[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen local MP Greg Warren handed his phone to the Voice and asked if we could take a photo of him with the NSW Governor David Hurley last Thursday, we just had to ask him why.
Mr Warren was happy to oblige, informing us that once upon a time His Excellency was Mr Warren’s commanding officer (CO) when both were serving in the Australian Army.
Mr Hurley was in Campbelltown to help the St Vincent de Paul’s Nagle Centre in Iolanthe Street celebrate 25 years of serving locals in need of a helping hand.
The Governor was also very obliging when we tapped him on the should and said: Your Excellency, would you mind if we took a photo of you with Mr Warren?
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It looks like long distance legend Pat Farmer is finding it hard to stay away from politics.
The former federal member for Macarthur has put his hand up for Liberal Party preselection in Jai Rowell’s seat of Wollondilly.
Three years ago, Farmer ran for the Libs in Macquarie Fields, which was won for Labor by Anoulack Chanthivong.
Apart from Farmer, other names in the mix include Penny Fischer, the daughter of current NSW minister Pru Goward, Wollondilly councillor Simon Landow and Nathaniel Smith.
Former Liberal mayor of Campbelltown, Paul Hawker, who is non voting delegate, says it’s time for a woman to be given a go.
A noted big supporter of women when he was mayor, including groups such as Women of the West, Hawker says the Libs must go for “a young woman’’ in Wollondilly.
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Campbelltown Council general manager Lindy Deitz is becoming a speaker in demand across Sydney.
However her next gig is right here at home at a luncheon of the Macarthur Club, which does not have any pesky journalists as members.
Their previous speaker was NRL chief Todd Greenberg.
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Councillor Paul Lake is keen for Campbelltown Council to at least have a red hot go in trying to entice Google to the area.
So at last week’s meeting he peppered staff with questions about sending a letter to Google and if there was a follow up.
Cr Lake didn’t seem impressed when told “no’’ in a lukewarm answer, and told the Voice afterwards, “I just want to make sure we follow this up because there’s a lot of jobs at stake’’.
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Maybe Cr Lake should request that as penance council officers attend the State of the Cities – Campbelltown forum on May 28 when education minister Rob Stokes will talk about how “education can play a role in attracting new talent, building the local knowledge economy and attracting private sector jobs’’.
The media blurb from Sydney Business Chamber says “Minister Stokes will provide an engaging address on the NSW Government’s vision for education and its role in helping to turbocharge the future economic development of Sydney’s regional cities.
“Within Campbelltown City Council’s exciting new vision for the region, there is concerted effort to attract new investment in the city centre, and leverage the education and health innovation precinct to attract more business and jobs,’’ it also says, which may bring a wry grin to Cr Lake’s face.
The forum will be held in Campbelltown Catholic Club between 10.45am and 2pm.
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East Campbelltown legend Daniel Draper, a life member of the club, is back playing footy in reserve grade.
The Voice asked him, as politely as possible, why a man of his age, 44, would put his body on the line in a game as physical as rugby league.
Was the club short of players maybe?
“No, we have a ton of players,’’ he replied.
The simple reason is that Draper was suspended from football for five years and now that has expired he’s pulled the boots on for a final fling with the game he loves – and to send a little message to those who suspended him.
Without going over old coals in detail, Draper was rubbed out for speaking out against the decision five years ago to throw the Eagles out of the Group Six Country Rugby League competition.
Draper recently achieved another dream: to play footy alongside his son, who’s in French rugby league.
“Playing alongside my son was probably the proudest moment in my long footy career, but coming back and finishing at the club I started with would make for a good finish to my footy,’’ Draper told the Voice.
