popular suburbs such as Strathfield but few houses come up for sale
“There’s quite a bit of interest from the lower budget buyers looking to get into the area because they can still access most of the schools and the facilities,” Joe Campisi from Devine Real Estate Strathfield says
The area is predominantly an apartment market with most houses confined to a few streets
St Peters and Tempe were previously suburbs where the median house price was under a million
They now have an average house price of $1.01 million and $1.006 million respectively
Louise Mitchell from Agency by Glenn Regan says more buyers are looking into St Peters and Tempe
“They’ve always been the bridesmaid suburbs of Newtown and Marrickville but people are discovering how close they are to everything,” she says
Mitchell says there are still houses under a million but they are generally unrenovated and located on busier roads
This story was originally published on The Daily Telegraph
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We have grown too accustomed to seeing empty quiet streets post lockdown
we think it's time to rediscover our vibrant local communities and to show our support in person and not just through a screen
The good news is, Strathfield Council is working to breathe some life back into the streets of Homebush with an epic festival that'll get you off the couch and onto the street. Street Festival 2140 is kicking off on Friday
March 11 and will run every Friday and Saturday for five weeks
This means for ten days and nights the streets of Homebush will be jam-packed with fun events and great vibes
Street Festival 2140 will be happening on Henley Road in Homebush West for the first two weeks (March 11-19) before moving to Rochester Street in Homebush Village for the next three
Expect fun-filled street parties featuring live music from the local artists such as Brothers of Oz
There'll also be workshops in henna tattooing
It is guaranteed fun for all ages with events to impress a date
Street Festival 2140 is proudly funded by the NSW Government's The Festival of Place. For more information, visit the website
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The owners of a sprawling housing estate in Sydney's west are being ordered to probe for a potential leak of chemicals - more than three years after the possible contamination risk to thousands of residents was first recognised.
Since 2015, Ford Motoring Company has suspected chemicals, including ammonia, could have spread from a former waste dump at its old factory to the residential precinct at Centenary Park in Homebush West.
Centenary Park apartments overlook the former landfill site used by Ford motoring company. The fenced-off site was remediated in the 1990s. Credit: James Brickwood
But the extent of any contamination, or any safety risk to the thousands of residents, remains unknown.
That is because Ford and the developer, Telmet Ventures, have not agreed for Ford to have access to test for the presence of any chemicals on the site.
Ford said it notified the NSW Environment Protection Authority, Strathfield Council and the developer after detecting a change in ammonia levels on the edge of the old landfill site in 2015.
Those changes were "minor and still within acceptable levels", Ford Australia spokesman Martin Gunsberg said. He said further tests were recommended to detect any impact on the estate's land.
"Since [2015] we’ve been in discussions with the developer and more recently, the owners’ corporation of Centenary Park about gaining access so we can further investigate the change at the shared boundary," he said.
"At this point we don't know if the Centenary Park development is affected or not."
The authority wrote to the Centenary Park owners' corporation in January, informing them the authority intended to issue a preliminary investigation order directing them to get the site tested.
Investigations had "confirmed the existence of elevated levels of ammonia and dissolved methane in the groundwater at the old landfill and elevated methane in ground gas at the old landfill".
"The EPA suspects that the old landfill leachate is now migrating south from the old landfill and is potentially contaminating the [Centenary Park] site," the letter said.
The vast Courallie Avenue housing estate previously drew criticism for traffic congestion and garbage removal problems. Credit: James Brickwood
"The purpose of this order is to investigate the extent to which the site is contaminated with the leachate containing elevated concentrations of ammonia, formaldehyde, polyclyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds and landfill gases."
The EPA said that documents provided by Ford showed the motoring company and the owners and managers of the site had not been able to agree about access despite three years of correspondence.
An EPA spokesman said there was no evidence "at the moment" to suggest the presence of any contamination on the Centenary Park development site.
