News - Cranbourne Star News - 11th April 2024

By Violet Li and AAP

As six members of Casey’s Indian community have lost their lives to drowning this year, a community volunteer is calling for more water safety awareness while stressing the need for swimming lessons.

Clyde residents Dharmvir Singh, 38, and Gurjinder Singh, 65, drowned after leaping into a pool at a Gold Coast hotel to try to save the younger man’s child on Sunday 31 March.

The shocking news came only two months after Victoria’s worst drowning incident in almost two decades where three Clyde North residents - Kirti Bedi, 20, Suhani Anand, 20, and Jagjeet Singh Anand, 23 - and Reema Sondhi from India, drowned during holidays at Forrest Caves Beach on Phillip Island on Wednesday 24 January.

On 12 January, Cranbourne East man Sahil

Panwar, 25, was swept out to sea in the vicinity of the Bourne Creek Trestle Bridge at Kilcunda Surf Beach when he was trying to retrieve his sunglasses in the water.

The Officer Sikh Temple Gurudwara Siri Guru Nanak Darbar held a voluntary prayer service on Thursday 4 April for the shattered families of Dharmvir and Gurjinder.

Harpreet Singh Kandra, a community volunteer who helped organise the prayer service, said they tried to build a bit of water safety awareness in the community on the day.

“A lot of people in the Indian community do not know swimming, which is not good. We did tell people that it’s good for everyone to learn to swim,” he said.

“If you can’t learn swimming, you need to be extra careful with water when you are on a holiday.”

He said there was a need for the media and

the community to build up awareness on a wider scale.

“When news is new, people remember it and people can relate to it. But once the news dies down, people again get used to their lives,” he said.

“I have spoken with a few community leaders, and I don’t think it’s a problem in the wider community.

“Again, we are using the opportunity to make the community aware of water safety and the need for us to learn swimming.

“People come here when they relocate from other countries. They learn driving because driving is an important skill to have here, and we are stressing that swimming is also an important state skill to acquire.”

Holt MP Cassandra Fernando said she was deeply heartbroken about the recent drownings of Dharmvir Singh and Gurjinder Singh,

which followed other drowning incidents that have taken the lives of people from the community.

“Every life lost is one too many,” she said.

“When I heard about the incident that took place on the Gold Coast, I could not help but reflect that I had only recently attended the funeral of the four people from the Indian community who lost their lives at Forrest Caves Beach.

“It’s important to drive more awareness about being safe in and around the water.

“While swimming lessons are often a staple in Australian schools, it is important that this is not the case around the world. Similarly, while we’ve been taught to ‘swim between the flags’ since childhood, not everyone is aware of this.”

Continued page 3

Picture:

PM honours young authors

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Young publishers earned the thanks of the Prime Minister at a Sikh festival celebration at Bunjil Place, Narre Warren on Sunday 7 April.

PM Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan recognised the 17 students who co-created the book The Dry Village.

The book is touted as “one of its kind”written in English and Punjabi languages, and set to be donated to Victorian schools by Sikh Volunteers Australia.

The Dry Village tells the tale of a village community coming together to overcome a long-term drought.

Much like the SVA’s own renowned food-relief efforts during disasters across the country.

Mr Albanese and Ms Allan joined a long list of VIPs in traditional Sikh attire at the Vaisakhi harvest festival celebration which also marked SVA’s 10th anniversary.

The Prime Minister later paid tribute to SVA’s “extraordinary work”.

“During the pandemic they provided food for students who were in desperate need for that support.

“During the bushfires, during floods. Wherever there are issues confronting Australians, we see the best of the Australian character and there’s no community organisation that has done more than Sikh Volunteers Australia.

“We see them whether it be here in Victoria, or up in Lismore, wherever there are floods or natural weather events, we see people putting their values into practice by providing that support to their fellow Australians who are in need.”

SVA chief executive Jaswinder Singh said SVA appreciated the recognition from the federal and state leaders.

“They gave a moral boost to volunteers that the things we are doing are good, required and appreciated by the highest leaders. This is en-

couragement to everyone.

“The whole festival was excellent and great. The energy was like a madhouse, a tremendous flow of energy on and off stage.”

The students behind The DryVillage are Divjot Kaur, Balsharn Kaur, Ibadat Kaur, Gunnit

Kaur, Gurnaaz Singh, Harjaap Singh, Jasnam Singh, Keert Kaur, Manjap Kaur, Pritpal Singh, Puneet Kaur, Roop Kaur, Sahib Kaur, Tavleen Kaur, Triptas Singh, Manroop Kaur and Manjaap Kaur.

Also recognised at the event were about 15

youth volunteers who helped SVA distribute food relief in Hastings, Rosebud, Frankston, Noble Park and Dandenong.

State and federal MPs, and members ofVictoria Police, SES, CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria were also invited.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with some of the young publishers recognised by Sikh Volunteers Australia.

Missing bus link

By Violet Li

A former Department of Transport bus planner says there should be better bus connections between Berwick and Cranbourne, and an overhaul review for Berwick’s bus network should be on the table.

Peter Parker first pointed out the missing link between Casey’s two crucial suburbs on his Melbourne On the Transit blog in 2019. Almost five years later, nothing had changed.

“There’s still no direct bus between Berwick and Cranbourne. It is an issue because Berwick has private schools, hospitals, and tertiary education that many people need to use,” he said.

Mr Parker noted the bus route did not keep up with the rapid development of the region.

“At one time, there wasn’t much housing between Cranbourne and Berwick because Berwick is a very old suburb and Cranbourne is also long established,” he said.

“Then the new housing in Berwick has gone south into Clyde and Cranbourne has gone east into Clyde and Clyde North.

“They sort of joined together so it now makes sense that for all the people living between the two suburbs there is a continuous bus route.”

The Cranbourne bus network was overhauled in 2016 by the State Government but it did not introduce a direct Cranbourne to Berwick route, while the Berwick bus network hasn’t had a thorough review for years, Mr Parker said.

“They [the Department of Transport] really need to sit back and have a look and see how we can make the network better,” he said.

Mr Parker also believed the bus routes in Casey should be simpler, more direct, and more frequent, a perspective echoed by a report from the state’s peak infrastructure body published in November last year.

Infrastructure Victoria (IV) had proposed increased frequency, longer operating hours, extra bus lanes, and more direct routes for growth areas like Casey in the report.

“There are many routes in Casey that overlap one another. Like I think Clyde Road might

have four or five routes,” Mr Parker said.

“Bus routes are often typically very infrequent, and they might just finish at a dead-end location.

“They might be there only every 40 to 60 minutes, which if you’re trying to make a connection or to make a train or when you’re coming off a train, then that’s quite a long period to wait.

“Therefore, it’s quicker for a lot of people to drive, and that adds to traffic on the roads. Also, cars are expensive so there’s cost of living issues there.”

The timetable did not reflect the current trends of the society, Mr Parker said.

“About 40 years ago, there was no Sunday trading, for instance. And shops were closed at

midday on a Saturday,” he said.

“These bus timetables reflect how things were 30 or 40 years ago, and a lot of them haven’t had changes that respond to things since then.

“It’s basically a reluctance of the government to fix bus timetables.”

Mr Parker said the government had overlooked the bus service.

“They did have a bus plan, but theVictorian Bus Plan came out over 1000 days ago,” he said.

“They’ve done very little with it.

“I think there’ll be demand for people to use buses if there is a good bus opportunity for some people’s trips.”

The Department of Transport was contacted for comment.

Fatal collision

Police are investigating a fatal collision in Lynbrook which occurred on Friday 5 April.

It is believed that a car collided with a motorcycle near the intersection of South Gippsland Freeway and Henry Lawson Drive about 12.45pm.

The rider of the motorcycle, who was yet to be identified at the time, died at the scene.

The driver of the car stopped at the scene and was assisting police with their enquiries.

The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are being investigated.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, with dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

Man charged following Narre Warren stabbing

Police have charged a 34-year-old Narre Warren man following an alleged stabbing in Narre Warren on Friday 5 April.

Emergency services were called to a Tralee Circuit address following reports a woman had been stabbed just before 4pm.

The 34-year-old woman was in hospital with serious injuries, and the man was charged with a number of assault charges, including intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury and making threats to kill.

He was remanded to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 6 April.

Cranbourne East crash

Police attended a crash in Cranbourne East on 7 April. It is believed a vehicle clipped a road barrier before flipping on its side on BerwickCranbourne Road at about 5.45pm.

The driver and sole occupant was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Clyde North fire

CFA responded to a structure fire at Ellaroo Circuit, Clyde North at around 4.32pm on 7 April.The incident involved a two-storey property, with the fire extending to a neighbouring property.

An advice message was issued for smoke in the area.

Seven units from Berwick, Casey, Beaconsfield, and Narre Warren responded alongside FRV. The incident was deemed under control at 4.54pm and declared safe at 5.28pm.

Cranbourne girl among two arrested following crash

Police have arrested two children, including one from Cranbourne, following a collision in Frankston on the morning of Monday 8 April.

Officers first noticed a 2015 silver Honda CRV travelling at high speeds along Cranbourne Road in Frankston at about 1.15am.

Police attempted to intercept the Honda but were unsuccessful at the time.

The vehicle continued to travel through Frankston at high speeds when the driver failed to negotiate a corner and hit a fence, before crashing into a tree outside a residence on Coprosma Avenue, at about 1.25am.

Initially, the driver fled from the severely damaged vehicle, before returning to the scene a few minutes later.

Both the driver and her passenger were uninjured in the crash and were arrested at the scene.

Two 16-year-old girls from Cranbourne and Noble Park were assisting police with their inquiries.

The Honda CRV is believed to have been stolen from an address on Durham Street, Richmond between 30 March and 1 April.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppers.com.au

Deaths spark safety plea

From page 1

Ms Fernando said she was currently in discussions with a few Indian community organisations about the steps they could take to improve water safety awareness.

The drowning of two men from Melbourne’s Indian community has also prompted a plea from lifesavers to inject more cash into multicultural water safety programs.

Multicultural communities are five times more likely to drown when swimming and the Indian community is particularly vulnerable, according to Life Saving Victoria.

Following the tragedy, the state’s peak water safety body said urgent action was needed to better support multicultural communities around water, with 28,000 migrants arriving in Victoria each year.

Philanthropic organisations and local governments have been forced to fill gaps in funding, Life Saving Victoria’s diversity and inclusion advisor David Holland said.

“We’re at the stage now where (programs) won’t operate without the generosity and the assistance of the State Government,” he told reporters on Friday 5 April.

‘‘We’re pretty much tapped out.”

Life Saving Victoria wants to develop the water skills of as many African, Asian, and Middle Eastern people as possible so they can work as pool lifeguards, swim teachers, and volunteers.

“For people who can’t come to the beach and learn, we’ll go to their classroom, church, sporting clubs, community centre, homework group and we’ll deliver (programs) there,” Mr Holland said.

Victorian Minister Vicki Ward said the State Government had spent more than $400,000 on supporting multicultural community water safety awareness. “We will continue to work with our communities and... with our swimming industry to see how we can continue to help keep Victorians safe,” she said.

