City of Fremantle Doug Thompson was first elected in 1988 and is the City’s longest serving councillor Doug is currently retired after a successful career in Technical and Further Education as Principal Lecturer at South Metropolitan College of TAFE He holds a bachelor’s degree in the Humanities and a master’s degree in education He believes that cooperative work to achieve environmentally proven solutions to reduce waste is a pressing issue for local government He is committed to facilitating cooperation between councils to achieve circular economy goals in approaches to waste minimisation and objectives from the 2029 Community Visioning Project and our Strategic Community Plan 2015–25 He looks forward to carrying out his duties under the Act and make good transparent decisions in Council based on sound advice and consideration of community input and impacts Doug loves how complex and many faceted Freo is He loves our community that embraces a diverse range of people who are opinionated The City of Fremantle acknowledges the Whadjuk people as the Traditional Owners of the Fremantle/Walyalup area and we recognise their cultural and heritage beliefs are still important today Townsville’s iconic Castlecrag has sold for a price believed to be north of $3m making it the highest local sale in the past 18 months The historic residence at 352 Stanley St, North Ward sold in March and went unconditional this week “It was a case of the right time and the right people,” he said “They fell in love with the whole package.” Mr McDonough said the home was originally listed for sale in May 2024 and relisted in February this year “The first campaign had more out of town interest mostly from medical professionals looking to move to Townsville,” he said “When we took it back to the market about eight weeks ago the interest levels were three-fold.” the Ashgrovian-style Queenslander was once Townsville’s premier residence playing host to VIPs including the Queen’s cousin Princess Alexandra The home was completely renovated and extended in the mid-2010s The project involved lifting the original house adding two levels of living underneath and retaining the three distinctive gables and bay windows a private staircase to the Castle Hill Goat Track and panoramic views of Townsville City “There has been a lot of interest in the sale of Castlecrag,” Mr McDonough said “It’s one of those home the Townsville public has always wanted to get inside of “It was a pleasure to be able to sell such an iconic property.” Castlecrag before its modern transformation With the sale price believed to be more than $3m Castlecrag was Townsville’s most expensive home sale since 8 The Point The current Townsville sales record is held by 32 Stirling Drive which sold off-market for $6m in October 2020 followed by the $4.5m sales of 48 Victoria St Rounding out the top five was the $3.95m sale of 20-21 Pacific Drive third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. North Ward is currently represented by five Councillors including some of Penrith’s most experienced local government representatives It takes in major population hubs like Emu Plains and Cranebrook Jonathan Pullen is not running at the election The major change in North Ward at this election is that Councillor Glen Gardiner will head up an Independent ticket with long-time Councillor Kevin Crameri second on that ticket There is also a second Independent ticket in North Ward North Ward’s huge point of difference at this election is that it is the only ward with Liberal candidates after the party’s nomination debacle last month Veteran Councillor Ross Fowler leads the Liberal ticket Former Mayor John Thain heads up the Labor ticket in North Ward Where to vote in North Ward on September 14 More details on pre-poll locations and other information can be found here working as an Electrical Fitter Mechanic before I transitioned into the Power Transmission Industry I worked my way up from a Sales Engineer to the National Project Manager for both mechanical and electrical drive systems my career took a new direction when I started working with providers of the NDIS I am part of the NDIS Partners in the Community Program I have accumulated a wealth of experience in Local Government having served as Mayor of the City and Deputy Mayor twice My extensive knowledge covers all aspects of Council business from Strategic and Management plans to Zonings and Master Plans all while maintaining a strong connection to local issues One of my significant contributions has been as a driving force behind Urban Renewal in older My efforts have led to the revitalisation of Cranebrook Shops the creation of the all-weather Little Athletics Track the development of the Trinity Drive Mixed Recreation Space I successfully initiated an audit of rural land drainage which identified priorities and established a work schedule This project secured $800,000 in funding for the first year with plans to increase this amount in subsequent years to accelerate completion As I seek another term representing Penrith North Ward in the upcoming election on September 14 I remain committed to continuing my work for the community leveraging my vast experience and dedication to local issues Also on John Thain’s ticket: Robin Cook Penrith needs Councillors who think independently and act decisively free from political influences and external pressures They should be dedicated to putting the community’s needs first other than independent candidates this has not been occurring I believe I am well-suited and can bring the fresh perspective that is urgently needed I completed my HSC at St Marys Senior High School and have been working since I was 14 which has instilled a strong work ethic in me I’ve built a successful career in the Project Management field This experience has given me a deep understanding of budget and schedule management and effective spending I’ve seen firsthand how inefficiencies can affect projects and am committed to tackling these issues head-on I would focus on balancing the immediate needs of our residents with long-term goals My approach would ensure that our decisions are both practical and forward-thinking addressing current concerns while planning for sustainable growth and development I am particularly committed to advocating for weekly rubbish collection and implementing greater safety measures for our community I am dedicated to enhancing our city’s amenities and delivering crucial infrastructure improvements in the North Ward particularly in drainage repairs and flood resilience independent Council to make Penrith a safer and better place to live and work My team and I are also focused on addressing the current lack of female representation in North Ward and ensuring the Council remains accountable with greater female North Ward representation to its residents I plan to donate 25 per cent of my first year’s net income as a Councillor to charities that support women including those focused on domestic violence Also on Amanda Cardwell’s ticket: Geetha Rajagopalan I live in Londonderry with my wife and two children and I was first elected to Penrith Council in December 2021 I believe that Council should be focused on the basics such as giving residents the best possible access to quality roads great community parks and a thriving local economy I am passionate about flood management and I represent Penrith Council on the Nepean-Hawkesbury Floodplain Committee Following my criticism of government responses to emergencies during recent flooding events in Llandilo and Londonderry my advocacy and submission to the 2022 NSW Flood Inquiry contributed to the creation of the Community First Responder Program The single biggest issue facing council now is the flooding risk that is present for rural areas of North Ward Maintenance to storm water drains has been neglected for many years and a recent audit has found that it will cost $7.1m to bring the rural storm water drainage up to specification currently there is $800k allocated to this maintenance requirement On July 22 I moved a motion to provide $7.1m in funding from the surplus funds realised from the sale of the Emu Plains Industrial site – only Sue Day and Kevin Crameri supported this motion and so it failed My intention is to continue to advocate for this maintenance to occur and find alternate funding sources – I will not give up on this issue where the road network hasn’t seen any substantial upgrades in over 40 years I believe that sensible and well thought out plans for managing development and population growth will determine our city’s liability and therefore I will seek to ensure that future developments enhance our city rather than reduce the quality of living for current residents Also on Glenn Gardiner’s ticket: Kevin Crameri I am in my eighth consecutive term on Council after first being elected in 1991 am a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants a registered Company Auditor and Tax Agent and am the Principal of Ross Fowler and Co Since 1991 I have represented Council on CivicRisk Mutual Ltd (formerly Westpool) – the local government insurance and risk management mutual and am currently Board Chairman I was instrumental in securing the Penrith Whitewater Stadium ahead of the 2000 Olympics and was Board Chairman of the company which operated the facility I am a member of the Boards of Penrith Performing & Visual Arts Ltd and Penrith City Children’s Services Cooperative Risk and Improvement Committee and Heritage Advisory Committee I am leading Council’s objective to increase Council’s property portfolio and therefore reduce Council’s financial reliance on rates income My extensive financial acumen has been of great benefit to Council over many years My goal if re-elected is to continue to help support a strong local economy help create job opportunities for local residents and to ensure that Council remains in a sound financial position to best meet the needs and expectations of residents and ratepayers a Cranebrook local and youth advocate who was the 2023 Penrith Young Citizen of the Year the North Ward Liberal team will continue to support investment in local sporting facilities safe and fun local entertainment and hospitality opportunities and quality preschool and childcare facilities We will continue to advocate for funding for North Ward to ensure we get our fair share of upgrades to parks recreation facilities roads and drainage Also on Ross Fowler’s ticket: Reece Nuttall Running for Councillor at Penrith North Ward can be a rewarding experience for several reasons for myself: I have the opportunity to directly influence local policies and projects that affect the daily lives of residents This includes improvements in infrastructure Representation: North Ward covers diverse areas Representing these communities allows me to advocate for their specific needs and ensure their voices are heard in council decisions Leadership Opportunities: Serving as a Councillor can provide valuable leadership experience I can work on various committees and initiatives Networking: Being a Councillor connects myself with other local leaders This can open doors to new opportunities and collaborations that benefit the community Community Advocacy: Representing the interests and concerns of residents in areas like Emu Plains This involves listening to community feedback and ensuring their voices are heard in council decisions Local Development: Working on projects that enhance local infrastructure This also includes supporting sustainable development and urban renewal initiatives Public Services: Improving and maintaining essential services like waste management Environmental Stewardship: Promoting