Top 100 Most Influential people: Macarthur region part I
AFTER searching far and wide, countless hours of research and deliberation, the Macarthur Chronicle can now reveal the region’s top 100 most influential people.
Macarthur
Don't miss out on the headlines from Macarthur. Followed categories will be added to My News.
AFTER searching far and wide, countless hours of research and deliberation, the Macarthur Chronicle can now start to unveil the region’s top 100 true movers and shakers.
A grand total of 100 of the Macarthur region’s most influential people have been identified, revealing a small portion of the people who make the Macarthur region the greatest place to be.
From politics to sports, from medicine to business, from education to social media, from household names to unsung heroes, the five names to be revealed today have had a profound influence in their respective fields.
We will continue the countdown — in no particular order — over coming days.
What’s most telling about the quality and calibre of the Macarthur Chronicle’s top 100 is the names who failed to make the final cut.
No list of this kind can ever be truly definitive or achieve an absolute consensus.
But what this list succeeds in doing is serving as a starting point for a conversation about the kind of people who can and do play a major role in shaping the present and future of the Macarthur region.
In no particular order, introducing the first names of the Macarthur Chronicle top 100 most influential people.
Have your say: Who do you think should feature in the list? Do you know an unsung hero? Comment on Facebook or email editor@macarthurchronicle.com.au
STEVE WISBEY: BUSINESS OWNER, COMMUNITY PERSONALITY
THE ever-charming Steve “Wiz” Wisbey OAM is one of the big personalities of the Macarthur region.
From marketing guru, entrepreneur, radio announcer, local businessman, television personality, MC, community advocate, local charity supporter and all-round good guy, Wisbey’s influence in the region has been significant.
A key figure in the formation of the 7th Light Horse Regiment Menangle Historical Troop and Battle of Beersheba Memorial at the entrance of Menangle Racecourse, Wiz continues to honour and celebrate the history and heritage of the district.
From sparking community inquests into missing garden hoses to posting weekly vlogs to the tune of 15,000 views and pouring a relaxing beverage at his popular eatery, Upstairs @ Freds, Wisbey is one of the chief community influencers of the Macarthur region.
LISA WILKINSON: TV PRESENTER, COMMENTATOR, JOURNALIST
Lisa Wilkinson is one of the leading women of Australian television who spent her formative years in Campbelltown.
Ever the consummate professional, she has forged a successful career in television and also as a respected commentator. Wilkinson gained national attention and drove debate around the country last year when she left Channel 9’s Today show amid allegations her request for a comparable pay scale with her male co-host was rejected.
She said at the time: “There were lots of reasons why it was time to make a move, and that (pay gap) was part of it. I was very happy that it reignited the conversation, because the gender pay gap is real.”
The 59-year-old was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2016 Australia Day Honours List for significant service to the media as a journalist and presenter, and to a range of youth and women’s health groups.
THE RUBENS: MUSICIANS
Menangle brothers Sam, Elliott and Zaac Margin with mates Scott Baldwin and Will Zeglis make up The Rubens, and they are one of the most exciting new bands to emerge from Australia in recent years with their unique alternative rock sound.
The boys skyrocketed to prominence when they made the Triple J Hottest 100 in 2011, and they’ve been regulars ever since.
Their debut album, The Rubens, hit No. 3 on the ARIA Charts and was nominated for a J Award for Album of the Year.
In 2011, debut single Lay It Down was voted No. 57 on the Triple J Hottest 100. Follow-up single My Gun was nominated for Best Music Video at the 2012 ARIAs and voted No. 10 on the Triple J Hottest 100.
In 2015 single Hoops reached No. 25 on the ARIA singles chart and was voted No. 1 in the Triple J Hottest 100.
The boys have just released another album and are about to hit the road with Pink on her national tour.
JARRYD HAYNE: RUGBY LEAGUE, FORMER NFL PLAYER
Minto rugby league player Jarryd Hayne has influenced sports fans across Australia with his feats in a range of sports.
The former NSW Blues, Australia and Fiji star, Hayne swapped sports in 2015 to take up his NFL dream.
He’d already rejected an offer to play Australian rules, but announced cracking the notoriously exclusive American gridiron competition was his ultimate sporting objective.
After an arduous trialling period, Hayne was signed by the San Francisco 49ers.
He shone in several lead-up games but the top-flight club eventually waived their rights and Hayne signed with their practice squad before announcing his NFL retirement in May 2016. Hayne enjoyed a stint of rugby 7s with Fiji, with a view to the Rio Olympics, before returning to the NRL in 2016.
With more than 215,000 Twitter followers, the rugby league headline turns heads wherever he goes.
MARK LATHAM: FORMER LABOR LEADER, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, AUTHOR
A FORMER Labor Party leader and prime ministerial hopeful, Mark Latham continues to kickstart conversations around Australia — more often than not for his own controversial outbursts.
Latham was raised in the Liverpool area but relocated to the Campbelltown area.
He won the seat of Werriwa in 1994 and became ALP leader in 2003.
Latham moved to Mt Hunter after his loss in the 2004 federal election.
He resigned as leader and from Parliament in 2005, and has since been black-listed by the ALP. In recent years, he’s been difficult to avoid in his role as a political commentator.
He has been sacked by the AFR and Sky News for airing a number of controversial social views, questioning the sexuality of a teenager and abusing a number of prominent women online.
He is widely tipped to contest either the next state or federal election with the Liberal Democrats.