By Violet Li
Cranbourne Rotary’s long-prepared Helping Hands Program saw 27 mechanical hands assembled for amputee landmine victims throughout developing countries on 11 May at Balla Balla Community Centre in Clyde North.
It had not been an easy journey to hold a big-scale charity event like this, and they were very grateful everything went so well, Cranbourne Rotary president Gerard Sadler shared with the paper.
Story page 29
As the 2024 Federal Budget prioritises measures to ease cost-of-living, Casey communities say they are insufficient and more targeted reliefs could be delivered to low-income households.
The budget includes a one-off $300 energy rebate for all households, $1.9 billion to increase the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 10 per cent, and the revised stage-three tax cuts announced earlier this year.
The housing relief introduces an additional
$1.9 billion in loans to help build 40,000 social and affordable homes, and an extra $423m funding over five years to help develop social housing and improve homelessness services with the state governments.
Holt MP Cassandra Fernando said the main priorities of the budget were helping with the cost of living, building more homes for Australians, investing in a Future Made in Australia, and strengthening Medicare and the care economy.
“I know families in Holt are doing it tough and that is why we have been working hard to support them,” she said.
“The tax cuts will save the average taxpayer in Holt $1321 dollars.”
Shari McPhail, general manager at South East homelessness service Wayss said the Federal Budget was not going to relieve entrenched poverty in the region.
“Everyone getting power-bill relief is not targeted enough. There has been no rise in JobSeeker,” she said.
“This does nothing to impact on long-term poverty or to help people who we see at our services.”
Community Information and Support Cranbourne (CISC) executive director Leanne
Petrides noted most of the people who came to CISC for assistance cited cost of living pressures from rent or mortgage payments, cost of petrol, food, and energy bills as their primary reasons for not being able to make ends meet.
“The $300 energy rebate will barely be noticed by middle- and higher-income households. However, every dollar saved in a lowincome household is precious. This rebate could have been improved by targeting it to low-income households only and increasing it,” she said.
Continued page 8
Our Community Meals Subsidy Program provides funding to local community groups to provide healthy and nutritious meals at their centre for Casey’s vulnerable or isolated older residents.
Group social meals greatly benefit the community by creating opportunities to connect and celebrate culture and diversity. Applications for the program are open until Friday 31 May.
If you’ve got household chemicals such as bleach, weed killer, cleaning products or old cooking oil sitting unused, here’s your chance to dispose of them safely — and at no cost.
Sustainability Victoria’s drive-through Detox your Home event will be held on Saturday 22 June from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm at Chisholm Tafe in Cranbourne.
All collected items will either be recycled, repurposed, or disposed of safely. Places are limited and registrations are essential— no walk-ins accepted.
To register for this free event, search ‘Casey detox your home event’ on our website or scan the QR code.
Do you have plans to improve biodiversity on your property? The City of Casey’s Biodiversity Incentive Scheme grant supports conservation projects within the community.
Applications for the grant are now open to private landowners and volunteer public land managers. Eligible applicants can choose between receiving monetary support of up to $2,000 for conservation projects or a donation of indigenous seedlings for planting.
Applications close 11.00 pm on Sunday 30 June 2024. For more information and to apply, please visit the ‘Improving our environment’ page on our website or scan the QR code. If you require assistance with your application, please email enviroeducation@ casey.vic.gov.au or contact our Sustainability and Environment team on 9705 5200.
To find out more about the application process and to submit an application, search ‘meals subsidy program’ on our website, email mealservices@ casey.vic.gov.au or contact 9705 5444.
Join us for a VFL and VFLW double header on Saturday 18 May at Casey Fields in Cranbourne East.
To kick-off Casey Community Round, the VFL Casey Demons take on the Brisbane Lions at 11.05 am, followed by the VFLW Dees who will play Geelong at 2.30 pm. Casey residents can come cheer on the red and blue for free.
For more information and to download your free pass to the game, visit the ‘events’ section of our website.
Provide feedback on a number of consultations currently open on our community engagement platform, Casey Conversations.
• Proposed Governance Rules: have your say on the changes to our governance rules.
• Max Pawsey Reserve Master Plan: we are seeking feedback on the changes and updates to the Master Plan.
Head to the Casey Conversations website to find out more or scan the QR code.
A bereaved family has launched an online fundraiser to cover the funeral and legal expenses following the death of a single mother in a fatal collision in Hampton Park last week.
More than $47,000 has been raised after 35-year-old Zamira of Narre Warren South died after her sedan was involved in a head-on collision with a utility on Glasscocks Road at about 7.15am on Tuesday 7 May.
The driver and sole occupant of the utility, a 20-year-old NarreWarren South man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and investigations remain ongoing.
Sister Zainab Hussainpoor said on the GoFundMe page that Zamira had been the sole provider for her son for the past 11 years - since he was only two years old.
“As a single mother, she was the sole breadwinner and nurturer for young Husnain, tirelessly working night shifts to support him financially, and missing sleep throughout the day to spend what little time she could with him,” she said.
“As a refugee she faced significant hardship, overcoming numerous obstacles and making many sacrifices to offer the best upbringing she could for Husnain.
“Unfortunately, her life was cut short as she was returning home to pick up her son after a night shift at her job.”
She was “just minutes away from picking up her son for school”, it was noted.
Ms Hussainpoor is calling for the community to support Zamira’s son so he can move forward.
“By supporting us financially, you will be helping us cover any immediate funeral expenses and legal expenses related to the death of Zamira. All other funds will go towards supporting Husnain’s upbringing under the custodianship of his grandmother,” she said.
“As his grandmother is a pensioner, any donations made will go a long way towards ensuring Husnain has a promising future ahead,
easing the financial burden of these tragic circumstances.
“We hope you can consider the difficulty of the situation our family is facing.
“Support Husnain as you would like others
to support your own children in such a situation.”
To help, visit gofundme.com/f/supportnewly-orphaned-muslim-child-single-motherkilled
Connected Libraries will transition to a charity under the Local Government Act 2020, a council report notes.
The Local Government Act 2020 stipulates that all existing regional library corporations in Victoria must become a “beneficial enterprise”, a not-for-profit entity, and the current library corporation must be dissolved by July 2030.
Casey Cardinia Library Corporation, trading in the name of Connected Libraries, currently operates as a library corporation with Casey Council as the sole partner.
Council officers proposed a new structure of “company limited by guarantee” that had members instead of shareholders and Casey Council would be the sole member with the possibility that other councils could become members at a later date.
A constitution will be developed for the new corporate entity to outline the membership and governance structure.
Further key transition steps will include registration of the new corporate entity as a company with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM said the transition would be “an administrative shift” and the community would not be affected with operations and services continuing alongside the ongoing use of the Connected Libraries trading name.
Connected Libraries (CL) are hosting free storytime events to celebrate the 24th National Simultaneous Storytime onWednesday 22 May.
Each year a picture book written and illustrated by an Australian is read simultaneously across libraries, schools, childcare centres, homes, and more.
This year’s book Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker follows the journey of a bowerbird on a quest for all things blue, whilst feeling something is missing in his life.
The story encourages reflection on environmental pollution and its challenges.
Connected Libraries children’s, youth, and outreach manager Cenza Fulco said reading together would build lasting memories and promote the importance of reading and literacy and its effect on language development from a
young age.
“We look forward to welcoming families to our events that include free entry to Myuna Farm, Reptile Encounters at Bunjil Place Library, and fun storytimes in our libraries,” she said.
Free events are being hosted at five locations across Casey: Manna Gum Community Centre, Bunjil Place Library, Myuna Farm Doveton, Endeavour Hills Library, and Cranbourne Library.
Events are free but bookings are essential, visit: connectedlibraries.org.au/nss2024
Connected Libraries (CL) are hosting free storytime events to celebrate the 24th National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) on Wednesday 22 May. Picture: SUPPLIED
Tell us about yourself and your job as a writer.
I enjoy reading historical topics, both non-fiction and novels. So I like to write in that vein. The Cranbourne meteorite provided an interesting opportunity; a local event with astronomical fireworks, strong personalities, and many struggles and shenanigans. It’s a great yarn, and was just waiting to be told. What do you love the most about being a writer?
Getting a good sentence down. Then doing that again – about three thousand times! What has been your most memorable moment during your writing career?
Finding a publisher who liked the ‘cut of my jib’, closely followed by seeing my work in print for the first time.
If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
I’d like to say, ‘an eagle’, but I should keep it real, so I will say ‘a lion’. What were you like as a kid?
Studious but sporty, clumsy but adept, obnoxious but adorable…
What event, past or present, would you like to witness?
It’s a toss-up; the fall of the BerlinWall after decades of communist oppression, or Carlton’s 1970 Grand Final win? Wait, I’m still thinking. Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
I’ll use an ancient history theme with a French Enlightenment crossover, and a twist of Italian: 1. Julius Caesar - to supply a salad, but also the cutlery; he collected a pretty good set of knives.
2. Alexander the Great - for his wine list and his racy party games – which sometimes included spearing his drinking buddies. Easy on the sauce, Alex!
3. British Celtic leader Boudicca – to manage the BBQ. She was handy with an open flame,
just ask London.
4. Voltaire – he could bring a big plate of bon mots.
5. Marie Antoinette – because she would let us eat cake.
6. Stanley Tucci – so the diminutive Italian abroad could repeatedly exclaim“Mmm, that’s delicious!”
What three words would your friends use to describe you?
Erudite, knowledgeable, annoying.
What would you do on your perfect day off?
Work on being less annoying.
Where is your happy place?
When I’m in a bookstore that doubles as a guitar/music shop, and which also sells cycling equipment.
If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?
So hard. I know you want me to say “duck à l’orange” but I can at least stick with the poultry; who’s up for chicken risotto?
Where is your dream holiday destination? I’m partial to the French Alps, but that sounds a bit‘poncey’ – so let’s go with Splendido Mare, Portofino…
THREE … ways to support World Bee Day on 20 May as an individual
1
Plant a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year, and avoid pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in your garden.
2
Buy raw honey from local farmers and products from businesses with sustainable agricultural practices.
3 Make a bee water fountain by leaving a water bowl outside.
The theme is to Celebrate Service – an opportunity to shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve. To all the volunteers in the South-East, thank you so much for volunteering during these challenging and uncertain times. Volunteers like you make a vital contribution to our community, for which we are forever grateful.
to February 2025, with a 3-year option to renew
• Suitable for immediate owner occupation in the other premises
• Prominent corner location
• Rear shared car park
Address: 275 Rossiter Road, Koo Wee Rup Floor Area: 118m² | Category: Retail
An unlicensed, ice-addled driver who crashed into a power pole and critically injured himself and his passenger has been narrowly spared jail.
Slade Musgrove, 25, pleaded guilty after accepting a sentence indication at the Victorian County Court for dangerous driving causing serious injury. Shortly before the crash, Musgrove and his girlfriend had been using meth when they were told to immediately leave their temporary abode in Cranbourne late at night on 2 December 2021.
Due to the Covid lockdown, Musgrove was stranded from family in Queensland and without work and accommodation. The couple were regularly sleeping in the car.
“Regrettably you considered you had little choice but to drive away,” sentencing judge Gerard Mullaly said.
Early the next morning, due to Musgrove’s “possible momentary inattention”, the car veered off a straight, dry section of Springvale Road, Springvale South. Musgrove belatedly corrected but the car spun across a nature strip into a power pole.
Emergency services were at the scene for 15 minutes until they discovered the severelyinjured passenger under the car. Not wearing a seatbelt, she was ejected during the crash through a hole ripped in the footwell. She required resuscitation and emergency surgery at Monash Medical Centre to save her life. Her list of injuries included a brain haemorrage, severe fractures to her face and femur as well as ribs, lower leg and arm. Musgrove was freed
from the car by firefighters, and also taken to hospital in a critical state. The car was estimated to be travelling between 76-90 km/h when it struck the pole in the 80 km/h zone.
Several drugs, including high levels of methamphetamine, were found in Musgrove’s blood sample. However CCTV vision of Musgrove buying petrol minutes before the crash showed his movements and demeanour were apparently “normal”. There was little to no evidence of why Musgrove veered off the road, Judge Mulally said. Though he shouldn’t have been driving at all without a licence and with drugs in his system, he added.
The judge took into account Musgrove’s mild brain injury due to the crash as well as PTSD and early drug use stemming from childhood deprivation.
Without ever having a Victorian licence, he had been accumulating driving offences in Queensland and Victoria.
He had served 50 days’ jail for failing to appear in court but wasn’t a regular criminal offender, the judge stated.
With a stable relationship and home, Musgrove was now in a better position to reform than in the past - when he had been“too often in a drug-addled state”.
Prosecutors had sought a jail sentence.
Judge Mullaly, after deliberating “anxiously” on the case and the victim’s injuries, opted “by a bare margin” on 15 May for a four-year community corrections order.
The order includes supervision and 250 hours of unpaid work and treatment for drug use and mental health.
The Bakhtar CommunityWarehouse is calling for support through financial aid and material donations, as the demand has risen significantly in the past few months.
Since its establishment in late 2021, the Noble Park warehouse of Bakhtar Community Organisation has impacted the lives of over 6000 newly arrived refugees in South East Melbourne, providing essential household items, clothing, and food vouchers to support their journey in establishing a new home, amounting to an estimated $3 million worth of aid.
In 2023, the warehouse extended its support to individuals at high risk of homelessness, victims of family and domestic violence, and youth.
Chief executive officer Bassir Qadiri said the demand for their services had risen significantly.
“We used to support up to five to 10 families a week. Now that has gone to 25 to 30 families,” he said.
