News - Cranbourne Star News - 11th January 2024

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Corruption foiled By Cam Lucadou-Wells No one shaped Casey’s affairs more than the state’s anti-corruption body, which delivered damning findings on local councillors as well as proposing radical changes in planning across the state. The Independent Broadbased Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) tabled its Operation Sandon report in July – an inquiry that provided jaw-dropping allegations of political payments including cash in a suitcase. Former Casey mayors Sam Aziz and Geoff Ablett were especially highlighted for accepting more than $1.15 million in payments and in-kind support from developer John Woodman. They were found to promote Woodman’s interests in several key planning decisions at Casey without declaring their conflict of interest. Woodman was also found to cultivate influence at state government level, paying lobbyists and donating generously to Labor and Liberal party coffers. He’d also funded 11 ‘friendly’ candidates’ campaigns in the Casey elections in 2016, and was linked to a community residents action group funded by developer Leightons. It’s yet to be seen whether Aziz and Ablett will face criminal charges. IBAC has powers to refer alleged criminality to the Office of Public Prosecutions to make that call. Both councillors and Woodman have denied wrong-doing. Many of the “elaborate” financial arrangements were designed to give the “appearance of legitimacy”, IBAC acting commissioner Stephen Farrow said in handing down the report. The bombshell public inquiry, which led to 34 recommendations, had several other farreaching consequences. It precipitated the State Government’s sacking of Casey councillors in 2020, placing the council under administration for four years. The Government enthusiastically received IBAC’s recommendation to take planning decisions out of councillors’ hands and instead made by independent expert panels. More details are being awaited of the Government’s new planning regime – touted to fast-track housing supply. The Government has been less enthusiastic to adopt

IBAC’s advice to ban political donations from “high-risk” groups such as developers. In October, voters will decide on the make-up of the next Casey Council. How many of the 11 sacked councillors will stand for re-election and the extent of their punishment at the ballot box will be intriguing. Farrow said as a group, Casey councillors had exhibited and tolerated behaviour that was below the standards expected of them. Some made a “conscious departure” from the standards, others had a “poor understanding” of their obligations. IBAC deputy commissioner David Wolf said the report “laid bare” corruption risks in council decision-making and with political donations at state and local government levels. “What is clear is that the conduct of individual councillors severely damaged the standing of Casey Council with their local community.

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“It showed the ease with which council governance requirements can be manipulated or disregarded by councillors who are minded to do so.” IBAC’s investigation revealed councillors were incapable of dealing with the “complexity” of planning matters, Wolf said at the time. “And then of course, you have the corruption vulnerabilities exposed in this report.” Earlier last year, Coroner David Ryan recommended that IBAC does more to alleviate witnesses’ uncertainty about being prosecuted as soon as possible. This followed the suicide of former Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon, who believed she was headed to jail as a result of the IBAC allegations. IBAC has since confirmed that Stapledon wasn’t facing prosecution.

IBAC acting commissioner Stephen Farrow and deputy commissioner David Wolf. 350301 Picture: CAM LUCADOU-WELLS

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New top cop on the block By Sahar Foladi The new Southern Metro Region Assistant Commissioner is set to further his extensive years in Victoria Police. Chris Gilbert just started off in Greater Dandenong as the new Assistant Commissioner for the Southern region, after he spent more than 33 years of service in a handful of roles. “I’m still finding my way around the area and I’m very impressed with what I see particularly with police personnel here. “I’ve encountered very happy and committed staff working in this area,” he said. “I’m encouraged that they have very strong relationship with the community, and we’ve seen that through recent community events.” As anti-social behaviours and hoon events became the frustration of residents throughout 2023, there’s a hope that operations such as Achilles and operation Hades will help to bring some peace to residents. “What we’ve seen through that is significant reduction in high risk driving events particularly hooning events, so we know that Operation Achilles has worked very well. “We have a very keen eye on hoon driving behaviour because road trauma is incredibly important for us to reduce.” There were 289 lives lost on Victorian roads last year as Victoria Police raised alarms over the holiday period. As reported previously by Star Journal in November 2023, Operation Hades saw a crackdown on hooning activities along with high risk driving among others. Over the two-day operation 345 issues were identified, including 79 defective vehicles, more than $50,000 fines issues and rows of impounded cars. “We run these kinds of operations very frequently not just in Dandenong but whole region so that’s a very good example just to demonstrate that we are out there listening and focusing on the risks to road safety from hoons. “We’re very clear that road trauma is completely avoidable, so our focus is helping people understand when they drive, that their

Southern Metro Region Assistant Commissioner, Chris Gilbert. decision making will largely be the difference between a road trauma or not.” Although Operations Achilles was launched in February 2021 in response to increased hooning activities, the issue remained at large. The Springvale Mega Mart shopping centre was brought under the police radar just after a year of the operation in progress. As reported previously in March by Star Journal, nearby sleepless neighbours complained of the “shotgun” like noises. “Overall, people do a very god job but it’s really up to everybody to try and contribute.

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“For those who don’t want to do that, we’ll continue with the operations we have people out there enforcing road rules.” Anti-social behaviours such as robbery, house break-ins are also of major concerns to the Greater Dandenong community however Mr Gilbert says there have been reductions in offences of that kind. “We look at some other indicators in what that looks like, and we know in the Greater Dandenong area included, we’ve seen some very good drop-offs in offending types such as robbery over the last few months.

“We’ve also seen reduction in burglary of businesses,” he said. “We’re seeing reductions in offences and I think that’s actually from understanding where some of those behaviours are occurring.” Businesses finding it challenging in Dandenong CBD are also advised to flag any ongoing issues with the Neighbourhood Policing program. “It’s very important for council and local business concerned about ongoing issues to raise the issue with the register,” Mr Gilbert said. “That can help us to be more focused on where we do our patrolling. “We work in a large area but we have sufficient resources to be able to respond. “Whilst we may not get to everything immediately, the community should be reasonably confident that we will respond to serious incidents in all occasions and if there’s no immediate result these do go to other investigations which may take longer to resolve but there’s certainly no lack of attention to those.” As summer rolls out, residents are strongly advised to play their part and ensure cars and homes are locked. “One of our important messages currently is for people to ensure not to leave valuables in the car and their car is locked. “We’re seeing far too many incidents where cars are stolen, the cars are not locked, and valuables are visible in the car,” he said. “Generally, we find that if residents take those steps, they won’t have their houses broken into. “That’s something we’d like the community to work with us on.” Along with the experiences and awards that come with his extensive career in Victoria Police, Mr Gilbert added a King’s Birthday honour in 2023 to his list of achievements as one of the six officers recognised. The award recognised his contribution to community safety, intelligence and covert policing among a few as he led the Victoria Police’s Intelligence and Covert Support Command.

Battin office finally secures a location By Corey Everitt The year has started off promising for Berwick MP Brad Battin as his long-awaited electorate office has finally secured a location. After over a year running an informal mobile office that saw Mr Battin hopping between local cafes and restaurants, he took to facebook on Thursday 4 January to announce that his constituents will soon be able to find him and his staff in a permanent office in the heart of Berwick. Mr Battin office will be on 4-6 Wheeler Street just off High Street, Berwick. The loca-

tion was formerly a TAB. “There will be no betting here, it’s 100 percent odds on,” Mr Battin quipped in his facebook video. This comes after a long wait ever since the last State Election in November, when Mr Battin’s former seat of Gembrook was abolished which made his old office in Officer redundant as he nominated and was elected to the new seat of Berwick. State Parliament offices are responsible for securing an electorate office for MPs, as the weeks turned to months and then eventually to a year, Mr Battin became increasingly frus-

trated as his constituents had no easy place to find him locally. He resorted to raising the issue in Parliament itself in November last year. He said in session, “it is getting to a stage that is ridiculous – that a lower house member of this Parliament cannot get an office in their electorate to represent those that they are supposed to represent, a place for the local community to go.” With a location secured, Mr Battin wishes this to be the home stretch for the new office, saying in the facebook post that he hopes works on site will start this month.

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Berwick MP Brad Battin has secured a location for a local office. 308354 Picture: SUPPLIED

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Arrest after evade

The taskforce worked on tree removal and temporary roof repairs.

