as posted on WABusinessNews
Newly rejoined Labor backbencher John D'Orazio has put forward a plan for a new passenger rail line in Perth's northern and eastern suburbs, which would link up with the existing train network.
In a letter to the City of Stirling, the member for Ballajura outlined his plan for a circle route running from the intersection of Reid Highway and Mitchell Freeway along Reid and Tonkin highways, to Gosnells Station on the Armadale line.
At its Tuesday night council meeting, the city voted to further investigate Mr D'Orazio's plan, although it said the new line should terminate at Stirling Station instead of a proposed site near Warwick.
The city is halfway through drafting its own 25-year transport strategy, which includes a similar circle route linking all five existing train lines, through Reid and Tonkin highways and the Fremantle to Forrestfield freight line.
Mr D'Orazio is a former WA police minister. He was forced to quit the Labor party after corruption allegations aired by the Corruption and Crime Commission but has claimed vindication since the Parliamentary Inspector of the CCC said the CCC should not have made its original findings.
He was readmitted to the Labor party despite the objection of premier Alan Carpenter. Mr D'Orazio's seat disappers in an electoral redistribution and he is known to want the new seat of Morley.
as posted on WABusinessNews
Friday, 18 April 2008
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Catalyst program gives people chance to learn
as posted on TheWest
t was a 30-year wait, but it’s now changed Alex Prudnicki’s life.
The Perth man, 50, has finally stepped back into a classroom again - and he might come out of it with a tertiary qualification.
Mr Prudnicki, who has suffered depression for eight years, enrolled in Mission Australia’s Catalyst program in February.
Seven weeks into the course, his friends and family are already noticing his improved confidence and self-esteem.
“This is about challenging myself,” Mr Prudnicki said.
“I have suffered from depression for many years… you find yourself in a black hole and there is no light at the end of the tunnel but I have been fortunate along the way that when I realised I needed help I was lucky to find some wonderful people.”
He “landed on his feet” when placed at Mission Australia’s Wattle House community centre in the Perth suburb of Maddington during a Work for the Dole scheme nearly a year ago.
He has not looked back since noticing a poster at the centre about a new Catalyst program and deciding to give it a go.
The former tradesman, businessman and youth worker never dreamed of going to university but says being back in the classroom had changed his life.
“It’s very exciting and along with all that goes the things that normal students get, like the anxiety of doing an essay.
“I haven’t done any studies for about 30 years but the concept of this program is to challenge yourself.”
Mr Prudnicki admitted that while studying was hard work, it was also a lot of fun and he was surrounded by encouraging and positive people.
He barely thought about his depression these days and was even tossing up the idea of studying for a degree at university after the course.
Mission Australia officially launched the new Catalyst program tonight.
The Woodside-sponsored course is aimed at providing people who may not normally access university education with enrolment in a course at Edith Cowan University.
The course encourages people experiencing significant life challenges to change their situation through hitting the books.
Catalyst program co-ordinator Louise Oakley said students needed to have a desire to learn, are able to commit to a 12-week program and have a health care card.
Ms Oakley said it was about encouraging students to examine, contemplate and question the world around them, and at the same time build self-esteem.
The program provides accredited university courses in a community setting where the students feel familiar and comfortable.
Volunteers from corporate and community sectors will provide one-on-one support to course participants at weekly meetings.
Woodside vice president of sustainable development Vanessa Guthrie said the company believed that education created opportunities not just for the person but for the community.
Mission Australia started the Catalyst program in Sydney three years ago.
It is based on the successful Clemente program model in the USA which operates worldwide.
KAREN HODGE
as posted on TheWest
t was a 30-year wait, but it’s now changed Alex Prudnicki’s life.
The Perth man, 50, has finally stepped back into a classroom again - and he might come out of it with a tertiary qualification.
Mr Prudnicki, who has suffered depression for eight years, enrolled in Mission Australia’s Catalyst program in February.
Seven weeks into the course, his friends and family are already noticing his improved confidence and self-esteem.
“This is about challenging myself,” Mr Prudnicki said.
“I have suffered from depression for many years… you find yourself in a black hole and there is no light at the end of the tunnel but I have been fortunate along the way that when I realised I needed help I was lucky to find some wonderful people.”
He “landed on his feet” when placed at Mission Australia’s Wattle House community centre in the Perth suburb of Maddington during a Work for the Dole scheme nearly a year ago.
