It was great to see so many families in Paul Keating Park on Saturday night enjoying the Bankstown City Christmas Carols. I had the pleasure of officially opening the night. Special thanks to our MC Trent Engisch, and the many performers including St Charbel's Church English Choir, Yagoona District Band, TAP, Rebecca Tobar and the Semeri family, Anna Rizzo and Belinda Proctor and the Dancetime Kids. Thank you to our sponsors for their support of the carols - Torch Publishing, Bankstown Sports, Centro Bankstown, Commonwealth Bank (Centro Bankstown, Bankstown Plaza & Condell Park) and the Canterbury Bankstown Express. Deputy Mayor Khal Asfour, Councillor Alex Kuskoff and Councillor Pam Gavin were amongst those enjoying the carols.
On Friday I called into the into the Greenacre Combined Pensioners Christmas lunch to wish their members a Merry Christmas. Thank you to President Stan Quirke and the members for their efforts on behalf of pensioners and superannuants throughout the year.

Later that afternoon Deputy Mayor Khal Asfour and I attended the Greenacre Area Neighbourhood Centre's Annual General Meeting to hear the management and staff speak about the projects they have been coordinating over the past 12 months.

That night I joined with students and their families at the first ever Yagoona Public School Christmas Carols. The school choir led the audience in the singing of the carols. Congratulations to Principal Linda Wickham and P&C President Silvana Manoski on a great night.

Following the carols I attended a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the Spears Sports Club. Councillor Glenn Brookes was also in attendance.

Thank you to Deputy Mayor Khal Asfour for representing me on Sunday at the Holy Liturgy Mass celebrated by Archbishop Issam John Darwish which was then followed by the Melkite Welfare Association's AGM. Councillor Asfour also represented me during the week at the Bankstown Area Multicultural Network AGM.
My thanks to Councillor Allan Winterbottom for representing me on Saturday night at the Treuer Memorial Race Night held at the Bankstown Paceway.

Last Tuesday morning I had the opportunity to speak at the Creating Brighter Career Connections (CBCC) end of year celebration. The function recognised the success of a number of outstanding students for their performance in CBCC programs as well as thanking their community partners for their support over the last 12 months.

Last week, Council marked International Day of People with a Disability with an event at Bankstown Basketball Stadium. I was pleased to go along to see young people participating in a number of recreational activities including wheelchair basketball and table tennis.