Upper Yarra
5 Tuesday, 29 October, 2013
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Mail Covering the Upper Yarra Region of the Yarra Ranges Shire
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Unnatural high By KATH GANNAWAY
Former employees of Narconon have hit out at claims the facility is drug-proof. 108977
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“There was one guy who had been in jail and knew how to make alcohol out of vegie scraps. I got to work the next day and they were smashed; stuff got dropped off at the walking track at the back and there were no security checks of people coming in.” Jane told the Mail she was not diligent in delivering the program, which is based on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings. “I feel bad that I was not doing what I was supposed to do, but I didn’t believe in it,” she said. “What I am concerned about is claims about the drug use, and about it being so close to the school. “I know, if someone wants to get drugs in, they will. If they want to do a runner, they will, because I’ve seen it too often. Dr Nerida James has refuted the claims made by Mr Schofield and by
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“I was virtually a drug virgin, looking after people who were coming off heroin and ice,” she said. “They were in withdrawal, so I had them when they first came in and my understanding was that they could come in when they were at a certain percentage off using - but they might have had a hit two days before,” she said. She said she often had to deal with people in a psychotic state. “They would lose it, and my job was to calm them down,” she said, describing some of the physical and mental symptoms they experienced. Her shift was Monday to Friday and she said she would regularly come in on a Monday to be told one or more of her clients had “blown”. “They would have had family, friends, cousins visit and you would get back and they were obviously under the influence again,” she said.
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ing in having had a hit of heroin half an hour ago. “They get put straight into the withdrawal cottage, quite often going through a fairly hefty withdrawal at that point,” he said. He said while Narconon tried to ensure no-one was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, clients would get people to smuggle them in. “It is always a problem and it will be worse if they move into Warburton,” he said. “There is always someone in there thinking about getting drugs, or getting drugs in there,” he said. Jane had a similar story to tell. She worked night shift, with clients in withdrawal. She told the Mail she had no experience or qualifications in dealing with people who were often seriously ill.
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TWO former Narconon employees have said claims there is no drug use at the East Warburton drug rehabilitation centre are rubbish. Narconon is proposing to move their isolated East Warburton drug rehabilitation centre into Warburton township, close to homes and the local primary school. They also insist no drugs are on the property. A campaign opposing the move is gaining momentum as claims of unauthorised drug and alcohol use by clients are starting to emerge. Yarra Valley resident Jane* worked at Narconon for 19 months two years ago. She told the Mail she was astounded at claims by Narconon Deputy Executive Director Andrew Cunningham and spokeswoman and board member Dr Nerida James that there were no drugs or alcohol on the property, clients were off drugs and posed no risk when they did the program and that Narconon was not an arm of the Church of Scientology. Mr Cunningham made the claim on A Current Affair, saying “We don’t have people here who are under the influence of any drugs, medicinal or otherwise.” Paul Schofield was a Scientologist when he worked at East Warburton in 2007 and 2008 and said he had worked at other Narconon facilities before getting out of Scientology. He said it was the ineffectiveness of the program that led to clients seeking out drugs and alcohol. “If you put an ineffective drug rehabilitation program in the middle of a town like Warburton you are going to have people doing drugs, and going and getting alcohol,” he said. “A typical scenario is someone will go to a doctor and get weaned off methadane so they can come completely off it and walk into Narconon and go through the rest of their withdrawal. “But you can have someone walk-
Jane who was identified to her, saying they were embittered former employees of Get Off Drugs Naturally who were dismissed because they failed in their jobs. “If he is claiming there were incidents of drugs smuggled in, under his watch, it was because he failed as an executive to provide a safe environment where they wouldn’t be,” he said. She said while the Narconon method was based on the writings of L. Ron Hubbard, the program was entirely secular in nature and never used to recruit people into any religion. She said Jane’s claims there was no medical supervision was incorrect. They have a nurse and a paramedic onsite when students first start. “We require them in fact to have two medical certificates confirming their fitness to do our drug-free education program,” she said. She said urine tests did not require medical training and that blood pressure was checked on occasion as part of improving health. She said while clients “blowing” may have occurred in the past on occasion, they now had two qualified security officers during Sunday visits which had eradicated such occurrences. Dr James said all visitors had to check in and approval needed to be given for presents, which were screened. In response to claims that Jane was pressured to study the Scientologybased program, Dr James said she never complained and that it was a requirement for all staff to study the policies and procedures of the organisation as in-house training for a position. Dr James said they were happy to consult with any concerned neighbours individually and said they held an open day recently where over 100 people toured the East Warburton facility. “We are a good neighbour in our current premises and will continue to be so,” she said. *Jane’s real name, which has been withheld at her request, was made available to Dr James.