Bus routes in Casey should be simpler, more direct, and more frequent, former Department of Transport bus planner Peter Parker says.

Cancer support recognition

By Ethan Benedicto

Being heralded as one of a city’s most upstanding citizens - whether through commendation for your deeds, representation of a people, or a combination of both and everything in between - is a title many would be honoured to have.

As is the case for Jodie Hollis, who was named City of Casey’sWoman of theYear on 22 March, for her outstanding commitment and contribution to the community through her work and personal endeavours.

Jodie’s repertoire made its mark in 2017 through her volunteer work for the NarreCranbourne Relay for Life and in recognition of her involvement with the locality, she was given the Holt Australia Day Award in 2020.

Fast forward to 2024, Jodie said that while she was initially shocked to have won, the award has pushed her to strive for more.

“I feel excited and elated, to tell the truth, knowing who I was up against in that category - they were just so deserving of the award that it’s a pity they couldn’t give it to all of us.

“It seems that almost every year there’s another [award] under my or the charity’s belt and it does, it pushes me to continue to hit new levels and raise the bar day in and day out with Cancer Support Angels,” she said.

A not-for-profit organisation that focuses on providing direct practical, financial and emotional support to those undergoing cancer treatment, Cancer Support Angels was Jodie’s ultimate ambition and is not a centrepiece of her life.

“Back in 2013 when I had my own journey with thyroid cancer, I was looking around for support groups and I just couldn’t find any,” she said.

“I could only find online groups and also no financial support services besides Centrelink; that was one of the things that made me

‘It’s

By Violet Li

A futuristic semi-open piece of impressive architecture is tucked away in the quiet neighbourhood of Lifestyle Meridian in Clyde North.

The white front wall says it is a microgrid and battery house. Inside the structure, a lineup of contained batteries stands on one side and faces two digital screens installed on the opposite wall: a monitoring dashboard for the homeowners to see how much energy they are saving and an educational cartoon for kids from the surrounding schools to learn how the microgrid works.

Innovative solar energy and battery microgrids are emerging as a certainty to save homeowners in the lifestyle community up to 30 per cent on electricity bills, a comfort when power bills bite.

The innovation has been the largest of its kind in a residential community in Australia, a partnership with renewable energy solution provider Mondo that started almost two years ago.

“It’s a renewable energy microgrid that has turned this community into a self-serving virtual power plant that meets a large portion of its own energy needs,” Mondo business and market development manager Max Karmali explained.

“We’ve distributed the rooftop solar systems across the community on a selected number of roofs. Then our energy management technology Ubi connected these rooftop solar systems to a centralised commercial battery for energy monitoring and reducing the energy import from the national grid.

“The more energy you generate, and you use at your own sites, then the less energy you need to use from the national grid. Therefore, it reduces the cost of electricity for the homeowners.”

Clean, low-cost energy is generated from 6-kilowatt solar panels placed on every third home acting as nodes in the grid network. The microgrid will, it is estimated, reduce emissions by roughly 600 tonnes every year.

go ‘maybe I should look into starting a support group for people with all cancers’.

“While every single person’s journey is different, I find that we’re talking about similar things,” Jodie said.

Jodie founded Cancer Support Angels in 2019 and is entering its fourth year of service to the community.

The journey itself had not been easy, however, and began with Jodie selling her previous business to volunteer for three years to gain insight into the people and their needs.

The organisation officially launched on 16 March 2020 and was met with a tumultuous road to begin its journey.

“When we did start in December we were hit by bushfires, and then when they died down we had severe flooding throughout the country.

“Everything from that died down, and we just started out first moral support groups and whatnot, and then around 22 March I fell over and had a a bad accident,” she said.

Jodie had broken her ankle and torn a few

That’s the equivalent of filling 120 hot air balloons.

A number of parameters were considered when the crew installed the solar panels such as sunshine, the development pipeline, and the orientation of the houses.

More north-facing and west-facing roofs were used to capture more sunshine throughout the year.

“Every solar system has now been installed. We are connecting more and more grids to the batteries. I think we are close to 90 per cent of the grids connected. And more benefits will flow through,” Max said. Homeowner Gemma Brown is one of the many who loves such renewable innovation.

ligaments, and after undergoing surgery she came home at the beginning of the series of lockdowns.

“There was trying to overcome the navigation of children studying at home, not being able to go anywhere and also not being able to do anything since I was stuck in a wheelchair.

“I had to sit there and say, ‘how am I going to navigate online?’, I’m not a marketer, I’m a bookkeeper.

“I just sat there and continually posted every day, we came up with new strategies but finally we got a really large donation from Village Cinemas in Fountain Gate to start our care packs,” Jodie said.

The cogs began turning for Jodie, and with the help of a then-young advertising firm that offered their services free of charge for a month, the not-for-profit moved towards its full potential.

“In the first few days that they were working for us and doing all of our online content, we had 2000 requests for care packs and we had to put it on hold after nine days so I could pack them.

“We started the campaign again, and within 12 days we had another 2000 requests for packs, so they kind of catapulted us nationally in that respect pretty quickly.

“We just had to realise that our presence was going to be more online than it was faceto-face, it was a massive pivot from what we originally planned, but thank God it worked,” Jodie said.

Moving forward, the Cancer Support Angels is a combination of both online and in-person support, with the launch of face-to-face support groups in Casey.

At any given time, there are roughly 70 to 80 active volunteers for the organisation, and with over 5000 patients already supported, Jodie and the Angels are looking to spread their influence and work state-wide.

“It’s not necessarily just about the cost savings upfront, but it’s also about what it does for the way of living,” she said.

“It’s the way of the future.

“You could also bring young children in and show them this and show them how sustainability is important for the environment.”

Lifestyle Meridian construction manager Jennifer De Baize believes the whole idea of a microgrid system is making the place a sustainable community.

“We want to reduce the cost for our homeowners so that it is a much more affordable way of living for them as well, but then we would also be able to divert that energy out as a sustainable company,” she said.

The key uniqueness of the project was that there had been lots of applications of solar panels, but the use of battery was what differentiated the experiment in the lifestyle community.

“Other people would just use the solar and that’s it. But this is the first and largest of its kind with solar and battery microgrids in a land lease community,” Max said.

“The design that we have put is quite unique in the country.

“We’re very proud of this system. It’s such a great service.

“Everyone can benefit from this locally generated energy, locally stored energy, and locally used energy.”

Jodie Hollis began her journey with Cancer Support Angels in December 2019, and the not-forprofit has since grown exponentially.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Minister approves housing

By Violet Li

Federal Environment Minister has approved

housing development on about three hectares of endangered bandicoot habitats near Cranbourne’s botanic garden, which wildlife conservation expert says would be a huge blow for the species and contribute to its further population decline.

The approval would lead to 3.1 hectares of dense vegetation cleared by Brown Property Group for future housing.

A Department of Environment spokesperson said the department approved the residential development at 40-46 Cyril Beechey Lane in Cranbourne following a rigorous assessment under national environment law.

“After considering the proposed avoidance, mitigation, and offset measures for the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot (eastern), the minister’s delegate approved the action,

with strict conditions to protect the environment.”

The approval conditions imposed include that the developer must maintain a 30-metrewide biodiversity corridor along the eastern boundary of the residential development area, which is believed to provide habitat connectivity for the bandicoot, between the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne to the south and Grandeur Nature Reserve to the north.

To offset the clearing of the habitat, the developer will also need to conserve a 10-hectare site in Ocean Grange inVictoria.

Professor of wildlife and ecology at Deakin University Euan Ritchie said as the species had been endangered in Victoria and the population had been declining, any destruction of remaining habitat, particularly good habitat at the Cranbourne address, would be another blow for the species and contribute to further

decline of the population.

According to an ecology report by consultancy Ecology and Heritage Partners, bandicoots were detected on 17 occasions during 17 surveyed nights, which Mr Ritchie said was a pretty high number that suggested the area was a very good habitat for the species.

“The more you fragment and make existing patches of habitat smaller, the harder it is for species like the Southern Brown Bandicoot, which is ground-dwelling, to move through the landscape because you’ve got a cleared area as opposed to a suitable habitat,” he said.

“The species has really contracted massively in the Greater Melbourne area largely due to urbanisation - so the destruction of their habitat for housing.

“And if we’re going to try and maintain this endangered species in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, we just can’t afford to keep destroying the

good quality habitat.”

The approval conditions also stipulated that the developer must implement a Fauna Corridor Management Plan across a span of five years.

The plan would transform the woodland into shrubland to meet the requisite separation distance between the proposed development and the vegetation, by selectively removing trees with overlapping canopies and gradually replacing understory weeds with native species.

Casey Council has just endorsed a planning permit amendment to rezone the land from the Farming Zone to the General Residential Zone in March. It will request the Planning Minister to authorise the preparation and exhibition of the amendment and community engagement will commence at the public exhibition of the amendment.

Federal Environment Minister has approved housing development on about three hectares of endangered bandicoot habitats at 40-46 Cyril Beechey Lane in Cranbourne. 396248 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS Southern Brown Bandicoots are active in the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne area. 262016

Fighting for disease cure

By Violet Li

An annual fundraiser for promoting awareness and supporting research for Huntington’s disease will be held at Selandra Rise Retirement Village in Clyde North on 27 May at 2.30pm.

It’s been organised by a Selandra resident who lost his wife and son to the fatal sickness.

Maurice Browne has been involved in the Huntington community for decades after discovering his wife carried the gene and passed it on to three of their six children.

“It [the disease] affects the central cortex of the brain. The main symptoms are neurological disorders, balance problems, depression, and confusion,” he said.

“Your reflexes slide down. Your swallow gets compromised. You choke because of the compromise.

“You suffer from personality disorders... [and] mood swings.”

The tragedy first hit the family in 2007 after his wife lost her battle to the disease. Seven years later, their eldest son also succumbed to the same illness.

Now, their son Philip and daughter Sharon are in the late stages of the disease, constantly in care.

“Sharon is in a very bad way at the moment. She’s lost weight, and she has trouble talking and walking,” Maurice said.

Maurice’s grandsons Mitchell, 34, and Philip, 37, have also been diagnosed with the disease.

“It’s a long journey. We’ve been through emotional roller coasters,” Maurice recalled.

“It’s one crisis after another, but we’ve got through so far. We’re sticking together.”

Maurice has organised many fundraising events since 2001 to help gain more exposure to the disease and funds for a cure.

“We raise money for Huntington’s Victoria in May to coincide with the Awareness Month, in the form of raffles, and auctions,” he said.

“All the money raised will go to research to find a cure.

“Last year we raised about $2700 and usually we raise close to $3000.”

Afternoon tea will be provided on the fundraising day. Any donation would be gratefully accepted.

Maurice and fundraising organiser Gillian Clegg would like to say a great thank you to Tobin Brothers Funerals Cranbourne branch manager Alan Muller who has donated generously to this year’s fundraiser.

For more information, call 5991 5526.

Kids left ‘high and dry’ at future Doveton Pool in the Park

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A residents group says young families may be left ‘high and dry’ if toddler pools and water slides are removed from a redeveloped Doveton Pool in the Park.