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Answering the call By Corey Everitt Victorian SES and CFA members bravely spent their New Years deployed to South East Queensland to help with the vital relief efforts for communities affected by devastating floods. The deployment was a first-time joint task force of SES and CFA together. 40 CFA and 43 SES personnel from all over the State. The task force was transported to the area of Helensvale near the Gold Coast to take on temporary repairs and removal of trees and debris. They operated for 5 days from December 30, spending 2 days traveling and 3 days in relief efforts. Group Officer for Westernport, David Breadmore was the CFA’s Taskforce Commander. This is not his first deployment, but no experience could mitigate the shock of what these communities are going through. “This isn’t my first, I was a part of the deployment for floods on the Murray last year. I don’t think I’ve seen devastation like that before,” Mr Breadmore said. “There is not a street that wasn’t affected, every park, street, farmland was littered with trees everywhere.” Christmas Day and Boxing saw severe storms throughout the east coast of Australia, in South East Queensland 7 people have died in the tragic events that are said to potentially result in damage costing in the billions. Thousands are without power for days with

CFA and SES in Queensland. a reported 900 power lines damaged. The severe weather did not end, Mr Breadmore’s taskforce saw this first hand. “We were hit with a significant weather event while we were there, there was an emergency broadcast which forced us to stand down and take shelter,” Mr Breadmore said. “Rivers would rise and fall in moments, we had 200ml of rain in an hour.” Despite the tough and vital work in a dev-

The debris left on the road after the Cleanaway FOGO collection on New Year’s Day. Pictures: SUPPLIED

astated community, Mr Breadmore was heartened to see residents stay strong. “The thing which stood out to me was the resilience and strength of the community up there who had been without power since Christmas, had debris through their property,” Mr Breadmore said. “With disasters you often feel there can be resentment, due to a sense that the response wasn’t good enough or too slow. But we were welcomed, everyone would come back in the truck and say they were all great to work with.” While working in a joint taskforce with the SES, a rare kind of deployment, was an eye opening and effective experience. “Working alongside the SES, we of course were learning from them as we went, but also found ourselves feeling a great deal of respect for them,” Mr Breadmore said. “It was a first, it was certainly a unique taskforce and it proved to be a resounding success and will definitely happen again in the future.” Ultimately, with communities going through hardship through a time when they should be together and safe, Mr Breadmore is proud of his colleagues’ efforts in helping them. “It was hard to deploy at this time of year, asking people to miss their New Year celebration. All in 24 hours notice, these guys had difficult circumstances, but they did an excellent job,” Mr Breadmore said.

Lynn and Dennis Briggs claim Cleanaway staff also broke a wheel off one of their neighbour’s bins.

Green thumbs down to waste collectors A Berwick couple have hit out at waste management company Cleanaway for leaving mess on their street and damaging one of their neighbour’s bins. Berwick residents Dennis and Lynn Briggs said on New Year’s Day morning, Cleanaway workers left green waste debris behind after the food organics and garden organics (FOGO) collection on Earlston Court in Berwick and broke one of their neighbour’s bins. “They’ve dumped the rubbish in the cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au

middle of the road,” Dennis said. “It’s just not good enough.” Lynn said she was the target of inappropriate language from a Cleanaway truck driver after confronting a Cleanaway team about six months ago. Dennis and Lynn said Cleanaway and Casey Council came back to their street, but failed to adequately clean up the debris. Casey Council sustainability and waste

manager Michael Jansen said Cleanaway was required to meet performance and behaviour standards. “Cleanaway perform all three kerbside collections on behalf of the City of Casey,” he said. “Monitoring of the waste collection contracts shows that Cleanaway has performed its services to a high standard, however all complaints are taken seriously and should be directed to council.”

A Cranbourne man and his partner have been arrested after they evaded Sunshine police in an allegedly stolen car in Glenroy on the morning of Tuesday 9 January. Officers were called to a welfare check on two men in a car on Wright Street in Sunshine at about 9am. The pair evaded police in the stolen white BMW mini coupe when officers approached. With the assistance of Air Wing, the vehicle was followed through Footscray, Melbourne CBD, Moonee Ponds, and Broadmeadows. Officers swiftly arrested the pair when they collided with a fence in Finchley Avenue, Glenroy just after 10am. The driver, a 29-year-old Cranbourne man, was transported to hospital with minor injuries. The passenger, a 28-year-old St Albans man, was transported to hospital for observation. The pair remain under hospital guard and the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident, with vision or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Three men charged Police have charged two Berwick men and an Officer man with a string of offences following a number of alleged hooning incidents in Melbourne’s South East last year, including swapping places in the driver’s seat while travelling at 100km/h. Police originally arrested a 19-year-old Berwick man Friday 28 April, 2023 for allegedly traveling at speeds above 260km/h along the Monash Freeway near the Ernst Wanke Road exit at about 2.30am on Tuesday 25 April. Police initially charged him with 27 trafficrelated offences, before that number rose to 110 offences, including reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, driving at a dangerous speed and racing with another vehicle. He has been scheduled to face Dandenong Magistrates Court again on Wednesday 24 January. Investigators from the Achilles Taskforce seized several mobile phones from the man’s Berwick home at the time of his arrest, uncovering vision of two additional males allegedly seat swapping, leaving the vehicle driverless at 100km/h on the Monash Freeway on Tuesday 25 April 2023. Police then charged a second 19-year-old Berwick man and an 18-year-old Officer man from Officer on Monday 2 January for their alleged involvement in the incident. Police charged the 19-year-old man with 42 offences, including five counts of reckless conduct endangering life, five counts of reckless conduct endangering serious injury, four counts of loss of traction and travelling at 202km/h. Vision obtained from the phones also allegedly showed the 19-year-old racing another vehicle on the Monash Freeway, reaching speeds in excess of 200km/h. Police subsequently seized his BMW 330i during a search warrant on Thursday 21 December, with the 19-year-old man set to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates Court in January. Police charged the 18-year-old Officer man, who was a minor at the time, with one count of reckless conduct endangering life and one count of reckless conduct endangering serious injury, with the 18-year-old set to face a Childrens Court at a later date. To report any anti-social behaviour or reckless driving, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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$1.4m luck of the draw A Cranbourne council worker took home $1.4 million in the TattsLotto draw, which fuelled his dream of retiring and relocating to be closer to his children. The Melburnian held one of the seven division one winning entries in TattsLotto draw 4431, drawn Saturday 6 January, and looks forward to a total division one prize of $1,428,580.38. The news came as a complete shock after the winning man revealed he normally didn’t win anything more than a chook raffle. “I’m in shock,” he said. “I think I checked the ticket more than 10 times. “Thank you so much. I don’t know how to process this.” He said he did not get much sleep learning the news. “I’m not a regular TattsLotto player. In fact, I don’t usually purchase tickets into TattsLotto, but I saw the offer was $10 million, and I thought to myself, ‘Oh, wouldn’t that be nice to win,” he said. “I purchased a QuickPick into the draw and didn’t think twice. I guess now these are my lucky numbers.” The lucky man has already been planning his after-lottery life. “My kids live up in Queensland. I’ve been thinking of retiring from my council job and moving to be closer to them. They all live there. One in Brisbane, and the rest in the Sunshine Coast,” he said. “My siblings also have been asking when I’d be taking some leave to come visit them on holiday and now I can. I’ll have all the leave

A Cranbourne council worker took home $1.4 million in the TattsLotto draw. Picture: SUPPLIED in the world!” His winning 50-game QuickPick was purchased online at thelott.com – the official home of Australia’s lotteries. The winning numbers in TattsLotto draw 4431 on 6 January 2024 were 17, 12, 36, 42, 13, and 34, while the supplementary numbers were 41 and 38. Across Australia, there were seven division one winning entries in TattsLotto draw 4431 – three in New South Wales, and one each in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria Queensland, and South Australia. The Lott’s division one winning tally has now reached 216 so far in FY24, including 73 won by Tatts customers. In 2023, TattsLotto created 176 millionaires across Australia. During this time, there were 303 division one winning in TattsLotto entries across Australia that collectively won more than $436 million.

Thousands of people are expected to flock to Federation University’s Berwick campus for the fifth Kite Festival. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Thousands of kites are expected to launch into the sky.

Colourful kites set to soar over Berwick

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By Matthew Sims

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The skyline over Berwick’s Federation University campus will transform into a sea of moving colours this weekend as part of The Bright Events’ fifth Kite Festival. Running from 2pm to 9pm on Saturday 13 January, the free festival will host thousands of people as they launch colourful kites into the air, with kites and threads available to purchase on the day. The event will also feature an all-day live DJ, jumping castles, a variety of food and all-day entertainment. Event organiser Manthan Parikh said there are still a few more surprise additions to the festival to come. “Getting into the fifth year is very exciting and we are growing every year,” he said. “We have a few surprises this year for the attendees which we have trialed recently. “We always want people to have unique experiences at our event.” Mr Parikh said they are expecting about 6000 to 8000 people through the gates during the event. “This event is open for everyone,” he said. “We want as many people as possible to enjoy the family time. We have variety of food, amusement rides for kids.”

Kites and threads will be available for purchase.

Food options will also be available. cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au


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2023 YEAR IN REVIEW ...