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| starcommunity.com.au
Tuesday, 29 October, 2013 Page 3
Road run-off works By KATH GANNAWAY ONE million dollars will be put into improving safety on the Warburton Highway at Seville and Lilydale. The funding, announced last week, came after a community campaign was launched to address the number of crashes and fatalities on the highway. One of the worst stretches near Russell Road is included in the funding, which was announced last
week by Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe. The work will be done in two targeted projects with $730,000 going to improvements to the Leonard Road and Warburton Highway intersection in Lilydale and $244,000 to work on the highway around Russell Road in Seville. Ms Fyffe said the Seville works would help reduce the run-off-road incidents on the Warburton Highway corner near Russell Road, with eight such incidences having resulted in
casualties including one fatality. “The funding will be used to adjust the slope of the road around the corner and repaint the lines,” she said. Work is scheduled to commence early next year and be completed by mid-year. In Lilydale, a dedicated right turn from the highway into Leonard Road would be constructed and the driveway from the petrol station would be exit only with all entry into the station being from Leonard Road.
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“There have been seven casualty crashes at the Leonard Road intersection over the past five years, four resulting in serious injuries,” Ms Fyffe said. The funding comes on top of a $3.2 million upgrade to the Warburton Highway in Launching Place announced in September. Ms Fyffe thanked all the community members who campaigned for the improvements.
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Briefly Fines with that? A WANDIN North P-plater got more than he bargained for after a visit to Lilydale McDonald’s in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police observed the driver exiting McDonald’s where they say he performed a burnout and
was intercepted a short time later. The 19-year-old male from Wandin North returned a positive reading on the PBT and accompanied police to Lilydale Police Station for a breath test. Acting Sergeant Graeme Rust said the driver blew 0.068 and will lose his licence for a
minimum of six months for the drink driving when the matter goes to court. “His vehicle was impounded for a period of 30 days at a cost of $813. “He may lose his licence for a longer period due to the improper use of a motor vehicle,” Act Sgt Rust said.
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One option being explored was to relocate the library to the Upper Yarra Family and make the building available for other groups. “A majority of community feedback has indicated that residents do not want to see the library service relocated,” Cr Child said. She said that the council had decided not to explore the option further and would continue to look at other alternatives. “Council appreciates the community’s concerns and feedback over this issue,” he said.
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consultation. However, the Yarra Junction community didn’t wait for consultation and reacted angrily to the rumours and responding proactively to the council’s potential relocation plans. ‘Back off our library’ and ‘Leave library here’ were scrawled on the windows of the library over the weekend of 12 and 13 October and a week later Yarra Ranges Council had agreed - the library stays. Cr Child said the council had been exploring opportunities to include more community space in Yarra Junction for community organisations including U3A.
Saturday
along with the honour of Life Membership. “No more membership fees for the rest of my life,” Mr Hince rejoiced. That’s a whopping saving of $10 a year!
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committee and Mrs Lewellin said the club had very much got a twofor-one deal with the couple who not only work as a team in their garden, but for the club. There is a bit of a perk that goes
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“We are both very keen gardeners and have established very nice gardens in every house we have had, but it definitely takes two people to do it,” Mr Hince said. Mrs Hince is also on the UYVGC
Library measures up well THERE will be no more measuring up of the Yarra Junction Library after residents made their views known that it already measures up very nicely... as a library. While rumours that the library was being closed were quickly hosed down by Yarra Ranges Council early this month, mayor and ward councillor Jim Child has confirmed that the council is measuring up to see how the space might be better used. One possibility was a move to the Family Centre next door, but Cr Child said any proposed changes would be put out for
8:30am–5:30pm
Kevin Hince celebrates his Life Membership as his wife Jan and club president Joy Lewellin look on. 108848 Picture: KATH GANNAWAY
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WARBURTON resident Kevin Hince has joined a surprisingly exclusive bunch of people. Mr Hince was made a Life Member of the Upper Yarra Valley Garden Club at the club’s meeting on 21 October, making him only the eighth to receive the honour in the 30-year history of the club. UYVGC president Joy Lewellin made the announcement before more than 70 members to a very surprised Mr Hince who, as secretary of the club, usually has his finger on the pulse of everything that happens. “It was the only meeting I’ve missed and they all conspired,” he joked about the behind-the-scenes nomination. “I always thought you got life memberships for knowing all your plants.” Mrs Lewellin said Mr Hince had very much earned his Life Membership for his extensive contribution to the club over almost a decade, including six years as president, two as vice president and in his current role as secretary. “Kevin is very generous with his time,” she said. “Nothing is too much trouble and he is always the first to offer to do anything that needs doing.” Mr Hince and his wife Jan joined the club when they moved to East Warburton where they established a beautiful garden. They then moved into Warburton and got to work transforming a great deal of lawn into even more beautiful gardens which they regularly open to the public under the club banner.
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