among a dazzling array of singers, dancers and musicians performing traditional Afghan, Chinese, Cambodian and Bollywood entertainment. For more on the story, turn to page 6
Last bank shuts
By Sahar Foladi
The shutdown of the Bendigo Bank in Dandenong has raised the alarms for seniors using passbook accounts.
Its former shopfront on the lower ground of the council-owned civic centre at 225 Lonsdale Street Dandenong is now vacant.
It may have been the only and last bank branch to exit out of central Dandenong despite the rows of businesses on Lonsdale St, as well as the Afghan Bazaar on Thomas Street.
Seventy-eight-year-old Doveton resident Jack has a passbook account with Bendigo Bank, a physical notebook with details of all banking transactions, which requires him to visit the bank for deposits or withdrawals.
After the bank completes and verifies transactions, customers have a record of them in their passbooks.
His half-an-hour walks each way to the bank from Doveton to Dandenong ended with disappointment when Jack found the bank sealed with ‘Temporarily closed.’
“I went in there one morning to do my banking and it had a temporarily closed sign and I went back another time, and it was closed.
“I started ringing the bank, they said there was a staff shortage, and it will eventually open again after Easter 2024, but it never did.”
He is not allowed to drive after a heart stroke seven years ago, which has also impacted his eyesight leaving him visually impaired.
Living in Doveton since the 1960s he calls himself as a “Dandenong boy” for majority of his life.
He has relied on either his daughters or his landlady to drive him to the Narre Warren branch of Bendigo Bank to take out his pension payments.
“The bank has been there for a while I think it’s very strange that it suddenly shutdown.
“There must be a lot of people affected by it, they have closed a very important branch in a big city like Dandenong.
“The bank should be there regardless of my position.”
A Bendigo Bank spokesperson said the difficult decision came about after they saw a decline in the branch’s services.
“Following a review of evolving customer preferences, transaction activity and visitor numbers at the Bendigo Bank Dandenong branch, the Bank made the difficult decision to permanently close the branch in late May 2024.
“The decision also took into consideration the proximity of other branches in the surrounding area including Bendigo Bank Berwick, 72 High Street, Berwick, Community
Bank Dingley Village, 11/79 Centre Dandenong Road Dingley Village and Community Bank Narre Warren South, 101 Seebeck Drive, Narre Warren.”
The spokesperson also mentioned customers being able to bank at Bank@Post at Australia Post in Dandenong Plaza, for some bank services such as cash deposits and withdrawals using a PIN number, cheque deposits and account balance enquiries.
However, this is not of convenience for people with passbook accounts such as Jack, who don’t have any online accounts with the bank and manually need to access these services.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one in this position. I’ve lined up and there’s old people with walking sticks going in they must be locals too and have passbook accounts.
Continued page 10
Drumming solo Maisam Ahmadi.
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Feds praise GSEM roadmap
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The South East’s “critical” manufacturing sector was “key” to the Government’s ‘A Future Made in Australia’ plan, Federal Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor told a regional delegation in Canberra.
Mr O’Connor addressed the launch of a jobs and skills roadmap presented by a Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) delegation at Parliament House on 26 June.
The roadmap aims to create well-paid, secure jobs and provide the necessary skills closer to home for the fast-growing GSEM region’s 1.5 million residents.
Addressing the launch, Mr O’Connor said the roadmap would inspire him to help regions across the country.
“Planning for skills needs is critical at a time when the economy and labour market are rapidly changing.
“(The roadmap) will help inform me about how other regions of Australia can take the best approach to ensuring that we have successful economies, good jobs and of course, ultimately, a successful nation.”
Mr O’Connor said the Government agreed with GSEM on the need for greater collaboration, so to invest in education and training “in areas of existing and growing demand”.
“We both get the need for strategic planning to address current workforce requirements.
“We understand the importance of improving equity, inclusive growth and reducing disadvantage in our VET (Vocational Education and Training) sector,”
The launch’s roll-call included deputy PM Richard Marles, deputy Senate leader Don Farrell, Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, Infrastructure and Local Government Minister Catherine King, and Home Affairs Minister and Hotham MP Clare O’Neil.
Six other federal MPs from the South East attended – Bruce MP Julian Hill, Holt MP Cassandra Fernando, Dunkley MP Jodie Belyea, Aston MP Mary Doyle, Chisholm MP Carina Garland and Flinders MP Zoe McKenzie.
GSEM chair Simon McKeon said the launch
“could not have been more successful”.
“We are looking forward to working collaboratively with government at all levels to deliver for the workers and employers of the GSEM region.”
Mr McKeon said the region’s communities deserved to contribute and share in Australia’s prosperity and to have meaningful employment closer to home.
“One of the main challenges facing the GSEM region is making sure growth is beneficial and shared across the community,” Mr McKeon said.
“Pockets of serious disadvantage exist across Melbourne’s southeast, but so do significant untapped pockets of opportunity and we need to link the need with the opportunities.
“That is what we are seeking to create with this GSEM Jobs and Skills Roadmap.”
The delegation included the region’s seven
mayors as well as industry, business, education and community leaders as a “unified voice” for the region.
Greater Dandenong mayor Lana Formoso said it was vital to end the disconnect between the area’s job-rich industrial precinct and high unemployment.
“How many of our kids can’t go to university because of their visa status and not being able to afford it?”
She said the launch opened the eyes of Government Ministers in the room.
“There’s a misconception and stigma attached to Dandenong and the South East. This is the biggest growth corridor in the country, with potential to be bigger than Western Sydney.”
The roadmap derives from a summit of more than 200 of the region’s leaders in early May.
Among the ideas is immediate funding
for education providers to target foundation study for migrants and other disadvantaged groups in the vastly-multicultural region.
GSEM also wants a simpler process for recognising overseas qualifications and a taskforce to help reform English competency testing for migrants and refugees.
Expanded programs to support students to earn while learning was also required.
In the medium to long term, GSEM called for support for emerging industries and innovation, for inclusive growth and reduced disadvantage and for industry-education-community connections.
The GSEM region which includes Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong and five other council areas comprises 500,000 jobs and 85,000 businesses.
It is one of Australia’s largest manufacturing regions with $85 billion in Gross Regional Product.
Proposed health cuts to impact patients: VHA
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Monash Health could be forced to make proposed cuts of up to $200 million as part of budget savings imposed by the State Government.
The figure was last week reported by The Age, while documenting a leaked recording of uneasy Victorian hospital executives discussing possible bed closures, elective surgery cuts, cancelling breast screening and special-care cots.
Victorian Healthcare Association says health services across the state are being expected to break-even by 30 June 2025 on top of “significant” funding cuts.
It stated that health services had no choice
but to propose frontline staff redundancies, bed closures and elective surgery cuts.
“Doing more with less is not an option, particularly as many services have already made cuts to non-clinical staff and services,” VMA chief executive Leigh Clarke said.
“This budget squeeze leaves no more room to move.”
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas was recently reported to say the savings could be met by reducing travel, executive wages and staff in non-clinical areas such as communications and marketing.
“We are working to make sure that the money – the record money – that we’ve invested in health is being used and prioritised towards the delivery of patient care,” she re-
portedly told The Age.
Ms Clarke said the measures “go way beyond any perceived duplication or wastage”.
“The consequences … will mean redundancies of frontline staff, the closure of hospital beds, and longer waiting lists for urgent care and planned surgery,’ she said.
“‘We’re calling on the Department of Health to take a hard look at the budgets of services when it receives these submitted budget action plans and really consider the needs of local communities, including the fact that we have an ageing and growing population and changing patient needs.”
Opposition health spokesperson Georgie Crozier said “Victoria’s health services need to be supported, not being bought to their
knees because of Labor’s savage funding cuts”.
“Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our health system and it isVictorians who are paying the price.”
According to Monash Health’s 2022-’23 annual report, it sourced revenue of $3.2 billion and recorded a $173 million surplus.
A Monash Health spokesperson said its annual budget was “currently being developed in close consultation with the Department of Health to deliver the care our community needs”.
The State Government was contacted for comment.
South-East mayors Simon Brooks, Jude Dwight, Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor, and mayors Nicky Luo, Lana Formoso, Jenna Davey-Burns, Jack Kowarzik and Nathan Conroy.
NEWS Toxic-waste ignites fury
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong councillors have intensified calls to close a toxic-waste landfill that was recently put on notice by the state’s pollution watchdog.
TheVeolia-operated landfill at Taylors Road Dandenong South was last month issued three improvement notices by Environment Protection Authority Victoria.
The notices related to ongoing management of leachate (wastewater), dust and landfill gas at the Veolia Recycling and Recovery facility.
Greater Dandenong mayor Lana Formoso and councillor Jim Memeti said the landfill needed to close immediately.
“It’s concerning that a facility like this is still operating and clearly regularly breaking EPA rules and regulations,” Cr Formoso said.
“The community has lost complete faith and trust in this facility, understandably as they continuously break the conditions under their obligations of their permit.
“We are deeply concerned about the health and well being of our community in the surrounding area where we have schools, residential properties, food processing plants.”
Cr Memeti has opposed the landfill for nearly two decades. He has also advocated for no new permits in Dandenong South’s heavy industry zone, which borders homes and schools.
“These (notices) are why we want this facility closed as soon as possible. It should be the No. 1 priority to run this as the best facility in the state but they can’t do that.
“Dandenong for too long has been the state’s dumping ground.”
In 2008, Greater Dandenong Council won a Supreme Court battle to refuse a permit for the toxic-waste landfill.
However, the ALP State Government at the time legislated to effectively overrule the de-
cision. A City of Greater Dandenong spokesperson said the council continued to advocate for the facility’s closure and objected to recent planning applications for additional uses on the site.
“We have recently written to the Minister for Planning outlining our concerns about these additional uses potentially extending the operating life of the facility.”
EPA regional manager Viranga Abeywickrema said it had directedVeolia that it“must manage leachate in a way that minimises the risk of harm to human health and the environment”.
The EPA also orderedVeolia to assess, review and take remedial action over its generation,
management and disposal of landfill gas.
Veolia was also directed to mitigate and prevent dust being discharged beyond the site boundaries from vehicle movement and material storage.
“This is a very important landfill site in Victoria, and that importance must be met with ongoing improvements to deliver the best pollution controls,”
Mr Abeywickrema said EPA would maintain contact with Veolia to ensure progress was being made but would use its regulatory powers as necessary.
“The important thing is that impacts offsite
be minimised and the community and environment protected.”
Last year, the EPA finedVeolia $9246 for failing to provide a report on groundwater quality at the facility.
The landfill is the only facility in Victoria licensed to receive a broad range of solid hazardous waste, classified as Category B.
The environmental measures include collection and treatment of leachate, groundwater and surface management and detailed monitoring and reporting.
The State Government andVeolia were contacted for comment.
The Dandenong South toxic-waste landfill was issued three improvement notices by Environment Protection Authority Victoria. 228738
Picture: GARY SISSONS
‘Victim of its own success’
By Sahar Foladi
Greater Dandenong Council is set to examine whether to allocate more space to a cramped Springvale Districts Football and Netball Club at Springvale Reserve.
A notice of motion passed at a 25 June council meeting to review the fast-growing SFL club’s current meeting space allocation at Newcomen Road, including exclusive use of the function room during the season.
The club has long argued that repeated hiring, packing and unpacking the function room at every home game left them burnt out.
Springvale Districts FNC prsident Greg Scott says it takes a dozen volunteers to pack and unpack after every game.
“It takes a power of work to set up - it’s crazy. Our volunteers start at 8am and finish by 8pm at night. It’s very draining.
“We want to have access to the rooms like any other sporting club across Greater Dandenong to be able to accommodate our growing number of netballers, senior and junior footballers, Auskickers and large community of supporters.”