Doveton Eumemmerring Township Association chair Stefan Koomen said “many local families believe that at least one slide and shallow pool need to be kept for younger children”.

“If you don’t have anything fun for little ones, families are less likely to use the pool.

“This will impact the long-term viability of the pool’s operations.”

Recently, Casey Council committed to $7.91 million of stage 1 funding to retain the 50-metre pool and splash pad facilities only.

It is awaiting state and federal funding to help fund further stages including a possible beach sand pit, plaza, canopy tree planting, upgraded splash pad, playground, outdoor fitness equipment, barbecue, toilets and upgraded pool building.

Mr Koomen welcomed the funding to

OPINION

LENSCAPE

save the historic pool but raised his concerns at a recent meeting with the council.

“We’ve asked the council to reconsider the removal of all slides and smaller pools and are eager to work with them to ensure

the design and investment align with community needs.

“It’s vital to have a shallow area for little swimmers to get confident with water in a safe controlled environment, suited to their size and ability.”

He said it would also be “such a shame” to remove the slides which were “notstalgic” for residents who “grew up spending their childhood summers at Doveton Pool”.

After a fierce community campaign in 2021, Casey Council reversed its plans to replace all of the pools with parkland.

Casey’s city and asset planning manager Keri New said community feedback in 2021 showed a “strong sentiment to retain the pool whilst supporting year-round elements such as a park and water play”.

“Doveton Pool in the Park annual visits identify that school carnival users make up approximately 75 per cent of the annual visitation, with the remaining visitation being community visits.”

Ms New said several “activations and programs” would be offered to ensure the 50

metre pool would be used by people of all ages and abilities, including young children and families.

She said the community, including DETA, had been engaged during a public exhibition of the site’s masterplan in mid-2022.

“In light of council’s recent endorsement to stage the delivery of the master plan and fund stage 1, council will be informing the community of this decision and will continue to advocate to State and Federal Governments, seeking funding commitment to deliver future stages.”

For the past two summers, the outdoor pools has opened on days 25 degrees Celsius and hotter – a reduction from the previous 30-degree temperature trigger.

However, attendances were down. In 43 days of operation in 23-’24, there were 5836 visitations – thought to be due to the lack of extreme heat days.

The Doveton Pool was developed in 1968 after a long campaign of community fundraising in response to drownings in Eumemmerring Creek.

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Thumbs up

To free junior footy back at Catani Football and Netball Club starting soon.

Thumbs down

To Federal MPs who ignore their constituents’ emails. Do your job and represent us.

Thumbs down

To the ridiculous amount of storm debris lying all over the road sides that council do nothing about. It’s either one good wind gust away from ending up on the road or it’s blocking drains from running properly, creating a whole host of other issues.

Thumbs up

To all the unfinished roadworks on the highway and the way the move on to another part without finishing anything.

DETA chair Stefan Koomen with daughters Frankie and Georgie at Doveton Pool in the Park last summer.

Bubbles and foam cover the enthusiastic crowd at the Casey Kids Carnival in Berwick. 399019

Maurice with pictures of his son with the same name, Maurice, and wife Mary. Standing by him is Gillian, who helps with the fundraising. 399731 Picture: ROB CAREW

Extortion leads to jail time

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A high-ranked member of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang has been jailed over the extortion, assault and robbery of a member wishing to leave the outfit.

Paul Robert “Romeo” Draper, 40, of Endeavour Hills, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to robbery, common law assault, extortion with a threat to inflict injury as well as theft of a number plate and possession of steroids.

Three other full-patched Fink members Michael Bacalja, 43, of Berwick, Andrew Tonkin, 32, of Keysborough, and Allan Campbell, 30, of Endeavour Hills, were earlier sentenced to community corrections orders over the incidents.

The victim had been a fully-patched Finks member and treasurer based at the Cranbourne West clubhouse. He didn’t provide a victim impact statement.

Draper, Tonkin and Campbell barged their way into the victim’s house in Doncaster in July 2021, with Draper demanding the victim’s $60,000 2019 Harley Davidson while he was deciding whether to leave the club.

The victim pleaded for them not to take his bike and Draper assaulted him.

Campbell warned the victim that“if you call the cops, we’ll shoot you” and ordered the victim to write a note authorising the hand-over of his bike to Draper.

The victim complied and the men rode away with his bike.

A week later, after pleading for his bike’s return, the victim was told to go to Draper’s home in Endeavour Hills.

Inside the house, Draper – in company with Bacalja - told the victim that he’d have to pay $15,000 and forfeit his bike to leave the Finks.

If he didn’t sign over the bike, he would be “f***ed”, Draper told him – and the victim duly signed VicRoads transfer papers.

When he left, Draper phoned him to say he’d signed the wrong part of the form. If he didn’t come back inside, he’d be “really f***ed”.

An angry Draper punched, kicked and kneed him in what the victim said was a “really savage” beating. He was left with red marks, and a sore jaw and head, for days.

Sentencing judge Sarah Leighfield said on 10 April that Draper, who was ranked as a ‘Nomad’ at the Finks, was the“principal” offender. She noted his limited but relevant violent history including a road-rage incident in 2011 and forcibly evicting a female flatmate.

Draper had worked 20 years in the crane industry, as well as a singer and guitarist with various bands.

The road rage assault was against a cameraman associated with a record company, which led to Draper and his band losing their record contracts.

Raised in Doveton and Hoppers Crossing, Draper was diagnosed with PTSD due to being a victim of numerous acts of violence since childhood.

Judge Leighfield said the PTSD as well as the stress from a painful neck, arm and hand condition from a car crash into a mob of kangaroos would make Draper’s time in custody more burdensome.

Despite recent surgery, he still endured pain flares and required intensive physical therapy and medication.

His guilty plea, his remorse, trial delay and his lack of subsequent offending despite continuing to be a part of the Finks were also noted.

Draper’s role and gravity of his offending meant he was required to serve jail time.

He was imprisoned for seven months, followed by a 21-month supervised community corrections order with alcohol, drug and mental health treatment.

In October, Echo Taskforce police raided the accused’s homes as well as the Cranbourne West clubhouse.

At Draper’s home, they seized the bike’s keys and registration plate as well as several steroids.

Over several weeks, the victim transferred $11,500 to Draper’s bank account, spurred by several demands from Draper via calls on encrypted app Signal.

Draper submitted against an order not to associate with the Finks, arguing that the outlaw motorcycle gang was an important support structure.

Judge Leighfield limited the non-association clause to the first nine months of the CCO.

TheCountyCourtofVictoria.

Picture:AAPIMAGE/CONCHRONIS

FOCUS ON … EDUCATION CHOICES

Closing the digital divide

Inadequate computer access is further hampering struggling students.

Eight in 10 students in lower socio-economic schools surveyed for a new report had trouble finishing class work and assignments because they didn’t have a computer.

KPMG prepared the report pro-bono for WorkVentures, a not-for-profit supporting Australian communities through technology, skills and meaningful career pathways.

It also found two in five (44 percent) Year 6 students and a quarter of Year 10 students did not have access to a computer outside of school.

One in two (51.6 percent) lower income families reported their children could miss out on the digital devices needed for schoolwork because they couldn’t afford them.

SoWorkVentures is calling for a National Device Bank for students who can’t otherwise afford to access vital educational technology.

The organisation said digital learning increasingly dominated classrooms and online resources were an essential part of learning.

Access issues put children at risk of falling behind academically and grappling with the social impacts and limitations of future employment opportunities.

WorkVentures IT solutions and social impact director Jacob Muller said not everyone was afforded the same opportunities when it came to digital technologies.

“Australia is undergoing a rapid digital transformation but despite increased connectivity, socially and financially disadvantaged families have found themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide due to affordability and confidence barriers,” Mr Muller said.

“Our report found that students, who are from schools in areas that identified as having greater relative socio-economic disadvantage, experienced reduced or no access to a comput-

er after school.

“This reduced access outside of school is likely to have a negative impact on the educational outcomes for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.”

The report found schools commonly provided laptops for Year 6 students (57 percent), but only a third (32 percent) of Year 10 students received a device from their school.

“We have been addressing digital exclusion by refurbishing end of life corporate laptops and PCs and distributing these to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford them, including

school students,” Mr Muller said.

“Unfortunately, there have been various hurdles to scaling this up including a lack of device donations and lack of consistent funding to support the ongoing costs.”

The WorkVentures report highlighted the benefits to students of access to a laptop out of school, with 83 percent of surveyed students experiencing improvement in their grades, and 97 percent indicating that their new laptop supported them in completing their homework and assignments.

WorkVentures CEO Caroline McDaid said a

key component to closing the digital divide was a national strategy.

“WorkVentures is urging the introduction of a National Device Bank to aid digitally excluded Australians by providing free digital devices,” she said.

“We want to ensure all children have access to digital learning essentials so they can make the most of their education and not miss out due to their individual circumstances.”

Over a five-year period, the Australian public and corporate sector will refresh 10 million laptops, PCs, and tablets.

Most of these devices are currently diverted into international markets for profit, recycled, or sent to landfill.

“While we have had some Australian companies and government agencies donating devices for social good for a number of years, there is substantial scope to amplify this across the corporate and public sector landscape,” Ms McDaid said.

“We want to see a system where these devices are kept in Australia and redistributed for free to people who are digitally excluded.

“We are calling upon these organisations to get involved and for the public to advocate for a National Device Bank to help students get connected for the good of their education and their future.”

A National Device Bank aims to secure one million pledged devices to support digital inclusion programs within five years while providing more than 100,000 Australians with devices, connectivity, and digital coaching.

It also looks to divert 2500 tonnes of potential ewaste, promoting a circular economy while also combating its environmental impact.

Visit workventures.com.au/national-devicebank to find out more.

FOCUS ON … EDUCATION CHOICES

Allied health at Marnebek

Marnebek School is a specialist P-12 school delivering highly individualised educational programs for students with disabilities, high support needs and/or developmental challenges.

Our vast network of dedicated educators, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers and psychologists work together to provide a supportive learning community that enables our students to embrace learning.

Big Muscle Group is a physiotherapy-led program that was created in term one to increase overall strength and encourage students to show responsibility.

Every Friday, this group sets up for assembly by working in pairs, taking turns to push and pull the cushions to create seating for their classmates.

They not only built strength through their arms and legs to shift the cushions, but also increased development in spatial awareness to create rows and ensure there’s enough space for others to walk in between and practiced their communication skills working as a team. A big strong thank you to the following students who have participated: Jayde, Nefu, Nyachuol, Alwyn, Hirun, Akhil, Jed and Dylan. We are hoping to continue this program in Term 2 because one can see how the students are proud and empowered while creating this environment for their peers.

· Marnebek School, 5996 3858

· marnebek.sch.cranbourne@education.vic. gov.au

MARNEBEK SCHOOL

Marnebek School is a dual campus specialist school which provides opportunities and pathways for students with additional learning needs.

Our school vision is to create a stimulating and engaging environment that enables students to embrace learning and achieve their full potential. We do this by building students’ social, emotional and physical wellbeing, empowering them to become active and valued members of their community.

