as posted here
Hi Guys,
I just saw a postie down on the cnr of yale and spencer in thornlie.
ambulance and cops are there.
posties lying on the rd, doesnt look to good.
bags of mail on the road, and a banged up postie bike aswell.
I know theres a few posties on here, perhaps we can hear about what happened.
Hope the guy heals fast.
Matt
...
Ok I just rang my boss, I know her.
From what I can gather, A car ran a red light and hit her, she went up across the windscreen.
She has a broken leg and taken to RPH
Teedow
as posted here
Thursday 20 August 2009
Share in the beauty
as posted here
BARRY McNamara and Craig Kirkcaldy will answer the question “how green does your garden grow?” with the open garden at their Gosnells property this weekend.
Camellia Glades at 89 Corfield Street will be open to the public on August 22 and 23 from 10am to 4.30pm as part of Australia’s Open Garden Scheme.
The property boasts one of WA’s finest camellia collections, including rare and special species such as sasanquas, japonicas and reticulates.
Complementing them are roses, bulbs, citrus trees and wisteria.
WA Camellia Society President Jean Evans talks at 11am and 2pm each day and there are also grafting demonstrations on growing and propagating the plant.
Parking is opposite the property at the corner of King and Corfield streets. Entry is $6 per adult and under 18s free. Money raised goes to charities and community garden projects.
as posted here
Turned the corner
as posted here
TEACHERS and educationalists from New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia visited Yule Brook College in Maddington last week to see first-hand the success the school has had as part of the Big Picture program.
The Year 8 to 10 school has undergone a teaching revolution since it was categorised as “hard to staff” when it was founded in 2000.
Deputy principal Eric Radice said numerous strategies were employed to develop a nurturing and caring learning environment.
“Yet high absenteeism and poor behaviour continued to plague the school,” he said.
In 2006 there were almost 300 student suspensions.
But in 2007 attendance was nudging 83 per cent and there were fewer than 50 suspensions. “The figures were so astonishing, it was assumed Yule Brook’s data system had malfunctioned, but they had not,” he said.
It was also the year that the school became inspired by the Big Picture education program that originated in Rhode Island, USA.
“Jaws dropped further last year when the school’s National Assessment Program literacy and numeracy scores reached benchmark or better.”
Two years on, the school is a hotbed of creativity and industry.
Plans to extend studies to Year 12 are well under way and the focus is firmly on higher education and careers.
“We now have students who never used ‘uni’ in a sentence, checking out entrance requirements for tertiary courses,” Mr Radice said.
“We are beginning to see a change of culture, not just among students and staff, but in the whole community.”
He said parental involvement had increased dramatically and the school’s internship program had proved enormously successful
as posted here
TEACHERS and educationalists from New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia visited Yule Brook College in Maddington last week to see first-hand the success the school has had as part of the Big Picture program.
The Year 8 to 10 school has undergone a teaching revolution since it was categorised as “hard to staff” when it was founded in 2000.
Deputy principal Eric Radice said numerous strategies were employed to develop a nurturing and caring learning environment.
“Yet high absenteeism and poor behaviour continued to plague the school,” he said.
In 2006 there were almost 300 student suspensions.
But in 2007 attendance was nudging 83 per cent and there were fewer than 50 suspensions. “The figures were so astonishing, it was assumed Yule Brook’s data system had malfunctioned, but they had not,” he said.
It was also the year that the school became inspired by the Big Picture education program that originated in Rhode Island, USA.
“Jaws dropped further last year when the school’s National Assessment Program literacy and numeracy scores reached benchmark or better.”
Two years on, the school is a hotbed of creativity and industry.
Plans to extend studies to Year 12 are well under way and the focus is firmly on higher education and careers.
“We now have students who never used ‘uni’ in a sentence, checking out entrance requirements for tertiary courses,” Mr Radice said.
“We are beginning to see a change of culture, not just among students and staff, but in the whole community.”
He said parental involvement had increased dramatically and the school’s internship program had proved enormously successful
as posted here
Change voted in
as posted here
THE first-past-the-post voting system will be used at council elections on October 17 after legislation was passed by the State Government last week.
Local Government Minister John Castrilli said the system would replace the previous preferential voting system and would make the electoral process easier to understand.