Every home game consists of volunteers stocking the bar, arranging tables and chairs, supplying a cash point and portable wi-fi, bringing in its electronic honour board, displaying a sponsors banners and liquor-licensing signage.
There are nine home games per season, excluding the finals.
According to Mr Scott the club attracts match crowds of between 500 to 1500.
“They love it and say how great the rooms are utilised but they’re surprised to know we’re not in the position of accessing it.
“We don’t get full tenancy rights of the rooms like other clubs.”
Councillor Sean O’Reilly, who moved the motion, said the club has “become a victim of its own success,” having to hire the function room due to its growth.
“The Springvale Districts FNC is the heart and soul of our community bringing people together through football and netball.
“These are volunteers, it’s like they’re stuck in a never ending pre-season.
“Something has to change so I support the club in raising and escalating the issues,” he said.
“The club is the largest if not one of the largest in the municipality and every time they have to pick up the key from the Civic Centre. I don’t think there’s any other club that goes through this.”
Clubs receive seasonal access throughout the year to the field, pavilion and change rooms however this is not the case for Springvale District FNC who are required to go through council’s casual bookings process to hire the function room.
Springvale Districts FNC chairman Tony Cooper says the $300 casual booking of the function room at every Demons home game is one thing but the daily set-up and pack up is annoying to say the least.
“We hope that there’s enough goodwill to allow our club to use the facility that’s already at the club built by the football community.
“The biggest problem is the other functions held in that function room can be held at other council owned buildings but we can only play football and netball at our home ground.”
The club want full access to the facility for six months of the year.
Mr Cooper refers to the pavilion being de-
Springvale heroin ‘ringleader’ charged
An alleged ringleader of a Springvale heroin trafficking syndicate has been arrested by police at a home in Princeton Drive Keysborough on Wednesday 26 June.
The 49-year-old man and two other men were arrested and heroin and methamphetamine seized in police raids on the home as well as a business and a factory on Bando Road, Springvale.
Heroin of an estimated street value of $40,000 and about 250 grams of ice worth potentially $35,000 were found, as well as a cutting agent, mobile phones and almost $45,000.
A Subaru BRZ allegedly stolen from Doveton as well as suspected stolen passports and security badges were also seized from the business. Springvale, Casey and Frankston divisional response units and the police drone unit were involved in the raids.
The 49-year-old was charged with trafficking commercial quantities of heroin and methamphetamine, and appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court the next day.
He was remanded to appear at court on 19 September. The two other men were questioned by police and released pending further enquiries. Since November 2023, police say they have arrested and charged more than 100 people over the distribution of heroin and other illicit drugs in the Springvale area.
“We have made a significant number of arrests relating to this drug in the local area; getting such a dangerous substance off our streets is something we take really seriously,” Detective Senior Sergeant Jarrod Dwyer of Spring-
an investigation into an alleged heroin trafficking syndicate. Picture: VICTORIA POLICE
vale Divisional Response Unit said.
“Local police will continue to target those involved in the alleged distribution of heroin and other illicit drugs in the area, from traffickers down to those dealing in the streets.
“Dedicated operations like this will ensure we continue to drive down drug-related harm in our community.”
Police also raided a Springvale premises on Thursday 27 June, where they seized MDMA, methylamphetamine and cannabis.
Two men aged 33 and 28, as well as a female aged 25, were processed for possessing a drug of dependence. The men were charged and bailed to appear in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 1 September, while the woman was issued with a drug diversion.
veloped years ago with club members’ donations. After the function room’s refurbishment in 2010 “(the) council decided to hire it out for events viewing it as a civic facility rather than a dedicated space for sporting clubs.”
Mr Cooper also wrote to the council in late April according to CODE Sports.
“This is not a complicated issue, it is a football facility, at a football ground, return it to the football community,” he said.
Councillors Tim Dark and Richard Lim also voiced their support for the club highlighting its significant growth.
Cr Dark addressed the run down facilities across the municipality as a broader issue amongst growing community groups and clubs.
“One of the biggest issue is that they don’t have sufficient infrastructure.
“Springvale is one of the most prominent ones. They had significant issues when their toilets were upgraded and the delays that took ended up having one of the most abhorrent set up of villages of portable toilets I’ve seen in my life.
“Many other community groups and clubs
are struggling to have the appropriate amount of growth and right facilities in place.
“It places challenge for a council that has ageing infrastructure unlike the people in Casey and Cardinia with brand new infrastructure in new estates.”
Despite these limitations, councillors applauded the club’s extreme competitiveness and efforts with every game, fundraiser and functions being well-attended.
The club has three open-age men’s team, nine female netball team with 110 registered females and an Auskick program for youngsters.
The reserve is set to prosper with $2 million upgrades as part of the 2023-’24 State Government Budget, including 200 lux LED competition-standard lighting for netball courts, 100 lux LED lighting for the oval and two coaches’ boxes.
The pavilion will be upgraded with a new kitchen and canteen, renewal to the pavilion toilets and renewal of the coaches’ boxes.
The council will spend $100,000 for the construction of a new local level playground.
Strip club damaged by suspicious
fire
Police are investigating a suspicious fire at the Sin City strip club in central Dandenong.
FRV and CFA firefighters were called out to the two-storey venue’s blaze on Langhorne Street about 8.36pm on 24 June.
It took nearly two hours to bring the scene under control, an FRV spokesperson said.
The venue had been raided by police in 2018 as part of an investigation into the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang.
A police spokesperson said no one was thought to be inside the club at the time of the “suspicious” blaze.
The police investigation was ongoing, the spokesperson said.
On a Facebook post, Sin City stated that “we are devastated to let everyone know that last night our venue unfortunately got burnt due to a fire”.
“We are so glad no one was hurt but our hearts break to those who are a part of the Sin City family.
“This isn’t the end of Sin City Gentleman’s Club and we promise our venue will be back better than ever.”
Any dashcam/CCTV footage or information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au
Divisional response unit police execute raids of a business and a factory in Springvale as part of
Springvale Districts FNC president Greg Scott says no other clubs go through what they have to.
Picture: GARY SISSONS
Don’t judge Assange: MP
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Bruce MP Julian Hill says no one should judge the newly-freed Julian Assange for accepting a plea-deal with the US Government for his imminent return to Australia.
A steadfast Assange supporter, Mr Hill had often spoken out for the accused WikiLeaks founder – who formerly lived in the Dandenong Ranges.
“It’s an enormous relief for Julian’s family and supporters that the matter has come to a close, and that we can say this Australian is a free man that can get on with his life.”
After more than 12 years either in exile or in prison, Assange was declared a free man on 26 June after a dramatic, hasty chain of events.
The day before he was released from Belmarsh Prison in the UK. He then flew out by charter to face a court in the US-territory Northern Mariana Islands.
At the Saipan District Court, Assange pled guilty to a single espionage charge and the chief judge agreed to a plea deal of 62 months jail already served at Belmarsh.
“No one should judge Julian for accepting a deal to get the hell out of there and come home,” Mr Hill said.
“His health is fragile.
“Whatever you think of Assange, he is an Australian and enough is enough.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese deserved “enormous personal credit for his judgement and determination, never giving up in pursuing resolution of this case”, Mr Hill said.
After the hearing, Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson singled out Australian Government leaders for their interventions, including Attorney-General and Isaacs MP Mark Dreyfus.
In 2021 Mr Dreyfus declared the ALP’s po-
sition that it was time for the US extradition case to be brought to an end due to Assange’s ill health.
In a statement after Assange’s release, Mr Dreyfus said: “I am pleased this long saga is now over and he is finally coming home.”
Assange had been facing extradition to the US on espionage charges relating to the bulkpublication of more than 500,000 classified documents on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Guantanamo Bay prisoners and government cables.
His potential punishment was speculated to span many decades in prison or the death penalty.
Prior to his arrest and detention, he’d gone into refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012. Protestersin2022supportingWikileaksfounderJulianAssange’slegalbattletoavoidextraditiontotheUS.
Students shine big
For the first time since the Covid pandemic, students from Noble Park English Language School have performed a spectacular concert of song, costume and dance from around the world.
The International Day concert on 25 June put a spotlight on the talents of a diverse cohort of students taught intensive English at the school.
“With so many nationalities and the difficulties with settling into a new country, the concert is a fabulous day to celebrate such diversity and to foster a sense of belonging,” NPELS disability inclusion leader Colleen Avontuur said.
The joyous program included a parade of nations, an Australian animal song, drumming solos by Year 11 student Maisam Ahmadi as well as performances from Afghan, Chinese, Bollywood, Cambodian traditional performances.
Topping it off, school staff unleashed an energetic ‘Waka Waka’ dance performance.
Drug driver causes lifelong injury
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A drug-addled driver who critically injured a fast-moving, overtaking motorcyclist at a Noble Park North intersection has been sentenced.
Peter Murray, 42, pleaded guilty after a sentence indication at the Victorian County Court to charges of dangerous driving causing serious injury as well as drug driving.
He was about to turn right in his Triton ute from Jacksons Road to access the Monash Freeway on-ramp about 5.15pm on Wednesday 13 May 2020.
Before turning, the stationary Murray spotted a north-bound rider overtaking a station wagon on the opposite side of the road.
Murray later told police that he was aware the bike “was coming quick” but thought he had enough time to turn.
On 24 June, sentencing judge Pardeep Tiwana noted the motorcyclist had “powered up” to an estimated 94 to 140 km/h, well above the 70 km/h speed limit.
The motorbike struck the rear side panel of the ute, with no evidence of brake or scuff marks on the road from either vehicle.
The ejected rider hit the ute’s rear tub cover and landed 13 metres beyond on the road.
Suffering severe head injuries, he lay unconscious and was transported to The Alfred hospital in a life-threatening condition.
His “devastating” brain injury with “multiple bleeds” was “enormously substantial”, “permanent” and the “most severe grade of damage”, Judge Tiwana said.
He has since retired from work and requires round the clock care. His family were in “lifelong agony” and “turmoil”.
“As this case sadly demonstrates, impatience and errors in judgement on our roads, no matter how slight, can lead to unspeakable devastation,” the judge said.
In a state of shock, Murray stopped at the crash scene and waited for police and ambulance services.
A blood sample revealed between 0.238 and 0.442 milligrams of methylamphetamine in his system. Although Murray believed he’d taken cocaine.
Operation targets rising motorbike deaths
Victoria Police has announced a road blitz on motorcycle safety following a spike in rider deaths.
There have been 35 motorcyclist fatalities this year - 75 per cent higher than the same time last year when 20 deaths were recorded.
In the South East region of Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong, four riders have died in 2024.
Operation Kickstand will launch in the neighbouring region of Kingston, Glen Eira and Bayside, which recorded five deaths.
Road policing assistant commissioner
GlennWeir said the significant rise in motorcyclist road trauma was “extremely concerning”.
“Police will be conducting targeted motorcycle operations like Operation Kickstand across the state to address the increase in trauma and educate both riders and motorists on the potential dangers involving motorcycles.”
Statewide, 40 per cent of the riders were aged 18- 35 years and more than 90 per cent were male.
Police say the key factors include failing to give way (by both riders and drivers) and inappropriate speed.
“We typically see motorcycle riding decrease over the cooler months, but there have been no signs of this slowing down,” Asst Comm Weir said.
“In fact, May and June both have both experienced large increases in rider deaths.”
Police are urging motorcyclists to consider the weather conditions before riding and ensure they wear appropriate protective riding gear.
Other motorists are also being warned to look out for motorcyclists on the roads, particularly when changing lanes.
A forensic expert said Murray’s intoxication “rendered him unable to maintain proper control of his motor vehicle”. But it wasn’t possible to quantify the lack of control.