He has not looked back since noticing a poster at the centre about a new Catalyst program and deciding to give it a go.
The former tradesman, businessman and youth worker never dreamed of going to university but says being back in the classroom had changed his life.
“It’s very exciting and along with all that goes the things that normal students get, like the anxiety of doing an essay.
“I haven’t done any studies for about 30 years but the concept of this program is to challenge yourself.”
Mr Prudnicki admitted that while studying was hard work, it was also a lot of fun and he was surrounded by encouraging and positive people.
He barely thought about his depression these days and was even tossing up the idea of studying for a degree at university after the course.
Mission Australia officially launched the new Catalyst program tonight.
The Woodside-sponsored course is aimed at providing people who may not normally access university education with enrolment in a course at Edith Cowan University.
The course encourages people experiencing significant life challenges to change their situation through hitting the books.
Catalyst program co-ordinator Louise Oakley said students needed to have a desire to learn, are able to commit to a 12-week program and have a health care card.
Ms Oakley said it was about encouraging students to examine, contemplate and question the world around them, and at the same time build self-esteem.
The program provides accredited university courses in a community setting where the students feel familiar and comfortable.
Volunteers from corporate and community sectors will provide one-on-one support to course participants at weekly meetings.
Woodside vice president of sustainable development Vanessa Guthrie said the company believed that education created opportunities not just for the person but for the community.
Mission Australia started the Catalyst program in Sydney three years ago.
It is based on the successful Clemente program model in the USA which operates worldwide.
KAREN HODGE
as posted on TheWest
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Conservationist to nominate for Labor seat
as posted on ABCNews
The Director of Western Australia's Conservation Council Chris Tallentire is expected to nominate for Labor Party preselection for the new seat of Gosnells by Friday.
Mr Tallentire was previously touted for the seat of Bassendean, but it is understood his supporters are now promoting him for Gosnells.
The seat became vacant when Sheila McHale announced her retirement from politics.
Mr Tallentire has declined to comment.
The former Executive Director of Western Australia's Council of Social Service, Lisa Baker has nominated to contest the seat of Maylands, being vacated by the former Environment Minister Judy Edwards.
as posted on ABCNews
Monday, 14 April 2008
... and it continues
this picture was taken Monday Lunchtime, in the towncentre of Gosnells, as the company that services these bus shelters has stated that they clean them up within hours, one must guess that the breakage happened sometime during Monday morning, in plain sight to everyone, but I would guess that the damage happended over the weekend and that the mess won't be cleaned up for sometime, let alone replacing the glass ...
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Thousands stripped off house values
as posted on TheWest
The median house price in Perth has slipped $13,000 as the glut of homes for sale spreads from the mortgage belt to the western suburbs and inner city.
New Real Estate Institute of WA figures show 17,584 homes and blocks of land are listed for sale, up from about 5000 just five months ago and the highest number of homes on the market in 12 years.
President Rob Druitt said the 2.7 per cent fall in the median house price for the March quarter from $470,000 at the end of last year to $457,000 was caused by the combination of interest rate rises, a drop in overall consumer sentiment and the record number of listings.
Listings are up an average of 31 per cent for the quarter across the metropolitan area and Mr Druitt said the message to sellers was to cut their asking prices in order to sell.
“The top end of the market has now cooled for the first time, whereas in 2007 it had performed very strongly and was probably holding up the median house price quite well,” he said.
“Now that it has hit a plateau we’re finding the figures are skewed a little because there are a lot more sales at the bottom end of the market.”
First-homebuyers were resilient in the market despite interest rate increases due to strength in the economy and wages growth and because some price reductions had made buying more affordable, he said.
Rental increases had also made buying attractive, resulting in a median rent increase for houses of just 1.5 per cent last quarter to $335 per week. Median unit rent increased 3.3 per cent to $310 a week and the overall vacancy rate had dropped to just one per cent.
Mr Druitt said there were 2400 lots of vacant land on the market which meant some areas were overstocked, helping bring prices down. He said buyers should take advantage of the temporary market dip.
Listings in the Wanneroo coastal corridor and Stirling areas are up 32 per cent and listings in the Hills and Swan corridors are up 22 and 31 per cent. In the south-west there are 30 per cent more homes and blocks listed in Cockburn and 26 per cent more in Rockingham and Kwinana.
The south-east corridor, including Gosnells, Armadale and Serpentine, is up 25 to 30 per cent. Canning is up 23 per cent.