Mr Castrilli said it would also protect councils from the influence of main political parties and the rise of political factions within councils.
“First-past-the-post voting not only removes the potential for political or other tickets to be run, but the system will also mean results known in a very timely manner.”
The City of Gosnells applauded the move, Mayor Olwen Searle saying it believed first past the post was simpler and cheaper to administer than proportional preferential voting in use for the last council election.
“We are glad to see the State Government has reinstated a simple, cost-effective voting system,” she said.
“The City is committed to local democracy and public participation. First past the post is the easiest way for people to cast their votes. It also saves ratepayers’ money.”
The City is running a publicity campaign to help lift voting numbers at the election. Unlike State and Federal polls, voting is not compulsory.
Mayor Searle urged people to make sure they had their say at election time. “The decisions made by councillors affect every-day life in your own city – make sure you have a say in who is chosen for this vital role.”
Information on why voting is important and how easy it is, especially by post, is available from the City.
Gosnells has 12 councillors, each of whom serves a four-year term. The terms are staggered so half the council is elected at a time, resulting in elections every two years.
The council voted to recommend the end of the ward system, which means people will vote for candidates across the City, not in smaller areas.
as posted here
THE first-past-the-post voting system will be used at council elections on October 17 after legislation was passed by the State Government last week.
Local Government Minister John Castrilli said the system would replace the previous preferential voting system and would make the electoral process easier to understand.
Mr Castrilli said it would also protect councils from the influence of main political parties and the rise of political factions within councils.
“First-past-the-post voting not only removes the potential for political or other tickets to be run, but the system will also mean results known in a very timely manner.”
The City of Gosnells applauded the move, Mayor Olwen Searle saying it believed first past the post was simpler and cheaper to administer than proportional preferential voting in use for the last council election.
“We are glad to see the State Government has reinstated a simple, cost-effective voting system,” she said.
“The City is committed to local democracy and public participation. First past the post is the easiest way for people to cast their votes. It also saves ratepayers’ money.”
The City is running a publicity campaign to help lift voting numbers at the election. Unlike State and Federal polls, voting is not compulsory.
Mayor Searle urged people to make sure they had their say at election time. “The decisions made by councillors affect every-day life in your own city – make sure you have a say in who is chosen for this vital role.”
Information on why voting is important and how easy it is, especially by post, is available from the City.
Gosnells has 12 councillors, each of whom serves a four-year term. The terms are staggered so half the council is elected at a time, resulting in elections every two years.
The council voted to recommend the end of the ward system, which means people will vote for candidates across the City, not in smaller areas.
as posted here
Tuesday 18 August 2009
Police raid alleged Kenwick drug lab (The West Australian)
Police raid alleged Kenwick drug lab (The West Australian): "Police have arrested a Kenwick man for allegedly operating a clandestine drug lab in Perth's southern suburbs."
Yet another Email the to the Member re: Toilets
School Toilets? Third World Standard!
Having received the letter from the sitting member, I must say that I am not assured that he has grasped the importance of this issue (lack of soap and adequate drying facilities in school toilets), I realise that as a sitting member he does have contact with schools, I guess that he may of asked various Principals if their toilets adequately cater for the students needs in this area, but I assure him that they do not, if he was to inspect them himself (without warning) he will be appalled by the lack of soap and facilities provided to the children. Thornlie Primary School is currently trying to sell some hand dryers that were purchased several years ago but were never installed, the parents at that school saw the need and stepped up and purchased this equipment, but of course the dryers could not be installed due to a poor power supply (even though they spent 50K on optical fibre for their Intranet), my eleven year old that attends this primary school will not use these toilets, my older daughter who attends Thornlie High School assures me that there is never any soap (prob rarely) and that she has to hunt for toilet paper. Both of my daughters attending school at the moment tell me that their teachers are constantly telling them to wash their hands regularly, but I must ask how can they whilst at school (the usual standard reply is "they should bring their own"). If you were to ask the principal or staff they will prob reply that of course there is soap, and they will handball the problem to the cleaners, and if you question the cleaners they will tell you that they do supply some, but that the kids waste it, I know that there is no specific budget to cater for this expense (time spent on P&C and School Council) so I must ask you "are schools provided with a specific budget item that caters for these supplies and if so why is it not used? I again ask you to please take the time to inspect these facilities for yourself, why provide public toilets if they can not be used for the specific task they are designed for?"