Prosecutors conceded the motorcyclist’s speed contributed to the crash, but Murray’s driving was a significant and substantial factor.
The New-Zealand citizen had been living in Australia since 2004. Due to bail conditions, he’d been unable to attend a friend and family’s funerals in his homeland for the past four years.
Since the crash, he’d driven without incident and given up cocaine and other illicit drugs. His prior suspended-driving charge was more than a decade ago.
Judge Tiwana noted Murray’s deep remorse and “very good” rehabilitation prospects.
Murray, who faced possible deportation if imprisoned, accepted a sentence indication of a community corrections order.
His 18-month CCO includes 250 hours of unpaid work, drug testing and treatment as well as supervision. He was convicted and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
A banging performance by Year 11 student Maisam Ahmadi. 402496 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS
The ‘Waka Waka’ staff performance. 402496
Nelo with teacher Danielle enjoy the show. 402496
The spectacular Bollywood performance. 402496
School staff dressed up for the International Day concert. 402496
Staff perform a ‘Waka Waka’ dance at the end of the concert. 402496
Dazzling costumes during an Afghan traditional performance. 402496
I’mRachelPayne.IrepresentourSouth-eastern MetropolitanRegionintheupperhouseofthe VictorianParliament.Asacrossbencher,Ican putpressureonthemajorparties–andachieve change.
Betterpublictransportforourregion,includinganupgradetothe800busroute.
Moreaffordablehousingandrentalpropertiesinthesouth-east,particularlyfor vulnerablepeopleliketheelderly,andthoselivingonlowincomes.
PortPhillipBaybeachsafety.Everyoneshouldbeabletoenjoythisnaturalasset inpeace.
atStudRoad,DandenongNorth.
LOOKING BACK
100 YEARS AGO
3 July 1924
IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
Correspondence from Education Department, intimating that the question of providing additional accommodation, at Dandenong State School, was being attended to – Received From Education Department – re proposed State School at Dandenong West, stating that a report was being prepared by the inspector.
50 YEARS AGO
4 July 1974
MYERS OPEN NOV 1
20 YEARS AGO
5 July 2004
COUNCILLOR BLASTS BUDGET BLOW-OUT
Hill. The business unit overseen by former Greater Dandenong chief executive Warwick Heine also showed an “unfavourable” variance of $188,740. Cr Brown said that he “expected it to be much higher next month with the CEO’s redundancy factored in”.
5 YEARS AGO
9 July 2019
LITTLE INDIA TRADERS FEARING ‘WIPE OUT’
Dandenong’s commercial giant – the Myer Emporium – will open for business on Friday, November 1. This was announced yesterday by the manager of the $25m complex. Announcement of the opening date, exclusively released to the Journal, comes after months of speculation as to when the Myer colossus would begin operation. The manager told the Journal yesterday the store would be the most modern yet built by the company and would be the seventh in the Myer Southern Stores Division. It would be the company’s first free-standing department store in Victoria, “The four-levels selling space, covering 200,000 sq. ft., will carry all the usual retail store departments and services and will have four adjacent levels of under-cover car-parking space which will enable shoppers to walk directly through into the store.”
INTERFAITH
Greater Dandenong councillor John Kelly has described a $60,000 blow-out in the councillors ‘half million’ dollar budget as “extraor-
Hope in our divided world
MESSAGE OF HOPE
By Rev (Dr) Pannasobhana Thero, Buddhist monk and exceutive member of City of Greater Dandenong Interfaith Network
We live in a tense period in our global history.
The connections of empathetic world citizenship – the openness to see value in others different from ourselves – are deeply strained.
Extremism is prevalent in politics, religion, and nationalism, driven by anxiety, uncertainty, and fear in a rapidly changing world.
Yet, amidst this turbulence, hope remains our most potent force for positive change.
The threads of our global community may seem thin, but they are resilient.
Every act of kindness, every gesture of understanding, and every effort to bridge divides strengthens these bonds.
History has shown us that humanity has the capacity to rise above its challenges.
From the aftermath of wars to the triumphs of civil rights movements, we have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to heal and grow.
In this era of digital interconnectedness, we have unprecedented opportunities to foster empathy and understanding.
We can use technology to share stories, build communities, and promote dialogue.
Social media, often a source of division, can also be a platform for unity, where diverse voices come together to share their experiences and perspectives.
Education plays a crucial role in cultivating empathetic world citizens.
By teaching our children about different cultures, histories, and beliefs, we lay the foundation for a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Encouraging critical thinking and fostering curiosity about the world beyond our immediate surroundings can help dismantle the barriers that divide us.
As individuals, we can each make a difference.
Rev. Pannasobhana Thero
Small acts of kindness, active listening, and genuine attempts to understand others can have a ripple effect, inspiring others to do the same.
By embracing our shared humanity and recognizing the value in our differences, we can build a more peaceful and united world. In the face of extremism and division, hope is our beacon.
It reminds us that a better world is possible – oen where empathy, compassion, and understanding prevail.
Let us hold onto that hope and work tirelessly to turn it into reality.
Enquiries regarding the City of Greater Dandenong Interfaith Network to administration@interfaithnetwork.org.au or 8774 7662. Visit - https://interfaithnetwork.org.au/
dinary.” The variance has been put down to unbudgeted councillor training and civic centre functions. The community and councillor ball hosted by previous mayor Kevin Walsh returned a $9,000 loss to ratepayers. A council-funded concert to farewell the Dandenong Town Hall also cost about $12,000, while several thousand was spent on a council weekend at prestigious Lindenderry, Red
Little India traders say the iconic strip may be “wiped off” under a proposed large-scale redevelopment of the Dandenong retail precinct. The State Government announced that a 1.9-hectare site, including the unique Foster Street retail strip, is being put out to market by State Government agency Development Victoria. The area borders Thomas Street, Cheltenham Road, Halpin Way and Dandenong railway station would become a mixed use precinct. It is part of the Revitalising Central Dandenong – an urban renewal project that is 10 years into a 20-year plan. Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said Revitalising Central Dandenong enabled the city to continue to grow and meet the needs of the community. “We will work with local business and the community every step of the way as we deliver the next phase of this exciting project.”
Greater Dandenong councillor Mathew Kirwan said the announcement was “broadly positive” for the “stalled” project.
Trio of OAMs celebrated at Dandenong Lodge
A trio of Order of Australia Medal (OAM) recipients from a Dandenong freemasonry lodge have been lauded by their colleagues.
Lindsay Tharle, Joy Tharle and Joan Graham each received OAMs this year for their great charitable deeds and unwavering community service.
They were congratulated in a ceremony on 21 June at the South East Masonic Centre in Keysborough, which is home to Dandenong Lodge.
Lindsay Tharle, a stalwart at the Dandenong Lodge, was said to have exemplified the core principles of the organization through decades of service.
“His leadership and commitment have not only enriched the lodge but have also left an indelible mark on the wider community through numerous charitable initiatives,” a lodge spokesperson said.
Joy Tharle, who is married to Lindsay, was described as an integral part of the Dandenong Masonic family and a tireless supporter of various charitable causes..
“Her compassion and organizational acumen have been instrumental in the success of many community projects over the years,” the spokesperson said.
Joan Graham was also recognised for her fundraising and community outreach efforts that had touched the lives of many.
She is the widow of Brian Graham, a former member of the Dandenong Lodge.
Master Alan Roberts told the gathering of the lodge’s deep pride in the trio’s achievements.
“We are honoured to celebrate Lindsay
and Joan
not only for their achievements but for their selfless dedication to serving others.
“Their recognition with the Order of Australia Medal is a testament to their unwavering commitment and the positive difference they have made in our community.” He emphasised the importance of their contributions to Freemasonry’s ethos of charity, fellowship, and personal development.
Worshipful
Tharle, Joy Tharle,
Graham today,
Vic Wren, a member of the Dandenong Lodge, was the evening’s MC.
Order of Australia Medal recipients Joan Graham, Joy and Lindsay Tharle were further honoured at a Dandenong Lodge celebration.
An illustration of Capital Alliance’s proposed $600 million revamp of Little India - 18 months after Development Victoria put the precinct up for sale.
Teacher’s jail term reduced
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A musical director and teacher convicted of child sex assaults as well as more than 20 online child exploitation offences has had his jail term reduced on appeal.
Benjamin Heels, 35, had been earlier sentenced at the Victorian County Court to up to 11 years’ jail with a seven-year-and-threemonth non-parole period.
On 27 June, Victorian Court of Appeal judges Phillip Priest and Richard Niall found the total sentence and the non-parole period were “manifestly excessive”.
They resentenced Heels to eight years’ jail with a five-and-a-half-year non-parole period.
Heels had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two children under 16 and four counts of sexual activity in the presence of children.
He also pled to possessing child abuse material and 21 counts of transmitting child abuse material, in some cases described by the original judge as “explicit and degrading”, “demeaning” and “depraved”.
Heels’s own “brazen” offending with no apparent regard for the child’s welfare was described by the original judge as a “significant” breach of trust.
He had taught singing, piano and drama to children as young as eight at his home, at a school and other venues in the South East.
Some of his students were among his 19 victims.
He and his co-offending partner Tristan
Cullinan-Smayle - who was jailed for up to 10 years - had together taken part in musical productions in the South East.
They had fantasised about inflicting violent, sadistic and “seriously depraved” abuse of children known to them, according to the original sentencing judge.
“It is deeply depraved, confronting, explicit and without exception, provides extreme examples of child abuse,” the original judge said of the couple’s online chats.
“It explicitly describes violence, humiliation, and sadistic acts towards young and very young human beings.”
However, in a sentencing “error” conceded
by prosecutors at the Court of Appeal, Heels was originally meted the same jail term for possessing child abuse material as CullinanSmayle.
This was despite Heels being found with 820 child abuse images and videos and Cullinan-Smayle with more than 2000.
Sentences on two other charges against Heels were “beyond the permissible range”, the Department of Public Prosecutions also conceded.
Justices Priest and Niall stated there needed to be significant “concurrency” due to most charges occurring in a single month as well as most of the transmitted child-abuse material
being “written fantasies”.
“Albeit that the content of these written communications was vile, no children were harmed or actually physically abused in order to produce the transmitted child abuse material.
“That said, the distribution of prose describing child sex abuse, especially where it is done for the purposes of sexual gratification, has the tendency to normalise or encourage child sex abuse, ignore the harm that such abuse occurs and undermine the unequivocal societal standard that such abuse is abhorrent.”
The judges also noted that the two students remained unaware of the “depraved” sexual offending perpetuated upon them and videoed by Heels.
The videos were transmitted to CullinanSmayle, with no evidence of them being sent to a wider audience.
Heels also made substantial admissions to police, while Cullinan-Smayle opted to not answer police questions, Justices Priest and Niall stated.
The applicant was assessed as not having a sexual interest in children but having “capitulated” into watching child pornography on the urging of Cullinan-Smayle.
These factors – along with Heels’ prior good character, very early guilty plea and the impacts of Covid on prison conditions – were not properly balanced in the original sentence, the judges stated.
Caring for the carers: New centre opens in Dandenong
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A new centre to support carers for loved ones with mental health or substance use issues has opened in Dandenong.
The Mental Health andWellbeing Connect South East Metro centre (or Connect Centre) is designed to be a safe, welcoming place for carers to drop in, converse, have quiet time or a friendly cuppa.
The space is open, comfortable, relaxed, with health professionals on hand as well as staff with lived experience as carers.
“Think of it as a place of support for carers,” says Better Health Network (BHN) interim chief executive Amanda Murphy.
Ms Murphy, a carer herself for the past 20 years, said more than 60,000 Victorians “often unpaid and without support” provided care to loved ones.
“This brings its own unique challenges and is often a long-term commitment, with little support, until now.”
