Wear your jeans and help a good cause at Castle Hill RSL

Castle Hill RSL is hosting a cocktail party on Friday from 5.30pm to 7pm to celebrate Jeans for Genes Day.

Club president and chairman Warren Glenny urged everyone to get a group of friends together and wear yours and give to the cause.

The cocktail party will be held in the Cocktail Lounge with tickets $29 including canaps, champagne, beer, wine and soft drink.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Childrens Medical Research Institute.

Packed to the Rafters star Zoe Ventoura will be the institute’s special guest ambassador on the night.

“I’m sure everyone would like

Blacktown tree event is back

Blacktown Council is giving away trees to all. Picture: ISABELLA LETTINI

BLACKTOWN COUNCIL’S popular ‘Travelling Ward Free Tree Giveaways’ event is on again. The event runs from this month through to September, with residents able to pick up two free plants per property from a selection of native and exotic species.

Council has five sites across Blacktown City-one in each council ward-where residents can select two of the 2,500 plants available to the first 1,250 residents at each ward site.

The council will also be offering free micro-chipping for cats and dogs at each site.

The first three locations

Canberra in line for Asia Cup matches

Canberra will host six games, including a quarter-final, of the 2015 Asian Cup if Australia is successful in its bid to host the tournament.

Australia is the only country to have nominated to host the event.

The Asian Cup, which is staged every four years, will involve the top 16 teams qualifying out of 46 Asian Football Confederation nations including Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India and the UAE, along with the hosts.

The existing facilities at Canberra Stadium comply with AFC requirements and no major upgrades would be necessary to host the matches.

The tournament would

Hills Shire Council opens up during Local Government Week

PEOPLE can get an inside look at the happenings of local government next week when Hills Shire Council opens its doors for the first time.

There will be a number of festivities on Saturday, August 7 to celebrate Local Government Week.

Rouse Hill Public School year 6 student Melanie Hopman will take the role of mayor and cut the ribbon at the opening.

Melanie won the council’s Mayor for a Day competition which invited primary school students to draw or write what they loved about living in the Hills.

Mayor Peter Dimbrowsky picked out Melanie’s story from a sea

Heated night on the tiles at Hills Shire Council

TO pave or not to pave?

That was the question that Hills Shire councillors debated for more than an hour in a heated extraordinary meeting last Tuesday.

The meeting was called after the four Labor councillors put up a rescission against the decision made at the last meeting to source the paving for the Castle Hill main street from China.

Every councillor present spoke on the matter as accusations were made, points of orders were constantly called and past political references of all sorts were used.

Labor councillors said preference should be given to local materials, but the Liberal

Carlingford residents ready for round two in Moseley St

THE controversial proposal for townhouses on Moseley St is back, and Carlingford residents are not happy.

Hills Shire Council refused the previous application for four townhouses in May after residents put up a strong fight against what they saw as a “cheap and nasty” development.

It was refused for being too big, out of character with the area and encroaching on the privacy of neighbours.

The applicant has requested a review of the decision and resubmitted plans with some adjustments.

Two of the townhouses have been reduced from three bedrooms to two and the height at the rear of the

E-library opens a new chapter at Castle Hill

BORROWING a book from the library just got e-asier.

Downloadable e-books are now available from the Hills Shire libraries through the website.

Members can use their library cards to log on to the digital download website, install the free software and download audiobooks and e-books from the library catalogue.

The e-books can be transferred to a supported MP3 player, burnt to a CD or added to a supported e-book reader.

Hills Shire Mayor Peter Dimbrowsky said the digital downloads were a wonderful step for the library.

“It’s especially good for people who don’t have the time or are unable

We have contact: rock art records early visitors

A team of archaeologists has uncovered ancient rock paintings showing that South-East Asian ships were visiting Australia well before European settlement.

The paintings, found in Arnhem Land by a team of archaeologists from the Australian National University and Griffith University, are the oldest known contact rock art in Australia, dating back to the mid-1600s.

Working with a local traditional owner in the Wellington Range, the research team found a rock shelter containing almost 1200 individual paintings and beeswax figures.

ANU archaeologist Sally May said the process had been unfolding over the past two years.

The discovery was part of

Bankstown Bites Discovery Food Tours

Sweet Fantasy staff can't wait to welcome patrons to their shop on Saturday week.

