The Weekly Times - TWT - 6th June 2018

6 THE WEEKLY TIMES Wednesday 6 June, 2018
Epping goes Vivid
Iight show in June
Dear Sir,
St Alban’s Anglican
Church Epping lights up for
Vivid.
It may not be the Opera
House but the crowds won’t
stop you from seeing this
suburban light show.
The changing colours in
the tower and front of the
Epping landmark are attracting
passers-by who
slow down to be stunned
by the vibrancy of the stain
glassed windows.
The lights go on at 6pm for
the first commuter rush and
continue till 10pm for late
night walkers.
A gift to the community
from St Alban’s Anglican
Church, installed and digitally
programmed by Tony
Moffatt, the lights will burn
till Saturday June 16.
ROSS NICHOLSON
Epping
TWT policy on
racist Letters
HUNTER’S HILL COUNCIL
NOTICE OF PUBLIC EXHIBITION
DRAFT COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN 2018-2028
(Including the Delivery Program & Operational Plan)
DRAFT BUDGET, FEES & CHARGES 2018/19 – 2027/28
The Local Government Act 1993 Sections 402 and 405 provide that a council must complete a review of its
Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan by 30 June in the year following the local
government elections and its Budget and Fees & Charges on an annual basis.
The suite of plans must be placed on public exhibition for a period of 28 days and comments from the community
considered prior to final endorsement by the Council.
The Draft Community Strategic Plan (10 year plan) gives both Council and the community a vision for the main
priorities and aspirations for the future of the Hunters Hill local government area. This plan also includes:
• Draft Delivery Program (4 year program) outlines what Council intends to do towards achieving the main priorities
during its term of office.
• Draft Operational Plan (one year plan) sets out the individual projects and activities that will be undertaken each year
to achieve the commitments made in other supporting documents.
The Draft Budget, Fees & Charges describes the Council operations and asset maintenance programs for the next
ten years. The Budget also contains proposed Rates and Charges for the 2018/19 financial year.
The draft budget includes a proposed increase of 2.3% in ordinary and special rates, which is the maximum allowable
rate pegging limit announced by the Minister for Local Government.
All interested parties are invited to view copies of the documents and provide feedback to Council. The documents are
available to view at the following locations:
• Council website www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au
• Administration Centre, 22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill
• Gladesville Branch Library, Pittwater Road, Gladesville
Letters to the Editor
Dear Sir,
TWT’s bizarre letters page
is a source of constant
amusement and bafflement
– personally, I never miss it.
But the most recent one
(May 30) simply floored me,
and raises the obvious question:
Does the editor – to
whom these constant racebaiting
fact-free rants are
addressed, or anyone on the
TWT editorial team, actually
read what it publishes?
Maybe you do and the
justification is “freedom of
speech.”
Well, who could disagree?
I certainly don’t.
Or, “We don’t censor our
readers, we simply publish
whatever they submit,
no matter how long and
incoherent and full of ad
hominem, prejudice and
rage – over and over again
whenever they submit letters
without interference or
judgement.”
I think that must be it.
So another question arises:
Is constantly publishing the
sort of material that the majority
of potential readers in
TWT-land – their customers,
clients, staff and families will
find offensive wise?
Doesn’t a free newspaper
need the goodwill and support
of all groups in its territory?
Naturally in the name of
“freedom of speech” and
“non-censorship” I’ll expect
to see my critique of TWT’s
policy of constantly publishing
the race-hate of a tiny
handful of its serial letterwriters
also published.
If its not, I’ll make my own
assumptions on where the
newspaper stands on the
issue. Soon enough, if they
haven’t already, so will everyone
RUSSELL EDWARDS
Drummoyne
Telstra outage
sufferers
Dear Sir,
After hearing about the
huge Telstra outage this
week, I could not sympathise
more with all the
people whose lives and
businesses were inconvenienced
and cut off from
their livelihood and relationships
or lack thereof.
I can visualise Ludwig van
Beethoven considered by
millions still as the greatest
composer of all-time, sitting
under the light of a candle
composing what he is supposed
to have thought his
greatest works, completely
deaf, with no treatment of
any kind available.
What would he have
thought of Telstra?
“Pah humbug!”(in
Deutsch) of course.