"The work required by the EPA is to investigate whether groundwater from the landfill is moving towards the Centenary Park development site and whether any contamination is present."
He would not be drawn on any potential risks to residents associated with the chemicals detailed in the draft order.
A Telmet Ventures spokesman declined to comment on the claims the developer had first been informed of the possible breach in 2015, and on the cause of the delay to Ford's access to the site.
"We can tell you we were first informed that Ford had formed a suspicion that a landfill barrier had been breached when we received a letter from EPA dated 7 January 2019," he said in an email.
"The matter is now the subject of detailed investigation by EPA and we will await their determinations before making any further comment."
A Strathfield Council spokeswoman said the council could request the privately-owned estate's management to carry out tests but the property was managed by its strata company.
"Our staff have been in talks with the Centenary Park strata in an attempt to have them allow access to the property, but this has been unsuccessful. [The] EPA is now handling it."
Centenary Park Management declined to comment.
Strathfield MP Jodi McKay said it was "highly concerning" that most residents within the 1200 properties at the estate had only learned of the potential breach in January.
She said there would need to be "a very good reason" why the authority and the developer hadn't acted sooner. "I think it is just appalling that there could be 2500 residents who've been exposed to very dangerous chemicals for four years," she said.
The Herald spoke to several property owners who did not want to be identified but who voiced concerns that any contamination could negatively affect their property values or health.
"Who is going to pay all these costs [for tests], is the concern of the community," one resident said.
Ford has monitored and managed the landfill site, under council development consent conditions, since 1993. The two properties are divided by a natural shale rock barrier that was reviewed when the landfill site was remediated in 1998.
It is not the first time the Centenary Park development has drawn criticism. Residents complained about problems related to traffic congestion and garbage removal at the site in 2016.
The owners of a sprawling housing estate in Sydney's west are being ordered to probe for a potential leak of chemicals - more than three years after the possible contamination risk to thousands of residents was first recognised.
Those changes were \\\"minor and still within acceptable levels\\\", Ford Australia spokesman Martin Gunsberg said. He said further tests were recommended to detect any impact on the estate's land.
\\\"Since [2015] we\\u2019ve been in discussions with the developer and more recently, the owners\\u2019 corporation of Centenary Park about gaining access so we can further investigate the change at the shared boundary,\\\" he said.
\\\"At this point we don't know if the Centenary Park development is affected or not.\\\"
The authority wrote to the Centenary Park owners' corporation in January, informing them the authority intended to issue a preliminary investigation order directing them to get the site tested.
Investigations had \\\"confirmed the existence of elevated levels of ammonia and dissolved methane in the groundwater at the old landfill and elevated methane in ground gas at the old landfill\\\".
\\\"The EPA suspects that the old landfill leachate is now migrating south from the old landfill and is potentially contaminating the [Centenary Park] site,\\\" the letter said.
\\\"The purpose of this order is to investigate the extent to which the site is contaminated with the leachate containing elevated concentrations of ammonia, formaldehyde, polyclyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds and landfill gases.\\\"
An EPA spokesman said there was no evidence \\\"at the moment\\\" to suggest the presence of any contamination on the Centenary Park development site.\\u00A0
\\\"The work required by the EPA is to investigate whether groundwater from the landfill is moving towards the Centenary Park development site and whether any contamination is present.\\\"
A Telmet Ventures spokesman declined to comment on the claims the developer had first been informed of the possible breach in 2015, and on the cause of the delay to Ford's access to the site.
\\\"We can tell you we were first informed that Ford had formed a suspicion that a landfill barrier had been breached when we received a letter from EPA dated 7 January 2019,\\\" he said in an email.
\\\"The matter is now the subject of detailed investigation by EPA and we will await their determinations before making any further comment.\\\"
A Strathfield Council spokeswoman said the council could request the privately-owned estate's management to carry out tests but the property was managed by its strata company.