Students are at the centre of our school. They develop a broad range of leadership skills and confidence to become active in their learning. Our school values – Resilience, Respect and Responsibility – underpin the school vision. We encourage and welcome you to contact the school to arrange a tour. Please see our contact details below.

Dyland and Alwyn enjoyed the Term 1 program.

FOCUS ON … EDUCATION CHOICES

Helping kids just adds up

Helping primary school children learn math at home can be a rewarding experience that lays a strong foundation for their future academic success. Parents play a crucial role in fostering a positive attitude towards math and providing the necessary support. Here are some effective strategies for parents to help their primary school children learn math at home:

1. Create a positive attitude: Parents should maintain a positive attitude towards math themselves and avoid expressing any negativity. Emphasize that math is a valuable skill that can be interesting and fun. Avoid saying things like “I was never good at math“ to prevent your child from developing a similar mindset.

2. Incorporate math into daily life: Integrate math into everyday activities. While cooking, involve your child in measuring ingredients, estimating quantities, and understanding fractions. When shopping, ask them to compare prices, calculate discounts, or estimate the total cost.

3. Play math games:

Engage in math games and puzzles that make learning enjoyable. Board games, card games, and online math apps offer interactive ways to reinforce math concepts, improve problem-solving skills, and enhance logical thinking.

4. Establish a dedicated study space: Create a comfortable and organised study space where your child can focus on math activities. Minimise distractions and provide the necessary math tools, such as pencils, paper, rulers, and calculators.

5. Set realistic goals:

Set achievable goals based on your child’s current math level. Celebrate their successes, no matter how small, to boost their

confidence and motivation.

6. Use real-life examples:

Show how math is relevant in the real world. When planning a family outing, discuss distances, travel times, and routes. Calculate the tip at a restaurant or determine the change after making a purchase.

7. Be patient and supportive:

Each child learns at their own pace. Be patient and provide the necessary support. Offer guidance without imposing pressure, and be ready to explain concepts multiple

times if needed.

8. Encourage problem-solving:

Expose your child to various math problems that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. Encourage them to approach challenges from different angles and develop their own strategies.

9. Provide practical applications:

Connect math concepts to practical applications. For instance, when learning about fractions, use pizza slices to illustrate different fractions and their relationships.

10. Communicate with teachers:

Stay in touch with your child’s math teacher to understand the curriculum and identify areas where your child might need additional support. This partnership ensures a coordinated effort between school and home.

11.Use online resources:

Utilise reputable online resources that offer interactive math lessons, tutorials, and practice exercises. These resources can reinforce classroom learning and provide additional practice.

12.Read math-related books:

Explore math-related storybooks that make math concepts more relatable and engaging. These books can stimulate your child’s interest in math and provide different perspectives on the subject.

13.Emphasise mistakes as learning opportunities:

Encourage your child to view mistakes as a natural part of learning. Discuss errors openly, identify the areas that need improvement, and work together to overcome challenges.

14.Make math a family activity:

Involve the entire family in math-related activities. Play math trivia games during family gatherings, solve puzzles together, or have a math-themed movie night. By adopting these strategies, parents can create a supportive and engaging learning environment at home, fostering their primary school children’s interest and confidence in math. Remember that your positive involvement can have a lasting impact on their academic success and overall attitude towards learning.

FOCUS ON … DISABILITY

A shining beacon of hope

In an era where mental health challenges are increasingly recognised and acknowledged, the importance of dedicated support cannot be overstated. Organisations like Seachange, with their unwavering commitment to providing tailored assistance to individuals grappling with complex mental health conditions, are beacons of hope in our communities.

At the heart of Seachange’s ethos lies a profound understanding that each client’s journey is unique. Their approach is not about fitting clients into preconceived moulds but rather about finding the perfect match between client and support worker. This personalised approach ensures that clients receive the support they need in a manner that resonates with them, fostering trust and comfort along the way.

What truly sets Seachange apart is their dedication to building genuine connections with their clients. It’s not merely a professional obligation for them; it’s a deeply personal commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of those they serve. Through one-onone support, Seachange fosters an environment where clients feel safe and empowered to open up about their struggles, knowing they are met with empathy and understanding.

The passion and dedication of Seachange’s support workers shine through in their approach to their roles. Armed with extensive experience in mental health and guided by principles of patience, understanding, and non-judgmental acceptance, they create a nurturing space where clients can thrive. It’s evident that for Seachange, this isn’t just a job—it’s a calling to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The impact of Seachange’s work extends far beyond the realm of mental health support. By fostering independence and empowerment in

Seachange Care Support Services stands as a beacon of hope and assistance.

their clients, they contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities. Their belief in treating every individual as equals underscores their commitment to inclusivity and respect for diversity.

In a world where mental health stigma still lingers, organisations like Seachange serve

as beacons of hope and compassion. They remind us that with empathy, understanding, and dedication, we can create a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Seachange’s unwavering commitment to empowering lives through compassionate support is a testament to the transformative pow-

er of human connection.

Seachange Care Support Services, Suite 429, Waterman Narre Warren, Level 2, 66 Victor Crescent, NarreWarren.

· info@seachangecare.com.au

· 0450 599 488 and 0461 380 966

Cerebral Palsy Alliance launches new video series

Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) is proud to announce the launch of its newWhat is CP? video series, aimed at raising awareness about cerebral palsy (CP) and providing valuable insights into the condition and its impact on individuals and their families.

Hosted by CPA researchers living with cerebral palsy, Tash Garrity and Georgina Henry, the series features adults and children with lived experience of CP, offering an inside perspective.

Despite its relatively high prevalence, cerebral palsy is a little understood condition, and many misconceptions can prevent people with CP from achieving the best of their abilities, Ms Henry said.

“The series is a vital resource that aims to bridge some of those barriers by educating the parents of children with CP about all the things that their child can achieve with the right support, “ Ms Henry said.

“By sharing personal stories and insights, we hope to empower individuals with CP and their families while fostering greater community support and inclusion.”

The What is CP? video series builds on a previous explainer video that garnered sig-

nificant attention, becoming one of CPA’s most popular ever videos and reaching global audiences. It is particularly relevant for individuals and families with a new diagnosis of CP. By revitalising this series, CPA aims to reinforce its position as a global leader in CP support, advocacy, technology innovation and research.

TheWhat is CP? video series is now available on the Cerebral Palsy Alliance website and social media channels.Watch the video series at youtu.be/JLaROMpCxuY

The series features adults and children with lived experience of CP.

The What is CP? video series is now available on the Cerebral Palsy Alliance website and social media channels.

FOCUS ON … DISABILITY

Top support

What matters to our participants, matters to Support Embrace Connect. Our support services revolve around the needs of our participants. We offer a personalised support process according to your NDIS goals in your NDIS plan: including individualised support and team connections.

Social Outings, Art, Cooking, Special Events, Gardening, Team Building Exercises and More.

Support Embrace Connect is situated at 5-6/10 Princes Highway, Beaconsfield, telephone 0484 679 364.

· www.supportembraceconnect.com.au

Using proper ‘language’

As our society progresses into a more inclusive and welcoming environment, it is important that we make a conscious effort to ensure the language we use towards others is appropriate. Rather than relating to concepts such as profanities, this is in reference to the way we address or describe people with disabilities.

Like fashion crazes, music styles and interior design trends, language tends to change and update with time. New words and phrases are introduced into our vocabularies to reflect the times we live in.

Terms like ‘handicapped,’ ‘physically challenged’ and ‘wheelchair-bound’ are heading away from being the accepted way to refer to people who have a disability, while the use of phrases like ‘suffering from’ or ‘afflicted with’ are generally deemed offensive in today’s language.

Avoid the use of words and phrases such as crippled, a victim of, unfortunate, suffering from, incapacitated or worse, words that have evolved from historically medical terms to become hurtful slurs.

Using the word ‘normal’ is also, depending on context, one that should generally be avoided when referring to people with a disability.

Using proper terminology is empowering, while outdated terminology is hurtful and offensive.

Instead of defining someone by an impairment or disability they may have, try to first recognise that they are a person above all else. They are not disabled, they have a disability - in the same way that someone is not brown hair, but rather they have brown hair.

Instead of saying ‘a blind person’ or ‘a quadriplegic’, perhaps consider rephrasing to ‘a person who is blind or has a vision im-

When referring to someone with a disability, start your sentence with ‘a person...’ so as to not define them by their disability. (iStock)

pairment,or‘apersonthathasquadriplegia.’ Similarly, this concept also applies to medical conditions such as asthma and cancerinstead of ‘she suffers from asthma,’ instead use ‘she has asthma.’ Rather than ‘a cancer patient,’ use ‘a person with cancer.’

It is in this way that we are not defining someone by any disability that they may have, but rather recognising that it is simply a feature of who they are.

One of the best ways to address or refer to people with a disability is to start with ‘a person,’ as you are affirming their humanity first and foremost.

You can then go on to say ‘...that uses a wheelchair,’ ‘...with a hearing impairment,’ or whatever their disability may be.

Language and terminology will continually evolve, as do all other aspects of our society, and is something that we all have a duty to remain aware of. It is important to take note of the terms that the person with the disability uses to describe or refer to themselves, and then use those terms accordingly. It all comes down to each person’s own preference and we should respect everyone’s preferred way of self-identification.

Supporting the community, Embracing life and connecting with those that matter most.

• Supporting participants with empathy

• Transport to appointments

• Community access e.g. coffee shop, grocery shopping, local parks and gardens

• Booking and reminders for appointments

• Support to build relationships with family and friends through goals

• Teaching life skills

• Liasing with other support workers and support agencies

• Assisting clients with Government agency contact and applications

Support Embrace Connect offers personalised support.

A kid’s paradise in Berwick

Berwick locals and visitors of all ages enjoyed a fun and festive outing, with the Casey Kids Carnival taking over the Old Cheese Factory on Saturday 6 April.

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the event, which included live performers and entertainers, rides, interactive games, face painters, art and crafts and live animals.

Star News photographer ROB CAREW was out and about capturing all of the fun.

‘They’ve seen my potential’: Help for school students

By Emma Xerri

Nineteen female high school students across the south east have been awarded Harding Miller Education Foundation scholarships to support and empower them in their educational pursuits.

Given to female public school students who show high academic potential and who are currently experiencing low socioeconomic circumstances, the scholarships serve to support the students as they navigate the crucial secondary schooling years of 9-12.

Among the fortunate recipients are students from local schools Gleneagles Secondary College, Hampton Park Secondary College and Nossal High School.

“The Harding Miller scholarship has brought tremendous blessings and resources into my academic life,” Hampton Park Secondary College student Zeba Mohseni said.

“My parents are from a refugee background and are both migrants that came from a war-torn country.

“They didn’t have the opportunities that I have now.

“I will use this scholarship to increase my chances of getting into my dream selective school and to study medicine… to get a job as a doctor.

“I am so grateful that they’ve seen my potential.”

The 15 students from these three schools, along with the remaining recipients, will receive four years of scholarship support val-

ued at over $20,000.

