On Wednesday I was invited to a Palestinian National Day 14th annual function at NSW Parliament House. I welcomed the opportunity to pay my respects on the night and I join the Palestinian people in hoping for a peaceful... Read on...
On Sunday I welcomed the opportunity to pay tribute to our nation’s fallen service men and women at the Bankstown RSL Sub-Branch Remembrance Day service. As a community we owe them a special debt of gratitude and respect,... Read on...
Last Wednesday evening my wife Sally hosted a Pink Ribbon Day fundraiser at Bankstown Hoyts attended by around 100 women. It was great to see such an impressive turnout in support of breast cancer prevention and finding a... Read on...
Last Wednesday I enjoyed the unique privilege of conducting two citizenship ceremonies. Clr Ian Stromborg, Clr Allan Winterbottom, Clr Dan Nguyen, Clr Alex Kuskoff, Tania Mihailuk MP, Aunty Margaret, Aunty Maggie and Raymond... Read on...
Last Tuesday I dropped into a Carer’s Awareness Week function held at the Peppertree Café. Bankstown’s carers devote enormous amounts of time and energy looking after their loved ones in need of extra support. I honour them... Read on...
As part of Council’s efforts to promote Pink Ribbon Month, my wife Sally and I will be hosting a women’s only movie event at Bankstown Hoyts on Wednesday October 31 at 6.30pm. The evening will be a great opportunity for... Read on...
Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of honouring some of Bankstown’s most outstanding young people at Council’s 2012 Youth Awards. I was impressed by the many incredible nominations in the areas of leadership, community... Read on...
Last Monday I welcomed more than 100 delegates from Broken Hill at a function held in their honour at Bankstown Sports. The group travelled over 1100 km’s to participate in the Bankstown Broken Hill Sister City Sporting... Read on...
Last Wednesday I attended the official opening of the inaugural Bankstown City Council Cup Art Exhibition ‘Our Racing Heritage’. The exhibition is a celebration of Bankstown’s racing scene and also helps document our City’s... Read on...
On Thursday night I had the pleasure of handing out more than $419,000 to Bankstown’s community organisation thanks to Council’s 2012/2013 Community Grants and Events Sponsorship Program. That funding will assist 94... Read on...
Last Wednesday I participated in the official opening of SDN Milperra Children’s Education and Care Centre. The facility, located within Milperra Public School, provides care for up to 60 children aged five years and under.... Read on...
On Thursday morning I conducted a citizenship ceremony where I had the pleasure of congratulating 127 of Bankstown’s newest Australian citizens. I also congratulate Greenacre Public School student, Fatima Dia, for her... Read on...
On Saturday morning, I was joined by Councillors Alex Kuskoff, Allan Winterbottom, Ian Stromborg, Michael Tadros, Glen Waud and Pam Gavin along with Council staff at Bass Hill Plaza for Council’s latest Roadshow. I enjoyed... Read on...
On Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club’s (RSAC) 25th anniversary presentation luncheon. The RSAC provides valuable sporting and recreational opportunities for residents with a... Read on...
On Saturday, I was delighted to officially open one of the biggest events of Bankstown’s calendar year, Bankstown Bites Food Festival. The day was a spectacular success with more than 20,000 locals and out of area visitors... Read on...
On Saturday morning I went to Chester Square for Council’s latest Roadshow. I welcomed the opportunity to hear what residents from Chester Hill had to say and to offer my personal assistance. Councillors Alex Kuskoff, Pam... Read on...
On Friday I hosted the 2012 Mayoral Charity Dinner at Bankstown Sports Club in support of Bankstown Hospital’s Paediatric Unit. The event was a resounding success with initial counting suggesting that a record amount of over... Read on...
On Thursday I attended a Legal Aid presentation for newly arrived refugees hosted by the Canterbury Bankstown Migrant Interagency. The event, which was part of Refugee Week 2012, provided me with a timely opportunity to... Read on...
I am pleased to report that tickets to the annual Mayoral Charity Dinner on Friday 29 June at Bankstown Sports Club are selling fast. All money raised will go toward Bankstown Hospital’s Paediatric Unit. I encourage those... Read on...
Last Monday evening, I attended Bankstown Rotary Club’s Pride of Workmanship Community Awards. The event was held to recognise local residents who have shown exceptional dedication to their jobs and a passion for... Read on...
On Monday morning I had the privilege of officially opening Bankstown’s first public Devine Liberty Swing, located in Paul Keating Park. It was tremendously heart-warming to see many of our local wheelchair-bound children... Read on...
Last week was National Volunteers Week and I had the pleasure of attending the Bankstown Meals on Wheels Volunteer Thank You Lunch on Tuesday. Meals on Wheels deliver more than 75,000 meals each year thanks to the hard work... Read on...
On Monday morning I launched Council’s inaugural Business Round Table attended by almost one hundred representatives from Bankstown’s biggest businesses. In my keynote speech I emphasised the need for Council and the local... Read on...
On Friday I visited St John Vianney School at Greenacre to celebrate Catholic School Week and the official opening of their Juniors Playgroup Early Learning Centre. The Centre gives children an opportunity to play in the... Read on...