SWEET tooths will be well catered for during the Bankstown Bites Festival on Saturday, July 31.

The festival features live performances, international food stalls and family and children’s activities.

As part of Bankstown Bites popular Discovery Food Tours, 21 great eateries in Bankstown’s CBD will open their doors - among them Sweet Fantasy in South Terrace.

There are seven tours to choose from with limited places available on the day.

A Sweet Fantasy spokeswoman said staff were excited about the Bankstown Bites Food Festival and

Cheating sparked car crash: accused

A woman who crashed into her partner's car then drove at him, smashing into their Yarralumla home, was sick of him cheating on her, a court has heard.

The mother of three, 27, said she did not remember the events that occurred about 6.30am on December 27 last year after a night of drinking.

She pleaded not guilty to using her car as an offensive weapon and damaging her partner's car and her public housing flat but admitted drink driving an unregistered, uninsured car while unlicensed.

The woman told the ACT Magistrates Court her partner was an alcoholic who became violent when drunk and that she had caught him having an affair with a neighbour shortly before the incident.

''I'd just

Bulldogs sack Akermanis

The Western Bulldogs have terminated Jason Akermanis's contract just six weeks before the end of the home-and-away season and with a finals campaign awaiting the club.

President David Smorgan confirmed to The Age that the footballer and the club part company after it had become apparent that the two were 'on different paths.'

The club is set to announce the split - which will see the Brownlow medallist paid out for the term of his contract, which was due to expire at the end of this season - this afternoon.

The Age has learned that after a series of

Gillard promises trade cadetships

Students weighing up whether to learn a trade or study at university would benefit from a $3.2 million program promised by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Ms Gillard announced today that, if re-elected, she would establish a National Cadetship Program for students in year nine to year 12.

The program would be available from 2012, she said during a visit to Richmond High School, where she inspected progress on the trade training centre and met aspiring chefs.

The scheme would cater for students still weighing up whether to learn a trade or apply to university as well as those students set

Fallen diggers find dignity in a patch of earth far from home

The body of the last World War I soldier to be exhumed from a mass grave of Australian and British servicemen found in northern France in 2008 was laid to rest at a new Commonwealth military cemetery at Fromelles yesterday.

Watched by a crowd of several thousand French, English and Australian spectators, the soldier's coffin was taken by horse-drawn wagon from the grave site to the new cemetery, a few hundred metres away. It was accompanied on its journey by British and Australian soldiers and the fifes and drums of the Minden Band of the Queen's Division.

Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Prince

Dead woman's family frustrated by trial delay

Two years after Elizabeth Booshand died after being stabbed outside the Charnwood shopping centre, her family says they will not have closure until justice is served.

But they face an agonising wait.

The woman charged over Ms Booshand's murder, 37-year-old Rebecca Anne Massey, has pleaded not guilty and is unlikely to face trial in the ACT Supreme Court until 2012.

Ms Booshand's partner of 20 years, Terry Rogers, said the delay had placed an enormous strain on his family.

''We live day to day praying that one day soon Lizzy will get justice and our family can have some closure,''

Rave parties explode

BRISBANE: Safety concerns have been raised over the growing number of “rave parties” in Fortitude Valley.

During a safety audit last weekend, Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Community Safety Group subcommittee found two parties in streets just metres from the Valley Police Station.

Held in unused industrial premises, the venues feature signs advising entry for members over 18.

Brisbane Central District police inspector Steve Donnelly said police were aware of several commercial locations in the Valley that held BYO alcohol private parties and often had their own security guards.

“Essentially it’s a couple of premises used to hold parties, much

Aug 28 election tipped to be called tomorrow

Speculation is mounting that Prime Minister Julia Gillard is about to announce an August 28 election.

There are reports Ms Gillard will visit Governor-General Quentin Bryce in Canberra tomorrow morning to call the election.

The ABC has reported Ms Gillard will delay issuing the writs for the election until Wednesday, to allow more time for people to update - or join - the electoral roll and be eligible to vote.

She is expected to travel to Queensland after calling the election.

After visiting Tasmania today, Ms Gillard has travelled to every Australian state and territory since becoming Prime Minister. She

Rail link funding 'disaster' in Hills

THE northwest rail link has been left off the Federal Government’s infrastructure priority funding list, adding another setback to the Build it Now campaign.