D C KRAUS
Epping
HUNTER’S HILL COUNCIL
Written submissions, addressed to the General Manager will be received up until 4.30pm Wednesday 27 June 2018
and should be forwarded to PO Box 21, Hunters Hill NSW 2110 or by email to feedback@yourvoicehuntershill.com.au
For further information, please contact:
Draft Community Strategic Plan documents: Annie Goodman – 9879 9451
Draft Budget, Fees & Charges documents: May Vilaythong – 9879 9437
LETTERS
Welcome
TWT welcomes letters
from our readers. Full
name, address and
telephone number
MUST be supplied, even
if not for publication.
Send to: TWT PO Box
123, Ryde 1680 or email:
contactus@weekly
times.com.au
Teacher ‘marks’
letter writer!
Dear Sir,
Many of your readers
(but perhaps not Carole
Clarke) may know that I
teach History.
Year 9 is especially interesting
as part of the curriculum
focuses on the making
of modern Australia.
I thought I would mark
the essay “All Entitled to
our Opinions” submitted
by Ms Clarke.
Overall, I have to agree
that we are all entitled to
our opinions.
In a democracy, that is a
given.
So, as an opinion piece it
would be unfair to evaluate
the essay as if it necessarily
bore any relation to
historical evidence, agreed
facts rather than prejudices
or, indeed, truthfulness.
Of course, the essay supports
the concept of the
“RIGHT” to hold beliefs.
We once believed (not
so long ago, please note)
that gay people should be
gaoled for being who they
were; we once believed
that Aboriginal people did
not exist, and when that
became patently absurd,
that they were not citizens.
So belief is not a good
basis for her argument.
Now let’s evaluate the
essay for what it says:
“Lane Cove is becoming
a second Chatswood...
where will it end?”
We are to assume that
this is a bad thing. Some
evidence is presented in
the next paragraph, so
some marks for supporting
her statement.
“No separate suburbs
only for them,” she states.
Well, I suppose the Italians
in Leichhardt, the
Greeks in Marrickville, the
Muslims around Lakemba,
the Jews around Bondi,
the South Africans around
St. Ives were never so noticeable?
Italian can still be heard
on the streets of Eastwood.
Who can remember
when this area was an
enclave? So no marks for
evidence-based history
here.
Her essay deteriorates
into a series of rhetorical
questions about residency
and drugs entering Australia
all in support of her
mentor, Mr Ikonomou and
denigrating the apparent
beliefs of Mr Newman. Excellent
for a Year 9 debate
but the opposition would
soon demolish her arguments.
So some marks for
trying, I think.
How to give her an overall
comment?
At parent-teacher evening,
in order not to shatter
her self esteem, I would
gently suggest she focus
on some research before
she puts pen to paper.
That she might take note
of one of the other students
in the class, that
nice Shereen, who sits opposite
her.
She at least focuses
on real people, not straw
men.
There’s Justin Li and
Hugh Lee, there’s Peter
Kim - no less individuals
that the “many wrongs”
Mr Ikonomou must have
seen in his career.
So, Carole’s final rating:
on a scale of 1 to 10 (as
top) she gets a very generous
3.
BOB SELINGER
Eastwood
Barry Smith
GENERAL MANAGER
Hunters Hill Guest Column
Symphony Orchestra boasts an
impressive line up of musicians
THE RYDE Hunters Hill
Symphony Orchestra
(RHHSO) was the brainchild
of local resident
Rita Lepedjian.
Rita along with Dr Raf
Marcellino, Prof Levon
Khachigian, Ian Cox and
George Papallo OAM,
launched the orchestra
in December 2011.
Shortly after, Hugh Lee
OAM joined the Board.
The inaugural concert
was held at St Joseph’s
College Hunters Hill in
May 2012 where the
world premiere of “From
the Field of Mars” composed
by Ryde City’s
current Deputy Mayor
Christopher Gordon was
played.
Since then, the Orchestra
has performed over
thirty concerts mostly
under the baton of Dr
Carlos Alvarado whose
passion and dedication
for music has given the
orchestra considerable
credibility.
* * *
DR ALVARADO has
been supported by Ian
Cox who has conducted
the Family “Kids Concerts”
in Ryde and Hunters
Hill with significant
success.
The Orchestra which
comprises musicians of
all age groups has been
ably led in recent times
by Concert Master Naomi
Warr.
It has performed at
To The POINT
With
GEORGE PAPALLO
The Ryde Hunters Hill
Symphony Orchestra
is forever grateful for its
host of sponsors which
include the Foundation
sponsors, the Councils
of Ryde and Hunters Hill,
The Weekly Times and
The Northern District
Times.