Last Tuesday I attended an ANZAC Service held by the City of Bankstown RSL Sub-Branch at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital. The Service provided an invaluable opportunity for staff, patients and visitors to pay their respects to... Read on...
On Sunday I attended the Bankstown RSL Sub Branch annual ANZAC March & Service where I had the privilege of delivering the Commemoration Address. No matter how much time passes since those fateful days on the shores of... Read on...
This week, communities across our nation and New Zealand are holding commemorative services in honour of our ANZACs and all service men and women who have served and are currently serving.
This tradition is inspired by... Read on...
One of the many ways that Council supports our local community is through its annual Community Grants program. The program, now in its fifteenth year, has brought thousands of local projects to life in areas such as Youth,... Read on...
Last Wednesday night I attended a ceremony for graduates of round three of U-Turns for Youth at Padstow TAFE. The program is a great initiative that diverts young people at risk from committing motor vehicle crimes by... Read on...
There are many great things about living in Bankstown. Not only do we enjoy a convenient central location and a bustling, modern City, but we also have an abundance of natural bushland, parks, reserves and waterways on our... Read on...
On Saturday morning I joined residents from across Bankstown at The Crest to lead our City’s fight against cancer. Relay for Life united people from all walks of life and I was impressed by the community spirit on the day... Read on...
Youth Week commences on the 13th of this month and this is our opportunity as a Council and wider community to honour Bankstown’s youth.
Our City is full of exceptional young people who excel in their studies, volunteer... Read on...
Wednesday March 21 was Harmony Day and I attended Council’s Multicultural Sports Expo at Memorial Oval to mark this year’s theme, ‘Sport - play, engage, inspire’. The event was a great opportunity for residents from newly... Read on...
On Wednesday March 21 people gathered across the nation to participate in Harmony Day events and to show their commitment to promoting harmony in their local communities.
Here in Bankstown City, Council staged a... Read on...
On Friday morning I was delighted to host Bankstown’s inaugural Principals Forum bringing together school principals and deputy principals from across the entire LGA. The purpose of the event was to build a stronger... Read on...
We owe a special place of honour, and a debt of gratitude, to our City’s older residents. They have lived long lives of service and sacrifice to their families and to our community and they deserve our greatest respect and... Read on...
On Saturday morning I attended Council’s Roadshow at Panania Village Marketplace along with Council staff and Councillors Glenn Brookes, Linda Downey, Max Parker, Ian Stromborg and Glen Waud. It was a great opportunity to... Read on...
Over the years, Bankstown City Council has worked hard to become one of Sydney’s leading Council’s by setting the standard in customer service, facilities and community services.
Along the way we have picked up numerous... Read on...
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs held their official 2012 NRL Season launch on Friday night and I had the privilege of attending. The Bulldogs have a long and proud history and many of Bankstown’s residents are avid... Read on...
As a community we should take pride in where we live and that begins with keeping our City clean. There is nothing more unsightly than litter and rubbish in our streets and Town Centres and Council is more committed than... Read on...
On Tuesday morning I attended the St Charbel's College 2012 Opening Mass & HSC High Achievers Ceremony. St Charbel’s is one of Bankstown’s leading schools and I enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with the teachers... Read on...
Libraries have always had an important role to play in local communities.
Whilst traditionally they have been places to borrow books and find quiet places to study, these days they have so much more to offer,... Read on...
Bankstown Community Transport held their AGM at Bankstown Sports Club on Monday morning and I attended as a sign of Council’s strong commitment to the organisation. Since 1998 Council has contributed over $300,000 to help... Read on...
Promoting pedestrian safety is one of Bankstown Council’s highest priorities and in recent times we have undertaken a number of key initiatives including installation of ‘LOOK’ stencils and a ‘Watch Out Cars About’ campaign.... Read on...
On Thursday I attended the official opening of the new Beirut Hellenic Bank branch in the Chullora Marketplace along with Clr Winterbottom and Clr Tadros. Bankstown is home to a large number of Middle Eastern and Greek... Read on...
Dear Residents,
Each year Council spends millions of dollars maintaining and upgrading roads, footpaths and other essential community facilities that we often take for granted.
And yet these works are important to all... Read on...
Australia Day is a day of great pride and a day to celebrate the good fortune we have to live in such a great country. It was a privilege to conduct a Citizenship Ceremony for 12 residents of Bankstown on the morning of such... Read on...
As a life long resident in the Bankstown area, I know how important it is for our residents to have their say on local issues.
Since being elected Mayor, it has been one of my main priorities to provide... Read on...
Last week I called into the Bankstown Basketball Stadium for a free Superclinic run by the Sydney Kings for the community of Bankstown and surrounding areas. It was great to see so many kids and young people making the most... Read on...
With more than 15,000 small, medium and large scale businesses located in the Bankstown area, our City is fast becoming a leading destination for business.
Through our Business Advisory Service, Council continues to... Read on...
It was great to see so many people at Saigon Place on Saturday with thousands turning up to welcome in the Year of the Dragon as part of Bankstown's Lunar New Year Festival. I was pleased to officially open the Festival... Read on...
Welcome back, I trust you all had an enjoyable break over the Christmas and New Year period.
The start to 2012 has been a busy one, and Council has put together a diverse and exciting calendar of major and community... Read on...