and implementing policies that protect the local environment Economic Growth: Supporting local businesses and attracting new investments to boost the local economy and create job opportunities I am founder and CEO of Pehchan TV and the President of the AusPak Women’s Association I have been serving the Pakistani community in Australia for over 14 years Also on Shafaq Jaffery’s ticket: Nick Best Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024 and covers local news - primarily courts and politics A graduate of the University of Wollongong Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist working with some of Australia's leading media organisations he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards How long have you lived in Greater Dandenong Political party (past or present): I am an independant I’m not endorsed by any political party nor have I been a member of any political party business/employer name: Local Dandenong Real Estate Agent Property interests: Place of residence and 1 other investment property Business interests: Helping my wife run her company Three most important issues for your ward: Keeping rate increases low and advocating for council to run as efficient and effective as possible I will also advocate for the continuation and delivery of the Lois Twohig Reserve Master Plan volunteer/community groups and continue to listen and take action to the community’s needs Describe your involvement in the local community: local business owner and current councillor I have been able to support community groups through advocacy and knowledge To continue representing the residents of Dandenong North Ward without political influence rather a genuine local voice based on the needs of the local community I will be self financing my campaign as I did 4 years ago MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign My How To Vote Card will be from top-down 5 Political party (past or present): No political affiliation business/employer name: Horticulturalist/Landscaper Three most important issues for your ward: (too many to mention) Stud Road signalised Pedestrian crossing to be built ASAP to ensure safe passage for pedestrians parent/carers with prams and cyclists to connect them with our beautiful 99km bike trail Improvements and upgrades to the Dandenong Basketball/Volleyball and State Centre in the next budget cycle as a major focus in collaboration with SEL The Lois Twohig Reserve masterplan to be delivered on time and within budget to address the needs of the community appropriate for the ageing facilities and increasing the sports club usage In particular having a sun shade for the playground Tirhatuan Park upgrades with further tree planting as well as looking into the flooding hot spots to finally be addressed footpaths and increasing the speed humps to ensure safety on our roads I would ensure to advocate for more police patrols and in particular having a community safety group/committee for the ward where residents voices can be heard and addressed regularly Revitalise Carlton Road shopping strip which hasn’t had any attention for years I am a father of two sons who were heavily involved in sport many of the facilities are not at a suitable standard for our children to participate in sport which is something I am deeply passionate about as a sportsperson myself my entire life I am an ambassador for Monash Children’s Hospital and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity I also partake in the Clean up Australia Day initiative every year with my family I have lived in Greater Dandenong for over 20 years I was born and raised in Monash City Council and once I moved to Dandenong North instantly realised what an incredible community City of Greater Dandenong is It is the most culturally diverse community in all of Australia and I particularly love going to the Dandenong Market twice a week with my sons as well as Springvale for our weekly shopping which has the best Pho in Melbourne I have noticed that many issues have not been addressed in my ward for the past 4 years and I believe I can be the one to deliver that change for the ward I have been deeply impressed by the work my wife Cr Lana Formoso has done in Noble Park North ward and the municipality as a whole particularly during what has been the most challenging time in our personal lives as our son has battled with cancer since 2022 My wife Mayor Cr Lana Formoso has been an incredible inspiration to me and our sons The hard working determination I have seen in her and the outcomes she has been able to deliver is absolutley outstanding I also want to set an example to our children and emulate her tenacity to deliver for our community I am a member of the ALP but I am running independently to represent my community’s best interests My interests are the community’s interests Many people have spoken to me about improving safety in the community keeping our parks and neighbourhoods clean My bakery has served our much loved community for many years I was involved in volunteering at my childrens’ school and my bakery has helped to raise money for our local hospitals The community in Dandenong North deserves a hard working representative who will fight for their interests I have always been passionate about helping others and would like to make a positive difference by working to improve local infrastructure and services so our kids can have a bright future I will be contributing my own money to the campaign My family and friends who live locally are helping my campaign But I will be preferencing candidates who have similar visions to mine about working hard to make Dandenong North a wonderful place to live Heatley Evacuation Centre is now at capacity If you require an evacuation centre you need to go to Townsville Sports Precinct at 24 Burke Street Pets will be accepted at this evacuation centre All animals must be in portable carriers or crates large enough that they can stand The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group is preparing to open an additional centre at Ignatius Park College from 8pm tonight It is recommended residents seek shelter with friends and family as the evacuation centres are a last-resort option ABN: 44 741 992 072 Copyright 2025 Townsville City Council all rights reserved Townsville City Council acknowledges the Wulgurukaba of Gurambilbarra and Yunbenun Gugu Badhun and Nywaigi as the Traditional Owners of this land The role of Council is to govern the local government’s affairs and is responsible for the performance of the local government’s functions The role of Council is described in section 2.7 of the Local Government Act 1995 Hannah Fitzhardinge was elected Mayor of Fremantle in October 2021 following five years serving as a Councillor for Beaconsfield Ward She is only the second female mayor in Freo’s history and said being approachable and advocating strongly for the community would underpin her approach to the City’s most prominent job Jenny Archibald first served on council from 1990 to 1994 and was elected as Mayor from 1994 to 1997 Cr Archibald was re-elected to council in 2017 and elected to the office of Deputy Mayor in October 2023 Her professional career included work at the WA Museum and petroleum exploration industry and later in business development and management as co-founder and executive of companies in geoscience technology Geoff Graham was elected as a councillor in 2019 having previously served as a councillor from 1997–2001 and 2003–2007 Born and bred in Beaconsfield with very strong family ties to the local community Geoff has been a passionate advocate for the City and its residents Geoff has always been active in the local community Adin Lang was elected to the City of Fremantle in 2017 as a City Ward representative Adin has represented Coastal Ward since October 2023 Adin was already an active member of the community receiving Fremantle’s Citizen of the Year award in 2016 Andrew Sullivan first served as a City Ward councillor from 1992 to 1998 a South Ward councillor from 2009 to 2023 and Coastal Ward councillor from October 2023 He served as Deputy Mayor from 2019 to 2021 Andrew is focused on revitalising Fremantle’s core and developing village nodes in each community ‘People’ are at the core of his strategies: bringing in more residents and tourists to help maintain Fremantle as a vibrant and sustainable people place Jemima Williamson-Wong was elected to the City of Fremantle Council in October 2023 as a Coastal Ward representative Jemima holds a deep love for the remarkable Fremantle community She remains inspired by the community’s commitment to high stakes issues and feels encouraged to contribute to a better future for all Fedele Camarda was elected to the City of Fremantle in 2021 as a Beaconsfield Ward representative Fedele has represented East Ward since October 2023 Fedele Camarda believes sustainable models are important to all aspects of life Fedele is a 4th generation Fisher who lives in Beaconsfield with his family and has been actively involved in local sport Ben Lawver was elected to the Fremantle City Council in 2021 as a Hilton Ward representative Ben has represented East Ward since October 2023 Ben Lawver grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Washington State and and is passionate about ensuring neighbourhoods have a voice in how they grow and develop into the future Frank Mofflin was elected in October 2019 and elected to the position of Deputy Mayor in October 2021 until October 2023 Frank represented Hilton Ward from October 2019 to 2023 and has represented East Ward since October 2023 With a keen interest in the economic and cultural development of Fremantle Frank brings significant corporate experience and he worked for large resource companies for many years Ingrid van Dorssen was elected to the City of Fremantle in October 2023 as a North Ward representative Ingrid has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning Ingrid was an active member of the community involved in advocating for better outcomes for the Swan River Crossings Project and Former Matilda Bay Brewery development as well as ongoing involvement in the Future of Fremantle Project A North Ward eatery is bringing the flavours and colours of Vietnam to Townsville since sharing their love of banh mi’s and iced drinks to the city Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) A host of veteran Councillors along with some of the city’s youngest ever will form a new-look Penrith City Council Counting continues tonight but the overall result is becoming clearer it would appear that Labor’s John Thain and Robin Cook will both be elected along with Liberal veteran Ross Fowler and newcomer Reece Nuttall The fifth spot in North Ward is likely to be filled by Independent Glenn Gardner who is now building a solid lead over the Greens and the other Independent ticket led by Amanda Cardwell Labor’s Hollie McLean and Kirstie Boerst will both be elected to Council for the first time I’m feeling really grateful for the people that have given their trust,” McLean told the Weekender “I know that some people voted for Labor in the South Ward because they’d heard a little bit about me or had met me and decided to give me their trust and some people have voted because of the Labor brand and I’m not going to be taking that for granted this is the start of four years of really hard work being in the community and showing people that hopefully I deserve the trust that they have given me today and I’m just feeling calm and just really ready for what’s to come.” Independent Sue Day and Libertarian Vanessa Pollak are both bound for Council with the fifth spot to be filled by either Day or Pollak’s