New Wheels for Alysia

New
Wheels
for
Alysia
Regular readers of the Rockdale Review will
have heard about the plight of little Alysia Dalianis.
Having been born with a rare condition known as Rett
Syndrome, Alysia is wheelchair bound and in need of
round-the-clock care, provided to her by her brave,
loving and passionate parents Anna and George.
On Wednesday 14 July, Anna visited Council with
Alysia’s new, custom modified, wheelchair accessible
van, purchased through money raised at the Mayoress
Fundraising Dinner, held on Friday 7 May.
Councillor Jan Brennan and Rockdale City Mayoress,
Christine Stavropoulos were at Council to view the
new van. The Mayoress was overcome with joy to see
the vehicle “in the flesh” and was excited to know that
Alysia will now enjoy a more comfortable journey in the
specially modified vehicle.
“I am so happy for the Dalianis family. Seeing this
vehicle and the smile on little Alysia’s face has made our
fundraising efforts so worthwhile. Anna and George will
find it much easier transporting Alysia around. This was a
great investment,” the
Mayoress said.
Keeping a Cheque
on Depression
10 Kings Court, Rockdale
Phone 9567 8472
It was a proud moment for Council and the Rockdale
City Mayoress’ Committee on Tuesday 29 June when
Mayoress Christine Stavropoulos handed over a
cheque to the value of $23,916 to Deputy Chairman
of Beyond Blue John McGrath AM. The cheque was
monies raised from the Mayor and Mayoress Charity
Ball held in August last year.
L-R: Councillor Jan Brennan, Anna Dalianis, Rockdale City Mayoress,
Christine Stavropoulos and Mayoress Committee Secretary Veronica
Giles-Cook with Alysia (centre) and her new wheelchair accessible van,
purchased with money raised at the Mayoress’ Charity Dinner.
If you would like your business featured on Council’s
website and the Rockdale Review call Council’s Senior
Media and Communications Officer, Gordana Grujoska on
9562 1865 or email [email protected]
9562
1666
www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au
Council’s Customer Service Centre is
open on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm
Councillor Angelo Anestis
Labor
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
T/F 9597 4641
M 0422 227 882
Councillor Yvonne Bellamy JP
Independent
95 Canonbury Grove
Bexley North NSW 2207
T 9554 3974
F 9554 9541
Councillor Peter Poulos
Liberal
PO Box 136 Bexley NSW 2207
T/F 9599 4743
M 0416 101 663
E [email protected]
Councillor Jan Brennan
Liberal
PO Box 6 Arncliffe NSW 2205
T/F 9597 7185
M 0412 388 563
This document contains important information about
Rockdale City Council. If you do not understand, please
visit Council's Customer Service Centre at 2 Bryant Street
Rockdale on Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Council Staff will be happy to arrange interpreter services
for you. You may also contact Telephone Interpreter
Services in 131 450 and ask them to ring Rockdale City
Council on 9562 1666 on your behalf.
Councillor Michael Nagi
Independent
17/13-15 Wollongong Road
Arncliffe NSW 2205
M 0403 222 666
How the New
Laws Affect You
Beyond Blue is a charitable organisation that provides
support for people suffering from depression and
advocates for its prevention. In handing over the
cheque the Mayoress thanked Beyond Blue for their
support and dedication.
“I would like to thank Beyond Blue for their support
for our citizens stricken with depression and I would
also like to thank them for bringing this atrocious and
often silent killer to the forefront of our hearts and
minds. This cheque is a truly well deserved accolade
for your tireless commitment to the people who
need it most, many of whom have been touched by
depression,” the Mayoress said.
On Wednesday 21 July,
Mayor Bill Saravinovski presented Certificates
of Recognition to (L-R) Kate Dermody, Trent Lawson and
Scott Davidson for their representation of NSW in the Special
Olympics National Games, held in Adelaide earlier this year.
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Light
Local Catch Up
Third Ward
Councillor Lesa de Leau
Greens
Deputy Mayor
PO Box 410
Brighton Le Sands NSW 2216
F 9262 1777
M 0413 581 603
E [email protected]
Councillor John La Mela
Liberal
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
M 0434 140 996
E [email protected]
Councillor Bill Saravinovski
Labor
Mayor
PO Box 139 Banksia NSW 2216
F 9567 8632
M 0412 139 068
E [email protected]
Sinful Cakes
Bexley North
Pino’s Dolce Vita
Kogarah
dale.nsw.gov.au
videos on www.rock
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The Mayor said he was delighted to meet with active
residents and reiterated his commitment to the
encouragement of public participation in Council matters.
“Harnessing opportunities to discuss local matters are
critical in Council decision-making. I encourage all local
residents and business owners to bring forward their ideas
and concerns with Council. In the end, what matters to
you, matters to us,” the Mayor said.