\\\"Our staff have been in talks with the Centenary Park strata in an attempt to have them allow access to the property, but this has been unsuccessful. [The] EPA is now handling it.\\\"
Strathfield MP Jodi McKay said it was \\\"highly concerning\\\" that most residents within the 1200 properties at the estate had only learned of the potential breach in January.
She said there would need to be \\\"a very good reason\\\" why the authority and the developer hadn't acted sooner. \\\"I think it is just appalling that there could be 2500 residents who've been exposed to very dangerous chemicals for four years,\\\" she said.
\\\"Who is going to pay all these costs [for tests], is the concern of the community,\\\" one resident said.
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Sydney
If the thought of bouncing around in a gigantic room full of wild trampolines (plus a giant slide) sounds like a good time to you
A brand-new jumping paradise has just touched down in Homebush
and believe us when we say it’s a seriously good time for all concerned
and a thrill-seeking slide that winds down from the mezzanine to the main activity floor
Bounce is full of adrenaline-pumping surprises that look well worth a visit.
This wild situation is both Sydney and NSW’s first ever ‘Bounce’ venue
wall running and a ‘mini bounce’ zone for kids facilities on offer
there’s something jumpy on offer for everyone.
Whether you’re keen on practising your parkour tricks
this new addition to Sydney’s bouncy block should be on your radar
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A wild all-in brawl has erupted between staff at a popular market in between boxes of fresh produce
sparking an early morning visit from police
The brawl occurred shortly after 4.30am on Friday at Flemington Markets in Homebush in Sydney's west after a verbal altercation esclated into violence
one in a green high-visibility jacket and the other in an orange -high visibility vest at yelling in each others faces
The men break out into a fight with multiple punches being thrown between the pair before other workers join in
One man lost his shirt during the altercation while another was thrown to the ground and struck while lying in a fetal position to protect himself
The men are surrounded by boxes of produce as dozens of other shocked workers watch on
It's currently not known what sparked the fiery exchange
NSW Police confirmed officers were called to the venue following reports of a brawl
A 29-year-old man was taken to Auburn Police Station and charged with two counts of assault
emergency services were called to an address at Homebush West
following reports of a brawl,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia
'Officers attended and spoke to three men.'
The 29-year-old was granted bail and will appear at Burwood Local Court on July 27
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Sydney Markets for comment
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Shocking footage has emerged of the moment an alleged drunk driver smashed through a convenience store in a van
pinning a woman against a wall for half-an-hour
CCTV from inside Pyramid Video and Spice on Hornsey Road in Homebush West, in Sydney's inner-west
shows the Volkswagen Caddy strike a 27-year-old pedestrian before she's launched her into the shop and trapped between the car and a wall
Emergency services spent about 30 minutes attempting to free her from the wreckage before she was rushed to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition with injuries to her legs
The driver allegedly fled the scene to his home just hundreds of metres away
where he was arrested and taken to Auburn police station
He allegedly recorded a breath test of 0.133
almost three times the legal limit and has been charged with a string of offences
A female worker was also struck by the vehicle and became pinned against a wall and the van's passenger side
A witness said she heard a woman's guttural 'screaming' from inside the store shortly after crash
Others rushed to her aid in an attempt to free her from the van
with two good Samaritans attempting to push the van to create space for her to escape
had only shut up shop three hours before the crash only to return to find it completely destroyed
'I don't know what to do and how long it will take to clean up..