second That’s too close to call at this stage Edwin Mifsud and Garion Thain have all been declared elected to Penrith City Council for the next four years John and Garion Thain will serve on Council as father and son “I’m really feeling excited and I’m feeling grateful actually that the community has reelected me for another term,” he said is it’s an opportunity for Garion but Libby as well that can bring what young people want in the city and I think that’s a great thing so young people have a voice.” There was that sense of bewilderment for the first few weeks there but we all decided to just hunker down and support our North and South Ward candidates “There has been a lot of great things to come out of this and I think some new Councillors like Hollie McLean being elected is going to be great for Penrith he got up so he’s disappearing’ the work starts in the first Council meeting a lot has been said about her but Libby Austin our number five Penrith is getting two Councillors for the price of one with her She has energy [and] enthusiasm [and] she has none of the ego she will be a really great asset to the Penrith team.” Occupation: I have a background in small business (service station) and rural enterprise (small farmer How long have you lived in your ward?: Family have been residents in the Tooborac/Pyalong community for over thirty years Community involvement: I have been a North Ward councillor with Mitchell Shire for the last twelve years Associated with a political party or movement No political affiliations and am proud of being an independent representative… Receiving financial support?: Self funded my election campaigns and do not seek or want external funding or endorsement Including having a proper business case for major projects and detailed scrutiny of all council expenditure 3 Bringing Employment and Business opportunities with the population growth Kevin Crameri’s 50-year career in local politics is on the verge of ending Crameri has been a staple on Penrith City Council since 1974 he has served as Mayor three times and as Deputy Mayor The Independent has been a strong advocate for a range of issues he’s handing the reigns to Glenn Gardiner – who will lead the Independent ticket in North Ward at the upcoming Council election As both Gardiner and Crameri served on the same Council and in the community together they came to recognise they shared the same community beliefs “I first met Kevin on an RFS training course about 10 years ago,” Gardiner said I had gained a great deal of respect for Kevin Kevin demonstrated that his passion for the community is unwavering his dedication to the detail unquestionable and his commitment to serving his fellow man second-to-none “I have not met a person so involved in so many aspects of the community Crameri will be sitting as Gardiner’s number two on the ticket as his health has declined it would be unlikely the ticket will get its number two elected effectively ending Crameri’s time on Council “My health won’t allow me to be number one I can’t physically run a campaign,” Crameri said I have selected the best person that I can find to do that job… I’m hoping that the rural area will support Glenn and I.” Gardiner shared that he was honoured to receive such support from Crameri “When I advised Kevin that I would be contesting the upcoming election as an Independent Kevin immediately declared his support for me and subsequently offered to join my ticket,” Gardiner said “I am both honoured and humbled to be supported by Kevin.” In a ceremonious moment to officially mark the so called changing of the guard for the Independent ticket “Receiving this baton from Kevin indentures me to pick up where Kevin has left off he has imposed an obligation on me to represent the community as well as he has to dedicate myself to the plights of the average person as well as he has and to adhere to his moto “Penrith not Politics” as well as he has,” Gardiner said “This is a big undertaking but one that I accept The Local Government election will be held on Saturday Gardiner currently sits as a Liberal Councillor Community involvement: My family have lived in the area for over 150 years I am invested in a number of local projects I was previously a member of the Liberal Party There is no association with the Liberal Party or its direction regarding my time with Mitchell Shire Preferencing: I am not providing any preferences… I am running a solo campaign Receiving financial support?: I am funding my own campaign Three most important issues in your ward?: Supporting small business and making doing business easier Bringing more money to the towns than goes out through supporting tourism Bringing council back to core values- roads President Mount Rowan Secondary College Council Director Ballarat Hospice Care Incorporated Associated with a political party or movement?: I have never been a member of a political party and never will I believe the residents of North Ward are engaged enough to make up their own mind VOTE 1 David Harris and fill in all the other boxes is my only advice I saved this amount myself since the last election by paying an additional $24 per week onto my home loan However using the redraw facility on my home loan to fund my campaign means I have skin in the game It is worth it because I want to represent the communities in North Ward as an independent My wife and kids have supported me in this sacrifice I am refusing donations and not receiving any other type of financial assistance Infrastructure Upgrades: Ensuring we get our fair share of funding for roads and local facilities to enhance safety and connectivity I am committed to improving accessibility for all residents Support for Township Plans: Actively engage with the Miners Rest Township Plan and Learmonth Township Plan to ensure these vital community plans are implemented effectively addressing growth and infrastructure needs specific to each area Sustainable Development: Advocate for eco-friendly projects that enhance our area and develop its character recreational facilities and ensuring new developments align with environmental goals Suburbs: Noble Park North and parts of Dandenong North and Springvale Sitting councillor: Lana Formoso (Australian Labor Party) How long have you lived in Greater Dandenong: Born and raised and now raising my 2 sons here business/employer name: Teacher at Dandenong High School Councillor since 2020 and Mayor of the City of Greater Dandenong since November 2023 Three most important issues for your ward: Sports facilities/grounds access for all especially children and females (Masterplans Barry Powell/Lyndale United Football Club) Road safety especially around schools and ensuring the Stud Road signalised crossing is delivered Continuing to ensure more parks and playgrounds are delivered and upgraded in the ward to be able to enjoy open space areas Continue to work on improving tree canopy coverage throughout the ward and the entire municipality for the health and well being of our community Describe your involvement in the local community: I have been an elected Councillor since 2020 Deputy Mayor in 2022 and then Mayor since November 2023 It has been a great honour and privilege to serve the community I live I believe I have achieved some wonderful outcomes for my community I am an SES volunteer for the City of Greater Dandenong unit I have been involved in numerous sporting clubs and organisations I have been a fierce advocate and ambassador for Monash Children’s Hospital and My Room Children’s Cancer charity since my son’s Leukemia diagnosis in 2022 I believe my first term as your local representative has been outstanding and I wish to continue to work tirelessly for my ward and the entire municipality I am deeply concerned that our community is the least active community in all of Australia I need to ensure that those statistics improve dramatically to ensure the healthy and well being of our community and future generations I will also continue to advocate for our refugees and asylum seekers Using my experience and knowledge as a councillor for the past 4 years I have previously been inspired to run for council after watching former Councillor and Mayor Roz Blades AM and all of the incredible work she has done in our city for decades The only people I believe to be genuine candidates   John Van De Putte says the combination of running his own business and community service would make him an effective voice on Wollondilly Shire Council is running for election on September 14 in the north ward of the shire “I am ready to take up the challenge and I look forward to campaigning for solutions to local issues such as reducing the current road and infrastructure maintenance backlog,’’ he says qualifications and volunteer support roles have equipped me well to work to make council one which will govern more responsibly business owners and other Wollondilly stakeholders needs and priorities at the top of council’s agenda “I’m a candidate for Wollondilly Council because I believe it should be doing a much better job of planning for the future and sharing those plans with the community “To achieve this council must be fully committed to genuine meaningful and inclusive community consultation – this issue I too will robustly pursue.” Mr Van De Putte operated his own business in waste disposal management for 17 years For six of those years he was an executive member of the Waste Contractors and Recycling Association (NSW) Since leaving corporate life more than 15 years ago Mr Van De Putte has been active as a volunteer community advocate in road safety men’s mental health and disability and access issues He is a founding member of the Think of the Five Arrive Alive organisation which advocates for generational shift in safer driving attitudes Mr Van De Putte is a candidate under the independent group Team Purple A spokesperson told the South West Voice that Team Purple candidates elected to council would be free to vote how they see fit Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" the South West Voice is a free news website which serves Macarthur and Liverpool © 2023 South West Voice • All Rights Reserved • Proudly Supported by Simply WordPress Sydney Showcase: Cyanotype and photography piece by Libby Drew Semi Retired and Wildlife Victoria Volunteer How long have you lived in your council/ward Ward for six years and the general area for nine-and-a-half years A volunteer at Ballarat Community Health for six years working with Wildlife Victoria rescuing birds I play Pickleball at Ken Kay Badminton Stadium a few times a week and at Federation University of which I am an alumni (2021) I am also a member of Black Dog Riders and Ballarat Motorcycle Club and a former member of Ballarat Riders I am also a supporter of Sheppard’s Australia raising money for First Responders and their mental health (Some of my time here includes the COVID epidemic and all the lockdown times.) I am not represented by any party and have never been involved with any party – I am totally independent I have not made a decision about who I will award my preference votes I need to get to know the others standing and their beliefs before I decide I didn’t want to print anything because I don’t want to waste resources and contribute to waste but I have decided to print some cards (postcard size) because I need to make sure I get my name out to the people Transparency and equity between the wards in regard to finances Supporting the environment and ensuring we do our part to conserve resources and reduce waste including the repair of our roads To support those of our neighbors doing life hard because of the economy whether they are homeless finding