“That’s why we are struggling with deliveries because most of the new arrivals don’t have cars. They don’t have any way of getting their items to their home.
“Our volunteers deliver the items to their homes. But sometimes it costs us if we hire someone else to help us.
“It’s not only the Afghan community that we support. We’re supporting the multicultural community. Recently, we have received some referrals for some Palestinians who have arrived from Gaza.”
Mr Qadiri said though they had always been very grateful for the partnership with more than 30 organisations and charities, particularly the Rotary Club of Balwyn, they were still having financial difficulty at the moment.
“We have never received any funding
support from the government,” he said.
The charity organisation would also spend quite a lot of time and energy relocating to its new warehouse in Dandenong, according to Mr Qadiri.
“Dandenong Council is going to knock down the building of our Noble Park warehouse to turn it into a park sometime this year or next year,” he said.
“We are very hopeful that Development Victoria is going to provide us a piece of land opposite Dandenong Station where we could have a warehouse or a one-stop for the community where we could run some courses and as well as job experience opportunities for the job seekers as well as for the new arrivals.
“That space will be something that we’re looking into opening next year probably. It depends on how quickly things move.”
If you would like to help The Bakhtar Community Warehouse, you could reach out to Mr Qadiri on 0435 945 591. Any form of support would be greatly appreciated, whether it’s material aid, food vouchers, or a tax-deductible donation.
Residential aged care home Calvary Hallam will cease operations by October 2024 as Calvary assesses the future use of the site to deliver modern connected care across its services.
Calvary considered modernising the existing building design but determined such extensive work was not practical for the staff and residents, who would have had to relocate throughout the process.
Calvary Hallam is an older residential aged care home, and while maintenance works have been undertaken to address immediate issues, the infrastructure style is believed to be unable to support contemporary aged care services into the future without a major renovation.
“These decisions are not made lightly, but we believe the closure offers better long-term outcomes for our residents and a stable work environment for staff compared with any temporary relocation,” Calvary regional chief executive Victoria Dr Angela Littleford said.
“To be able to grow, and provide care for an increasing number of people, Calvary must ensure our existing services are operating well, and enhance our service delivery with access to pathways that help to connect care services.”
Calvary will support the transition of all 39 residents to homes with better amenities across the Calvary network, or to another aged
care provider if residents choose.
Calvary Hallam staff will be offered redeployment opportunities where suitable across
New traffic lights at Elmslie Drive and Cameron Street have been switched on as part of the Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade.
Connecting to the Casey Fields sporting complex at Casey Fields Boulevard, the intersection will give another signalised access point, helping relieve some of the through traffic on Eliburn Drive.
Works continue to progress across the project as the crew is preparing to lay the final layer of asphalt along Narre Waren-Cranbourne Road, including parts of Berwick-Cranbourne Road and Cameron Street in May.
Works have been steaming ahead on South Gippsland Highway and Cameron Street, with new lanes opening in sections for the first time, as well as the new entry and exit points along the Cameron Street Service Road.
Further in the north of the project, the crew removed the hump over the old railway line and levelled out the road between Marklin and Clarendon streets.
As the crew gets ready to reopen this section of service road, they will soon start their final asphalting and line marking works between Clarendon Street and north of Loch Street.
Local government funding and service delivery is set to be scrutinised by the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee.
The Parliamentary Inquiry into Local Government funding and services has commenced, with local governments and members of the community urged to participate.
The inquiry will include evaluating cost-shifting from State and Federal governments onto local councils, assessing local governments’ ability to fulfill core service delivery objectives, reviewing the revenue structure of local governments to determine its sustainability and appropriateness, and exploring alternative funding models.
Shadow Minister for Local Government Peter Walsh highlighted potential issues of cost-shifting, ranging from waste collection to the maintenance of road networks.
“The commencement of this inquiry marks an essential step in ensuring transparency and accountability in local government funding and services,” he said.
“It is imperative that residents and local councils actively participate, as their input is invaluable in addressing potential cost-shifting issues.
“Together, we can work towards more effective and sustainable solutions for our communities.”
The inquiry has been initiated by the Liberals and Nationals and was prompted by concerns from numerous councillors and community members.
“We are dedicated to ensuring that ratepayers and communities receive value for money and equitable access to local services and amenities.
“It’s a significant step towards ensuring fair and efficient resource allocation, and I encourage all stakeholders to actively participate and contribute to this important process.“
Now with asphalting and line marking complete, the crew will finish installing the shared walking and cycling path and guardrails.
From 9am Friday 10 May, the crew will open the service road between Clarendon Street and just past Loch Street.
They will complete minor finishing works
Asphalting and line marking on the service road between Clarendon Street and north of Loch Street was completed last week with the wearing course laid.
such as landscaping over the coming months.
Later in May, works will take place to lay the final layer of asphalt on the service road between Lyall and Clarendon streets.
Once this section is complete, the service road will fully reopen to traffic, connecting between Lyall Street and north of Loch Street with the new entry and exit point along the new Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road.
Submissions are due by 28 June, 2024 and can be made via the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee’s webpage at parliament.vic. gov.au/localgovernmentfunding
You can also register to receive email updates for the inquiry on the committee’s website.
THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN
Thumbs down
To household furniture and appliances on nature strip for weeks.
Thumbs up
To the new landscaping around the Beaconsfield cenotaph - so lovely to see it all finished.
Thumbs up
To South Eastern Private Hospital - best nurses in the mental health section. The nurses and staff are just lovely there.
Thumbs down
To the two-storey McDonald’s being built on the corner of Bayview Road and the Princes Highway. Only going to cause more traffic chaos and near a child care centre. Shame on you, Cardinia Council.
Thumbs up
To the woman who paid for my cake from The Cheesecake Shop. Kindness is still out there!
As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re easing congestion by building better roads and undertaking maintenance works in Melbourne’s south east. We’re also removing dangerous and congested level crossings and building the Metro Tunnel.
What we’re doing
In Cranbourne, over the coming months we’re working to open the new northbound lanes on Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, between Linsell Boulevard and Thompsons Road.
In Pakenham, we’ll open the new outbound Princes Freeway entry ramp at McGregor Road and start the final asphalting of Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road, between Greenhills and Manks roads.
In Berwick, we’ve started relocating underground services on Clyde Road, between Enterprise Avenue and Bemersyde Drive, before major work to transform the area starts later this year.
In June, the new Pakenham and East Pakenham stations will open to the community and trains will be running on the new 2.5 kilometre rail bridge.
Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions
Pakenham Line 18 May to early JuneOn sections of the line
Road disruptions: Closed roads and lanes
Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne East
Until mid 2024Between Berwick-Cranbourne Road and New Holland Drive
7am to 6pm, at times mid to late May
Ballarto Road, Carrum Downs and Skye
Camms Road, Cranbourne East
Between Thompsons Road and New Holland Drive
Until mid 2024 At McCormicks Road with detours and lanes closed at times between Boggy Creek and Dion Drive
Until mid 2024At Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road
Princes Freeway, Pakenham 7pm to 5am, 12 to 16 May
Cameron Street, Cranbourne East 7am to 5pm, at times mid to late May
Between McGregor and HealesvilleKoo Wee Rup roads
In sections between Berwick-Cranbourne Road and South Gippsland Highway
Station Street, Officer From 18 MayPermanently at the level crossing
McGregor Road, Pakenham 7am to 11.59pm, 19 May At Henry Road and Webster Way intersection
Henry Road, Pakenham 19 May to early July
Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road, Pakenham
At times, 16 May to late June
Between McGregor Road and Heritage Boulevard
In sections between Greenhills and Manks roads
Advocacy group Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) urged for the region to feature heavily in the $22.7 billion Future Made in Australia package.
“South East Melbourne is a diverse region that is well placed to play a major role in Future Made in Australia, with world leading universities, innovation centres and manufacturers all together in one place,” GSEM chair Simon McKeon said.
“GSEM already effectively brings the public, private and education sectors together in partnership.
“We want to work with the federal government to make the Future Made in Australia vision a success.”
McKeon also welcomed the Government’s cost of living relief, help for renters and increased housing support and investment.
Other highlights were $437.3 million for suburban road upgrades in Melbourne’s South East and North, as well as skills and training in priority industries and to support women’s participation.
“Jobs and skills remain priority issues for our region.”
According to the Federal Government, the Future Made in Australia initiative will drive new industries and technologies towards a clean, net-zero economy.
It includes a $1.7 billion Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund for “innovative technologies“ and priority industries, including green metals and low carbon liquid fuels.
South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alli-
ance warned that the Future Made in Australia package could be “dragged under” by “unjustified, crippling” state land tax rises and Workcover premium increases.
“SEMMA believes that there is little in the Federal and State Budgets for SMEs.
“While no new taxes for business inVictoria is welcome, businesses are still seeking respite from recent land tax, payroll and WorkCover premiums rises.
“Federally, the Future Made in Australia Fund offers little for SMEs.
“Grass-roots manufacturers are seeking real financial assistance for the transition to net zero.
“SEMMA is concerned Federal Labor has predicted deficits from next year onwards and that this is a pre-election budget that attempts to give something to everyone, some less deserving than others.“
From page 1
Tax cuts would certainly have a positive impact on workers, but in the last financial year, just over 85 per cent of the people seeking assistance from CISC either had no income or had an income from Centrelink or another source, according to Ms Petrides.
“We would classify them as among the most vulnerable in our community – often paying more than 60 per cent of their income in housing costs. They will not benefit from any tax cuts,” she said.
“In addition, we have not seen any commitment to increase JobSeeker, which continues to fall well below the poverty line.”
The 2024 budget includes an extra $54.90 fortnightly for JobSeeker recipients with a working capacity of up to 14 hours a week but leaves out the increase on the general rate.
South East Community Links welcomed the budget initiatives but noted there was “more work to be done” on cost-of-living, the housing crisis, and gendered violence.
“Utility bills are a top issue for our local community members, and the $300 energy rebate is a much-needed relief,” chief executive Peter McNamara said.
“However, extending it to everyone regardless of their income is puzzling.“
He described the Commonwealth Rent Assistance rise of $9.40 a week for a single person at the maximum as “modest” and still leaving many in “deep housing stress”.
“Renters on JobSeeker orYouth Allowance will continue to spend half their income on rent alone,” he said.
The Leaving Violence Program’s $5,000 grant for family violence survivors was“helpful but does not address the long-term financial challenges women face especially those on JobSeeker“.
“Increasing the JobSeeker rate is essential for women’s economic security, as living in poverty makes it even harder to leave family violence situations.“
Liberal La Trobe MP Jason Wood hit out at the 2024-25 Federal Budget, describing it as a “big-spending, big-taxing con job“ with too few benefits for the South East.
“There’s not very much to do with the cost
By Cam Lucadou-WellsVoters will be asking themselves whether the Federal Government has “done enough” to help them in a “critical” 2024-‘25 Budget, says Monash University politics expert Dr Zareh Ghazarian.
With the next election up to 12 months away, voters will be gauging how effectively the government relieves costof-living, energy prices and housing stresses in the Budget.
In the budget, most Australians were targeted with $300 energy rebates, with the government announcing cost-ofliving as its “No.1 priority”.
“In this budget, voters will be asking themselves if the government has done enough,” Dr Ghazarian said.
“The government is not riding high in the polls so it will be a critical budget to get the support of the voters. Otherwise they will struggle to win the next election.”
Under economic stress, voters will look to the candidates and parties that offer solutions, Dr Ghazarian said.
“There’s the risk for Labor that the voters aren’t shy about voting against the two major parties.”
of living,“ he said.
Wellsprings for Women welcomed the federal budget’s measures intended to alleviate the cost of living and the increase of $1 billion in funding for the Housing Support Program.
“We welcome the funding of $1.1 billion over four years to pay superannuation on government-funded paid parental leave from July 2025,” chief executive officer Dalal Smiley said.
“We also welcome the government’s decision to allocate an additional role for our family violence case management as part of the 500 roles funded by the Commonwealth’s program for Women Leaving Violence.
“The downside of the budget is the lack of funding to continue work at grassroots level on primary prevention of violence against women, which is completely separate and different from the funding provided for helping women already impacted by family violence.”
A recent Council to Homeless Persons report shows Casey topped the state for growing numbers of the “working homeless” with 641 homeless clients who were employed in 2022-23, up 9 per cent from the year before.
The Rental Affordability Index also shows Casey rentals are at their most unaffordable since 2015 – severely so for pensioner couples.
With over 26 years of experience, 38 villages under our belt and over 8,000 residents across the ditch, we’ve become pretty good at creating the kind of retirement community you want to live in.
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Berwick resident and community leader Kasuni Mendis is in full swing for her second council election.
Long passionate about the local government sector, Ms Mendis has spent almost a decade embedding herself in the community to understand what the needs are. She ran for Springfield Ward in 2016 and had the third highest in primary votes. This year, she is looking to run as a candidate for the Kowan Ward. She is the president of the Casey Multi-Faith Network and Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association. She participated in the Casey Leadership Program in its first year. She is also an L2P mentor who supervises learner drivers and helps them gain their licences.
“Working at those other organisations in my volunteer time has really given me an insight into some of the advocacy that’s required in the City of Casey,” she said.
Essential services and access and inclusion would be her focus in the coming election.
“I want to ensure that our essential services are met, such as ensuring that our parks and roads are maintained, our bins are collected, and that our rates go to good use, and we have better value for that. I think that’s what people want to see from their council, and I think that’s what I want to deliver for our community as well,” she said.
“Broader than that, I want to make sure that the voices in our diverse community feel like they’re heard, represented, and respected.