Hills Shire Mayor Peter Dimbrowsky has blamed this missed opportunity on the NSW Government’s failure to put effort into its submissions for funding.

“It is a disaster that the northwest rail link has not been allocated funds from the Federal Government’s National Infrastructure Priority Fund,” he said.

“We think that with a little bit more work from the State Government directing resources to make this a ready-to-go project we would be eligible for this funding.”

SES finds lost Canberra woman

A Canberra woman and her niece and nephew have been found safe and well after going missing overnight in the Blue Mountains.

The 43-year-old woman went on a day trip with the children aged 8 and 9 yesterday to the Glow Worm Tunnel at Newnes Forest.

Police said the woman took a wrong turn and spent a night in her car on a fire trail.

She told police the Holden Commodore became bogged during the wet weather and attempts to contact authorities by mobile phone failed because of reception failure.

A SES team discovered the three in their car on

Angry neighbours: Seven Hills St Vincent de Paul used as a dump

Concerned resident Bev Pearson said the dumping on Best Rd has become a hazard to all.

NEIGHBOURS of the Seven Hills St Vincent de Paul store have joined the charitable society in calling for an end to the mounds of clothes being dumped outside its Best Rd branch every week.

Concerned resident Bev Pearson said the dumping on Best Rd has become a hazard.

“I drive past most days and it just piles up.

“It seems, quite literally, people are overwhelming the store with kindness.

“People of good faith stuff their things into the bins but the bins are

Worthy Spain reigns supreme

Beautiful? Try brutal. Spain is world champions for the first time, and in Barcelona and Madrid they will be celebrating like never before.

Few will dispute that 'La Roja' are the world's best team, or this victory was deserved. The hard part was to prove it.

It wasn't until the 116th minute that Andres Iniesta did just that. A grinding, niggly, nasty, affair decided by a goal which just had to be shrouded in controversy. It was that sort of night at Soccer City.

This, supposedly, was the World Cup final the purists couldn't lose. In the end, it was a win for the dark arts. As a showpiece, a game FIFA will quickly want to forget.

The world's greatest man had blessed the world's biggest game, but

Spain win World Cup

European champions Spain finally overcame its World Cup hoodoo this morning, lifting the coveted trophy for the first time after edging out the Netherlands 1-0 in a dramatic decider.

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta was the hero, rifling a powerful volley across Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg to break the deadlock on 116 minutes.

It was a heart-breaking finish for the Netherlands, which has now stumbled at the ultimate hurdle on three occasions, unable to improve on its 1974 and 1978 defeats in the final.

But for Spain, Iniesta's strike, which was crafted expertly by Cesc Fabregas, ended decades of disappointment as

Feeling the cold this winter?

NORTHWEST: Feeling the cold this winter? Cuddle up to a cat for the ultimate lap warmer.
The Animal Welfare League at the Gold Coast is hosting a winter warmer adoption drive this weekend.
AWL Qld currently has 220 cats and kittens all waiting for their forever home. Adopt your very own cat to cuddle this winter, you can view all cats available for adoption online today.
Visit the Coombabah Rehoming Centre this July, 10th and 11th and enjoy a warm cup of homemade pumpkin soup and look through our winter vintage markets.
To find out more about our Cuddle

With eye on foreign affairs prize, Rudd heads to US

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd will keep alive his foreign policy aspirations by leaving for the United States tomorrow to attend the annual US-Australian dialogue.

Mr Rudd, a founding member of the dialogue, has attended every meeting for the past 17 years.

During the week in New York and Washington, Mr Rudd will chair a session on national security.

He has no plans to leave politics and wants to serve as a minister in the government.

But he has been told by his replacement, Julia Gillard, he must wait until after the election, if Labor wins.

Mr Rudd is understood

Car crash after police pursuit

Police have re-opened Furneaux Street in Manuka after a dramatic police pursuit.

A gold Ford Falcon crashed into two cars near the corner of Franklin Street during the busy lunchtime period.

Eyewitnesses to the accident said the speeding car narrowly avoided pedestrians about 12:30pm.

The car came to rest about 2m from a pedestrian crossing.

It is believed police arrested three youths following the accident.

Initial reports indicate the passengers of the car suffered minor injuries.

The Ford was badly damaged, and a Volkswagen and Volvo were also hit.