reasonable rentals or having a hard time feeding their family Two current Councillors and a newcomer will lead the Independent tickets in the approaching Local Government Election Leading the South Ward ticket is current Councillor Sue Day with Faithe Skinner being her second The ticket will be rounded out by Rebecca Carroll Day said if re-elected she will continue to work hard to ensure Penrith remains a liveable city “I’m going to continue to advocate for liveability and make sure we keep working towards getting better infrastructure to match the development,” Day said “It’s great to have all these big projects but we need to look at the local areas and the local suburbs and make sure that they’ve got what they need to make it the best place to live “I’m going to continue the work I started three years ago… I think the key message for me is that change takes time and you’ve got to keep pushing forward and advocating and making sure that your priorities don’t get pushed down the list “For me it’s about continuing the advocacy pushing my agenda and it’s all about making sure we do get a level two public transport system because we need it.” In the North Ward Liberal turned Independent candidate Glenn Gardiner will be leading a ticket with veteran Councillor and former Mayor Kevin Crameri working as his second The ticket will be rounded out by Damian Griggs Gardiner said his ticket will focus on advocating for their community’s best interests “My independent team is focused on advocating for your best interests and ensuring your voice is heard Our commitment to enhancing Penrith for all is what motivates and drives our actions,” Gardiner said We will continue to address and advocate for: road maintenance “My Independent team are committed members of the local community and have long histories of volunteer community involvement in a variety of areas “We are the only team who live and raise families alongside you in North Ward you vote for advocates who share your community.” Council newcomer Amanda Cardwell will also lead an Independent North Ward ticket in the upcoming election and has Geetha Rajagopalan as her second The ticket will also have Josie Monteleone Cardwell said she will work as a strong advocate for the immediate needs of the community “My approach would ensure that our decisions are both practical and forward-thinking and implementing greater safety measures for our community,” she said A roommate who smashed a wine bottle over a man’s head during an argument that left the victim with permanent injuries has been sentenced Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Picture by Kate HealyThe Courier will be interviewing each candidate for the local government election Candidates will all be asked the same series of questions about the issues in Ballarat and how they'd take action as a councillor All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueJim Rinaldi is no stranger to council life having served the City of Ballarat for six years until 2020 his focus for another term on council is local issues - keeping council financially accountable advocating for efficient transport networks public lighting and maintaining council infrastructure it's a call to return to the basics of council provisions to concentrate on major local council issues where time and money is effective rather than bigger issues that have little to do with local government "They (council) are paid a huge amount of money to listen to the community and if they are not listening to the community Although he lives just outside the North Ward boundary Mr Rinaldi said he understands the needs of the communities and residents in the massive ward having been involved in advocacy for the area during his previous years as councillor Mr Rinaldi has been self-employed for 27 years and said he knows what it's like to be in business and "really watch your budget and where you are spending money" "You need to be diligent on what's been presented to you as a councillor .. to really pay attention to the detail and see if that's the best value for money that you can get," he said That's the lens which he promised to use with council budgets and projects if elected Cardigan and Miners Rest poses a challenge to keep up with infrastructure which Mr Rinaldi said should happen sooner than later Cardigan Village and Miners Rest also suffer flood and drainage issues which need to be addressed "We've got to keep up with growth by planning 10 to 20 years ahead .. maintenance which in the north I know is not that good," he said Roads throughout the ward also need maintenance and for many to be widened to cater for growing numbers of trucks Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords New South Wales Local Government Elections are being held this weekend and here is everything you need to know before heading into the polling booths Australian residents aged 18 and over are required to hit the booths and cast their vote for the new crop of Penrith City Councillors local Councils are the third tier in Australian government after State and Federal and are charged with making decisions that represent the values and needs of the local community they serve They have jurisdiction over day-to-day level operations like developments Penrith residents will be electing 15 different Councillors In the North Ward there is current Councillors John Thain leading a Labor ticket and Ross Fowler leading the only Liberal ticket and two Independent tickets being led by Amanda Cardwell and current Councillor Glenn Gardiner The South Ward will have current Independent Councillor Sue Day leading a ticket newcomer Hollie McLean taking over the Labor ticket from Karen McKeown and Libertarian Vanessa Pollak leading a ticket In the East Ward there is only one ticket which is led by current Mayor Todd Carney for Labor It is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 and older to vote Not voting in an election without valid reason can lead to a $55 fine this includes those living in parts of Kingswood The election in the East Ward has been declared by the NSW Electoral Commission as uncontested meaning that no vote will take place for those living in the East Ward Labor is the only ticket running in the East Ward meaning that all five candidates will be elected to Council No polling places will be set up on Saturday North Ward polling places include Andromeda Community Centre Glenmore Park Youth & Community Centre Werrington County Public School and Werrington Public School South Ward polling places include Emu Plains Community Centre Mt Hope Uniting Church Hall – Orchard Hills Surveyors Creek Public School and Wallacia Public School There will be no polling places set up in the East Ward Voting opens at 8am and closes at 6pm on Saturday Check the NSW Electoral Commission’s ‘find my electorate tool’ at http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate if you’re not sure what Ward you have to vote in Vote counting begins soon after the polls close at 6pm on Saturday During this initial count some Councils will get an indication of the result but for situations where the results will be a bit closer more counting is continued in the following days Follow local results on the Weekender website Mitchell Shire councillor Bill Chisholm has announced he is again running for a seat in the North Ward He has provided this article for The Telegraph My name is Bill Chisholm and I have been a North Ward councillor with Mitchell Shire for the past 12 years It has been a real privilege to meet so many of you and try to address the myriad issues we all face I am again seeking your support during the forthcoming election My family and I have been residents in the Tooborac/Pyalong area for more than 30 years I have a background in small business (service station) and rural enterprise (small farmer I have lived and operated in the real world Community involvement has always been important to me from football and school council to Landcare and the CFA I have no political affiliations and am proud of being an independent representative for my community I have self-funded my election campaigns and do not seek or want external funding or endorsement with my experience on council and my background in small business I feel I am well-equipped to tackle another term on council I am well aware of the major issues facing Mitchell Some of my priorities include sound financial management including having a proper business case for major projects and detailed scrutiny of all council expenditure; a back-to-basics approach with a renewed focus on roads etc; and bringing employment and business opportunities with the population growth The current population is 50,000-plus and we are expecting growth to 170,000 We need better support and acknowledgment of emergency management issues and the need to maintain and upgrade infrastructure to mitigate severe weather events And we need increased support and acknowledgment of volunteers These are just some of my concerns and if they resonate You must have online publishing permission or full ownership of this image Unofficial vote counting for Horsham Rural City Council shows Cam McDonald in May Park Ward and Dean O’Loughlin in Green Park Ward likely to be elected councillors Progressive count figures at the end of Group A show the votes from ballot papers returned from the general mail-out that have passed declaration checking and have no other votes associated with the voter Group B votes - the remaining ballot papers that show envelopes received during the postal vote receipt period – are yet to be counted show Cam McDonald with 73.25 per cent of the votes and show Dean O’Loughlin with 67.71 per cent of the votes Voting in the wards with three candidates is not as clear cut and may need to wait until all votes are counted and in some cases results so far show Todd Wilson has 40.33 per cent; Kathy Ross 30.83 per cent; and Claudia Haenel 28.84 per cent and show Angela Munn on 48.4 per cent; Dylan Hesselberg 36.44 per cent; and David Bowe 15.16 per cent show Ian Ross with 64.06 per cent; well ahead of Toby Haynes 19.78 per cent and Michael Bond 16.16 per cent will be elected unopposed in their respective wards  will accept postal votes that were completed by the voter before the close of voting on October 25 Given complete results can only be determined once all admissible ballots have been received and counted results timelines will vary across councils All results are provisional until official declaration ceremonies Yarriambiack Shire Council election were declared on Monday as all three wards were uncontested at the close of nominations and the six candidates have been elected unopposed Council to request WIFT removal from mining licence area an uncontested election has been declared by the NSW Electoral Commission which means the number of candidates who have nominated is equal to or less than the number to be elected Voters enrolled in East Ward Penrith are NOT required to vote in the Local Government election on 14 September 2024 Penrith’s East Ward includes the suburbs of Caddens If you are enrolled in North Ward and South Ward Penrith you MUST vote in the Local Government election and fines apply if you don’t cast your vote.  It’s important to check which ward you are enrolled in as North Ward and South Ward still need to vote.  