“I would also advocate for better infrastructure to State and Federal Governments to en-
sure that the growth that we’re seeing now is being met with adequate infrastructure and services.
“More broadly, there’s a lot more advocacy we can do in the health and well-being space
and ensure that the diverse needs of our community are met - whether that’s through the arts and culture, sports, or other engagement activities that create a sense of harmony and peace in our community.”
Working for local government in the west suburbs now, Ms Mendis believed this very experience enabled her to have a good insight into how councils worked operationally and administratively, what councils could do to effect change, and what could be done to achieve transparency and good governance.
“The last time the governance policy was reviewed, I put in a submission through the Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association around how we can have some more time and measures about improving transparency,” she said.
“One of the suggestions is having a register where they log down any meeting they have with external bodies such as developers.
“I think that would be a really useful way of ensuring that there is that transparency between councilors and the community. That is also just all out there, open and clear for people to see and understand any kind of dealings or conversations that might have occurred between councilors and developers.”
Looking back on her 2016 election, Ms Mendis said she had improved and matured a lot in the past eight years. The only thing constant was her passion and vision for the community.
“I think things that I want to achieve now are similar to what I wanted to achieve back then. I saw a need in our community that was not heard, respected and represented. And
that’s why I put my hand up then, and that’s a part of why I put my hand up now as well,” she said.
“I’ve learned a lot over the years. I was really young and probably naive when I ran back in 2016, and I definitely made mistakes.
“I think one of the biggest learnings that I’ve had is about being able to support women in local government.
“I really believe in the role that women have to play in local government. And I think my values are more aligned to supporting women and understanding how hard it is for women in politics.”
Ms Mendis said people in Casey had felt like they had not been represented over the last few years and now it was time.
“Even in the years preceding the sacking of the council, it was clear that there was a lot of dysfunctions and general inefficiencies,” she said.
“Following the sacking of councilors with the appointment of administrators, residents felt like they lost their community voice in the decisions that were being made.
“I think that this restoration of democracy in Casey will be good for our municipality. Ultimately, we all want a Casey that we can be proud of.
“I love our area, but I think there’s just a lot more to be done to ensure that we have a community that’s safe and secure and that we can all be proud of and say that we’re happy to live in.”
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A federal MP says there’s no change to the criteria preventing overseas relatives wishing to visit South East residents, despite claims of a spate of rejections.
Advocates have claimed that recent visitor-visa decisions made by the Immigration Department were “discriminatory” especially against applicants from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Cambodia and Pakistan.
It meant that family members were reportedly unable to visit Australian citizens and permanent residents for births, wedding, funerals and other significant occasions for between three-12 months.
However Bruce MP Julian Hill said that they were “not political decisions – they are made by the Department independent of MPs”.
“Sometimes I agree the decisions are too tough, though they are difficult and on balance judgements the department has to make.”
Star News met with a distraught and overwhelmed pregnant mother-of-two and her husband, who was hoping that her overseas mother could visit to help her after the birth of her third child.
Her husband has given up work to help at home and do school runs. As a result, they are under immense financial pressure.
Such is their desperation, they’ve made three fruitless applications for visitor visas for a non-refundable fee of nearly $200 per time.
Mr Hill said there had been no change to the long-standing policy that applicants must meet the same “Genuine Temporary Entrant criteria”.
Applicants needed to “convince the department they only intend a short-term visit and will not overstay their visa”, he said.
“If an applicant is a citizen of a country where there is a serious civil unrest, political instability or other significant circumstances, the Department may be less confident that a temporary visa-holder will return home prior to the expiry of their Australian visa.
“It’s important not to draw conclusions based on individual cases as the Department has to make decisions based on intelligence they receive, patterns for other visa holders and the actual evidence provided.
“They look at all sorts of things including the strength of family and economic incen-
tives to return home, travel history and so on.”
Mr Hill said that after a “decade of decimation” of visa processing by the former Government, Labor had reduced the standard processing time for visitor visa applications by more than 75 per cent.
Failed applications for visitor visas can be reviewed at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
But the reviews come at a cost of about $3500 and can take 1-2 years, according to refugee advocate Wicki Wickiramasingham.
Local residents’ pasts as asylum seekers ar-
riving by boat 15 years ago are being unfairly weighed against them, he recently told Star News.
“These ‘boat people’ – you have detained them, released them, given them permanent protection, they become citizens and now you stop their family visiting.
“They are being discriminated against, even though they are Australian citizens.
“If they still don’t have equal rights as others, then what’s the point (of being citizens)?”
Dandenong-based migration agent Thayhorn Yim agreed that it seemed discriminatory.
“They should be allowed to come here provided there’s no adverse information against them.
“It’s causing a lot of grief in the community. Especially after Covid-19 they want to reunite with their families.”
More than 50 organisations and 19 nationalities have met in Hallam to raise a united voice for migrant communities.
The Multicultural Unity and Diversity Celebration forum, believed to be the first of its kind inVictoria, was hosted by South-Eastern Multicultural Community Network Victoria on Saturday 11 May.
The network was self-described as a“nonreligious, non-political, not-for-profit organisation”.
Melbourne’s South East was seen as the “capital” of multicultural Australia, forum co-organiser Manoj Kumar of South Asian Public Affairs Council said.
The groups would “work together on one platform to voice the issues that matter most for migrant communities”.
They will also endorse upcoming council election candidates who support culturallydiverse communities, Manoj said.
“This forum will provide a great opportunity to listen to the unified voices of SouthEastern suburb communities and policymakers to get direct feedback and response.
“A summary report will be submitted to both the state and federal multicultural ministers and concerned departments for their information and follow-up.”
One of the major issues raised at the forum was the lack of women from migrant backgrounds landing professional “whitecollar” jobs,
“It
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Education Week will be celebrated in Victoria from Monday 13 May to Friday 17 May 2024.
The annual celebration of education is a chance for students to take part in free and fun activities, with an opportunity to share what makes your school or learning setting great.
This year’s theme ‘Spotlight on STEM’ focuses on the ways science, technology, engineering and maths can be brought to life in the classroom.
Join in the celebrations, and explore free teaching resources, virtual events and more.
The way that STEM subjects are taught may have changed over the years, but families are still able to support children of all ages engage in STEM related experiences.
You can help your child engage with STEM by encouraging them to investigate and ask questions about the real world.You can do this by asking open-ended questions, such as: Can you describe...? I wonder what would happen if...? How would you answer that question...? What if...?
Learn more about STEM from your school Talk to your child’s school and ask how children can learn about STEM. Some schools let families volunteer for classroom activities and excursions.
Alternatively, ask your school for examples of STEM activities that you can do at home with your child.
Encourage and support activities that are STEM-related
For younger children, this could include playing games to identify different shapes, numbers and patterns; or singing songs and nursery rhymes about numbers and playing with building blocks.
For older children, this could include using a digital device to make a movie with special
effects; learning cooking skills; or encouraging the use of apps and computer games that are STEM-related.
For children at secondary school, you could ask your child’s school about STEM subjects and extra-curricular activities that may have a
STEM focus, and encourage young people to talk to their teachers or career advisers about pathways that lead to STEM careers.
We’re excited to share the latest news from Hampton Park Secondary College, where excellence is not just a goal but a reality we live and breathe every day. Our college has undergone remarkable transformations with recent multi-million dollar facility upgrades, ensuring that our students have access to state-of-the-art resources and learning environments. The highlight of these upgrades is the introduction of our new STEAM Centre. These cutting-edge facilities are designed to nurture the curiosity and ingenuity of our students, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving world. Our brand new Wellness Centre is another testament to our commitment to holistic education. We understand the importance of nurturing both the mind and body, and our Wellness Centre provides a space for students to prioritise their mental wellbeing.
At Hampton Park SC, we believe in student-empowered learning. We understand that every student is unique, with their
own passions, interests, and learning styles. That’s why we’re committed to providing opportunities for choice in subject selections, allowing students to tailor their educational experience to suit their individual goals and aspirations.
Central to our success is our commitment to high expectations. We believe in setting the bar high and providing the support and resources necessary for our students to reach their full potential. Our dedicated staff are not just educators, but mentors and guides who go above and beyond to ensure that every student receives the attention and assistance they need to succeed. It’s this combination of high expectations and exceptional support that has led to some of the highest academic results in our College’s history.
Exciting things are happening at Hampton Park Secondary College, and we invite you to come see for yourself. Book a tour with our College Principal,Wayne Haworth, and experience learning in action.
Parents want to make great choices for their children, including the difficult choice of what school will be the best for their child.
As a former teacher, mother of four and daughter of a school principal, I want to share three ideas as you embark on this journey.
Start by considering what you want for your child within the context of the “Big Picture”
Consider what is most important to you and your family. Your child is going to learn a view of the world from their school’s focus, teachers and fellow students. This view will influence the way your child responds to life, the skills and capabilities they develop and their learning opportunities.
To assist, write down your thoughts regarding what you value and consider most important – what are the not negotiables? Write down subjects you want available, learning opportunities, experiences and the values that are important to you.
Know your child – it is important to know your child and your child’s needs
For your child to thrive, you must consider your child’s interests, needs, personality, and temperament. Consider if your child will thrive with a more tailored education to suit a specific need or interest they may have and how the school may support this. Also, does your child have any special learning needs and will the school be able to support them?
You may also want to think about how your child functions in a social learning environment and the type of support the school will provide to your child to help them learn and
settle into the environment. For example, does the school provide for the type of social skills and influences you would like?
Not every child or teenager will be happy at school all the time. Life is full of ups and downs and schools are filled with highs and lows. However, if your child is constantly unhappy, lonely or feeling unsupported, bullied or simply not learning, you may need to consider if it is time to change schools.
The “vibe” is still important in the school selection process.
My mother’s words of wisdom helped me to select a school for my first child. She encouraged me to drive around and visit the learning spaces I was considering and said that I would know the right place when I walked in – she was right!
While you can begin a search online and look at advertisements and brochures, one of the best ways to decide is for you is to visit the school, talk to the teachers, school leaders and principal. You will get a feel for the school’s focus, learning environment and facilities. Family and friends can also provide valuable input.
What’s right for your child is unique. Hopefully, your child will make friends, enjoy school and learn what matters most, so they can achieve and be their best in the next phase of their life.
I wish you well on your journey!
Ann-Marie Hermans MLC Member for South-Eastern Metropolitan Region
An exciting change is happening at Hallam Senior College. The College has begun the process of being reorganised and expanded to cater for the growing demand in Melbourne’s south-east and provide families with a quality local school for their entire secondary schooling journey. The school has been renamed Hallam Secondary College and will progressively move to a Year 7-12 school over the next few years.
Through our Values (Achievement, Care and Equity) we will ensure every student learns and achieves with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning while assisting them to be ready to take their place as positive contributors to their local and global community. Everything we do is focused on identifying and maximising individual potential, through the use of the very best tried and tested teaching and learning practice within a supportive and caring environment.
Our mission is to provide a comprehensive and guaranteed high quality education program that ensures ‘Success for All’.
Our aim is to create a school which is:
· a true learning community
· a place students wish to attend, staff want to work and parents feel welcome
· fulfilling student potential and,
· preparing students for life beyond school
As a small to medium size secondary school we have the advantage of being able to know every learner as an individual.
Despite being a smaller secondary the new school will have an extensive range of Senior Pathways available to our students including VCE (both traditional Academic and the new Vocational Major), the highly regarded Sports Academy in Years 10 to 12 and access to the largest VET provision of any school in the Region.
Hallam Secondary College has a reputation for challenging students to be involved in a range of activities which will help shape them as a learner and active community member.
A multiple pathway approach provides opportunities for all students. Whatever the next step, students finishing at Hallam Secondary College will have formed a clear sense of what they want to achieve and the pathway to this outcome. Students work closely with the staff, professional course advisors and experts from industry to shape their choices.
Staff are committed to student success.
The quality of our teaching and support staff is excellent, making a significant difference to student outcomes. Targeted enhancement programs across the Academy structure assists students to reach their potential.
Appreciating and embracing different backgrounds, cultures and identities is built into our school curriculum and celebrated through specific community events. Our College has a reputation for challenging students to be involved in a range of activities which help shape them as a learner and active community member. We expect our students to work hard, be involved in the wide range of extra curricula activities and be active members of the local community.
Cranbourne Secondary College is making waves in the educational landscape by expanding its Basketball Academy to include Year 7 and Year 8 students starting next year. This move comes as part of the school’s commitment to providing a holistic education that nurtures both academic and sporting talents.
The Basketball Academy is delivering a high-performance program, ensuring that players are challenged daily, pushing them to reach their full potential both on and off the court. By integrating intense sports training with a comprehensive secondary education, Cranbourne Secondary College is offering young athletes a unique opportunity to pursue their passion for basketball without compromising their academic growth.
In addition, the school has secured a substantial $9 million funding in the State Budget to upgrade and modernise its buildings and facilities along Stawell Street.This investment underscores the College’s dedication to providing state-of-the-art resources that will enhance the learning and training experiences of its students.
Cranbourne Secondary College’s curriculum is designed to foster creativity, problemsolving, and innovative thinking in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). By incorporating these elements into its educational framework, the school is preparing its students to become well-rounded individuals who are equipped to tackle the challenges of the future.
Cranbourne Secondary College also places a strong emphasis on cultural diversity and inclusivity. Harmony week, celebrated at the school, was a testament to this commitment, culminating in the highly successful Eid Festival, which saw a sell-out crowd. These
events not only showcase the school’s vibrant and inclusive community but also provide students with valuable opportunities to learn about different cultures and traditions.