NEWSMAKERS

Dragged into oblivion Drag queens and the LGBTQIA+ community in Casey were embroiled in controversy after facing severe backlash from “alt-right” and “selfproclaimed Christian” groups, and it was one of the more prevalent and recurring topics that Berwick News covered in 2023. The issue itself is longstanding, with the rooted ideals of traditionalism, conservatism and religion – to name a few factors – clashing with more progressive and left-leaning ideologies that the LGBTQIA+ community is built on and actively promotes. For Casey, the conflict began with the cancellation of The Art of Drag workshops that were meant to be held in Bunjil Place for five weeks throughout April and May. This came after the drag performers who were meant to host the sessions said they experienced “a barrage of threats and violence from alt-right and self-proclaimed ‘Christian’ groups”. City of Casey chief executive, Glen Patterson said that the cancellation was “in the interest of community safety. “After careful consideration, consultation with our community partners including Victoria Police, and in the interests of community safety, we have decided to cancel the Art of Drag workshop series that was scheduled to be held at Bunjil Place in April and May,” he said. The event would have given adolescents ages 12 to 25 the opportunity to learn skills in drag hair, makeup, fashion and performance, all created and hosted by professional drag kings and queens including Belial B’Zarr, Linh Uendo, Holly Pop, Lilium and Randy Roy. Allegedly, protest groups engaged in threatening and harassing phone calls, including emails and physical intimidation where a “queerphobic group forced their way into a council meeting, hurling homophobic and transphobic rhetoric at council members and security”. City of Casey director community life Callum Pattie said in a then-recent council meeting that a “small number of residents raised the issue of the workshops and their disapproval thereof after the meeting in a separate discussion with the CEO”. Mr Patterson added, however, that the decision to cancel the event “in no way legitimises or validates the actions or statements of indi-

Drag performer Belial B’Zarr co-created the now cancelled Art of Drag workshop series for adolescents in Casey to learn about the art of drag. Picture: OSCAR SAUNDERS viduals, activists or protest groups”. “Casey is committed to promoting opportunities for engagement, advocacy, events, safe spaces, and partnerships that support our LGBTIQA+ community and doing so with a duty of care, especially where young people are involved. “The carefully curated age-appropriate content was to provide a safe and inclusive space that young queer people and their parents had the choice of participating in, knowing it was specifically developed for those members of the community identifying as LGBTIQA+,” Mr Patterson said. A youth engagement program conducted around that time revealed that one of the top five challenges that faced young people was “identity”, according to Mr Patterson. The Art of Drag would have served as a “vital affirmation of self-worth to young people who may be coming to terms with their sexual orientation, sex or gender identity without necessarily getting the support they need from their peers or the broader community”, he said.

Roadwork traps locals By Violet Li Roadworks have relentlessly pained Cranbourne throughout 2023 as the suburb underwent the second year of the Narre WarrenCranbourne Road Upgrade. Starting in 2022, the upgrade by Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) aims to add extra lanes, install traffic lights to replace several roundabouts, revamp intersections, build new shared walking and cycling paths, and place safety barriers along the road at most sections between Thompsons Road and the South Gippsland Highway. The project is said to improve safety, reduce congestion on Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, and reduce growing traffic pressure on the South Gippsland Highway through Cranbourne Town Centre. As Thompsons Road and Narre WarrenCranbourne Road are two heavily trafficked main roads in the Cranbourne area, continuously planned road closures caused traffic delays on main roads and traffic build-up on residential streets. Small trips were turned into lengthy journeys, which forced many families to move homes to avoid the traffic detours and congestion. One local father told Star News that a 10-minute drive to Hillcrest College extended to 45 minutes on some mornings. The distress caused this father to relocate, simply to avoid the trouble caused by the roadworks. Local businesses also felt the brunt of the closure, with multiple businesses reporting fewer transactions and lower revenue. Coupled with Casey Council’s major road projects, at some points, the state-led roadworks trapped residents with overlapping closures. In August 2023, locals in Cranbourne East 6 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 January, 2024

were denied access to both ends at Linsell Boulevard, with MRPV responsible for the closures on Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road and the Council overseeing the Clyde Road works. The Linsell Boulevard/Clyde roadworks began in February 2022 and were set to be completed in November of the same year, yet the finishing point was prolonged to around October 2023 due to Council’s dispute over electrical poles with Melbourne Water. Casey Council is also converting the South Gippsland Highway and Ballarto Road intersection into a roundabout to ‘accommodate for the growing population in the area’. An approximate 100-metre section of Ballarto Road has been closed off since November 2022 and the works are expected to be completed by mid-2024. As the two parties operated on roadworks simultaneously in the region, residents condemned the overlapping timelines. “No one is disputing that the roadworks is needed, what is being disputed is the poor management of these timelines,” one local said. “The area of Casey and its population cannot handle multiple projects at once. “It’s dangerous and careless.” Residents also questioned why the necessary roadworks failed to precede the addition of new housing estates. As one of the fastest growing areas in Australia with projections of a 67 per cent population increase by 2041, Casey is seeing more and more estates being built, with new residents adding to the strain on our roads. Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade will continue until 2025. In February, the crew will reopen Cameron Street and close Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road at Berwick-Cranbourne Road to finish building the new intersection.

However, there was disappointment and concern from the hosts and creators of the workshops, saying that it was an “incredibly disappointing outcome” and it reflected on the state and the federal government’s inability to “protect queer and trans young people”. “Those in power have a responsibility to protect our communities and provide structure and resources to local councils and prevent young people being exposed to an impacted by violent extremism,” they said. “This includes robust/stricter safety protocols, no-tolerance policies for hate, and thorough community consultation during risk assessments.” The alleged harassment confirms that there’s an increased need for workshops such as the Art of Drag, the group said. Since the cancellation of The Art of Drag, many artists involved have experienced hate speech in the form of derogatory comments, slurs and threats, the group said. The story persists a few weeks later, where drag queen Brenda Bressed, AKA Bryce Gibson spoke out against the cancellation of The Art of Drag event. They believed that other steps could have been taken to protect the drag performers from the threats made by the “alt-right and Christian groups”, without cancelling the event entirely. The cancellation came just weeks after tensions flared with pro-transgender rights and anti-transgender rights activists took the streets of Melbourne’s CBD. The aftermath of the protest involved an attendance of neo-nazis who performed a nazi salute at the steps of Parliament, which in response the Andrews Labor Government announced a $900,000 in funding to support LGBTQIA+ organisations. The package went to support eight LGBTQIA+ organisations across Victoria to help respond to additional demand caused by the incident. Essential services were heavily supported by the funding at initiatives including Transgender Victoria, Queerspace, Rainbow Families, Switchboard, Zoe Bell Gender Collective, Throne Harbour Health/Equinox, Transcend and Mind. The package boosted counselling and famiMRPV response: 2023 has been a huge year for Major Road Projects Victoria in Cranbourne with the Hall Road Upgrade and Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade both making significant progress. The Hall Road Upgrade ticked off multiple construction milestones, completing three major intersection upgrades throughout 2023, removing a pair of roundabouts (McCormicks Road and Western Port Highway) as well as overhauling the dog-legged intersection at Hall, Evans, and Cranbourne-Frankston roads. Completely overhauling the prior intersection alignment, the Hall Road Upgrade completed the new-look signalised intersection at Hall, Evans, and Cranbourne-Frankston roads in late June. From multiple dog-legged intersections to one easy-to-navigate intersection, the intersection also has increased pedestrian access for everyone accessing this part of Cranbourne West. The crew worked throughout a six-week construction blitz to install new drainage, complete earthworks, relocate utilities, install traffic signals and public lighting and lay fresh asphalt to bring the streamlined and safer intersection to life. The upgraded McCormicks Road intersection was opened in August as the project removed the old, congested roundabout and installed traffic signals. These works were also significant for the project to help overhaul the area’s drainage system and help mitigate local flooding in the area. The project installed 225 concrete drainage culverts, which will help capture and store excess floodwater before releasing it slowly over time. The ongoing works under the roadway ensure that rainfall can pass under the road, and any run-off from the new lanes on Hall Road is gradually released. These culverts work in tandem with existing stormwater drainage systems in the region as well as the seven retention basins installed across the project. Finally, the crew reopened the Western Port Highway intersection for Christmas on 20 December, having successfully removed the Western Port Highway roundabout – the fourth roundabout removed from the Western Port Highway