This includes a high-quality laptop in the first year as well as four years of online IT support, high-speed internet, $2500 worth of online or face to face tutoring, online homework help, and prepaid expense cards for essential school needs such as uniforms, textbooks, and school excursions.

Each scholar is also allocated a personal coach who supports and guides them through the four years of the program, as well as access to a variety of enrichment programs that aim to introduce scholars to a range of career and tertiary education pathways.

Foundation chief operations officer Caroline Hill says the foundation is proud to be providing vital support to help promising young girls reach their full potential, having supported more than 1200 recipients in over 350 public schools since its inception in 2015.

“Our scholarship recipients are bright, talented and engaged, but don’t currently have the resources they need to make the most of their educational opportunities,” Ms Hill said.

“The scholarship provides them with tangible items and practical things that give these young women a hand to complete their high-school education and take advantage of tertiary opportunities.

“This support for high-potential young girls experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage has become even more critical as our country faces increased pressures with higher costs of living.

“But our scholarships offer more than just a financial boost. Our scholars are also paired with a volunteer coach who provides them with mentorship throughout the year.

“This support can often be the difference between continuing education or dropping out for an uncertain future.

“We encourage any other local young girls who may need support to consider applying for a Harding Miller Education Foundation scholarship this year.”

Applications for scholarships for 2025 ar open from 15 July to 18 September 2024. For more information, visit hardingmillereducationfoundation.org.au

Nineteen talented female students were the lucky recipients of this year’s Harding Miller Education Foundation scholarships.

Rowan Grant from Narre Warren SES with ‘Paddy Platypus’, ‘Bella Backpacks’ and ‘KC Dog’ from Neighbourhood Watch Casey. 399019 Pictures: ROB CAREW Shakira, 17, performed three songs on stage. 399019

Veronika, 17, from the Savanah Academy of Performing Arts in Clyde North. 399019

Popular Disney princesses roamed the gardens. 399019 Hula hoop expert Prisha, 7, shows off her skills. 399019 Buster and Bobby, The Bubble Brothers commanded the crowd. 399019 Bubbles wowed the crowds. 399019

Empress Stilt Dance performers charmed the shady Avenue of Trees. 399019

‘Bella Backpacks’ from Backpacks 4 VIC Kids in Cranbourne West. 399019

Lighten up or it’ll get hotter

By Violet Li

Casey Council is supporting a ban on dark roofs on new homes on small lots to alleviate the urban heat island effect and promote energy efficiency.

The Victoria Planning Authority (VPA) has proposed an updated Small Lot Housing Code where a new set of standards would be introduced specifically for dwellings on significantly smaller lots between 75 and 150 square metres.

The new proposed standards aim to deliver improved environmentally sustainable designs and one of them would mandate that “roofs must be finished with a colour or material with a Light Reflective Value (LRV) greater than 50”.

LRV measures the amount of light a colour reflects on a scale that ranges from zero to 100 per cent. Absolute black is at the bottom end of the scale, absorbing all light and heat, while pure white is at the opposite end. A colour with a LVR greater than 50 is lighter and will reflect more light than it absorbs.

DrTimothy R O’Leary, a lecturer in construction economics and sustainable building engineering at the University of Melbourne, said the planning authority in Victoria was concerned that lots of dark roofs in close proximity on small lots in housing estates made a hotter heat island with the combined effects of all the dark pavements and roads.

“In hot weather, the heat of the sun shining on house roofs contributes to what is known as heat island. Basically, the hotter a roof gets, the more heat is being radiated to the surroundings. The increased absorption of solar energy

BUSINESS PROFILE

in high-mass, often dark-coloured roofing materials, can contribute to elevated local temperatures,” he said.

“Particularly in hot summers, this can impact thermal comfort, increase energy consumption, and drive peak energy demand.

“Lighter-coloured roofs reflect more of the sun’s energy away and so do not get as hot and so contribute less to the heat island effect.”

He said the targeted ban of roofs on smaller lots was the concern that houses were packed in together so the area of roof per area of ground was much denser, and in hot weather would exasperate the issue of any heat island effect.

“Inlargerlots,thehousesarenotsosquashed together, and the total roof area is not as dense per area of ground.

“In hot weather heat from the sun can be

dispersed more readily onto cooler outdoor surfaces like lawns, plants, vegetation, lowering any heat island effect.”

The updated housing code would be applied to the Planning Schemes of Ballarat, Baw Baw, Cardinia, Casey, Greater Geelong, Hume, Latrobe, Melton, Mitchell,Whittlesea, andWyndham.

Google aerial images have shown a great number of dark or near-dark roofs in the City of Casey.

Casey ranked second highest for the urban heat island effect out of 27 government areas in Melbourne, according to a Victorian Council of Social Services research in February this year.

City of Casey manager growth and investment Kathryn Seirlis said the council had been engaged by the Victorian Planning Authority’s consultation process for the proposed amendments to the Small Lot Housing Code.

“Casey is supportive of the amendments proposed, as these changes will provide clarity on requirements detailed in the Small Lot Housing Code, whilst providing an opportunity for greater housing diversity,” she said.

“Mandating lighter roof colours for Type C designs is a positive initiative in responding to localised climate issues and energy efficiency.

Melton and Hume Councils are also supporting the new standard and suggesting it should be extended to homes on larger lots.

However, Dr O’Leary pointed out that dark roofs could benefit a house’s thermal performance in winter.

“A house’s thermal performance and level of thermal comfort, which is the amount of energy a normal occupant needs to use both heating and cooling the house to live comfortably, is

a function of the weather and typical annual weather,” he said.

“In cold weather, we need to heat our home to be comfortable, and in Victoria, the days we spend heating our houses is typically significantly more days than we spend cooling our houses, despite global warming which has led to more hotter days.

“Dark roofs with their greater ability to absorb heat from the sun can assist in lowering the amount of additional energy needed to keep warm in winter.

“If you ban dark roofs, you are going to miss out on this advantage of darker roofs over the lighter colour roofs for winter heating.”

Henley Properties Group stood against the new standard and submitted during the consultation stage that the roof colour control was most often contained in design guidelines, where a building design was assessed by a design panel.

The Housing Industry Association also argued that“it was not appropriate for a planning instrument to specify building products”.

VPA submitted the final amendment to the Minister for Planning in February and is awaiting the outcome.

Its spokesperson said it would not be making any further comment until the minister’s decision on the amended code.

The Small Lot Housing Code applies to housings on lots less than 300 square metres. A planning permit is not required if the development complies with the code. A developer or a house builder could opt to use the existing planning permit process if the standards in the code are not met.

Experience a day of family fun and enjoyment at Officer Lifestyle Estate by Lincoln Place. To celebrate the school holidays we are throwing open our gates so that you can come and enjoy everything our friendly over 55 community has to offer – but with some added extras for the kids. Join us on Thursday, 11 April, from 10 am to 3 pm, for a fun day out suitable for all ages.

Bring your kids, grandkids, and friends for an array of activities, including the Ultimate Officer Olympics, hosted by Andy’s Antics, face painting, a petting zoo, and barefoot bowls and pickleball throughout the day. Why not help yourself to some complimentary treats from our coffee van, fairy floss, and sausage sizzle while you’re there?

This event is open to everyone, so whether you’re already a part of our community or simply curious to explore Officer Lifestyle Estate, please come along. We’d really appreciate it if you could RSVP at info@lincolnplace. com.au to help us manage our catering.

Dark roofs in the Narre Warren area. 400162 Picture: ROB CAREW

THE LOWDOWN

Tell us about yourself and your roles!

I am first and foremost a single mum to two beautiful children: Lloyd (six), who has a rare genetic condition, and Elsie (four). I am the owner of RareWear (an adaptive clothing brand), a full time university student undertaking Honours at The University of Melbourne, an administration officer and volunteer at Syndromes Without A Name (SWAN) Australia, a Community Champion at Association for Children With a Disability (ACD), a member of the Nepean School Council, and an associate investigator on two research projects within the health science sector.

What do you love the most about your work?

Providing opportunities to further increase accessibility and disability inclusion from policy to the ground, and helping families of children with a disability in all surrounding communities.

What was your most memorable moment during your current role?

This is tough! I’m so very grateful to have had many significant opportunities and memorable moments throughout my various positions, but if I had to pick one, it would be the surprise of being named 2024 Young Citizen of the Year by the City of Casey. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

A monkey. I’m a bit of a jokester, but also strategic and agile.

What were you like as a kid?

Inquisitive and empathetic, with a tendency to push boundaries.

What event, past or present, would you like to witness?

Peter Brock winning Bathurst for the last time in 2003 in his 7LV8 Holden Monaro. I was born and bred a Holden girl, if you couldn’t tell.

Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

My great grandma who passed away at 100-years-old in 2020, Stephen Hawking, Elvis, Bobby Darin (to duet with Elvis, of course), Steven Bartlett (author of Diary of a CEO), and Mel Robbins (who has helped me more than she will ever know via her podcast).

What three words would your friends use to describe you?

I asked them! The answers were: 1) persistent, 2) eclectic, and 3) determined.

What would you do on your perfect day off?

Head off into the Dandenong Ranges for a long

hike to a waterfall destination, with Lloyd in a carrier on my back and Elsie happily alongside me.

Where is your happy place?

Sitting at the Harkaway Cemetery at my grandparents’ grave, picnicking with my beautiful kids, and telling them stories about Grandma.

If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?

Vegetarian lasagne.

Where is your dream holiday destination?

The Northern Lights (whether in Iceland, Norway or Sweden).

THREE … upcoming celebratingevents Eid

1

Eid @QVM - 13 and 14 April

Known for its bustling markets and delicious food, the Queen Victoria Market will be hosting an exciting two-day event in celebration of Eid. People are invited to come and immerse themselves in the diverse Muslim cultures, ranging from Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Bosnia, South East Asia and the Subcontinent through a mouthwatering culinary journey and interactive art offerings.

2

The Eid Show at Broadmeadows Town Hall - 19 to 21 April

Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, The Eid Show boasts an unmissable collection of multicultural food kiosks and trucks, exhilarating rides, stalls, fireworks and stage shows, making for a family outing that is perfect for all ages.

3

Hakaya (Stories) of Eid 2024 at Bunjil Place - 27 April

Visit Bunjil Place for an interactive day of storytelling in an event that honours Eid’s diverse narratives and traditions across different cultures The day will feature cultural performances, exhibitions, and workshops.

Maya Pinn. 399275

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Win for disability inclusion

By Emma Xerri

At only 25, Maya Pinn is paving the way for disability inclusion across the City of Casey, turning her self-described “over-enthusiastic” efforts into a well-deserved Casey Community Award win as the 2024 Young Citizen of the Year.

As a disability inclusion advocate, business owner and single mother to two children, Ms Pinn has taken matters into her own hands, after her now six-year-old son’s diagnosis with rare genetic condition IQSEC2-related disorder inspired her to seek much-needed change in a flawed system.

“My advocacy work came about after I had to advocate for two years to get genetic testing for my son, Lloyd, after I had done every test known to mankind to find out why he had such a severe global developmental delay.