Check your ward and voting status on the NSW Electoral Commission’s website: https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate a local government area can be divided up into areas called wards Each ward contains roughly equal numbers of voters and are represented by the same number of Councillors Penrith City is divided into 3 wards – North, South and East, each represented by 5 Councillors. Residents can check their ward and enrolment details at roll.elections.nsw.gov.au/NSWLookUp/ The East Ward includes the suburbs of Caddens The South Ward includes the suburbs of Badgerys Creek The North Ward includes the suburbs of Agnes Banks The Aurora Borealis – also known as the Northern Lights – won’t be at their peak activity much longer, and the Unexpected Elements team dreams of going north to see them. And that has got us looking at the science of navigating our way north! We hear about how humans have been using the sky to navigate for millennia, and we learn about how relying on GPS may be impacting our memory ability. And while humans use maps to get around, how do animals know where to go on their long migrations? To find the answer, we speak to Dr Kayla Goforth at Texas A&M University who studies exactly how sea turtles and monarch butterflies innately know how to navigate the world around them. We also learn why polar bears keep themselves ice-free, and we hear old records of the first men to reach the North Pole. All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Andrada Fiscutean and Phillys Mwatee Producer: Imaan Moin, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Noa Dowling and William Hornbrook Programme website eyeing a spot for Mitchell Shire Council’s North Ward I wish to represent small business interests Towns thrive when more money comes in than goes out removing council obstacles and supporting those who want to have a go rubbish removal and keeping our towns tidy Let’s promote private investment in infrastructure wineries and accommodation to bring money to small businesses Let’s remove lengthy delays in planning and building permits Let’s support and protect local farmers who are being overcharged and under-delivered Seymour must remain two lanes and a permanent truck route established Let’s not waste $5 million to $10 million on an old bridge let's invest it with common sense for a future Let’s do something about the flooding and (lack of) drainage issue in Wallis St I don’t want to bring big business and over-development to Mitchell Why are our local trades and contractors not being prioritised in Mitchell Shire tenders I don’t want houses crammed in side by side with the gutters touching I bring to council more than 20 years of private and corporate business experience but I’m just as happy labouring in a workplace or being out in the paddock I encourage people to check out my Facebook page to get my views on a whole range of topics North Queensland residents in flood-devastated communities are being told to brace for more rain and river rises as thousands of residents remain without power while other homes have been inundated by water and schools forced closed Residents in flood-devastated communities in North Queensland are bracing for more rain and rising river levels as the weather emergency continues.  Areas between Townsville and Ingham have already copped more than one metre of rain the past two days with homes and vehicles inundated with floodwaters power has been disrupted and more than 100 schools forced closed Residents in the "black zone" - which encompasses suburbs of Idalia Cluden and Railway Estate - were told to leave their homes by midday Sunday The whole of Hinchinbrook Shire was urged to find high ground due to dangerous flooding with an emergency alert issued just before midnight to Cardwell in the Cassowary Coast Regional Council Major flood warnings are in place on Monday night for the Herbert River Haughton River and the Ross and Bohle Rivers A moderate flood alert also remains for the Tully and Murray Rivers The Bureau has warned severe storms are likely on Tuesday between Tully and Ayr Meteorologist Jonathan How urged residents to stay up to date with the latest weather information given the possibility of further heavy rainfall and major flooding across the Townsville.  we are expecting flood impacts to continue for at least the next few days," Mr How said in a video update.  Mr How said while there have been some "extended breaks" in the rainfall there are still pockets of heavy wet weather moving south we see the monsoon trough sticking around northern Queensland "It continues to bring rain onto the Townsville coast but further inland into Tuesday afternoon we will see showers and thunderstorms become more widespread all the way to the Gulf coast." The Herbert River at Ingham pump station reached above major level at 14.84 metres on Monday morning which is expected to remain high into into Tuesday.  the river is not expected to reach the 15.2m benchmark recorded in the 1967 flood The Haughton River at Giru rose above the major flood level at 3.10 metres with fears all catchments will be swollen further by the forecast of continued rainfall The Ross River at Aplins Weir is currently at 1.76 metres and steady but is likely to rise in the coming days with the forecasted rainfall.  Herbert MP Phillip Thompson has detailed the impact of the flooding event on the community saying it has been a "tough time for the people of Townsville".  Speaking to Sky News Australia host Chris Kenny on Monday night Mr Thompson said a lot of homes had been inundated with water and evacuation centres are also at capacity.  He also recalled a "distressing" phone call he received from a woman who needed a hand.  "She needed an electric wheelchair to move around.. "I put a call out to some army mates of mine and they were there very quickly said towns would be in a "much worse place" without the Defence Force "Whilst Townsville has been through its fair share of natural disasters every natural disaster is different," he said.  Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged residents in flood-hit areas in the north to heed evacuation orders and warnings as rain continues to fall in the region Mr Crisafulli pleaded for residents in the black zones to not return to their properties until they are given the green light by authorities Earlier modelling showed 1,700 homes could be flooded on Monday.  "We just want Queenslanders first and foremost to look after themselves and then the recovery will begin the days ahead once the water starts dissipating," he said The Premier appeared emotional speaking about Ingham saying his community is mourning the death of a 63-year-old woman who fell from a SES rescue boat when it hit a tree and flipped in rough floodwaters There's about 10,000 people in Ingham so you don’t get anymore tight knit than a community like that," he said.  "To see the images of people’s homes they’re people I grew up with so of course it’s personal "But ultimately we’ve got a job to do and that is to make sure that people get the message and put themselves safe "But in the months and years ahead you bet we’re going to rebuild those communities Thousands of properties remain without power due to fallen power lines or has been cut off to keep the public safe The energy provider's Emergency Manager Chris Hooper said crews are out helping to restore power supply where it is safe to do so.  "Ingham is out biggest challenge as it stands at the moment with our community out in those locations without supply," Mr Hooper said in a video address about 4pm "We've had to preeminently disconnect the network and our substation in that area due to water induction.  "We are closely the water levels and working on our restoration plan to get that supply restored as soon as possible." just under 11,000 people in areas from Cardwell to the Burdekin were still without power as of about 9.30am which had to be closed due to the dangerous weather conditions over the weekend Mr Crisafulli said the Defence Force is on standby and have agreed to provide assets to help with rescues and clean-up if needed there were 11 water rescues and 480 calls to the SES for assistance for issues such as downed trees and power lines "Our response at the moment has many elements and obviously the rescue response," Mr Crisafulli said "We will continue to make sure we provide information as it comes to hand so that residents know that they are in our thoughts and we will continue to respond to what the challenges that lie ahead." The Premier urged parents to keep an eye on the Queensland Education website for school closures more than 100 schools had been deemed unsafe for students to attend 16 independent schools and 23 Catholic schools including the site at Heatley Secondary College have reached capacity as flooding devastates local communities.  residents can still seek refuge at Ignatius Park College in Cranbrook the Townsville Sports Precinct on Burke Street in North Ward and Bluewater Community Centre.  Emergency federal payments are also available for residents who were force to evacuate with $180 for per person or $900 for a family of five or more Sky News Australia meteorologist Alison Osborne said the rainfall overnight had been over Ingham and Cardwell with the former seeing 399mm of rain since Sunday 9am We're watching the threat of another 200 to 400 millimetres of rain," she said It is not expected to ease or move until Thursday Another 300 to 800 millimetres of rain could fall in that time meaning some areas could see a total of two metres of rainfall from the weather event Police officers and defence personnel spent the weekend door-knocking to let residents know of the danger and to be prepared to leave at last-minute notice Some locals have chosen to remain at home believing the flooding will subside Residents are reminded to check for updates on disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings, to avoid driving in floodwaters and evacuate if asked to do so. Police in Newark are investigating a stabbing that occurred Saturday evening in the city’s North Ward, after a victim walked into a local hospital seeking treatment. According to authorities, at approximately 5:20 p.m., officials at Clara Maass Medical Center alerted police after an unidentified individual entered the emergency room with a stab wound. The victim told officers they had been stabbed near the intersection of Stone Street and Crane Street before making their way to the hospital.  The extent of the victim’s injuries has not been confirmed, though they were not reported as life-threatening. In response, police canvassed the surrounding neighborhood to locate a possible crime scene and gather evidence. No arrests have been reported, and the investigation remains active. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Newark police. Picture by Adam TraffordThe Courier will be interviewing each candidate for the local government election Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueDavid Harris has two commitments to North Ward ratepayers coming into the council elections: to make sure the ward gets its fair share of road maintenance and road building over the next four years and to ensure money is allocated for the Learmonth Cardigan Village and Miners Rest town plans "We have the largest amount of local government roads .. and the township plans are significant in the North Ward - they are large population centres and have done a lot of good work to develop these plans but had very little delivery from local government," he said Delivering the township plans may also involve ensuring council lobbies state and federal government for more funding for not just North Ward but the entire city Improving feedback from council to ratepayers about actions following community engagement would also be a focus now assistant chief fire officer for health safety and wellbeing Mr Harris is used to bringing together communities across large areas "I'm used to getting around and meeting people and service delivery over diversified boundaries because I've dealt in those regional communities," he said "We (North Ward) have got everything that's significant to the City of Ballarat - smaller township localities growth in the west and further growth in the north .. Growth brings with in the need to provide infrastructure and recreation "Growth in our city is necessary because it creates employment diversity and improvement to our community We want to see that growth continue but we also want to see developers foot more of the bill for infrastructure," he said It is the second time Mr Harris has run for council the first being the last council elections in 2020 He has also served in a number of community groups including as president of Mount Rowan Secondary College and Miners Rest Primary school councils on the Committee for Miners Rest and is a volunteer director at Ballarat Hospice The owner of a stolen Toyota Landcruiser says he was shocked by the collection of weapons teen thieves left behind in his car when they ditched it I Cook Foods owner Ian Cook and current mayor Lana Formoso’s husband and brother have entered the fray of the Greater Dandenong Council elections Cook – who is sueing the council and two officers for alleged malicious prosecution – will run against sitting councillor Phillip Danh in Yarraman Ward Cr Formoso will re-contest her Noble Park North seat her husband Daniel Formoso will oppose Dandenong North Ward incumbent councillor Bob Milkovic and her brother Sasha Jankovic will run in Keysborough South Ward Sitting ALP councillor Sophie Tan has been elected unopposed in Noble Park Ward – after the only other candidate Dy Truong withdrew from the race on the final day of nominations Former councillor Peter Brown is contesting the Keysborough Ward seat Others in the running in the ward are South East United president Sinan Akkurt 2020 Labor-leaning candidate Reinaldo Pincheira and Yarraman by-election candidates Melinda Yim and Tevyn Gov (Victorian Socialists) two ALP members Pradeep Hewavitharana and Zahra Haydar Big have joined the contest Sitting ALP councillor Angela Long is defending her seat against Greens councillor Rhonda Garad who has shifted from Keysborough South Ward Dandenong North Ward councillor Milkovic will be up against Daniel Formoso Branka Tomic and ALP member and Dandenong Market bakery-owner Rhonda Tannous Five-time mayor and ALP candidate Jim Memeti will recontest Dandenong Ward He is  opposed by independent Rahima Rizai who had run in the recent Yarraman by-election The candidates are Labor members Alexandra Bryant former councillor Geraldine Gonsalvez and Greens member Isabella Do real estate agent Love Agravante and recent Yarraman by-election candidate Will Billings Springvale Central Ward is the seat of former deputy mayor Richard Lim who had attempted to run in Springvale North but was declared ineligible In the fray are real estate agent Alice Phuong Le Councillor Sean O’Reilly will be again up against 2020 candidate Angela Holl in Springvale North Ward Springvale South Ward councillor Loi Truong will vie for re-election Other candidates are migration agent Thayhorn Yim Most of Greater Dandenong’s wards this election are flooded with Labor-affiliated candidates Conservative independent Will Billings is among the rivals to the ALP sitting councillor in Noble Park North Ward The “family man” and regular church attendee previously ran in Springvale South Ward held by Loi Truong in 2020 A criminal lawyer who does volunteer legal work in Noble Park North he says he gets concerned with the lack of fences around a local park – “just so my kids don’t run out on the road” The council had done an “all right job” but “gone too far on political agendas outside the community” “Everyone keeps saying Will please run for council “The concern I get from residents and legal practitioners is we need people to stick to the basics and stick to their jobs.” Karl Ratnayake is running in his first election as a “political” person but with “independent views” He’s preferencing Cr Formoso – she’s being the only rival candidate to contact him and was “really supportive” the disability accommodation support worker said he was inspired by the “neighbours who have helped me settle in” He wants to contribute more to his “wonderful including to lift the standard of parks and gardens He says his son plays sport at WJ Turner Reserve which lacks changerooms and public toilets Another issue is to push for more community health resources The other candidate is Love Agravante – a real estate estate agent and a work colleague of councillor Bob Milkovic She did not provide a questionnaire response or contact details to the VEC Formoso says she’s given her first term as councillor a “red hot go” – including stints as mayor and deputy mayor She says she’s been getting a “huge amount of support” from residents She lists her achievements including parks upgrades blackspot funding for Browns Road as well as for a safe pedestrian crossing at Stud Road near Dandenong Stadium She’ll push for more park upgrades and open space If I’m elected I’ll continue to do the advocacy.” she says Ratnayake is a “genuine” independent She expressed concerns with Agravante’s lack of candidate statements With the Liberal Party nomination fiasco leaving East Ward void of candidates outside of Labor do local residents still have to go to the polls on September 14 as a formality Those living in East Ward suburbs like Caddens Colyton and parts of Kingswood will be excused from voting They’ll also miss out on a democracy sausage The NSW Electoral Commission has confirmed that as East Ward is uncontested That means no polling places will be set up for East Ward residents on September 14 South Ward and North Ward residents still have to vote on September 14 Labor is the only ticket running in East Ward meaning all five candidates on the ticket will be elected to Council Todd Carney is leading Labor’s ticket in East Ward A local resident is so fed up with the lack of Council action toward drainage issues in her community that she is taking things into her own hands Amanda Cardwell lives in Cranebrook and has experienced extensive drainage and flooding issues on her property for years Cardwell attended the Penrith City Council meeting last month where a motion to deliver $7.1 million from the sale of the Emu Plains Industrial (Rocla) Project toward fixing the North Ward drainage issues as identified by an audit report was voted down Cardwell’s property has the run-off from other northern developments flowing through her land “The drainage and flooding issues we are experiencing has reached a point where they are causing significant damage and safety concerns on our property,” Cardwell said “The volume of water being channelled through our property far exceeds the natural flow which has caused significant loss of land and made large portions of our property unusable and unstable.” The unrestricted water flow through Cardwell’s property has left behind both rubbish and pollutants “The uncontrolled stormwater run-off flowing through our property is not filtered resulting in the accumulation of pollutants and debris which we allege carries waste and contaminants from upstream areas and scatter across our land and degrades its environmental quality,” Cardwell said “The continued approval of developments that drain stormwater onto our property is causing ongoing harm It appears to be using our private land as a solution to mitigate stormwater from developments.” Cardwell said that hearing similar stories from other residents made her realise how large the issue really is “I listened to the heartbreaking stories of residents suffering from persistent drainage and flooding problems,” Cardwell said “One particularly moving example was a family who after repeatedly replacing their carpet due to flooding found themselves inundated again on the very day the new carpet was laid “I empathise with these community members and understand the impact of these key issues It was both Cardwell’s own experience with flooding and drainage issues and the stories of other community members that compelled her to run as an Independent candidate in the upcoming Local Government Election this September “I have decided to run in the local election as an independent candidate in the Penrith North Ward,” Cardwell said “I could no longer remain on the sidelines as I witness the severe impact these issues have on our residents “It has become clear that the local community is being ignored on crucial matters in our area “I am committed to advocating for meaningful change and ensuring that our community’s needs are met with the urgency and attention they deserve.” Cardwell encourages any residents who have experienced similar issues to reach out to her at http://www.facebook.com/INDCardwell to share their experiences with flooding and drainage issues Eric Houghton has entered the race for Mitchell Shire Council’s North Ward seat I am standing for the North Ward without bias I moved my family to Mitchell Shire more than 10 years ago I built an off-grid home on 200 acres in rural Tallarook My youngest attended Tallarook Primary School He then went to Puckapunyal and on to high school at St Mary’s have been on the committee for the Puckapunyal and District Neighbourhood Centre and a member of Glenaroua Landcare I’ve had an international career in the automotive industry including research and development through to senior management and chief executive but comfortable in the boardroom or the council chamber and can don a suit when needed for the fight The North Ward has a great rural history with sometimes generations on the farm and in the towns I’m supportive of our towns and farmers alike It is for all the people of the North Ward that I put myself forward My focus is on the council basics of roads and essential services Get them right first and maintain a high standard and from there Lesser goldfinches are showing up more in Washington a team of researchers tapped into birdwatching data from Project FeederWatch and eBird to analyze the species’ movement the songbird’s populations increased dramatically in Washington The team also discovered the main factors associated with the birds moving northward were maximum annual temperature urban development and proximity to major rivers “What’s fascinating is how these birds are adapting to human-modified landscapes,” said Mason Maron lead author of the study and a graduate from Washington State University “They’re not just moving north randomly—they’re following specific corridors particularly along rivers and through urban areas where temperatures are warmer and where both native and non-native plants provide food.” The team said that while it’s good news the species can adapt to environmental change not all bird species will be able to survive and thrive Read the study in Ornithology. Venomous reptiles are hardy when it comes to drought A new research method accounting for uncertainty leads scientists to suggest the IUCN change the species’ status to endangered Sign up to stay up-to-date on wildlife science is new to the rental market at $1500 per week The Townsville rental market continues to ease with the vacancy rate up for the month The latest PropTrack Market Insight Report showed the number of homes available to rent in Townsville increased 0.07 percentage points in July to 1.43 per cent The vacancy rate was also up 0.17 percentage points in the July quarter and 0.26 percentage points year-on-year Anne Flaherty said in wider regional Queensland the vacancy rate remained stable in July the number of vacant rentals in regional Queenslands rose 0.08 