Wednesday, 26 February, 2020
Pakenham
/PakenhamBerwickGazette
pakenham.starcommunity.com.au
@PakenhamGazette
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Court hears pain of Kylie’s family
Bec's amazing story of survival
Walking in memory of loved ones
Berwick puts on a great show
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An Irish dancer’s dream By Jessica Anstice
McAleer School of Irish Dance students Chloe, Erin, Courtney, Sarah, Bridget, Lauren, Matilda, Lyla-May, Brydie and Maddie are heading to Ireland to perform Picture: GARY SISSONS in April. 204915
A small group of young Pakenham dancers have grasped the opportunity to travel to the other side of the world and compete in front of Irish crowds. Eleven talented students from McAleer School of Irish Dance qualified to compete in the 2020 World Irish Dancing Championships in Dublin - the largest Irish dancing contest in the world. In order for the girls to make it to Ireland, a fundraising event will be hosted at Pakenham Racing Club in Nar Nar Goon in attempt to cover some costs. See the full story on page 16.
Year of ‘despair’ By Mitchell Clarke
BUNYIP FIRES - ONE YEAR ON
As the first anniversary of the Bunyip bushfire disaster approaches, affected residents have received little respite, with just two properties officially beginning the rebuilding phase. The united voice of the victims - Bunyip Complex Fires Community Recovery Committee - has played a vital role in representing victims throughout the gruelling recovery process. Relocation insurance is beginning to run out and people are still living in sheds, caravans and rentals - the emotional toll is at an
SPECIAL COVERAGE PAGES 6-9 all-time high. But bureaucratic inaction has left victims forced to plead with the State Government to urgently acknowledge three key issues. The recovery committee wants every person who lost their home to receive $50,000, they want the government to provide assistance to those who are yet to clean up their properties and they want the cost of vegetation off-sets to
be waived while also lessening the “complex and costly bureaucratic compliance” to meet BAL (bushfire attack level) ratings. Community Recovery Chair Tony Fitzgerald said the victims of the Bunyip bushfires weren’t receiving the same compensation as those impacted by the fires in East Gippsland over the New Year period. “The State of Emergency called by the
Premier for the victims of the disastrous East Gippsland and other fires in January has ensured the victims of those fires are rightfully receiving full government, community and corporate compensation and donations,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “This link has excluded the Bunyip Fires disaster from receiving state funding and tax benefits. The profound lack of compassion and indeed dismissive indifference shown by the State Government to our community has left many people here in complete despair. Continued page 6
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