DANIEL HATCH
as posted on TheWest
The median house price in Perth has slipped $13,000 as the glut of homes for sale spreads from the mortgage belt to the western suburbs and inner city.
New Real Estate Institute of WA figures show 17,584 homes and blocks of land are listed for sale, up from about 5000 just five months ago and the highest number of homes on the market in 12 years.
President Rob Druitt said the 2.7 per cent fall in the median house price for the March quarter from $470,000 at the end of last year to $457,000 was caused by the combination of interest rate rises, a drop in overall consumer sentiment and the record number of listings.
Listings are up an average of 31 per cent for the quarter across the metropolitan area and Mr Druitt said the message to sellers was to cut their asking prices in order to sell.
“The top end of the market has now cooled for the first time, whereas in 2007 it had performed very strongly and was probably holding up the median house price quite well,” he said.
“Now that it has hit a plateau we’re finding the figures are skewed a little because there are a lot more sales at the bottom end of the market.”
First-homebuyers were resilient in the market despite interest rate increases due to strength in the economy and wages growth and because some price reductions had made buying more affordable, he said.
Rental increases had also made buying attractive, resulting in a median rent increase for houses of just 1.5 per cent last quarter to $335 per week. Median unit rent increased 3.3 per cent to $310 a week and the overall vacancy rate had dropped to just one per cent.
Mr Druitt said there were 2400 lots of vacant land on the market which meant some areas were overstocked, helping bring prices down. He said buyers should take advantage of the temporary market dip.
Listings in the Wanneroo coastal corridor and Stirling areas are up 32 per cent and listings in the Hills and Swan corridors are up 22 and 31 per cent. In the south-west there are 30 per cent more homes and blocks listed in Cockburn and 26 per cent more in Rockingham and Kwinana.
The south-east corridor, including Gosnells, Armadale and Serpentine, is up 25 to 30 per cent. Canning is up 23 per cent.
DANIEL HATCH
as posted on TheWest
Parry takes it slow after lightning rise
as posted on LiverpoolDailyPost
A HOST of good judges agree that the Firwood Bootle all-rounder Stephen Parry has all the makings of a first-class cricketer – and Lancashire’s decision to award the 21-year-old a professional contract merely provided official confirmation of their opinion.
But as the player adjusted to the demands of his first media day at Old Trafford, he preferred to take things a little more slowly. After all, the Lancashire HQ is a second home to him.
“I’ve got what I’ve worked for,” he agreed. “But having come through the age groups and then being on a scholarship last year, there’s not much that’s different to be honest.”
Parry’s dedication is an example of what is required in order to get a contract in 2008. Having spent the winter playing for Gosnells CC in Perth, he is just beginning what is effectively his ninth consecutive season without a break.
However, Lancashire are more interested in the quality of his cricket than its quantity and his programme is regularly monitored.
“If the coaching staff see you’re tired they’ll give you a rest-day and they’ll tell you how to recover on that day,” he explained.
This afternoon Parry will be in action for Bootle at Hightown on the first match-day of the Business Assistance Liverpool Competition season, and there’s no doubt that the wicket at Sandy Lane will be totally different to those in Western Australia where he learned to bowl more slowly and spin the ball harder. Parry, though, welcomes the various challenges of top-level league cricket on Merseyside.
“Overall, I think playing in the Liverpool Competition is a good preparation for Lancashire Seconds,” he said. “I moved from Denton in order to play better cricket, and the Comp and the Cheshire County League seem to be the places where young players want to go. That’s because of the facilities, the wickets and the quality of the opposition.”
Spending the last couple of years in the company of a couple of ex-pros at Wadham Road hasn’t harmed him either.
“Bootle’s a fantastic club,” he said. “If I have to go away and play for Lancs they understand perfectly. Obviously it helps having someone like Ian Cockbain around because he’s been there as well, but I also picked up loads of things from batting with Graham Lloyd and it’s a shame he’s not with us this year.”
Nor is Parry short of wise counsel at Old Trafford. “Stuart Law is always giving me advice if I’m bowling to him in the nets, and Gary Keedy has all the spin bowling experience in the world,” he said. “If he sees something’s not right, he’ll always tell me.”
And so, as the world of cricket adjusts to what may yet prove to be a Twenty20 revolution, Stephen Parry begins a summer in which he helps to bring further honours to Wadham Road while also establishing himself at Old Trafford.
