BendigoWeekly www.bendigoweekly.com.au
ISSUE 1048 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2017
Safety takes to the skies A RATHER uncommon and very large visitor has dropped in on Kennington Primary School as part of Water Safety Week. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter, usually seen patrolling coastline, made a journey to several schools in northern Victoria to highlight the importance of water safety. The reminder was a timely one, coinciding with the release of the Victorian Drowning Report that showed inland waterways to be the number one drowning location in the country. Kennington student Aaron Cheng told of his own experience with water safety, while Life Saving Victoria’s Greg Scott said parents and children need to play it safe around waterways during summer.
CFA FURORE Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN
By SHARON KEMP
THE Eaglehawk CFA captain suspended for his alleged involvement in the manhandling of a young female volunteer has sought legal advice as the authority prepares to begin an investigation of the incident. A source close to captain Hayden Allen said the men involved in the incident captured on CCTV defended their behaviour as “some mates just having a bit of fun” that had been “blown out of proportion by the media”. On Wednesday the CFA showed media outlets the footage starting at
Fire authority to investigate incident
the point male volunteers and the 17-year-old girl get out of a truck at the Eaglehawk station. Different men at different times then push the woman to the ground, aim a kick at her, drag her along the ground, pull her hair down so hard she doubles over, and finally push her under a truck beneath front-end water sprayers. Another man watches and several others walk past without stopping.
The girl is reported not to have been physically hurt. The incident, which happened on November 27, was reported to Victoria Police, who have since reported no complaint was made and no offence was detected. The CFA has declined to release the video, citing the privacy of the female volunteer. “She’s a young girl, she lives in a small town, it would be humiliat-
al discrimination that were the subject of Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission report. The release of the report has been held up in legal action by the United Firefighters’ Union. The Supreme Court is deliberating whether the results can be released. On Wednesday, Ms Driver said the investigation at Eaglehawk had the potential to broaden to include other members and other historical incidents at the brigade.
ing and my first interest is actually in protecting her,” CFA chief executive Frances Diver told Melbourne radio. “Then I go to the point that CFA needs to be transparent about this sort of thing.” Ms Diver also gave a clear sign the Eaglehawk brigade could be made an example of as the authority seeks to stamp out ingrained practices such as bullying and sexu-
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