Cranbourne Secondary College’s expansion of its Basketball Academy, its dedication to sports excellence, cultural diversity, and innovative education highlights its commitment to providing an outstanding education-
al experience for its students. Through these initiatives, the school is shaping the next generation of leaders, athletes, and innovators, ensuring they are well-prepared to make a positive impact on the world.
There is no better way to experience Cranbourne Secondary College than first-hand, immersing yourself in the environment and hearing from staff and students as you ex-
plore the facilities and get a feel for our location and spaces.
Throughout 2024 we are running tours of Cranbourne Secondary College on: Tuesday and Thursday mornings 9.30 am – 10.30 am or contact us to book an alternative time.
· (03) 5996 3544 · https://cranbournesc.vic.edu.au
Every Victorian government school student will get a free breakfast under a multi-milliondollar budget move.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Education Ben Carroll recently announced the government would put $21.1 million - as part of the State Budget 2024/25 - into expanding the School Breakfast Clubs Program to every government school.
The expansion would see 150 more schools invited to join the program at the beginning of next year – expected to support up to 200,000 students – before rolling out to remaining schools from June 2025.
One thousand schools already participate in the program, which provides healthy breakfasts for students, as well as lunches, snacks and take-home food packs for students experiencing disadvantage or financial strain, the government said in a statement.
Food provided through School Breakfast Clubs meets Healthy Eating Guidelines, prioritises fresh foods and caters for different preferences, with menu options like cereals, fresh fruit, soups and rice dishes.
Premier Jacinta Allan said kids can’t learn on an empty stomach.
“That’s why we’re helping families by expanding School Breakfast Clubs to every government school, giving students a free, healthy breakfast before school every day,” Ms Allan said.
Minister for Education Ben Carroll said: “Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or a healthy snack, School Breakfast Clubs make a huge difference to students whose families need a little extra support to give their children nutritious meals that power their school day.”
The expansion of the School Breakfast Clubs Program comes on top of the govern-
ment’s $287 million set aside to help ease costof-living pressures for school families.
The $400 School Saving Bonus would support all government school students, and eligible concession card holders at non-government schools, with the costs of school uniforms and camps, sports, and excursions.
They’re also expanding the Glasses for Kids program into more than 400 extra schools, providing free vision screening to children in Prep to Year 3, and free glasses for students who need them.
Since 2016, the State Government’s School Breakfast Clubs Program has delivered more
than 40 million healthy and nutritious meals, as well as practical cooking classes for families at 100 schools. The government said the program helped to build food literacy, increase daily consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, and support cheap and healthy meal planning.
Catholic schools across Gippsland and Melbourne’s outer south-east will open their doors to the community to celebrate Catholic Education Week 2024 from 17 May to 24 May.
This is a chance for everyone to witness the vibrant faith and learning environments in their local Catholic Schools with Open Days, activities and events planned.
Mr Paul Velten, Director of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Sale, said schools were looking forward to celebrating through activities, events, and open days.
This year’s theme, A New Dialogue of Love, Hope and Joy is inspired by the Scripture passage ‘See, I am Making All Things New’, Revelation 21:5.
This theme symbolises an optimistic and hope-filled perspective on the world and a renewed approach to fostering positive change.
The theme emphasises the belief that transformation and renewal are possible in all aspects of life through individual choices. By following the life and teachings of Jesus, and embracing principles of compassion, peace, goodness, and justice, individuals can contribute to a more hopeful and joyful world, sowing seeds of positivity and hope.
Mr Velten said through this theme, Catholic schools intend to inspire young people to engage with the Christian message and to showcase their efforts in making a positive impact on society. Schools will be sharing the many activities and projects they are involved in which aim to contribute to making the world a better place.
“The goal is for everyone involved - staff, students, families, and parishes - to embrace this theme and for schools to continue serving as supportive environments where children can connect with their faith and realise their full potential.”
The Diocese of Sale covers 38 Catholic primary schools and seven Catholic secondary schools spanning a geographic area from Melbourne’s outer south-east suburbs from NarreWarren and Cranbourne to Phillip Island in the south, and right throughout Gippsland to Orbost in the east. A 39th Catholic primary school is currently under construction in the new Five Farms estate in the growth suburb of Clyde North with a planned opening in 2025.
To find out more about Catholic education in the Diocese of Sale and Catholic schools in your area visit doscel.catholic.edu.au
17 May to 24 May 2024
Welcome to St. Francis de Sales Primary School, where we believe that education is not just about academics but about nurturing the whole person. Our school, nestled in the heart of Lynbrook, has been a beacon of learning and faith since its establishment in 2010. As part of the Parish of St. Kevin’s Hampton Park, we are deeply rooted in our faith community and strive to be a vibrant witness of our Catholic faith.
At St. Francis de Sales, we are committed to providing our students with a holistic education that nurtures their minds, bodies, and spirits. Our motto,“As one in faith we learn and grow,” reflects our belief in the importance of faith in education. We aim to create opportunities for our students to excel as learners, guided by faith, love, and hope.
We see parents as partners in the education journey of their children. We value the relationship we have with parents and are committed to working together to ensure the best
outcomes for each child. Your engagement with the school will help your child flourish and reach their full potential.
Education in faith is not confined to the classroom but extends to every aspect of our school community. We encourage our students to live out their faith in their interactions with others, in the playground, and in the wider community. Our goal is to empower students to seek truth, ask questions, and make meaningful connections in their lives.
We invite you to come and see our school in action. Book a tour or call our school office to arrange a visit. We would love to show you around and introduce you to our vibrant community. Join us at St. Francis de Sales Primary School, where we strive to help every child be who they are and be that perfectly well.
Christine White Principal St. Francis de Sales Catholic Primary SchoolAs we celebrate Catholic Education Week, it is a joyous occasion to reflect on the values and vision that define us at St. Therese’s Catholic Primary School in Cranbourne North.
Our vision is simple yet profound: “do all that you do with love.” This foundational principle shapes every aspect of our school community, guiding us in our mission to provide a faith-filled, safe, respectful, and welcoming environment where everyone thrives.
At St. Therese’s, we are not just a school; we are an integral part of the Parish of St. Agatha’s. This connection to our parish roots is central to our identity, driving us to be not just educators but also spiritual guides for our young people.We are committed to nurturing the spiritual, emotional, and academic growth of our students, guiding them on their journey of faith and lifelong learning.
Our school is a vibrant tapestry of diversity, with over 35 nationalities represented among our students and families. This rich cultural mosaic makes St. Therese’s a truly unique and special place, where every individual is valued and celebrated.
Central to our educational approach is the Victorian Curriculum and the Religious Education Framework, ‘To Live in Christ Jesus’. Through these frameworks, we aim to not only impart knowledge but also to develop the capabilities of our students, including social and personal skills, intercultural understanding, ethical reasoning, and creative and critical thinking. Our goal is for every student to leave St. Therese’s as an independent, ethical, and responsible learner, equipped to navigate the complexities of the world with confidence and compassion. St. Therese’s may be a small school, but it is a place where every name is known and every student is valued. Our ethos, encapsulated in the words of St. Therese of Lisieux, reminds us to “do all that you do with love.” This spirit of love permeates everything we do at St. Therese’s, shaping our interactions, our teaching, and our learning.
As we mark Catholic Education Week, we celebrate the values that define us and the vision that guides us. St. Therese’s Catholic Primary School is not just a place of learning; it is a community of faith, love, and excellence.
Cranbourne teacher, Danielle Searles, has been recognised as one of the country’s leading primary school teachers.
Danielle, who leads the Art program at Casey Grammar School, is one of only a handful of teachers to be announced as an Excellence Awardee in the prestigious Australian Education Awards 2024.
The annual awards recognise excellence and innovation in teaching and earning a spot on the highly-contested shortlist is a significant achievement.
“I was very taken aback when I found out that I was nominated for these awards. It really is an honour just to be nominated and to now find out that I’m a finalist is an amazing surprise,” says Danielle.
“These awards recognise the hard work that all teachers do each and every day for the students they care for and guide throughout their educational journey.”
Danielle was nominated by Casey Grammar School Principal, Fiona Williams, for the commitment and creativity she has brought to developing the school’s Art program.
Upon her commencement at the school, Danielle developed a new Visual Arts program and a studio that offers sewing, wire work, sculpture, collage, clay work, painting, jewellery-making and fashion design. She also organised the inaugural Junior School Art Show, which attracted around 1,000 visitors over two days.
Danielle, who teaches Foundation to Year 6, is also an intervention teacher who assists students needing extra literacy support. She has completed specialisit MiniLit training that has enabled her to significantly improve reading, comprehension and writing skills in the students she works with each week.
“Casey Grammar is thrilled to see Danielle recognised as a finalist in the Australian Edu-
cation Awards. She is very worthy of that recognition,” says Fiona Williams.
“Danielle is an exceptional teacher who has had a huge impact on the school and who brings creativity and passion to everything she does at
Every day, as she leads the team at Casey Grammar School, Fiona Williams nurtures a school community that strives for academic excellence while understanding the value of building strong and respectful relationships, and supporting student and staff wellbeing.
Since being appointed Principal in 2020, Fiona has continued to build the school’s reputation while introducing innovative programs that capture young minds. These efforts, supported by the team at Casey Grammar School, have seen Fiona and the school earn national recognition.
Fiona was named one of Australia’s Most Influential Educators by The Educator. The awards celebrate education leaders and changemakers who have made an impact on students, school communities and the education sector. They also recognise those who demonstrate innovation and creativity to drive Australia’s education industry onwards and upwards.
Fiona has also been a Principal of the Year finalist in the prestigious Australian Education Awards.
While enhancing facilities for the 1,000-plus students through a program of major building works, Fiona is also building a safe and welcoming environment where students can learn, explore and follow their passions from their very first day at the school.
“Our exceptional teachers inspire students to be creative, curious and collaborative learners through programs which explore real world challenges and solutions,” says Fiona.
“Our goal is to provide every student with practical, life-long skills to ensure they are ready for the world beyond school and to help each and every student to enjoy respectful relationships and embrace compassion for others.”
To ensure students continue to enjoy the highest standards of education in the classroom, Fiona encourages staff and students at Casey Grammar School to be lifelong and curious learners themselves. This approach to life and learning is also one that Fiona follows.
“We are very proud of our warm sense of community and of our focus on excellence,” says Fiona. “Together, these grow students with bright minds and kind hearts.”
Connecting with family and friends online can be fun and exciting, but it also comes with some risks.
Find out what these are and what you can do to stay safe online.
What are the risks?
Here are some of the risks and dangers to look out for:
· Privacy – your personal information could be seen by anyone, anywhere. It could be viewed by friends, family and strangers.
· Permanency – once something is posted it can stay online for a long time, even when comments or photos are deleted.
· Grooming – there are people who try to talk with children and young people online in an attempt to have sexual contact. This is against the law.
· Identity fraud – people can gather enough information about a person to steal their identity. They can use this to do illegal things like steal your money or commit crimes under your name. It could also be used to create fake profiles to ruin someone’s reputation or to bully others.
· Trolling – this is when someone misuses social websites to cause conflict or harm to an individual or group.
· Catfishing – a person can pretend to be someone they’re not by stealing a profile or creating a fake one. They can use this profile to trick people over a long period of time.
How can I protect my personal information?
It is important not to share your: address or location, phone number, school or work, sporting clubs or groups that you’re in, passwords, bank details.
Helpful hints to stay safe online
There are a few simple things you can do to try to keep safe online:
· Be careful of requests – only accept ‘friend’ requests from people you know in real life.
· Block anyone you’ve had contact with that was negative or unsafe.
· Think before you upload and share photos.
· Be mindful of what you write to others – you never know who will read these comments and how they might interpret them.
· Think carefully about sharing links to other sites.
· Keep your online friends online – never agree to meet someone you’ve only known online on your own.Take one of your parents with you and meet in a public place. If they are who they say they are, they’ll be happy to do this.
· Protect your identity – pick a username that isn’t your real name and a profile picture that doesn’t show any personal information.
· Sexting – keep sexting laws in mind when taking photos and sending or receiving images.. Courtesy: kidshelpline.com.au
· Think about your privacy – avoid sharing personal information online that could be misused by someone in real life.
Lyndale Secondary College, situated in Dandenong North, Melbourne, is a distinguished and forward-thinking secondary college with a proud history since its founding in 1961. Over the years, the college has remained steadfast in providing high-quality education to a diverse student body. Our commitment extends to cultivating a vibrant community that actively champions inclusion and celebrates diversity, fostering collaboration between educators and learners to instil essential 21st-century skills.
Our school takes pride in its forward-thinking approach, boasting state-of-the-art facilities, including the only Victorian Government School Augmented Reality Immersive Technology Laboratory. This innovative space is where inspiration meets cutting-edge technology, shaping the promising futures of our students.
At Lyndale Secondary College, our mission is to inspire and equip the next generation with the skills and knowledge essential for thriving in an ever-changing world. We’ve adapted our classrooms to cater to digital learners, featuring an Augmented Immersive Technology Classroom seamlessly integrating advanced technology into traditional learning environments. Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum and Senior Certificate, this immersive experience transforms abstract ideas into tangible learning, nurturing a profound understanding and passion for knowledge.
Investing in both learning and well-being, we empower students with the tools to navigate current challenges and cultivate the innovation and leadership needed for tomorrow. Our Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) program offers high-achieving students a rigorous curriculum, individualized support, and guidance from experienced teachers, fostering a love for learning and positive environments. By joining the SEAL program, students unlock their potential, gaining a valuable education for future success.
We extend a warm invitation for you to explore Lyndale Secondary College by contacting us at 9795 2366 to book a tour. Join us in shaping a future of excellence for your child.