Peter Evans
Thornlie
Having received the letter from the sitting member, I must say that I am not assured that he has grasped the importance of this issue (lack of soap and adequate drying facilities in school toilets), I realise that as a sitting member he does have contact with schools, I guess that he may of asked various Principals if their toilets adequately cater for the students needs in this area, but I assure him that they do not, if he was to inspect them himself (without warning) he will be appalled by the lack of soap and facilities provided to the children. Thornlie Primary School is currently trying to sell some hand dryers that were purchased several years ago but were never installed, the parents at that school saw the need and stepped up and purchased this equipment, but of course the dryers could not be installed due to a poor power supply (even though they spent 50K on optical fibre for their Intranet), my eleven year old that attends this primary school will not use these toilets, my older daughter who attends Thornlie High School assures me that there is never any soap (prob rarely) and that she has to hunt for toilet paper. Both of my daughters attending school at the moment tell me that their teachers are constantly telling them to wash their hands regularly, but I must ask how can they whilst at school (the usual standard reply is "they should bring their own"). If you were to ask the principal or staff they will prob reply that of course there is soap, and they will handball the problem to the cleaners, and if you question the cleaners they will tell you that they do supply some, but that the kids waste it, I know that there is no specific budget to cater for this expense (time spent on P&C and School Council) so I must ask you "are schools provided with a specific budget item that caters for these supplies and if so why is it not used? I again ask you to please take the time to inspect these facilities for yourself, why provide public toilets if they can not be used for the specific task they are designed for?"
Peter Evans
Thornlie
New eye offers hope after bus attack
as posted here
The bus driver who lost an eye after a vicious attack was overjoyed at getting an artificial replacement yesterday, but says the incident has left him with ongoing nightmares and a heightened fear for his safety.
Gerard Sin, of Thornlie, said he was pleased with the life-like appearance of the prosthesis after it was fitted yesterday.
But while the physical scars are healing, Mr Sin said he was still having nightmares that started immediately after the rock attack. "On my first night I dreamt a group of people were pounding on me," Mr Sin, 59, said.
"They were jumping on to me and I got so scared I tried to kick them. My wife woke me up and I was delirious. I even asked my wife to make sure the door was locked."
Mr Sin was driving along Church Avenue, Armadale, on July 31 when he was hit in the face with a rock after refusing to let a group of men get on the bus. Doctors removed his left eye five days later.
Mr Sin reiterated yesterday that it was unlikely he would return to the job because he feared his mononuclear vision would put passengers at risk.
The father of two was also reluctant to put his wife Camilla through more anguish after she had long begged him to give up the dangerous work. The devout Christian said he might do some part-time work for his Presbyterian Church and was considering a request from his wife to become a "househusband".
He said he hoped to have counselling one day to cope with the trauma, but in the meantime, was managing to maintain his sense of humour.
Ocularist Jenny Geelen, from West Perth's Artificial Eye Services, said muscles around the eye socket had grown around an implant which was installed when the eyeball was removed. This allowed his artificial eye to move at the same time and in the same direction as his right eye.
The Christmas Islander and Friends Association is taking donations for Mr Sin at any Westpac branch. A morning tea fundraiser will be held at 9.30am on Friday at Westpac's Armadale branch.
as posted here
The bus driver who lost an eye after a vicious attack was overjoyed at getting an artificial replacement yesterday, but says the incident has left him with ongoing nightmares and a heightened fear for his safety.
Gerard Sin, of Thornlie, said he was pleased with the life-like appearance of the prosthesis after it was fitted yesterday.
But while the physical scars are healing, Mr Sin said he was still having nightmares that started immediately after the rock attack. "On my first night I dreamt a group of people were pounding on me," Mr Sin, 59, said.
"They were jumping on to me and I got so scared I tried to kick them. My wife woke me up and I was delirious. I even asked my wife to make sure the door was locked."
Mr Sin was driving along Church Avenue, Armadale, on July 31 when he was hit in the face with a rock after refusing to let a group of men get on the bus. Doctors removed his left eye five days later.
Mr Sin reiterated yesterday that it was unlikely he would return to the job because he feared his mononuclear vision would put passengers at risk.
The father of two was also reluctant to put his wife Camilla through more anguish after she had long begged him to give up the dangerous work. The devout Christian said he might do some part-time work for his Presbyterian Church and was considering a request from his wife to become a "househusband".
He said he hoped to have counselling one day to cope with the trauma, but in the meantime, was managing to maintain his sense of humour.
Ocularist Jenny Geelen, from West Perth's Artificial Eye Services, said muscles around the eye socket had grown around an implant which was installed when the eyeball was removed. This allowed his artificial eye to move at the same time and in the same direction as his right eye.
The Christmas Islander and Friends Association is taking donations for Mr Sin at any Westpac branch. A morning tea fundraiser will be held at 9.30am on Friday at Westpac's Armadale branch.
as posted here
Monday 17 August 2009
Damp Perth robbed of daylight
Damp Perth robbed of daylight: "PERTH is in the grip of the longest wet spell in two years - with 10 consecutive days of rain and wet weather forecast for the rest of the week."
Saturday 15 August 2009
Wild weather damages 37 homes across Perth
as posted here
Nearly 40 homes in the Perth metropolitan area were damaged in severe storms overnight.
Emergency services volunteers were called out to 37 homes across Perth to help repair damaged and leaking roofs caused by falling trees and destructive winds.
The weather bureau said a wind gust of 93 km/h was recorded at Jandakot at 2am this morning.
Most of the damage caused by last night's storm was minor, FESA said.
Today, the weather bureau cancelled the severe weather warning it issued yesterday saying the worst of the storm had passed.
Showers and isolated thunderstorms and possible hail is forecast for the city today.
Temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 15C in Perth today, warming up slightly tomorrow when the mercury is expected to reach a high of 18C
as posted here
Nearly 40 homes in the Perth metropolitan area were damaged in severe storms overnight.
Emergency services volunteers were called out to 37 homes across Perth to help repair damaged and leaking roofs caused by falling trees and destructive winds.
The weather bureau said a wind gust of 93 km/h was recorded at Jandakot at 2am this morning.
Most of the damage caused by last night's storm was minor, FESA said.
Today, the weather bureau cancelled the severe weather warning it issued yesterday saying the worst of the storm had passed.
Showers and isolated thunderstorms and possible hail is forecast for the city today.
Temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 15C in Perth today, warming up slightly tomorrow when the mercury is expected to reach a high of 18C
as posted here
Man runs in to burning house to offer help
as posted here
A 19-year-old Perth man has risked injury to run into a burning house in Langford to save another man.
Paul Yokoju was visiting a house in Osten Drive last night when he heard cries for help.
He ran outside and saw the neighbour trying to control the blaze with a garden hose.
The man then ran inside the house which was well ablaze.
Mr Yokoju says he knew he might have been injured, but followed the man inside.
The house was badly damaged by the fire.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known
as posted here
A 19-year-old Perth man has risked injury to run into a burning house in Langford to save another man.
Paul Yokoju was visiting a house in Osten Drive last night when he heard cries for help.
He ran outside and saw the neighbour trying to control the blaze with a garden hose.
The man then ran inside the house which was well ablaze.
Mr Yokoju says he knew he might have been injured, but followed the man inside.
The house was badly damaged by the fire.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known
as posted here
Langford home gutted by car fire
as posted here
AN elderly couple's Langford home was partially destroyed by a fire that started in a garaged car about 9.30pm last night.
The 68-year-old husband, the only occupant at the time, went back into the blazing Osten Dve house after attempting to put out the fire with a garden hose, neighbour Paul Yokoju, 19, said.
Mr Kokoju followed to get the man out.
``There was smoke everywhere. When I asked him if there was anyone else he said `no','' Mr Yokoju said.
The fire destroyed the garaged small hatchback, the lounge room, a bedroom and the brick and tile bungalow's kitchen
Losses included family items from Cambodia which the couple left before arriving in Australia in the early 1980s, the couple's daughter Latine Leng said
``They've lost a lots of things. Everything in there,'' she said.
Welshpool and Canning Vale firefighters took 15 minutes to extinguish the fire before hosing hot spots.
Canning Vale FESA station officer Syd Davies said the fire was throught to have started in the car.
Damage to the house and car was initially estimated at $150,000.
Family is now housing the couple, it is understood.
as posted here
Friday 14 August 2009
Cannabis set up found
as posted here
Police seized more than 100 cannabis plants from a southern suburbs home yesterday morning.
East metropolitan tactical investigation group officers executed a search warrant at a Storey Road home in Thornlie where they allegedly found hydroponic cannabis set ups in two bedrooms and a backyard shed.
One bedroom allegedly contained more than 50 plants.
Police also seized hydroponic equipment worth more than $20,000.
A 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman have been charged with drug offences.
as posted here
Police seized more than 100 cannabis plants from a southern suburbs home yesterday morning.
East metropolitan tactical investigation group officers executed a search warrant at a Storey Road home in Thornlie where they allegedly found hydroponic cannabis set ups in two bedrooms and a backyard shed.
One bedroom allegedly contained more than 50 plants.
Police also seized hydroponic equipment worth more than $20,000.
A 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman have been charged with drug offences.
as posted here
New cat laws to force desexing
as posted here
WA's 184,000 cat owners will have to sterilise and microchip their pets by the time they are six months old under laws expected to be drafted by year's end.
Jandakot MLA Joe Francis, who is working on the Bill for the Government, said yesterday he hoped the move would ensure that in 10 years, every cat in WA would be on a national database and the epidemic of thousands of unwanted, healthy kittens being euthanased each year would end.
Mr Francis said he would report to Premier Colin Barnett on his consultations with vets and animal welfare groups.
"I hope it will be a fairly simple, short Bill that will basically address the issue of mandatory desexing of all kittens by a certain age and the compulsory microchipping of all cats by a certain age," he said.
Mr Francis said the most effective and safest age limit in both cases would be six months.
Animal welfare groups, which have long campaigned for tougher rules on cat ownership, welcomed the moves.
Mr Francis said his research showed 14,000 healthy cats were put down in WA last year.
No official data exists on WA cat ownership but national estimates show 23 per cent of households have a cat, making the figure about 184,000 WA homes.
The Local Government Act allows WA's 139 local councils to introduce cat control regulations, but Mr Francis said only 13 had done so.
RSPCA national president Lynne Bradshaw said State cat laws were long overdue but she also wanted a "dusk to dawn" curfew for all cats.
"We're keen for this to be taken up as quickly as possible," she said. "That leaves fewer cats to be bred and fewer cats to be euthanased for no good reason."
A parliamentary committee headed by Mr Francis has asked Joondalup City Council to scrap several key elements of its proposed local cat laws, including compulsory sterilisation.
Mr Francis said Joondalup council was not legally empowered to enforce the laws it had proposed.
"It's one of the reasons why we need a Statewide Act," he said.
Cat Haven operations manager Roz Robinson said until the State laws were drafted, the committee should back Joondalup.
She said compulsory sterilisation was essential. At peak breeding season over summer, the haven had to euthanase up to 100 kittens a day.
Joondalup mayor Troy Pickard said while the city was comfortable with most of the Government committee's suggestions, it would strive to convince MPs to allow the local laws
as posted here
WA's 184,000 cat owners will have to sterilise and microchip their pets by the time they are six months old under laws expected to be drafted by year's end.
Jandakot MLA Joe Francis, who is working on the Bill for the Government, said yesterday he hoped the move would ensure that in 10 years, every cat in WA would be on a national database and the epidemic of thousands of unwanted, healthy kittens being euthanased each year would end.
Mr Francis said he would report to Premier Colin Barnett on his consultations with vets and animal welfare groups.
"I hope it will be a fairly simple, short Bill that will basically address the issue of mandatory desexing of all kittens by a certain age and the compulsory microchipping of all cats by a certain age," he said.
Mr Francis said the most effective and safest age limit in both cases would be six months.
Animal welfare groups, which have long campaigned for tougher rules on cat ownership, welcomed the moves.
Mr Francis said his research showed 14,000 healthy cats were put down in WA last year.
No official data exists on WA cat ownership but national estimates show 23 per cent of households have a cat, making the figure about 184,000 WA homes.