ly therapy, referrals and peer support to ensure LGBTQIA+ Victorians, their families and cares could get the support they needed, authorities said. “Trans people routinely endure abuse, violence, and discrimination in the name of free speech, and the past week has caused further trauma for an already vulnerable group. “Trans people deserve better, and this funding will help organisations to provide crucial support, safety, and care,” said equality minister Harriet Shing. Ms Shing also denounced the efforts of the protest groups who contributed to the cancellation of The Art of Drag event. “Events that are open to young people of all genders and sexualities, provide safety and celebrate diversity send a powerful message to young people that it is OK to be themselves,” she said. “This message is so important when we know that stigma and discrimination contribute to young LGBTIQ+ people often experiencing poorer mental health than others their age. “We condemn any efforts to make LGBTIQ+ Victorians and allies feel unsafe for being who they are, including LGBTIQ+ performers and young people.” The barrage of hostility experienced by the LGBTQIA+ community was not concentrated in Casey only and was a Melbourne-wide crisis that continues to have a lasting impact. Hobson’s Bay Council in Altona saw a crowd of protesters cause disturbances during a Council meeting in a move against the discussion of gender-neutral toilets, which eventually prompted all future meetings to be held online. In support of the LGBTQIA+ community, and in an effort to stomp out the neo-nazi movement in the western suburbs, the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) held an anti-nazi rally in early October. This came after Legacy Boxing Gym in Sunshine held a so-called “white powerlifting competition”, and has been likewise linked to neo-nazi activists who frequent the venue. As for the City of Casey, it was understood that they reimbursed all performers and resources costs involved with the creation of the cancelled workshop. in Cranbourne and Carrum Downs in the last five years. This upgrade marked some of the last major works on the Hall Road Upgrade, with the project set to complete major works nine months ahead of schedule in February 2024. In other major achievements for the project, construction was completed on the new westbound lanes, which will help double traffic capacity between McCormicks Road and the Western Port Highway once both sections are open. The eastbound lanes, currently being upgraded, once completed in early 2024 will mark an improvement for east-west traffic flow throughout Cranbourne West and Carrum. The Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade is surging ahead with building extra lanes and upgrading intersections to make it quicker, easier, and safer for people. The new intersections at Linsell, Majestic, Hunt Club and Spirit boulevards, Thompsons Road, and Kingdom and New Holland drives are open and are providing safer journeys for motorists with the introduction of traffic lights and lane and road widening. In late 2023 the team moved traffic onto the newly built southbound lanes of Narre WarrenCranbourne Road. This allows construction to continue building the new northbound lanes and upgrading key intersections between South Gippsland Highway and Thompsons Road. The project also dug deep to begin works to replace the congested roundabout at BerwickCranbourne Road and Cameron Street with a new signalised intersection. Once complete, this upgrade will make it safer for the 35,000 motorists who travel through this area each day. To reduce travel times across the network, Stage 2 works on the Berwick-Cranbourne Road intersection upgrade have been rescheduled to February. In February, when major works are complete on the Hall Road Upgrade, Cameron Street will reopen while Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road will be closed at Berwick-Cranbourne Road as the crew finishes building the new intersection.

cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au


2023 YEAR IN REVIEW ...

NEWSMAKERS

Building industry turmoil By Emma Xerri Hallam-based builder Rawdon Hill was amongst the many unfortunate builders who faced an untimely demise in 2023. Despite promoting its “thriving” business just a day before going into liquidation, Rawdon Hill formally announced on 25 May that it was winding up and had appointed Dye & Co as liquidators. A day before liquidation, Rawdon Hill posted on social media that it could “help” customers of collapsed builder Porter Davis to complete their homes in the South East, according to The Age. A Porter Davis customer in Clyde North says she came close to signing on with a deposit. “We were about to sign on with this builder. They were the only ones that followed through with a quote for us,” she posted on social media. “They’ve just gone into liquidation.” In April, Rawdon Hill advertised in Star News that it had “secure product supply” and were “here to stay”. “We acknowledge people’s reticence in choosing a builder in the current circumstances,” general manager Peter Grant stated. “But want to emphasise that our current and future customers are and will continue not to be impacted negatively. “We … can say with absolute certainty that we will proudly finish every single home in our strong pipeline, while we continue to pay everyone on time, every time – guaranteed. “Rawdon Hill Homes continues to thrive and we are searching for even more local subcontractors. “We are here and we are ready to build now.”

Since liquidation, Rawdon Hill’s Facebook page has been taken down. As of 31 May, its website however suggests it is still open for business. The firm promotes itself as a low-volume builder with 46 years of experience. Customers were plunged into turmoil in late March when Porter Davis went bust, leaving more than 1500 unfinished homes in Victoria. Other builders such as Interface Constructions, Kleev Homes Pty Ltd, Chatham Homes and Melbourne-based Dome Building Projects have also since collapsed, joining the more than 2000 Australian building companies that have gone into liquidation since mid-2021, according to data from the Australian Security and Investments Commission.

First home buyer Amber Barnes was among the Porter Davis customers left in limbo and financial distress after the company’s collapse. “I’ve got almost $60,000 locked up in a house and land that I don’t know how to get back,” she said. “It’s devastating. You know, you save your whole life and now it’s just gone.” In a second hit for the young childcare worker, with building yet to start on her home, her deposit was not covered by insurance, meaning she will likely lose out on at least $27,000 paid to the construction giant. Miss Barnes said her current best option is to employ another builder to take on the construction of the home. But even that would stir up between $80,000

to $120,000 in extra charges, she estimates. “It’s going to cost us more than what we had first settled with with Porter Davis because we are now, as I said, two years down the track, everything’s gone up. “It’s not going to be the fixed price we want. Or we try to get out of it, but I don’t want to lose on the money. I don’t want to lose on the location…it’s all in limbo.” “I’ve had no contact with anybody. So I don’t I don’t know where I stand. I have absolutely no idea…it’s frustrating. “Being a high volume builder, you’d think that you were safe with them for this to turn around and happen. It just goes to show that it could happen to anyone. “I just personally just feel for everyone who’s in the same situation and just hope that they do the right thing. I hope that they come out and help their customers as much as they can.” The State Government recently announced one-off compensation for 560 Porter Davis customers who signed their contracts and paid their deposits, but where Porter Davis did not take out Domestic Building Insurance (DBI), in breach of its obligations. Grant Thornton Australia was appointed as the liquidators of 14 Porter Davis companies. With 470 employees, Porter Davis had forecast $555 million in revenue for the 2023 financial year but there was “no option” but to liquidate, a Grant Thornton spokesperson stated. “The extremely challenging environment for residential home building has directly contributed to the PDH Group’s financial position, with rising input costs, supply chain delays, labour shortages, and a drop in demand for new homes in 2023 impacting the Group’s liquidity.”

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STAR NEWS 7


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8 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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FOCUS ON … SENIORS ENJOYING LIFE

Make 2024 your best year As we begin another new year, it’s time to ponder, what will make this one truly extraordinary for you? Will you make new friends, travel more or spend more time doing the things you love? My 2024 New year Resolutions: Join a gym and get fit Make new friends Book a cruise or a new adventure Take up some new hobbies Just make the most of everything Moving into a lifestyle community ticks every box and makes 2024 the year when you finally make the move to change your life for the better, forever!

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STAR NEWS 9


2023 YEAR IN REVIEW ...

NEWSMAKERS

SBI Landfill faces court By Violet Li The Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) launched civil proceedings against Cranbourne tip operator Stevensons Brothers Industries (SBI) Landfill Pty Ltd and its directors on 4 August 2023. The lingering odour from its Cranbourne site has haunted the community since March 2022. EPA alleged that SBI Landfill did not follow the requirements of its operating license and did not meet its General Environmental Duty because of the prolonged impacts the landfill odour was having on residents. If successful in proving these breaches, EPA will seek a range of relief from the Court including declarations, injunctions, civil penalties, and a range of orders addressing compliance and operations at the site. Penalties could exceed $1.8 million for the company and $360,000 for directors for each allegation. EPA is also asking the court to issue interim orders to stop the site from accepting waste until it prevents unacceptable impacts on community health and the environment. The legal action tailed the agency’s withdrawal of criminal proceedings against the company. On 4 October 2022, the EPA charged SBI Landfill with breaching section 63(1) of the Environment Protection Act 2017 and withdrew the charge on 17 March 2023, claiming that the launching of civil proceedings would have a greater potential to effect change than pursuing allegations against SBI through the criminal courts. SBI Landfill started to operate the solid inert landfill on Ballarto Road in Cranbourne in March 2020 and commenced waste management services for the building and construction industry in November 2021. EPA first received complaints of a rotten egg smell in March 2022. The source of the odour is SBI’s sole landfill cell, and the rotten egg smell is hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which can be produced when solid inert waste decomposes. EPA discovered that insufficient cover over construction and demolition waste at the landfill allowed rainwater to flow through and pool underneath the landfill. This increased the amount of odorous trace gases, which SBI failed to manage.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS SBI removed the site’s stagnant water to an off-site location in Dandenong in July, but the smell did not go away afterwards. Further issues were identified, including potential hotspots in the landfill cell, one or more blockages in the leachate management infrastructure, lack of an appropriate Risk Management and Monitoring Program (RMMP), and management faults of landfill gas extraction. EPA’s monitoring of daily odour reports from 1 March 2022 to 18 October 2023 has

shown that residents have been impacted every month on multiple dates since the inception of the saga, with a spike of almost 260 reports a day in July 2022. The number of reports dropped substantially in 2023 with less than ten reports each month for the past few months. EPA fined SBI Landfill $9246 for failing to immediately notify the agency of equipment failure at its Cranbourne site in July 2023 which caused an odour incident, a few weeks after the commencement of civil proceedings.