The grounds of Clyde Grammar were transformed into a colourful battleground as staff and students competed in the school’s inaugural Colour Run recently.
There were plenty of smiling faces, excitement and adrenalin as all 260 students tackled an obstacle course while dodging water guns and being covered in brightly-coloured powder by staff posted at various stations.
The energetic fundraiser took place at the school in Clyde North with children and teachers making their way around the course while being cheered on by families.
“While the event helped raise funds for sports equipment and resources for the school, it was also an opportunity to get students out of the classroom, to get them moving and to bring our school community together,” says Clyde Grammar Principal, Leanne Evans.
“As a school we’re very aware of the importance of students spending time outside and taking part in physical activity. Balance in life is important and so we take every opportunity to help students manage the time they spend
in the classroom with time spent on looking after their physical health and wellbeing.
“The Colour Run was an ideal way to show that physical activity can be good for you as well as being a lot of fun.”
The six students who raised the most funds for the day had the honour of pouring a bucket of slime over the heads of six staff and the principal didn’t escape the slime!
“Some very brave teachers volunteered to sit on chairs alongside me while the students got their own back and poured a bucket of slime over our heads. It was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry!” says Mrs Evans.
“The day was full of laughter and good fun and the children and teachers threw themselves into the event. A lot of colourful memories were made.”
The inaugural Colour Run raised almost $11,000 and students are already looking forward to next year’s event.
“We are thankful to everyone who took part and who helped make our first Colour Run a resounding success,” says Mrs Evans.
Leading Clyde Grammar School since the day the school opened in January 2020 has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Principal, Leanne Evans.
The co-educational school in Clyde North offers a quality education from Foundation to Year 4, with an additional year level being opened up every 12 months.
Supported by the school community, Leanne has ensured Clyde Grammar is a welcoming, respectful place that encourages students to question, explore and discover their passions and strengths.
“Our school radiates warmth, friendliness and a sense of calm,” says Leanne.
“We have a number of values that are important and respect is number one — our learning culture is based on respecting each other. Another key element of the success of Clyde Grammar has been attracting teachers and staff with a genuine passion to work with children; caring for them and getting to know them as individuals. That has been paramount.”
The Junior School curriculum offers English, Humanities, Mathematics, Science, Languages Other than English, the Arts, STEM, Health and Physical Education, Information Technologies, Religious Education and Personal Development and Civics and Citizenship.
“We deliver an academic program that embraces individuality, inspires curiosity and promotes a growth mindset,” says Leanne.
“We encourage every student in our care to try their best and to learn from their mistakes.
Clyde Grammar’s overarching mission is to empower each child to set personal challenges, believe in their abilities, achieve success and strive towards becoming the best version of themselves.
“Our school is a place where students want to be because they feel heard and valued. Every child is genuinely known and every child is supported to progress and achieve their very best.”
The strums of acoustic and electric strings and the bellows of the bass drum blended with a harmony of voices as rock band SOTV performed their first local show in the heart of Berwick.
Held on the night of 10 May, the cold Friday air had locals seeking refuge at live music venue Pokerface, where they were greeted by dancing lights and music loud enough to rattle windows and echo through Enterprise Ave.
Ben Rohy, one of the band’s guitarists and singers said that “it’s great to be back”.
“We were all raised down this way and even formed the band in this area,” he said.
The band graced the audience with not just the crowd favourite tune Picture Frames - which was played at least three times - but also pieces from their new EP Oblivion and some unreleased songs as a sneak peek of future projects.
“We’re so used to bringing our audience out from the suburbs into the city for a show, but for this show, it was very easy on everyone from Berwick,” Ben said.
Packing the venue with over 150 people, the night began at 8.30pm, with opening acts from indie rock band Waliens and funk, soul and rock artist Zachary Leo before SOTV entered the stage at 10.30pm.
While Melbourne is no stranger to the ever-changing scene of music and a myriad of artists, the night’s performance had an air not too dissimilar from garage band rock in the 1960s, with raw hard-hitting melodies fuelled by camaraderie and an intimacy difficult to replicate at big, open venues.
“I’m just hoping events like this inspire the support of live music, especially in the southeast suburbs, there’s a lot of bands and artists brewing here and we need more places like Pokerface to facilitate and highlight that,” Ben said.
Formed in 2017, this marks their first performance in roughly six years, with previous events seeing them as supporting acts for major artists such as We The Kings, Make Them Suffer and British India.
Headlining their own show was a big step forward.
“For us to realise that we’re actually as good as we think we are,” bassist Michael Cowled said.
Speaking for everyone Ben said, “it was all love either way”.
“Those shows with We The Kings were great for bringing our music to a new audience, the headliner is special though - we can really curate a good night out to our vision,” he said.
Bringing the performance back home wasn’t just an ode to the band members’ roots, but also an effort that they, and for many of their local listeners, to bring the energy and aura that can be found around bands like them in the inner-city, into the southeast.
“The inner suburbs and city have so many venues to reach out to while here it’s limited, [and] playing original music is celebrated in those [places].
“But sometimes it feels quite difficult to make that excitement happen in the southeast when we aren’t doing pub covers.
“I hope nights like this one make an example that people still show up, pay and have a ripper time at a night exclusively full of original music,” Ben said.
Live performances will always have their moments of panic, and while there were instances of sound-tech difficulties and a slipped guitar string, it did nothing but emphasise the band’s ability to bring out that intimacy with their listeners, filling that slot with improv music, banter and chants.
Ben said that “to be honest hiccups happen all the time [and] we go through the same process either way, which comes down to that the show must go on”.
“For example, if a guitar rig dies on stage, we either keep the music going without the one guitar or swap the guitar out and chat to the audience in the meantime.
“At the end of the day, it’s all fun, the worst we could have done in that situation is to freak and declare it a huge technical fault,” he said.
Bringing it all home also proved to have
some other challenges besides fostering the growth of live, original music, with guitarist and lead singer Conor Bermingham saying that “logistically, this one was very different to [the] usual”.
“The biggest hurdle about putting on a gig like this in the southeast over a place lie Fitzroy or similar is there aren’t any venues down here with a sound or lighting system perpetually installed while at the same time being a size that non-touring level bands can still work with and make it feasible,” he said.
The organisation involved the band working around the clock, having to organise the
production for the whole night as well as constant back-and-forth emails and phone calls.
The band members agreed that “both Pokerface - the venue - and Diverse Audio Visual Events - the production companywere great to work with and between us all we managed to put together a system that was ideal for the space”.
The event also featured the band’s merchandise stand, which had free stubby holders for the first 50 ticket buyers and also band shirts which were going for $30 apiece.
With the band’s noise continuing just after
midnight, they couldn’t agree more that from their peers and supporting acts Waliens and Zachary Leo, to the audience that the night was a huge success.
New projects are underway, with 2024 gearing up to be a big year for the band and their listeners.
In the meantime, SOTV is scheduled to perform again on 31 May, at Hotel Esplanade in St Kilda performing alongside Noasis. Tickets are available online and can be viewed through their Instagram page at sotv. band.
Quarters Primary School celebrated Mother’s Day with a Mothers and Special Others Picnic on Friday 10 May.
It is the school’s second year of celebrating the event.
Mums, aunties, nans, grandmas, and special others visited the school to share a picnic lunch with their children.
Picnic blankets were spread throughout the yard, with happy smiles on everyone’s faces. Learners enjoyed catching up with their families and having a fun lunchtime.
A school spokesperson said it turned out to be a good morning.
“We even beat the rain,” they said.
“We would like to especially thank the Parents Fundraising Committee for purchasing and organising the gifts for the Mother’s Day Stall which was held onWednesday and thanks to all the volunteers who helped out on the day.
“The learners loved shopping for their mum and choosing a special gift. Our first-ever Mother’s Day Stall was a huge hit.
“It was a day to be remembered as one filled with loving memories and shared learning. Thank you to all the mums, aunties, grandmothers, and significant others who joined us for our Mothers and Special Others Day Picnic.”
Manal Amro, Solicitor - Principal
Manal was admitted to practice in 2016 after completing a Bachelor of Law from Victoria University and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at Leo Cussen. She also completed her Masters in Law and Masters in Business with Monash University.
Prior to founding PA Law Pty Ltd, Manal volunteered at the Peninsula Community Legal Centre in 2017 after which she joined a law firm in Frankston, where her primary areas of practice are Wills, Powers of Attorney, Trusts, Administration of Deceased Estates (in particular, challenges to Wills and claims against Estates), together with most aspects of Commercial Law and Commercial Litigation.
Cranbourne’s botanic garden reintroduced the endangered New Holland Mouse, a species also known as Pookila.
On Wednesday 8 May, 28 Pookila were released at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.
Native to south-eastern Australia, the small, burrowing rodent inhabits open heathland and coastal areas, mostly feeding on native plant seeds, leaves, and fungi.
Shy and nocturnal, Pookila can be distinguished from the house mouse by their bicolored tail, large eyes, soft, thick fur, and a lack of ‘mousey’ odour.
Pookila has been in decline in population since its discovery in Victoria in 1970. They are considered extinct at seven of 12 known locations throughout Victoria, due to fire, drought, and predation by feral cats and foxes. They were last seen at Cranbourne Gardens in 1976.
The 28 Pookila have been specially bred at Melbourne Zoo and Moonlit Sanctuary as part of the Victorian Pookila Conservation Breeding and Reintroduction Program. The program was established in 2022, when founding Pookila were sourced from the five remaining locations in Victoria. Following careful matchmaking, the Pookila born for release are more genetically healthy and diverse than those left in the wild.
Zoos Victoria native rodent biologist Dr Phoebe Burns said Zoos Victoria was proud to be leading this reintroduction program as part of wider efforts to recover the species in the state.
“This is the culmination of decades of work by dedicated conservation scientists. It’s so exciting to be at the point where we get to return the Pookila to the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne after nearly 50 years of absence,” she said.
The Pookila were released into a small fenced-off area, to prepare them for a full release into Cranbourne Gardens in the next six
to eight weeks. They will be carefully monitored and fed as they get used to their new home.
“The soft-release process will allow Pookila to adjust to their new home, get used to the weather, dig burrows, and experience Cranbourne Gardens while remaining safe and well-fed,” Dr Burns said.
“Once they’re ready, we’ll let them look after themselves, but continue to keep a close eye on them.”
Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne manager environmental systems Ricardo Simao said the Gardens were thrilled to re-introduce Pookila into Cranbourne Gardens.
“We are thrilled to re-introduce Pookila to Cranbourne Gardens, and are grateful to Zoos Victoria, Moonlit Sanctuary and partners for making this possible,” he said.
home to over 450 native plant species in its bushland, with native grasses and landscapes which will provide many safe hiding spots for this little creature.
“We also have predator-proof fencing to protect them from cats and foxes.”
Mammal Coordinator Kiandra Debus from Moonlight Sanctuary said Moonlit Sanctuary was excited to play a crucial role in this historic moment of reintroducing Pookila to their former habitat in our region.
“Through careful planning, cooperation, and animal husbandry we are able to help give this incredible species a chance to thrive in the wild,” she said.
“This project highlights the significance of collaborative conservation efforts in preserving our precious biodiversity.”
opted by the Federal Government in 1995 as an Indigenous name for the species formerly known as the New Holland Mouse.
The five remaining Victorian sites, believed to contain fewer than 3000 Pookila, are in Gippsland, including at Wilsons Promontory and Loch Sport.
The Victorian Pookila Conservation Breeding and Reintroduction Program is a joint project between the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Gippsland Water, Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, Parks Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Zoos Victoria, and partners in Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation and Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
“Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne is
The name Pookila is derived from a Ngarigo word for “mouse” – bugila – and was ad-
For further information, visit rbg.vic.gov. au/news-and-stories/pookila-reintroduction
On Wednesday 5 May Community Bank
Tooradin and Coastal Villages celebrated 15 years of Community Banking.
Branch staff and company directors were joined by local community members to enjoy a celebratory morning tea.
CompanyChairmanGordonSmalespokeof the journey 15 years ago when a small steering committee of local residents banded together to raise funds for establishing a Community Bank in town. Our Community Company Ltd who already held branches operating under a franchise with Bendigo Bank in Lang Lang, Pearcedale, Koo Wee Rup and Narre Warren South, stepped in to assist with the extra funding needed to get over the line and on Friday 8 May 2009 Community Bank Tooradin and Coastal Villages was officially launched.
Gordon told the attending guests that the more support they receive from customers, the more they can put back into local initiatives.The company model aims to return up to 80 per cent of profits back into community; the board of Our Community Company’s vision is to support the growth of our local communities.
Branch Manager Kylie Lee introduced her team and spoke of how Tooradin has always held a special place in her heart, working at the branch previously before heading off to other
career opportunities then returning to take on the Branch Manager role 10 months ago. Kylie said, “We are all very proud of the impact we make with our community investments and sponsorships and we look forward to shortly celebrating our 2024 program with our local community clubs and groups.”
The milestone was celebrated with a celebration of sweet treats, egg and bacon rolls cooked up by the Lions club of Tooradin and a cake cutting ceremony.
Greater Dandenong City Council is calling for expressions of interest to create a temporary artwork to enrich the façade of the Drum The-
The Inside Out Public Art Commission Project is an exciting opportunity for artists to create a visually captivating, site-specific artwork that will reveal the Drum’s inner creativity on its outer shell.
The Drum Theatre engages with artists and the community to host more than 200 performances and events for over 40,000 visitors each year. The Drum hosts everything from professional touring productions to local theatrical performances, community presentations and art exhibitions.