percentage point but this figure was down 0.07 percentage points compared to July 2023 Townsville buyers paying a higher price ‘I wanted it so bad’: OnlyFans star’s mega impulse buy the vacancy rate (in Brisbane) has risen by 0.1 percentage points,” Ms Flaherty said “The share of rental properties vacant and available in Brisbane and regional Queensland have significantly declined compared to the start of the pandemic in March 2020 (down 47 per cent and 48 per cent respectively).” The PropTrack report showed the national rental vacancy rate dropped by just 0.01 percentage points in July to 1.42 per cent “The slight drop in vacancy was driven by regional markets which recorded a 0.04 percentage point decline month-on-month to 1.28 per cent,” Ms Flaherty said The highest capital city vacancy rate was in ACT at 2 per cent Adelaide (1.06 per cent) and Darwin (1.03 per cent) The three-bedroom home at 18 Pendula Place “While conditions remain incredibly tough for Australia’s renters rental supply has improved over the past three months with the national vacancy rate rising,” Ms Flaherty said “Capital cities have seen the largest improvement with vacancy up in six of the eight cities over the quarter “Supporting the rise in capital city vacancies has been an increase in investor activity with the number of new loan commitments to investors up 25 per cent over the June quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year.” Ms Flaherty said higher investor activity resulted in more rental properties hitting the market helping to counteract the increase in demand from population growth with vacancy falling to 1.28 per cent in July,” she said “Vacancy in the regions has now held below capital city levels for three consecutive months.” Change coming: In this spring's City of Ballarat local government election deputy-mayor Cr Peter Eddy will not run for a second term while mayor and long-time councillor Des Hudson will vie to represent the new Sebastopol ward VOTERS in the Ballarat local government area will be part of a new ward structure at this year’s council election with the city now comprising nine wards with one councillor each The Victorian Electoral Commission will post ballot packs to all enrolled voters from Monday 7 October • A reply-paid envelope (for your ballot paper envelope to go in) • A leaflet with instructions in other languages Follow the instructions in your ballot pack to complete your vote Make sure you post it or drop it off at the election office before 6pm on Friday 25 October so check the collection time on your post box to make sure your vote is in the mail on time If you are going to be away between Monday 7 October and Friday 25 October For more information, including ballot pack redirection or voting early in person, head to vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2024-local-council-elections/away-during-the-election For more information about this year’s City of Ballarat local council election, including an interactive map showing the new wards, head to vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2024-local-council-elections/ballarat-city-council. Penrith’s current Deputy Mayor and 20-year Council veteran Mark Davies is among those suffering from the fallout of the Liberal Party nominations debacle. The final nomination list has been revealed by the NSW Electoral Commission today and confirms that there are no Liberal candidates in South or East Ward for the forthcoming Local Government Election. It came to light yesterday that the Liberal Party’s head office had failed to finalise nominations in time for a range of Councils across Sydney. The debacle means that Davies, first elected to Council in 2004, will have his local political career halted prematurely. Davies was to lead the South Ward ticket and would have almost certainly retained his place on Council. “I’m totally dumbstruck, I just can’t believe that after 20 years and [being] the current Deputy Mayor that [I’ve] been taken out by an administrative problem,” Davies said. “Totally unexpected [and it’s] something that’s totally from left field. “Very disappointed and sad and [there’s] a bit of anger there but look in life sometimes these things come from left field and you move on.” Marlene Shipley, a current Independent Councillor, was to lead the Liberal ticket in East Ward. Her name is also missing from the ballot paper. “I am absolutely gutted and I’m very emotional to be honest,” Shipley told the Weekender today. “…For two and a half years I worked alongside Tricia [Hitchen] knowing that [she] would be retiring at the upcoming election, she wouldn’t be contesting. “She’s been mentoring me for the past two and a half years to move into her number one spot on the Liberal ticket [in the East Ward]. “We share the same values, and she seriously believed that I would be able to take over from her moving forward and represent [the] community but that’s not happened.” There is some positive news for the Liberals with Ross Fowler’s nomination confirmed for North Ward. The extraordinary blunder will result in Labor and independents holding the balance of power when the new Council is formed. In East Ward, the Labor ticket is the only group on the ballot paper – meaning all five people on current Mayor Todd Carney’s ticket will be elected. Carney’s number two on the ticket, Garion Thain today shared that he was grateful to have the opportunity to serve his community. “I’m humbled to learn that I’ll likely become a Penrith City Councillor next month, joining Mayor Carney on East Ward,” Thain said. “At the end of the day, it would have been better if this result was at the ballot box, not the ballot draw. “Not only do I believe that in a democracy voters should have a choice, I also think with a lot of hard work we would’ve gotten enough votes to get over the line on September 14. “There’s a few sitting Councillors who’ve been let down by their party and didn’t get a chance to be on the ballot, and while I think it raises some serious concerns about their party apparatus it’s not a knock on them personally, and I hope to see them again sometime in the future. “Either way I’ve made a commitment to the suburbs of East Ward, where I grew up and still live today, and I look forward to working for them. “The upshot is that I’m beyond grateful to have a chance to join Council with Mayor Carney and the rest of our fantastic East Ward team, and I promise that I’ll always put the interests of Penrith first.” The election will be held on September 14. Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards. Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist. Volume 11 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1513162 The North Pacific Transition Zone (NPTZ) is known as a global marine hotspot for many endangered and commercially significant highly mobile marine species the region has undergone unprecedented physical and biological transformations in response to climate variability and change Although it is anticipated that many highly mobile species will need to adapt and shift their distributions current predictions have relied on short-term data sets or modeled simulations This has left a critical gap in our understanding of long-term (decadal or longer) change and species’ responses within the NPTZ we integrate nearly 3 decades of satellite tracking data from a climate sentinel the juvenile North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) with concurrent observations of sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentrations to examine higher trophic level response to climate-induced changes within the eastern bounds of the NPTZ the NPTZ has warmed by 1.6°C and experienced an approximately 19% decline in mean surface chlorophyll-a concentration resulting in a 28% (1.65 million km2) increase in total oligotrophic habitat in the eastern NPTZ the average latitude of loggerhead sea turtle foraging habitat in the NPTZ has shifted northwards by 450–600 km This represents a distributional shift rate of 116–200km/decade In most years both the southern and northern range limits for the loggerhead turtle have shifted northward in tandem indicating a habitat range shift rather than a range expansion Our findings reveal significant physical and biological change to the NPTZ over the last quarter century and the first empirical evidence illustrating the substantial spatial response of a highly mobile megafaunal species As the NPTZ continues to become more oligotrophic these insights can provide vital information for dynamic conservation and management strategies within this critically important ecosystem as may be the case in the eastern North Pacific the NPTZ is the key oceanographic boundary between the subarctic and subtropical gyres It serves as an important juncture for ocean currents Roughly located between 30–32°N and 42–45°N latitudes it contains the eastward flowing Kuroshio Extension Current west of the dateline which becomes the North Pacific Current east of the dateline The region is also characterized by many temperatures and mesoscale eddies which create areas of high biological productivity that attract highly migratory species previously described within these productive international waters the region’s fisheries resources are targeted by fleets from many nations our inability to accurately capture long-term ecological response on the order of decades or longer leaves a critical gap in understanding how these species will adapt Through the application of our long-term data set they may also serve as proxies for other highly mobile and protected species that utilize the region but are difficult to track This study combines almost 3 decades of loggerhead sea turtle data with concurrent ocean observations to investigate higher trophic level response to environmental change within the NPTZ We first identify temporal trends in SST and chlorophyll-a within the eastern NPTZ We then characterize the animals’ response to these changing ocean conditions Our results identify a significant change to the NPTZ and thus latitudinal location of turtle habitat in the last quarter century and provide the first empirical evidence of important multi-decadal trends within the NPTZ Turtle locations were matched to the SST and chlorophyll-a grids of these products and extracted underneath each location Study area map of historic (1997–2013) and STRETCH (2023–2024) juvenile loggerhead sea turtles in the North Pacific Ocean Individual satellite tracks (n=220) are shown as green lines The North Pacific Transition Zone (NPTZ) study area (30°N-45°N 180°W-140°W) is represented with the purple box Our study involves the synthesis of 307 juvenile North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle tracks between January 1997 - September 2024. Of these, 220 individuals utilized the waters within the eastern North Pacific Transition Zone study area (Figure 1; Table 1) Tracking summary of 220 juvenile North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles monitored from 1997–2024 This approach provides time-regularized estimates (24-h intervals) of animal location while accounting for observation error and irregularity This is the first publication of these new tracks and of the entire dataset that spans a 27-year study period these data represent the most extensive satellite tracking datasets of juvenile sea turtles from a single population We used generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to characterize seasonal and interannual trends in temperature, productivity, and turtle habitat across the NPTZ in the last 27 years. GAMMs are an extension of generalized additive models, commonly used to model complex ecological response