Address: Shop 23, Tattersalls Centre, 510-534 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750Mail: PO Box 4006, Penrith Plaza NSW 2750

Phone: (02) 4722 8660 Fax: (02) 4731 4782 Email: penrith@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Penrith’s own Jessica Fox and Erik Horrie haveonce again shown their sporting skill by bothwinning Olympic medals in Rio.

Jessica is now a Bronze medallist following hersuccess at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in thecanoeing slalom K1 event. This medal will take itsplace next to her Silver medal which was earnt atthe 2012 London Olympic Games.

Erik is now a Silver medallist at the 2016Paralympic Games for his achievement in the ASSingle Sculls. Erik also won Silver in his debutParalympics in London in 2012.

Both of these athletes have worked tirelessly to excelat the highest level of competition and are inspirationalto athletes across the state and the country.

Huge congratulations from all of us in Penrith fortaking out these medals.

I welcomed the opportunity to turn the first sod for theNepean River pedestrian and cyclist bridge, which willtransform the way Penrith residents interact with thepicturesque Nepean River.The 257 metre long bridge will provide a safer crossing for thehundreds of joggers, parents pushing prams, cyclists and walkerswho currently use the narrow footpath on Victoria Bridge. The newpedestrian and cyclist bridge will facilitate engagement with theriver with viewing platforms and terraces and forms a critical link inthe Bridge to Bridge loop which connects Tench Reserve, EmuPlains and the M4 Motorway pedestrian crossing.

The bridge will be uniquely constructed on the eastern side of theriver and launched across to the western side over temporarypiers with the first piling work for the bridge abutments under way.

For more information visitwww.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/sydneywest/ nepean-river-bridge/index.html

SUCCESS IN RIO

CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED ONNEPEAN RIVER GREEN BRIDGE

Photo courtesy of Australian Paralympic Committee

Community Newsletter October 2016

I encourage local football clubs to apply forfunding through the NSW Asian Cup 2015Legacy Fund. Local football clubs across thestate are set to benefit from theestablishment of a $4 million fund to deliverbetter community facilities driven from thesuccess of the 2015 Asian Cup Tournament.Guidelines for the NSW Asian Cup 2015 LegacyFund are now available with applications openuntil 24 February 2017.

Grants are available up to 50 per cent of the netproject costs, with a maximum fundingcontribution of $150,000 per project.

For further details clubs can visitwww.sportandrecreation.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants

It was my honour to present new State flagsto Mr Neel Chand, CEO of Penrith RSL Cluband Mr Brett McFadden, SuperintendentCommander of Penrith Police.The State Flag is proudly displayed in thecourtyard of Penrith Police Station; and thePenrith RSL Club performs a daily ritual to raiseand lower the flag in remembrance toservicemen and women of Australia.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes visited Penrith toannounce a new shared pathway to improve publicaccess to the Nepean River and new landscaping worksin Tench Reserve, Jamisontown, which will be fundedwith $115,000 from the NSW Government.The Metropolitan Greenspace Program Grant will help buildthe new 400 metre concrete path for walkers and cyclists tohelp the public more easily get to and enjoy the NepeanRiver and its surrounds.

The path improvements are part of a long-term plan tocreate the Great Nepean River Walk, and will make theexisting Bridge to Bridge walking and cycling loop moreaccessible and attractive to users.

LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUBS TO BENEFIT FROM ASIAN CUP2015 LEGACY FUND

State Flags Presented

New Pathway to theNepean River

208 new Police recruits recently attested as ProbationaryConstables during the Class 328 parade.The recruits commenced on-the-job training in August andwill continue distance learning before graduating with anAssociate Diploma in Policing Practice. The men and womentaking attestations join more than 3,400 officers who havebecome sworn officers of the NSW Police Force since 2011.

It was great to meet and congratulate local Luke Bernackifor graduating from the Goulburn Police Academy in Class328 and to thank him for his commitment to combatingcrime and community safety.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is committed toboosting the authorised strength of the NSW Police to16,795 over this term of Government.

The latest BOCSAR quarterly crime statistics show that locally, the following major crime categories are seeingdownward trends in the two years to June 2016.