Council invites proposal from artists, art collectives or designers to create the large-
Situated in the heart of Dandenong, the Drum Theatre opened in 2006 in the building that served as the original Dandenong Town Hall (originally opened in 1890). The iconic landmark now sports a red ‘drum’ that is the core of the theatre building.
scale artwork while addressing the cultural and creative parts of our community. The artwork should captivate the audience and evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity, pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms.
The temporary artwork is expected to become a landmark in its own right, while visually telling a story of the engaging experiences and vibrant programming that take place inside the theatre.
Greater Dandenong City Council is com-
mitted to celebrating our vibrant arts community, including through the installation of temporary and permanent public art across our municipality.
Inside Out will bring this public art program to one of our most iconic local buildings in one of our busiest city precincts.
Expressions of interest are open until 3 June 2024. Visit drum.greaterdandenong.vic.gov. au/drum-facade-expression-interest for more information.
Despite the major boost in education, with more funding and new institutions announced for the City of Casey, key pieces of infrastructure are still in the unknown following the most recent State Budget.
Announced on Tuesday 7 May, no additional information is available for the Clyde North police station on the budget papers, despite the $47 million and $63 million estimated investments into critical police infrastructure and the delivery of new police stations respectively.
Berwick MP Brad Battin voiced his displeasure of the budget, calling its allocation as “typical Labor”.
“You know Victoria is broke when Labor cannot deliver again on the urgently needed Clyde North police station, [it’s] delivery is critical and Labor must say when the funding will be allocated for its build and when shovels will be in the ground,” Mr Battin said.
Victoria Police has been working on finding a suitable site for the Clyde North station since receiving funding through the 2020-21 budget.
A Victorian Government spokesperson said that“we are delivering a state-of-the-art police station in Clyde North, located on the corner of Newgrange Boulevard and Matterhorn Drive”.
“Due to specific site requirements and the shortage of suitable sites in Clyde North, this process has taken longer than anticipated [and] we are working hard to deliver this project as quickly as possible,” they said.
As part of additional investment towards VicPol, the Dandenong Division, which also services Clyde North, received an additional 225 sworn police officers, including 33 family violence specialist police.
Works for the Clyde North station are expected to begin in the coming months, with the spokesperson saying that in the meantime, “Clyde North is well serviced by existing police resources in the area, including the 24-hour Cranbourne Police Station”.
Likewise, progress on the Thompsons Road roundabout changes are still in the dark; considering this, currently a total of $121.4 million is estimated to be invested into metropolitan road and intersection upgrades, with a $43 million estimated expenditure leading into 30 June this year.
A total of approximately $2.5 billion is being invested into the suburban roads upgrade, which includes northern and south eastern regions, with $2.3 billion of estimated expenditure going into 30 June.
“Every person who travels around Clyde North knows there is a problem, except it seems Labor, who are in no hurry to get started on the Thompsons Road upgrade to get [people] home sooner.
“If Labor had one local MP that actually
lived in Casey, they would understand the daily gridlock faced by locals at the Thompsons Road intersection, then it would be delivered faster I am confident,” Mr Battin said.
Casey’s chair of administrators Noelene Duff shares a similar sentiment on the project, saying that “it is well understood that Thompsons Road is under-developed and unfit for our growing population”.
“The upgrade and extension is one of the region’s highest transport priorities and a project that council will continue to advocate for.
“This project is crucial for our expanding region, and we will continue to call on the Victorian Government for a delivery plan to see it complete,” Ms Duff said.
In a general critique of the budget, Mr Bat-
tin highlighted the overall debt accumulated by the Labor government, saying that “when they run out of money, they come after yours and that is exactly what Labor has shown in this year’s budget”.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said during his speech prior to the budget’s release on 7 May that in response to the capacity constraints in the economy and inflation, “stabilising, then reducing, net debt to GSP (Gross State Product) [is] in line with our strategy”.
“The government is forecasting operating surpluses of $1.5 billion in 2025-26 and $1.6 billion in 2026-27, an improvement from the 2023-24 Budget Update.
“As a proportion of GSP, net debt is projected to be 24.4 per cent in June 2025 before reaching 25.2 per cent in 2026-27 and then declining to 25.2 per cent in 2027-28,” Mr Pallas said.
Mr Battin highlighted in his statement that state debt is peaking at $190 billion; accounting firm PWC detailed that net debt is projected to be $156.2 billion by June 2025 and is predicted to increase to $187.8 billion by June 2028.
Further information from PWC also stated that the budget has a focus on reducing and stabilising the net debt to GSP ratio through measured investments, through education, healthcare, housing and transport.
“This updated fiscal strategy is right for our times – with a firm focus on driving new growth across our state, while also acting to reduce debt.
“To put this into perspective, our economy is worth about $600 billion today, but by the end of the forward estimates it will be worth nearly three quarters of a trillion dollars – the strength of this growth is helping drive a reduction in net debt to GSP,” Mr Pallas said.
As it stands, local residents are still waiting for further updates on the Thompsons Road roundabout, with hopes that a sooner than later construction process would quell the ongoing traffic difficulties.
The scheduled closure of the post office branch at Fountain Gate shopping centre on 21 June has sparked major concern from the local community.
A Narre Warren local for over 40 years, Elaine Bradford had made going to the Australia Post shopfront part of her weekly shopping run, where its shared nook with the nearby banks made a perfect starting point to pay her bills and send any mail.
However, it’s not just herself that she’s concerned about, but her daughter Emma - who has a disability - whom Ms Bradford provides care for on a round-the-clock basis.
“It just doesn’t make any sense why they’re closing a vital service.
“It’s going to make [my] life very difficult, we’d have to go intoWebb Street, which, obviously with winter coming, there’s no cover at the car park.
“At least we can park undercover at the shopping centre, I can get her (Emma) out with a wheelchair and other bits and pieces and then just do everything that we need to do,” Ms Bradford said.
Emma, now 31-and-a-half years old, was diagnosed with Angelman’s Syndrome, which, generally, causes delayed development, speech and balance problems and mental disability.
In addition to a number of other medical conditions, Emma also has scoliosis and epilepsy, which for her and Ms Bradford, make moving from one place to another all the more difficult.
Sarb Mangat, Emma’s carer for roughly two years, echoes a similar sentiment, with the family relying on the ease of access the shopping centre gives them from parking to banking and groceries.
“It’s very hard, it’s a long distance from the shopping centre in Webb Street, they can’t walk during this winter you know?” she said.
Emma and Elaine Bradford had made going to the
a part of their daily routine for decades, with its closure sure to drive a wedge into their everyday lives.
Picture: SUPPLIED
An Australia Post spokesperson said that they have made the “difficult decision” to close the branch following“a 29 per cent drop in customer visits over the past four years”.
“The surrounding area is well-serviced, with six post offices within a five-kilometre radius, including the Narre Warren Post Office around a kilometre away,” they said.
Despite being a government business enterprise, Australia Post is self-funded with the Federal Government serving as its sole shareholder, meaning the business does not receive taxpayer funds and has paid dividends of more than $2.5 billion over the past 10 years.
In the recently released Federal Budget paper on overall strategy and outlook, AusPost reported a full financial year pre-tax loss of $200 million, which is its first annual loss since 2014-15, as quoted from the budget documents.
It was announced on 6 December 2023 that the Australian Government was to provide a package of reforms in order to boost productivity, increase its focus on parcel delivery services and improve financial stability.
However, “given the uncertainty surrounding Australia Post’s financial position, there is a risk that the [government] will need to consider providing financial assistance to [AusPost] in the future,” the budget papers stated.
However, while these alternatives may not hinder other shoppers, the same cannot be said for Ms Bradford and her daughter, where it’s not just an inconvenience in terms of transport, but also a severance of connection for Emma.
“We are time-poor, [our carer] comes in and she’s only allocated a certain amount of hours a day to support us.
“We have to get back in time to give Emma her lunch, do personal care and do other things in the afternoon before the carer leaves.
“There’s no time to run from here, there and everywhere to pay and do the things that I need to do,” Ms Bradford said.
Over the years, Emma has since built a foundation of friendship with many of the shopkeepers at the shopping centre, from the post office, to the concierge desk and to Myer.
“Emma has got to know a lot of the clientele up at the shops.
“She’s quite familiar with a lady in Myer that we’ve known for seven and a half years, she knows everyone in JBHiFi and you know, she likes to interact with them and it’s a plea-
surable time for her to get out into the community.
“And you know, if I can’t do the things I need to do with her, with us, it’s going to force us to go elsewhere and that’s devastating because Emma won’t have that connection with the people that she’s known at the stores,” Ms Bradford said.
It’s understood the closure is related to the fact that fewer people utilise their services in person, opting to utilise online services instead.
The situation is a little different, not just for Ms Bradford, but other more traditional residents who frequent the shopping centre.
A routine set in stone for decades is about to be disrupted, with Ms Bradford saying that “it’s going to make things really challenging”.
“I’m there quite often, I can go to the bank, get the money out because I’m still old school and pay all my bits and pieces.
“With the extra charges they have to just swipe your cars and such, I’m not doing that either because every cent counts to me, I’m not having anyone take my money because I can’t afford to,” she said.
The surrounding suburbs of Berwick, Narre Warren, Narre Warren North and South, as well as Harkaway and Hallam, have a population where an average of 26 per cent are 55-plus, according to Casey’s Living and Ageing Well Action Plan 2023-25.
An elderly resident who also frequents the Fountain Gate branch said that“it would be a shame to see this one close down”.
“I’ve got a walker so going someplace else is going to be difficult,” he said.
The AusPost spokesperson said that leading to its closure “Fountain Gate Post shop team members will be offered new roles at surrounding outlets or closer to home”.
The Fountain Gate Post branch has multiple notices posted on its premises, informing of other available and nearby options as well as the date of closing.
Cranbourne Rotary’s long-prepared Helping Hands Program was a resounding success on 11 May at Balla Balla Community Centre in Clyde North, with large crowds of local community members joining to empower people needing help worldwide.
More than 100 participants formed teams and only used their non-dominant hand to build prosthetic hands that would be donated to amputee landmine victims throughout developing countries.
Participants included students from Bayside Christian College, Lyndhurst Secondary College, local businesses, local church groups, local family groups, Rotary members, Balla Balla Community Centre teams, and Cranbourne Information and Support Service
members.
About 27 hands were assembled on the day and would be shipped soon.
Cranbourne Rotary president Gerard Sadler said it was a brilliant day and everybody got something out of it.
“We weren’t sure what to expect, but with Andrew Melas, the Victorian facilitator for the Helping Hands Program there facilitating it all and the 100-odd people that we had there, it was a really good day,” he said.
“It was a bit awkward at the beginning and it took everyone a little bit of time to get used to not using their dominant hand. But once they got over that and worked as groups, they got through it.
“We are really grateful that many people gave up their Saturdays to attend.”
to see its oval renovated in the second half of this year as its upgrade is retained in this year’s State Budget.
The school was allocated $1.9 million in the 2023-24 State Budget, and about $1.7 million is estimated to be spent in the 2024-25 financial year.
Principal Ross Carlson said the new oval would have a running track with football and soccer pitches and basketball and netball courts.
“And then there’s a section for playgrounds for the children,” he said.
“There’s an area of native garden vegetation that’ll support sensory play areas for children who have additional needs or their inclusion and disability sector of the school, and that’ll help us regulate students’ needs and emotions while keeping them engaged in school.
“The upgrade was still in the planning. It was about to go to tender. The construction should start later this year.”
Mr Carlson said the school was very grateful for the much-needed upgrade.
“I’ve been principal for four years, and we’ve been applying for upgrades to the school since. We haven’t had one for quite a long time,” he said.
“We’ve been looking at upgrading the school to try and improve to the next century, and the oval upgrade is the first step.
“We’re happy that we’re getting this project (oval upgrade) done, but we want to move to-
wards the classrooms being upgraded.
“Our classrooms were still built in the 1960s. They need to be upgraded. Because the school has a lot of asbestos in the buildings, it’s quite expensive.”
Students have been very excited about the upgrade.
“I’m really excited for the new oval even though we’re going to be gone before we see it,” last-year student Jackson said.
“I will be able to see it, but I can just pass it by because my sibling goes here, so I’ll have to pick her up,” Kasie said.
Mr Carlson said they wanted to thank Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards for lobbying hard for them.
“Artist’s impression only. Subject to change.”
Melbourne’s south-east is set for regeneration as Stockland Halcyon Evergreen opens its doors to ‘The Stables’, a new precinct with luxury facilities featuring a landscaped courtyard complete with an outdoor firepit, gold class style cinema, social lounge and dining areas, and a fully equipped games room.
The Stables have been intentionally delivered upfront, prior to the completion of any homes, for the benefit of the incoming community, offering homebuyers and owners a space to gather, connect and entertain with family and friends.
Halcyon Evergreen is also home to a brandnew Welcome Centre, containing a scaled community model accompanied by a Home Selections Gallery where homebuyers can browse the latest housing and styling trends while meeting with Halcyon Evergreen’s home specialists to customise their dream home.
“Set to redefine over 55s living in Victoria, Halcyon Evergreen is located 60km east of
Melbourne’s CBD and a 40 minute drive from the Mornington Peninsula, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life,” said James Westh the General Manager of Stockland Halcyon Communities.
“With the opening of The Clubhouse anticipated for late 2025, plus a Wellness Centre with pool, fully equipped gym and treatment room, homeowners can enjoy either an active lifestyle or unwind with loved ones, all right in the heart of Clyde.”
Stockland Halcyon Evergreen is holding a celebration event for the grand opening of the Welcome Centre and The Stables precinct on Saturday 25 May from 11am to 1pm. Homebuyers and the community are welcome, especially those embarking on their next life stage, to explore Stockland’s Flagship Halcyon community.