The Connect Centre was designed to be welcoming and safe, including for First Nations, LGBTQIA+ and CALD communities.
It provides information on services for carers, such as respite, and how to navigate what is a “fragmented” and “ad hoc” support system.
It’s also a place to meet others in similar circumstances, with plans to create a carers’ support network.
Ms Murphy says the centre will help overcome carers’ all-too-common isolation.
“Over that time between working and caring for the person I’m caring for, I have little time for my own wellbeing.
“It’s an important role and you need some time for yourself to find things they enjoy and are inspired by – to recharge the batteries.”
Many don’t even identify themselves as carers. They simply think they’re fulfilling their role as part of a family, she says.
“It starts with the acknowledgement that they are undertaking a really important role supporting their loved one or the person they are supporting.”
The carer centre is one of eight across Victoria. They have emerged out of recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.
It is a partnership between BHN, Berry Street Take Two and the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency.
The Connect Centre is open MondaysFridays 9.30am-4.30pm at 51 Robinson Street Dandenong. No appointment necessary.
Team members from BHN, Berry Street and VACCA and special guests at the new Connect Centre in Dandenong.
Winter spectacular for all
Melbourne, get ready to Frost yourselves, celebrating Christmas in July.
Embark on a magical winter journey at FROSTED – A Winter Spectacular, celebrating Christmas in July!
During the months of June and July 2024, the bigfieldinNarreWarrenoppositeWestfieldFountain Gate will be transformed into a whimsical sanctuary where all can revel in the magic of a winter Christmas under the BigTop.
Lose yourself in the breathtaking beauty of an immersive winter wonderland and enjoy the beauty of a Christmas in July.
· Friday June 21 – Sunday July 21
· Under the BigTop, oppositeWestfield Fountain Gate, NarreWarren
· Tickets -ticketmaster.com.au
· On sale now.
EVENT ZONES:
· Snowland-Delveintoaninflatableplayground of frosted fun
· Bakery–Createyourownadorablyfrostysnowman or reindeer biscuits with special French icings
· Mrs Claus’ Storytelling Corner – Join Mrs Claus and celebrate the frosty season with some of your favourite Christmas carols and stories.
· Winter Craft Corner – Unleash your creativity at our winter craft village where you can create your own reindeer antlers.
· The Elf’s Village- Make you very own snow Globe.
· CharacterMeet&Greets–Enjoyaspecialphoto moment with your favourite frosty characters, with appearances from Frosty the Snowman and Everest from Abominable.
· LivePerformances–Getsweptupwithamazing circus performances.
· PolarBearBallPit-Slipdowntheinflatableslide past the polar bear and into the ball pit with 100,000 Balls
· TabogganSlide–Grabyourspecialmatandslip
your way down the artificial icy taboggan slope.
· Skating – Glide across the icy field on our enchanting artificial skating rink
· Refreshments – Delight your tastebuds with a selection of wintery food and drinks
· Reindeer Barn – Don’t forget to visit Rudolf’s Barn
Photo opportunities in front of the Giant Gold Rocking Horse and the Magical Hot Air Balloon
WithVIP experiences and family-friendly ticket options available, prepare to be spellbound by an experience that ignites wonder and promises to warm hearts and ignite imaginations!
Join us for some icy excitement, warm memories,andendlessfunsurroundedbyanimmersive worldofwinterthatglitterswithChristmasmagic. Don’t miss your chance to experience this spellbinding frosty Christmas experience right here in Melbourne!
Secure your tickets now and get ready to be enchanted by‘FROSTED – AWinter Spectacular.’
Ticketing:
· General Admission from $32.50 (plus booking fee)
· Admission to either a day event or evening event
· Enjoyment of all Frosted Zones
· VIP Experience from $65.00 (plus booking fee)
· Admission to either a day event or evening event
· VIP Fast Pass Lanyard
· 10 minute early entry
· Front of line priority at each Frosted Zones
· Complimentary VIP Gift Bag from the Frosted Merchandise Shop
· Food voucher - including either: hot dog/hot chips & drink, or chicken nuggets/hot chips & drink
Open day for all things batteries
Everyone is welcome to Battery Zone Dandenong’sOpenDay,openfrom8.30amonSaturday 13 July.
There will also be a Show N Shine commencing at 10am (cars and boats), and a sausage sizzle. Batteries for everything are our promise to you, guaranteed. The right battery at the right price, guaranteed! We have batteries for everything; that’s our promise. Whether you need a battery for your car, truck, motorbike, scooter, caravan, golf cart, a personal device such as phone, laptop, phone, camera, toy, or other pieces of equipment, we’ve got you covered with many products in our range. Standard and specialist batteries – cars, 4WDs, trucks, mobility
NEWS
scooters, caravans, boats, tractors, motorbikes, fridges, golf carts, phones, watches, computers, cameras,videos,hearingaids,toysandmore.Accessories and battery-related products – battery chargers, solar panel chargers, dual battery systems, UHF radios, remote controls (cars, gates), inverters and more.
Why people choose us
· Expertise – our staff are highly trained technicians for all battery types
· Choice –whenwe say wehavebatteries for everything, we mean it!
· Service – our friendly and caring staff provide prompt in-store service and full after-sales
support
· Price–we’llbeatanyonlineorwrittenquoteby 10 per cent (Ts & Cs apply)
· Independent – we give you independent advice based on your needs and budget
· Value – Free services include roadside assistance (Ts & Cs apply), battery testing, recycling, and in-store fitting
We stock the following battery brands and more: Century, Delkor, AC Delco, Neuton Power, Exide,SuperStart,Drypower.Can’tfindwhatyou need? Call us on 9705 1752 today. The store is situatedat3/58GreensRoad,DandenongSouth.
Like us on Instagram BATTERYZONE.OZ
· Family Special from $100.00 (plus booking fee)
· Admission to an evening event only
· 4x General Admission tickets
· Enjoyment of all Frosted Zones
· Facebook: Frosted - A Winter Spectacular facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558713443568
· Instagram: @frosted_awinterspectatular
· instagram.com/frosted_awinterspectacular/ Tik Tok:
· tiktok.com/@frostedwinterspectacular
· Hashtag #frostedawinterspectacular Website:
· frostedawinterspectacular.com.au/ Tickets:
· www.ticketmaster.com.au
· ticketmaster.com.au/frosted-a-winter-spectacular-tickets/artist/3116447
Locals lament as Bendigo Bank shuts its doors
From page 1
“It’s not just me that’ll be affected, banks should have sense to realise they’re necessity,” he said.
The Finance Union Sector had noted an uptake in number of bank closures and the national secretary of FUS Julia Angrisano says she’s “deeply disappointed of yet another bank closure.”
“We know that when a bank branch closes it negatively impacts staff, residents and businesses but it most badly affects the most vulnerable members in our community, including our elderly, First Nations customers, people whose first language is not English, and those who are not computer literate.
“Hundreds and thousands of vital jobs have been lost and elderly customers have been left with no access to vital banking services and not knowing how to access their cash.
“Meanwhile, banks have continued to rake in billions of dollars in profit while forcing frontline staff to transition customers onto digital banking, eroding their own job security.”
While there has been no discussions about the future of the building yet, a council spokesperson has said it’ll work to attract businesses while there
“Council continues to work in partnership with the State Government on the Revitalising Central Dandenong project, which includes the proposed $600 million Capital Alliance development in the Foster Street precinct.
“Council will develop a new Economy and Place Strategy and an Investment Attraction Program which will consider future opportunities to attract new businesses to provide appropriate goods and services to meet the needs of our diverse community.”
Lose yourself in the breathtaking beauty of an immersive winter wonderland and enjoy the beauty of a Christmas in July.
FROSTED – A Winter Spectacular, celebrating Christmas in July.
David Strucelj - franchisee owner of the Battery Zone, Dandenong store.
FOCUS ON … SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Experience the thrill
Looking for an exhilarating family activity to beat the winter blues? Look no further than Phillip Island Go Karts! Nestled on the stunning shores of Phillip Island, this adrenalinepumping attraction is the perfect destination for an action-packed day out with your loved ones.
One of the greatest advantages of Phillip Island Go Karts is that it’s open seven days a week, ensuring you can plan your visit around your family’s schedule. Whether it’s a weekend adventure or a midweek treat, you can rev up your engines and hit the track any day of the week. Say goodbye to boredom and hello to heart-pounding excitement!
The best part? This thrilling experience is not hindered by Mother Nature. Come rain or shine, Phillip Island Go Karts is open and ready for action in all weather conditions. Don’t let a little drizzle dampen your spirits. Grab your raincoats and prepare to race in the rain, adding an extra element of thrill to your karting experience. It’s an opportunity to make unforgettable memories together as a family, regardless of the weather forecast.
Safety is a top priority at Phillip Island Go Karts, so you can rest assured that your loved ones are in good hands. The meticulously maintained track and state-of-the-art karts are designed to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for drivers of all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time racer, the friendly and professional staff will guide you every step of the way.
Phillip Island Go Karts offers much more than just an adrenaline rush. It promotes friendly competition, encourages teamwork, and strengthens family bonds. This is an experience that will create lasting memories and stories to share for years to come.
So, this winter school holidays, grab your family and head to Phillip Island Go Karts. With its availability all week long and its readiness to operate in any weather, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable adventure that will leave you buzzing with excitement. Start your engines and get ready to race your way into an extraordinary family experience.
Experience the thrill at Phillip Island Go Karts.
Get crafty in school holidays
Free and fun activities are on offer for kids during winter school holidays at Dandenong Market.
The two week program features interactive crafts such as designing your own market bag art or your own little chef apron. There’s also room for being inventive in the kitchen with a pasta play sessions and making your own quirky, cheery vegie sculptures.
The activities are suitable for children aged 5 and over.
It runs opposite Nesh’s Corner Deli in the market’s Meat Fish Deli Hall from 2-14 July, 10am-2pm.
Open on market days only – Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Details: dandenongmarket.com.au/school-holidayprogram/
School School
Get ready for high-speed fun this winter at Phillip Island Go Karts.
NEWS Stolen cars top $30m
Police have recovered more than 1000 stolen vehicles across Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia alone since the start of the year, with several of these vehicles dumped after being joyridden by young offenders.
In less than six months, local officers and detectives have recovered 1005 stolen vehicles, valued at an estimated $30.6 million.
Almost half of them were stolen from across Greater Dandenong, Cardinia and Casey - particularly in Dandenong, Keysborough, Cranbourne, Springvale and Pakenham.
Recent police intelligence shows across Victoria, more than half of vehicles are stolen from residential streets and public locations, such as train station and shopping centre carparks.
Police from the Greater Dandenong Youth Gang Team – with assistance from Investigation and Response team, as well as the Eastern and Southern Region Crime Squads – have recovered 169 cars that were stolen during an aggravated burglary, with the estimated value of these vehicles totalling $6.6 million.
A significant number of high-end European cars were among those recovered, including Maserati’s, BMWs, Audis and Mercedes – as well as six Porsches. Several Range Rovers and Jaguars were also located.
Since 1 January, police have recovered 468 stolen vehicles in Casey, a further 411 in Dandenong, and 126 in Cardinia.
Almost $16 million worth of stolen vehicles have been recovered in Casey alone since the start of the year.
The significant number of vehicles recovered already this year follows on from the 1,420 vehicles stolen during aggravated burglaries that police tracked down in 2023 as part of Operation Trinity. 581 or 43.5% of these vehicles were recovered in Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia.
Last year alone, police recovered over 94 per cent of all vehicles stolen during aggravated burglaries across Melbourne, given this offending is most often not driven by financial gain.
As reported by Star Journal last week, car thefts soared by 15 per cent in Greater Dandenong in the 12 months up to March 2024.