Two fire incidents occurred on site in November 2023. Police investigations have been continuing with the fires, but it was advised the causes pointed to arson. Residents have been concerned about the security of the landfill as most of the frontage to Ballarto Road is not fenced. EPA has been investigating the security status of the site since. EPA is still awaiting a date for their court case against SBI.

Plans for landfill angers the Casey community By Violet Li Frustration and disappointment overwhelmed Casey communities in 2023 as the Casey Council went against the public will to endorse the new Hampton Park Hill Development Plan at a meeting on Tuesday 18 July. The Development Plan area includes the Hallam Road landfill and is bound by Ormond Road and Central Road to the north, the transmission line easement to the east, Glasscocks Road to the south, and Hallam Road/South Gippsland Highway to the west. Served as a framework guiding land use and development proposals, the endorsed plan paved the way for the continuing operation of the current landfill, future waste and resource recovery activities, public open spaces, and light industrial activities in the designated area. The Draft Development Plan attracted 1068 submissions in 2022 and a Community Engagement Summary Report noted that 99 per cent of the submissions objected to the draft with key areas of concern including odour hazards, truck and traffic hazards, loss of property values, landfill buffer impacts, inadequate community consultation, and Council’s previous empty commitment to restore the area to parkland. Residents also stressed their concerns about a waste transfer station proposed at the site of Hallam Road Landfill by its operator Veolia Environmental Services Australia. 10 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 January, 2024

Protesters outside Hallam Road Landfill. 307447

Picture: GARY SISSIONS

They suggested the waste transfer should be placed in a different location away from the residential areas and its future planning should consider the negative impacts the current landfill operation has on residents and mitigate them, according to the report. The report further stated residents wanted the current landfill to shut down. A protest assembled about 200 locals at the entrance to the Hallam Road Landfill on Saturday 12 November to oppose the draft of the Development Plan. Despite the considerable community in-

terest, Casey Council believed the Development Plan must be consistent with the strategic directions of the State Government as articulated in the Plan Melbourne 2017-2050, the State-wide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan (SWRRIP), and the Hallam Road Waste and Resource Recovery Hub Plan 2021 (Hub Plan). SWRRIP has identified the land as one of 22 State significant Hubs for waste and resource recovery services and infrastructure. “We acknowledge concerns, however, due to Council’s planning role in the process and needing to not conflict with State Govern-

ment policy, we were unable to consider them as part of this process,” City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM said. The Hallam Road Landfill, operated by Veolia, first started to receive waste in early 1997, accepting putrescible waste, solid inert waste, and shredded tires. It has a planning permit until 2040. The surrounding areas around the landfill were developed for residential purposes in the early 2000s as at the time the landfill buffer was only 100 metres, which was later increased to 500 metres by The Environmental Protection Authority Victoria (EPA). The stench from the site has been haunting the community for a decade and a resident said to Star News that Veolia did not care, and EPA took no action, therefore no ‘real, meaningful or impactful action was taken’. EPA issued a remedial notice on 17 February 2023 to improve Veolia’s leachate management, a major contributor to the odour. A local resident told the Star News that his family had to constantly stay inside due to the smell and he was worried that it would damage people’s long-term health. Residents reported mental health distress because of the odour, dizziness, nausea, and being unable to enjoy being outdoors in their own homes. Veolia has officially lodged a planning permit application to Casey Council to build a waste transfer facility at the Hallam Road Landfill site. cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au


2023 YEAR IN REVIEW ...

NEWSMAKERS

Pearcedale temple dispute By Violet Li Pearcedale locals have banded together for two years to fight against a $4.5m temple development in the Mornington Peninsula Green Wedge. Non-profit multilingual Hindu organisation Melbourne Ayyappa Seva Sangam (MASS) is seeking a planning permit for a place of worship on the corner of Dandenong-Hastings Road and South Boundary Road West within the Watson Ward in rural Pearcedale. The envisioned development, more specifically a Hindu temple, would include a main temple complex, eating hall, toilet block, a storage shed, and a lake, and will necessitate the removal of existing vegetation and other earthworks. It would be open to patrons between 7am and 10am and 5pm to 8pm seven days a week. The maximum number of patrons on-site at any given time was expected to be around 150. Special ceremonies would be held twice yearly with the temple open for 24 hours. Locals and individuals from the broader community established a Peninsula Green Wedge Protection Group to oppose the development and advocate the protection of Green Wedge land across Victoria in February

The Green Wedge land in the Pearcedale has been earmarked for a proposed temple development. 365405 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS 2022. More than 800 members have joined the group. There have been 307 formal objections made to the Mornington Shire Council so far, which are mainly concerned about the nega-

tive environmental impacts. As the Council failed to judge within the required 60 days, the application has now been referred to the VCAT to gain approval. Peninsula Green Wedge Protection Group has launched fundraising on GoFundMe to invite legal representation and key witnesses to support its case at VCAT. Around $20,000 has been raised, yet still far behind its $60,000 target. Pearcedale resident Craig Gobbi will represent the group at the hearing. Though unable to decide on the application, the Council was still required to form its position to be pursued at VCAT proceedings. It resolved not to support the application with councillors unanimously voting no during a meeting on Tuesday 31 October. Eighteen submitters attended this meeting to speak against the development. Council planning officers agreed with objectors that the development was contrary to the protection of Green Wedge land as well as being an inappropriate location, size, and scale. They also suggested it would impose unacceptable impacts on the environment, flora, and fauna, and produce unacceptable visual impacts, noise and light pollution, traffic con-

gestion and accidents, and fire risks. Watson Ward Cr Kate Roper showed support for her locals and emphasised the purpose of setting up Green Wedge zones was to protect those lands from uses and developments that would diminish their agricultural, environmental, and cultural heritage values. She believed the proposal would be very appropriate and warmly welcome in any of the larger towns nearby, but not in the middle of farmland with such a large footprint. The Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action was consulted, and it objected to the granting of a planning permit due to concerns about the removal of native vegetation and unacceptable impacts on biodiversity values. The Department of Transport was also referred, and it acknowledged the issues of increased traffic. On 17 October, the Council approved a temporary permit for a religious event at the same site. A compulsory VCAT mediation meeting on 22 November 2023 failed to negotiate a middle ground. The upcoming nine-day hearing will start on 19 February.

FOCUS ON … DANCE, MUSIC AND DRAMA

Two decades Rockin Rockn’ Suzies’ dance classes have turned 20. And I still love teaching people how to dance. I believe that rock and roll is one of the easiest of the dance styles to master as it allows for lots of individuality. The classes are designed to be fun and easy to follow for those aged 10 upwards. Dancing is great for fitness, coordination, balance and memory, and many people form great friendships through the classes. I teach at Pakenham and Cranbourne. The Pakenham class is held in the hall where the library is at the corner of John and Henry streets. The Cranbourne class is held at the senior citizens hall corner of Codrington street and the South Gippsland Highway Both of the nights have beginner and advanced rock ‘n’ roll classes open to all with no partner required. Between classes some of the popular line dances are taught as well. Rockn’ Suzies also runs a monthly charity dance at the Pakenham hall which has been running for 19 years now. A different band plays each month which everyone in the community is welcome and encouraged to attend. For information call Sue on 5940 9791 or 0400 216 670

VCE dance success Two Cathy-Lea students received perfect scores for VCE VET Dance. Bella Vohs and Cari Weybury have studied Dance at Cathy-Lea Studios for 10 and 15 years respectively. They studied the VCE Dance course with Cathy-Lea over 2 years. The score of 50 contributes to their ATAR. Cari is in Year 11 and hopes to dance professionally. Bella completed Year 12 with an ATAR of 91.7 and is planning to study Health Science at Monash University. There are two of only three students in Victoria to be awarded perfect scores for this subject, which is studied by aspiring dancers in fulltime performing arts courses and secondary schools across the state. Another Cathy-Lea student, Ella Morrison, has been invited to audition for Top Class, indicating her Jazz solo was also one of the topscoring performances in the VCE Dance exams. Malia Simunic, a student of Evolve Studios who studied VCE VET Dance at Cathy-Lea, was also awarded A+ for her performance exam. VCE VET Dance is an industry-focussed subject for students in years 10-12 with some prior Dance training.