State-wide the quarterly crime statistics reveal 15 of the 17 major crime offences remain stable or are falling.Six categories remain stable while nine categories showed downward trends:

These independent figures show that our local police are making our community safer and I thank the NSWPolice Force for their efforts and commitment.

Robbery with aweapon not a firearm

(Penrith LGA)

Murder ƒdown 32.1%Robbery without a weapon ƒdown 25.9%Robbery with a firearm ƒdown 41.7%Robbery with a weapon not a firearm ƒdown 22.2%Break and enter dwelling ƒdown 7.2%

Motor vehicle theft ƒdown12.6%Steal from dwelling ƒdown 6.6%Steal from person ƒdown 9.9%Malicious damage to property ƒdown 3.2%

down 57.1%

BOOST FOR NSW POLICE

CRIME STATISTICS DOWN

Break andenter dwelling

(Penrith LGA)

down10.2%

Steal frommotor vehicle

(Penrith LGA)

down 22.1%

Malicious damageto property(Penrith LGA)

down 9.3%

Break andenter dwelling

(Blue Mountains LGA)

down17.1%

I joined Senior Sergeant Viv Motbey and Senior Constable Chris Guineryto announce the roll out of additional mobile tablet devices for frontlineofficers, which will simplify the process of issuing infringements andallowing officers mobile access to police systems.Already 900 devices from the Mobile Policing Program have beendelivered to Local Area Commands across NSW as part of the NSWGovernment’s ‘Policing for Tomorrow’ fund and now another 1,300 will berolled out statewide.

In 2016-17, $36 million was allocated towards programs like this one as partof a $100 million commitment over four years.

These devices simplify the process of issuing infringements so officers don’thave to return to the station, meaning they spend more time out on the beat.

Penrith Police receive additional mobile devices

It was my pleasure to present two of the state’s longest servingJustices of the Peace, Mr Leo Bahlmann and Mr Gregory Pigottwith their commendation certificates for 50 years of service.It is a rare achievement to provide an important voluntary service tothe community for such a long period of time, and these twogentlemen thoroughly deserve this recognition.

Justices of the Peace serve as an independent witness to documentspeople use for official or legal purposes. Their duties includewitnessing the signing of statutory declarations or affidavits andcertifying copies of original documents.

There are more than 90,000 Justices of the Peace in NSW.

People can search for a Justice of the Peace in their area by visitingthe online public register of JPs at: www.jp.nsw.gov.au

50 YEARS OF JP SERVICE

FUEL CHECK -The cheapest petrolprices at your fingertips

The NSW Government is offering eligible households 40 and 50per cent discounts to replace inefficient TVs and fridges to saveon their energy bills.About 20,000 low income households are expected to save an averageof $140 a year on their energy bills under the NSW Government’s HomeEnergy Action program’s $4 million appliance program.

Eligible households must be:

• A NSW resident; and

• Hold either a valid Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Cardor Low Income Health Care Card from Centrelink or a Gold Cardfrom Veterans’ Affairs

The fridge being replaced must be at least six years old and the TVbeing replaced must be a plasma or cathode ray tube (CRT) TV. Theoffer is available until the $4 million program budget is exhausted.

For more information, visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/households/appliance-replacement-offer.htmor call the Good Guys on 1300 601 795.

Household Appliance Offer

Motorists will now be able to find thecheapest petrol at every service station inNSW thanks to the State Government’snew initiative, FuelCheck.FuelCheck is the first service of its kind inAustralia and will change the way driversbuy petrol by providing accurate, real-timefuel price information at every service stationacross NSW. Service stations will berequired to update petrol price changes assoon as they make changes, so customerscan compare prices. FuelCheck is currentlyin Beta version, so we are encouragingconsumers to offer feedback to NSW FairTrading regarding the functionality of thewebsite. More information about FuelCheckis available on www.fuelcheck.nsw.gov.au

NSW remains the nation’s economic powerhouse with the latestABS figures showing the State experiencing its strongest financialyear growth since before the global financial crisis.The NSW economy is well out in front as the strongest in the nationand is continuing to be the engine room of Australia.

NSW has had the lowest unemployment rate of any state for 15 straightmonths, as confirmed by the ABS.

The data showed the unemployment rate in NSW fell 0.2 per cent to 5per cent in August – the lowest in the nation.