Acting Superintendent Andy McKee – Deputy Police Commander for Operation Trinity said the South East is a key area of concern.
“We know that Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia are the worst dumping grounds in the state for stolen vehicles, and that’s why we are watching these areas – and offenders –like a hawk.
“We are generally not seeing cars stolen for profit – youth and child offenders are targeting particular high-end vehicles to joyride at high speeds across the city.”
In several instances, offenders and stolen vehicles have been recovered across Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia just hours after being stolen.
Arrests and vehicle recoveries of note include:
· Between 9pm on 13 February and 4.30am on 14 February, a group of boys allegedly gained access into a home in Beaumaris via an unlocked laundry door.
There was no confrontation with the residents, and the group fled with a wallet and
keys to a Volkswagen Arteon Station Wagon.
Just after 6am, police will allege two boys entered a home in Keysborough where they stole the keys to a BMW X3, along with an Xbox.
Less than two hours later, police located the Volkswagen on Sharon Road, Springvale.
Following further enquiries, police arrested four boys at a shopping centre on Cheltenham Road, Keysborough, and recovered the BMW which was allegedly bearing stolen number plates.
A 14-year-old boy from Highett was charged with three counts of home invasion, two counts of aggravated burglary, and two counts of theft of motor vehicle. He was remanded in custody.
A 16-year-old boy from Springvale was charged with home invasion, six counts of aggravated burglary, and six counts of theft of motor vehicles. He was also remanded.
Two boys aged 15 were charged with theft of a motor vehicle and bailed to appear before a children’s court at a later date.
· A gold Toyota Camry, which had been stolen from an aquatic centre in Noble Park on 22 February was located in Keysborough the next day.
Two 15-year-old boys were charged with theft of motor vehicle – one of them also charged with burglary, while a 13-year-old boy was cautioned by police.
· Five men aged between 23 and 29 were arrested following an alleged aggravated burglary in Black Rock on 22 May.
The group is accused of gaining access to the residence via an unlocked door, and taking five sets of keys and three cars.
A black Range Rover, a black Audi Q3 and a black Mercedes C63 were all allegedly stolen – one from the break-in at Black Rock that same day, as well as another car from Doveton – were recovered at a home in Langwarrin.
The five men were arrested about midday that same day in Edward Street, Langwarrin, and charged with several offences. All remain before the courts.
Mr McKee said the prevalence of this offending is being targeted every night.
“Police hold strong concerns around young children with little to no formal driving experience behind the wheel of stolen vehicles on the roads and putting innocent motorists in harm’s way,” Mr McKee said.
“That is why we are targeting this offending every single night as part of Operation Trinity,
which has led to the arrest of over 1,400 burglars and car thieves in the past year.
“On top of arresting these offenders, we are recovering stolen vehicles every single day and returning them to their rightful owners.
“To those who commit these crimes, you expect to see us at any hour of the day and night; we are here waiting to hold you to account.”
Operation Trinity, which runs every single night until dawn targeting burglars and car thieves, isVictoria Police’s most well-resourced frontline policing operation at present.
There are 70 additional police rostered each night, on top of existing patrols.
This includes frontline officers, Highway Patrol members, the Dog Squad, Public Order Response Team, and Air Wing.
As a result of this intense focus, police have made over 1,400 arrests relating to burglaries and car thefts – with 83.8 per cent below the age of 25 and 64.5 per cent below the age of 18.
Victoria Police advises residents to ensure their vehicles are locked, and that valuables are removed to deter opportunistic thieves, and where possible, to park their cars in garages.
Repeated rejections to create vehicle access
By Violet Li
A landowner’s repeated attempts to create vehicular access to Lynbrook Boulevard on the council’s land have failed again, the state tribunal heard.
TheVictorian Civil and AdministrativeTribunal (VCAT) dismissed a review application lodged by Residential Processing Services Pty Ltd, which owns the land at 42S and 40 Olive Road in Lynbrook.
The lots are currently occupied by an aged care facility and living dwellings.
The company has sought approval for a planning permit amendment to allow vehicular access to Lynbrook Boulevard and for the removal of trees.
Casey Council rejected the amendment, advising that it was the owner of the subject lands, a road and a reserve, so the development had been beyond the scope of the permits.
The council further stated that the development did not respect the neighbourhood character, and it was likely to create amenity impacts and traffic safety issues for residents of the area and users of Lynbrook Boulevard.
The court found the amendment application futile and dismissed the hearing.
The hearing revealed that the company repeatedly attempted to create the vehicular crossover in the past decade.
The first application was lodged in 2015 and was subsequently withdrawn.
Another application was submitted in the same year but was later removed.
The company attempted the third time in 2022 and the application was refused by Casey Council.
There were two more applications in 2023.
Taking the history into consideration, the court believed Casey Council had demonstrated over time that it would not agree to access from Lynbrook Avenue.
“This is evidenced through sustained refusals of applications or requests for further information highlighting its ownership of the reserve and the necessity of its consent to the proposals,” the court heard.
“Council says that there is no rational rea-
son for the applicant to hold out any hope that council may change its position in relation to access to Lynbrook Boulevard.”
The company argued that Casey Council focused on the futility of the application because it did not want a decision on the merits of the proposal.
Its traffic reports showed that there were no adverse traffic or safety implications and the company claimed that the council had failed to engage with the data and the material change in the surroundings.
It further stated that when the initial permit was assessed in 2005, the possibility of vehicle access to Lynbrook Boulevard was raised.
Police recovering an allegedly stolen Range Rover.
An allegedly stolen gold-coloured Toyota Camry recovered by Victoria Police.
Picture: VICTORIA POLICE
Police fingerprinting recovered vehicles.
Vape sale concerns
By Sahar Foladi
New vaping reforms are in place across Australia from 1 July in a crackdown purporting to safeguard young people.
The new reforms mean vapes are only available at pharmacies with a prescription from a general or nurse practitioner. It is said to be a world-leading reform.
University of Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences associate professor Michelle Jongenelis says this is “definitely a win” for public health.
“We didn’t get the controlled access we were hoping for but it’s better than anything else beforehand and better than stores opening near high schools selling e-cigarettes.
“The loophole behind whether it contains nicotine, retailers won’t be able to hide behind this anymore after the law comes into effect because they’ll be treated the same regardless.
“It’s a huge step forward in public health safety.”
States and territories will be able to take fast enforcement action on non-pharmacy stores selling vapes, without the need to determine if the vapes, regardless of the labelling, actually contain nicotine.
The vapes will come in plain medical packaging available in mint, menthol and tobacco flavours.
Last week, the new laws underwent a lastminute amendment by the Green party which meansaprescriptionwillnolongerberequired to purchase vapes from a pharmacy from 1 October for those aged 18 years and over.
Instead, it will be placed behind the counters and available upon an identification to show users are over the age of 18.
“We do need to work considerably hard with various pharmacies and groups to make sure they’re providing right advice and information to people who want to source e-cigarettes,” Assoc Prof Jongenelis said.
However, the amendment from a schedule four (prescription only) to a schedule three (pharmacist only) has sparked fury amongst pharmacists.
Pharmacist at Lim’s Pharmacy Richard Lim
says the reform is “unfair” on pharmacists.
“This is not right, it is up to the Government to control the usage of the vapes not the pharmacy.
“We weren’t consulted over this as well on a roundtable and if we were consulted, I believe it could’ve made a much better-informed Bill.”
Also a deputy mayor of City of Greater Dandenong, Cr Lim believes this could be a step forward to deter young people from easily accessing vapes, but pharmacists aren’t paid well enough to bear the responsibility of counselling vapes customers.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, representing 5800 pharmacies nationally, stated it was “strongly opposed” to the amendment.
“Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who dispense medication that provides a proven therapeutic benefit.
“No vaping product has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration based on its safety, efficacy, or performance. No vaping product is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
“Everyone wants to keep illegal vapes out of the hands of kids and teenagers, but the Senate wants pharmacists to stock vapes next to children’s Panadol, cold and flu medicine, and emergency contraception.”
Under the amendment, those under the age of 18 who want to buy vape from the pharmacy to help with their smoking addiction would need to visit their GP for a prescription.
However, Drug Education Australia founder Sharon Torpey says there are no solid research that suggests vaping can help with smoking addictions.
“We don’t want young people vaping at all whether it’s regulated or not, inhaling anything other than oxygen is not ideal.
“Some people are justifying vaping for getting off smoking addictions but there’s no research anywhere that vaping is an effective way to do that.
“There are other ways you can manage or break the addiction. I would suggest that you go to other means before going down the way of vape,” Ms Torpey said.
A major peer-reviewed study led by the Australian National University (ANU) confirmed young non-smokers are three times as likely to smoke regular cigarettes compared to young people who don’t use e-cigarettes.
“We have nicotine replacement and treatments available, counselling may help for others, it depends on the depth of addiction,” Ms Torpey said.
It also further emphasised the “alarming” increase in e-cigarettes amongst young people as the trend tripled between 2019 (2.5 per cent) and 2022-2023, (7 per cent), according to Australian Institute Health and Welfare (AIHW) data.
Ms Torpey also works with young students in schools to educate and raise awareness about the risks involved with e-cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs.
A qualified physical education and health teacher, with 25 years’ experience Ms Torpey says she has seen a positive shift in young people’s attitudes towards vaping.
“At least we’re doing something about this issue because there was while it felt like we were in limbo, we saw more young people get involved in this and it felt like nothing was being done.
“This year when I go to school and ask how many students know someone who vapes the percentage is far more realistic and on target between 15 to 20 percent compared to last year,” she said.
“There’s a much better understanding of the risks and harm, think there’s a positive shift in perception and the reforms will slow down the uptake further.”
According to AIHW half of people (49 per cent) between the ages of 18 and 24 had used e-cigarettes and vapes as of 2022-2023 and 28 per cent of teens aged 14 to 17.
Ms Torpey says the stockpile of vape in Australia will take 18 months to diminish according to research.
Retailers and those found illegally importing vapes for sale will face heavy fines of up to $2.2m and up to seven years jail time as per the original legislation.
Council endorses rates hike in budget
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong Council’s “responsible” 2024-’25 budget has been criticized by a minority of councillors for lacking “compassion”.
Under the budget endorsed on 24 June, households’ rates and council waste charges will rise to a median $1534.82 – up by 2.53 per cent or $37.87.
It helps to cover a $93 million capital works program including $35 million for the Dandenong Wellbeing Centre aquatic facility, $19.74 million for the Keysborough South Community Hub and $4.99 million for widening Perry Road between Greens Road and Pacific Drive.
Mayor Lana Formoso said it was a responsible, balanced budget, in line with the State Government’s 2.75 per cent rate cap.
“It prioritises service sustainability while recognising economic pressures of both Council and ratepayers.
“It strikes a balance between ensuring
Council continues to provide services to support the community, and a capital spending program to provide much needed local infrastructure.”
In opposition, Cr Bob Milkovic said the budget “may be responsible but it’s anything but compassionate”.
He was particularly critical of the fees and charges hikes – up on average by 3.25 per cent.
“Many of our residents … are struggling. To have a budget that only adds fees and charges to every single possible and known council service is not compassionate.”
Also opposing was Cr Tim Dark, who warned that the budget hikes “hurt” residents, with landlords passing on the rises to tenants.
“(Rates) arrears are getting higher and higher and higher. That’s a key sign that residents are struggling to make the council rates.”
He called for an external review of the council to look for cost savings.
Cr Sean O’Reilly said every councillor em-
Two men arrested after chase
Two men in an alleged stolen car have been arrested after an extended follow by police in the South East.
Police say they spotted the red Hyundai hatchback being driven erratically and at a fast speed near Nepean Highway, Aspendale about 12.45am on 1 July.