Cari captured by Belinda Strodder Photography.

Bella captured by Diva Dance Photography.

It is a great way for young dancers to boost their ATAR while doing something they love. Cathy-Lea Studios run VCE VET Dance at their Narre Warren Studios on Saturday afternoons. We welcome partnership with dance studios so students can continue training at their existing studio and just enrol in VET

Dance with Cathy-Lea. Enrolments are now open for 2024 with classes catering for students of all ages and abilities aged 18 months to adult. With over 150 classes per week in Dance, Music and Drama, Cathy-Lea is sure to have a class that meets your needs. Enrol now or book a free trial at www. cathy-lea.com

Rock n Roll Classes Beginners & Advanced Classes held at Cranbourne & Pakenham CRANBOURNE TUESDAY NIGHTS Starting 6th February at 7pm PAKENHAM WEDNESDAY NIGHTS Starting 7th February at 7pm

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Nicole Fowler and Kylie Gibbs enjoy Rockn’ Suzies.

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Enquire now 5/15-19 Vesper Dve, Narre Warren

9704 - 7324

office@cathy-lea.com

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cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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12658382-MP02-24

$10 per night - No Partner required

STAR NEWS 11


2023 YEAR IN REVIEW ...

Wicket keeper Jack at Pink Stumps Day. 319840 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

PHOTOS

Bula Meke Group is performing at 2023 Melbourne Pasifika Festival. 376966 Picture: ROB CAREW

A performance from Shazza and Razza the bandicoots entertained crowds at the unveiling ceremony of the Big Bandicoot Backyard program at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. 362327 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Best photos of the year

Communities are supporting Pearcedale Medical Centre and calling on the government to rezone the Casey South Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS catchment as an area of need so that the medical centre can recruit enough GPs. 368433

Sisters Ivy (left) and Summer are basking in their lantern lights as the twilight fades at the 2023 Lynbrook Lake Lantern Festival. 373032

Narre Warren family history society president Jane Rivett-Carnac and publicity officer Lyne McGregor conduct historical tours in Dandenong Cemetery to tell the tales of the dead. 365856 Picture: ROB CAREW

Look at that concentration, Eliza supports her dad Jake Genoni in the Tooradin-Dalmore Picture: ROB CAREW Reserves game. 361273 12 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 January, 2024

Cricket and footy for Joshua Swainston with his son Koby at Pearcedale Rec Reserve on Saturday. 369918 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Picture: ROB CAREW

Charlotte from Tooradin Primary School is dressing up as her 100-year-old self to celebrate her 100 days of school. 348599 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Anvi with her spectacular colours at the annual Festival of Colours. 324338 Picture: ROB CAREW cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au


FOCUS ON … DISABILITY

New year, new starts

SEC eagerly anticipates embracing the future together, committed to fostering a supportive and enriching community.

JobCo. Disability Services Provider Specialising in Mental Health Support We are a registered provider of NDIS and Disability Employment services, that has been assisting the community since 1995. JobCo.’s mission is to ensure anyone seeking employment services, training, counselling or support is assisted to the highest standard. We take an empowerment approach and support clients to develop independence and control over their personal recovery journey. We are a not-for-profit & our services are FREE Locations all over South East Including Pakenham, Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Dandenong and more!

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At Melbourne Youth Chorale, everyone has a voice. We believe that everyone deserves the gift of music, and that’s how MYC comes to have its own choir specifically for children with additional needs. Hazel and Joshua, two of MYC’s Flying Free Choristers, have learnt so much through music over the last two years. Their needs are very different, however by learning at their own pace and in their own way under the guidance of skilled speech and music therapists, they have developed their skills and grown immeasurably in their confidence. As well as learning music skills through singing, rhythm and games, Hazel and Joshua have been exploring socialisation, communication skills and emotional regulation. MYC’s Flying Free choir is about to embark on its third year, under the leadership of Joey Cho (Music Therapist) and Elena Benatar (Speech Pathologist). In consultation with parents, children in the Flying Free choir will have individualised learning plans and regular reviews to ensure the Flying Free choir is assisting children to grow and achieve their best. Plans for 2024 include co-learning and performance opportunities with MYC’s other junior choirs. For more information contact Kerry at manager.myc@gmail.com or visit MYC’s website at www.melbourneyouthchorale.com.au and complete an enquiry form.

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Young Choir flying high

Support Embrace Connect is entering 2024 excited for new beginnings and celebrating four years in the business. A fresh start to groups and a new enthusiasm for supporting participants. SEC has enjoyed the festive season, supporting participants who do not have informal support to engage with. SEC also has changed for the new year, with participants and team members working on our new support plans for the first quarter. Our support plan breaks down the NDIS goals into smaller goals to work toward over 12 weeks, and then we revisit and discuss the progress. We do not believe in only going out for coffee or groceries whenever we have a client. Our role is to support participants and work toward their NDIS goals. In the past four years, we have learned that support means more than just taking people shopping or for a walk or helping with groceries. Our support is individualised to each participant, and their goals are our motivation to help them improve or learn things to increase the opportunity to meet their goals. We are also mindful that sometimes, being a companion for a participant and supporting them through a tough time can be just as helpful to them as working on goals. We are mindful to work at the pace necessary for each individual and work with care teams where required to be guided in what is best for the participant at the time. We have several participants for whom we work closely with Allied health professionals engaged with them so we can support them in all ways needed for them to have the best outcome. SEC, 5-6/10 Princess Highway, Beaconsfield.

12626436-JB36-23

cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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STAR NEWS 13


2023 YEAR IN REVIEW ...

FRONT PAGES

Making news in 2023

14 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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SPORT

Calder crushes the Rams By Marcus Uhe Casey South Melbourne opening batter Matt Calder ensured his club debut was one to remember on Saturday morning, blasting an unbeaten 103 from just 54 deliveries in a topof-the-table T20 win over Ringwood at Casey Fields in Victorian Premier Cricket. Calder clattered four sixes and 13 fours in his knock, bringing up his century and the winning runs off the final ball of the innings with a cut shot through backward point. Teammate Lachlan Sperling defended the final two balls of the previous over with just three runs required for victory, allowing enough runs for Calder to reach the milestone early in the 16th over. From Mosman in New South Wales’ Premier Cricket competition, Calder was a seamless fit at the top of the order for the Swans, who chased Ringwood’s total of 8/148 four wickets down. He reached his half century of just 26 deliveries, having taken 18 runs from the fourth over of the innings bowled by Ringwood skipper David King. While the remainder of the top order failed to fire, Calder’s innings ensured there was no reason for concern, assuming the responsibility as chief destroyer of the Rams’ attack. Earlier, two wickets to Jackson Fry in the second over of Ringwood’s innings saw them fall to 2/7, with only opener Adam Amin able to put pressure on Casey’s bowling group. Amin hit 79 from 51 deliveries but struggled to build partnerships as wickets fell around him, the largest of the innings just 37 between he and Ian Holland. Five Swans bowlers took wickets while only conceding at slightly around a run-a-ball for the duration of the innings, aside from a late flurry from the tail. Skipper Luke Shelton took 2/23 from his four overs, while Fry finished with 2/21 from

his three. Calder backed-up his century in his first appearance for the Swans with a half-century in the second, as his side grabbed a second victory of the day later in the afternoon against Frankston Peninsula. Where the first game of the day saw the Swans chase, Shelton chose to bat against Frankton Peninsula where set the visitors a total of 6/151. Calder’s 64 from 51 topped the scorecard for the home side, having shared in a 84-run stand with wicketkeeper Devin Pollock, who hit 55 off 40. The two arrested a skid from the Swans that saw Ruwantha Kellapotha and Michael Wallace both dismissed within quick succession early in the innings, as the remainder of the batters struggled again. A break in the Big Bash League schedule for the Melbourne Renegades allowed the Swans to include Kellapotha, but the all rounder was below his best, despite an economical performance in the second contest. Fry struck early the Swans’ defence to dismiss opener Jai Elcock and put the pressure back on the Heat, which never recovered in pursuit of the total. Former Swan Luke Manders was forced to retire not out on 17, and none of his teammates passed 26 thanks to a tight bowling performance. Fry, Kellapotha and Sperling’s economy rates were each below six, while Shelton was not far behind on 6.6, having taken 2/20 from his three overs. Sperling was the standout bowler with 2/14 from his 4. The competition returns to 50-over fixtures next week, with the Swans facing another contender to their ladder-leading status when they take on second-placed Carlton at Princes Park.