“The average Diagnostic Odyssey for receiving a diagnosis is seven to nine years, and 30 per cent of children with a rare genetic disease pass away before they’re five.

So I think it’s so important that these are caught early on.

“If there’s going to be a life-limiting condition, and there’s no cure right now, then how can we improve the quality of life for the child and their families so that they have the best five years?”

Ms Pinn’s advocacy work began in 2019 when she first connected with Syndromes Without a Name (SWAN) while awaiting her son’s diagnosis.

Five years on, she is still devout in her work with the organisation, moving into a paid administration role, while continuing her volunteer work in peer support by providing advice to families, lending an ear for their diagnosis stories and connecting them with research projects.

Her work with SWAN has also seen her become involved with the Community Advisory Group, through which she has advocated against issues like Discrimination Against Genetic Testing in Life Insurance, which stops life insurance companies from increasing your premium or denying you health or life insurance due to genetic tests.

Outside of SWAN, Ms Pinn dedicates some of the remaining hours in her busy week to the Association for Children with a Disability (ACD), volunteering as a community champion and advocating on behalf of the organisation in issues regarding the NDIS, while offering her experience in the creation of training modules for inclusive playgrounds.

“My six-year-old, Lloyd - who has a rare genetic condition, is in a wheelchair, is non-verbal, has a severe intellectual disability, and is

PEG-fed now - has completely different needs from my four-year-old, who is neurotypical and can walk, talk and run,” she said.

“So, how do you include them both in the park at the same time?

“And it’s not just my family that I’m providing this sort of feedback for.

“Trying to keep everything as inclusive and accessible as possible not only suits me but the families around me.”

Supporting her two children and continuing to pursue higher education, Ms Pinn also runs an adaptive clothing business, called RareWear, that aims to“help parents lessen the stress for simple daily tasks like getting their kids ready in the morning”.

“A lot of families don’t even know that things can be easier,” she said.

“So I hope to make mine and their lives easier so we have more time for fun and connection.”

And having just celebrated its first birthday, the founding of her clothing business took place while studying a Bachelor of Health Science full time, which she just finished in 2023, and working at her local auto retail store 25 hours a week.

During this time, she also volunteered with the Royal Children’s Hospital Family Advisory Council, and at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, where she is now doing her honours in increasing diversity in Australian genomics, with The University of Melbourne.

“I try to do as much as possible,” she explained.

“I’m not good at being bored, or relaxing for that matter, so I’m very strategic in how I plan my days, weeks and months.

“I’m also really lucky to have such a great community around me in terms of my family, with my parents and sister, and also my best friend, work colleagues and, of course, groups

like SWAN and ACD, who have always been really supportive, especially when I need disability-specific advice.

“And I have so many calendars, it’s not even funny. I have two on my phone, one on my email, two physical calendars in my kitchen, and I do a weekly one as well.

“But the key for me in balancing everything is passion. When you’re passionate about it, it doesn’t feel like work.”

Hoping to help lighten her mum’s load is four-year-old Elsie, who has taken the busyness of her little life in her stride, and works alongside her mum to make the things that could otherwise be burdensome more fun, naming Lloyd’s medical devices fun things like Peggy and Tricia, and helping with her favourite job of changing the “Peggy pads” twice a day.

While she is still “shocked” by the award, Ms Pinn hopes that her win can help raise greater awareness for her work and for disability inclusion as a whole throughout the City of Casey and beyond.

“I think my win is a great opportunity to really make a big impact on families in the City of Casey predominantly, but also statewide and nationally, by building a community for children like mine.

“And children turn into adults too, so this way we will have people to turn to when they finish school, and around guardianship.

“This is all information that shouldn’t be kept from these families, and I don’t think anyone should ever be alone.

I know what it’s like to feel isolated, so I hope to lessen the mental health impact on families and help them find more people like them.

“Because from my standpoint and experience, we can do a lot better with disability inclusion, and it doesn’t have to be hard.”

Maya Pinn with her kids Elsie and Lloyd. 399275 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Hoops for a cause

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Hundreds are expected to return to a growing basketball tradition in Dandenong that targets young people’s mental health.

Up to 30 teams from across Melbourne will be taking part on 12-13 April in the second annual Oyiti Foundation Cup at the Hoops 24/7 centre in Dandenong.

Oyiti Foundation head Nyibil Amum, of Cranbourne, said the tournament is about mental health rather than lifting up the trophy.

“We want everyone whether they’re a player or in the audience to go away a winner.

“The main target is bringing them together.”

Amum set up the Oyiti Foundation and the tournament in memory of his late son Oyiti, a talented young leader who played college basketball in the US and took his life three years ago.

Inspiringly, the bereaved father trekked on foot from Melbourne to Canberra and Sydney raising funds to tackle the tragic scourge of youth suicide in African-Australian and CALD communities.

Along the way, he met with the then Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

He raised $10,000 to set up the foundation as a “voice for the voiceless”.

Now with State Government support, the foundation runs a weekly homework club, basketball training and monthly mental health awareness sessions for more than 20 youths.

Amum says the foundation is not just about celebrating Oyiti any more. It’s about preventing young people from suffering the same fate as his son.

Recently, as a sign of its growing reach, Oyiti Foundation was a finalist in national suicide prevention awards.

“At the awards, we went there and celebrat-

ed with those who won awards. For us we’re so happy to see so many organisations doing much better than us – and we can learn from them.”

This year, it has launched facilitator training for sports coaches and leaders of womens groups and faith groups.

The initial intake of nine has trained with mental health professionals in order to help young people in their midst.

“There were many people who wanted to

be facilitators in the program. We had to have people go through an interview process and we chose the best.”

A short doco film The Voice on the training sessions is expected to be released in the next month.

There are also plans for a podcast featuring mental-health professionals as guests.

Registrations for the Oyiti Cup are open at aau-aus.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

Pets out

The Lost Dogs’ Home has seen an increase over the past three years in the number of people surrendering their pets in the hope of securing a rental.

Despite new laws which came into effect in 2020 granting tenants the right to own a pet when renting, the number of pets surrendered in the ‘moving/no pets allowed’ category has jumped by more than 47 per cent from 106 to 156 in the last three years.

The shelter believes that the actual number of housing-related pet surrenders is likely even higher around the state, as people also privately rehome pets and drop them off at smaller rescues.

“With the cost of living increasing and an extremely tight rental market, landlords now have the ability to ‘pick and choose’ more than ever which could leave pet owners at the bottom of the pile and at a disadvantage when looking for a place to live,” the shelter states.

“The human-animal bond is extremely powerful. If someone is forced to give up a pet in order to find housing, research suggests this can have significant emotional and mental well-being impacts.

“The pressure on shelters like The Lost Dogs’ Home is significant as we attempt to re-home even more pets than before.”

The Lost Dogs’ Home has recently introduced its Home Together program which is an Australian Shelter first for animals at risk of finding themselves ripped apart from family due to financial crisis. The program is run by a Pet and Family Advocate who works with pet owners to identify the barriers to reclaiming a pet and help identify the support needed.

Joshua Piech Meat with organiser Nyibil Amum at last year’s Oyiti Foundation Cup.

WHAT’S ON

Casey Cardinia Heritage Festival

Community members across Casey and Cardinia are invited to come along to the 2024 Casey Cardinia Heritage Festival. This free event will feature various information stalls from local historical community groups, book sales, live music, and entertainment for all.

A Devonshire tea will also be available for purchase for $2.50.

This event is proudly delivered by Connected Libraries and Myli (My Community Library) and supported by the City of Casey.

· 10am to 2pm, Sunday 21 April, Berwick Senior Citizens Centre.

Yakkerboo Festival

Kicking off on Saturday 20 April, with a carnival at amusement ride prices.

The event will also feature an open mic competition and a spectacular firework display to close out the evening.

On Sunday 21 April, the family festival gets into full swing, commencing with the parade at 10am.

From 11am to 4pm there will be unlimited rides for all ages, with the purchase of a $15 wrist band, as well as a line up of local talent to entertain on stage.

· Saturday and Sunday, 20 and 21 April.

Holi ‘The Festival of Colours’

Lynbrook

The Lynbrook Residents Association is very proud to present Lynbrook’s most colourful event.

Free entry - all welcome.

Plain white clothing shows the colour best (plain black also works well.) Please note: Colour may not fully wash out so don’t wear your best threads. Bags of colour (100g) $3 each.

There will be about 20 market stalls at this event too! Come have some retail therapy with us and support local small businesses.

· The Holi Festival of Colours is on Saturday 27 April, 12pm to 5.30pm.

BADFolk Club

Berwick and District Folkclub have been meeting at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick for the past 21 years! We meet on the third Friday of each month. This month we welcome back Ma-

ria Forde - she is a classic folk singer and has written some great songs like ’Will You Dance with Me’ which is often played at weddings. We also welcome spot acts - anyone who can play an instrument, sing, share a poem etc. Please note our earlier running times: Doors now open 6:30 and the music runs 7:00-10:00pm. Our kitchen sells snack food and a variety of drinks - tea/coffee/wine/beer/soft drinks. Entry: $15.

Website: badfolkclub.org Contact: Edward: 0418 535 264.

· Meet on the third Friday of each month.

Biggest Morning Tea

The Woodlands Park Retirement Village in Berwick is again raising money for its Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea event, which will contribute to raffles, door prizes and auction prizes available on the day and towards cancer research.

Resident Colleen Astbury has organised three events towards the initiative, raising a total of $22,486 towards the Cancer Council.

· For more information or to donate, visit biggestmorningtea.com.au/fundraisers/ColleenAstbury or contact Colleen on 0422 849 619.

Craft Classes

Do you enjoy craft making?

Join Berwick Activities Group’s Elizabeth to discover the world of papercraft and have a chat with like-minded people.

You will be introduced to a range of papercraft techniques through a new project each week.

Casual attendance is welcome.

Timbarra Community Centre 20-26 Parkhill Drive, Timbarra Way, Berwick $5 per class, all materials supplied. Contact admin@berwicknc.com.au or phone 9704 1863.

· Tuesdays from 10am to noon.

Narre Warren Senior Citizens Centre

If you are over 55 years old, newly retired, or new to the Casey area and looking for something to do, come and join us.

Narre Warren Seniors is a friendly Club and we can offer you many activities. Our main Club day is on Wednesdays from 9.30am to 3pm. On the first Wednesday of the month we enjoy socialising with our members and, on the next three (3)

Wednesdays we have live entertainment wherein you can do some line-dancing if you wish and enjoy an afternoon cup of tea. There are also weekly activities on other days of the week, which include the Garden Group Club, Indoor Carpet Bowls, Line Dancing, Table Tennis, friendly Card games, and a Gentle Exercise class.

· We are located at 192-196 Centre Road near the Narre Warren Station. Phone us at 9704 0015 or 0426 736 467 or email us at: narrewarrenseniors@gmail.com for more information

Mental Health Peer Support Program Cranbourne Group - Free

The program is based on a 12-step program of personal growth, mutual help, and support. Participants share challenges and solutions in a supportive and structured peer-to-peer format within a confidential, caring, and sharing community.