2010 Business Excellence Awards Night
When Friday 20 August, 7pm
WhereThe Grand Roxy, The Grand Parade,
Brighton Le Sands
Face painting, free balloons, kids craft, book sale and
Council’s iWEST trailer will be at the library.
Councillor Joe Awada
Labor
PO Box A343
Arncliffe NSW 2205
T/F 9567 9737
M 0438 223 600
E [email protected]
Councillor Liz Barlow
Independent
40 Grantham Street
Carlton NSW 2218
T 9553 9681 F 9553 9689
M 0417 490 882
E [email protected]
Councillor Judy Feeney
Liberal
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
M 0434 600 053
E [email protected]
This document is printed on environmentally
responsible papers manufactured under the
environmental management system ISO 14001
using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp sourced
from sustainable, well managed forests.
Rockdale City Council presents...
Fifth Ward
WhereBexley Library, 499 Forest Road, Belxey
Citizenship Ceremony
CallCustomer Service Centre on 9562 1666
Councillor John Flowers
Liberal
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
T/F 9556 3106
E [email protected]
What is it that makes a City prosperous and successful?
Is it the landscape or is it the location? Location and
landscape help, but the truth of the matter is, people are
what make great cities. A thriving city is one that fosters a
harmonious and cohesive community. A great city is one
that harbours a creative and caring community spirit and
our City is blessed with the greatest community of all.
Now, I didn’t come to this conclusion through a special
mathematical equation, nor did I employ consultants,
surveys or statistics, it’s what I see everyday when I walk
down the street, visit a local store and during my Council
duties. The City of Rockdale is home to so many creative,
positive and friendly people and I witness it every day.
I would like to thank the community for taking the time to
nominate their favourite local businesses and I would like
to acknowledge the support everyone demonstrated. On
20 August we will recognise the City’s favourite businesses
and if you would like to be part of the celebration, call our
Customer Service Centre on 9562 1666.
CallBexley Library 9562 1813
WhereRockdale Town Hall, Corner of the Princes
Highway and Bryant Street Rockdale
August 2010
But, what struck me the most about this wonderful
community was the number of nominations submitted
for Council’s Business Excellence Awards. There was an
overwhelming number of nominations submitted by the
general public for businesses throughout the City. The
comments customers left on the nomination forms were
outstanding.
When Saturday 11 September, 9am – 3pm
When Saturday 25 September, 12 noon
Rockdale Community Newsletter
On Wednesday 26 May the Mayor and Ms Burton met
with local residents to discuss traffic issues and pedestrian
safety in Shaw Street, Bexley North. The constructive
meeting allowed local residents to voice their concerns and
possible opportunities to improve public safety.
Community Events Calendar
Bexley Library Open Day, Bexley Spring Fair
New Laws
Mean More
Transparency
Hands were shaken, ideas were exchanged and solutions
were put forward. It was just another day in the life of your
local representatives, Cherie Burton, Local Member for
Kogarah and Mayor Bill Saravinovski.
Fourth Ward
CallTickets are $85 each. Bookings essential, call
Customer Service Centre on 9562 1666
One-way
Screws to Help
Prevent Theft
New Rules
for Travelling
Tots
Customer Service Centre
First Ward
Hang on to
Your Plates
Sweeping
Changes to FOI
Laws
To raise funds for the St George and Sutherland Medical
Research Foundation, Chris along with friends Nick Del
Din and Ian Bacon, will kayak the length of Australia’s
longest river - The Murray, later this year.
(L-R) Nick Del Din, Ian Bacon, Chris Boyd,
Mayoress Christine Stavropoulos and
Councillor John La Mela.
Large variety of different
frames. Commissioned art
works on request. Great
range of paintings for sale.
Your Councillors
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane mlc
Labor
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
M 0411 337 525
E [email protected]
More information at www.australianyouthagainstcancer.org.au
Council is committed to the growth and prosperity of our
local businesses, which is why the Rockdale Review now
has a regular column devoted to promoting different local
businesses throughout the City. Each business also has
an accompanying short film which can be viewed at
www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au
Stanley Art Gallery
Second Ward
On Monday 26 July, 20 year old cancer survivor Chris
Boyd launched his foundation, Australian Youth Against
Cancer, at Kogarah Rotary. Chris’ battle with cancer and
treatment was televised on Channel 9’s RPA.
Supporting Local Business
Councillor Shane O’Brien
Labor
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
M 0418 227 977
E [email protected]
Councillor James Macdonald
Independent
C/o Rockdale City Council
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
M 0434 140 530
E [email protected]
2 Bryant Street Rockdale NSW 2216
PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216
Tel 02 9562 1666 Fax 02 9562 1777
Email [email protected]
DX 25308 Rockdale
A celebration of music, food and dance
Saturday 23 October 2010
Bexley Oval, 2pm – 8pm
Keep the date free and stay tuned for more information...
Local Member, Cherie Burton (left) and Mayor Bill Saravinovski
(centre) discussed safety issues with Shaw Street residents in May.
Councillor Bill Saravinovski, Mayor
Hang on to Your Plates
Every day a vehicle in the St George region has its
registration plates stolen. This amounts to over 350 plate
thefts a year and it’s on the rise!
Mayor Bill Saravinovski is encouraging local residents
to take part in the program and help put a stop to plate
thefts.
To fight off this scourge, Council, together with the
St George Local Area Command has introduced free
installation of anti-theft screws to help prevent the theft of
number plates for local residents. A locking mechanism in
the anti-theft screws prevents thieves from being able to
remove the number plates with a screwdriver.
“Thieves with stolen number plates are like kids in a
candy store. Fuel thefts are rife and they’re hurting our
local business community. We must put a stop to these
cowardly thieves and installing these specially designed
screws will help discourage this terrible offence,” the
Mayor said.
The device will be installed free of charge and available
at open days located at Bunning’s Warehouse, 351 West
Botany Street Rockdale on 28 August, 29 September and
23 October 2010.
The special screws will also be available to residents
at Rockdale City Council’s Customer Service Centre.
For more information Contact Rockdale City Council on
9562 1666 or St George Police Station on 8566 7499.
Senior Constable Raymond
Kerridge, St George Crime
Prevention Officer with Mayor
Bill Saravinovski installing
anti-theft screws on the
Mayor’s car.
City Mourns Hero
Got the Munchies?
National Meals on Wheels Day is just around the corner.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in having
delicious, modern and hearty meals delivered piping hot to
your door then why not come along and find out what the
award winning Rockdale Meals Service can offer.
Council staff members pictured with the Mayor (right) received a
Mayoral Minute for their significant achievements in cutting down
Council’s paper use and streamlining our systems.
E-Award for Council
Since December 2008 a staggering 50,000 documents
received and sent by Council have been scanned and saved
as electronic files. By storing Council’s correspondence as
electronic documentation, the process of accessing files
has been dramatically streamlined, Council procedures are
more transparent and paper customising has been slashed.
On Tuesday 24 August, Sutherland Shire, Rockdale
and Kogarah City Councils together with the Karimbla
Community Restaurant will be hosting a celebration for
National Meals on Wheels Day. This annual event is the
perfect opportunity for residents to discover more about
this essential community service.
The day will include lunch and entertainment. Staff from
their respective Meals on Wheels services will be on hand
to help you explore your options and showcase some of
the great meals on offer. The event will take place at the
Karimbla Community Restaurant. Bookings are essential.
To book or for more information, call Council’s Meals
Service Coordinator, Prue Daras on 9562 1629.
On Tuesday 28 May Council received the prestigious
national eGovernment Award in the category of Project
Management. This recognises the significant achievement
of successfully employing an Electronic Document Record
Management System throughout the organisation.
Mayor Bill Saravinovski praised Council staff for their
unwavering commitment by implementing a major
organisational change that stands to save thousands of
dollars spent on printing costs.
“Each day Council will, on average, convert 90 pieces of
correspondence into electronic documents which are
securely held in Council’s system. This means 90 less times
we need to print and 90 less documents we need to find
physical storage for each day,” the Mayor said.
A Federal Government initiative, the eGovernment
Awards are highly contested and recognise the finest
government organisations in the categories of applications
development, geospatial, project management, service
delivery, and systems architecture.
Grants Give
Environment a Leg Up
New Laws
Mean More
Transparency
The future of our natural environment is in our hands. It’s
what we do as a community and as individuals that will
shape the environment our children will inherit.
Environmental, Indigenous, Landcare, Coastcare and
sustainable agriculture community groups are invited
to submit applications for the Federal Government’s
Community Action Grants as part of the ‘Caring for our
Community’ initiative.
The grants are available to groups currently operating in
the environmental and sustainable land management arena
and to established and emerging Indigenous organisations.
Individuals are not eligible to apply for Community Action
Grants.
Applications close on Tuesday 31 August. The applicant
guidelines and application form are available from the Caring
for our Country web www.nrm.gov.au/cag/index.html#guide
or by calling 1800 552 008.
Former refugee Lucy and her children enjoyed a day of singing and
dancing as they floated down the Georges River as part of Refugee
Week.
Freedom from Fear
Around 50 refugees from China, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq,
Sudan, Egypt, Vietnam, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone attended
the St George Migrant Resource Centre’s Georges River
Cruise to celebrate Refugee Week on Saturday 26 June.