Matthew Calder hit 103 on debut for Casey South Melbourne on Saturday against Ringwood. 382049 Picture: ROB CAREW

Massive games headline Kookaburra Cup semi-finals By David Nagel Kooweerup and Merinda Park will look to convert dominant round-robin form into grand final appearances when the Demons and Cobras host semi-finals of the CCCA T20 Kookaburra Cup. Kooweerup finished top of ‘Premier Pool B’, with victories over Pakenham, Clyde and Carlisle Park seeing the Demons two games clear at the top of the four-team ladder. Carlisle Park, Clyde and Pakenham all had one win each from their three games in Pool B, with the Lions – Pakenham - qualifying for the semi-final stage courtesy of a superior percentage. Kooweerup will host Devon Meadows in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday 16 January, after the Panthers qualified second in ‘Premier Pool A’, while Pakenham will head to Tony Way Reserve to take on Merinda Park in Semi-Final 2. The Cobras have been super impressive to this stage of the tournament, with wins over Tooradin, Devon Meadows and Cardinia setting up a handy buffer at the top of the Pool A table. Marquee player Michael De Iacovo set the scene early for the Cobras, making a rapidfire 76 off just 42 deliveries in an impressive opening-round win over Tooradin. That polished performance was well supported by all-rounder Rumesh Ranasinghe, who backed up his 21 runs, from 11 balls, with a tidy three-wicket spell. Ranasinghe returned figures of 3/13 from four overs against the Seagulls, and has proven that no fluke with two further prominent displays with the ball. In round two, he took 3/15 against Devon Meadows, which included a rare maiden in the shortest form of the game. He then took 3/16 against Cardinia, before making 58 not out from 48 balls in a succranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au

Merinda Park all-rounder Rumesh Ranasinghe has been the star performer in the CCCA T20 Picture: ROB CAREW Kookaburra Cup during the qualifying rounds of the tournament. 365479 cessful run chase. If there was an MVP Award in the Kookaburra Cup, Ranasinghe would lead the pack with a likely eight votes from a maximum nine available. But while the Cobras remain undefeated, they welcome a Pakenham side that has

some serious fire-power at its disposal. Lions’ dynamo Dale Tormey has the highest individual score of the tournament so far, pummelling an unbeaten 94 from just 54 balls against Carlisle Park in round two. Tormey and Jordan Cleland (65 not out off 59 balls) – a marquee player from Berwick -

produced an unbeaten 151-run partnership for the second wicket to lead the Lions to victory. Tormey was brutal against the Vikings, crunching seven boundaries and six maximums in an innings that finished with a strike rate of 174.07. This one should be close; but we’ll go for De Iacovo to win the battle of the big hitters and lead the Cobras to victory. Kooweerup will start a pronounced favourite against Devon Meadows in its semifinal, although the Panthers have had some steady contributors that could take the game up to the Demons. Vishesh Bansal 55 (53) was the star for the Panthers in round one, while Nathan Worsteling (52 (41) put his name in lights in round two. And, speaking of lights, it was Lucas Ligt – with 3/27 and 37 off 55 balls – that was the shining light for the Panthers in their roundthree clash of the tournament. But this is a step up in class; with the likes of Luke McMaster, Chris Bright, Sahan Perera and Steve Dillon to lead the Demons to a grand final berth. The two undefeated sides in District Division, Officer and Lang Lang, will host semifinals in the second-tier competition. The Bullants host reigning champions Cranbourne Meadows, while Lang Lang will look to make It back-to-back grand final appearances when the Swampies roll out the red carpet for NNG/Maryknoll. CCCA KOOKABURRA CUP Semi-Final Fixture Tuesday 16 January, 2023 PREMIER: MERINDA PARK host Pakenham, KOOWEERUP host Devon Meadows. DISTRICT: OFFICER host Cranbourne Meadows, LANG LANG host Nar Nar Goon/ Maryknoll. Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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STAR NEWS 17


SPORT

Loyal Kelly reaches 250th By Jonty Ralphsmith Four senior premierships, life membership of his home club and player-of-the-match in the Victorian Big Bash T20 competition all sit handsomely on Cranbourne milestone man Cam Kelly’s cricketing resume. The all-rounder brought up the 250-game milestone in the Eagles’ two-wicket loss to Parkfield on Saturday, just the fifth player in the club’s history to reach that number. Those around the club know him as the selfless social glue who has been an engineer in connecting all generations to the club’s salient principles. Selflessly sacrificing the central role he was playing as captain of Turf 2 reserves strong season in 2022-23 to add batting depth to the seniors was a recent example of team-first attitude. “Cam is arguably Cranbourne’s most decorated player,” First XI skipper and fellow veteran Clinton Ayres said. “He’s a loyal clubman and great teammate.” Kelly has been a malleable member of the First XI line-up across the years, his all-round skillset enabling him to fill several roles. Following a left rotator cuff injury in Cranbourne’s 2015-16 grand final victory, batting has taken increasing precedent. While frustrated with his inability to make a score, never passing 51 despite only once failing to make 20, Kelly’s form with the blade this season has been significant in his team’s finals push. “I’m batting as well as I feel like I ever have,” he said. “It’s come about because of opportunity and my mindset is a bit better out in the middle – I’m willing to wait for the right ball rather than trying to create something. “I try to bat the same way no matter where I bat – if I get a ball in my area, I’m still going to try and hit it but opening gives me a bit more time.” While Kelly will start and finish his career as a batter-first, his weapon for much of his senior

Cam Kelly has played all his junior and senior cricket for Cranbourne. 204257 career has been his left-arm swing bowling. It was his composure with the ball which guided Cranbourne to the Victorian Big Bash T20 premiership at the MCG, Kelly taking two key wickets in an economical spell to set the grand final up. “It was a bit surreal,” he said of playing on the MCG. “There were only a couple of hundred watching from each club so it was quite quiet – when someone middled it, there was a real echo. “It was great to be part of.”

Picture: ROB CAREW

Cranbourne summiting that apex was part of a strong era for the club, which climbed from Turf 4 in 2007-08 to winning the Turf 1 premiership in 2015-16. Now back in Turf 2, Kelly is confident the elusive premiership is just around the corner. “This year’s been quite promising – the culture’s excellent, everyone gets along, it’s a really happy change room and there’s quite a bit of depth coming through in the lower grades,” he said.

CAM KELLY’S CAREER STATISTICS

· 250 games · 4 premierships · 3157 runs · 256 wickets · 107 catches · 9 50s · 2 Hat-tricks · DDCA Turf 2 Bowling Average award 2012-13 Cricket Club Turf 1 Bowling Av· Cranbourne erage award 2014-15

Magpies back in winner’s books after downing Lyndale By Jonty Ralphsmith The constant will and high work-rate of Bevan Radhakrishnan has been crucial for Narre Warren so far in Turf 2 of the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA). The Magpies had significant turnover in their First XI following last season, with the experienced Radhakrishnan one of few experienced campaigners remaining who knows the game plan – and he’s executed it excellently. His busy 84 off 78 on Saturday against Lyndale at Barry Powell Oval was the latest in a series of knocks this season where he has played the match situation well, as his season average of 42 reflects. Saturday’s knock was crucial, with wickets falling all around him, which threatened to undo the hard work of openers Ben Swift and Luke Clarke. While the openers’ platform triggered hopes of a score in excess of 200, quick wickets allayed that optimism. They would have been all out much earlier than their eventual 173 if not for Radhakrishnan’s initiative. The big hitters of both sides naturally targeted the short straight boundaries, which worked in Sahan Jayawardana’s favour as the Magpie banged away with seven overs of back-of-a-length bowling. He finished with 4/19 including two early wickets which put Narre in the driver’s seat for most of the Dales’ innings. Late cameos to skipper Ben Montgomery and Nithiyananthan Mahendrakumar kept the hosts in the day but Narre struck just as Lyndale hope appeared to be restored – something replicated several times throughout the day. The result keeps Narre Warren in the finals hunt, while Lyndale will be ruing the missed opportunity to draw level on points with sec18 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 11 January, 2024

Narre Warren nabbed its second win of the season on Saturday. 382054 ond-placed Parkfield. At Parkfield, a 132-run opening partnership between the classical Dishan Malalasekera and free-scoring Nathaniel Cramer helped the hosts chase down 232 in an entertaining run-fest against Cranbourne. The pair struck a perfect blend of boundary-hitting and strike rotation. Both players seized on the loose balls as they look to have both found the successful recipe in tandem, Malasekera making a chanceless 67 to lift his season average to 32, while Cramer’s 64 came after a 52 against Heinz Southern Districts in the last match before Christmas. Cramer’s wicket soon after his opening partner’s invited Cranbourne back into the contest as they claimed 5/26 in a strong burst from spinners Harsaroup Singh and Sajana De Silva. But skipper Stephen Cannon stabilised

Picture: ROB CAREW

with an unbeaten 29, while debutante Riyanzi Fernando came in late and hit a straight six first ball which effectively sealed the result. The match captured in miniature the central narratives to Cranbourne’s season: doggedly competitive, attractive to watch, but reliant on too few. Veteran batter Cam Kelly and mediumfast bowler Tim Fathers have provided the auxiliary to Harsaroup Singh’s and Sajana De Silva’s profitable efforts but contributions have otherwise been thin. Kelly, playing his 250th First XI game for Cranbourne, played his role perfectly, hitting 39 opening the batting, which allowed Singh and De Silva to put the foot on the accelerator. Both players were in a boundary-hitting mindset, using the pace of Hansika Kodikara to throw the hands at width and move around in the crease against the spinners.