· The meetings are weekly and go for about two hours. 10.30am to 12.30pm Thursday, excluding school holidays, 7/9 Selandra Boulevard (Balla Balla Community Centre), Clyde North. For any enquires contact Grow Victoria on 9528 2977/1800 558 268.

Balla Balla Community Centre

The centre is filled with activities in the coming weeks, catering to both children and adults.

Morning Melodies – running on 9 April at 10.30am, the centre’s entertainers will be singing for the audience, joined with some tea, scones, creams and jam and some friends to make along the way.

Introduction to creative writing – facilitated by local author Rod Grigson, the class will be held every Friday for eight weeks, beginning Term 2 and will prepare participants with the inspiration and skills to write their own stories.

Citizenship training – Held on Wednesdays, the eight-week course will cover all topics included in the Australian Citizenship test. Playgroups – Balla Balla Bubs for 0-12 months will be held on Wednesday mornings and encourage little ones to explore tummy time, sensory play, singing and also reading with your baby. For playgroups 1-4 it also includes singing, dancing, sensory play, craft activities and story time.

Introduction to mindfulness meditation – Held on Monday evenings, this four-week meditation course will explore the topics of mindfulness, instructions and meditation practice, mindfulness of breath and body, the heart and being fully human and mindfulness of emotions.

· Bookings are essential for all of the mentioned activities and events and can be done over the phone at 5990 0900 or online at ballaballa.com.au/special-interest

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club

Are you newly retired or new to the area or just wanting to enjoy your freedom or expand your social life? Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club can offer you stimulating activities such as weekly social/chat activities with low-key in line dancing if you want to tap your feet and enjoy an afternoon tea. Day, short and long trips away via coach and flights, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly evening dineouts, weekly table tennis club, walking groups, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings, and more.

· Come along and get to know us by visiting us on a Thursday at 2pm at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House or join us on a Wednesday at 10am for a Coffee at Little Sparrow Fountain Gate. For more information, contact enquiry officer Gloria on 0468 363 616.

Cranbourne U3A

Come along to Cranbourne U3A meet new friends and have fun doing interesting classes. We are a not-for-profit group for over 50 retired, or semi-retired people. Our latest class will be Resin Craft, where we will be creating small items such as earrings, necklace pendants, coasters, and more. Great for small gifts for your friends. Come along and give it a try. Class materials will be provided for the first 4 weeks to give you an opportunity to try out a large variety of casts and molds. We have lots of samples to give you inspiration.

Our usual craft, music, chess, table tennis, and calligraphy classes are all open to new members. Come along and give it a try. Our rooms are in the Cranbourne Library Admin building, enter from the Casey Radio entrance, next door to L’Arte Cafe. We are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm.

· Our website is - u3acranbourne.org.au.

Falcons, Doves too strong

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Division

Endeavour Hills made a statement in Round one by defeating 2023 finalist Highett 8.2 50 to 5.18 48.

After winning a momentous premiership in Division 3 last season, the club has backed its youth to compete at the next level, after it was reasonably quiet on the recruitment front.

Those youngsters repaid the faith on Saturday, shading Highett in what was a tussle for three quarters, before defending staunchly in a goalless last term at Barry Simon Reserve.

Highett had the territory and got on top in general play, but scored seven behinds after trailing by nine at the last break, with the Falcons’ grit led by Ben Holland and Luke Peters.

“They had a lot of opportunity on the last quarter but our pressure was very high,” Endeavour Hills coach Matt Peake said.

“None of the shots they had were easy – our backs really held up.

“The wind was going against us and we potentially went into our shells a little bit.

“They came hard in the last quarter and it was gutsy for the guys to get the points.

“It was clearly a step up in standard and physical pressure and especially after the first quarter, Highett lifted but it didn’t shake our guys and that should give them a lot of belief that they can stand up to that stuff.

“Overall, it’s nice to come up and say ‘we belong’.”

Under 19s graduate Tyler Studd led the young brigade, competing well in the ruck after working hard in the preseason.

For Doveton, Sam Muirhead kicked six in a side containing former AFL-listed and 2019 Doves premiership player Deakyn Smith, who added class to the midfield mix and rotated forward.

Listed for North Melbourne’sVFL side, Smith got the opportunity to play in Doveton’s 14.7 91 to 4.6 30 win over Keysborough due to the VFL bye.

“He loved getting the opportunity to play with premiership teammates and it was positive for the young players who listen to every word he says,” coach Matt Stapleton said.

“He was silky with the ball in hand, has that pace to break away and give himself some time with the footy.

“He looked dangerous at times when he went forward as well and on another day would have kicked three or four goals.”

There were several sources of excitement for the Doves on Saturday, playing under a new coach on their home ground, Robinson Reserve, for the first time since 2022 and unveiling a bevy of recruits.

Stapleton was full of praise for the contributions of some of those club debutantes.

“Lochie Conboy was fantastic - he’s a hidden gem in some respects.

“Joel Pritchard showed some great run and dash off halfback and defended well.

“Matt Rogers was lively up forward and through the middle and applied pressure and Ben O’Loughlin was fantastic using the footy behind the ball.”

Meanwhile, in Division One, Cranbourne got its first look at a post-Marc Holt/Kirk Dickson forward line on Saturday in a 16.17 113 to

9.5 59 loss to Cheltenham.

In a rematch of last year’s grand final thriller, it was what has changed for each club across the offseason which proved decisive in the result.

Cheltenham’s ex-AFL recruit Jack Lonie showed his class, kicking three goals and adding energy to an already stacked line-up, while Cranbourne’s attack looked bare.

Coming up against the reigning premiers and 2024 flag front runners was a challenge exacerbated by the absences of champion defenders Brandon and Glenn Osborne, but the youth showed signs.

Tyler Finn ran hard, Ethan Campbell was opportunistic, Brad Frater showed forward craft, and creative halfback Andrew Green has clearly taken another step forward.

That quartet was among six teenagers representing Cranbourne, alongside KyWilliams and Tyson Barry.

Havingmadeanameforhimselfonthewing, Nick Darbyshire had presence and worked hard often playing as the deepest forward.

Fellow winger Ryan Jones was another who spent time deep in attack, alongside Matt Alister.

There was a glimpse of the forward 50 pressure Cranbourne will hope becomes customary in 2024 during the first quarter.

Finn was one of several who transitioned well and was able to put the ball to forwards’ advantage.

At times, there was a dose of patience, though.

Cheltenham kicked the first two of the game in a perilous start before Cranbourne respond-

ed and got themselves into the contest.

The Eagles were again playing catch-up in the second quarter after Cheltenham had momentum for a sustained period.

Darbyshire dribbled home the crucial first goal of the third before Cheltenham came hard.

The undermanned defence withstood several waves from Cheltenham, with Cranbourne still within four goals at three-quarter-time despite struggling for territory.

The dam wall burst in the fourth, with three goals in stoppage time helping the Rosellas put on a sizeable buffer.

Elsewhere, Jye King was a marking machine in defence and winger Tanner Stanton were named best for a Hampton Park side which easily accounted for St Kilda City 18.8 116 to 8.10 58 in Division 2.

Club debutantes Ryan Patterson, a halfback from Narre Warren, and Bronson Martin, recruited through a mutual contact at the club, showed pleasing signs after coming off hand surgery in preseason.

Martin is the brother of Richmond superstar Dustin, and fills an important hole for the Spiders.

“He’s about 6’2 ½ so he’s probably more of a third forward for us but we used in the forward and ruck stocks because we’re undermanned there,” coach Hayden Stanton said.

“He’ll be handy enough because we don’t have a lot of height so his big body is an acquisition.”

Narre South went down 3.5 23 to 14.21 105 against Lyndhurst in Division 3; and Doveton Eagles comfortably accounted for South Yarra 14.27 111 to 3.4 22 in Division 4.

Pacy Panthers midfield impresses against Pearcedale

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Pace through the midfield was a preseason focus for Devon Meadows and it was on full display in a 14.13 97 to 12.11 83 win on the road against Pearcedale in round one of the Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League.

The experienced and hardened Joel Hillis and Nick Battle had a huge first half to put the margin out to 39 points, and they were well complemented by the fresh legs of youngsters JackWilson, Toby Sinnema and Alex Canal.

Wilson completed a VFL preseason at Frankston, Sinnema is a Stingrays-listed player and Canal is an emerging talent who has been backed by the coach to take a big step forward.

Their run was crucial to the different dynamic of the Panthers’ on-ball unit.

“Everyone we have around the footy has a heap of leg speed and we’ve put a lot of focus into that and it showed on the weekend that that will be our strength,” Devon Meadows coach Ryan Hendy said.

“We really beat them on the spread in the first half and set the game up.

“We only wanted one or two going into the contest at a time and then having some really good spread on the outside and with the leg speed we’ve included into the side, we were

able to play with overlap run and the midfielders worked hard all game.”

Star recruit Brendan Hermann was named best-on-ground and was part of the starting midfield, adding flair, strength and power.

With young ruck Riley Simmonds still two weeks away as he recovers from a preseason injury, it was up to Brady O’Toole to carry the ruck burden.

O’Toole’s fitness was an area where he was able to get on top of the opposition ruck, covering the ground well and competing hard in the air.

As well as their ability to spread, the Panthers’ hunt and toughness was crucial in the contest against their local rivals.

“Our tackling pressure was ferocious,” Hendy said.

“They probably got their hands on the footy a little bit more than us around the stoppages but the way we were able to affect them with our pressure was really pleasing.”

The club was also pleased with Patrick Ryder’s game, after he got through unscathed, kicked three goals and showed no signs of rust despite playing no preseason games, having been eased back into the program after knee surgery in December.

Next up for Devon Meadows is a clash with Hastings, which lost its first game. Nick Battle

Southern Football Netball League (SFNL)

2 newbies

Deakyn Smith in action for the Doves. 399551 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERSRyan Jones was an important experienced piece for a young Eagles lineup in round one. 297195 Picture: ROB CAREW

Smith set for third ‘Stevo’

By David Nagel

Will one of the all-time great batting seasons be rewarded; or will an all-rounder emerge from the pack to claim Casey Cardinia cricket’s highest individual award on Sunday?

The two most recent winners of the Terry Stephenson Medal - Pakenham pair Chris Smith (2021/22) and Dale Tormey (2022/23)have had magnificent seasons once again, and appear guaranteed to be at the pointy end of the leaderboard.

Tooradin’s Josh Lownds has taken his already brilliant cricket to another level this season, while Kooweerup pair Steven Dillon and Luke McMaster; and Cardinia’s Travis Wheller, are other all-rounders that appear to be in contention.

Kooweerup’s Chris Bright, Tooradin’s Cal O’Hare, Cardinia’s Morteza Ali and Devon Meadows gun Lucas Ligt are pure batting stars of the competition that are also sure to feature well.

Two of the quickest flame-throwers in the CCCA - Tooradin’s Brad Butler and Kooweerup’s Adam McMaster – look to be the main hopes for the bowlers.

It would be a major surprise if the winner came from outside the group above.

So, let’s get into the preview!