I couldn't sleep last night,' he told Nine News
Police will allege in court the driver of the van fled the scene after hitting the woman and did not come to her aid
He was charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm
dangerous driving occasion grievous bodily harm
fail to stop and assist after impact causing grievous bodily harm and negligent driving occasions grievous bodily harm
He was granted bail at Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday afternoon and ordered not to drive or drink alcohol
A passenger in the van was also arrested by police and taken to hospital for precautionary checks but was later released
Buyers Mitch Hawkins and Karen See will be signing contracts on a home after a lengthy search
PRICES in pockets of Sydney’s inner west and northwest have climbed faster than anywhere else in NSW over the past decade
a new analysis of CoreLogic housing data shows
The research revealed Homebush was the state’s top performing property market for the decade
A typical house cost about $612,500 in 2007 but now costs about $2.32 million — an increase of 278 per cent
House prices in The Ponds recorded similar average annual growth of 13.4 per cent for the period
is on the market for $1.55 million to $1.6 million
Public transport hub Lewisham and tourist district The Rocks shared the highest growth of unit medians at 11.5 per cent per year
Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said the runaway price growth in parts of the inner west was driven largely by a shift in people’s perceptions of the region
some of the suburbs (in the region) have seen the strongest (growth) in Australia
and a lot of that has to do with young people wanting to move into those areas,” she said
“The supply of period homes and the relative affordability have all been driving them there
“They’re starting to create increased demand for better cafes
and it has led to significant urban regeneration in that part of Sydney.”
Ms Conisbee added that the trend of apartment living would continue to develop as it became more expensive to live in urban areas of Sydney
Belle Property Strathfield’s Norman So attributed the growth of Homebush to its established amenities and its more expensive neighbour
“As people were being priced out of Strathfield in the last couple of years
a lot of them just moved down the road into the Homebush precinct
while still able to access the same amenities,” he said
adding there is still a difference of about half a million dollars between the two suburbs
and Homebush being right next to Strathfield without the price tag; it’s always going to be in high demand.”
The new Flour Mill development at Summer Hill has boosted awareness of Lewisham
Rhonda Yim of Belle Property Annandale said that
buyers in Lewisham had been priced out of nearby Summer Hill
“(They) have found better value in Lewisham
where they can still have all the benefits of the area
including proximity to the popular villages of Summer Hill and Dulwich Hill,” she said
Redevelopment in Summer Hill’s heritage flour mill site has allowed new buyers to discover Lewisham and its light rail service
“A lot of buyers have been unaware of (Lewisham) until recently.”
Transport links have also buoyed housing price growth in The Ponds
according to Matt Whiting of LJ Hooker Stanhope Gardens and Kellyville
“What’s helped sustain that growth in The Ponds above 10 per cent (in the past 10 years) has been the (future) Northwest Rail Link
We’ll see continual growth from now until when the rail line’s actually open.”
Most houses in the area are large and sit on 350 to 400sqm blocks with little yard space
which Mr Whiting said reflected the long-term shift in what modern buyers seek in a home
gone are the days where one partner works and one stays at home with the kids
“To afford the larger mortgages people are having to pay
you’ve often got two partners working in a household
Sydney Cove Property’s Grant Ashby has also noticed a shift in The Rocks in the past decade
with owner-occupiers dominating the previously investor-owned market
that was more Baby Boomers looking for a lifestyle change
but what we’re seeing now is a lot of younger professionals come in and buy a one-bedroom apartment and making that their home.”
RUNAWAY growth in home prices may have made it harder to get a foot on the property ladder but recent buyers Mitch Hawkins and Karen See claim there is still value in Sydney — if you know where to look
The couple had been searching for a property within the St George area for the good part of a year and
like buyers in Sydney’s highest growth areas the inner west and northwest
had found themselves unable to keep up with the frantic pace of price increases
house prices increased by an average of more than $100,000 over 2016
Mitch Hawkins and Karen See have bought near Bardwell Park
“We were getting blown away at auctions so we took a new approach,” Mr Hawkins said
“We started looking for smaller houses and began negotiating with agents before auction
The moment they listed something we’d give them a call.”
The approach worked and the couple recently signed contracts on a home near Bardwell Park
Their mortgage broker Samantha Cranny of Smartline said a lot of other house hunters were also finally breaking into the market after a long search
“There are less other buyers in the market compared to a year ago so there’s less competition,” she said
“Even buyers with less experience negotiating with agents are finding more success than they were a year ago.”