Registration is essential, guests can register on the Stockland Evergreen website: stockland.com.au/halcyon-evergreen
Victoria’s Queer Festival of Words
Victoria’s Queer Festival of Words is coming to the City of Casey on the 18th of May. This festival celebrates
literature and provides a
writers and readers to come together and share their stories.
Day Program Location: Bunjil Place/City of Casey Library
Day Program Times: 10am - 4pm
Day Program Line-Up:
Workshop: ‘Writing for Kids and Young Adults’, with award-winning author Alison Evans
In-conversation: Queer radio and podcasting with Sam Elkin, Jonathan Butler and Sally Goldner AM
Workshop: ‘From Concept to Curtain: Crafting your Theatre Show’, with Timothy Ryan Workshop: ‘Writing from the Hyphen’, with Xiaole Zhan
In-Conversation: Queer histories of Naarm, with Sally Goldner, Yves Rees and Julie Peters Evening Program Location: The Old Cheese Factory
Evening Program Times: 6pm - 10pm Evening Program Line-Up: Music from singersongwriter Stella Ramage followed by readings by Xiaole Zhan, JRC, Madison Whitmond, Marcel Liemant, Alushka Rajaram and Sam Elkin.
· Bookings Link: trybooking.com/events/landing/1203092?
Narre Warren and District Family History Group 35th Birthday Celebrations
The first meeting of the Narre Warren & District Family History Group was held on 10 May 1989. Past and current members and friends are invited to join us as we celebrate our many achievements over the past 35 years.
· Saturday 18 May 2024, Conference Room enter via Casey Radio Entrance, 1/65 BerwickCranbourne Road, Cranbourne. Formalities will commence at 2.30pm. Afternoon tea will be served from 3pm. Cost: $10. Bookings essential: Eileen Durdin, secretary@nwfhg.org.au, 0439 720 557 by Friday, 3 May.
CWA Berwick Branch
Country Women’s Association, Berwick Branch warmly invites you to Presenting Guest Speaker –
Ms Toni Arfaras from StrokeSafe Foundation
Working to prevent, treat, and beat strokes. Over 450,000 Australians are living with strokes and a stroke occurs every 19 minutes!
Monday 3 June, 2024, Berwick Community Centre, Timbarra Way, Berwick, 7pm
Members $2, Non Members $5. Tea/ coffee and supper will be served.
· RSVP by Fri 31 May for catering – Kate Azzopardi, President. 0435 863 054
CWA Berwick Branch, Wine and Cheese event
Cost - $25 per head or $40 for a couple.
A wide variety of paired cheeses will be available. Fundraising for Children’s Disability Services supporting local children and their families.
Booking: trybooking.com/CRPJB
· Friday 14 June, 7pm – 9pm, Berwick Neighbourhood Centre, TImbarra Hall, Timbarra Way, Berwick.
Canteen: A rock and roll night for charity
Come and join us on Saturday 1 June for a night of live music. Band ROUTE 66 playing 50s, 60s, 70s R & R, country rock, and a bit of blues for charity Canteen Kids with cancer.
Location: Scout Hall 24 Mons Parade Noble Park
(opposite Noble Park Station car park and ample parking). Doors open 7pm, live music from 7.30pm to 11pm. Only $20 for an evening of great entertainment, dancing and fun. BYO drinks and nibbles. Free tea and coffee. Maybe a dance competition and raffle. Book a table now with family & friends.
Entry $20, pay at door (cash only please). To make booking just call Rob on 0431 511 203 or email robin_wood@optusnet.com.au
· Come and support a worthy cause, and have an evening of great entertainment. All proceeds going to Canteen. Not to be missed!!
· Saturday 1 June
Probus Club of Casey Combined
We are hoping to attract new members to our Probus Club of Casey Combined. We are hoping there are retirees out there who would be interested in joining our Club. Meetings finish at noon when many of our members assemble for lunch at one of our local cafes. After morning tea
we have an interesting guest speaker. Our Club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Berwick to provide the opportunity to meet and mingle with other retirees. Open to singles.
· We meet at the Old Cheese Factory, 34 Homestead Road, Berwick at 9.45am on the second Tuesday of each month.
Blind Bight Community Centre
Programs
The Magic Of Your Birthdate Numerology (three dates): 23, 30 May & 6 June, 7pm – 9pm
Raising awareness of your super powers. Receive tools to support the challenges all through the gift of the day you were born. Self - Romantic
– Family with Anita BeJoyful $20 per class Bookings 0419 150 483 or 5998 7014
Line Dancing: 1pm – 2pm, Every Wednesday. Come line dancing and do some boot scooting. No experience required. All ages and abilities are welcome. $10 per class. For bookings, ring Blind Bight Community Centre on 5998 7014.
Intro to Cake Decorating: 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Learn all the tricks to creating a beautiful cake. Skills will cover fondant work, simple modelling and lots more. BYO Cake. Two dates – 20 & 27 May, $25 per class. For bookings ring Blind Bight Community Centre on 5998 7014. 42 Anchorage Drive, Blind Bight, 5998 7014, blindbightcommunitycentre.com.au
Women’s group Berwick Neighbourhood Centre
Bring your own craft, bring your latest read or just bring yourself. Pop in for a chat. See what is happening at the centre. Have a cuppa and relax for a moment or two.
Commencing Monday from 12.30-2pm. Community room. Timbarra Community Centre, 20-26 Parkhill Drive off Timbarra Way in Berwick.
· For more details call 9704 1863 or email admin@berwicknc.com.au
Casey Connect and Learn Welcome Week - Balla Balla Community Centre
Casey Connect and Learn is excited to announce Welcome Week, a week-long celebration of community, lifelong learning, and connection. From 13 to 19 May, our centres throughout the City of Casey will be hosting a series of activities that
highlight the diverse range of classes and activities we offer.
· For an event calendar and additional information about our Welcome Week activities, please visit our website at caseyconnectlearn. com.au/welcomeweek. Stay connected and be the first to know about upcoming events by following us on social media @caseyconnectlearn · 13 to 19 May
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 Maria 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 7-10pm. 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.
Last Friday, Casey Cannons chairman Dave Hyland gave Fiona Young a ring.
“I need an umpire at the state hockey centre for the under-12s tomorrow morning,” he said.
Fiona was there.
Of course she was.
As people on the club reflected on Fiona’s 800 games and involvement at the Cannons spanning 35 years, the common thread woven into all of their answers is her willingness to do what needs doing.
“Everyone will say club legend,” says Hyland.
“She was a founding member and she is always the person who says ‘I’ll do it’.
“Sometimes you want to say to her ‘don’t say yes because we want other people to get involved!’”
On Saturday evening at the time of her meeting with Star News, she was behind the canteen and was at pains to find someone to briefly take over without burdening everyone.
Putting the club’s needs beyond her own typify her career involved in local hockey.
“I just help out doing whatever I can,” Fiona says.
“I like coaching the skills to young players and new players – it’s great seeing them improve and enjoy themselves.
“I’ll always keep coming here even if I stop playing for that social playing and I enjoy helping out around the club.”
She brought up the milestone in her Master’s Game on Monday 6 May in front of family, friends and a stack of Cannons members who were there to support the stalwart’s momentous achievement.
The social element of hockey has been an enormous factor for Fiona, since migrating from Northern Ireland in the late 1980s.
Hockey was her way of networking in a foreign country; it’s since become the staple of her life.
Having arrived at Casey – then named Berwick – from Dandenong in 1989, Fiona has been at the club for all but five years since and was awarded life membership in 2009.
“It was a great way to get to know people when I came to Australia and I’m still in touch with most of them now: we grew up together,” she said.
“When I came, it was my second sport because I played soccer but hockey’s easier on the body and it’s a great way for me to keep fit now.”
Her benign nature off the pitch is a clear contrast to her fierceness on it.
Now a defender in the women’s thirds team, she was a centre-forward in her prime, even representing Australia in the Master’s competition for many years.
Fiona was a regular in Australian master’s colours from 2008-2019, performing well for Victoria at the national championships repeatedly to earn selection in the national side.
Among that, she has gone to three Master’s world cups: at Rotterdam, Nottingham and Canterbury.
“You’re there for eight days and play just about every day against the other states,” she explained.
“It’s hard on the body but it’s fantastic – I
met so many people so it was really good and it was a very high standard of hockey.”
Since starting her Master’s career for Casey 16 years ago, she has played at least two games per week: a master’s game and senior women’s game.
Occasionally, she will play three games, doubling up on the weekend if the senior team is short on numbers and then playing Master’s on a Monday night.
“Her fitness and resilience is incredible,” women’s coach Andrew Harris said.
A consistent cog of the women’s team until 2014, she has since been an intermittent presence there while spending some time in lower grades, before settling in the thirds this season – a decision she made with the club front of mind.
“She’s still got the skills to play in theVL1 reserves (our seconds team) but she’s just one to put the club first and see where her skills can be used best within the club and that’s a choice she makes,” Harris said.
This year she’s taken on a coaching role at women’s pennant team – it’s filled with lots of girls playing first year of senior women’s hockey.
“She’s a comforting presence for the junior transitioning to senior hockey which can be difficult sometimes.”
Skipper Nick Battle and star recruit Brendan Hermann have led Devon Meadows to a steely 13.15 93 to 7.7 49 victory over Somerville at a blustery Glover Reserve.
A six goal to one second quarter set the tone for the Panthers, who were able to withstand a Somerville surge early in the third quarter to cruise home.
The hosts’ first goal didn’t come until the four-minute mark of the second quarter, with Somerville snagging the only major in a slugfest of a first term.
Stepping up in the absence of Patrick Ryder for the second consecutive week, Patrick Harmes kicked the first two goals for Devon Meadows, and created a contest all day.
Patrick Sinnema connected and delivered well inside 50 throughout the second quarter, finishing with 14 disposals and playing a key role to kickstart the Panthers’ momentum.
Joel Hillis, too, was instrumental through that period, a goal from outside 50 capping off a quarter which blended clearances, defensive application and smart ball-use.
Leading by 28 points at halftime, Devon Meadows were left stunned early in the third, giving up four goals in the first eight minutes.
Smashed in centre clearance and unable to get their hands on it, Somerville were able to deliver it to their forwards’ advantage, who took marks for fun.
Slowly, Devon Meadows were able to stem the bleeding, increase the pressure and shift the momentum.
“We had to start getting the ball on our terms,” said coach Ryan Hendy.
“We had to get a couple of repeat stoppages and hold on to the ball with kick control and slowly get the ball on our terms and build momentum in our favour.”
Hayden Murphy kicked a crucial settler midway through the third, courtesy of Ryan
Koo who opened up the corridor and moved the ball quickly.
The teams then exchanged goals, before Koo, who finished with 23 possessions, kicked one on the run from 30 deep in stoppage time to give Devon a 17-point three-quarter-time lead. By that point, the Panthers had staved off the major challenge, with Somerville still behind on the scoreboard and kicking to the more challenging end for scoring in the last quarter.
Alex Canal and Tyler Hunter both kicked goals early in the fourth to seal victory.
“Early on it looked like it would be a game of who wanted to win the contested footy more but as the game wore on, we adapted to the conditions and we started to use the ball a lot better, especially in the last quarter,” Hendy said.
“We didn’t want to get lost playing on one
side, we wanted to open up the attacking side of the ground and take a few more risks than normal and the boys to their credit held shape and we were able to use the corridor going forward.”
Winger Riley McDonald was a key catalyst of that ball movement with his smart running patterns on the wing, finishing with 21 disposals to cap a strong fortnight of form.
Hendy was also full of praise for Battle’s performance, singling him out in the team address post-game. The co-captain’s clean and hard-working first quarter amid torrid conditions set the scene for an enormous day.
He finished with 38 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 10 inside 50s, seven tackles and nine clearances – all team-high numbers –while Hermann bounced back from a quieter fortnight.
Battle was excellently fed by Riley Sim-
mons, who was too physical and crafty for his direct opponent, finishing with six clearances and 41 hitouts – Somerville had just 22 as a team.
“Nick was really great especially around the stoppages and I thought all our onballers were really good, ‘Baz’ Hermann was really good and Riley gave us first use.
“We lowered the eyes going forward and a lot of credit needs to go to the forwards who were really busy today leading at the ball carrier where they were a bit stagnant last week.”
Patrick Harmes played as the deepest, while Jack Wilson bounced back, Hunter got rewarded with two last quarter goals for presenting all day, while Canal was typically dangerous.
“We had to adapt and play with a smaller forward line today and they did that really well.
“We adapted better without Paddy (Ryder) – last week we were rolling because we’re used to getting it into him long so we knew we couldn’t do that today.”
Kent’s absence left a leadership hole in the backline, with Jayden Sullivan (nine intercept possessions, including six marks) leading with his words and actions, alongside the experienced Dylan Gregson.
“We addressed that before the game –(Kent’s) a leader and is the one who gathers the group so we knew we had to have a couple of blokes stand up in that area and they really did today – you could see them getting together after goals and driving high standards
“Jayden is a really underrated footballer, we hold him in high regard at the club.
“He’s a courageous footballer, he reads the play well, puts himself in good areas and his intercepting marking is good.”
The Panthers sit second on the table with the best percentage in the competition, behind only the undefeated Chelsea, ahead of a clash with the struggling Rye.
Tooradin-Dalmore has returned to the familiar surroundings of the top-six in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition after the Seagulls survived a brave battle from Kooweerup on Saturday.
The Gulls fell 10 points behind, 11 minutes into the third term, but rallied with seven of the last nine goals to record a 10.15(75) to 8.7(55) victory at the Tooradin Recreation Reserve.
Kooweerup had only won one of its four games heading into this contest, but the Demons came in confident after a last-quarter burst saw them fall just short of third-placed Kilcunda-Bass at Denhams Road last week.
And when skipper Nathan Voss called correctly and kicked with the aid of a strong breeze - blowing to the social club end of the ground - the Demons had the perfect platform to build on.
The early signs weren’t great for the Demons, with the Seagulls moving the ball beautifully into the breeze to chalk up the opening goal of the contest.
Midfielder Brad Butler linked nicely with small forward Brett Coffey, who found Stewie Scanlon on the lead; and the Gulls were off to a flyer.
Tooradin coach Jordan Kelly would have been happy with his team’s defence in the opening stanza, but the Demons persisted and two late goals gave them a four-point lead at quarter time.
Voss first set the example with a strong tackle inside forward 50, with Blake Peach making the most of the advantage rule, before a Brodie Yapp clearance from the resultant centre bounce; landed in the lap of Voss for another.
Tooradin then looked set to kick clear of the Demons with two goals in the opening eight minutes of the second term.
Butler once again turned provider, finding Cooper Shipp - who had moved from defence to attack – before Cooper Bassett kicked truly after putting his head over the ball and receiving a head-high free kick.
The Gulls led by nine points, with roughly 20 minutes remaining to make the most of the wind at their backs.
A three-to-four lead at the major interval looked likely.
But any thought of an easy afternoon at the office was soon made redundant when Bailey Galante answered after a high-tackle from Luke McKenna.
The Seagulls led by two points, but kicked
six points from six scoring shots to lead by eight points at the major break.
Butler, Matt Buntine, Lewis Hill and Tim Lenders were providing a nice balance through the middle, while McKenna, Brad Lenders and Adam Oxley were keeping a close eye on the dangerous Nathan Voss.
But Kooweerup came out of the blocks firing in the third quarter, with Peach, Matt Voss and Bailey Galante getting on top in the midfield.
Peach was particularly influential, proving strong and unrelenting around the contest.
Nathan Voss gave Shipp the slip to kick the first of the third quarter, before Caleb Milojevic gave the Demons back the lead with a pick-up and snap after 10 minutes of play.
Peach then kicked a ripper on the run, after quick hands from coach Dale Alanis, and the Demons had kicked out to that game-high 10-point lead.
The Seagulls needed a steadier, and 14 minutes into the third it came from the right-foot of the dangerous Charlie Shinners.
The classy right-footer then made the most of some dashing run-and-carry from Logan
Downe - kicking his second in four minutesto give the Gulls a two-point buffer.
But a late goal from Nathan Voss - his third - gave the Demons a five-point advantage with a quarter left to play.
Butler started in the ruck for the Seagulls in the last quarter, while Matt Buntine was injected more into centre bounce than his customary position on the wing.
Both players had a huge influence on the final outcome.
Buntine started to find the footy, putting his smarts to good use, and gave the Seagulls back the lead with a classy finish just four minutes into the final term.
The explosive Butler then let one fly from 50; kicking the margin out to seven with the clock saying six minutes had ticked by.
Tooradin hasn’t played anywhere near its best footy this season, but several of its stars reconvened to send a reminder message to the competition.
The strength of Piva Wright set Shinners up for his third, and when Oxley launched one from 45 the Gulls had kicked 19 points clear at the 14-minute mark of the last.
Buntine, Butler, Wright and Oxley; the Seagulls stars, were delivering when it mattered most!
Scanlon then kicked his second, after a reversed free kick, as the Demons’ frustrations started to intensify.
The 26-point gap was cut to 20 at the final siren after Luke McMaster gave the Demons their only goal of the final term.
Shinners finished with three, and Scanlon two for the winners, who will make it four in a row when they head to a battling Bunyip this week.
It’s then home for a tricky-test against Dalyston, before a round-eight trip to Inverloch gives us a clear indication of where the Seagulls truly sit this year.
Gut feel would suggest they’re a fair-way off the mark, but the class of the aforementioned group of players will fill Kelly with confidence that his team can still make some inroads this year.
As for the Demons, well they’re one-andfour now with the dream of ending a 43-year premiership drought once again up in flames.
They host Phillip Island this week, and then are away to Warragul Industrials, before welcoming Cora Lynn to Denhams Road in round eight.
Some mid-season relief should then come its way with consecutive games against Korumburra-Bena, Bunyip and Garfield. Skipper Voss ended with three for the Demons on Saturday, while his brother Matt, Peach and classy defender Tim Miller were among the teams best players.
A thrilling three-point win over Carlton at Ikon Park saw the Casey Demons return to the VFL winner’s list on Friday night.
Scores were level midway through the final term at 9.12 66 apiece with the lead having been traded on multiple occasions in the second half but the Demons were the steadier heads when required, managing three behinds in the dying stages to eke out a much needed victory.
The Demons owned possession and territory for much of the final few minutes but failed to land a decisive killer blow in the form of a goal.
A Brown shot from the 50 metre arc fell shortandwasforcedoverthelineforarushed behind in at the 21 minute mark, making the contest a one-point game, before seven minutes of arc-to-arc action only heightened stress levels between the combatants.
The Demons were determined to stick with a run-and-carry game but made poor decisions ahead of the ball kicking to a swarming Carlton defence, while Matthew Jefferson’s move to the back half helped to quell Carlton’s forward thrusts.
Harvey Neocleous had the chance to ice the game in the 28th minute having got the better of his defender deep in the forward 50 with boundless space, but his dribble kick did not have the necessary bend to work its way home from 20 metres out, continuing
the anguish for all in involved.
Jefferson intercepted the resulting kick out from full back and the ball found its way to Tom Fullarton, whose flying shot from distance trickled through for a behind, for a three-point game.
While not the result the Demons wanted from the shots, they were able to set up their defence expertly and lock the ball in their forward half for protracted periods of time.
Lachlan Hunter’s tenacity to win a ground ball saw him earn a vital free kick for a high tackle in the final minute and showed all the savvy of a nearly 200 games at AFL level, using as much time as permitted to slowly return to his feet with the clock continuing to tick.
He eventually kicked long to a contest in the forward 50, with the siren sounding as Carlton mounted one final charge the other way.
and
vital in the dying stages in snuffing out Carlton’s scoring opportunities and making sound decisions with the ball in hand.
Earlier in the contest, Carlton led by as many as 24 points, thanks to five consecutive majors.
Jefferson kicked the contest’s opening goal in the second minute before Carlton kicked the next five, in a run that stretched into the second term.
But Casey hit back with five of the next six goals, including a pair from Melbourne’s first round draft pick Koltyn Tholstrup, to snatch the lead back after 23 minutes.
Scoring became harder and harder the longer the game continued, with both sides only managing three goals after the long break.
Inaccuracy didn’t help the Demons’ cause, kicking 9.15, but the same could be said for the Blues’ 9.12.
Brown was a major culprit, finishing with 2.6 from his eight shots.
He and Tholstrup were the Demons’ only multiple goal kickers while Hunter, Adam Tomlinson and Bailey Laurie led the way on the disposals count.
The Demons will be eager to break their drought at home in 2024 on Saturday morning when they tackle the Brisbane Lions at Casey Fields.
Tooradin-Dalmore and Kooweerup are the proud owners of the first A Grade draw in the WGFNC this season after the Seagulls and Demons were locked at 51-all after a magnificent contest at Tooradin.
Both of these teams have the ability to play finals this year; but a slow start to the season has left them a little behind the eight ball.
This one was a must-win for both teams and the contest was hot from the outset.
Ash Murphy (GA) was on fire for Kooweerup in the first quarter, scoring 12 of her team’s 14 goals as the visiting Demons took a one-goal lead to the first break.
Kate Sidebottom (C) was having a wonderful duel with Abbey Howes (C) through the midcourt, while Jayda McConkey (GS) created some valuable space to allow Murphy to go to work.
The Demons maintained their margin at half time, after both teams scored 15 in the second term, before extending their lead in the third.
Mikaela Stokkel (GK) and Talia Charalambides (GD) tightened things up in defence, while Claise Janssen (WA) and Chantelle Stokkel (WD) controlled the outer extremities.
Kooweerup scored 12 to 9 in the third quarter to take a four-goal lead into the final quarter.
But the Seagulls refused to lay down, with a reconfigured midcourt of Sara Howie (C), Howes (WA) and Stacey Sawyer (WD) beginning to gain an edge.
Alex Maher (GS) matched Murphy’s heroics from the first quarter, scoring 12 of 14 for the Seagulls to tie things up at the final buzzer.
The draw leaves the Seagulls in sixth place, while the Demons sit ninth and with plenty of work to do to play finals.
Cora Lynn has maintained its winning form; riding a super-fast start to a 53-32 victory over Garfield.
The Cobras shocked the Stars in the opening quarter, scoring 19 to 5 to open the game up quickly.
Brooke Abu-Jaber (GA) and Gemma Stacey (GS) scored 12 and seven goals respectively as the talented trio of Ellie Keen (C), Lexis Schade (WA) and Paige Brooks-MacMillan (WD) went to work through the midcourt.
The Stars limited the damage after quarter time – losing the remaining three quarters by only seven – but the damage had well-andtruly been done.
Ash Bowden (GD) and Georgia Coleman (GA) fought the game out for the Stars, while Nat Loogman (GS/GK) showed her versatility at either end of the court.
Inverloch-Kongwak is now a warm favourite to make it three premierships on the trot after the Sea Eagles won their top-of-the-table clash with Dalyston; 42-32.
The Sea Eagles were in a mean mood early, with Millie Sadler (GK) and Renee Pilkington (GD) allowing the Magpies just 13 goals in the opening half of netball.
Nine goals down at half time, the Magpies cut the margin to six at the final change but were outscored again in the final term.
Kelsey Buxton (C) was once again dynamic for the winners, while Mataya Maloney (WD) and Eva Garnham (WA) played well in the second half for the Magpies.
A free-scoring Nar Nar Goon has moved to fourth position on the ladder after a 64-38 win over Warragul Industrials.
The Dusties stuck with the Goon in the first half, but Mother’s Day became a bit more tiresome after half time as the Goon kicked into full gear.
The class of players like Meaghan Winter (WA), Darcy Utber (GA), Chantelle Dale (WD) and Olivia Hamilton (C) told out in the end, with the Goon scoring 38 to 18 in the second half.
In other games this week, Kilcunda-Bass was forced to work hard for its 37-30 win over Bunyip, while Korumburra-Bena scored a nailbiting 54-53 victory over Phillip Island.
The close loss is costly for the Doggies, who could have been sitting in sixth place after five rounds of the season.
The Bulldogs and Giants sit in seventh and eighth place respectively, just half-a-game outside the top six.
Beaconsfield’s Matt Johnson and Noble Park’s Matt Nelson both played key roles in Frankston’s victory over GWS in the VFL on Saturday morning.
In a low-scoring wet slugfest, Johnson kicked four of the Dolphins’ seven goals, including the first two of the last quarter which put the game out of a reach for a fast-finishing Giants outfit.
Nelson’s clean hands and calmness in a high-pressure game was another key feature of the contest, as he finished with 12 disposals in his second game of state league footy.
Meanwhile, Berwick junior Jaxon Binns continued to press his claims for AFL selec-
tion, finishing with 43 disposals, five tackles and six clearances in Carlton’s loss to Casey.
The aerobic beast was a late inclusion as substitute in the Blues’ round 7 clash with Geelong, which remains his only game at the level, having racked up plenty of the footy in the VFL since being taken in the 2022 national draft.
Elsehwere, Officer’s Cal Porter finished with 20 disposals and 12 tackles in Box Hill’s five point win over Sandringham; Rowville’s Cooper MacDonald took seven marks as a sweeping halfback for Collingwood VFL; and Warragul Industrials’ Ahlee Penry returned for the Southern Saints and collected nine disposals and three marks.
Casey Demons have emerged victorious with a powerful performance over North East Blaze securing the four points with a 68-59 win.
From the outset the Casey Demons displayed focus and determination in a physical match, capitalising on their defensive prowess to convert turnovers into decisive scoring opportunities.
Key to the Demons’ triumph was the standout performance of Emma Ryde at Goal Shooter, who demonstrated remarkable accuracy and consistency, notching an impressive 45 goals at an outstanding 92-percent conversion rate.
Ryde’s clinical finishing played a pivotal role in maintaining the Demons’ offensive momentum throughout the match.
Poppy Douglass also made significant contributions, tirelessly driving plays from theWing Attack position and contributing to the team’s best centre pass conversion rate of the season.
Douglass’s relentless work ethic and strategic play were instrumental in setting up scoring opportunities and maintaining control of the game.
Coach Steve Murray expressed satisfaction with his team’s execution, emphasising their ability to swiftly refocus after any errors.
The Demons’ united effort and commitment paid dividends as they managed to secure a convincing nine-goal victory over the third-placed Blaze.
The victory not only showcased the Demons’ skill and teamwork but also underscored their resilience and ability to deliver under pressure on the championship stage.
Casey Demons now look ahead to Round 11, where it takes on Western Warriors for Pride Round.
The Championship group will be keen to turn around the result of their first encounter while the 23-Under side will be keen to get back on the winner’s list.
It’s a big week with VNL matches on Wednesday, Sunday, Wednesday, which will require our Demons team to carefully manage the load of our athletes.
Regional round will be hosted by Peninsula Waves on Sunday, with six VNL clubs making their way to Jubilee Park for an afternoon of top-quality netball.
-Rebekah Bogos