Facts and figures would suggest that Smith enters Sunday’s presentation ceremony as a warm favourite, with the Pakenham opener having made a career-high 989 runs at the incredible average of 109.89.

Over the last 10 years, the winning vote tally has ranged from 15 votes (Aaron Avery 2013/14) to a staggering 26 votes polled by Russell Lehman on his way to his second ‘Stevo’ in 2019/20.

So how high could Smith go this season? He is guaranteed 11 - possibly 12 - votes from his last four games with scores of 140 not out, 210 not out, 214 not out and 98 all certain to capture the umpires’ attention.

But that’s 662 of his 989 runs gone, leaving 327 runs from 10 games to poll with.

While his amazing run of form is sure to have him contention; it might be more modest performances that get him across the line on Sunday.

Key games appear to be round three (3/37 and 44), where little else happened against Cardinia, and in round four he made 48 not out as the Lions chased down a very modest score from Merinda Park.

He could even poll a vote or two for his 37 against Carlisle Park in round nine, while he appears guaranteed two or three votes for his

3/12 and 56 against Kooweerup in round 10.

From round 11 to 14; he is an absolute lock to dominate, meaning we can get him to the 19 to 22 vote mark.

So, who is capable of matching him?

Reigning medalist Tormey had a sluggish start to the season, but fired up with 116 and 4/58 in a round five loss to Kooweerup.

He had a quiet one in round six, but there’s every possibility that he could poll votes in every game from round seven onwards.

He and Smith were clearly the two best players on the ground over the last four rounds of the season.

Smith made 214 not out in round 13, but Tormey’s 6/68 and 64 could seriously challenge for the three votes.

It will be interesting to see which way the umpires fall.

If things fall his way, Tormey could reach the 19 to 21 mark and become a three-time ‘Stevo’ medalist.

The main challenge to the Lions’ pair could come from Tooradin’s Lownds, who finished third to Tormey last year.

When Lownds fires, he really fires…and he looks set to poll three votes on at least four occasions this season.

His 86 in round six against Merinda Park should be enough to do so, while 4/14 and 48 not out; 69 and 3/23; and 5/16 and 79 should all add up to 12 votes.

There are three other games where he could seriously poll well, so that 18 to 20 mark is not beyond him.

Cardinia’s Wheller is also a genuine contender; but played some of his best cricket when others were absolutely brilliant.

His 132 in round 12 will be no match for teammate Alex Nooy (202 not out), while a similar situation could befall him in round 14, with his 6/75 and 74 going head-to-head with Merinda Park’s Daniel McCalman (161 not out).

Wheller might poll in more games than any other player this season; but that might not guarantee him the win.

Ali, Ligt and Butler were all in fantastic touch prior to Christmas, and were probably leading at that point, but won’t poll so many

after the festive break.

The Kooweerup trio of Bright, Dillon and McMaster should all poll well, in a predominantly winning side, but the calculations make it difficult to see them getting to that 18 to 20 vote mark.

OURTIP

Smith and Tormey to tie on 21 votes, both becoming three-time ‘Stevo’ winners, with Lownds andWheller close behind on 18.

TERRYSTEPHENSONMEDAL–

THELAST10WINNERS

PREMIER PLAYER CLUB VOTES

2022/23 Dale Tormey Pakenham 22

2021/22 Chris Smith Pakenham 17

2020/21 Jake Prosser Cardinia 16

2019/20 Russell Lehman Tooradin 26

2018/19 Dale Tormey Pakenham 19

2017/18 Jess Mathers Kooweerup 22

2016/17 Mark Cooper Kooweerup 23

2015/16 Chris Smith Pakenham 18

2014/15 Russell Lehman Pakenham 21

2013/14 Aaron Avery Tooradin 15

2012/13 Callum O’Hare Tooradin 17

Tooradin face tough test under lights against Cobras

By David Nagel

A large crowd of ‘football-hungry’ supporters is expected at Cora Lynn on Saturday night as the Cobras welcome league heavyweights Tooradin-Dalmore to the Cobradome.

A 6pm start - at one of the great country football grounds - is sure to prove attractive, with afternoon games at Garfield, Kooweerup and Nar Nar Goon meaning football lovers are only minutes from the action.

And the game itself should be a beauty, with Seagulls’ 2022 premiership captain Jordan Kelly taking on the senior coaching role for the first time.

Kelly has lost some absolute class through the midfield, with Brent Macaffer and Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds leaving a huge hole in the engine room.

The Gulls have plugged that hole somewhat with the addition of Matt Buntine, who played 67 games for GWS between 2012 and 2019.

The now 30-year-old brings a wealth of experience and leadership, having captained Dandenong Stingrays in 2011 and being part of the leadership group at GWS during his AFL days.

He has played the last two years at Casey Demons and was part of their premiership win in 2022.

Buntine will play majority inside mid;

blow

the pre-season.

fairest winner, will also add class and consistency through the middle, while former Berwick skipper Luke Sheppard has forged his reputation on being a running machine off half back.

Centre-half-back Harry Lang joins after a premiership-winning season at Emerald, and will provide great support to Adam Oxley in defence.

The Gulls also have a quality list of youngsters; with Kelly expected to blood some fresh new faces throughout the season.

Cora Lynn had a chance to blow out the cobwebs a fortnight back, with a challenging trip to reigning-premier Inverloch-Kongwak, and should be much better for the run.

The Cobras showed promising signs, with the return of Jaxon Briggs adding pace through the midfield, while star full-forward Nathan Gardiner will be keen to hit the scoreboard hard after only one goal against the Sea Eagles.

This one is tough to pick, with the Seagulls dropping their standards slightly last year - after the supreme premiership heights of 2022 – while it’s too early to predict where the Cobras fit in to the premiership puzzle this season.

The Seagulls probably have the class edge, but we’ll go for the Cobras to open their account on their home deck by a thrilling four points.

with the Seagulls midfield stocks taking a

during

Buntine and former Casey teammate

Jimmy Munro will be looking forward to their battle under lights on Saturday night.

Nick Lang, the Seagulls’ 2017 best and

The return of Jaxon Briggs has added pace to the Cora Lynn midfield and the exciting midfielder will be a player to watch against Tooradin-Dalmore on Saturday night. 398177

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Chris Smith is favoured to win a third Terry Stephenson Medal after a magnificent season for Pakenham. 393920 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Big improvers to be put to the test

By David Nagel

Cora Lynn looks set to be one of the big improvers inWGFNC A Grade netball this season; but puts that early reputation to the test when the Cobras welcome perennial powerhouse Tooradin-Dalmore to the Cobradome.

Coach Lou Walsh has done a great job of replenishing the stocks; with the Cobras unveiling a stack of new faces in an encouraging performance against reigning champions Inverloch-Kongwak over Easter.

Some familiar names stood out, such as Gemma Stacey and Danielle Cameron, but it’s the new faces that are providing the impetus for the early excitement at Cora Lynn.

Brooke Abu-Jaber is a serious addition in the goal circle; while Annabel Sheppard is already showing signs of bolstering the defence and Ellie Keen is showing exciting skills through the midcourt.

The Cobras will be up against it, taking on

the Seagulls this weekend, but at least they’ll know where they stand after back-to-back games against two of the best teams in the competition.

We’ll go for the Seagulls to win; but it might be a lot closer than people expect.

Nar Nar Goon co-coaches Meg Evans and Meaghan Winter will have their hands full at Spencer Street on Saturday, taking on a confident Phillip Island team that is coming off the back of a strong win over Warragul Industrials over Easter.

Winter is still a star of the competition, and is sure to present Christie Edwards and her side some real headaches from the position of Wing Attack.

The Bulldogs were steady against Phillip Island, with Charli Ross, Maya Huther and Ella Duggan showing signs that they’ll be hard to stop in 2024.

But we’ll go for the Goon to win on its home

deck this Saturday.

In other games this week, Garfield should be too strong for Bunyip, while the clash between Kooweerup and Dalyston should be a ripper at Denhams Road.

Gemma Thomas takes over from Alana McRae at Dalyston, while Kate Sidebottom will be looking to continue the improvement that saw Kooweerup gain some real respect across the WGFNC last year.

We’ll go for Dalyston to just get over the line.

Inverloch-Kongwak should continue its undefeated start to the season against Warragul Industrials, while the clash between KilcundaBass and Korumburra-Bena should be a beauty at Bass.

Killy-Bass was the great success story of last year, while the Giants are very keen to get back to the halcyon days of years gone by.

We’ll go for Killy Bass to sneak home in a close one.

Holt debut headlines EDFL action

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Lang Lang has started the Marc Holt era with a 10.5 65 to 5.8 38 win over Trafalgar.

The iconic forward kicked three goals for the hosts in the Ellinbank District Football League (EDFL), having crossed to the club from Cranbourne in the offseason.

The Tigers had the ascendancy for the majority of the afternoon but couldn’t put Trafalgar away until a four-goal-to-one final quarter.

Long-time Chelsea player Bradley Clark also fitted seamlessly into the lineup, rounding out his game with two goals.

Buln Buln also got its season started with a win against Neerim South, racing out to a 35-point halftime lead, before ultimately winning 14.11 95 to 9.7 61.

Teenager Patrick Ireland kicked six goals in the big win with his size and class up forward decisive in the result.

Longwarry proved too strong for Catani, getting up 13.10 88 to 6.10 46.

The visitors pulled away from Catani in the third term, kicking six-goals-to-two to race out to a 36-point three-quarter-time lead.

Kooweerup recruit Jason Well led the way with six goals, while South Mornington recruit Justin McCleary and Gippy Power graduate Cooper Brown were also influential.

Nilma-Darnum cashed in against a struggling Nyora, kicking at least six goals in every quarter to net a big 25.10 160 to 2.4 16 victory.

After scoring six goals in his first season at the club last year, Lucas Maffei already has six to his name in 2024 after leading a firing forward line with aplomb. There were seven multiple goal-kickers on the day. Yarragon prevailed 9.9 63 to 5.9 39 over Poowong.

State’s best softballers descend on Sweeney Reserve

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Casey Softball Association hosted the Softball Victoria Open State Championships at Sweeney Reserve on the weekend.

The hosts were only able to win one of their men’s games, a 13-4 victory over Waverley on Sunday afternoon, which accompanied two defeats to Sunshine and an 11-3 loss to Frankston.

The women fared better, winning all three games on Saturday.

They followed up an 11-2 win over Melbourne with a 9-6 victory over Frankston and 7-3 win overWaverley.

Casey sandwiched a 7-4 victory over Keilor Park on Sunday with losses to Dandenong (8-2) and Albury-Wodonga (8-4).

The winners were:Waverley (Women’s Cup), Dandenong (Women’s Plate), Glen Eira (Men’s Cup) and Sunshine (Men’s Plate).

There were 19 Men’s and Women’s teams representing 13 associations from all over the state. Jac Davis faces up. 400110

Pictures: ROB CAREW.A ball goes into catcher Chelsea Kimber’s mit.

Former Cranbourne forward Marc Holt made his debut for Lang Lang on the weekend. 359439 Picture: ROB CAREW

Ellie Keen looks set for a great season through the midcourt for Cora Lynn. 398177

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS