Justice system without justice

We all go about our business each day with the belief that we’ll arrive home in one piece that night. We plan for weekends, holidays,...

RMS has blood on its hands

Earlier this evening I took a drive out to the intersection of The Northern Road and Andromeda Drive in Cranebrook, where 17-year-old Kieren Birks tragically...

Abbott simply can’t win

I know this is a hard thing to do, but just for a minute or two, put yourself in Tony Abbott’s shoes. Do you retire...

Why have we stopped laughing?

Three Aussie guys – Shane, Barry and Jeff – were working on a high-rise building project. Unfortunately, Shane falls off the scaffolding and is...

Fearless predictions for 2016

Christmas is gone, another couple of million bucks has been blown up in the sky via the New Year’s Eve fireworks and we’ve all...

Wrapping up another year

This week marks the final edition of The Western Weekender for 2015. What a year it has been in Penrith. A State Election came and went, with...

Festival tragedies must stop

The death of a 25-year-old woman at the Stereosonic music festival last weekend again raises questions about the future of such events as they...

Bringing out the best and worst of us

There is no question that the attacks on Paris last weekend were horrific, tragic and terrifying to watch unfold. I visited Paris for the first...

A very Weekender wedding

I’ve been called a lot of things (‘triple chinned turnip’ is my most recent favourite), but until around 4pm this afternoon, I’ve never been...

Surround yourself with A+ staff

I am a big believer that hiring the right staff is a very important part of the overall formula for business success. They are...

I’m converted: Queenslander!

By Troy Dodds I've got a shocking confession to make: I've developed a massive soft spot for Queensland. In fact, I'm considering giving Greg Inglis a...

Losing an old friend drives home an important message

By TROY DODDS On this road we call life, we meet many different people. Some will simply pass us by. Some will have a profound impact...

Australian politics becomes a laughing stock

OPINION BY TROY DODDS The Liberal Party displayed hypocrisy of the highest order on Monday night when it knifed a sitting Prime Minister, ending Tony...

Could same sex marriage be the issue that rolls Abbott?

Opinion by Troy Dodds Tony Abbott is losing his grip on power and his standing in the community is on shaky ground after his handling...

What if the past month’s biggest stories had very unlikely endings?

They’re the issues that have dominated the news cycle over the past month, but Troy Dodds ponders, what if their conclusions took a surprising...

Failing the trust and perception test

The Bronwyn Bishop saga of the past week isn’t really about the helicopter, nor when it comes down to it, is it about the...

The story that didn’t need a villain

Opinion by Troy Dodds I want to start this column by saying that I have the utmost respect for Alex McKinnon and his partner Teigan...

Let’s face it, Joe Hockey was right

Opinion by Troy Dodds Let’s start today’s column by printing exactly what Joe Hockey said about housing affordability on Tuesday. “Well there are a range of...

Time is right to legalise same-sex marriage

Opinion by Troy Dodds The time for debating same-sex marriage is over. It’s going to happen, and it would seem that before the next Federal Election,...

What will you be thinking about on ANZAC Day?

Opinion by Troy Dodds ANZAC Day is without doubt the most important day on the Australian calendar. It represents spirit, courage, mateship and the foundations on...