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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016
Yea’s 2-point footy victory ROUND ONE PHO T O FEA TURE: P2 PHOT FEATURE:
Clash of two towns: Kinglake vs Yea ■ Kinglake and Yea football teams will stage their annual ANZAC Dayclash on Monday. AFL premiership player Campbell Brown will don the green-and-gold for the Lakers. There will be pre-game luncheon from 12 Noon-2pm, that will include a two-course meal as well as beer, wine and soft drink, Luncheon guests will hear from Mal Brown and Campbell Brown. Tickets to the luncheon are $60, There will be eight seats to a table. There are limited seats/tables available from Kinglake Football Club's Danny Heal on 0439 170 530 or e-mail danny.heal@ hotmail.com Between 2.15pm -2.30pm, there will be ANZAC observances including the Last Post.
■ HUNDREDS of local residents have signed a petition that is calling for the dismissal of Murrindindi Shire Council.
ANZAC services on Monday
The petition, launched last week, calls for State Government-appointed Administrators to take over the running of the municipality. First signatory on the petition is popular former Mayor, Lyn Gunter, who resigned from the top civic job when her fellow Councillors pushed through massive rate increases after the Black Saturday fires in 2009. Murrindindi Council Chief Executive Officer Margaret Abbey, who has just received a 10 per cent pay rise to take her annual package to $248,000, is under fire from residents. The ratepayers have posted dozens of comments at the www.Change.org website. Hard copy petitions are being collected as well as the online protest. It is proposed that the petition is to be presented to Victorian Ombudsman, Deborah Glass. Ratepayer Heath Coonan said: “In 10 years, our rates have gone from $250 a quarter to over $500 a quarter. “And to see the Shire CEO get another pay rise to put her on a salary close to the Premier of Victoria is a bloody joke.” Daryl Taylor of Kinglake says: “The municipality is too large, too remote and has too small a rate base to be viable in the long term. “It is not the staff or the elected representatives’ fault, it comes down to how Murrindindi was constituted in the first instance. “We would all be better served by dividing it in four and having the citizens in each quarter governed by adjoining existing councils,” Mr Taylor said.
● Lyn Gunter, former Mayor, heads the list of petition signatories Angela Mogan says: “We are paying too high rates with little in return. Lower our rates down and actually start working in the community. “Eapecially compared to other towns in the shire, we feel ripped off, ignored and not cared/ thought for in the slightest.” Holly Ireland says: “They are hopeless and can not get anything actioned. They change the planning at a drop of a hat for their own gain and have left the town planning in a mess. “Stop subdivision which has farming in the middle of housing zones. They are a complete disappointment.” Marc Gaskett of Kinglake West says: “Murrindindi council has done nothing for the Kinglake ranges community and it’s time for a council that does the right thing by our town.” ● More residents’ comments Pages 12 and 13
Man questioned over assault report at Yea
■ A 77-year-old Yea man is assisting Police with their enquiries after an assault report was alleged last week. The incident, alleged to have been upon a senior Murrindindi Shire Council female employee, was reported to Yea Police o n Wednesday (Apr. 13). Leading Sen. Const. Simon Eaton confirmed that an investigation is ongoing.
Senior Police will consider whether the Yea man is to be charged on summons. The assault allegation raises issues for Murrindindi Shire Council and its obligations to provide a safe workplace for employees and customers. The Local Paper understands that the Council will consider whether the man will face an upgraded access ban to the Shire offices and library.
■ DAWN services at Kinglake and Glenburn will start the ANZAC Day observancess at 5.30am on Monday (April 25). ● Full details of services, inside.
WIN: FREE DOUBLE PASSES TO ‘SOUND OF MUSIC’ - ENTRY COUPON INSIDE