About 10 police cars were in attendance, with reports of up

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

BRISBANE: Brisbane’s CBD is full of ritzy hotels, lavish watering holes, tranquil parks and fine restaurants but until this week, there has been one thing missing a full-sized supermarket.

All that changed on Monday when, after weeks of disruption, a refurbished Woolworths Macarthur Chambers opened.

Store manager Justin Lanson said the size of the store had doubled to 2200sq m.

“Before this revamp it would be fair to say Woolworths in the city was little more than a convenience store,” Mr Lanson said.

“The increasing number of residents living in the heart

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

BRISBANE: Brisbane’s CBD is full of ritzy hotels, lavish watering holes, tranquil parks and fine restaurants but until this week, there has been one thing missing a full-sized supermarket.

All that changed on Monday when, after weeks of disruption, a refurbished Woolworths Macarthur Chambers opened.

Store manager Justin Lanson said the size of the store had doubled to 2200sq m.

“Before this revamp it would be fair to say Woolworths in the city was little more than a convenience store,” Mr Lanson said.

“The increasing number of residents living in the heart

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

BRISBANE: Brisbane’s CBD is full of ritzy hotels, lavish watering holes, tranquil parks and fine restaurants but until this week, there has been one thing missing a full-sized supermarket.

All that changed on Monday when, after weeks of disruption, a refurbished Woolworths Macarthur Chambers opened.

Store manager Justin Lanson said the size of the store had doubled to 2200sq m.

“Before this revamp it would be fair to say Woolworths in the city was little more than a convenience store,” Mr Lanson said.

“The increasing number of residents living in the heart

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

CBD supermarket slots into city mix

BRISBANE: Brisbane’s CBD is full of ritzy hotels, lavish watering holes, tranquil parks and fine restaurants but until this week, there has been one thing missing a full-sized supermarket.

All that changed on Monday when, after weeks of disruption, a refurbished Woolworths Macarthur Chambers opened.

Store manager Justin Lanson said the size of the store had doubled to 2200sq m.

“Before this revamp it would be fair to say Woolworths in the city was little more than a convenience store,” Mr Lanson said.

“The increasing number of residents living in the heart

Residents and councillors oppose application to build homes at Milperra's Riverlands Golf Course

Councillors Glen Waud and Ian Stromborg, pictured with residents, warn of a traffic gridlock if a housing proposal is approved. Picture: NICK BLOUKOS

AN application to build 650 homes at Riverlands Golf Course in Milperra has been lodged and residents are worried about the loss of open space.

The proposal before Bankstown Council will require rezoning the site from open space to residential, according to Bankstown councillors Glen Waud and Ian Stromborg who are backing the opponents of the plan.

The council refused a rezoning application by the developers to allow 1200 dwellings at the site in 2009 and

Gillard signs mining tax deal after slashing rate

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has confirmed the Government has reached a deal with the miners over its new tax, but it comes at the cost of a reduced cut to company tax.

VIDEO REPORT: Gillard announces revamped mining tax

The Government has made several key concessions demanded by the mining sector, including on the rate, threshold at which the tax applies and the resources it covers.

The Resource Super Profits Tax has even been renamed the Minerals Resource Rent Tax.

The deal has already prompted mining giant Xstrata to announce it will resume a project that it had suspended because of the resources super profits tax.

The $400 million Ernest Henry mine expansion in Queensland will go ahead, and it is reviewing its plans to suspend the Wandoan coal project.

Xstrata Copper chief executive Charlie Sartain said the decision to retain existing taxation and royalty structures for copper had given the company "sufficient confidence to recommence with immediate effect these significant projects that form an important part of our business strategy in north west Queensland.

It also helped the stockmarket open higher this morning.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 27.2 to 4264.7 points and the broader All Ordinaries index rose 27 points to 4289.7, as of 10.15am.

The deal will mean the Government gets $1.5 billion

Department rehires sacked IT staff

The head of the federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relationships has apologised for the way it treated its IT contractors, and has offered to rehire them.

The department dismissed 51 of its 300 contracted IT staff yesterday, in many cases giving them less than a day's notice.

But senior public servants within the portfolio are now ringing the affected workers to apologise for the way their contracts were handled.

The department's secretary, Lisa Paul, said the staff would be offered new jobs.

``I apologise for the way this has been handled,'' she said.

``The department will now contact