shapes as they fit non-linear functions using data defined smoothers (Elith et al., 2006; Vanselow et al., 2021) Given the autocorrelative nature of the time series data sets GAMMs allow for the incorporation of random effects to deal with the non-independence of observations To examine concurrent changes in sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentrations within the NPTZ in the past 27 years we first computed mean monthly SST and chlorophyll-a concentrations spatial averages within the NPTZ study region between September 1997 - September 2024 Quarterly and annual means were also calculated to compare winter (Q1 The time series of spatially averaged SST and chlorophyll-a concentrations were each used as response variables and fitted to the base equation. Chlorophyll-a concentrations were log-transformed for model fitting. Given the autocorrelative properties of the environmental time series (Simpson, 2018) a low order autoregressive (AR) structure was added to both models The average area (km2) < 0.2 mg/m3 chlorophyll-a concentration was then fitted to the base equation Similar to the average SST and chlorophyll-a time series models To characterize changes in observed loggerhead latitudinal distribution over time, we first filtered the tracking data set to only include tracks within the NPTZ region (Figure 1). The monthly mean turtle-latitude, turtle-SST, and turtle-chlorophyll-a concentrations were then calculated for each individual across the zonal band of longitude (180°W -140°W). Several additional candidate models were explored (see Supplementary Material) however the final GAMM was fitted to the base equation using latitude as the response variable and animal ID as a random effect The tracking data from 1997 to 2024 were not uniformly distributed across this entire period but fell into four discrete groupings: 1997–2000 As a simpler and perhaps more robust approach to the GAMM we computed the annual and quarterly mean turtle latitudes and chlorophyll-a concentrations experienced by each year group and plotted the group means Fitted trend lines of mean SST (A) and mean chlorophyll-a concentration (B) by year The shaded regions depict the extent of the winter (Q1) and summer (Q3) quarterly means Generalized additive mixed model results of (A) average SST and (B) chlorophyll-a concentration within the NPTZ Fitted trend lines showing the change in total area (km2) of oligotrophic waters (surface chlorophyll-a < 0.2 mg/m3 by year The y-axes represent the total change in millions of km2 (shown on the left) and percent of total area (shown on the right) The shaded regions depict the extent of the winter (Q1) and summer (Q3) seasonal means Generalized additive mixed model results of total area (km2) below 0.2 mg/m3 chlorophyll-a concentrations within the NPTZ Average turtle latitude followed an expected N-S trend of about 10° in latitude (Supplementary Figure S3) as turtles tracked the productive TZCF from its southernmost position in the winter months (Feb-Mar) to its northernmost position in the summer months (Aug-Sept) (A) Fitted trend lines showing the mean turtle latitude by year (30°N-45°N 180°W-140°W) between September 1997 – September 2024 The shaded region depicts the 95% confidence interval Observed annual mean turtle positions are shown as purples circles (B) Mean turtle latitude grouped by year (1997–2000 and 2023–2024) and averaged across the study area from 180°W-140°W longitude Generalized additive mixed model results of average loggerhead latitudinal movements within the NPTZ Annual variation in turtle associated (A) sea surface temperatures and (B) chlorophyll-a concentrations (mg/m3) grouped by year (1997–2000 our ability to map these changes onto higher trophic levels has been limited our knowledge has been informed by short-term studies and end-of-century simulations but there has been scarce long-term information (decadal-scale or longer) that integrates across these climatic extremes however our results highlight a longer-term change within the region over the past few decades these results suggest that turtles are adapting to a changing ocean by undertaking significant geographic shifts to maintain suitable habitat Here we also underscore the importance of including other environmental variables in anticipating species’ shifts in a changing ocean The animal study was approved by Stanford University Protocol APLAC-34400 The study was conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research Funding was provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the National Geographic Society The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the personnel at Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium and the students and staff of Usa Marine Biological Institute for their generous role in securing hatchling sea turtles for this study We would like to thank Laura Jim and the students of HPA for their field assistance We thank Nick Wegner and the two reviewers for their constructive feedback and we thank Erin LaCasella (NOAA) for providing sea turtle stranding information The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest The author(s) declare that no Generative AI was used in the creation of this manuscript All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1513162/full#supplementary-material A model of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) habitat and movement in the oceanic North Pacific Long-distance migration: evolution and determinants doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0706.2003.12559.x Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Stable isotope analysis reveals migratory origin of loggerhead turtles in the Southern California Bight Arden A. 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Briscoe, ZGJyaXNjb2VAc3RhbmZvcmQuZWR1 Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Contribute to support the Manly Observer's independent local journalism Become a MO supporter hyperlocal news service covering the Northern Beaches in Sydney with a hyperfocus from Manly to Dee Why We have a fair and non-sensationalist approach to reporting It is run by locals for locals and we depend on your news tips and support to keep going We are a member of the Local Independent News Association News tips: editor@manlyobserver.com.au or text 0435741777 Advertising queries: advertising@manlyobserver.com.au General queries: editor@manlyobserver.com.au  © Manly Observer | All Rights Reserved Meet the future Wallabies and Wallaroos already gracing rugby fields around North Queensland in the TDRU’s junior competitions Find out more about each club’s standout juniors is for sale for the first time since it underwent a multimillion-dollar makeover A historic Townsville residence that once hosted royalty and underwent an award-winning multimillion-dollar renovation has been listed for sale for offers over $4m Publicly-available records show 352 Stanley St, North Ward was owned by James Millner from 1930 with the residence Millner owned the property until 2012 when it was purchased by Damon and Gillian Mahy for $1m Listing photos from that time showed a tired and dilapidated Ashgrovian-style residence in desperate need of a new lease on life The epic makeover was undertaken by Lifestyle Constructions NQ which won a prestigious Master Builders award in 2015 for the restoration and renovation company boss Jeff Sexton said the renovation had been “the talk of Townsville” describing it as a “once in a lifetime renovation project of this size and budget” “It was 12 months of planning that worked and a lot of risk but no incidents,” Mr Sexton said “It took 18-months to completely overhaul the dilapidated 1930s Ashgrovian-style home … which was once Townsville’s premier VIP residence owned by Mount Isa Mines to offer ‘first-class accommodation’ to the likes of the Queen’s cousin Princess Alexandra and is also rumoured to have been visited by the Queen in 1969.” Mr Sexton turned it from a 141sq m derelict house into a 570sq m regal residence The project involved lifting the original home 4.5m higher while also extending and remodelling over rock foundations Mr Sexton said he and GVD Design created a glass atrium in the living areas a new guest wing with gymnasium and a private staircase to the Castle Hill Goat Track a driveway turning circle and two tiled balconies with unobstructed 180-degree views across the city’s coastline with Castlecrag to hit the market with McDonough Property Townsville Inside Castlecrag before its epic renovation Martin McDonough said the statement house was “something special” “There are a lot of character homes in Townsville but most are still original,” he said Mr McDonough said Castlecrag’s prominent position on Castle Hill meant Townsville locals witnessed its considered two-year renovation “Everyone saw it transform from this tired “It’s now the house people stop and look at when going up the hill.” Mr McDonough said the prestige property combined with the exclusive location made for private luxury living “The views are absolutely amazing and basically uninterrupted,” he said “You’re not looking at rooftops – you can look out across the city to Magnetic Island.” The home has clean white lines Veteran John Dougall is in the race for a seat in Mitchell Shire Council’s North Ward He has provided the following information for The Telegraph and I seek your support in my bid for council elections We have three children and have lived in the Broadford area for the last 12 years including numerous operational deployments After transitioning from full-time Army in March I am now more community-minded and serving the community as a councillor would be a great honour I hold an economics degree and a Master's in Management and over recent years revitalised the Army's approach to risk management prioritisation of resources and evidence-based decision-making This work was recognised in the Australia Day awards 2024 I have a strong interest in these governance-type attributes that I believe improve transparency and accountability and would serve the community's needs and interests across Mitchell Shire I am focused on ensuring the most important services are appropriately funded and that our communities remain liveable and vibrant This requires active communication with residents expenditure that is targeted and strategies that provide a believable vision for the future Three of the East Ward Councillors: newcomers Sarbjeet Kaur and Garion Thain with re-elected Todd Carney (middle) VOTERS in the North and South wards of Penrith LGA cast their ballots on Saturday; well most did however non-attendance and informal votes were very high informal votes were 20% in North ward and nearly 24% in South It would be fair to assume that having no Liberal group in South ward or East ward had an impact East ward did not vote on Saturday as it was not contested Only one group nominated (ALP) resulting in the five nominees listed being elected East WardTodd CARNEY (ALP) Garion THAIN (ALP) Libby AUSTIN (ALP) Sarbjeet KAUR (ALP) Edwin MIFSUD (ALP) we have the following who will be elected by achieving the quota needed: North WardRoss FOWLER (LIB) John THAIN (ALP) Reece NUTTALL (LIB) Robin COOK (ALP)   South WardHollie MCLEAN (ALP) Sue Day (IND) Kirstie BOERST (ALP) Vanessa POLLOCK (IND) There is one remaining spot to be filled for each ward and they should be clarified by the end of next week.  Nepean News predicts those positions will go to Glenn Gardiner (IND) in North ward and Faithe Skinner (IND) in South ward we’ll have more coverage once the final names have been announced beloved Townsville restaurant Balabite has made an exciting comeback at a new location