It allegedly reached speeds of about 120km/h near South Gippsland Freeway, Dandenong and ran a red light on Webster Street, Dandenong about 1am.
Police tried to intercept the car near Eastlink but the car didn’t pull over.
Officers successfully deployed tyre deflation devices on Seaford Road, with the Hyundai coming to a stop on Oliphant Way.
The occupants dumped the vehicle, with a man attempting to flee in a parked Ford Ranger.
Two men were arrested by police without injury.
A 31-year-old Cranbourne South man and a 28-year-old Springvale man were taken in for questioning.
Police believe that the Hyundai was stolen from Cranbourne East and the Ford was stolen from Hampton Park, both in June.
The officers involved included Operation Trinity units, rostered on at night with a focus on burglaries and car thefts. The investigation remains ongoing. Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic. com.au.
Pair arrested
A pair from Oakleigh have been charged over an alleged firearm incident in Springvale.
Police say a man and a woman entered a store on Princes Highway and stole items about 3.30pm on Sunday 16 June.
When a staff member approached, one of them allegedly pointed a small firearm. The pair fled in a vehicle.
No one was physically injured.
On the morning of 27 June, Dandenong CIU detectives raided an address on Dandenong Road, Oakleigh.
pathized with residents “doing it tough”.
Under rate capping, the council was collecting less money than its costs, he said.
“Any real reduction in fees, charges, rates would mean we need to cut services.”
Under the council’s hardship policy, ratepayers can apply for a $500 reduction in their rate bill.
The council is set to borrow a projected $75 million to build three major facilities Dandenong Wellbeing Centre (DWC), Keysborough South Community Hub (KSCH) and Dandenong Community Hub (DCH) in the next four years.
The council’s borrowings – to peak at $105 million in three years – and the $60 million cost to service the debts over 10 years have been nominated by the council as among its ongoing financial challenges.
Its indebtedness to rates ratio would remain within “prudential limits”, the council stated in a long-term financial report.
A gun was allegedly seized by police.
A 35-year-old Oakleigh man and a 33-yearold Oakleigh woman were arrested at the scene.
They were taken in by police for questioning.
Springvale pharmacist Cr Richard Lim is not fond of the prospect of selling vapes. 336069
Picture: CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
Painting her career
Turkish migrant Merve Alpay is taking baby steps toward her dream to turn her talent as an artist into a successful career.
Ms Alpay specialises in the traditional Turkish art of Ebru, which involves creating colourful patterns by sprinkling and brushing colour pigments onto a pan of oily water and then transferring the patterns to paper.
Described as “painting on water,” Ebru has been practiced in Turkey since the 13th century and sees marbled paper used as a background for calligraphy, religious texts, and to decorate special books.
“For me art makes me feel good. It helps me connect with people and bring something beautiful to people’s lives.”
To achieve her dreams, she has enrolled in an English course with migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia in Dandenong to help her.
“I’m improving my English skills so I can continue and eventually open a small studio to sell my art.
“The course is helping me with English, to speak more clearly and it is building my confidence to be able talk to people about my art,” she said.
Ms Alpay arrived in Australia in 2021 with almost no English and apart from stepping her foot in the world of art business she has volunteered as an art teacher with community groups.
The former school art teacher also creates water colour and oil paintings as well as ceramic art.
WHAT’S ON
Noble Park Probus
A warm invitation is extended to anyone in the local community who is aged 55 and over, not working full time to visit us with a view to becoming a member at Noble Park Combined Probus Club. Meets monthly for morning tea and an interesting guest speaker. Also special lunches, day trips and extended trips such as to Bright. We make sure we promote the Probus core values of ‘Friendship, fellowship and fun’.
· First Monday of the month, 10am at Club Noble. Details: Roslyn, rgrassham07@gmail.com or 0410628249.
Free holiday fun
School holiday crafts at Dandenong Market. Includes market bag art, pasta play, vegie sculptures and Little Chef apron art.
· Tuesday 2 July Sunday 14 July (Tues, Fri, Sat and Sundays only) 10am-2pm at Dandenong Market, cnr Clow and Cleeland streets; free events. Details: dandenongmarket.com.au/school-holidayprogram
HOME 24
Too Much Drama is a site-responsive project by Ethiopian-Norwegian, Naarm-based artist Olana Janfa. Combining bold images and political statements with lightness, dry humour and vivid colours and tones, the exhibition brings together old and new works by Olana,displayed across Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre and the public space.
· Runs until Friday 6 September (open TuesdaysFridays) at Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre, 1-9 Walker Street, Dandenong.
Cultural Sketch
Join us to hear from, and sketch, a member of our arts community. The member will share their story, creative interests, arts practice, favourite music and other aspects that make up their creative world as they strike a pose for you to draw. Materials provided. Refreshments and alcohol served. Event is for people 18+.
· Tuesday 2 July, 6pm-8pm at Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre, cnr Walker and Robinson streets, Dandenong. Free event, book at eventbrite.com.au/e/cultural-sketch-tickets859194502887?aff=oddtdtcreator
Noble Park Public Hall Trust AGM
Upcoming annual general meeting. Nominations for the vacant five-year term as a Trustee close on 25 June.
· Friday 5 July, 1pm at Paddy O Donoghue Centre. Details: dawndickson49@gmail.com or 0412 613 853
Community planting day
Bring your family along to plant some seedlings at Somerfield Reserve. Includes Welcome to Country,
“I had a 12-year-old student in Turkey with a disability who was very talented nit also very shy.
“We made some art together, many pictures, and we held an exhibition. People came and they loved the art and applauded my student.
“She loved that, she appreciated the people liked her art and she felt better about herself and gained more confidence.”
“This had big impact on her life and that’s why I love art, it can change people’s lives,”
Ebru is the traditionally used to depict flowers, foliage, ornamentation, latticework, mosques and moons, and are used for decoration in the traditional art of bookbinding.
Artists used traditional methods to extract colours from natural pigments, which are then mixed with a few drops of ox-gall, a type of natural acid, before sprinkling and brushing the
colours onto a preparation of condensed liquid, where they float and form swirling patterns.
Ebru art is considered to be an integral part of their traditional culture, identity and lifestyle.
The knowledge and skills, as well as the philosophy behind this art, are transmitted orally and through informal practical training within master-apprentice relationships.
Achieving even basic skills in Ebru takes at least two years and the tradition is practised by all ages, genders and ethnicities. It plays a significant role in the empowerment of women and the improvement of community relationships in Turkey.
The collective art of Ebru is famous for encouraging dialogue through friendly conversation, reinforcing social ties and strengthening relations between individuals and communities.
Picture: TRACEY NEARMY/AAP
Smoking Ceremony and free lunch. Bring your own water bottle, gardening gloves and wear clothes that you won’t mind getting dirty.
· Saturday 6 July, 10am-1pm at Somerfield Reserve, Keysborough (enter via Eastbury Street or Westwood Boulevard). Free event.
NAIDOC Week
Celebrate NAIDOC Week 2024 at Dandenong Market with a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony followed by a celebration of Indigenous culture.
· Sunday 7 July, 10.30am-2.30pm at Dandenong Market, Cleeland Street, Dandenong. Free event.
Beeswax Wraps
Are you passionate about reducing plastic waste? Dive into the world of sustainability with our beeswax wrap making workshop. Part of Plastic Free July with City of Greater Dandenong. Ages 16+
· Saturday 13 July, 2pm-4pm at Springvale Community Hub, 5 Hillcrest Grove, Springvale. Free event, register at greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/ greater-dandenong-council/events/sustainability-saturdays-hub-beeswax-wraps
Springvale Urban Harvest
Come along to swap excess homegrown produce and gardening extras and meet like-minded growers in the area. Supported by The Greater Dandenong Seed Library and the Springvale Community Hub Clothes Swap.
· Second Saturday of the month (next 13 July) 1pm-3pm at Springvale Community Hub, 5 Hillcrest Grove, Springvale. Free event.
Clothes swap
Community members are invited to contribute up to 10 items of clothing, shoes and/or accessories. All items must be clean, in good condition
Bills relief
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A sixth installment of the ground-breaking Bring Your Bills series is set to return to Hampton Park on 2 July.
In the past year, the free events have wiped more than $500,000 of debt from households in Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong.
South East Community Links initiated the series in 2023 in response to the cost of living crisis.
In the five events so far, household debts have been slashed by $512,000 and been attended by more than 1100.
The most recent one in Springvale in April cleared a staggering $200,000 and attracted a crowd of 500-plus.
Chief executive Peter McNamara said he was “blown away” by the ever-rising demand for financial help.
The BringYour Bills success story was testament to the power of face-to-face interaction, Mr McNamara said.
Among the stallholders are Community Information & Support Cranbourne (CISC), Consumer AffairsVictoria, South East Water, Magistrates Court Victoria, Casey Council, the Energy and Water Ombudsman, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, Commonwealth Bank, Services Australia and theVictorian PublicTenants Association. BringYour Bills is at ArthurWren Hall, 16-20 Stuart Avenue, Hampton Park on Tuesday 2 July, 11am-3pm.
Plastic-free July
Want to learn more about minimising plastic waste? The eco-friendly electric van, GOGRN, will be making a special visit to teach you about reducing single-use plastic waste. Free craft activities for little ones.
· Thursday 4 July, 11am2pm and Friday 12 July, 10am-1pm at Multicultural Place, Buckingham Avenue, Springvale. Free event.
and ready to display on the day.
· Saturday 13 July, 1pm-3pm at Springvale Community Hub, 5 Hillcrest Grove, Springvale. Free event. Details: Zoe, mohlz@icloud.com
Awareness Meditation Meditation brings stillness, harmonises body and soul, and connects to meaning.
· Mondays (during school term) 2.30pm – 3.30pm (followed by a cuppa) at The Open Door, 110 Ann St, Dandenong; suggested gold-coin donation. Details: 9791 8664 or Theopendoor@ssjg.org. au
Walking Football
Walking Football 4 Health is modified soccer in a safe, family-friendly environment for participants of all ages and abilities, starting from 7 years old. No running, no contact, no tackles from behind and no kicking balls above waist height. A supportive space for those with health challenges, confidence issues, or social anxiety. Families are encouraged to play as a team or part of a team.
· Saturdays 1pm-2pm at Dandenong Soccer 5s, 29 Brindley Street, Dandenong South; $5 per person (free until end of June). Details: Mick Trim, 0430 163 550 or m.trim@wffa.org.au
Conversational English
Practice your English in a casual setting over a cup of tea while you meet new people in these FREE weekly sessions.
· Wednesdays 9.30am -11.30am and Thursdays 10:30am-12:30pm at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park. Details: programs@nobleparkcc.org.au or 9547 5801.
All Abilities Art & Craft
Discover your creative style and make meaningful
social connections at our All Abilities Art & Craft classes.
· Fridays 10am-12pm at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park. Details: programs@nobleparkcc.org.au or 9547 5801.
Crochet
Whether you’re eager to learn how to crochet or an avid crocheter willing to share your experience, join our little group for people who love all things crochet.
· Mondays 11am-1pm at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park; $20 per term. Details: programs@nobleparkcc.org.au or 9547 5801.
Badminton
Join us for social sessions for players of all abilities. Ages 15+.
· Mondays 7:30pm-10pm; $5 per session at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park. Details: programs@nobleparkcc.org. au or 9547 5801.
Dandenong senior activities
Dandenong over 60’s Club (but over 50s are welcome). Join us for fun and games.
· Mondays 1pm-4pm (except public holidays) at The Dandenong Club, cnr Stud and Heatherton roads. Details: Carol, 0431 755 466
Senior activities Keysborough
Keysborough & District Multicultural Senior Citizens Inc is an over 55s club with bingo on first, second and fourth Tuesday of the month ($3 entry and $1.50 per bingo book), live concerts with professional entertainers on third and fifth Tuesday of the month, line dancing on Wednesdays ($3 entry), Thursday ballroom dancing lessons (12.30pm1pm) and ballroom dancing (1pm-3pm, $3 entry).
· 1pm-3pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Rowley Allan Reserve 352 Cheltenham Road Keysborough. Tea and coffee provided. Details: Julie, 0428 561 694.
Trees: A Canopy Extraordinaire
An exhibition that celebrates, reflects and recognises the significance of trees in the local landscape over time and the timber industry that grew the local community. It marks 80 years since community forest planting began at Greaves Reserve, Dandenong in 1944. Features artwork, local historical society collections and the council’s civic and cultural heritage collection.
· Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10am-2pm until 19 July at Benga, Heritage Hill Museum and Historic Gardens, 66 McCrae St, Dandenong. Free event.
Merve Alpay with her artwork. Picture: SUPPLIED
Meaning beyond music
By Violet Li Casey’s
music-based charity The Common People will represent Australia at the world’s largest choir competition this July.
The multicultural group will fly to New Zealand to compete in the World Choir Games 2024.
The music charity, with more than 100 members, plays international fusion from Eastern classical and Western classical, to rap, acapella and folk songs.
Members will sing four songs in the worldlevel competition, including an Aramaic language song, a Swahili language song, an English song, and an Indian fusion of the Hallelujah Chorus.
While it is assumed that entering such a big game for your country would no doubt top the milestones, director and conductor Mathews Abraham provided a different answer.
“The milestone is, I would say apart from all the times when we performed and will perform at the big venues, the fact that we came together as a group and started this meaningful charity where we’re now impacting 200 children, and we are going to add another 100 children every year,” he said.
The Common People was started around 2015 when Mathews and like-minded fellows wanted to provide meaning through their music.
“We wanted something done about our music, and it started off with helping other charities raise funds through concerts. We have worked with a lot of charities including Samaritan’s Purse and Christian Blind Mission,” he recalled.
“We had a few charity concerts happening in various venues. We got the opportunity to go to the Sydney Opera House to conduct a concert there. We had a concert at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne City.
“And after a few years, we thought maybe we should channel all our energy into starting our own charity.”
The organisation’s inaugural charity program Stand By A Child started in 2020 amid Covid when the need was at its strongest.
The international program has a sponsorship model where members are sponsored parents for a particular child for $23 a month.
The funds provide daily supplies, basic health care, tuition fees and educational goods to children in underprivileged communities in southern India.
The first step, the most critical yet challenging, is to educate single parents to send their working children back to school.
Child labour is rampant in the districts The Common People has been reaching out to, with many children forced into the industry when their single parents find it hard to afford to support the families.
When an opportunity is presented for their children to return to school, these single parents sometimes do not understand why their children have to go to school.
“We have first coached them and educated them. We got in touch with local authorities,”
Mathews said.
“We had to go with the village council. We spoke to these single parents and eventually, they thought that it would be a good idea to have their children go back to school.
“Once that was all sorted, we made sure monthly grocery packages were given to all the families at the start of every month, including rice, oil, groceries, and other living essentials.”
All the members take time every year to visit India and spend time in these villages meeting single parents and interacting with children.
The immersive experience incubated more charity programs including Stand By Her, which improves the feminine hygiene of girls and women in the same area, an initiative to rebuild huts destroyed by cyclones, and a new workshop that imparts skills to single mothers.
“What all this brings to us is a lot of purpose,” Mathews said.
“And once you visit the place, you will not look at life the same way again. You see so much poverty, but you see so much happening. You see so many smiles on these children.
If you give them a pen, they are so happy because it’s the first time they’re getting something from a foreign land and writing.
“Your perspective changes about what life is.”
Four years into the charity cause, a few students have started universities, studying nursing, teaching, and various courses. Success stories are aplenty.
Mathews shared one story of a child from the fisherman area where people risk their lives catching fish in the sea for a livelihood.
“His dad passed away in the sea a few years back. We took that child up and he kept studying. He got into a very prestigious institution in India. He’s doing his bachelor’s in fisheries,” Mathews said.
“If everything goes well, in five years, he will come back to his hometown as a manager of that fisheries department, and he can then implement a lot of actions that will help the safety of the community.
“He’ll be a local hero.”
Team effort to save Spider-orchid species from brink
Scientists from Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and La Trobe University introduced the critically endangered Frankston Spider-orchid back into the wild in native bushland in Melbourne’s South East with the assistance of volunteers on Monday 24 June.
The Frankston Spider-orchid, with the scientific name of Caladenia robinsonii, was once commonly seen in Frankston, Black Rock and along the Mornington Peninsula toward Rosebud, however, the species has declined due to habitat destruction from suburban expansion.
Only two populations, totalling less than 350 plants, remain in the wild.
Dr Noushka Reiter, senior research scientist (conservation) at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria said they were proud to be giving Caladenia robinsonii a chance at survival.
“This is the culmination of seven years of research,” she said.
Dr Reiter, together with colleagues Dr Ryan Phillips from La Trobe University and professor Rod Peakall from Australian National University, uncovered the Frankston Spider-orchid’s unique method of reproduction: the sexual deception of a wasp combined with pollination during feeding.
The orchid lures a male wasp with the scent of a female wasp emitted from dark “clubs” at the ends of its petals.
After initial sexual attraction, the wasp then feeds on sugars from the lip of the flower. While feeding, pollen is deposited on the wasp by the orchid. Such is the power of the sexual attractant; the male wasp is drawn to another flower where the process repeats, and pollen is transferred.
Caladenia robinsonii relies on a single species of thynnine wasp for reproduction and a single species of mycorrhizal fungus to germinate.
“To successfully reintroduce this species, we had to find suitable sites where the pollinator was present, identify associated mycor-
rhizal fungi, and germinate the seed symbiotically with its preferred mycorrhizal fungi,” Dr Reiter said.
It is one of several species being re-introduced in projects led by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s Orchid Conservation Program in the coming month.
Other species being re-introduced include 200 of the Critically Endangered McIvor Spi-
der-orchid Caladenia audasii, in addition to the supplementation of populations of the Endangered Coloured Spider-orchid (Caladenia colorata) and the Endangered Elegant Spider-orchid (Caladenia formosa).
This research was supported by funding from the Natural Environment Program of the Port Phillip Region, the Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action, and an Aus-
tralian Research Council Linkage Grant.
To read the paper, Sexual attraction with pollination during feeding behaviour: implications for transitions between specialized strategies, recently published by Dr Reiter together with a team of scientists, go to doi. org/10.1093/aob/mcad178
To watch a video of wasps visiting the orchid youtube.com/watch?v=OB6XzBRXQVE
Scientists are introducing the critically endangered Frankston Spider-orchid back into Melbourne’s South East. Pictured is senior research scientist Dr Noushka Reiter and research officer Alex McLachlan at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. 414979
Volunteers Cathy Beamish and Jeanette Miller are helping with the re-introduction. 414979
Caladenia robinsonii, commonly known as the Frankston Spider-orchid. 414979
Volunteer John Hodges from Australasian Native Orchid Society, Victorian Group. 414979
The Common People music charity. 414536
All voices celebrated
Voices
Labor MPs Gary Maas, Lee Tarlamis and Cassandra Fernando were among the VIPs at the South East Community Links-stagedevent.
Performing were South Sudanese singer Ajak Kwai and Afghan musicianWahid Paykari, with Effie Nkrumah as the gala’s MC.
The event was supported by the State Government and City of Casey.
Guests at the Voices Community Gala event at Bunjil Place.
South East Community Links’ Andrea Shepherd, Karen Vergara, Peter McNamara, MPs Cassandra Fernando, Lee Tarlamis, Victorian Multicultural Commission’s Sylvia Coombe and MP Gary Maas.
Picture: SUPPLIED
Sensational seven for City
By Marcus Uhe
Dandenong City returned to the National Premier League (NPL) Victoria winners list in emphatic fashion on Friday night, sending a strong reminder to the competition that they are not a finished product after a recent stumble in form.
A 7-1 hammering of Moreland City at home made for one of the most lopsided games the competition has seen in 2024, and comes after consecutive defeats in significant fixtures for the club, against Melbourne Knights and Dandenong Thunder.
The visitors shocked the crowd at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex by opening the scoring in the seventh minute at the Filipovic Stand end, after a lapse in concentration from the Dandenong defenders.
A long throw from Moreland City landed just outside the six yard box at John Hall’s goal.
Having escaped Stefan Brecevic’s vision, Jose Sanz fired at Hall’s near post, beating the veteran stopper as rain began to fall.
10 minutes later, Kenny Athiu restored parody with a confident spot kick, after a Moreland City defender used an arm to block a Danny Kim thunderbolt.
A second penalty kick of the half gave them a 2-1 advantage, with Athiu the man taking responsibility again.
Relentless forward pressure from City’s attackers, in Athiu, Tim Atherinos and Tom Giannawkopoulos forced a turnover deep in Dandenong’s attacking half of the pitch, and a panicked challenge from the Moreland goal-
keeper in the box brought down Atherinos in a one-on-one.
After going to the top left corner on the first, he went low and to the right on the second, giving the goalkeeper no hope.
Atherinos made it 3-1 just before the half, pouncing on a lose ball after a long throw from Jacob Alexander to net his sixth goal of 2024.
Keeper Clark saves Thunder
By Marcus Uhe
Dandenong Thunder goalkeeper Pierce Clark was central to one of the most remarkable finishes to a National Premier League (NPL) Victoria matches the competition has ever seen by scoring a crucial equaliser in the Thunder’s home clash with Green Gully on Saturday night.
Anyone who has played any form of a soccer video game has at some stage attempted to score with the most unlikely of sources, and on Saturday night the dream became reality for the Thunder shot-stopper in a crazy finish to a 1-1 draw.
Trailing 1-0 four minutes into added time, a foul on Jordan Smylie provided Thunder with a free kick just inside the attacking half on the Qamil Rexhepi Grandstand side of the pitch.
As Birkan Kirdar moved to take the kick, Clark snuck down on the opposite wing and nestled his way into the heart of the Thunder penalty box.
Clark was the intended target of Kirdar’s cross at the back post, but lost his footing in a tangle of arms and legs as bodies and limbs collapsed in a pile near the bouncing ball.
Puddles of rain splashed and soaked players in the scramble, with Green Gully managing an initial clearance, only for it to be deflected to the feet of Aidan Edwards.
Edwards drifted the ball to the left post, where another cross to the teeth of goal found the head of Josh Karantz.
Karantz’ header was off target, but found an unmarked Clark, in the right spot at the perfect time.
Wearing the only blue guernsey on the pitch made him look even more like a fish out of water than what the circumstances dictated he already was, but his delicate first touch and positioning was that of a true striker.
With the ball under his control, he fired his right-footed strike at the left post while falling to the ground, and watched from a horizontal position on the cold, sodden turf of George Andrews Reserve as the ball hit the post and rebounded into the net on the opposite side.
Delirium ensued as Clark charged toward the Thunder members’ area, soaking himself in the pools of water nestled on the pitch’s surface as teammates and fans mobbed their new hero.
The same puddles had prompted a pitch inspection at the beginning of the second half,
Clark proved the most unlikely of heroes for Thunder on Saturday night, socring a dramatic equaliser against Green Gully.
following a heavy downpour at the break, but Clark and his Thunder teammates turned the conditions into an impromptu pool party.
Pressure had been mounting from the home side as the clock ticked away in the second half and the circumstances became more and more desperate, while the visitors were content to sit back in defence and force Thunder to break their stranglehold on the lead.
Green Gully dominated possession for the remaining minute of added time, but failed to find a winner as the game finished 1-1.
It’s Clark’s first goal in Thunder colours, and one that could play a critical role in Thunder avoiding relegation in 2024.
Heavy rainfall made for a wet and scoreless opening half, both sides failing to put pressure on the opposition defense with legitimate chances.
Green Gully took the lead in the 67th minute, with Thunder buckling under pressure from repeat visitors’ corners.
The visitors caught Thunder napping by playing a short corner and putting a cross deep into the penalty box, where Adolph Koudakpo made the ball his own, and headed home from close range.
It’s a third consecutive week whereThunder has collected points, the second longest streak of the Thunder’s season to date, maintaining their gap on 12th place on the table, and keeping the threat of relegation on the back burner.
A tough challenge awaits next week, when Thunder heads to Lakeside Stadium to tackle the ladder-leading South Melbourne.
It took just six minutes in the second half for the home side to add a fourth, pressing home their advantage with authority.
It was Valli Cesnik’s turn to join the scoring party, heading home from point blank range after Athiu turned provider, following an inaccurate initial cross to the towering striker.
A well-worked play from a throw-in made it
five, as substitute Brady Quinn, George Lambadaridis and Atherinos combined to make it a handful in the home side’s net after 61 minutes.
With the result of the game beyond any doubt, coach Nick Tolios began to swing some changes and activate his substitutes in the second half.
Atherinos and Athiu were two to make way, finishing the match with two goals apiece, granting debutant Ryan Crasto a first run at senior level for City.
In the 82nd minute, Crasto repaid the faith shown in him from City management by assisting fellow substitute Will Bower for City’s sixth.
Having worked the ball from the right-hand side of the pitch to the left, Crasto slipped the last line of the Moreland defence in dangerous territory.
From a tough angle parallel to the goal, he whipped a cross back into the heart of the penalty area, where an unmarked Bower took the opportunity presented on a platter, scoring goal number five for the season.
An own goal in stoppage time made it 7-1 for the home side, a relentless display sure to put them back on track in their push for a top six spot at the end of the season.
Crucially, City returns to a positive goal differential, having taken a hit in the ‘goals against’ column in the 5-2 loss to Melbourne a fortnight ago.
City heads to Keilor Downs next week to face Green Gully, a fellow side fighting for a spot in the top six’s lower rungs.
Bulls bow down to Bulldogs
By Marcus Uhe
The fortunes of Noble Park’s season are going from bad to worse, with the Bulls’ now winless in their last eight matches in the Eastern Football Netball League.
Saturday’s 36-point loss to South Croydon now has the Bulls three games and a percentage gap of 43 outside the top six, making a run at a second premiership in three years appear all the more unlikely.
The 4.5 29 to 9.10 64 loss featured a promising start but dismal second and third quarter in which just a single behind was scored in two quarters of football in wet conditions at Cheong Park.
Popular small forward Kevin Kean put the Bulls on the board early in his 150th game in Bulls colours, and debutant Jordan McDonnell added a second for the visitors to take a 10-point lead into the first break.
McDonnell’s goal in the 22nd minute, however, would be Noble Park’s last until Lachlan McDonnell’s in the ninth minute of the final term, with over an hour of gameplay elapsing inbetween.
Between Bulls goals, South Croydon controlled the game with six of their own.
Shallow forward 50 entries failed to yield Noble Park scoring opportunities, and the absence of Bailey Lambert meant the Bulls lacked a consistent goal scoring threat ahead of the ball.
Nathan Noblett, who kicked 15 goals in 18
last year, his first at the Bullring, has moved to the defensive half of the ground, while Kyle Martin has missed the last three matches, and leaves a huge hole in the middle.
Steady rain, meanwhile, proved detrimental to the players’ ball handling abilities, and resulted in a heavy playing surface, making moving the ball to be a difficult task.
The ball spent much of the second term in the Bulls’ defensive half, with a lack of height ahead the ball robbing them of direction when going forward.
As a result, short kicks attempting to pierce their way through the South Croydon defence on a wet day brought them unstuck time and time again, with balls continually intercepted by the South Croydon backs.
Jackson Sketcher, Liam Scott and Logan Young were among the Bulls’ best players, as was Anthony Marson.
A comfortable percentage gap and eight premiership points remain between the Bulls and the dreaded bottom two, as well as Doncaster East in eighth, but there’s no doubt that the ladder position is too close to comfort for Steve Hughes’ side.
The Bulls welcome Berwick to Pat Wright Senior Oval on Saturday in what presents as an ideal opportunity to snag a first home win of the campaign.
Round three’s 73-point win over theWickers was the last time the Bulls sung the team song, back in April.
Kevin Kean kicked a goal in his 150th game for Noble Park on Saturday. 285139
Picture: ROB CAREW
Pierce
Picture: DANDENONG THUNDER
Dandenong City striker Kenny Athiu nailed a pair of penalties in his side’s thumping win over Moreland City on Friday night. Picture: DANDENONG CITY
Eagles show fighting spirit
By Jonty Ralphsmith
Cranbourne mixed it with reigning premier Cheltenham for three quarters at Livingston Reserve on Saturday in a 9.15 69 to 6.12 48 defeat in the Southern Football Netball League Division 1 competition.
The Eagles had the upper hand for the majority of the first three quarters, building their challenge off the back of their pressure in torrid wet conditions.
Having given the Rosellas their biggest test of the season in round 1, Cranbourne rattled Cheltenham with a four goal opening term as they won the midfield battle and adapted to the conditions better than the visitors.
But they would manage only two more goals for the rest of the game, with Cheltenham able to slowly claw its way back into the contest.
One of those goals came midway through the third quarter via a simple Mitch Tharle set shot; important scoreboard nourishment for a resilient term.
But despite both sides having opportunities throughout the third quarter, that was the only major of the third term, setting the scene for another grandstand finish between two heavyweights.
Ultimately, though, Cheltenham was able to capitalise on Cranbourne lapses throughout the fourth term, kicking the only three goals of the quarter to maintain their unbeaten streak in 2024.
Zak Roscoe appeared to have kicked a captain’s goal at the 12-minute-mark of the last quarter as the hosts pressed hard but it was ultimately ruled touched off the boot.
That sort of desperation made scoring tough for Cranbourne in the last quarter as Cheltenham’s strong pressure and opportunism proved decisive.
A minute after that missed opportunity,
Cheltenham transitioned it for a major at the other end to extend the margin to two kicks midway through the fourth quarter.
There were some big efforts from Cranbourne in the last quarter: Nick Darbyshire working back to split a one-on-two in defensive 50; Jake Stephens laying some big tackles; Matt Alister taking a crucial forward 50 intercept mark.
But they got a return of just two behinds for their hard work, the match adding to a grow-
ing list of frustrating results where Cranbourne has played intermittently ell across the four quarters.
The result puts Cranbourne six points outside the finals-bound top five with seven rounds to go.
They have the opportunity to close the gap with games against Port Melbourne and East Brighton, directly above them, across the next three weeks.
The Eagles will almost certainly need to
take care of business in both ot those to stay in the finals race.
In Division 2, Hampton Park was outlasted 8.12 60 to 7.5 47 against East Malvern, extending its losing streak to three.
Endeavour Hills had its first win since midApril, beating Highett for the second time in 2024, 8.15 63 to 8.12 60.
Doveton, meanwhile, took care of business against the struggling Skye, winning 17.15 117 to 3.5 23.
Doveton celebrates premiership three-peat from eighties
By Jonty Ralphsmith
Long time local footy powerhouse Doveton celebrated a golden era of success last Saturday in a reunion of its 1982-1984 premiership threepeat.
Playing in the now defunct South West Gippsland Football League, the 1980s was a decade of Doves dominance, with five grand finals in the 10 years between 1979-1988.
As multiple past players referenced at Saturday’s gathering, any non-premiership year was viewed as a failed season.
“They had a massive will to win,” said 1983 recruit Brian Tibballs.
Imagine then the frustration following the 1981 season, one where Doveton didn’t qualify for finals.
The youth of ’81 was complemented the following year by an injection of experience, including several Doves returning to their home clubs from other leagues.
Led by coach Frank ‘Rocky’ Clifford, the Doves responded in an enormous way across the next three seasons, restoring their fearsome reputation.
“It was us against them and Doveton played it up,” said 1983-84 premiership player Doug Henwood.
“People would come here and call Doveton a ‘concrete jungle’ because of the homes.
“It was a lower-middle class area and the club had a huge following: it was the hub of the community.”
The Pakenham Gazette at the time reported that the 1983 side had “a confidence bordering on arrogance” going into their 88-point grand final win over Dingley.
The Doves only loss of that season, coached by club great Steve Henwood, came to Dingley in the first month of the season.
“We would have won most games by about 10 goals,” Doug Henwood recalled.
They inflicted that sort of pain on Dingley to qualify directly for the grand final, with the coach’s biggest challenge of that finals series
being to prevent complacency during the two week build up.
“We were up and about that day,” ruck Mick Jolly recalled.
Gun on-baller Barry Frazer kicked six goals in a brutal affair where there were seven reports, but a four goal first quarter set up a lead which Doveton built on all day.
The premierships either side of that were much trickier.
The 1982 grand final was labelled one of the great grand finals of the generation by the Gazette at the time.
There were 47 goals kicked with Doveton winning 25.15 165 against Beaconsfield’s 22.10 152.
Jolly won some crucial hitouts to advantage and clearances when the game was on the line to stave off one of Beaconsfield’s many flurries of momentum in the last quarter.
Clifford was strong in the midfield while
Jack McGougan and Trevor Boorar were courageous in defence.
“All I remember was the ball going down the middle both ways – I felt like a spectator,” said Graham Downe, one of only two players – alongside Jolly - to line up in all three premierships.
“Mick Wilson kicked a torpedo from the wing and Mick (Jolly) took a speccy in the goal square in time on in the last quarter which was crucial.”
The telling storyline of the 1984 premiership was that of the enigmatic Darren Mullarvey, an inclusion for the grand final who was named best afield in a tense win over Keysborough, despite the margin blowing out ate to 33 points.
“He was not only a good player with his athleticism and skills, he was a very good mark and terrific tackler – he crunched a lot of Keysborough blokes and took the confidence out of them,” coach Steve Henwood said.
“There was nothing in it and Darren was probably the difference between the sides.”
Doveton went into that grand final as underdogs, having lost its two home and away meetings against the Burras, but a brilliant midfield effort was crucial.
Of course, 1984 wasn’t the end of the golden years: Doveton would exact revenge on Cranbourne by winning the 1988 premiership after losing the previous three grand finals to the same opposition.
“People loved us,” said Downe.
“You came into the rooms after a game of footy and you couldn’t move.
“You’d walk in and there would be supporters waiting to give you a beer.”
The tight culture and playing success was set up by Doveton’s feed of junior players, from both Doveton Lions and Doveton Junior Football Club by the club representing the most populous suburb in the region.
“I couldn’t believe how many people were here; I had come from a country club where there 30 people on the track, to 70 some nights here – that was the strength of the club,” said Tibballs.
“There was a lot happening all the time.”
It’s a long throw from the present-day struggles Doveton face, lacking an aligned junior club and playing against teams in much more populated areas.
Kevin Sheedy, who himself experienced great success through the 1980s, was a guest speaker on the day, sharing memories of his playing and coaching days at Richmond and Essendon.
The reunion was deliberately scheduled during a clash with traditional rivals Hampton Park, with the present-day Doves well supported by the old brigade in its 23-point victory over the Redbacks.
1982: Doveton 25.15 165 defeated Beacons-
Past and present combine as the current Doveton squad listened in to players from the past reflecting on great memories. 414860
Picture: GARY SISSONS
Cranbourne fought hard against the Rosellas. 416180
Picture: ROB CAREW
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