The NSWGovernment’smassiveinvestmentpipeline and fiscaldiscipline ishelping spurconfidence in oureconomy – makingNSW the numberone destination tolive, work and dobusiness.

STRONGEST GROWTHSTRONGEST ECONOMY

It was great to visit Platform Youth Services to welcome the roll outof the state-wide Homeless Youth Assistance Program (HYAP), a$32 million NSW Government homelessness initiative. Local youngteens who are homeless or at risk of homelessness will receive24/7 help and crisis care with $689,446 funding for the area.Platform Youth Services operates a range of support services tovulnerable young people across the Penrith, Hawkesbury and BlueMountains LGA’s and with the addition of HYAP funding will be able toincrease access and intervention to both young people, aged 12-15years, and their families to repair relationships and provide safeaccommodation where needed.

PLATFORM YOUTH SERVICERECEIVES FUNDING TO SUPPORTLOCAL TEENS WITH CRISIS CARE

COMMUNITY WARMEMORIALS FUNDAND ANZACCOMMUNITYGRANTSFunding is now available to protectand repair local war memorials andfund educational and commemorativeprograms which preserve the Anzaclegacy through the Community WarMemorials Fund (CWMF) and theAnzac Community Grants Program(ACGP).This is a fantastic opportunity to invest inthe conservation of important local warmemorials as well as promote a greaterunderstanding and recognition of theAnzac legacy.

CWMF grants are generally for amountsup to $10,000 while the ACGP grants arefor amounts up to $2,000.

CWMF grants are available for theprotection and conservation of existingwar memorials across the state.Applications can be made by veterangroups, community organisations andcouncils until Remembrance Day 2016(Friday, 11November, 2016).

Funding from the ACGP will helpcommunity groups with projects thatassist veterans and teach the communityabout the Anzac legacy. Applicationsmust be submitted by Friday, 24February, 2017.

The 2016-17 NSW Budget includes $53 million over four years forthe state-wide roll-out of Safer Pathway, which aims to ensureevery domestic violence victim receives a consistent andeffective response regardless of where they live. Safer Pathwaywill extend to 21 new locations across the state in 2016-17,including new sites in Western Sydney.The NSW Government recognises the important work ourgovernment-funded women’s health services provide for women andchildren in need of support, especially those affected by domestic andfamily violence, through case management and coordination services.

In recognition I was pleased to announce $100,000 for the Penrith’sWomen’s Health Centre (PWHC) to deliver domestic violence serviceswhich align with the Government’s Safer Pathway initiative.

This support for PWHC will see their workforce, which is nowapproaching 30, continue to assist women in our local communitywho are victims of domestic violence and provide them with thenecessary skills and strategies to enhance their lives.

RECORD SUPPORT FOR DV SERVICES

Penrith will share in a $5million program to installschool zone flashing lightswhere schools havemultiple busy entrances,and have higher roadsafety risks.In Penrith we will see 4additional sets of flashinglights installed to improveroad safety for childrentravelling to and from school.

Schools in Penrith that will receive an additional set offlashing lights are:

• Penrith Public School/Penrith High School• Penrith South Public School• St Dominic’s College• St Nicholas of Myra

Flashing lights are funded through the Community RoadSafety Fund, where all speed and red light camera finesgo directly towards vital road safety programs.

SAFETY BOOST FORPENRITH SCHOOLS

I was pleased to announce an exciting new partnershipbetween the Sydney Zoo (opening September 2017 atWestern Sydney Parklands) and Penrith’s own MuruMittigar (Aboriginal Social Enterprise).This partnership will help create jobs and trainingopportunities for Aboriginal people across NSW byworking at Sydney Zoo.

Sydney Zoo should be commended for setting a target tohave 10% of their workforce Aboriginal and thisannouncement gives them every chance of hitting that target.

MURU MITTIGARpartners with Sydney Zoo

Contact:Phone: (02) 4722 8660 Fax: (02) 4731 4782Email: penrith@parliament.nsw.gov.au Mail: PO Box 4006, Penrith Plaza NSW 2750Address: Shop 23, Tattersalls Centre, 510-534 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750

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Authorised by Stuart Ayres MP, Shop 23, Tattersalls Centre, 510-534 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750. Printed by Zion Graphics, 3 Robertson Pl, Bella Vista NSW 2153 using parliamentary entitlements. Oct 2016.