— with Aidan Devine
where we are privileged to live and operate
Police say the man shot in the leg at Homebush West is a member of the Lone Wolf Motorcycle gang. (AAP: Paul Miller)
Link copiedShareShare articleA Lone Wolf outlaw bikie gang member who was shot in the leg at Homebush West will face court accused of hiding information about the crime from police.
Police and emergency services responded to reports of a man being shot on Bedford Road about 7:30pm (AEST) on April 16 but there was no-one there when they arrived.
Officers found blood at the scene and began an investigation.
Later that night, a 23-year-old man went to hospital with a single gunshot wound to his left leg.
Police say they tried several times to speak with the man but he allegedly refused.
He has now been issued with a court attendance notice to face a charge of concealing a serious indictable offence.
He will appear in Burwood Local Court next month.
CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
Children have been banned from running in the playground at the overcrowded Homebush West Public School
rich seams of data and technological progress will allow patients unprecedented control over their healthcare in the next decade
responding and catering to the innovations of their students
will be able to teach and research in ways and in settings far more engaging than the traditional lecture in a hall
And the demographics of the Sydney population mean that even as the opportunities for learning and progress in health and education loom brighter than before
they also mean the pressure on resources and infrastructure could
the full force of the post-war baby boom will start to impact on the state’s health system
coupled with declining fertility rates since the early 1970s
will create a population with a record high proportion of retirees
The number of Sydney residents over the age of 80 will almost double in the next 10 years
More than 18 per cent of Australians will be obese by 2025
A NSW Health futures report in 2005 found new cases of non-insulin dependent diabetes will have increased by 127 per cent between 2001 and 2026
Though those projections are more than a decade old they continue to offer a compelling snapshot of the future health of people living in Sydney
The report predicted the incidence of dementia in NSW will more than double between 2001 and 2026
hearing loss and chronic musculoskeletal disorders will follow suit
The number of new cancer cases will also have dropped considerably
while the drop in smoking rates should mean smoking-related conditions will drain fewer resources from health services
But the current system will need to adapt and expand to meet the needs of the growing
ageing and increasingly chronic disease-addled population
Widespread use of patient-controlled electronic health records will drive the shift away from the fragmented healthcare system
Use of the federal government’s My Health Record has been sluggish since the initiative was launched in 2012
But NSW Secretary of Health Elizabeth Koff says she is “very confident” that by 2026 most people would be using smart devices to access their digital records and view test results
while controlling who has access to that information
A digital network of shared electronic health records will also close the information gaps between hospitals and community-based services that stymie continuity of care once a patient has been discharged
“It’s about joining the dots digitally between all those services,” Koff says
NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner plans integrated care sites “everywhere”
Health Minister Jillian Skinner, meanwhile, predicts that one-stop-shop healthcare hubs will spring up across the city. This is the vision at the heart of the federal government’s healthcare homes scheme
At the integrated care demonstrator site in Mount Druitt
the round-robin-style service was designed to give patients easy access to a multidisciplinary team and allow them to dictate to kind of care they want to receive
“They’ll be everywhere [by 2026],” Skinner says
Where you live in Sydney will determine to a large extent what you’re most likely to need from your health services
Mining an unprecedented amount of data from Sydney’s diverse population with increasing speed and specificity will enable health authorities to better allocate health services
“Knowing the socio-economic and geographical divisions [within Sydney]
we can have a much more bespoke approach to disease profiles and tailor our health services response even more appropriately,” she says
while lifestyle diseases will be most prevalent in south-west and western Sydney
the more affluent suburbs in Sydney’s north will need a greater focus on childhood vaccination initiatives to boost coverage
and curbing the area’s high alcohol-related hospital admissions
This trove of information will potentially include de-identified patient outcomes data
comparing the effectiveness of medical treatments and the performance of the medical teams at the state’s public hospitals
“I want this information in the public domain,” says Skinner