Refugee Week has become an important and significant
week to reflect and acknowledge the many millions of
refugees around the world who have been displaced from
their home countries and are fleeing from persecution.
Mayor Bill Saravinovski congratulated the St George
Migrant Resource Centre for bringing the plight of
refugees to the forefront of people’s hearts and minds.
“The City of Rockdale is home to a vast number of
former refugees, each and every one of them with their
own harrowing tales of despair and tragedy.
Local environmental groups are encouraged to apply for the Federal
Government’s Community Action Grants.
The St George Migrant Resource Centre should be
applauded for hosting such a successful event that
reminds us of the difficult journey many refugees have
had to undertake,” the Mayor said.
Check out
the food on
offer at the
National
Meals on
Wheels Day
celebration on
Wednesday
24 August.
Council’s General
Manager, Chris
Watson has
welcomed the
sweeping changes
to the Freedom
of Information
laws and is
encouraging
local residents
to become
familiar with
them.
Right: the
Guide you
can download
from Council’s
website.
Just the phrase ‘Freedom of Information’, also known as
FOI, can sound alarm bells, but what are Freedom of
Information requests and what changes are happening?
FOI requests are made by members of the public through
a formal process that permits access to important
information about Council business. All applications are
made with strict privacy and confidentiality regulations.
Normal applications for information such as general
DA enquiries can be processed through a less formal
request for information, but for more potentially sensitive
information, people need to make a formal FOI application
for which a fee is payable.
Recently, the NSW Office of the Information
Commissioner replaced the Freedom of Information Act
1989 with the Government Information Public Access Act
2009 (GIPA Act).
The GIPA Act means Councils and NSW Government
bodies will become more transparent and FOI requests will
be easier to make. The GIPA Act also encourages proactive
distribution of information without the need for requests
and improved access to government information unless
there is an overriding public interest in the disclosure.
For more information about these significant FOI changes
log on to the NSW Information Commissioner’s website at
www.oic.nsw.gov.au
Former Kogarah
resident Private
Nathan Bewes
from the Brisbanebased 6th Battalion
was tragically killed
in Afghanistan
on Friday 9 July.
Private Bewes was
a proud serving
military man and
was on his second
tour of Afghanistan.
Upon hearing the
news that Private
Bewes was a
former St George
resident, the Mayor
expressed his
sincere sadness.
MUST BUY
BEFORE
13 AUGUST
“Private Bewes
paid the ultimate
sacrifice; his
loss will be felt
throughout the
region and his
achievements
and pride for his
country will never
be forgotten.
When one of our
own is taken away
by the horrors
of war we are
reminded just how
precious life is,” the
Mayor said.
Welcome to
the Rain Garden
No, unfortunately, we are not here to tell you about an
‘enchanted land’, but you could be forgiven for thinking
that, given the romantic and poetic name attached to one
of the latest ideas in environmental design.
New Rules for
Travelling Tots
On Thursday 1 July, new child restraint laws were
introduced to ensure a safer car journey for our City’s
toddlers. The changes mean parents and carers of
children must be aware of their child’s age when fitting a
booster seat or capsule. Council will be hosting a Child
Restraint Check Day on Thursday 26 August. RTA staff
will be on hand to provide advice on the new laws and
demonstrate how to correctly fit child restraints in your
vehicle. New changes include:
Rain Gardens are specially designed garden beds that help
to protect the environment, increase local biodiversity and
enhance the overall local amenity. Rain Gardens are also
designed to collect stormwater run-off. The plants and soil
filter pollutants out of the stormwater, cleaning it before it
reaches the local waterway.
Council has begun an ambitious project to develop a Rain
Garden in Gilchrist Park near Shaw Street in Bexley North.
To help raise awareness of this project, Council hosted a
community BBQ at the park on Sunday 11 July. The BBQ
was well attended by enthusiastic and curious residents,
eager to learn more about this innovative and creative
environmental solution.
Final designs for the Rain Garden are being prepared and it
is expected the Rain Garden will be complete in the next
few months. If you have any questions about this project
call Council’s Environmental Strategist Alexandra Vandine,
on 9562 1835.
 Children younger than six months must be secured in
a rearward facing restraint.
 Children aged six months to less than four years must
be secured in either a rear or forward facing restraint.
 Children aged four years to less than seven years must
be secured in forward facing child restraint or booster
seat.
 Children younger than four years cannot travel in the
front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows.
 Children aged four years to less than seven years
cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or
more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by
children younger than seven years in a child restraint
or booster seat.
To book your spot in the Child Restraint Check Day call
Council’s Road safety Officer, Sue Watson on 9562 1701.
Time and venue will be advised upon booking.
Rain Gardens are the latest in environmental design concepts to
harness catchments.