Singh didn’t get enough height on an attempted lofted cover drive, however, dismissed late in the innings one run short of a century, while De Silva scored 41. Cranbourne appeared to justify the decision to bat first by setting 233, but the intent and poise of the Bandits’ openers against the imperfect Eagles attack swung the momentum. Elsewhere, Heinz Southern Districts’ fight to stay in the contest was once again on show as it defeated Parkmore by 24 runs. After opener Brent Patterson gave the Cobras a platform with a well-constructed halfcentury, Parkmore fought back through the middle. But, like they have done so often this season, the lower-order, led by Jett Kearney, added late spice to enable HSD to set a target of 200. With the ball, it was Jackson Philpin who did the damage playing in the First XI for the first time this season. Slasher Jaime Brohier posed the most danger to HSD before he was one of Philpin’s four victims, the Cobras mostly able to keep the Pirates at an arm’s length thereafter. At Greaves Reserve, often a tricky venue for spinners, Dandenong West leg-spinner Riley Siwes took another leap back towards his best bowling with 4/14 off six as the Bulls bowled Keysborough out for 84 in a ninewicket win. RESULTS: Parkmore 10/175 defeated by HSD 7/199, Parkfield 8/236 defeated Cranbourne 7/232, Lyndale 10-158 defeated by Narre Warren 9/173, Dandenong West 1/86 defeated Keysborough 84 LADDER: Dandenong West 47, Parkfield 36, HSD 33, Cranbourne 30, Lyndale 30, Narre Warren 21, Parkmore 18, Keysborough 9 FIXTURE: Narre Warren v HSD, Cranbourne v Keysborough, Parkmore v Lyndale, Dandenong West v Parkfield. cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au


SPORT

Brad Hodge will turn out for Berwick Springs on Tuesday. 110519 Picture: BRIDGET COOK

Titans sign Brad Hodge Jeevan Mendis played a crucial role in Narre South’s thrilling win over Beaconsfield. 379818

Picture: ROB CAREW

Lions sneak home By Marcus Uhe A remarkable contest of twists and turns between Narre South and Beaconsfield saw the Lions sneak home on the final ball of the afternoon by one wicket in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 action on Saturday at Beaconsfield’s Perc Allison Oval. With the scores tied on 166, a single to Ruween Wijesinghe off the final ball of the match pushed the Lions past Beaconsfield’s total, and secured his side’s first win since round two. Beaconsfield was in the driver’s seat for much of their batting innings thanks to a 125run stand for the third wicket between Yohan Arumadura and Mark Cooper. Former Tiger Callan Tout removed Tyler Clark for a fourth-ball duck, bringing Cooper and Arumadura together in the first over. Arumadura was the aggressor in the partnership, scoring with a higher strike rate than his captain over the course of their union. But his departure for 74 set in motion a stunning collapse, the Tigers falling from 1/126 to 166 all out in the 42nd over. Kevin Seth fell for a golden duck immediately after Arumadura to Kyle Hardy, with the

remaining batters all falling for single-figure scores, separate collapses of 2/0 and 4/2 the low points of the innings. Cooper was the final man dismissed, falling just shy of carrying his bat, for 49. Jeevan Mendis was the pick of the Lions’ bowlers, finishing with 3/45 from his 12 overs. Beaconsfield made a promising start to their defence, reducing the visitors to 4/59 upon the dismissal of Hardy for 33. Hardy saw Harsha De Silva, Callum Nicholls and Alex Cruickshank all come-and-go for single-figure scores, and departed in the midst of a promising partnership with Mendis. The reigning Wookey medallist added 47 with wicketkeeper Riley McDonald for the fifth wicket and wrestled momentum back to purple, but his and McDonald’s departure in short succession shifted the balance once again. When Mendis was bowled by Trishane De Silva, the Lions needed a further 56 runs from the remaining 41 deliveries, with only four wickets in hand. Tout and Sean Wilson added 36 for the seventh wicket, aided by a 25 runs from the 40th and 41st over.

Wilson’s 14-run cameo came to an end in the 43rd over, however, 20 runs shy of the target. 12 runs from the 44th over, thanks to an important six from Brad Parker, made it seven runs required at the beginning of the final set of six. Parker’s run out made for an awful start to the over, Wijesinghe joining Tout at the crease requiring seven from Mitchell Tielen’s final five balls. They did it the hard way, running ones and twos off the next four deliveries, tying the scores on the second last ball before sealing the six points on the last ball of the day. The win is significant for the Lions’ mental fortitude, having lost games from winnable positions against Buckley Ridges and Berwick before Christmas. Hardy’s 33 was the top score for Narre South, Arumadura bowling five maidens in his spell of 1/24 to go with his excellent innings with the bat. Ashan Madhushanka and Seth each took two wickets for the Tigers, who may come to rue this contest at the end of the season when finals positions are on the line.

CCCA creating pathways for female cricket The Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) is displaying a positive approach to creating opportunities for females to become involved in cricket. With the hard work of Female Cricket Managers Simona Tidyman and Bec Newman, the association has developed a plan to initiate a ‘Social Sixes’ program early in 2024. South East Area Manager Peter Symons claimed that the program will provide mature females with the chance to gain valuable exercise; enjoy the fun associated with the project, and learn valuable cricket skills at the same time. Similar programs have been organized at many suburban Melbourne venues including Brunswick, Doncaster, Warrandyte, Koonung Heights and Kew. The idea is to gather to play a modified game and perhaps develop sufficient skills to be the basis of future activity. With the assistance of the Bendigo Bank, Casey Cardinia will be able to finance the development of successful initiatives. “While female cricket has been established in the CCCA, we really would like to develop a whole pathway approach so that girls and mature females will become interested in joining this fun approach to becoming captivated by the sport,” said CCCA President Rob Hansen. The CCCA is laying the foundations and planning for the initiative to take off early this year. cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au

Chloe Robinson, from Bendigo Bank Lang Lang, presents a cheque to CCCA President Rob Picture: SUPPLIED Hansen and former President Bob Taylor. 379754

By Jonty Ralphsmith Former Australian batter and Big Bash League star Brad Hodge will turn out for Berwick Springs in the quarterfinals of the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) T20 competition. All four knockout matches were rescheduled to Tuesday 16 January at 5.15pm after rain prevented play in the original date of 9 January. Hodge and the Titans will play at Berwick Springs Recreation Reserve against Turf 2 side Heinz Southern Districts. Hodge’s appearance promises to bring people through the gates, with the Titans heavily promoting the 49-yearold’s cameo since announcing it on their Facebook page on December 31. The elegant right-hander represented Australia 46 times across the three formats between 2005 and 2014 and has a Test Match and One Day International century to his name. Now a regular in the Channel 7 commentary box, the top-order bat also has an imposing record in the shortest format, finishing with 277 professional T20s to his name, with an average of 37 and strike rate of 131. “We’re all really keen so we were really flat when they called it off on Tuesday,” Berwick Springs First XI skipper Braydon Hillman said. “It’s going to be a big moment, a lot of the younger guys are keen to get around him. “Even myself, I grew up watching him. “I’m excited from a tactical perspective because he’s played so much white ball cricket, he’d be great to get some ideas off, whether it be field placements or bowling tactics or something like that.” It’s a significant moment for a young club looking to make its mark on the DDCA. “It’s announcing that we’re here to compete,” Hillman said. “We’d love to win this T20 competition. “No-one really knows about us so it gets our name out there and puts us on the map a bit and shows we’re not here to mess around.” The Titans qualified for the quarterfinals by defeating Turf 1 side Beaconsfield and Parkmore, which was in Turf 1 last season. As well as their application in the shortest format, the Titans are the only team to have beaten Coomoora in Turf 3 this season – and have done so twice. It’s off the back of the club’s most pronounced recruiting drive ever, which saw it welcome in the experience of Shalika Karunanayake as player-coach, Sachintha Rajapakse, Scott Lindsay, Seth Lindsay and Radomir Badzoka. The other quarterfinals see Berwick take on St Mary’s, North Dandenong host Fountain Gate and Springvale South square off against Narre South. Thursday, 11 January, 2024

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STAR NEWS 19


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