The Weekly Times - TWT - 26th June 2019

26 THE WEEKLY TIMES Wednesday 26 June, 2019
Celebrating 40 years
Community leaders pay tribute to John F Booth for
40 years of independent newspaper achievements
FEDERAL, state and local government leaders have
paid tribute to The Weekly Times Managing Editor John
F Booth who celebrates the 40th anniversary of ownership
of this newspaper this week.
Former Prime Ministers
John Howard sent a letter
of congratulations to Mr
Booth alongside a commendation
from Premier
Gladys Berejiklian, who
grew up in Ryde and is a
lifelong reader.
A 40th Anniversary dinner
at North Ryde RSL
Club on Friday was celebrated
with congratulatory
speeches by federal,
state and local government
dignitaries from all
major political parties and
elected independents.
Bennelong MP and tennis
legend John Alexander
said he first met Mr
Booth on the international
circuit at Wimbledon
and appreciates a friendship
that has endured for
decades and includes the
successful campaign to
save North Ryde’s Tennis
World.
“John Booth’s character
is overwhelmingly positive,
he is a classic, he
is timeless and I am so
proud that Prime Minister
Tony Abbott awarded
him the first ever Mate of
Bennelong title,” Mr Alexander
said.
North Sydney MP Trent
Zimmerman described
Mr Booth as “the master
of the group photo” and
praised his commitment
to the North Sydney electorate.
“Forty years is extraordinary
and there is something
that lifts The Weekly
Times above the pack
and that is that John
Booth is more than just
a community newspaper
editor, he is a community
leader.”
Senator Connie Connie
Fieravanti Wells
has known Mr Booth
through numerous political
campaigns waged by
The Weekly Times and
through numerous local
events hosted by Sydney’s
Italian speaking
community.
She said he is a legend
locally and nationally.
“Every time, at every
event John Booth and
his newspaper are there
to report on it and he
and his wonderful staff
have contributed not just
to this local area, but to
Australia.”
Ryde MP Victor
Dominello is another dignitary
who grew up reading
The Weekly Times
and he paid tribute to Mr
Booth’s authentic leadership,
his passion and his
vision.
Parramatta Lord Mayor
Andrew Wilson, Ryde
Mayor Jerome Laxale,
Hunters Hill Mayor Mark
Bennett and Lane Cove
Mayor Pam Palmer also
attended the dinner.
Lord Mayor Wilson said
that unlike other local
newspapers, The Weekly
Times never resorts to
syndicated news and is
highly regarded for authenticity,
uniqueness,
insight and on the spot
reporting.
“John, if ever you are
looking to expand your
newspaper further, expand
further into Parramatta
and give me a
call,” Lord Mayor Wilson
said.
Mayor Laxale paid
tribute to The Weekly
Times recent, successful
and unprecedented
campaign to defeat the
state government’s attempt
to abolish the City
of Ryde Council, Hunters
Hill Council and Lane
Cove Council in a forced
merger.
“John Booth almost
single handedly stopped
Ryde from being amalgamated
and the second
thing he did was to stop
the Ryde Civic Centre being
sold off to property
developers,” Mayor Laxale
said
“No one can question
how much John Booth
cares about the City of
Ryde.”
Lane Cove’s Independent
Mayor Pam Palmer
was elected in the wake
of the forced merger battle
that saw a huge community
backlash against
the ruling Liberal Party.
She said she has known
and respected John
Booth and Ulrike Eichmeyer
from The Weekly
Times for more than 30
years and praised them
for their commitment to
her small but close knit
municipality.
Hunters Hill Deputy
Mayor Ben Collins
(Lib) confessed that he
doesn’t always agree with
Mr Booth’s opinions.
“I actually love reading
The Weekly Times and
while I do not always like
what John Booth writes
about me, I’m working
on it!”
City of Sydney Clr Craig
Chung also spoke about
Mr Booth’s controversial
comments.
“Some say he is a mongrel,
some say he is a ratbag
but everyone says he
has got a good heart and
that he wears all these
negative descriptions as
a badge of honour,” he
said.
“John Booth keeps the
politicians honest.”
That sentiment expressed
by the dignitaries
was also reflected in
thank you speeches by
former Ryde Mayor Vic
Tagg, MC Steve Sim, local
business leader David
Hayman, Ryde celebrity
Roseanna Gallo OAM and
by Zorica Kaye-Smith
from the Lane Cove electorate
office who presented
Mr Booth with a certificate
award on behalf of
Lane Cove MP Anthony
Roberts.
The Weekly Times
thanks other political,
business, community,
club, cultural and sporting
representatives who
attended the dinner or
sent messages of congratulations.
Rusty Russell OAM and Doris Carrall Farewelled
ROSS ‘RUSTY’ RUSSELL OAM
Two well known and much loved local community
members were farewelled last week. They are Ross
McDonald “Rusty” Russell OAM of North Ryde and Doris
Rose Carrall of Gladesville.
Two well known and much loved local community
members were farewelled last week. They are Ross
McDonald “Rusty” Russell OAM of North Ryde and Doris
Rose Carrall of Gladesville.
RUSTY RUSSELL aged 96 was farewelled from his local church
St John’s Anglican at North Ryde on Wednesday June 19 where
the service was conducted by the senior minister Rev John Chappell.
The church was packed to overflowing by friends and relations,
some of who had travelled from interstate including South Australia
where Rusty was born.
Eulogies were presented by his son Kim and old friend John F
Booth editor of The Weekly Times and like Rusty a lifelong Scout.
Wake was held at North Ryde RSL Community Club where Rusty
as an ex-serviceman was a longtime member.
DORIS ROSE CARRALL aged 74 of Gladesville was farewelled
from the North Chapel of Northern Suburbs Crematorium on Friday
June 21 with the service conducted by celebrant Susan Gavran.
The Family Eulogy was prepared by her daughter Michelle Nichols
from Melbourne while other eulogies were presented as tributes
representing Doris’ varied interest groups.
These wee Peter O’Reilly from Westpac, Valerie Kovacic National
Seniors, John F Booth AM Scouting, St George’s Guilds, Friends of
Addington and local community associations and her good friend
Mary Walker “The Pink Lady” of arthritis and other organisations.
Reception followed at Gladesville RSL Community Club where
Doris was a longtime active member.
NEXT WEEK a detailed report on the lives of Rusty
Russell OAM and Doris Carrall.
DORIS ROSE CARRALL