This document contains 4 short interviews with residents of Western Sydney about what they like and would like to improve about their local area. Ritalimbu, age 20 from Merrylands, enjoys the restaurants, casual hangout spots, and shopping at Westfield mall, but thinks crime makes the area dangerous and would like more police presence. Mathusiva, age 26 from Baulkham Hills, likes that it is close to the city center but still quiet, and enjoys the improvements to Parramatta CBD, but thinks some western suburbs parks need better cleaning and services. Mohammedali Purrobti, age 45 from Ryde, appreciates the kindness of Australians and says

1. DAILYTELEGRAPH.COM.AU TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17 2015 05
V1 - TELE01Z01MA
RITALIMBU
AGE:20,Merrylands
LOVE:Ilikethe
restaurantsandthe
casualplacestohang
out.TheWestfieldhas
alotofstores,cinemas
andlotsofthingstodo.
IMPROVE:Ithink
crime,itcanbequite
dangeroussomore
police.
MATHUSIVA
AGE:26,BaulkhamHills
LOVE:It’sclosetothe
CBDbutit’sstillquiet.
Thenyouhavethe
ParramattaCBDandIlike
thenewimprovements.
IMPROVE:Moreparks
inthewestcouldbe
cleanedupandthose
thatneedhelpshould
havebetterservices.
MOHAMMEDALI
PURROBATI
AGE:45,Ryde
LOVE:Thepeopleare
verybeautiful,arevery
good,Aussieshelpme
alot,inmycountryIraq
nobodyhelps.
IMPROVE:Everything
hereisbetterformeso
thereisnothingIwant
improved.
DYLANYOUNAN
AGE:18,Guildford
LOVE:Iliketheopen
spacesandtheparksto
playsports.
IMPROVE:I’msportyso
Ithinkthereshouldbe
moresportingfacilities
andsomeoftheparks
needimprovementlike
fencingandnets
ingoals.
proud
supporter
Watch tonightformoredetails
TAFE graduates are hoping to get jobs with the North West Rail Link. Picture: Mark Evans
JEFFREY Thomas knows too well
how hard it is to get a job.
The St Marys 25-year-old was
unemployed for 18 months — and
not from a want of trying. He applied
for 75 jobs a week, getting 15 inter-
views and no call backs.
And just when he thought all hope
was lost came the opportunity to take
part in TAFE’s North West Rail Link
pre-employment program.
Run by TAFE in conjunction with
job services agency Break Thru and
North West Rail Link contractor
Salini Impregilo, the program
provided students vital skills to gain
employment.
Everything from writing a resume
and how to present at an interview to
gaining a white card were covered.
And on Friday, 12 unemployed
people graduated, bringing them one
step closer to a job on the rail project.
TAFE Western Sydney project
manager for infrastructure Sonja
Malcolm used feedback from indus-
try employers to understand chal-
lenges to employment, and designed
the course accordingly.
“It was about the way they pre-
sented at interviews. They didn’t
understand what it meant to be a
team player in a team environment,”
she said.
By focusing on interpersonal skills
as well as industry-specific teaching,
the 12 graduates are now prime can-
didates for construc-
tion work.
Mr Thomas said
his 18 months with-
out a job were “dis-
heartening”. “But I
ended up in the
course, which is
great,” he said.
Junior Ashiadey, 20, from
Bidwell, moved to Australia from
Ghana in 2010 and has applied for
500 jobs. He is now training as a chef
as well as completing the pre-
employment program.
Global Skills senior performance
manager Adam Swist was able to see
the positive changes in the job
seekers after the course.
“It was well-presented, well-struc-
tured, it’s about creating
opportunities for long-
term sustainable em-
ployment,” he said.
Ms Malcolm said it
was important that
employers took a
chance on someone
looking for a job.
“They see a gap in employ-
ment history and think there’s a
problem. Sometimes there’s just not,
it’s circumstance,” she said.
Her point is well understood by
Colin McPherson, 43, from Bringelly,
who found himself out of work for 12
months while caring for his parents.
He credits the teaching staff for
their dedication and has a strong
sense of pride for finishing the course.
REBECCA GREDLEY
TAFE helps unemployed back on the rails
PUBLICTRANSPORTIN THE WEST
TOMORROW
Workers
slogging
so others
can slack
EIGHT out of 10 Australian
taxpayers are going to work
so their taxes can fund people
on welfare.
The startling statistic shows
the depth of Australia’s welfare
drain. Millions of Australians
genuinely require welfare, but
there is a significant portion
believed to be rorting the
system, which has placed
significant pressure on the
nation’s out-of-control budget.
New social services minister
Scott Morrison has revealed
that eight million taxpayers, or
80 per cent of people who pay
income tax, are needed each
day to fund the $145 billion
welfare bill.
Mr Morrison made the
admission after announcing
an $83 per year increase for
part-time pensioners yester-
day through a reduction in
deeming rates. Reduction in
deeming rates means the
government will value return
on private investments by less
than it used to.
Both Prime Minister Tony
Abbott and Mr Morrison have
vowed to wipe out rorters with
sweeping changes.
Mr Morrison said all
Australians should be encour-
aged to work.
“We just can’t have this
blank-cheque approach to
welfare,’’ he said. “Eight out of
10 income taxpayers pay for
the welfare system. Eight out
of 10 go to work solely to
support the welfare system.
“I would expect strong
support from everyone to
crack down on the rorters.”
Shadow families minister
Jenny Macklin welcomed the
part-time pension increase but
remained critical of the
government for not proceed-
ing with Labor’s planned
widespread pension hikes.
“Governments routinely
change the deeming rate to
make sure decreases in
investment returns can be offset
through pension payments.
Labor welcomes this change,
which ensures pensioners won’t
be left out of pocket by changes
in the market,” she said.
DANIEL MEERS