The Local Government Act allows WA's 139 local councils to introduce cat control regulations, but Mr Francis said only 13 had done so.
RSPCA national president Lynne Bradshaw said State cat laws were long overdue but she also wanted a "dusk to dawn" curfew for all cats.
"We're keen for this to be taken up as quickly as possible," she said. "That leaves fewer cats to be bred and fewer cats to be euthanased for no good reason."
A parliamentary committee headed by Mr Francis has asked Joondalup City Council to scrap several key elements of its proposed local cat laws, including compulsory sterilisation.
Mr Francis said Joondalup council was not legally empowered to enforce the laws it had proposed.
"It's one of the reasons why we need a Statewide Act," he said.
Cat Haven operations manager Roz Robinson said until the State laws were drafted, the committee should back Joondalup.
She said compulsory sterilisation was essential. At peak breeding season over summer, the haven had to euthanase up to 100 kittens a day.
Joondalup mayor Troy Pickard said while the city was comfortable with most of the Government committee's suggestions, it would strive to convince MPs to allow the local laws
as posted here
MPs recommend WA schools focus on grammar
as posted here
BIG changes to the way children are taught reading and writing in schools have been recommended by a WA parliamentary committee.
The committee’s recommendations also include making the Baby Bonus dependent on parents attending post-natal classes, making pre-primary compulsory and ensuring all child care workers have a TAFE qualification.
Committee chairwoman Alannah MacTiernan said the most important proposal was for children to be taught reading and writing the old-fashioned way – by focusing on grammar and phonetics.
The committee found literacy levels were inadequate in WA and many children were not prepared when starting primary school.
“We found many children were presenting at school with a large number of developmental vulnerabilities, and it seems that these numbers were getting worse,” Ms MacTiernan said.
She said many parents’ basic knowledge about how to help babies develop had been lost.
“We need to strengthen parents’ understanding of child development because they’re the best people to deal with it, so that means creating better programs for parents.
“Instead of just handing a book to new parents, it should be perhaps a more exciting DVD - a medium that more people will want to look at - that explains what’s really important.”
“One of the things we’ve suggested is that the Government consider using as leverage the baby bonus to get parents attending a few post natal classes so they engage with certain issues.
"People might think parents instinctively know this stuff but what we’re seeing is that parents often don’t," Mrs MacTiernan said.
Other recommendations included introducing more school-based playgroups for children from 0-3 years and boosting the number of child health nurses.
“I had my kids 25 years ago or so and I could go to the child health nurse as often as I liked, but they haven’t increased the number of child health nurses for decades so the service has become highly rationed and there’s not enough support for parents who need it,” Mrs MacTiernan said
as posted here
BIG changes to the way children are taught reading and writing in schools have been recommended by a WA parliamentary committee.
The committee’s recommendations also include making the Baby Bonus dependent on parents attending post-natal classes, making pre-primary compulsory and ensuring all child care workers have a TAFE qualification.
Committee chairwoman Alannah MacTiernan said the most important proposal was for children to be taught reading and writing the old-fashioned way – by focusing on grammar and phonetics.
The committee found literacy levels were inadequate in WA and many children were not prepared when starting primary school.
“We found many children were presenting at school with a large number of developmental vulnerabilities, and it seems that these numbers were getting worse,” Ms MacTiernan said.
She said many parents’ basic knowledge about how to help babies develop had been lost.
“We need to strengthen parents’ understanding of child development because they’re the best people to deal with it, so that means creating better programs for parents.
“Instead of just handing a book to new parents, it should be perhaps a more exciting DVD - a medium that more people will want to look at - that explains what’s really important.”
“One of the things we’ve suggested is that the Government consider using as leverage the baby bonus to get parents attending a few post natal classes so they engage with certain issues.
"People might think parents instinctively know this stuff but what we’re seeing is that parents often don’t," Mrs MacTiernan said.
Other recommendations included introducing more school-based playgroups for children from 0-3 years and boosting the number of child health nurses.
“I had my kids 25 years ago or so and I could go to the child health nurse as often as I liked, but they haven’t increased the number of child health nurses for decades so the service has become highly rationed and there’s not enough support for parents who need it,” Mrs MacTiernan said
as posted here
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