“I look forward to every season, but this one especially,” he said. “Obviously I want to play for Lancashire’s first team, but just for now I want to perform well for the second team and put myself in the picture.” He knows that achieving this goal will need dedication but that’s not been a problem so far.
“I wouldn’t have got where I’ve got if I hadn’t approached things professionally,” he said, as he sat wearing his new, official Lancashire shirt and mused on the possibility that one day he will walk down those famous pavilion steps and take the field as a first-team cricketer.
FIXTURES: Business Assistance Liverpool Competition ECB Premier League: Colwyn Bay v New Brighton, Formby v Northern, Hightown v Bootle, Maghull v Lytham, Prestatyn v Ormskirk, St Helens Recs v Fleetwod Hesketh, Wallasey v Southport and Birkdale.
First Division: Ainsdale v Liverpool, Huyton v Northop Hall, Leigh v Highfield, Newton-le-Willows v Sefton Park, Orrell Red Triangle v Wigan, Rainford v Skelmersdale, St Helens v Wavertree.
as posted on LiverpoolDailyPost
A HOST of good judges agree that the Firwood Bootle all-rounder Stephen Parry has all the makings of a first-class cricketer – and Lancashire’s decision to award the 21-year-old a professional contract merely provided official confirmation of their opinion.
But as the player adjusted to the demands of his first media day at Old Trafford, he preferred to take things a little more slowly. After all, the Lancashire HQ is a second home to him.
“I’ve got what I’ve worked for,” he agreed. “But having come through the age groups and then being on a scholarship last year, there’s not much that’s different to be honest.”
Parry’s dedication is an example of what is required in order to get a contract in 2008. Having spent the winter playing for Gosnells CC in Perth, he is just beginning what is effectively his ninth consecutive season without a break.
However, Lancashire are more interested in the quality of his cricket than its quantity and his programme is regularly monitored.
“If the coaching staff see you’re tired they’ll give you a rest-day and they’ll tell you how to recover on that day,” he explained.
This afternoon Parry will be in action for Bootle at Hightown on the first match-day of the Business Assistance Liverpool Competition season, and there’s no doubt that the wicket at Sandy Lane will be totally different to those in Western Australia where he learned to bowl more slowly and spin the ball harder. Parry, though, welcomes the various challenges of top-level league cricket on Merseyside.
“Overall, I think playing in the Liverpool Competition is a good preparation for Lancashire Seconds,” he said. “I moved from Denton in order to play better cricket, and the Comp and the Cheshire County League seem to be the places where young players want to go. That’s because of the facilities, the wickets and the quality of the opposition.”
Spending the last couple of years in the company of a couple of ex-pros at Wadham Road hasn’t harmed him either.
“Bootle’s a fantastic club,” he said. “If I have to go away and play for Lancs they understand perfectly. Obviously it helps having someone like Ian Cockbain around because he’s been there as well, but I also picked up loads of things from batting with Graham Lloyd and it’s a shame he’s not with us this year.”
Nor is Parry short of wise counsel at Old Trafford. “Stuart Law is always giving me advice if I’m bowling to him in the nets, and Gary Keedy has all the spin bowling experience in the world,” he said. “If he sees something’s not right, he’ll always tell me.”
And so, as the world of cricket adjusts to what may yet prove to be a Twenty20 revolution, Stephen Parry begins a summer in which he helps to bring further honours to Wadham Road while also establishing himself at Old Trafford.
“I look forward to every season, but this one especially,” he said. “Obviously I want to play for Lancashire’s first team, but just for now I want to perform well for the second team and put myself in the picture.” He knows that achieving this goal will need dedication but that’s not been a problem so far.
“I wouldn’t have got where I’ve got if I hadn’t approached things professionally,” he said, as he sat wearing his new, official Lancashire shirt and mused on the possibility that one day he will walk down those famous pavilion steps and take the field as a first-team cricketer.
FIXTURES: Business Assistance Liverpool Competition ECB Premier League: Colwyn Bay v New Brighton, Formby v Northern, Hightown v Bootle, Maghull v Lytham, Prestatyn v Ormskirk, St Helens Recs v Fleetwod Hesketh, Wallasey v Southport and Birkdale.
First Division: Ainsdale v Liverpool, Huyton v Northop Hall, Leigh v Highfield, Newton-le-Willows v Sefton Park, Orrell Red Triangle v Wigan, Rainford v Skelmersdale, St Helens v Wavertree.
as posted on LiverpoolDailyPost
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