Of special note is the
the Ryde Civic Centre,
The Ryde Community
Hall, The Concourse
Chatswood, The Grand
Hall at Sydney University
and a number of school
halls.
It boasts performing
at least four World Premiere
compositions.
Acclaimed international
soloists including
Roger Woodward,
Gregory Kinda, Georgia
Lowe, Andrew Del Riccio,
Rodrigo Santibanez
and singers Anita Kyle,
Damian Arnold and
Jenny Liu are just some
of the talent who have
been accompanied by
RHHSO.
* * *
LAST YEAR as a first,
the orchestra offered
a Young Composers
Competition judged by
our composer in residence
Daniel Rojas.
The composition “Forest
Awakening” by Paris
Francis was chosen to
be performed by the orchestra.
This year, RHHSO is
planning anther first, a
Concerto Competition
for school aged students
to be offered in November.
extraordinary contribution
to the administration
of the orchestra by
the Lepedjian family:
Nairi, Arda, Arman and
Erik as well as Linda
Smith, Haig Garabedian
and Joyce Martin without
whom the orchestra
could not survive.
Conductor Carlos Alvarado
is always keen
to welcome new musicians
to audition for the
orchestra and past and
new patrons are always
welcome to attend RHH-
SO concerts.
Please consult our
website at www.rhhso.
org.au to see the program
for the year or
should you be interested
in auditioning for the orchestra.
GEORGE PAPALLO
OAM is a Director
of Ryde Hunters Hill
Symphony Orchestra
High standard of works a feature
of Hunters Hill Art Exhibition
RECENT Hunters Hill
Art Exhibition proved a
resounding success with
painter Mertim Gokalp
the recipient of a second
consecutive Hunters Hill
Art Prize.
The 64th annual exhibition
drew 450 art enthusiasts
to visit on Opening
Night May 11.
This Exhibition was
displayed in three historic
buildings namely: the
Hunters Hill Town Hall, the
Congregational Church
and Vienna Cottage with
the 20 Pop Up galleries
connecting artists and local
business.
A feature of the Pop Up
program this year was the
outdoor sculptures exhibition
in two locations.
Over 380 finalists were
selected from more than
900 entries with a record
number of sales and record
numbers of visitors
from all over Sydney visiting
during the 10 day period.
This Exhibition was another
great success due to
the high standard of works
received and the wonderful
work by volunteers who
gave so generously of their
time and expertise.
For the second year
running, painter Mertim
Gokalp won the Hunters
Hill Art Prize with his
amazing photo realistic
painting which captured
the playful and charming
essences of celebrity chef
Manu Feildel.
* * *
IN CASE you missed the
Salvos knocking on your
HUNTERS HILL HAPPENINGS
with Mayor MARK BENNETT
door over the weekend,
you are still able to contribute
to the Red Shield
Appeal by sending a donation
to The Salvation
Army Red Shield Appeal
Reply Paid 229, Sydney
South NSW 1234 or donate
online at salvos.org.
au/Missed You - ABN 46
891 896 885.
* * *
NEIGHBOURHOOD
Watch is being reinvigorated
in our area. Neighbourhood
Watch is, the
local community and the
police working together
to establish a safer environment,
to build a safer
community, prevent crime
and enhance effective
communication. They
meet regularly and distribute
a newsletter with crime
information and tips on
keeping safe in our community.
If you are interested in
helping re-establish the
Hunters Hill and Gladesville
Neighbourhood
Watch groups, phone Phil
Browne on 0414 203 341.
* * *
TO celebrate the Gaimariagal
Festival and local
indigenous heritage,
Council has organised a
Walk and Talk in Kelly’s
Bush.
It will be held on two
days: Saturday June 9
from 2pm-3.30pm and
Sunday June 17 from
10.30am to 12noon.
It is a free event and people
can meet at Weil Park
Hall, Weil Park, Woolwich
Road, Woolwich to take
part.
* * *
LOCAL indigenous resident
Dave Bird will lead
two walks around Kelly’s
Bush.
He has an outstanding
knowledge of the area,
which has a proud indigenous
history as well as being
the site of the World’s
first “Green Ban”.
This is the perfect opportunity
to learn more
about the bushland plant
and animals as well as the
fascinating history of the
area. Bookings are not
required. Further information
is available from Jane
Tamasauskas on 9879
9449 or email community@huntershill.nsw.gov.au