“We want to know why this patient treated at one hospital has better outcomes than
a person treated at that hospital,” she says
Health will be as much about mathematicians and engineers and physicists as it is about actual doctors
that’s what medical research is showing us,” Skinner says
New personalised medical apps and digital devices – medication managers
and blood glucose monitors – directly linked to local health services will increasingly help patients manage their medical conditions at home
where we can monitor symptoms and key indicators from home … [and] it’s the tech sector that is going to drive a lot of this change,” says Koff
The pinnacle of personalised care – genome sequencing – is already used to tailor highly targeted life-saving treatments for specific paediatric cancer patients at Sydney’s Children’s Hospital Network
Geneticists are using the techniques to identify people with rare genetic diseases
“It is quite remarkable and it will definitely revolutionise how we deliver care in the next 10 years,” Koff says
The southern hemisphere’s first whole-genome sequencing clinical service opened its doors in July this year at the Garvan Institute
Its clinicians are already planning to expand to whole-genome screening for cardiac conditions
The Garvan Institute in Darlinghurst is home to Australia's first clinical whole genome sequencing service
Digital medication monitoring systems will be rolled out across the state’s hospitals to guard against prescribing and dosing errors
and a real-time drug monitoring system in community pharmacies will track over-prescribing and “doctor shoppers” who stock up on drugs of addiction
the state government has embarked on an ambitious capital works program for the NSW health sector
Enrolments have surged in many of Sydney’s inner- and middle-ring suburbs
Going up: more schools will be of the high-rise model established for Arthur Phillip High in Parramatta
Sydney should finally have a second major airport at Badgerys Creek
Kathryn Wicks | Multimedia editor Matt Teffer | Art director Michael Howard | Design & development Kathleen Vrinat
Les Hewitt | Photo editor Mags King | Video production Jack Fisher | Executive editor
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time
NSW Police are searching for two men involved in a brawl in Homebush after one man was stabbed multiple times in the head and another suffered a stab wound
emergency services were called to Park Road in Homebush in Sydney’s west following reports of a brawl involving four men
Officers attached to Auburn Police Area Command attended and found two men
The men were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition
NSW Ambulance inspector Dominic Wong said paramedics had arrived to a “chaotic scene” with two patients suffering from stab wounds
“One patient had been stabbed in the head multiple times and the other had a single stab wound to the shoulder
“Police provided initial first aid with paramedics then arriving and controlling the bleeding by applying dressings and pressure before taking the patients to hospital.”
One of the men is described as being of Asian appearance
a solid build and wearing a black hat and pink shoes
Police have established a crime scene and started an investigation into the incident
Anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here
emergency services were called to Park Road in Homebush in Sydney\\u2019s west following reports of a brawl involving four men
NSW Ambulance inspector Dominic Wong said paramedics had arrived to a \\u201Cchaotic scene\\u201D with two patients suffering from stab wounds
\\u201COne patient had been stabbed in the head multiple times and the other had a single stab wound to the shoulder
\\u201CPolice provided initial first aid with paramedics then arriving and controlling the bleeding by applying dressings and pressure before taking the patients to hospital.\\u201D
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories
The alleged ringleader of a drug dealing gang faces the potential of decades in prison after he was arrested at a Sydney pub
heroin and GHB precursor gamma-butyrolactone in Sydney's south and southwest
But his reign allegedly ended on Thursday morning when arrested at Markets Hotel in Homebush West
He was refused bail ahead of an appearance in Parramatta Local Court on Friday on six counts of commercial drug supply
directing a criminal group's activities and six other related charges
he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the most serious offences
arrested alongside the Hurstville man has been charged with participating in a criminal group
ongoing drug supply and commercial drug supply
He was also bail refused ahead of a court appearance on Friday
Police say they will forensic examine various items found in the men's homes
credit card reading devices and prohibited drugs
The pair's arrests follow the charging of seven other people with various offences including drug supply over the group's alleged activities in recent months
who was knifed to death in French village says her affair is a...